We’re reaching the end of our first calendar year in existence (we officially opened in August) and speaking for my fellow founders, what’s transpired here has exceeded our grandest expectations.
It’s been remarkable, the growth of our membership and visits to the site, the humanity and insight of our membership and the consistent quality of articles and comments this community has created and continues to create.
So, to honor the wonderful work that has been contributed here by everyone, we are presenting, “The Planet’s Top Posts of 2009”.
Coming up with the best and fairest way to select nominees for the 5 categories was a challenge. So, here’s the approach for this year. Each member is invited to propose up to four of their own posts, one for each specific category. From these, the Admin will select up to five nominees in each category which the membership will then vote on to select the Top Post in each category and the Overall Top Post.
The Categories for nominations are:
a. Political Commentary
b. Social Observation
c. Lifestyle
d. Humor
When you propose your articles, you must include which category you are nominating it for and again, only one per category please.
The article that gets the most votes from the membership will become The Planet’s Top Overall Post of 2009 and the article with the next highest amount of votes in that category will become the Top Post in that category.
Please don’t be shy or modest about nominating your posts, it will support our populist approach to nominations.
To propose your post(s), write a comment below which includes the title and category of each post of yours you’re nominating. For example:
“For the category of Political Commentary, I’m submitting my post titled, Palin Comparison.”
For quick access to a list of all of your posts, you can use the Authors pulldown in the right column and click on your user name.
Again, you’re helping to make this process work by nominating your posts so please don’t be shy about it.
We’re hoping this is fun and a great way to promote the site and everyone’s work here. We don’t see this and don’t want this viewed as a competition between members but as an overall celebration of all of the thoughtful works contributed here by our members.
This process for proposing articles for nomination will close on Monday, Jan. 4th 2010, so please submit your choices here as soon as possible.
Thanks for your participation, looking forward to seeing your nominations below!
UPDATE:
To answer some of the questions in the comments below:
Q: Can I nominate Articles and Comments?
A: No, only Articles can be nominated.
Q: Can I nominate someone else’s Article?
A: Yes, you may.
Q:What’s the difference between the categories “Social Observation” and “Lifestyle”?
A:”Social Observation” would be any article about meaningful social issue such as gay rights, racism, capitalism, religion, etc. “Lifestyle” would be lighter articles about movies, music (not including Friday Music Thread because it’s an official feature), art, cooking, relationships, parenting, etc.
Q: I feel a bit self-conscious about nominating my Articles when so many other great articles have been written here, should I really do so?
A: Yes, you should. Just as many don’t like hearing their own voice when recorded or how they look in photos or video, the admiration you have for others’ posts might be held by others towards yours.
So, please do participate to give other members the opportunity to vote on your posts, trust me, they want to!
OT, but Rush Limbaugh apparently just had some kind of massive heart attack.
Look at this version of the story from examiner.com:
this from the CNN link:
“He told medical crews that he was taking medication for a back problem, sources said.”
Back on the oxy again, Rush? A little too much?
http://www.kitv.com/politics/22094469/detail.html
Kinda looks that way, doesn’t it? He’s lost a lot of weight lately too.
e’cat, he lost a lot of weight quickly!
That is not safe for one’s heart and most organs! Leaned that going though chemo. They watched the patients closely. I got scolded more than once.
You’re right bito, very dangerous, the yo-yo thing. Seen with my in-laws.
I just read that and thought the same thing.
Is there a place on this site that stores, by name, the articles people have written this year…or at least the most recent ones?
You can explore the Archives page (at the top of the screen) to review all Articles published at The Planet by date.
You can also use the “Authors” pull down in the far right column to click on the name of an Author and see a list of all of that Author’s Articles.
Hi Abby! Glad to see you here!
I want to know if the suggestion for a food section was going to be taken seriously?
I think it was Keven’s or Pepe’s suggestion, but I want to 2nd it.
That was probably Kevenseven. I think I suggested a sports section.
Hockey, eh?
I can do hockey, football, baseball and cycling.
Basketball and NASCAR, not so much…
I think we need to make the food section recognize the weekend.
A day before, say Thursday, to talk about what one might cook, and then on Sunday or Monday, what one did cook.
My sister sent me a very good cookbook on Portuguese cooking. I am several recipes into it. I like it.
Being the red tape bureaucracy The Planet is, there are now categories for Food and Sports under Speaker’s Corner.
Since they’re not issue-based Op-Eds, they aren’t categories we feature on the Front Page but members will receive email notifications and links on each post made in these categories, they’ll appear at the site under “Recent Posts” and the comments will appear under “Recent Comments”.
