You'd think there'd be nothing left to say about the upcoming Netroots Nation convention in Providence, Rhode Island. Alas, as long as I'm around .... well, let me fill-in some more subtle details after the break .....
But first: Top Comments appears nightly, as a round-up of the best comments on Daily Kos. Surely you come across comments daily that are perceptive, apropos and .. well, perhaps even humorous. But they are more meaningful if they're well-known ... which is where you come in (especially in diaries/stories receiving little attention).
Send your nominations to TopComments at gmail dot com by 9:30 PM Eastern Time nightly, or by our KosMail message board. Please indicate (a) why you liked the comment, and (b) your Dkos user name (to properly credit you) as well as a link to the comment itself.
If you're still uncertain about whether to attend Netroots Nation (and are in a position to realistically show up) - let this essay offer some encouragement. And if you'd like some hints on getting there, etc. - read on.
One thing that helps defray costs are the food items that the event sponsors provide through some generous donations. Friday and Saturday lunchtime sessions offers a free box lunch (sandwich, piece of fruit, cookie, etc.) for starters. And there are frequently other meals/beverages provided: say, sponsoring coffee and donuts in the morning, some early evening snacks, items at the closing party ...... all of which (as has happened in the past) help keep your wallet in your pocket once you've paid your entry fee - so your out-of-pocket expenses may not be as high as you expect.
For those of you in the Northeast who either (a) cannot afford the full registration fee, or (b) can't get time off from work except for, say, Saturday: Although it is not advertised, Netroots Nation does offer a day-pass: somewhat in excess of $100. And so if you only have Saturday free: you might well be able to get a same-day bus or train fare, or simply drive down on Saturday, when parking fees may well be less.
As to this year’s event, you'll like Providence: the Rhode Island Convention Center - which I have attended conferences at before - is directly in-between the two union hotels (the Biltmore and the Westin) in the very heart of downtown. The Biltmore is an older, individualistic grand-dame style of hotel, while the Westin is more modern – but having stayed at both, either will meet your needs (as will the Marriott Courtyard downtown, too).
Besides the row-after row of Italian restaurants on Atwells Avenue in Federal Hill (a cab or local bus ride away) there are two brewpubs in downtown – Union Station as well as Trinity Brewhouse – within easy walking distance, and I highly recommend both.
About public transit: the convention center/hotels are a not-long walk from the Amtrak station (if you have just a wheeled suitcase) or a very short cab ride otherwise - station exterior/interior shown below:
And those hotels are literally just steps from the (outdoor) Kennedy Plaza bus station in the city center. For New Englanders: if you have bus service in your area to Boston, just change at South Station for a bus to Providence (as Peter Pan Lines has frequent service throughout the day).
You can fly to either Providence or Boston and take the bus from the airport. In each case: just be sure to ask for Kennedy Plaza (downtown) as the regular Providence terminal is on the western outskirts of town - Kennedy Plaza (shown below) is the following (and last) stop.
And finally – even if you walk in not knowing a soul – you will be able to find kindred spirits quite easily. At Chicago in 2007, I rode in on an airport bus with a retiree from Cape Cod, whose husband could not attend and was apprehensive about attending alone. Sure enough: when we saw each other two days later, she had several business cards of people from her area, and had already been invited to two dinners. The same can happen to you, especially if you attend seminars on subjects close to your heart - "birds of a feather" caucus events especially lead to friendships.
Now, on to Top Comments:
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From ljcrazyhistorian:
In my own diary about those who use Leviticus as a weapon: Doggie269 has a question that might be ideal for Top Comments.
From
voracious:
In a GBCW diary by The Nephew that became a TTFN diary after receiving community support, pgm 01 in a thread about the authenticity of community members sums up my thoughts perfectly.
From
Noddy:
In her own diary - about how supposedly Mitt disses Texas - cassandracarolina develops a 50 state strategy for the guv'nor. Meanwhile, craigkg has has devised a simple test to derail the Mittster.
On another front: the front-page story about a chance to chow down with Mitt and The Donald ..... Aloyshoakaramazov focuses on dinner entertainment instead.
From
Dave in Northridge:
I was pleased to see in my own diary - about LGBT history - this reply from sfbob about a historical experience completely blew me away.
From
BeninSC:
In a day seeming rife with such activity, our own Steveningen convinced SwedishJewfish to TTFN instead of GBCW'ing, a very important result for our people-powered endeavors!
And from
Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening .... ....
In the diary by eXtina about the return to school of Jessica Barba - suspended for producing an anti-bullying video - both tacklelady and then Vayle sum up the idiocy of some school officials (on my native Long Island, worse yet).
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Next: yesterday's Top Photos (as compiled by Jotter each day) - click on the photo to see the story behind it.
And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:
1) If That Isn't a Classic Norman Rockwell Moment by Gooserock — 263
2) Don't let a few people run you off by Dave in Northridge — 183
3) Change your title & tag to TTFN. by leu2500 — 145
4) I can't imagine any other president of recent by mayrose — 137
5) Totally agree. by psnyder — 137
6) Jimmy Carter is like that - I had the chance by Wisdumb — 134
7) Children have this wonderful, instinctual... by Mets102 — 130
8) I'm sure it will die eventually by Califlander — 120
9) at risk of becoming highly unpopular.... by G2geek — 91
10) Obama bows to child dictator! by quiet in NC — 90
11) I'm spending time by gchaucer2 — 84
12) The Catholic Church never had a monopoly by TomP — 82
13) Seconded by texasmom — 82
14) Yeah, right... by Trix — 80
15) He'll endorse Obama again by jj32 — 79
16) Just send the damn money! by Steven D — 72
17) I was there with you by ElaineinIN — 69
18) I can bet that if a misogynist male by irishwitch — 69
19) Unamerican Airlines by woolibaar — 68
20) DO NOT LET THE BULLIES WIN!!!! by mrsgoo — 67
21) Pete Souza is an artist and a national gift - by Wee Mama — 67
22) For the tea-soaked conspiracy crowd by UU VIEW — 66
23) I think Hawaii should be making money by teresahill — 65
24) I think Clinton would have by LSophia — 65
25) While you do that I'm going put your post by divineorder — 62
26) It's a BLOG by lunachickie — 62
27) Eat the rich by Dallasdoc — 61
28) Not a fan of profanity on shirts. by althea in il — 59
29) Episcopal Church = Catholic Lite by Cali Scribe — 59
30) "See how they love one another" by Cinnamon — 59
31) That's lovely by miracle11 — 59
32) If someone from here is stalking you by gchaucer2 — 59