So Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse messages me about writing a diary to help the site scare up new subscriptions before the end of the year, a 'blogathon' that she's trying to get set up starting this coming week after Kos' posting about how the lifetime sub is going away, but he could use some cash flow to hire more folks onboard.
It's finals week, I've got a project due, I'm getting my ducks in a row for next semester, and I'm actually considering an Independent run against John Boehner, if it turns out the signature filing date is still in the future, since it only costs $85 in filing fees and some signatures.... So I say sorry, no, I'm too busy to 'hawk' subscriptions.
And then something wonderful happens.
Onomastic writes a truly Hallmark holiday diary about how anonymous Kossack(s?) not only got her a lifetime subscription, but also got her a new computer, without which she wouldn't even be able to post. Smileycreek makes a suggestion, and, like a snowball rolling downhill to start an avalanche, a list of Kossacks who have been going through rough times and sometimes have trouble even connecting because of various reasons appears in the diary, as a suggestion list for anyone who feels like helping out and getting those folks lifetime subscriptions.
Throughout the day, the list grows, and dozens of Kossacks find themselves the recipients of their own small Christmas (or Hannukah, or Kwanzaa, or your own tradition of choice) miracle, as anonymous donor after anonymous donor steps up to the plate to say 'Yes.' 'This person's voice is important, they have value, I want them to continue to be able to access the site more easily, and to keep writing.'
More names appear as others are successfully crossed off the list. Technical issues are discovered, such as the site not wanting to take Discover cards, or some people who had paid through paypal in the past who still had annual or monthly subscriptions not being able to receive lifetime subscriptions just yet. Sometimes people rejoice a bit too quickly, because they see the gold subscriber icon, but don't realize that if the pale grey 'Give this member a subscription' link is below the RSS logo on the profile page, that person doesn't yet have a lifetime subscription.
But people are sharing, and caring, and spreading happiness to those who've had a rough year, or a rough couple of years. People are sometimes actually crying to realize that people they may never even have met are willing to spend $100 to make their time on the site a bit easier, a bit quicker.
And then something not so wonderful happens.
A site user, whose name I won't mention, but whom those of you who are trusted users can easily find in the hiddens, spent close to 3 hours and almost 2 dozen comments trolling this amazing diary, writing off this outpouring of generosity and, yes, love, as nothing more than 'a parody of progressive values' using a 'tear-jerker diary' with 'trickle down' economics in a 'lottery economy'. That we were 'Black Friday Walmart shoppers' on a 'Holy Roller TV channel always begging for money', and that Kos would use the money from the subscriptions to buy more 'pianos'. Sheep to be shorn, suckered into merely paying to give Kos a more lavish lifestyle. And, of course, that all of those who HR'd him for this 'dickishness' were merely fearful authoritarian censors helping to render the site 'ever more irrelevant'.
So I'm writing this diary after all, despite time issues in rl, in large part to refute that user and those who think that DK is nothing more than a blue version of 'Red State', a scam to part partisans from their cash. If you want that, big-mouthed complainer from the hiddens, go off to red State and hand your cash over to Erik Erikson, so he can buy 'more pianos'.
Kos told us how he plans to spend the money raised on new subscriptions. He's putting our money where our mouths are and using it to create jobs. He's spending it on tech time to make new features for the site, and to get us more content. To make the site even more useful and accessible than it already is. Not to 'put it beyond a paywall' as our cranky complainer suggested. And I've worked in web tech before, and I know that it takes a lot of money and time to iron out bugs and get new features up and running without breaking others.
So yes, I'm going to 'hawk' lifetime subscriptions to the site. Not for Markos, not even for Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse. But for us all to have a better site, to take what money we can spare and keep a few more people employed, and to help those of us among the community who have older machines and more dubious connections to actually stay a part of the community.
And I'd like to continue where Onomastic's diary left off, in encouraging those who still have cash to spare to help out other Kossacks with more gift donations. In part, to give Onomastic a breather, for having spent so much time tracking and updating results, and, in part because that diary had gotten to the point where it had so many comments that the very people who have trouble with downloading ads were also having trouble even opening her diary ;)
I'll also add a little twist by adding a few more names to the list, because there is also, off to the side, a push on now to use a pepsi program to try and help 'erase the digital divide' by getting more people of color to Netroots Nation. I think another way to help 'erase the divide' is to make it easier and quicker for them to use DK.