So, even though they won’t be on the Front Page, they will be very visible and promoted.
Enjoy!
A HUMBLE REQUEST TO ALL MEMBERS:
We currently stand at 195 members which is very remarkable, considering we’ve only been around a handful of months.
I was wondering if I could impose on our members to see if they could possibly invite potential members this week to see if we can reach 200 members by New Year’s Day.
If you want to invite folks at HuffPo, you can use any of these URLs (our URL is on their word filter):
http://welcome.to/planetpov2.com
http://welcome.to/planetpov3.com
http://welcome.to/planetpov1211.com
Otherwise, please feel free to give our direct URL to anyone.
Thanks for helping with this, it would be a cool way to start off the new year by announcing our 200th member!
I quit blogging at HP, so sorry, there is no way that I can help you!
Let me remind you that my husband joined, and when he gets pissed off enough, he’ll post.
Look forward to seeing your husband here. Now what do I have to post to get him pissed off? 🙂
You don’t have to go to HuffPo, I’m hoping people might invite friends, colleagues, people from work or relatives.
New members don’t need to come from HuffPo.
I can think of several great posters who said they would come and visit but I haven’t seen them posting here yet! (A couple said they’d been reading).
I’ve been banging the drum pretty steadily of late.
Kev, you’ve been fantastic on this, a public thanks to you for all your help!
escribacat: it may be that some people, even great posters, are a wee bit shy about joining a new site…or simply hesitant because of having to get used to a brand new format. I think others really feel a deep sense of loyalty even to places like hp, some have been there since its inception. Doing reading on a new site is a good way to see whether you will like it or not, or just a way to see how things are done. It might seem implausible that the great posters would ever be shy or even slightly hesitant about something like this, but you never know. Some of the great ones are already here and they’d know what might hold someone back.
Btw, thanks for the kind words about my article. It’s the first one I’ve done here, so it’s pretty raw…
(And to the person who inserted the image (I didn’t have one) and split the text for me (I screwed up the ‘More’ thing… AND the bold text thing…), my deepest thanks.)
My pleasure on providing the image. And BTW, no “More” command is needed or used at this site.
As for your analysis on new members, I think you’re right on the money. Many of us were exclusive HP bloggers for quite some time so we can relate.
Hopefully, soon, many of our friends still over there will take the plunge over here where there’s real Free Expression, respect for all members and an elevated level of discussion and debate on things that really matter (i.e., no celebrity body parts, sex movies or gossip).
Congrats on your first article, an excellent debut indeed!
Adlib, Does that mean you’re not going to add a Jon Gosselin Watch feature? Damn!
We had a feature, “Jon and Kate Minus 10”.
It was just a blank post.
LOL. Equally as satisfying as the real thing.
I’ve actually had a few say they’re “afraid” of Planet POV. I honestly can’t figure out why.
Ask them, Pepe. And get back to us.
:]
Pepe, what I have heard more than once is that the level of writing here is…well…a bit intimidating to some.
It’s quite a flattering compliment but as many members here can confirm, the strength of writing here comes from the passion a member has about a particular issue and the true freedom to express themselves.
I hope any of our friends reading here and not members yet, give it a spin, they’ll soon find that it is in fact the case.
Thanks for inviting them, escribacat! Hopefully they’ll join soon!
200 in five months?
Cool.
And over 100 members have posted Articles! Way cool!
100 active authors???
I’da nevah guessed!
Tres cool!
Check out the stats in the right column, the number of Authors refers to only those who have written Articles.
Those Authors and Contributors who have only written comments aren’t included in that number so the number of active members is even higher.
101 Authors have written Articles.
143 Members have written Comments.
It is fantastic to have such a high percentage of our members involved and expressing themselves (very successfully too!)
I do that all the time over there. I know when I came here, I was a bit shy about first posting, not sure if I would be welcome, you know? Now I hardly go “there” anymore. I will spend some time over there starting tomorrow and see who I can hunt down. There are some really great posters there and they would probably be much happier her when they get used to the layout. A recipe and sports section would be nice. I am not much of a cook, but if something sounds good, I will give it a whirl. Please chicken or turkey, we hardly ever eat meat anymore and I am having a tough time trying to come up with fresh ideas.
OK, I will follow the lead and nominate one of my posts. Not because it is so well written or that popular (from the number of comments) but because this bill will be a big bit and you will see billions of dollars spent by corporations lobbying this if it gains steam.
http://planetpov.com/2009/11/02/neutering-net-neutrality/
Good one, b’ito!!!
I can’t wait to vote on all the nominees!
I would nominate myself for the most annoying poster that AdLib and the founders would love to smack upside the head on PPOV, but that’s not a category. 🙁
If it were, I would definitely win the jelly of the month club award!
