Every day is a new day and with that, a new opportunity.
EVERYONE is welcome and please join us each morning at 7:30 AM PACIFIC
to tell us what you're working on, share your show & tell, vent, whatever you want...
...this is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.
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Will you do a grouch a favor today?
Today is worldwide Do a Grouch a Favor Day. So I thought this might be a good idea for a diary on a Sunday morning. After the tepid overwhelming response to my question last week, I decided to go ahead and write about grouches despite the fact that it has already been done better than I can.
The idea behind Do a Grouch a Favor Day is to make the world a better place by cheering up a grouch. Apparently, you are to do this at your own risk. So I thought I would concentrate on some historical grouches instead and how we could have cheered them up by doing them a favor. Maybe history would be different.
Let's start with the big man Himself, God. I mean, He was such a grouch that He cast out Adam and Eve over a couple of apples. Presumably, He could make all the apples He wanted just by doing it. Why not share? But it's the thought that counts, so if Adam and Eve had sent Him a fruit basket, would we still be in Eden?
And you'd have to say that Henry VIII was a grouch. That guy just did not get along with women or Catholics. What a party pooper. If only they had had Obamacare, someone could have signed him up. He could have gotten some fertility counseling and saved a lot of trouble.
Of course, Catholics could be grouchy too. Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile set up the Spanish Inquisition, a grouch's dream for sure. They were so grumpy they deported, tortured, or killed tens of thousands of Jews and Muslims. Perhaps if someone had arranged a scenic tour of the Middle East for them, they would have reconsidered.
Then there was Vlad the Impaler, or Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia of the House of Drăculești, as he is more properly known. He was the inspiration for Dracula and according to Wiki, he
is said to have killed from 40,000 to 100,000 European civilians (political rivals, criminals and anyone else he considered "useless to humanity"), mainly by using his favourite method of impaling them on a sharp pole.
Talk about a grouch! Obviously, the
CandyGram was invented a few centuries too late.
Skipping ahead a few hundred years, Americans appear on the scene. I have always considered John C. Calhoun a grouch. He actually argued that slavery was good. And a picture of him would curdle milk. This guy was seriously disgruntled and did all he could to cause the Civil War. If only someone had done him a favor and gotten him a custom-fitted set of shackles to wear, I'm sure he would have rethought the benefits of slavery.
If you want real grouches, though, you have to go to the 20th Century. It's hard to top Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot. Those guys took grumpiness to a whole new level. They managed to exterminate tens of millions because no one did them a favor. For example, it wouldn't have cost much to buy a few of Hitler's postcards when he was a struggling young artist. With a little encouragement, maybe he could have found full time work as a graphic artist. Let that be a lesson to you.
Here in the 21st Century, our most famous grump is Dick Cheney. This guy is really grouchy, but I know just the thing to cheer him up. I say we do him a big favor and waterboard him, put a mask over his head, and attach wires to his genitals until he's not grouchy anymore.
So it's up to you. History shows that unrequited grouchery is dangerous. Defuse the situation.
Will you do a grouch a favor today?
Image Credits:
Do a Grouch a Favor courtesy zazzle.com
Adam and Eve Cast Out courtesy ellenwhite.info
Vlad the Impaler courtesy churchofmabusradio.com
John C. Calhoun courtesy en.wikipedia.org
Dick Cheney courtesy abovethelaw.com
Latest Updates on Kossack Regional Meet-Up News Below the New Day sunrise cloud
:: COMMUNITY BUILDING UPDATES ::
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Let's build communities!
Every region needs a meatspace community like SFKossacks.
We take care of each other in real life.
I urge YOU to take the lead and organize one in your region.
Please tell us about it if you do and we're here for advice.
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THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
>>>Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
NEW GROUPS IN THE PROCESS OF ORGANIZING:
Send a Kosmail to the organizers and ask for an invitation to the group.