So without further ado, first a quick review of all of those who already received lifetime subscriptions as a result of the generous hearts at DK and Onomastic's joyful diary, and then the continuing list of people who could still benefit from being gifted this holiday season with a lifetime subscription to the site.
Those we think are already gifted: Actbriniel, Aji, allergywoman, Amor Y Risa, beach babe in fl, betson08, blue jersey mom, boatsie, Bob Johnson, Bob Sloan, Brit, Brooke in Seattle, buddabelly, Burned, cacamp, Chacounne, Charlotte Lucas, ChemBob, Christian Dem in NC, CuriousBoston, DaNang65, DavidW, Debbie in ME, denig, Diogenes2008, dopper0189, Dreaming of Better Days, Dr Erich Bloodaxe RN, earicicle, Ebby, Eddie C, Ellid, farmerchuck, FishOutofWater, Frederick Clarkson, FrugalGranny, gchaucer2, GenXangster, glendaw271, GreyHawk, gulfgal98, high uintas, Horace Boothroyd III, ilyana, jayden, JekyllnHyde, JoanMar, kovie, Lefty Coaster, Lightbulb, luckylizard, mahakali overdrive, mallyroyal, michelewln, Miss Blue, Mortifyd, Mnemosyne, navajo, noweasels, Otteray Scribe, Patric Juillet, peraspera, pico, poligirl, psychodrew, racheltracks, ramara, Regina in a Sears Kit House, Richard Cranium, rserven, rsmpdx, ruleoflaw, Sara R, srkp23, sricki, SwedishJewfish, teacherken, TheFatLadySings, The Troubadour, timewarp, triciawyse, ulookarmless, UnaSpenser, unspeakable, VeloVixen, Vetwife, weatherdude, welso, winglion, Winter Rabbit, woodtick, zaka1, Zwoof.
(Some of the people with tech issues also apparently show up without the 'Gift this member' link, so if you're in that list and you know you haven't gotten a lifetime sub email lately, let us know so we can move you back to the 'tech issues' list.)
Lorinda Pike and GrouchoMarxist are covered, but payment is going by check, so they won't show as lifetime subs just yet.
Those still on the list:
FarWestGirl (now shows as subbed, unverified)
2thanks (now shows as subbed, unverified)
commonmass
swampyankee
MinistryOfTruth
Nulwee
KelleyRN2
pittie70
twigg
Ellinorianne
vcmvo2
AAMOM
rexymeteorite
Davidsfr
CayceP
bkamr
DSC on the Plateau
ferment
Siri
Syoho
Killer of Sacred Cows
Kitty
raina
makettle
MKSinSA
rubyr
yella dawg
ms badger
Debs2
Nanette K
aaraujo
fly
DawnN
petulans
kefauver
triv33
AoT
M E C
Anton Bursch
priceman
people power granny
gramofsam1
bumblebums
LamontCranston
kyril
mrsgoo
detroitmechworks
Dave in Northridge
Ray Radlein
kirbybruno
KenBee
LaEscapee
grog
Alfonso Nevarez
mommyof3
Got a Grip
HoosierDeb
watercarrier4diogenes
DrLori
Louisiana 1976
MsGrin
ladypockt
ekyprogressive
roseeriter
asterkitty
LeftofArizona
kjoftherock
cosmic debris
state of confusion
Democrats Ramshield
James Allen
Abra Crabcakeya
DarkSyde
8:28 AM PT: Tiny side update: Lifetime subscriptions are $100. Onomastic may also have a list of other folks who could use help but don't want to be listed publicly, if you want to go even slightly 'more anonymous angel'.
8:36 AM PT: Some possible bad news. tonyahky has noted that the missing gift sub link in a profile might not always be proof of a lifetime sub, and could potentially also be a result of another site bug. boo :(
3:26 PM PT: The tech issues are really aggravating. We've now had several people we've had to move back from the 'gifted' list to the 'tech support list', as they've lost their 'Give this member a gift' link without actually getting a lifetime subscription :(
7:13 PM PT: Last 'update' type update. nomandates has been incredible about checking and rechecking the list to find out who's been given subs, and has my sincerest thanks :)
Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 7:52 PM PT: BIG UPDATE This is no longer the canonical list, nomandates has the latest and greatest in her diary Checking the list