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 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.
|
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.
View Interactive Map of Daily Kos Regional Communities in a full screen version.
|
Do You Like Bluegrass ?
I love the stuff. I didn't grow up in the South so, like most Americans, I was first exposed to Bluegrass music through TV and movies. Bluegrass pioneers Flatt & Scruggs played the theme song for The Beverly Hillbillies TV show which ran from 1962 to 1971. They also did at least one guest appearance with Jed and Granny and the kids. Flatt & Scruggs entered the popular culture again in 1967 when their instrumental Foggy Mountain Breakdown was used as theme music for the movie Bonnie and Clyde. Breakdown means instrumental in Bluegrass. Always uptempo, breakdowns are where pickers show off their skill. Musicianship is important in Bluegrass. In 1972 the movie Deliverance was released. In it was one of the most memorable scenes in cinema, featuring flat-picked guitar, Bluegrass banjo and a young Jeff Sessions of Alabama. The song was called Dueling Banjos. It was released on record and was a hit single in 1973. The song was originally titled Feuding Banjos. Written in 1955, the original version did indeed have two banjos "dueling." The song was used without attribution in the movie and a subsequent lawsuit resulted in royalties being paid to the original composer, Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith.
Like the Blues, Bluegrass is a uniquely American music. Although Bluegrass only dates back to the late 1940s, its roots are as old as the Republic. A lot of the tunes in Old Timey country music came over with settlers from Scotland, England and Ireland. Isolated in the hills and hollers of Appalachia, these settlers passed their music down through the generations relatively unchanged. Modern Bluegrass pickers find it easy to sit in with players in Irish pubs. The traditional instruments were guitar and fiddle, but what makes the music American is the African influence, that is, the introduction of the banjo, a West African instrument. African-Americans influenced the tunes in some cases as well and at least one song, Sittin' on Top of the World, is a standard of both the Blues and Bluegrass repertoires.
Bluegrass as we know it today can be traced to one man, Bill Monroe, whose band, the Bluegrass Boys, began playing the familiar uptempo style in the 1940s. Although Monroe was the band leader, it was two of his musicians that actually developed the style. Lester Flatt played guitar for the Bluegrass Boys and Earl Scruggs played the banjo. The two had a falling out with Monroe, left his band and later toured and recorded as the aforementioned Flatt & Scruggs. Lester Flatt is usually credited with developing what is called the "G-Run." Although country guitarists had been using similar runs to punctuate phrases for a long time, Flatt's version was the one a lot of players learned and it is now often called the "Lester Flatt G-Run." Bluegrass music is shot through with this type of run. You'll hear it played on mandolin and banjo, as well as guitar, and in all different chords, not just G. Here's what it sounds like:
Even more important that Bill Monroe or Lester Flatt, or anybody else, in the history of Bluegrass is Earl Scruggs. Scruggs invented the three-finger style of banjo playing. Before that banjo players played what is called the claw-hammer style. It's a pretty good style, you can pick out a melody that way and play chords behind it, but Bluegrass just wouldn't be Bluegrass without the rapid-fire tremolo that Scruggs invented. Here's Uncle Earl talking about it during an outstanding PBS special called The Three Pickers. The song they'll play is an Old-Timey fiddle tune called Soldier's Joy.
The other two pickers in that PBS special, besides Earl Scruggs, are Doc Watson and Ricky Scaggs. Doc Watson was a flat-picking genius. Blind since infancy, he started on guitar by transcribing fiddle tunes by ear. Ricky Scaggs was a Bluegrass mandolin prodigy. He crossed over to mainstream country music, had some hit records and toured until he made some money before returning to his roots in Bluegrass. About half of all Bluegrass songs are religious. I'm not much of a church goer myself, but if the music is good, I don't care what they're singing about. Here's Patty Loveless and Ricky Scaggs singing Daniel Prayed:
Well there ya' go. If that don't get you up and moving this morning nothin' will. So what's up with y'all , CUA-ers ? Got any news ? Any links ? Tell me somethin' I don't know, and ...
Do You Like Bluegrass ?
Latest Updates on Regional Meet-Up News Can Be Found Below the Orange Group Hug.
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.
Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
List of All Existing Meatspace Groups
Where the Kogs Are: Index/Directory of the 130+ Localized Daily Kos Groups
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
by Sara R ♥ for Koscadia
Koscadians got together one more time to Stamp Money Out of Politics
L-R: also mom of 5, loggersbrat, Quill, pdxteacher, J Orygun, KitRMP, HRM & Arenosa
Please visit Sara R's diary for more photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Koscadia by sending a Kosmail to Sara R.
by mimi ♥ for New York City
Here's a great photo recap of all the Kossacks marching in NYC at the People's Climate March on September 21, 2014.
L-R: Raines and Tool holding the banner
L-R: ?, mole jr., Mrs. Mole333, boatsie, The Poet Deploreate, WarrenS, ? mole333 and kathny
Please visit mimi's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join New York City by sending a Kosmail to kathny.
Coachella Kossacks MeetUp and How to add a link to your signature
by Susan Grigsby ♥ for Coachella Kossacks
Susan Grisby put out the call for other readers of Daily Kos near Palm Desert and now we have the beginning of organizing there.
Here's the charter group! Go Susan! Special thanks to susans for driving down from L.A. to lend support.
L-R: ruscle, ruscle+one, Susan Grisby & blue drop
Look at all that orange! Shirt, tops and a hat! Sweet.
Please visit Susan Grigsby's diary for MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Coachella Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to Susan Grigsby.
by tmservo433 ♥ for Kansas & Missouri Kossacks
tmservo433 organized a registering-to-vote event for Ford County, Kansas in Dodge City to reach out to Latino voters there. He partnered with League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the Ford County Democratic Party. 150 people attended to listen to John Thomas (KS House District 119 Candidate), Jean Schodorf (Secretary of State Candidate), Jim Sherow (US House, KS District 1 Candidate), Mark Low (Kansas House Candidate, District 115).
"LULAC volunteers sat at their table and handled registration after registration as people came to the event to listen to how they could change their state. We knew that not only were we helping to register new and first time voters, we were helping to bring a message into a community that has been ignored - and to help them take that message back to their friends and families."
This is a great example of reaching out to disenfranchised communities and helping them vote. Because If Democratic base voters turn out, we win. Can't be said enough. More regions need to do this.
Please visit tmservo433's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Kansas & Missouri Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to tmservo433.
Meetup Success! C+J/NE Kossacks Sept 6th
by nhox42 ♥ for New England Kossacks
The New England Kossacks got together at the home brillig and mik north of Boston. Kossacks drove from all over New England to attend. Looks like a great time was had by all.
Folks in attendance were: brillig, mik, K1, K2, Simple, nhox42, Ed Tracey, GreyHawk, Kathy, TrueBlueMajority, theKgirls, Bill in Portland Maine, Common Sense Mainer, mayim, dtheo, RubDMC, AnotherMassachusettsLiberal, Debbie in ME, ialonelady, CwV, sardonyx, Noor B, Andy, James and Alex.
New England Kossacks
Please visit nhox42's diary for MORE photos! Including yummy food pr0n. Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join New England Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to nhox42.
Event Organizers! Please contact wink from Netrootsradio.com by KosMail to schedule airtime with them to live broadcast the date of your Event. Wink & Justice will then promote it on The After Show radio program!
Wednesday, October 8th
Koscadia Attends Vice President Joe Biden's support of Jeff Merkley!
This event is free and open to the public. RSVPs are required. We recommend arriving early.
There will be street closures on the day of the event, and parking may be very difficult. We highly recommend taking public transportation to get there (get public transportation directions from Google Maps or TriMet).
Be prepared for airport-like security. Do not bring umbrellas, pocket knives, signs or banners. Bags are not permitted unless necessary for medical needs. No food and beverage permitted inside the premise (unless for medical needs). No metal or glass containers allowed inside.
No cameras, but cell phones are permitted.
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Oregon Convention Center
777 NE MLK, Jr. Blvd • Portland
ORGANIZER: Send Sara R a kosmail to keep track of RSVPs
RSVPs:
1. Llbear
2. Kit RMP
3. Drewid
4.
