Welcome to Top Comments, that daily space where we recognize comments made in the past 24 hours that for whatever reason are just too good to let fall by the wayside.
If you find a notable comment during the day click the date/time stamp to get a direct link, copy it then send to topcomments at gmail dot com by 9:30PM Eastern! Don't forget to include your screen name so we can credit you! Anyone can submit comments- if you didn't do so today, please give it a try tomorrow!
Mining for comments is rumored to lower blood pressure raised by overreading of candidate diaries. Sometimes even one diary is too many. Please take charge of your health and mail those comments in today!
I love music. Listening to it either live or on my handy-dandy iPod, dancing to it in Second Life at any of a zillion clubs, making it myself with voice or drums... I am never without it. It's an ever-present accompaniment to the story that is my life. Step inside to see what that soundtrack contains...
Many of you know I have a regular series (now a community series, w00t!!) at StreetProphets called the Friday Random 10. Ten songs on a particular topic, or just the first ten from my music library set on shuffle play. A little under a year ago, the theme was Life Soundtracks. I asked people to name the songs that captured their essential being. NOT which songs were their favorites; rather, which songs would play during the movie of their life. I was looking at that list today, and while many are still spot-on, it's time for a tweak here and a change there. So here's my 10 songs, in no particular order, with a little bit of explanation as to why they're on the list:
- Freewill - Rush The statement "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice" is an integral part of my own personal religious/ethical philosophy.
- You Owe Me Nothing In Return - Alanis Morissette "This is the only kind of love as I understand it..." I'm working toward this, to be honest. I'd like to think I come close, occasionally.
- Loved To Be Loved - Peter Gabriel "I need to be needed... I like to be liked... I want to be wanted". Yup, that would be me, sometimes to a fault :-(.
- Sexuality - Billy Bragg I'm not embarrassed to put this on my list. Out in the open and all that... :-)
- Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen Realized somewhere between YearlyKos and last week just how much this song has gotten into my soul. It likely will be played during some great poignant moment in the film :-)
- Wild One/Real Wild Child - Johnny O'Keefe, covered by Jerry Lee Lewis, Iggy Pop, and many others I've got my inner wild child, who loves to come out and play.
- Bring Me To Life - Evanescence This covers my Second Life, where we all bring ourselves to life in ways similar and disparate to our existences here.
- Lean On Me - Bill Withers We all need somebody to lean on, and I've got big, strong shoulders.
- Losing My Religion - REM I've always felt this song fit me but have never been sure why. Poignant, covered my leaving my birth religion, and so much more. Now I discover it was recorded not 5 miles from where I grew up... go figure :-). (BTW- the video here contains a cover version by Dutch singer Anouk. Jesus' General has made a convert of me to this amazing vocal talent. If you listen to only one track in this diary, make it this one.)
- Teach Your Children - CSNY, written by Graham Nash As both a child and later as a parent, this song is me. (BTW- interesting songfacts here).
Well, that's me in 10 songs. If you ask me tomorrow, one or two might change. So, what songs are gonna play in your movie soundtrack?
Now on to Top Comments!! Let's see what Top Commenty goodness is to be found in Ye Olde Inbox:
From The Overhead Wire:
In my diary Evidence of Administration's Dislike of Transit, angrytoyrobot calls Bush the Maroon Toon
orangeclouds115 says:
This rant by spit in my diary FDA Says Clones are OK; USDA Says They Aren't Hotlist rocks!
From terrypinder:
who simply says "heh to Superskepticalman's mad-libs formatting of candidate bashing. (He also added "I still say Primary Warriors are nutcases. I have a box of Lexapro they can have left over from my crazy days if they want it. This comment just about sums up the entire argument for the last 6 months!")
From lamzdotes:
My nomination is probably redundant, but I wanted to be sure that everyone sees Ninepatch's comment in TexDem's diary Support the Troops, Buy Mojo Friday Apparel. (Never assume your nomination is redundant... better to have it twice than not at all!! -- Brillig)
From first time TC'er gchaucer2:
I would like to join a few others in recommending Ninepatch's comment in TexDem's diary. (See? --Brillig)
From donnamarie:
In TexDem's Support the Troops, Buy Mojo Friday Apparel diary Ninepatch gives us an idea of what she'll do with the proceed for the troops and returning veterans. (I trust I've made myself clear here, right? -- brillig)
Two from kath25:
In FRED in Portland Maine's diary about an endorsement from "The State," Addison makes the obligatory joke that starts a thread about the funniest gosh-darn TV show of all freakin' time.
From last night's TC, Ray Radlein has a spot-on exculpation of CSI: Miami. Heh.
From prodigal:
In a diary that appears to have been deleted, MadAsHellMaddie channels Edward Albee and reveals what went on backstage between John & Hillary last night.
