Welcome to PlanetPOV’s 1st Annual Top Posts of the Year! All members and readers are invited to vote below for their favorite posts.
We begin by awarding our 2009 PlanetPOV Founder’s Award to…our loyal and talented members who joined The Planet in 2009! PlanetPOV officially launched just five months ago but thanks to your strong support and contributions, it is a growing and thriving blog, a remarkable community with an open, intelligent and adult atmosphere like none other! Congrats all the way around!
There have been so many amazing posts published at The Planet in 2009, more than we could possibly nominate, so if your favorite post isn’t listed, we hope you’ll understand (and know that you’re in great company!). In narrowing down the nominees, we did lean towards articles that were more comprehensive to acknowledge the amount of work and time invested.
In some cases, you will see multiple articles nominated from the same member in the same category. We’re trying to nominate based on the quality of the article, not the member. And naturally, members who have been at The Planet longer have written more posts in more categories so they are more likely to have more posts nominated.
This is not intended to be a popularity contest, we really appreciate your being as fair as possible with your votes, voting solely on the quality of the article and not the author.
Our nominees for top posts of 2009 are listed below, linked to the actual article. We do hope that before you vote, you’ll click on and read the posts below, especially those that you haven’t read before.
There are 7 categories and multiple votes allowed in most. You don’t need to vote in all categories at the same time, you can return to this post to vote in categories you haven’t voted for yet but please do try to vote in each category as soon as possible.
Voting will end one week from today, at midnight on Monday, Jan 11th.
Once you have voted in a category, your vote(s) can’t be changed and you can’t vote again in that category, even if you didn’t vote for as many selections as possible.
And now, the nominees in each category, in alphabetical order:
[poll id=”20″]
[poll id=”21″]
[poll id=”22″]
[poll id=”23″]
[poll id=”24″]
[poll id=”25″]
[poll id=”26″]
Geez Louise guys! Wow, that’s taking an idea and running it to the nets/posts. Great job, all.
Javaz: Love the idea of the progress report. When we raised $$ to buy, equip and ship a lab from the US to Herat Afghanistan (no aluminum tubes or centrifuges – more like magnets, prisms, color wheels, etc for a VERY BASIC physics lab) – we sent out the request for donations and then did weekly progress reports w/ the thermometer graphic. People seemed to love it – gave them a quick visual to check progress, and more detailed information in the body (a listing of ALL new donors, but not the $$ contributed). This project – which helped my one student win a 4 year scholarship to university and made it possible for him to come see me at Christmas -became a real community effort, even though the community was throughout the US. Donations came from CA, PA, NY, TX, DC and FL to name a few. In the end, we were all thrilled to have made this happen.
I am now hoping to begin fundraising to get the others back for college, and will employ the same “look what we have done!” technique.
I haven’t had time to catch up on all the posts regarding the swag, but am so happy this is moving forward. I’ll try and catch up this weekend.
“Good to the last post” says it all. I have been describing Planet POV as free community college – it’s definitely a community, and I feel I receive an education of sorts from our fabulously gifted and knowledgeable posters – so it counts, right? Of course, I never intend to graduate.
Off to spend the last day w/ the boys.
BTW: USA! USA! USA! The Blovicator managed to win the two day Risk game and dominate the world for the US, defeating two Afghans who were speaking Dari. Although I despise imperialism in any form, I have to say – I was proud of the Blov for being the only non-cheater in the game (yes, they admitted to their tactics and even showed how they cheated), and for winning. He promptly returned all territories to the rightful peoples once the game ended. Blovicator for el Presidente!
Very cool, lots of great ideas for and musings about marketing The Planet through fun (and useful) merchandise!
I thought I’d use one post to reply to several folks.
javaz and Abby: Great ideas for copy and images!
Cher, Emerald and Jan: Thanks for offering to help! We’ll need you!
K7: I am 100% in agreement, we aren’t the Anti-HuffPo and shouldn’t promote ourselves in that way. As we all know, The real Anti-HuffPo will have three “7”s on his scalp and always hit the jackpot on Progressive Slot Machines.
We absolutely do have so much to be affirmative about, that’s what this awards event is all about. At the same time, addressing Cher’s point, I definitely do want a strong awareness of The Planet among folks at HuffPo so that we are seen, not as the anti-Huff site but as the #1 alternative to HuffPo.
As for making money in this way, who can say how much may or may not be generated but since there is no expense to doing this at Zazzle, what have we got to lose? Some here have already said they would buy some items. If we use our wit and talents, we may even tempt you to buy something cool!
Nellie: I really like our existing logo but we could create new ones for different products. For example, I like the idea of a shirt with just a big “POV” on the front with the planet in the “O” and the full PPOV logo and url on the back…leaving it a little enigmatic.
KQuark: Yes, as we decided at the founding of the site, we will not accept advertising from any entity that goes against our progressive principles.
I’m not as concerned about branding the site through merchandising. We should definitely think about it and make good choices but this site isn’t going to be cemented in people’s minds by logos on coffee mugs, it’s about the voices of our members and that will always be what brands us.