|
Maybees: |
Latest diary: Koscadia Meet Ups, October 8 and 12
Saturday, October 11th
Silicon Valley Kossacks' Day of Action Canvassing and BBQ with the Mike Honda Campaign (CA-17)
TIME: 11:30 AM
LOCATION: Mike Honda for Congress
SEIU Bldg. 2302 Zanker Road • San Jose
ORGANIZER: Send Glen The Plumber a KosMail or tweet to attend
RSVPs:
1. Rep. Mike Honda
2. Glen The Plumber
3. remembrance
4. TheLittleOne
5. Lusty
6. slowbutsure
7. madhaus
8. Jan D.
9. Joe D.
10. navajo (2:30)
11. Meteor Blades (2:30)
12. DancinMan
|
Maybees:
shanikka (2:30)
|
Latest diary: Silicon Valley Kossack’s Day of Action with the Mike Honda campaign 10/11
Sunday, October 12th
Koscadians Lunch at Siri Thai
TIME: 12:30 PM
LOCATION: Siri Thai
5234 SE Powell • Portland
ORGANIZER: Send Sara R a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Sara R
2. Kit RMP
3. llbear
4. Drewid
5. Sapere aude
6. MikePhoenix
7. Joe Jackson
8. loggersbrat
|
Maybees: |
Latest diary: Koscadia Meet Ups, October 8 and 12
Saturday, October 18th
DC Kossacks Potluck Picnicking on the National Mall
DC Kossacks is a regional group intended to organize meet-ups, discuss issues, strategize participation in pertinent activism, and build community for those of us who live in and around Washington DC.
TIME: NOON
LOCATION: National Mall
Take the Blue/Orange line to Smithsonian Metro Station. Exit the escalators and walk straight ahead across the first small lawn to the trees and grassy areas directly ahead. Look for a large plain orange cloth. That'll be us. It will help us recognize each other if you bring something GOS orange! • DC
ORGANIZER: Send NinthElegy a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. NinthElegy
2.
3.
|
Maybees: |
Latest entry: http://www.dailykos.com/...
Sunday, October 19th
NYC Kossacks Meet-up with navajo
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: Spitzer's Corner
101 Rivington Street (Ludlow) • NYC
ORGANIZER: Send kathny a kosmail to RSVP
RSVPs:
1. navajo
2. ericlewis0
3. belinda ridgewood
4. kathny
5. sidnora
6. rubyr
7. joanbrooker
8. blue jersey mom
9. Nancy
10. |
Maybees:
mconvente
mole333 and family
Son of Broccoli
|
Latest diary: NYC Meetup Sunday 10/19 w Special Guest - NAVAJO
Saturday, October 25th
or
Sunday, October 26th
Salt Lake City Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: Beans & Brews
5938 S. State Street • Murray
ORGANIZER: Send jlms qkw a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. jlms qkw
2.
3.
|
Maybees: |
Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Saturday, October 25th
SFKossacks Attends Daily Kos Day at MoveOn.org's GOTV Offices
TIME: 10:00 AM
MoveOn's Voters Rising Office Location
Berkeley
2177 Bancroft Way (map)
Berkeley, CA
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. navajo
2. Meteor Blades
3. kimoconnor
4. skywriter
5. jotter
|
Maybees:
Glen The Plumber
|
Latest diary: Connect! Unite! Act! Daily Kos Teams With MoveOn.org's GOTV Events — Do You Cold Call Well?
Saturday, November 8th
Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery & Restaurant
1201 First Avenue South • Seattle
ORGANIZER: Send John Crapper a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. John Crapper
2. Kitsap River
3. Charles Curtis Stanley
|
Maybees: |
Latest diary: Seattle Meet Up - Dog Day Activities
Saturday, December 13th
SF Kossacks Holiday Party at Daily Kos HQ
The usual Pot Luck drill - sign-up list posted soon
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Daily Kos HQ
Address given privately by kosmail • Berkeley
Near Ashby BART
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Markos
2. Will Rockafellow
3. Susan Gardner
4. Meteor Blades
5. Faith Gardner & Roxie!
6. navajo
7. side pocket
8. Mrs. side pocket
9. smileycreek
10. paradise50
11. remembrance
12. Glen The Plumber
13. TLO
14. jakedog42
15. edrie
16. dharmasyd
17. catilinus
18. boatsie
19. liberated spaces
20. citisven
21. kimoconnor
22. susans
23. maggiejean
24. 714day
25. Steven Payne
26. scaboni
27. skywriter
28. jpmassar
29. jotter
30. aha aha
|
Maybees:
Thinking Fella
high uintas
|
navajo maintains the above event list. Kosmail her if you have any diaries
about your event or if you have changes or additions.
EVERYONE is welcome, tell us what you're working on,
share your show and tell, vent, whatever you want.
This is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.