From sardonyx:
The Karl Rove legacy according to ptmflbcs.
Superskepticalman starts a thread in today's Cheers and Jeers diary that has not a single Cheer nor Jeer, yet before it's finished, brings in Mad Libs (given a nudge by JoeW), Gus Hall (better dead and red than Republican), Mother Jones, and an Eddie C diary. Don't let me forget the buttons, either.
From Vet Grl:
Trix reminds us, albeit sarcastically, why a "held nose" vote for a Dem matters.
(Yup, it made it in just under the wire! -- Brillig)
And a few from Yours Truly:
In pastordan's non-Sunday Brothers and sisters (anti-"Candidate Jesus" Edition) diary, mcjoan offers hopes that it works. The rest of the thread suggests why it may not :-).
In Delaware Dem's gently-named diary Stupid is as Stupid Does, trix compares DailyKos to a box of chocolates. The response is pretty good, too :-).
In smintheus's story Censoring Arctic scientists, BasharH has an eloquent observation about the speed with which Republicans can get some things but not other things done.
And now for that thrilling moment when we see the Top Mojo lists, lovingly generated by Yours Truly using cskendrick's formula with tweaking and updating for 2008 by sardonyx!
Top Mojo excluding search-identifiable tip jars and first diary comments:
1) Wish I had better news by bonddad — 281
2) Even the news media thought Edwards was great by JedReport — 183
3) John Edwards was amazing tonight! by Newzie — 126
4) Hit me.... by Melody Townsel — 125
5) predictible by Shipjack — 113
6) I can't think of any obvious way by LithiumCola — 105
7) I highly advise everyone to read... by highacidity — 96
8) Excellent diary. by TomP — 93
9) Finally, John got angry with Wolf Blitzer. by aufklaerer — 93
10) you've got to be fucking kidding me by thereisnospoon — 93
11) Just say no to fear and smears by beachmom — 89
12) The Panel of Voters... by lzachary — 85
13) As MLK implied toward the end of his life, by Owllwoman — 83
14) I would not have agreed entirely by blue jersey mom — 81
15) Diary title is not accurate by brendanm98 — 80
16) Great Diary! by lzachary — 79
17) It's a fine diary. by TomP — 76
18) Good work Shipjack- Rec'd by Psychotronicman — 76
19) I was proud. by gdwtch52 — 75
20) I'm an Obama guy... by The Termite — 72
21) TAX CUTS! by A Handsome Man — 71
22) I liked his defense of trial lawyers by david mizner — 69
23) We all knew this was coming...... by Mz Kleen — 67
24) Clinton backers by nisleib — 66
25) Why not? by chumley — 65
26) i think he best gets his message out by Turkana — 65
27) Huh? by TexH — 65
28) Obsessing over TACTICAL votes is stupid. by vets74 — 64
29) Worse than Hoover. Hoover just trashed the by blue jersey mom — 64
30) My daughter and I listen to Stephanie Miller by algebrateacher — 64
Top Mojo with No Exclusions:
1) tip jar by StormBear — 462
2) Tip Jar by davidsirota — 425
3) tips by thereisnospoon — 406
4) Tips for spreading the word about last night by JedReport — 327
5) Tip Jar by dmsilev — 287
6) Tips for the candidate with determination & fight by NCDem Amy — 285
7) Wish I had better news by bonddad — 281
8) **TIPS FOR REAL PROGRESSIVES** by Shipjack — 266
9) Tips by Sharon Jumper — 252
10) I am pragmatic about politics. by HairyTrueMan — 249
11) tip jar by lukery — 237
12) Even the news media thought Edwards was great by JedReport — 183
13) John Edwards is running for us and for by jsamuel — 152
14) Tips for the CWA and tips for the campaign by edgery — 144
15) There you go... by rosabw — 139
16) John Edwards was amazing tonight! by Newzie — 126
17) Hit me.... by Melody Townsel — 125
18) Tips for a Minnesota Win! by Populista — 119
19) Wow... by GeckoBlue — 117
20) predictible by Shipjack — 113
21) Tips for opposition to so-called "free trade" by Tasini — 110
22) I can't think of any obvious way by LithiumCola — 105
23) tips or trolls - anything, as long as I can by Wee Mama — 103
24) I highly advise everyone to read... by highacidity — 96
25) you've got to be fucking kidding me by thereisnospoon — 95
26) Excellent diary. by TomP — 93
27) Finally, John got angry with Wolf Blitzer. by aufklaerer — 93
28) Just say no to fear and smears by beachmom — 92
29) Tuesday Greetings from the West Coast!!! by Predictor — 86
30) The Panel of Voters... by lzachary — 85