Top Comments 4.09.08 Wednesday Potluck

Good evening! Springtime has come to the mountains and I didn't want to stay inside all day. So I didn't and I have this very minimalist diary to show for it.

Did anyone else have trouble connecting to DKos today?

Sporadic or prolonged? I was getting panicky after the second long abyss...

But that gave me time to putter around in the flower beds AND to read e-mail. Offsite I stumbled across several diary-worthy topics, to wit:

noweasels mentioned this a few weeks ago and WaPo finally caught up. About pet-victims of the housing crisis and victimized...

... In the Montgomery shelter, about 15 percent of animals received in the past two months are a result of foreclosures or related economic dislocations, according to J.C. Crist, the county Humane Society president and chief executive. That's up from about 3 percent last year for similar reasons. The facility takes in about 700 animals a month, he said, including many from surrounding counties.

"I just had a beautiful 12-year-old golden retriever given up by a wonderful family because they had to find temporary housing," Crist said. "This is incredible. And I know we haven't hit the peak."

In two of the shelter's cat rooms, a majority of the stacked cages are marked with star-shaped stickers reading "Golden Oldies," meaning the felines inside are 7 years or older. Based on her interviews with the families that drop them off, Dillon said the influx of mature cats also stems from the economic downturn, as families are forced to move or simply can't afford an elderly animal's vet bills

From Daily Wonder, Nobody Likes Coal...Except the Stock Market:

Public and scientific opinions are running against coal. No matter. In the stock market last week, coal was still king.

Former vice president Al Gore recently called for a moratorium on new coal-fired electric generating plants until a way can be found to capture all the carbon dioxide released when the fuel is burned. That is no longer an outlandish prospect, as coal is having a tough time in the press, before regulatory commissions and among scientists concerned about global warming.

In the stock market, however, coal is doing just fine, thank you. Last week, companies that own or mine coal powered the Yonder 40 upward. The Yonder 40, forty stocks chosen to represent the economy of rural America, has risen 13 percent since mid-January and now is significantly ahead of all the other major stock indexes.

In Mother Jones online, Aryan Outfitters - Meet the Ku Klux Klan's seamstress of hate couture.

Coming from five generations of Mississippi Ku Klux Klan members, 58-year-old "Ms. Ruth" sews hoods and robes for Klan members seven days a week, blessing each one when it's done. A red satin outfit for an Exalted Cyclops, the head of a local chapter, costs about $140. She uses the earnings to help care for her 40-year-old quadriplegic daughter, "Lilbit," who was injured in a car accident 10 years ago.

The following is a photo essay about Ms. Ruth by New York photojournalist Anthony Karen, a former Marine who has spent several years photographing members of the Ku Klux Klan. The essay includes audio of interviews with Karen and Ms. Ruth.

That last one is scary. I recommend that you take some eye-wash and/or a pint (or more) of good vodka in order to cleanse your mind quickly and ruthlessly.
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ON TO TOP COMMENTS! Send your nominations each evening to TopComments AT gmail.com and don't forget to include your screen-name.

From 4thepeople:

In tonight's diary IN-06 Dem Candidate Barry Walsh Punched in the Face, ceebee7 reminds people not to pick fights with those who buy ink by the barrel, to which auntialias responds with a short, sweet reminder of the power of the internet to expose abuses.

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From carolita:

When it comes to how John Yoo should be treated, peraspera is easy to please, but starts a thread that enough "attachments" are added that it even pleases me.

tabby adds the last straw -- Yoo was a clerk for Clarence Thomas. At least that explains how someone who doesn't know shit about the law and has no morals at all could wind up teaching at Boalt.

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From be the change you seek:

Dear Top Comments-I know you just got done producing tonight's top comments, but I believe that I have here a robust nomination for Top Comments from a diary from VirginiaDem: One-A-Day by synchronicityii

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From SpamNunn:

They're just jealous by Yougottahavehope

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From ChurchofBruce:

I agree--there's nothing wrong with teaching by catleigh.

This one might be too candidate-based for Top Comments,but I'm recommending for 1) the great analogy at the end, and 2) the "McCain's told worse lies since this morning" one-liner :-) Well, there's also a HUGE difference by EvilAsh

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From terrypinder:

hmm by elmo -  ha!

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From noddem:

Magnifico introduces nail to hammer with this caption.

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From noweasels:

Thank you to this community for the comfort and kindness bestowed on me and in Madison's memory. Though each and every one of them touched my heart, I was especially gratified by the hope offered by the words of labradog and crose.  I give thanks every day for the blessing of this community.

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A few I found

I want to say, 'No, thank YOU' to today's IGTNT diarist: No casualties today - beautifully done.