OMG! It is apparent from this post by javaz that she is completely unaware that the Grand Prize for the Best Post of 2009 is NOT the Jelly-of-the-Month Club!
The administrator of this website has informed the membership that instead, the Grand Prize is a year’s supply of Mop N’ Glo!
I fully expect to have to call 911 for emergency help! Javaz will have a complete meltdown…bless her heart!!
LMAO!!
Unless…the administrator of this website WAS able to broker that last minute deal with the recalcitrant jelly people. Remember? He said he was working on it.
Apparently Schmucker’s was unavailable but I hear there’s a delicious new brand out called Kay Why. I don’t know much about that one, so we may have to google it for j’avaz…
Naaah! Kay Why is just too runny! 🙂 LMAO!!
There are so many great posts….I joined PPOV because of PepeLepew’s “Why I Blog” and although I’m still reading Marion’s “A Festivus Message”, I got hooked from I am very disappointed in Barack Obama. Still reading….
Welcome aboard.
Regarding Obama, I don’t know what you expected that you did not get.
Its part of the Festivus post by Marion.
I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU
Why are you so disappointed?
I heard you all promising to help, I heard you loud and clear. We humans are so fickle, it pains me.
I think Pashma is being ironic, as Marion was when she wrote it.
Yep, Pashma is just joking, check out the closing sentence.
No worries, Kalima, I’m totally with you on disappointment (as is Pashma) in those Dems who are so fickle that not getting everything they want is cause to join the Repub attack machine.
Absolutely! I support President Obama today as I did during the election. I like many, don’t agree with everything, but he’s got a tough job in a changing and difficult time in history.
I get very frustrated by the “expectation” levels of many who seem to honestly believe he was supposed to have solved all problems and fixed the world yesterday.
The post reminded me of some of the sarcastic comments I have made to remind people that we just don’t sit back and complain, but do something. Something positive no matter how small or insignificant we think it might be.
It’s one of my favorite posts, Pashima.
Welcome to Planet POV!
I get it.
Good mornin’, all you beautiful PlanetPeople! Love and hugs to every one of you!
I see this site has deteriorated since yesterday into the “cute kitty” blog! But there does seem to be a bias here. No cute doggie pictures! I must protest!! (I’d put up a couple of doggie ones but I am still techno-challenged.)
How are we doing with nominations? How much longer does this go on??? 😉
Kittygate continues!
I can not chose just one.
Anyone who has the the passion, talent, bravery and time to put together
the fantastic posts seen here at the Planet,
is a major winner in my mind.
Only one complaint …..
There is a huge lack of Funny Doggy & Pupppy Videos, do I sense a bias?
May I suggest an occasional Friday Feature of Pets from the YouTubes.
And ferrets!!!!
Wild Kingdom !
Mutual of Omaha!
http://www.wildkingdom.com/nostalgia/classic_clips.html
That’s great, Patsy! Thanks!
Unfortunately, they don’t show the classic “Dreaded Ferret War Dance” one. Jim barely gets out with his arm intact!
And meerkats!
What a great idea! 🙂
Sadly, I have no poems about adorable kittens. I cannut haz cheezbugga~
But heck, I’ll nominate my poetry because…well….do I need a reason or will selfish pride be quite enough?…LMAO
Adlib for Night B4 Xmas parody. Classic.
So many others to choose from….hmmmmm.
It’s really so hard to pick a few articles out of so many great articles I’ve read on the Planet. But here are my nominations.
For Political Commentary:
The Article I’m most proud of is “The Fundamental Case for Healthcare Reform: Part One the Moral Case”
http://planetpov.com/2009/08/05/the-fundamental-case-for-healthcare-reform-part-one-the-moral-case/
For Social Commentary:
Nellie’s “Personal responsibility: The moral argument against compassion” it’s a great article on several levels because it also explains one of the reasons the GOP has leveraged language to get Americans to vote against their self interests.
http://planetpov.com/2009/11/11/personal-responsibility-the-moral-argument-against-compassion/
For Lifestyle:
I loved McGinty’s “Death of the Great Movie” though pepe’s article about “Avatar” was excellent as well.
http://planetpov.com/2009/11/29/the-death-of-the-great-movie/
For Humor:
Adlib’s “Twas The Night Before Christmas
Just a thought, Adlib. When these articles are judged, what criteria will be used? Stylistic analysis or content? Just curious. Thanks!
Actually, they will be chosen by popular vote of the members here.
My job is to narrow down the wealth of great posts here to around five nominees per category.
I will suggest guidelines when the nominees are announced.
