Look, I'm not really a great follower of rules. Not that I mind rules, I just don't want to spend my online time reading them. I mean, is there anybody left in America who, upon seeing a software licensing agreement pop up, doesn't race for the I Accept box? Are you with me? But someone -- Markos? -- MB? -- should have brought up the new dKos rules regarding this new version of the website instead of blind-siding innocent first time users. When I figure out which stupid rule(s) I broke to get in my current jam, I'll post an update. Below you will find a description of my experience. May it serve as a cautionary tale.
I had finally broke down and logged in to the new site today because I wanted to leave a comment on one of the Madison protest diaries. Go Badgers! Go Packers! Go Away Walker! Are they still called diaries now? Note to self: Check.
After successfully leaving my comment (which must have somehow triggered my rule transgression) I examined the array of new buttons and tabs and such that are part of the new layout. It was only when I clicked on the My Page link, that I realized something had gone horribly, horribly wrong. A tab called My Stream was highlighted and I saw listed page after page after page after page of Teacher Ken diaries. So somehow when I log in to the new site and leave one freakin' comment, my stream is spraying all over Teacher Ken's diaries ... every one of them -- I checked. In a panic, I managed to figure out how to delete Teacher Ken from my stream, sorry about that Ken, but now I have Dood Abides subjected to my stream! Before I make things worse (and since Dood is no longer active) I decided to get the hell out of the My Stream tab and try to figure out what in the sam hell was going on. Note to self: Look for linkage between home pregnancy kit commercial mentions of stream and old pie war diaries -- is this some weird Markos insider joke ala 'womens studies set'?
I decided to check on what was in the My Profile link and that's when I found the other big surprise -- there are four kossacks following me. Are they diary police? ... why four? ... taking turns following me? It was at this point that I realized that there must be some DK4 line I'd accidentally stepped over and I was being not-so-subtly punished by the dKos powers that be. Who else would have the power to log in to my user account and make it look like I was pissing on a respected community member? Who else would have the panache to not only explicitly tell me I was being followed, but listing my stalkers?
Anyway, if anyone has had a similar experience, I'd love to hear about it. And if anybody can tell what what rule my one little comment broke, I'd really like to hear about it. Note to self: Don't forget to delete these notes to self before you hit publish!