Good suggestions here: Truth in textbooks would need to compare our by Neon Mama

I hate it but have to agree: Huckabee as VP would be.. by Setrak

On messing with a poll at Clinton's website: Hm.... As a Michigander by TooFolkGR and Nothing will come of it... by jem286 - one serious comment and one that made me laugh.

Will the MSM ever catch up with us? 3 days behind Dkos 7 days behind E.Edwards by 88kathy

Education moments at DKos: No, this is not a 1400-year-old civil war by CA Libertarian, Every American should read "Night Draws Near" by arthura, and Accusations of terrorism by Lauren S.

The irrepressible joker strikes again: breaking!!!!!!!!! by nonnie9999

Meta-meta insight: Of course it should be by kovie

Well, I do tend to stay out of candidate diaries when I'm mining but I have to say it, this one is dead-on reflective of my own feelings: Maybe you are a progressive, but Hillary isn't by DarkOmnius

Nothing like getting 'schooled' by real experts: This is one of the most misinformed comments by SneakySnu

Pre-whoring extraordinaire: Tomorrow by Land of Enchantment (on 'jotter-celebration day')

Lovely tribute and thoughts to ponder: It was an honor to know Madison thru by snackdoodle

Tell me - are you a REAL cat-lover? 'nuther cat tale: my daughter's household has by dolphin777

Of Lieberman and Reid: If The Tsar Only Knew.... by GreenSooner

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TOP MOJO! Collected at 9:30 pm (or thereabouts).
Top Mojo - All inclusive

1 - Tip jar - NWTerriD 527
2 - Vent Hole - ek hornbeck  391
3 - Thank you to this wonderful community. - noweasels 371
4 - Tips/Recs? - Brainwrap 311
5 - Tip jar - Brandon Friedman 303
6 - tip jar - Sven at My Silver State 285
7 - Tip Jar - Dave Sund  269
8 - Tips for my finger? - epic 260
9 - Tips for Speaker - TomP  248
10 - Friends - Larry Kissell 201
11 - Tips for smart Gore! - Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse  178
12 - tips and flames - taricha 156
13 - Yes, they like him so much - smash artist 118
14 - Tip Jar n/t - BooMan23  114
15 - Great Work as usual! - Jimmy Crackcorn  109
16 - noweasels - OrangeClouds115 104
17 - Tip Jar - sheddhead  99
18 - Clinton's plan isn't "real universal healthcare". - haruki  95
19 - Universal health CARE - mijita  91
20 - forward the details to the public editor - teacherken  89
21 - Both bonddad and Jerome a Paris - TigerMom  83
22 - Chris Dodd for Majority Leader. - nowheredesign 81
23 - In memory of my dear friend - moneysmith 74
24 - tip jar? - chiefsjen 71
25 - It's 3:00 a.m. - VirginiaDem 69
26 - *Yawn* - Debbie in ME  69
27 - This is going to spread - taonow  69
28 - Good morning back to you... - dkmich  67
29 - If The Tsar Only Knew.... - GreenSooner  67
30 - McHenry and Bush - Magnifico 66

Excluding tip jars, C-and-J, pootie-pics, etc.:

1 - Yes, they like him so much - smash artist 118
2 - noweasels - OrangeClouds115 104
3 - Clinton's plan isn't "real universal healthcare". - haruki 92
4 - forward the details to the public editor - teacherken 89
5 - Universal health CARE - mijita  87
6 - Both bonddad and Jerome a Paris - TigerMom  83
7 - Chris Dodd for Majority Leader. - nowheredesign  81
8 - This is going to spread - taonow 69
9 - *Yawn* - Debbie in ME 69
10 - If The Tsar Only Knew.... - GreenSooner 67
11 - Good morning back to you... - dkmich  67
12 - McHenry and Bush - Magnifico  65
13 - BTW, 18 months is not length of FBI investigation - auntialias  61
14 - Dangerous non-Believer C & J - Spathiphyllum 61
15 - Happy Hump Day!  :-) - Common Sense Mainer 59
16 - I think we'll see him dressed down yet. - nowheredesign  59
17 - Well, you are the goto source, after all. - borkitekt  59
18 - hmm - elmo 59
19 - Elizabeth Edwards is right and - TomP 57
20 - Harry: If you keep Joe, we'll dump you - Dallasdoc  56
21 - I remember when gas was $0.69/gallon. - HairyTrueMan  55
22 - Walking an old dog is a gift. - noweasels 54
23 - Daily Kes - kestrel9000  54
24 - I remember when it hit a buck. - Bill in Portland Maine  54
25 - Cheers for Joe Biden! n/t - benthos  54
26 - Time for Reid to go. - chumley  54
27 - Not all Democrats are good people - UkieOli 52
28 - yep - FreeTradeIsYourEpitaph  51
29 - Bless you, OC - noweasels  51
30 - This has been the problem with Reid - Sharon in MD  51  

                       

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Always the mountains,
va dare