Open Thread and Diary Rescue

This evening's Rescue Rangers are vcmvo2, PaintyKat, Avila, grog, blue jersey mom, Wes Opinion, and joyful with Got a Grip wielding the red pencil.

Tonight's diaries cover a variety of interesting issues not covered by the MSM with the kind of research, perspective and analysis we see here every day.

• Translator takes us on a tour of the element neon in Fun with Nature Series v3 - Neon. (vcmvo2)
• PaulMorel urges us to save a tree by signing a petition supporting a "do not mail" list to end unwanted junk mail in Sign the Do Not Mail List Petition. (blue jersey mom)
• environmentalist urges us to call Senator Bingaman and ask him to swiftly introduce the El Rio Grande del Norte National Conservation Area legislation in a beautiful diary on the New Mexico wilderness,The Things We Do in the Big and Wild. (blue jersey mom)
• Justus analyzes the 2002 Bolivian presidential election and its consequences via A Documentary Film Review: "Our Brand is Crisis". (vcmvo2)
• blueness discusses the primary difference between Democrats and Republicans in I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. It's all about 'extending your soul', something many Republicans don't have. (grog)
• digitalmuse writes Dear Dante, Glad You're Not Here, a letter to his son that is one of the most effective rebuttals to Gerry Ferraro's bigoted blatherings you will ever read. (grog)
• Every now and then Diary Rescue needs a rambling rant. Tonight, billysumday explains Why this 28 year old white guy doesn't get Ferraro. His pissed offedness mirrors ours. (grog)
• grog shares the response he got from his Senator when he inquired into her stance on the FISA retroactive immunity for telecoms in Sen McCaskill's reply to her Save AT&T Vote. (Wes Opinion)
• SmileySam fills us in on the cronyism as the Prison Industry Wants It's Own Judge Seated For Life. (joyful)
• burlinea questions whether Iraq has become the biggest non-story of this campaign in Did Some Mention Iraq? Not Lately. The answer to which is undeniably, yes. (PaintyKat)
• ThisDudesArmy suggests that unless you know how many of your fellow countrymen have died in Iraq, Chances Are, You're Uninformed while fellow veteran RockRichard reminds us that We Can be Anti-War and Pro-troop. (joyful)
• Jeffrey Feldman's Frameshop: The Violent Vision of McCain's Newest Mentor is a startling bio on Pastor Rod Parsley. (joyful)

brillig has Top Comments: This Time Last Year Edition 03.13.08.

Enjoy these selections and please promote your own favorite diaries in this open thread.