Every year since 2010 I’ve done a series of December diaries focusing on a variety of seasonal topics — from music to food to ugly sweaters. In the interest of full disclosure, I did do ONE Seasonal diary in 2008, and 2009 was the first December K2 was with us, so I was a little distracted :-)). It’s time to do it again, and Installment One was last week! I want to be clear that while my December perspective is primarily a secular but culturally Christian-based one, these diaries are NOT meant to be siege locations in the War On Christmas; ie Everyone’s Holidays Are Welcome Here! Grab your favorite warm beverage and join me below the fold for our second Seasonal Diary — after a word from our sponsor, of course!
Here at Top Comments we welcome longtime as well as brand new Daily Kos readers to join us at 10pm Eastern. We strive to nourish community by rounding up some of the site's best, funniest, most mojo'd & most informative commentary, and we depend on your help!! If you see a comment by another Kossack that deserves wider recognition, please send it either to topcomments at gmail or to the Top Comments group mailbox by 9:30pm Eastern. Please please please include a few words about why you sent it in as well as your user name (even if you think we know it already :-)), so we can credit you with the find!
Headed to the mall this morning, I caught part of On Point, a locally-produced NPR show. Today’s episode was on the practice of sending holiday cards: Holiday cards were the first social media. We'll look at the rich history and hot trends for sharing "Seasons Greetings." In it, they referenced a recent First Drafts segment on Stephen Colbert’s Late Show (if you can only watch part, do skip right to the last minute- it’s priceless):
For many years, I sent out cards around the winter holidays. I can’t in good conscience call them Christmas cards because (a) I have always tried to be respectful of the recipient’s holiday(s) of choice, if known; and (b) let’s be real… me getting them out so they reliably arrived BEFORE December 25th? Please.
I began when the Internet and social media wasn’t a Thing. I kept addresses in an Actual Paper Address Book and updated everyone’s physical address each year when I got THEIR card. I was not and never have been a “Holiday Letter” sender, usually writing only a sentence or two in each card. I knew that if I ever tried to write a Letter, it would end up being the same sort of Real that my list of sins was when I was still Catholic and went to Confession regularly. You know… “I was mean to my sister three times, and I forgot to feed the dog and lied about it” rather than what REALLY happened that past few weeks.
Then came Facebook, and suddenly I’m in contact with pretty much everyone on a regular basis. With only several exceptions, everyone I would send cards to, sees everything I share the other 364 days too. The past few years have been so busy in December, that we’ve had cards printed and didn’t get them out. So this year, we’re not doing a holiday card send, and while I feel bad about it, it’s also a huge removal of stress from my plate and this year especially, I need that.
How about you? Do you send cards this time of year? Did you once, but no longer? Do you send out something electronically? Please join us down in the comments for Card Chat!! But first, peruse what you really come to this longstanding community diary series for- the trio of Top Comments, Mojo and Pictures that my cheerful collaborator BeninSC has for us tonight!
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.
Note: Especially during this passionate primary season, 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 Back Porch philosopher:
Hi there. I loved this exchange in response to the Post titled "Reid just said the magic words."
This comment by jayden was directly to the diarist, followed by this fine comment from Mogolori! Kudos always to Samantha Bee!
This comment by randym77 just contains a link and a quote pertaining to the Energy Department’s rejection of Trump’s witch hunt for climate change workers, but it’s great to read that information.
I am also submitting this comment by Mopshell, first, for expediting Back Porch philosopher’s submission, above, but mostly for understating what it means to those of us at Top Comments! (And thanks to
Highlighted by First Amendment:
Is this soon-to-be-Top-Mojo’ed (tomorrow!) comment by Chris Reeves, with a wise and measured interpretation of kos’s intention in that contentious diary. (Not linking to it, everyone seems to know it already). In Jon Sitzman’s rec-list response to the same issue.
Highlighted by evolvingplanet:
Is this comment by burlydee, also in Jon Sitzman’s diary, suggesting the outrage in kos’s diary would have been more convincing if people had shown interest in the plight of the coal miners before reading kos’s diary.
Highlighted by EDebbs:
Is this comment by brooklynbadboy with an analysis of ‘this Russia saga.’ EDebbs’s highlighting comment is also good (Pat Buchanan comes off poorly, as he always should.)
Highlighted by DaveinSF:
Is this comment by Angela Marx, on the critical importance of the middle class, and the great peril in ignoring it.
Highlighted by Gwinnedd and karmsy:
Is this comment by BP in WA decrying reactions that reward and reinforce terrorist provocation. From BP in WA’s rec-list diary about a Salon story describing Trump campaign threats against Republican electors.
Highlighted by FarWestGirl:
Is this comment by bobdevo with legal information about the peril of attempting to intimidate voters, whether they be in a general election or electors in the Electoral College!
From yours truly, brillig:
Sometimes an interaction happens on site that I think shows how this is supposed to be done. Take this one between two longtime Kossacks… Mike Stark penned a response diary to Bob Johnson’s response to kos’ diary (you know which one). The two had a conversation in the comments (start here and follow it through). Respectful, thoughtful, and everyone came away with a clearer understanding of another’s perspective even if they didn’t agree with it fully (or even at all).
Top Mojo ala mik!
For Monday, December 12, 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 the subject.
1) I found his post to be quite true and well writt … by TomP +284
2) Elections have consequences. by thenekkidtruth +242
3) What annoys me as a resident of NJ is that they … by blue jersey mom +229
4) It’s funny, people will get more upset about the … by political junquie +209
5) I take no pleasure in anyone suffering, but you’ … by Richard Cranium +203
6) I can’t find it now but I was reading a great po … by hnichols +198
7) Paul Manafort lives in Trump Tower, does anyone … by WillC +152
8) Agreed — it’s not just the debt that’s of concer … by rugbymom +142
9) others can talk about sanders and warren and all … by committed +139
10) I think the title was more effective as he wrote … by TomP +129
11) And a server lives in Trump Tower, that, along w … by G2geek +112
12) Well said. … by TomP +109
13) I swear, this is the weirdest experience I’ve ev … by nicky +106
14) Love to see Comey, Trump, and the whole lot spen … by Alfalfa Bill +105
14) The only problem is that they haven’t learned ye … by Rosencrantz +105
16) This one? TPM - Maybe the Answer Is That He Can' … by translatorpro +98
17) Just came across this article miamiherald … by nicky +97
18) He’s a fraud, too, but not on the level of Trump … by David54 +93
18) No I don’t believe that. I didn’t realize till a … by nicky +93
20) I’m sure it will be rescheduled immediately afte … by rugbymom +92
20) I love the Prez, but his unjustified faith in Re … by Bush Bites +92
22) The man wants to piss off a nuclear China. … by Hinoema01 +90
23) I’m embarrassed by that FP post. Hell, I wish th … by wasatch +89
24) I would love to see Comey fired or forced to res … by WYgalinCali +87
25) Your big mistake is not understanding that Sande … by businessdem +84
25) I saw this in 2012, too. … by anon004 +84
27) Just watched Chis Hayes with Bernie and a panel … by Michiganmitch +82
27) I just wonder when I’m going to stop wanting to … by ksh01 +82
29) If he’d owned the program straight up and hadn’t … by David54 +81
30) Boss Koch, take a bow. The investigation, which … by kardamyli +80
30) Yeah, so let’s all laugh at them and tell them t … by Bob Johnson +80
2016-12-13, courtesy of jotter!