Good evening!
I have written as much as anyone about the role comments play on Daily Kos. I am convinced that the writing in comments is every bit as good as the writing in diaries, because, of course, with few exceptions, those writing the comments are the same people. Making the same arguments, just in a more personally engaged way. The challenge is that comments are not managed the same way by the site. Diaries are more easily found through searches, but also merely by opening the website. The front page, featured diaries are there, the Rec list diaries are there, Community Spotlight is there, Recent diaries are there.
While it is possible to find comments on any subject through comment searches, there is no Daily Kos mechanism for focusing attention on the great writing to be found in comments. We try to feature a few each night, with help from the community. Objectively there is no one thing that makes a comment ‘great.’ Comments I might pick are in no way objectively superior to those you might pick. That is a major reason why, for many years now, we have featured community-submitted comments on equal-footing with any we TC diarists may find. As long as we HAVE comments to present, on a given night, we are happy!
More below.
Top Comments recognizes the previous day's Top Mojo and strives to promote each day's outstanding comments through nominations made by Kossacks like you. Please send comments (before 9:30pm ET) by email to topcomments@gmail.com or by our KosMail message board.
On Saturday evening, thanks to a comment by a Daily Kos newbie, renaesy, I was privileged to read a comment by Diogenes2008, in a terrific diary on sexual predation (ala Trump) by juslikagrzly. I recommended the comments and the diary, then sprinted to the night’s Top Comments diary by Dragon5616 to be sure it was included in that night’s list, even though the diary had already posted.
Quite a few people read and responded to Diogenes2008’s exceptional comment, encouraging its reformatting and reposting AS a diary, which Diogenes2008 did, here.
That diary spent many hours on the Rec List, and, as of the time I began writing tonight’s diary, had accumulated 469 VERY well deserved recommendations. (It may still be recommended, if you have not already done so.)
How many times have you seen it happen that a commenter has been encouraged to write a great comment into diary form? It happens quite often. Some of the best diaries happen that way, I think.
I am not claiming, of course, that the diary achieved that attention because it was nominated in Top Comments. I do sincerely hope that Top Comments helped focus attention on that important writing, and that some people found the writing because it was appeared in Top Comments.
I hope that we can continue to highlight that kind of writing quality for years to come. And I hope that you will help us find the comments that people would like to see diaried, so that we can help with the community side of the promotion. And I hope one of YOUR comments will be found, and then wind up at the top of the Rec List one evening, because of how your writing is respected and promoted within our community. And that a comment YOU nominate winds up honored with similar attention.
Best to you all tonight! On to the comments, formatted by Top Commenter-in-Chief, brillig!
TOP COMMENTS
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down. Please remember that comment inclusion in Top Comments does not constitute support or endorsement by diarist, formatter, Top Comments writers or DailyKos. Questions, complaints or comments? Contact brillig.
From Senor Unoball:
In David Nir's diary Unregistered sex offender Donald Trump escalates his bloody war with Paul Ryan, defndr hit the nail on the head with this comment- a great comment, a top comment, a bestest, bigly comment.
From brillig:
slamfu’s response to Major Kong’s description of Republican concept of “threats” is brilliant.
TOP MOJO
Top Mojo for yesterday, October 9th 2016, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on FAQing Top Mojo.
TOP PICTURES
Top Pictures for yesterday, October 9th 2016. Click any picture to be taken to the full comment. Thank you jotter!