We have so many insightful and powerful diaries written here at Daily Kos. Our diaries inform, inflame, impassion, and even entertain. We Kossacks have strong voices and an even stronger will to be the change we wish to see in this country.
One of the richest, and perhaps most under-appreciated, areas of thought come in the form of comments attached to these diaries.
Here at Top Comments we strive to recognize and promote the talent of this community by highlighting outstanding comments found throughout the day by the diarist, and through nominations at made at topcomments at gmail dot com by your fellow Kossacks. (We welcome your submissions - and remember to leave your user name, for credit!)
These nominations are subjective, and certainly not complete (as no one can read the complete site on a daily basis!). But hopefully they will serve to shine a light where deserved, and to give the reader a good starting point in finding conversation on the site.
Please come in and make yourself at home! Join us beneath the fold...
One of the things I most wanted to do while I was back home visiting my parents in New Jersey was take a drive down to the Jersey Shore. My family spent a good bit of time at the Jersey Shore when I was very young, but I’ve only been back a handful of times since then. The serendipitous Christmas gift of a digital camera gave me an extra good reason, since the beach happens to be particularly photogenic, even in the middle of winter.
I headed down the Parkway to Belmar Beach, in Belmar, NJ. It was pretty overcast, but I figured that would give me better practice with exposure lengths and a bunch of the other camera settings. (Plus, no lens flare!)
There was a surprising amount of traffic on the beach, of a variety of species. How many kinds of footprints can you see?
The Jersey Shore may not have the finest sand, but the large swaths of crushed shells were really fascinating to photograph using the Macro setting. In the interest of our collective bandwidth this version is pretty small, but I uploaded a huge-mongous version here if you are so inclined.
I had resisted a digital camera for so long (I will spare you the long-winded explanation and overuse of the words "ontological" and "indexical," consider yourselves lucky) in part because of the ease of manipulation of the photographs. Turns out, iPhoto is mad fun. Look at how menacing the Jersey Shore looks here! Almost makes you want to break out the Vaughan Williams.
That about wraps it up. I had to stop taking pictures when my hands got too stiff to keep pressing the buttons. Here’s one more:
On to the Top Comments!
From noweasels:
twilight falling's beautiful comment in gchaucer2's diary celebrating the IGTNT series brought tears to my eyes.
From imisa:
This comment by Psychotronicman deserves props for non-pessimism and the pursuit of tolerance in the face of political adversity.
From Horsefeathers:
In the comments section of the ever informative and entertaining Overnight News Digest, Trivium offered this brilliant strategy for hoisting Dubya by his own petard.
From BarbinMD:
From dc 20005, a hilarious and spot-on response to a standard-issue "the Dems are traitors" diary.
From welso:
In bonddad's diary, someone asked what kind of economy will be next, and one person snarkily suggested that it would be a faith-based economy. VoicelessInDC pointed out that our current economy was already faith-based, and now it's judgment day.
From james risser:
This comment by Bouwerie Boy sums up the thoughts of a substantial portion of the community.
From edgery:
In JedReport's diary, Corporate media and the Edwards unelectability myth, Tenn Wisc Dem sums up class warfare quite nicely.
From sardonyx:
In Plutonium Page's front-page diary Preventing Doomsday: Nuclear Terrorism and the 2008 Democratic Candidates, MA Liberal reminds us of the many forms of terrorism.
Rebecca points out that the fickle media is no friend to Democrats.
In bonddad's diary The Great Debt Crisis Begins, welso asks "What's next?", and despite immediately answering the question, is further answered by Dauphin, who is then set straight by VoicelessinDC. (Ed. note: Double Nominee! Wow!)
My Picks:
Dallasdoc on the need for a productivity-driven economy.
calipygian lists yet another difference between Democrats and Republicans.
Just for laughs, from Less Talk, More Lasers!, OutOfManyOne likes VoicelessInDC’s pun.
Top Mojo Courtesy of Ambrosius:
Top Mojo excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments, and C&J comments:
1) Thanks by TXsharon — 359
2) Not fun at all. I am really worried about this. by blue jersey mom — 118
3) It's my fault he hits me =( by TXsharon — 112
4) Whoever gets in the WH is going to have by Asinus Asinum Fricat — 108
5) If he didn't love you, he wouldn't hit you by Clem Yeobright — 108
6) Lol - this is cracking me up... by grannyhelen — 107
7) Verb my gerund noun, revelwoodie. by BruceMcF — 99
8) I've ben spending too much time here... by revelwoodie — 83
9) Amazing... by revelwoodie — 78
10) It stretches way past home mortgages by nobody at all — 77
11) This recession has been sparked by pioneer111 — 76
12) thank you, bonddad by Runs With Scissors — 75
13) asdf by bonddad — 74
14) Yes. It will be worldwide, and, as by TomP — 74
15) No doubt about it. by enough already — 73
16) Remember Oscar Wilde's wisdom by Dallasdoc — 72
17) possibliy all part of the Republican plan by ca democrat — 69
18) whose common knowledge is this? by o the umanity — 67
19) John is still the best speachwriter Hillary's got by Jacques — 64
20) I have a masters degree in dysfunctional by testvet6778 — 63
21) You marginalize the candidate by o the umanity — 62
22) This is the kind of President she will be by gaiilonfong — 61
23) Yeah, And it's WINGERS Who Compain About... by DHinMI — 60
24) Apparently Obama now wants to "fight" by pioneer111 — 58
25) Great work by Populista — 57
26) JRE has thrown the by o the umanity — 57
27) I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here... by grannyhelen — 55
28) Your LINKS are terrific reminder by pioneer111 — 54
29) Hysterical female. by Clem Yeobright — 54
30) the good news is by nailbender — 52
Top Mojo with No Exclusions:
1) Tips, or... by revelwoodie — 605
2) Tips by jamess — 396
3) Thanks by TXsharon — 359
4) with this essay by kid oakland — 278
5) Tips for fighting by TomP — 270
6) Witty, well-done, and nicely argued. by prodigal — 210
7) Tips by OrangeClouds115 — 156
8) I have a favor to ask by teacherken — 150
9) Get the word out by existenz — 149
10) Tips for a New American Majority by Populista — 146
11) Tip Jar by State Rep Mark Cohen Dem PA — 145
12) Tips/flames by psericks — 131
13) Tips for issues by Steven R — 126
14) Tips for Progressive Causes! by NCDem Amy — 126
15) Not fun at all. I am really worried about this. by blue jersey mom — 118
16) Hahaha! by turneresq — 113
17) this has gotten way beyond stupid by clammyc — 113
18) It's my fault he hits me =( by TXsharon — 112
19) Whoever gets in the WH is going to have by Asinus Asinum Fricat — 108
20) If he didn't love you, he wouldn't hit you by Clem Yeobright — 108
21) Lol - this is cracking me up... by grannyhelen — 107
22) Verb my gerund noun, revelwoodie. by BruceMcF — 99
23) Tip Jar? by Mithrandir Istari — 91
24) Tip Jar by Newsie8200 — 87
25) I've ben spending too much time here... by revelwoodie — 83
26) Amazing... by revelwoodie — 78
27) Fun fun fun.... by The Termite — 78
28) It stretches way past home mortgages by nobody at all — 77
29) This recession has been sparked by pioneer111 — 76
30) Fired Up! by casperr — 76