• Northern Indiana Area: Kosmail Tim Delaney
• Long Island: Kosmail grannycarol
• Northern Michigan: Kosmail JillS
• Nebraska: Kosmail Nebraska68847Dem
• Westburbia Chicago Kossacks: Kosmail Majordomo
• Caprock Kossacks (Panhandle/Caprock/Lubbock/Amarillo area) : Kosmail shesaid
• West Texas Kossacks (including Big Bend Region and El Paso) : Kosmail Yo Bubba
• Vermont Kossacks: Kosmail 4Freedom
• California Central Coast Kossacks: (San Luis Obispo & Pismo Beach area) Kosmail CentralCoaster
Note to the above new leaders: Feel free to leave a comment any day reminding readers about your new group. Also, tell us about your progress in gathering members. Kosmail me when you've chosen a good name for your group and have created a the group. Then I'll move you to the NEW GROUPS LIST. When you've planned a date for your first event I'll make a banner for you to highlight your event in our diaries and your diaries.
These are the groups that have started since * NEW DAY * began. Please Kosmail navajo if you have started a group before that.
NEW GROUPS LIST:
• California Central Valley Kossacks - Formed: Jul 29, 2012, Organizer: tgypsy
• New England Kossacks - Formed: Aug 6, 2012, Organizers:
Clytemnestra for Lower New England (Conneticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island)
nhox42 for Upper New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont)
• Houston Area Kossacks - Formed: Aug 7, 2012, Organizer: Chrislove
• Kossacks in India - Formed: Aug 14, 2012, Organizer: chandu
• CenTex Kossacks - Formed: Sep 9, 2012, Organizer: papa monzano
• Central Ohio Kossacks - Formed: Sep 26, 2012, Organizer: VetGrl
• Kansas City Kossacks - Formed Oct 15, 2012, Organizer: Statusquomustgo
• Phoenix Kossacks - Formed Oct 16, 2012, Organizer: arizonablue
• Chicago Kossacks - Formed: Oct 31, 2012, Organizer: figbash
• Koscadia the Pacific Northwest coast from Northern California to Alaska
- Formed Oct 17, 2012, Oganizer: Horace Boothroyd III based in Portland, OR
• Boston Kossacks - Formed: Nov 7, 2012, Organizer: GreyHawk
• Motor City Kossacks South East Michigan (Detroit) Area - Formed: Nov 10, 2012, Organizer: peregrine kate
• Pittsburgh Area Kossacks - Formed: Nov 12, 2012, Organizer: dweb8231
• Salt Lake City Kossacks - Formed: Nov 17, 2012, Organizer: War on Error
• Twin Cities Kossacks - Formed: Nov 17, 2012, Organizer: imonlylurking
• Dallas Kossacks North Texas - Formed: Nov 21, 2012, Admins: Catte Nappe and dalfireplug. Please contact them to join the group. An Event Organizer needed.
• The Southern California Inland Empire Kossacks - Formed: Dec 3, 2012, Organizer: SoCaliana
• Los Angeles Kossacks - Formed: Dec 17, 2012, Organizer: Dave in Northridge
• Northeast Ohio Kossacks - Formed: Jan 16, 2013, Organizer: GenXangster
• Kansas & Missouri Kossacks - Formed: Jan 17, 2013, Organizer: tmservo433
• I-77 Carolina Kossacks who live from Columbia, SC to north of Winston-Salem, NC. - Formed: Jan 30, 2013, Organizers: gulfgal98 and eeff
• Indianapolis Kossacks - Formed: Feb 6, 2013, Organizer: CityLightsLover
• Southwest Ohio Kossacks - Formed: May 10, 2013, Organizer: Dr Erich Bloodaxe RN
• Northern Arizona Kossacks - Formed: Jul 5, 2013, Organizer: Sam Sara
• Mexican Kossacks - Formed: Apr 14, 2013, Organizer: roberb7
• New York Hudson Valley Kossacks - Formed: Oct 27, 2012, Organizer: boran2
• North Carolina Triangle Kosmopolitans - Formed: Aug 2, 2013, Organizer: highacidity
• Silicon Valley Kossacks - Formed: Oct 31, 2013, Organizer: Glen The Plumber
• Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks - Formed: Dec 17, 2013, Organizer: EagleOfFreedom
• Las Vegas NV Kossacks - Formed: Oct 22, 2013, Organizer: miracle11
ESTABLISHED GROUPS LIST: (List will grow as we discover them)
• SFKossacks Founded by navajo, Formed: May 2, 2005
• Maryland Kos Founded by timmyc, Formed: Feb 23, 2011. Contact: JamieG from Md for a group invite.
