Hi All,
This isn't a long diary. It contains a simple point. If you agree with that point, hit the "recommend" button. If not, keep moving.
One of the most amazing things about DailyKos.com are the personal Diaries anyone can write. When I talk about DailyKos to people that don't know about it, I always bring up the exponential nature of the Diaries. How it truly harnesses the vast potential of the internet in one easy concept.
Something can happen, and within seconds a Diary can be produced to air thoughts and concerns about that something. People chime in, and second and third level diaries are follow about the same topic. Quickly and efficiently, we educated ourselves, form opinions, and alter the world of ideas. Amazing!
But sometimes that process has consequences that aren't as amazing. Sometimes we write diaries because we are angry. And sometimes when we can't put our finger on exactly how we feel, we recommend diaries based purely on passion. In short, sometimes we shoot first, and ask questions later.
And boy, Diaries sure can rise rise up that recommended list quickly. DailyKos is a very smart website. It uses timelines and numbers to choose which thoughts are most important to people at the moment. If a high proportion of people see a diary and recommend it, than it can quickly move to the rec'd list, even though it may have very few actual recommenders. That's because DK doesn't want to lose good thoughts even though thousands of diaries are produced every day. The computer program must act fast. And once it's there, everyone is going to see it. That leads to many more recommendations. This is why good diaries sometimes fail to quickly, and must be saved via Diary rescue.
Have you ever recommended a diary, and then later thought, "ah...yeah, that was mistake"? I have. And thanks to DailyKos I can even un-recommend a diary for this reason. Cool as hell.
One thing I decided a while back is that I truly like this place. It's a smart place. It's neat and fun, and fast as hell. It's full of ideas and damn good writers with no monetary stake in the game.
When I float an idea out there, it's often criticized or complimented. That makes me a better person. You all help me become a better political thinker, and a better Democratic voter. And sometimes I don't remember to just say thanks for that.
So thanks for just being here. I'm glad you're here, and I urge you to stay. We need you more than ever. So, stick around, and chime in, and make this place all it can be.