The Interactive MAP in FULL SCREEN
The orange pinpoints are the location of each organized group of Daily Kos readers. If you'd like to join a group, click on a point and a box will pop up showing contact links. If you'd like to start a group, contact navajo for instructions.
A daily series, Connect! Unite! Act! seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups regularly socialize but also get out the vote, support candidates and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers-that-be. Visit us at Daily Kos every morning at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time to see how you can get involved. The comment thread is fun and light-hearted, but we're serious about moving the progressive political agenda forward. |
My first job ever was manual labor in the cornfields of Illinois. The summer of my 14th year, 1976, I secured employment detasseling corn. It wasn’t something I needed to do, per se. I received an allowance. But for me, it gave me my very first taste of independence.
Enjoy this short video explaining my reponsibilities. Believe me, it will be the only enjoyable thing you will ever experience when it comes to detasseling corn.
The method employed by the farmer who hired me and a host of other kids was riding along on our stomachs in the back of a modified flatbed cart being hauled behind by a John Deere tractor. It sucked beyond measure, and if memory serves, it payed a grand two bucks an hour. Even so, at the end of the first week, I received my first paycheck.
I have no memory of how much it was, but I do still relish the memory of what it meant to me. That afternoon, I took it to the Earlville National Bank and opened up a checking account. I was given a nondescript pad of temporary checks. The next day, I insisted that my mother take me to the only mall near us two towns over. There I purchased a rather large and ugly plaster bust of Ludwig Beethoven I had my eye on.
That bust sat on my piano until it was finally toppled during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. I can’t say I was devastated by the loss — I did mention that it was butt-ugly — but, still, I teared up when I chucked it in the dumpster.
My question to you this morning is: do you remember your first paycheck?
As always, this is an open thread.
Community Building Updates
LET'S BUILD COMMUNITIES!
Our team is here to provide support and guidance to new and existing volunteer leaders of each regional and state group, helping them with recruiting, organizing and executing social and action events. We invite you to join in this effort to build our community. There are many ways to pitch in. If there isn't a group to join near you, please start one.
State Open Threads
Colorado: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Mountain
Michigan: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Eastern
North Carolina: Sundays, 1:00 PM Eastern
Washington: Sundays, 3:30 PM Pacific
Missouri: Wednesday Evenings
Kansas: Monday Evenings
Events Currently Scheduled
The Houston Area Kossacks group is due for another meetup! We typically meet during the last week of the month, but we are going to move our meetup back one week in April, because we have a special guest. Smoh will be in town and we wanted her to be able to attend our meetup.
Date: Saturday, April 16
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Escalante’s, 590 Meyerland Plaza (on Beechnut just off of I-610)
RSVPS:
1. Chrislove
2. Smoh
3. Delilah
4. tiredntexas
5. scott5js
6. JJR1971
7. Bridgitt
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Maybees:
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If you can make it, please RSVP to Chris Love by Kosmail no later than the Thursday before the meetup. Also, if you're from the Houston area and haven't joined the Houston Area Kossacks group, feel free to send Chrislove a Kosmail to request to join. We do all of our communication via e-mail, however, so please also include an e-mail address so we can keep you in the loop! More details here.
Saturday, April 30, 2016 — Meet in Vancouver to help Angela Marx's Campaign
Meeting Place: Izzy”s Pizza and Buffet, 1503 NE 78th St, Vancouver 98665 (all you can eat buffet is $8 — food for gluten free, vegetarian, and other special diets available)
Time: 1pm for lunch, 2pm to 5pm for signature gathering
Activity: Help gathering signatures to put Angela Marx on the ballot for WA-03. We’ll meet for lunch first and then split up for the signature gathering. Angie will guide us!
RSVPS:
1. Angela Marx
2. Sara R
3. winglion
4. llbear
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Maybees:
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More information here and kosmail Sara R to RSVP
The readers of Daily Kos in Nashville are meeting at 12:30 PM on Saturday, April 30th for lunch at Pie 5 for fun and conversation. Please kosmail ZenTrainer if you’d like her to save you a seat. More details here.
RSVPS:
1. ZenTrainer
2. Jon Sitzman
3. shaggydaahoud
4. jarbyus
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Maybees:
Bill
Sandy
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SFKossacks welcome peregrine kate to San Francisco!
Sunday, May, 15th at 1:00 PM
Battery Wallace picnic area in the Marin Headlands
Potluck and BYOB, sunscreen and lawn chairs, let us know if you need a ride
Please send navajo a kosmail if you’d like to attend.
“High in the hills of the Marin Headlands, well past the throngs of tourists along Conzelman Drive, Battery Wallace picnic area is a crown jewel of the region. Located close to the Point Bonita Lighthouse, the four tables and grills in this wide-open spot overlook the Golden Gate Bridge, with sea-to-sky views of the Pacific, San Francisco in the background, and beach coves sculpting the coastal landscape. Battery Wallace is exposed, so the best time to ‘cue it up is…now! Park your buns here for a few hours or a full day. Ladies and gentlemen, start your briquettes!” ~ from Weekend Sherpa
From Hwy. 101 take Alexander Ave. exit. Turn left on the Marin Headlands Tunnel Route (aka Bunker Rd.). Follow Bunker Rd. nearly to the end; make a left on Field Rd. going up to the Visitor Center. Go past the Nike Site and make your first left. This takes you to one-way Conzelman Rd., where you’ll turn right and reach Battery Wallace. Click here for a PDF map of the area. No dogs.