• New York City Founded by Eddie C - Contact the group organizer for meet-up events: sidnora
• Baja Arizona Kossacks, Event Organizer: Azazello
• Three Star Kossacks Tennessee, Founded by maryKK, Formed: Apr 8, 2011
• Nashville KosKats, Founded by ZenTrainer Formed: Jan 30, 2012
• Virginia Kos Founded by JamieG from Md, Formed: May 3, 2011
• Kos Georgia Founded by pat208, Formed: Feb 13, 2011
• Colorado COmmunity Founded by Leftcandid, Formed: Feb 13, 2011. Organizer: ColoTim
• New Mexico Kossaks Founded by claude
• Philly Kos Founded by mconvente Formed: Aug 29, 2011
• DKos Florida Founded by ThirstyGator, Formed: Feb 14, 2011, Currently organizing: Kosmail Vetwife to be included in next event.
• Oklahoma Roundup Founded by BigOkie, Formed: Feb 13, 2011, Currently organizing: Kosmail peacearena to be included.
• DKos Asheville Founded by davehouck, Formed: Feb 13, 2011 - Organizing Assist by: randallt
• San Diego Kossacks Founded by La Gitane, Formed: Nov 18, 2011
• Massachusetts Kosmopolitans Founded by mem from somerville, Formed: Feb 13, 2011
by EagleOfFreedom ♥ for Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks
I'm so impressed with the Seattle Kossacks, right now. EagleOfFreedom offered to take up the reins of collecting local Kossacks for camaraderie and action. In a very short time he started the group, communicated with me, set the event and got almost a dozen folks to join the ranks in person. Kudos!
So, you Seattle Kossacks, you've got a group now and John Crapper has offered to be an admin of the group. How swell is that?
SEATTLE KOSSACKS! Look for each other in the comments and gather together, invite one another and let's see more folk show up at the next event. AND the next action event.
To quote one of the attendees:
Once again Kossacks prove they are for real.
L-R: N in Seattle, Regina in a Sears Kit House, bleeding blue, doingbusinessas
L-R: ?, John Crapper, EagleOfFreedom, mlharges
All photos courtesy of mlharges
Please visit EagleOfFreedom's diary for MORE photos! Enjoy! You can join Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to EagleOfFreedom.
SFKossacks Welcome Matching Mole and bwren
with a Birding Event Plus Dinner
by navajo ♥ for SFKossacks
Last Sunday, matching mole, who flew in from the East Coast, and bwren, who flew in from Seattle, were picked up and chaffeured by the founder of Dawn Chorus, lineatus. She drove them to meet with other SFKossacks and Central Valley Kossacks to do some bird watching in the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area on San Francisco Bay. I'll leave the telling of that story up to lineatus in her Sunday morning series.
I'll be covering the dinner we had that evening to welcome our out-of-towners.
Please visit navajo's diary for descriptions of above photos and access to MORE photos! Enjoy! You can join SFKossacks by sending a Kosmail to navajo.
by randallt ♥ for DKos Asheville
Wow, the standard setters for Daily Kos group organizing just one-upped the bar again! Not only do they meet for socializing, they get themselves on radio shows to advertise the event, they invite local candidates and progressive causes to speak to our Kossacks and then fully cater an event to reward all attendees. Wow. Just wow.
More than 30 Kossacks got together amping up and organizing the Asheville atmosphere for getting out the vote. Here's one photo:
L-R: DKos Asheville Kossacks
Please visit randallt's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can join DKos Asheville by sending a Kosmail to randallt.
by Dave in Northridge ♥ for Los Angeles Kossacks
LAKossacks at it again, please see diary for food pr0n details.
