Thanks to all Kossacks who voted in yesterday's C&J for your friend and humble narrator. Now the time has come to put your donation money where your online mouth is and send some click-cash to a worthy cause.
But first, a few words about everybody's favorite first runner-up, Adam Lambert Jeff Lieber.
I love Jeff. I consider him a friend, and I never miss a diary. You've seen me there, posting my screenplays in the comments sections.
Unfortunately an unscrupulous studio that will remain nameless apparently reads DKos and stole my idea for a Tyler Perry/Kevin James buddy comedy where both men wear dress up in fat-suit drag and go to summer camp.
"Chubb E. Chaser" had limitless potential, but now I won't see any of the profits it is sure to make.
We have a lot in common, Jeff and I. We're both professional writers. But the thing I like most about him is his realistic, down-to-earth persona.
When we were working to set this thing up, I smooth-talked his agent and lawyers into setting up a whole five minutes with Jeff. As I laid out the idea for him through his wireless headset, he said "March is terrible. How's your April? Mine's awful. And don't even mention May. May's worse than April."
And while the conversation was cut short due to his biweekly scalp massage/mani-pedi, his people let me know that the project was greenlit for mid-June. I was so thrilled to have him attached to the project!
Although he's too modest to ever talk about it here, Jeff is also working on a new show on CBS, called "Miami Trauma." Setting a TV show in Miami is a little bit of a crazy risk for anyone, and I don't know if the network suits are going to swallow something so innovative and fresh, but if anyone can make it work, it's Jeff.
And (Grey's Anatomy) if (Private Practice) there's (Scrubs) one (House) thing (Nip/Tuck) TV (E.R.) needs, it's more medical dramas.
I find shows like these to be entertaining as well as educational, because whenever my wife turns one on, I tend to get a lot more reading done than I otherwise would have.
I like Jeff's writing here because he knows how to tell me which parts are important ENOUGH to look at WITH THE eyes. He doesn't need gimmicks like CAPITAL LETTERS, and that makes me want to read his stuff as much as I PLEASE.
He always has a point to his writing, and he gets to it promptly. Unlike some writers, who are cranks, Mr. Lieber wouldn't even touch a crank. maybe one
(Here is where I hit a massive case of writer's block trying to figure out another way to skewer Jeff's writing)
OK, OK, I can't keep this up. And I hate myself for it. Because now Jeff is going next, writing his diary tomorrow, and he'll slaughter me. He will kill me. How many of you have ever taunted a professional writer of his caliber before? This is a scary, dark place and I might not live.
Fact is, I want to take Jeff Lieber's talent behind a construction site and have experimental, unprotected sex with it. The guy is just so freaking talented.
The kind of jokes he writes are death for someone like me because it makes me wish I'd thought of them. Every punchline is like a gentle puff of powdered glass to the opened eye.
His efforts on this site, for voter registration during the election, for drawing attention to the anti-Prop 8 cause, and even the incredibly touching personal anecdotes that make a guy like me want to cry. Or laugh myself into a puddle. There's just no more I can do with it.
So please, donate money in my name to the NFTT campaign, and save me from the wrath of the inestimable Jeffrey Lieber. Details are below:
Our goal for Netroots For The Troops 2009 is $50,000.00 (cash or in-kind donations).
PLEASE DONATE HERE
We realize that you would like to donate something tangible to go inside the packages that will be mailed to the troops. Unfortunately, accepting in-kind donations from individuals is not practical in terms of storage and handling of the items. The Pittsburgh Convention Center is a union shop so we have more stringent rules that need to be followed. Instead, we will only be accepting corporate donations or cash from YOU to purchase items for the care packages this year.
Here’s how YOU can help:
- Please contact Donnamarie or VeloVixen if you know someone who might be helpful in securing the corporate in-kind donations. To help you think of companies who could donate products, see below* for a list of potential items. Put your thinking caps on and let us hear from you. It takes time to get through the corporate processes so we need to hear from you ASAP!
- We are accepting cash from individuals and
beg ask that you DONATE HERE to contribute to this worthy cause. Your donation will enable us to purchase the things that we are unable to obtain through corporate donations, and will help to pay the costs of shipping them to our troops. This year your donations will be tax deductible, thanks to Netroots Nation and their partner Netroots Arts and Education Initiative, a California 501(c)3 corporation.
- Sign up for a diary! Our goal is to post two diaries per day until NN09. That’s a lot of diaries! Don’t worry---we’ve made it easy for you. We’ve got a template set up, and all you need to do is add a small introduction telling us why you are donating, sharing a story of someone you know who has served or is serving, or any other thing you want to share that might help motivate others to donate. Please contact politik if you are interested in posting a diary.
- Do you know a service member who would like to receive a care package? Email a request to: NFTT.request@gmail.com before July 31, 2009.
Please include all of the following information. Unfortunately we will not be able to process any incomplete requests:
Rank:
Last name:
First name:
APO Address Line 1:
APO Address Line 2:
APO Address Zip:
- Write letters to be included in the packages! Our own jlms qkw is collecting the letters and will print them out and bring them to Pittsburgh. Just email your letter to her jlms_qkw@xmission.com. Look for more information from jlms qkw soon.
- Help us assemble the packages in Pittsburgh. It's fun! More information will be forthcoming for those of you who are going to be in Pittsburgh and would like to help there.
- Please consider joining the NFTT FaceBook Group. Invite your FaceBook and non-FaceBook friends.
_____________________
*The following list contains some of the things we would like to include in the packages. Please let us know if you know someone who might be helpful in securing these corporate in-kind donations. (Please DO NOT send these items yourself! We have no way to accept them. Instead, your cash donation is the very best way to help make this happen on the ground in Pittsburgh.)
- Baby wipes
- Mechanix gloves
- Language translation books or CDs (Rosetta Stone as an example)
- LED flashlights
- Gel shoe insoles
- Goop Cleaning Gel
- Powdered energy drinks
- Gel energy food packets
- DVDs and CDs
- Letters to the soldiers
- More suggestions coming soon
Books for Soldiers
Soldiers love to receive books, but due once again to the logistics of collecting and storing them prior to NN09, books will not be included in the packages that NFTT will put together this year. Other organizations are more specialized in the collection and distribution of books to Iraq and Afghanistan. If you are interested in sending books, please consider checking out the Books for Soldiers Website. It is run by DKos's very own StormBearand is a great resource for giving.
Important Note about Successful Online Donations
PLEASE DONATE HERE
When you make your online donation, the screen indicates that you are donating to Netroots Nation. This is the right screen! Rest assured all donations WILL go to NFTT. If you wish, feel free to use the comment area provided to note that your donation is intended for Netroots For The Troops. It isn’t necessary to do this however, as this is the only fundraising activity being conducted for Netroots Nation at this time. For further information about online donations, please read TexDem's diary on the subject.