Top Comments is exploring the idea of adding some new diarists, so I thought it might be a good time to discuss some of the aspects of writing for a community diary series. Most of my blogging experience has been under the Top Comments 'umbrella,' so my experience outside of Top Comments is somewhat limited. Too, it is possible that some of the things I mention may be TC-specific, so please understand I am not trying to make generalizations that apply to every other community diary series. I do hope other TC diarists chime in with their unique perspectives, and that diarists from other Daily Kos communities will talk about their experiences, as well!
More below, but first, a word from our sponsor ...
Top Comments recognizes the previous day's Top Mojo and strives to promote each day's outstanding comments through nominations made by Kossacks like you. Please send comments (before 9:30pm ET) by email to topcomments@gmail.com or by our KosMail message board. Just click on the Spinning Top to make a submission. Look for the Spinning Top to pop up in diaries around Daily Kos.
Make sure that you include the direct link to the comment (the URL), which is available by clicking on that comment's date/time. Please let us know your Daily Kos user name if you use email so we can credit you properly. If you send a writeup with the link, we can include that as well. The diarist reserves the right to edit all content.
Please come in. You're invited to make yourself at home! Join us beneath the fleur de kos...
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I've written before that the first thing I looked for when I came to Daily Kos was a 'home base,' a place I could get to know some other community members, a place to experiment and learn. For me, Top Comments has fulfilled that role perfectly. It has had something of a 'Cheers' aspect.
Where Everybody Knows Your Name Lyrics by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo
Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows
Your name.
You wanna go where people know,
people are all the same,
You wanna go where everybody knows
your name.
You wanna go where people know,
people are all the same,
You wanna go where everybody knows
your name.
(Source:
LyricsonDemand.)
But it has offered much more than that. It has offered a venue for meeting many exceptional people! Exceptional people diary within the community, exceptional people participate in the comment threads.
Carnacki began Top Comments in 2006. We may have missed one or two nights in those early years, and once, later, when there were system problems, but otherwise, Top Comments is here every night.
I joined a week or so after he created it. Since then, there have been a few rules. We try to post as close to 10pm eastern as we can. We try to include comments, top mojo and top pictures. We try to spend some time ‘hosting’ the diary in the comment threads. But really, that’s about it. We try to keep the ‘atmosphere’ in the comment threads positive and supportive. To a person we CARE about the Daily Kos community. We can’t fix it when there are big problems in our political world. We can’t stop pie fights or other in-fighting elsewhere on the site. But, in our way we fight with elements of sanctuary, of compassion, of humor, of togetherness.
There are many people on Daily Kos who wouldn’t be caught dead in a ‘community diary.’ You can almost read their sneer. And that is their right and their prerogative. We make a different choice. We feel we are stronger because of our community. Because of sympathy we give and receive - sometimes when it seems it’s nowhere else to be found - we feel less alone. We take inspiration from the spirit of our fellows, we take motivation from their ideas and insights and stories. We learn from their examples. We feel like we grow together.
Not speaking for all the others, I believe that participating in and contributing to our community is a powerful way of making the fight. Of sticking out my tongue at the Cheneys and the Pauls, the Rubios and the McCains, the Christies and the Walkers. Of telling them through every word and deed that they will NEVER win. They will NEVER defeat us and the morality for which we fight, because it is way and gone superior to their selfish, small-minded, bigoted offerings.
One of the best things, for me, is the infinite variety to be explored in the diaries here. Almost nothing is off-limits. In Top Comments we have fought hundreds of times for marriage equality. We’ve written about war, peace, the environment, sports, pets, children, parents, photos, music, abortion, safety, policy, strategy, history, language, food, weather, work, labor, humor, sorrow, death, life … PIE! I never cease to be amazed at what my fellow diarists post. And I never stop appreciating the opportunities I’ve had to post diaries here, to explore ideas and fellowship, camaraderie and shared purpose.
I can recommend it without any reservation whatsoever.
And I am confident my fellow community diarists, both within Top Comments and without, will tell you even more about the magic of community, about its special power and endowment.
On to tonight’s comments, formatted by one of the best teammates in the world, brillig!
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
From ZenTrainer:
This one by here4tehbeer was in Paul Hogarth's diary about how Donald Trump questions whether Ted Cruz is a citizen. It cracked me up.
Flagged comments (although always best to send them in directly so we don't miss them):
jacksman flagged this comment by GwenM, in Phoebe Loosinhouse's Robert Kuttner on "Why The 99% Keeps Losing".
From the same diary, BLUENCCOASTER flagged this comment by We Shall Overcome.
From brillig:
Jen Hayden's diary brings us the news that Missouri wants to prohibit SNAP recipients from buying, among other things, fish. Sister Havana considers WWJS (What Would Jesus Say).
From the same diary comes SphericalXS' comment and zzyzx's response.
Top Mojo for yesterday, March 22nd, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you
mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary
FAQing Top Mojo.
1) You don't tailor your campaign to the existing by Paleo — 98
2) He made the city pay for his friend's by ExpatGirl — 80
3) I'd like to make a complaint . by indycam — 80
4) Scritchie Jar by triciawyse — 79
5) Yup by Empty Vessel — 75
6) In principle, yes. However, recent events have by David Harris Gershon — 74
7) Yes, don't you just love the false dilemma? by rudewarrior — 70
8) Y'know, you could be right. But everything by samanthab — 67
9) OMG, I am so glad to see you by belinda ridgewood — 66
10) McConnell is saying by onionjim — 64
11) Expecting a bill at some point in the future... by Chaddiwicker — 63
12) Thanks for the personal insult. Thankfully I've by Tool — 61
13) Beinart has really come a long way by Paleo — 58
14) Thanks! by Haole in Hawaii — 58
15) Shake! by Haole in Hawaii — 58
16) This is why I always preach rescuing dogs! :) by BoiseBlue — 56
17) somehow they've never noticed by PJEvans — 55
18) And a wave by Haole in Hawaii — 55
19) Great, let him do it. We can use the money here. by falconer520 — 55
20) I suppose they could crash weddings, make a sce... by Bob Love — 55
21) I talked to our rabbi in Israel after services by Navy Vet Terp — 53
22) You mean realists like HRC and many Dems voting by We Shall Overcome — 53
23) Don't forget a daughter for 2 goats and a sheep. by karma5230 — 52
24) Oui, les GOPosaurs sont du carbone fossilizé eom by Mokurai — 52
25) Cumming GA drew nation wide attention in 1987 by worldlotus — 52
26) Oustanding photos, by Joe Jackson — 51
27) Wow, so good to see you here. Love your by Regina in a Sears Kit House — 50
28) It is a "Bernese" not Burmese Mountain Dog by J M F — 50
29) In fact, overall results are mild leftward shift. by Assaf — 49
30) Put aside his words by Paleo — 49
31) Well, I don't live downwind of coal plants. by Village Vet — 49
Top Pictures for yesterday, March 22nd. Click any picture of a cat to be taken to the full comment. Thank you
jotter for the image magic!