L-R: DuckTape, Dave in Northridge, joemarkowitz, Shockwave and SanFernandoValleyMom
L-R: susans, Kathy, otoelbc, Jerico, Joe Bacon, mr. gmats and gmats
Please visit Dave in Northridge's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can join Los Angeles Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to Dave in Northridge.
by ericlewis0 ♥ for New York City
Wow. Boom! ericlewis0 blew us all away on Sunday. He provided a LIVE BLOG of the NYC event complete with photos and bonafide commentary from the attendees. Amazing!
Photo 1 L-R: In the orange, thankgodforairamerica, ghchaucer2, sidnora, joanbrooker, dave g & kathny Photo 2 L-R: Plf515, Laura Clawson, mets102, son of broccoli, Communitygis, no exit, designthefuture & mattc129
Please visit ericlewis0's diary for the live blog commentary from the attendees! Enjoy! You can join NYC Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to sidnora.
sidnora promises her faithful follow-up diary and she could likely have food pr0n. I hope so. I live for explicit photos of the fries at Spitzer's Corner.
:: Events Currently on the Books for Kossacks ::
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February 15-17th
Mexican Kossacks & Democrats Abroad Annual Meeting in Puerto Vallarta
SCHEDULE
Saturday, Feb. 15, 6:00 PM-7:30 PM: Welcome Reception with Tom Hayden at private home.
Sunday, Feb. 16, 1:00 PM-4:30 PM: Annual Meeting at International Friendship Club - (to include business meeting, address by Tom Hayden, and presentations on Fundraising, Web-Ex training (replaces Calliflower), Get Out the Vote (GOTV), and Communications including Social Media
Monday, Feb. 17, 4:00 PM-6:00 PM: Presentation by Tom Hayden supporting the importance of voting in the 2014 election. Hosted at chapel across from Hacienda San Angel.
TICKET INFORMATION
Advanced Full Registration: $35 USD (450 pesos) Includes all events if you register before Feb 1st.
Tom Hayden Presentation (Monday only): $12 USD (150 pesos)
To Buy: Email GOTVfromAbroad AT yahoo DOT com with the quantity of tickets needed for either “Full Registration” or “Tom Hayden (Monday only)”. You will receive a PayPal bill and a written notification once your payment has been processed.
ORGANIZER: Send roberb7 kosmail to connect at the event.
KOSSACK RSVPs:
1. roberb7
2.
3.
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Maybees: |
Monday, February 17th
Tennessee Three Star Kossacks Attend Music & Vision Fundraiser for State Candidates
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: The Whippoorwill
118 N Water Ave • Gallatin
ORGANIZER: Send marykk a kosmail to connect with her and other Three Star Kossacks.
RSVPs:
1. marykk
2.
3.
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Maybees: |
Tuesday, February 25th
Kansas-Missouri Kossacks Attend State Rally at the Capital
Equality Kansas, the ACLU of Kansas, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and MAINstream Coalition are hosting an Equality Rally
TIME: 1:00 PM (Stay for a Kossack dinner? Interested? Kosmail: tmservo433)
LOCATION: Kansas State Capitol
300 SW 10th Ave • Topeka
ORGANIZER: Send tmservo433 a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. tmservo433
2. RazzBari3
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Kansas Democrats Rally at the Capital February 25. Kossacks should be there
Saturday, March 15th
Sacramento/Central Valley Kossacks Demonstrate at "Don't Frack California"
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: California State Capitol
1315 10th St. • Sacramento
RSVPs:
1. Anthony Page aka SecondComing
2.
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Quick re-mention of March 15 statewide "Don't Frack California" demonstrations
Saturday, April 5th
Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: Noon - 3:00 PM
LOCATION: Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery & Restaurant
1201 First Avenue South • Seattle
ORGANIZER: Send EagleOfFreedom a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. EagleOfFreedom
2. Reetz
3.
4.
5.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks Arrive
Saturday, May 3rd
DKos Asheville Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: The Bywater
796 Riverside Dr. • Asheville
ORGANIZER: Send randallt a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. randallt
2. davehouck
3. Joieau
4. Gordon20024
5. SteelerGrrl
6. SteelerGuy
7. GulfGal 98
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Send navajo a kosmail if you post a diary about an event so we can update our round-up.
Okay. Floor's open.
Tell us what you are doing on this NEW DAY?