As for the money received going to charity…er…there aren’t any hedge funds financing this site nor will there be…we do need to keep The Planet spinning and it does take money. I feel like the annoying landlord, having to periodically ask members to contribute when they can but that’s the only way to help pay the bills and for ongoing development right now. Any additional revenue we can get to help cover expenses from merchandising or advertising would be a help.
K7 made an excellent point about the problem of deciding on a single charity…and that’s how both of you got me thinking about an idea I’ve put aside for a while.
Instead of a charity…how about this? A percentage of all revenues from merchandising goes into a Progressive Candidate Contribution Fund? When election time rolls around, members here can select by popular vote, which race(s) and whose campaign(s) the money goes to?
I remember discussing this concept with Tyler-Durden a while back. Now, before you read on, this is an aspiration, it would take some time to get to a position to where the amounts referred to would be meaningful enough but…
How cool it would be to set up a grass roots, populist kind of contribution fund, like a combo of MoveOn.org and ActBlue that democratically decides, by its members’ votes, which Progressive candidates its contributions go to? Members could contribute directly into such a fund too and instead of separately spreading smaller amounts of money around to candidates, contributions could be focused in particular races to really have an impact. And such a populist fund would become more and more a force to be reckoned with. IOW…a lobby for the American People.
Now, I know absolutely nothing about how election laws would or wouldn’t be applied to this style of political contributing, would it be a PAC? Would it need to be registered? A separate entity from PlanetPOV? We could investigate.
Whoops! Now look what all you clever folks have made me do!!! I’m getting way ahead of myself and The Planet now. However, this is the direction I’d like to see us progress towards, making a bigger and bigger difference. Becoming more politically involved, collaborating on initiatives and campaigns with other progressive sites and organizations, etc.
But you do have to crawl before you can walk. We are a relatively new site and we don’t want to bite off more than we can chew at this point.
It’s a lot of cool stuff to think about but the real question here is…how cool are you going to look each morning, blogging while sipping from your coffee cup that says “Morning Blog at PlanetPOV – Good till the last post!”
Love that last image and the slogan– Good to the Last Post.
Love that..”Good till the last post.” I would buy a dozen to give to friends and family!
Also like the idea of the site getting more involved in a contribution fund for worthy progressive political campaigns.
It’s great that here we can voice our opinions, but sometimes I feel a sense helplessness when comes to making the changes needed in our country, actions speak louder than words at times.
Oh, and thanks for picking up on my hints for coffee mugs, chipped another one this morning…..geezzze, what’s up with that?
Good morning, BDM.
I love the “good to the last post” on a mug, too, and I can’t help it, but I love to shop, but not for expensive things, or shoes, but for little things that are inexpensive and fun.
I could already place my order for PPOV products –
2 coffee mugs, 2 beer can sleeves, 4 plastic stick-on glass window/bumper stickers, 2 recyclable sacks for grocery shopping, and 2 T-shirts, both large please!
🙂
Made me get that ‘lift’ just pretending to have placed my order!
“…and a partridge in a pear tree…”
Oh darn, that was last month. 🙂
LOL!
You know, I probably would buy some of my RW friends a mug or T-shirt as a Christmas gift!
Would love to give my hubby’s family, the ‘Beckheads’, wonderful progressive snark swag…unfortunately they are so clueless that it would go over their heads, LOL!
boomer you have a wee bit more mail
abs
Morning javaz, boomer and anyone else who may be here this morning!
My 2 cents or due to the recession – my 1/2 cent –
I would not reference HP at all, unless a person is out and about and someone asks, then the member could say that PPOV is an alternate blog to HP, except PPOV welcomes everyone regardless of political affiliation.
But I really think PPOV speaks for itself as an independent blog-site unlike any other in that the blog is by bloggers, such as stated in the mission statement on the main page.
As for contributions –
We all visit other sites and at the end of last year, and continuing this year, several blog sites are holding fund-raisers.
I see nothing wrong with this type of thing, because it’s a necessary evil, even though it’s not evil at all, but provokes that feeling in the administrators.
No one likes to ask for money, unless they’re a politician!
But if a person wanted to hold a fund-raising drive, then a person could follow the examples of other blogs.
They set a goal, say 2,000 dollars, and have a graphic depicting the daily donations showing how much more to go.
As for when PPOV hits the BIG time and is raking in da’ dough, I agree with taking the profits and using it in a grassroots type movement to support progressive candidates that need the funds.
javaz, I like your idea of showing the funds collected by the site, gives one a sense of accomplishment. This is one of the biggest marking tools that non-profits use when campaigning for funds…it make it tangible to the contributor.
By giving to political campaigns, I feel that I can make a difference, instead of just talking about it.
Very true!
Our blogging would pay off in a tangible way!
OK, I’ll play a slightly dissident voice. I came here originally because it was an anti-HufFox site. I stayed because it’s a great site. But the thing that prompted me to come was that this place was whispered to be the antidote to Huff.
PlanetPOV – where your POV matters
PlanetPOV – your POV heard around world
PlanetPOV – your voice to the world
for plastic window/bumper stickers or T-shirts?
and coffee cups…..maybe?