RSVPS:
1. peregrine kate
2. navajo
3. Meteor Blades
4. smileycreek
5. paradise50
6. side pocket
7. maggiejean
8. Glen The Plumber
9. remembrance
10. TLO
11. kimoconnor
12. Steven Payne
13. Brian Payne
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14. norm
15. dsb
16. Lorikeet
17. ceebee7
18. citisven
Maybees:
FogCityJohn
FogCityJohn’s SO
shanikka
Susan Grigsby
jakedog42
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Sunday, May 22, 2016: Lunch to welcome asterkitty to Portland!
Meeting place: Siri Thai, 5234 SE POWELL BLVD PORTLAND, OR 97206
Time: 12:30 pm
Activities: Hugs, giving local advice, laughter, and eating large amounts of great food at reasonable prices!
RSVPS:
1. asterkitty
2. Sara R
3. winglion
4.
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Maybees:
llbear
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More information here and kosmail Sara R to RSVP
Daily Kos/Cheers & Jeers Welcoming Dinner
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Mango
1001 Washington Ave, One block from Convention Center, 2 minute walk from the Marriott
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Join us for a generous buffet of Peruvian appetizers that will be substantial for dinner. Vegetarians will be provided for well.
Delicious photos can be seen here.
Peru is home to one of the most exquisite fusion cuisines in the world. Mango Peruvian Cuisine brings the taste of Peru to Saint Louis by combining the diversity of their culture through locally provided food. Mango's beverage menu mirrors the marriage of diversity and locally sourced products.
Roll call for the C&J Dinner in Connect! Unite! Act!
This will be headcount central for the C&J Dinner. Spread the word.
RSVPS:
1. navajo
2. Meteor Blades
3. Bill in Portland Maine
4. Common Sense Mainer
5. jotter
6. aha aha (Mrs. jotter)
7. side pocket
8. Mrs. side pocket
9. paradise50
10. smileycreek
11. Chris Reeves
12. Ramara
13. loggersbrat
14. Justice Putnam
15. theRoaringGirl
16. winkk
17. jakedog42
18. vicki
19. markm667
20. brillig (bday gurl that day!)
21. mik
22. K1
23. K2
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24. Eddie in ME
25. moody in savannah
26. lulu
27. texasmom
28. texasdad
29. Ed Tracey
30. Shermanesq
31. Doggie
32. 714day
33. gizmo59
34. gizmo59’s squeeze
35. belinda ridgewood
36. evcoren
37. bfitzinAR
38. sidnora
39. peregrine kate
40. Spedwybabs
41. Malacandra
42. Will Rockafellow
Maybees:
norm winifred3
normAl1792
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There will also be a Daily Kos Caucus session during NN16.
Stay tuned for room location, date and time of our caucus.
Registration and hotels still available
Event Reporting
The SFKossacks welcomed RLMiller to San Francisco on April 2nd. Photo diary here. Stay tuned. RLMiller is the President of Climate Hawks Vote Political Action. She is the elected chair of California Democratic Party’s environmental caucus. Our dinner lasted four hours!
The Houston Area Kossacks had a small meetup with lively conversation on Tuesday, March 29, 2016. Many more photos of the crew and ChrisLove’s great food pr0n can be seen here. Kosmail Chrislove if you’d like to join his group.
Northwestern Pennsylvania Kos
Northwestern Pennsylvania had dinner and lively political conversation on the evening of Thursday, March 17 at Latinos Restaurant in Erie, PA, in celebration of a visit from Chrislove who lives in Houston. Gizmo59’s recap can be read in full here, complete with succulent food pr0n.
The SFKossacks welcomed ColoTim on his recent business trip to the Bay Area. We met at the Beach Chalet for a great lunch overlooking the ocean. A zillion more photos here: Connect! Unite! Act! Ferguson, San Francisco & NN16 Event: SFKossacks Welcome ColoTim! Photos!
While we are awaiting the official recap photo diary by JoanBrooker of our New York City meet-up on Sunday, February 28, 2016 with navajo and Denise Oliver-Velez, please enjoy this place-marker group photo. Several attendees were taking photos and we can promise some excellent food pr0n. Stay tuned for Joan’s report. We had a great day that lasted from noon until 8:30 PM! AND HERE IS JOAN’S REPORT: Navajo @ 2/28/16 NYC Meet-up!
Saturday, February 13, 2016, the readers of Daily Kos in North Carolina joined thousands in the 10th Annual Mass Moral March on Raleigh & HKonJ People’s Assembly GET-OUT-THE-VOTE GATHERING AND MOBILIZATION action. Our readers braved 27 degree weather! There were two diaries about it: The march the trolls couldn't stop: NC-NAACP's Moral March on Raleigh, 13 Feb 2016 by DocDawg and North Carolina Open Thread: Marching and Connecting by randallt.
Here’s one photo of many provided by both diarists:
The marvelous NYC Kossacks got together to welcome front pager, Laura Clawson, to NYC. And what a fantastic job they did. Look at all the people who showed up! Full report here.
navajo maintains the above event list. Kosmail her if you have any diaries about your event or if you have changes or additions.
This is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.