Ok, I will nominate the following:
Social Observation: The 7 Mountains of Influence in Culture – SueInCA – Me
Lifestyle: An Outsider at Christmas – Chernynkya
Humor: God’s Blog by Adlib
Politics: A Festivus Message Marion
Sue, I loved your article on The 7 Mountains…have added some of the sites that you noted in the comments section to my reading list.
Ditto, BigDog! That story is one of vital importance with the attempts of the religious right trying to impose their beliefs on the rest of us. If Sue had not written about it, I would have…but she did a much better job!
Thanks, Em, you give me courage to do more.
Please do! You always write good stuff! 🙂
Thank you. I am still doing research on these people. They say follow the money and I have been doing that. Even Murdoch is involved with them via his publishing empire, specifically Zondervan publishing. That explains the programming of Fox News to the far right. Erick Prince via The Research Council, his dad helped to found that group. The Family was a good start, but Sharlett could only cover so much. Believe this? Prince wants to be a high school teacher now. I don’t think so………………….
Sue, ever since I read Jeff Sharlet’s book, I have been fascinated with the Christian right, they are so intertwined into our society and government, there seems to be no bottom to this story…It really scares the crap out me.
I know I did not want to say I was obsessed, but I am in a way. I just think it is important to tell the whole story.
Sue-I’m a little obsessed by this story too, just sent money to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation to help them with their work.
The amount of money that we spend on Mega Churches on Military bases really gets my goat…why this is not front page news, along with how much we spend on military contractors, I’ll never know. Chalk it up to the Corp. and Christian Right’s control of our country…
I know. There were funds in the stimulus for just such a mega church on a military base. I tried to find the article again on Talk to Action but could not find it. Total hypocrisy.
Excellent choices! 🙂
bdm~
Do you have goldens? How many & what are their names?
I have two Golden’s, both males…Rudder, 11 yrs old and Winston, “Win”, 15 months.
Quite the pair…Rudder is a aloof alpha male, that can’t be bothered by anything or anyone and Win’s a love bug, who thinks he’s a lap dog, that weights 85 lbs.
Gets a bit crowded in the kitchen when I’m cooking, they both lay right in the middle of the floor and one must constantly step over and in between the two of them…
My Av is a picture of Rudder…very seriously disgusted at having his picture taken…we are such a bother to him.
When my son was 10 yrs old he saved all his birthday and some of his Christmas money (we added about 75) so he could buy a dog. He wanted a golden retriever and was willing to give up toys to pay for it. We got Kelly and he immediately became a part of the family. I would go downstairs to wake my son for school and Kelly would be on the bed, with my son sleeping on the floor. When I asked him why? He said it was because Kelly took up too much room and he needed a bed more than my son. He ran away with Kelly one time (thinking he could sneak back in at night without us looking for him?). Unfortunately we had him such a short time, 2 years, someone thought it prudent to break the lock on our backyard gate and take him with them. We looked, sent out reward info, but never found him. My son learned a valuable/hurtful lesson about not taking what does not belong to you.
I’m so sorry to hear that Sue, just got back from running the dogs…have you gotten another dog? I feel so bad for your son, loosing a pet or having one taken from you is devastating.
There have been several cases here in the Northeast of late of people kidnapping a family dogs and holding them for ransom. Fortunately our older dog won’t let anyone into the yard or close to the car when their in it. The younger one, well let’s just say they could walk away with the house and he would be wagging his tail and licking their faces!
To this day, my son has never had another dog and he is 32 now. He is always good to our dogs but has never had one of his own. We have a Shih Tzu now who thinks he is the master of the house but he is really a little cuddle bug. We also had a beagle for 10 years
Wow! I have two shih tzus who are nothing but fur-ball lap dogs! They are amazing! They were bred to keep the Chinese emperors’ feet warm…and that’s what they do for me. They sleep with their little heads on my feet and ankles. One of mine is my avatar.
I would like to nominate the following:
Political Commentary:
Media Coverage of Health Care Reform-Chernyikaya
Social Observation:
The 7 Mountains of Influence in Culture-SueInCa
Personal Responsibility: The Moral aurgument against compassion-Nellie
Lifestyle:
Happy Turn of Events for this Greyhound-escribacat
Humor:
Gods Blog – 12-21-09-AdLib
I would nominate God’s Blog for humour
I would nominate the Escribicat’s greyhound piece for social observation
News and Politics A Festivus Message
And I liked “the death of a great movie” for lifestyles.
Pepe, I think the rule is you have to nominate yourself for at least one! Hehe.
I’m Catholic. I’m not allowed to do that.
:lol:!!!!