Definitely coffee mugs and the travel mugs and baseball caps!
Heck, even beer can sleeves!
Backpacks, canvas shopping bags, well, the possibilities are endless!
Good evening BDM, how are you?
I second, third and fourth the coffee cups/mugs, I break a few every month. Butter fingers!!
Hey you. Good to see you. 😀
You too.
Does everyone have a junk room in their house?
Years and years of accumulated stuff that you keep because someone was kind enough to give it to you. Stuff you bought because you thought it would come in handy some day, but just became buried at the bottom of a pile of more junk and suddenly it becomes a mountain of junk and you fear for your life.
I’m in our JR now, it has no heat. Wearing 2 pairs of everything, a hat and a scarf, having the time of my life and giggling like a schoolgirl at the things I’m discovering under the heap.
I’ll see you all later. The garbage collectors are going to have a fit tomorrow. 🙂
I like “Your voice to the world”
the blog heard round the world…
GOT THOUGHT?
PLANETPOV
Don’t have an opinion?
GET ONE
PLANET POV
The enthusiasm for PlanetWear has assuaged my “too early?” concerns.
Haven’t discussed this with the other founders yet but if they’re also cool with it, here are a few suggestions that could get the ball rolling:
1. We could open a post in Speakers Corner, open to all members to propose copy and submit graphics. This way, we could get the membership’s input to help us decide on designs.
2. The copy should be fun and/or funny. I like AlphaBitch’s suggestions on snarky one-liner’s, they could be about blogging, specific articles at The Planet, issues or politicians (yes Sarah, I’m talking about you).
3. For a variety of reasons, it would probably be best for PlanetPOV to have its own Zazzle account/store which the Admin could help set up. We would love to have members working together with us to set up and “run” the store, the Admin here is stretched a bit thin so we would be grateful for volunteers on this.
4. With support from our volunteers, we could create new designs on an ongoing basis, keeping up with the latest issues and stories.
5. We’d have to decide on what merchandise we would be offering and have designs that work for them.
6. Lastly, it would complete the circle to collaborate on a plan on how best to market and promote the store and PlanetWear…and ultimately, the site.
The Planet is sustained right now by your generous donations. We will be seeking advertising soon, only for select and compatible businesses (no HuffPo type ads for killing health care and promoting right wing sites) so if we can sell a few shirts or hats here or there too, it would help The Planet keep spinning and give us a bit more towards building up and growing the site.
Thoughts on this?
AdLib, I’ll volunteer for whatever you need.
Hi, AdLib ~ I kind of figured PlanetPOV would need its own Zazzle store. Thanks to everyone who’s checked out my store since I posted it
http://www.zazzle.com/jan4insight*
last night and also here. I am working to develop this along with my other sites as a supplementary income stream – I’m self-employed and I need all the income streams I can get – so I hope once in a while someone will find something I’ve designed that’s worth purchasing.
There’s a way it can work to benefit everyone. Zazzle has an affiliate program, so for anyone who enters Zazzle through my link and makes a purchase from PlanetPOV’s zazzle-to-be, I get a referral bonus, which helps both parties. It also works the other way around.
I know it’s a bit early to get to this level of detail, but I thought I’d throw it out there – so I won’t feel left in the dust as PlanetPOV’s store takes off while I poke along with just a couple of sales a month 🙁
Here’s my contribution. On some of the T shirts, front or back, should be the words ‘IN A HUFF? JOIN THE POV’ or something like that. Those would be the target-specific t-shirts, of course.
Ha!
That’s really good abs! 🙂
We could put an ad on Nuffington Toast…just kidding!
Had E-nuffington?
I call it the Scrubbington Post.
abby,
K7 commented a few posts up about not going negative toward HP; however, it’s a blast to toss out ideas. I can never think of anything creative, but for some reason E-nuff just popped into my pea brain. 🙂
Oh, I like that, boomer. Truly.
Seriously branding PlanetPOV I have to think about that a little bit. We are probably in the preliminary stages of the branding process already when you think about it. You have already created the logo and look for the site and every member has given the site it’s unique niche in the blog world. I guess slogans and designs are the next logical step. Merchandising is probably the most difficult question.
Besides going to run and expand the site obviously, a good portion of any proceeds should go to charities and causes members designate.
I just want it to be fun and meaningful at the same time.
We already agreed earlier that we would seek advertisers that promote products and causes consistent with the site. I think we should even go a step further and partner with select sites including blogs and advocacy groups.
Just thinking aloud.
AdLib, are you talking about developing a logo?
Thoughts?
I think we need a drinking session!
Some swag would be OK, I suppose. I doubt that it would be massively profitable, but I don’t know that that is much of an issue.
As for theme of the swag, and for that matter, the Planet, I still want us to avoid being the Anti Huffington Post. I want people to judge this site to be of value regardless of Huff, so I would personally vote against any references to Huff. Just sayin’.
Let’s stand on our own.
As for giving money to charity:
You gotta have money
We got 200+ members, who are about as cohesive as a herd of cats, (actually, ours is not too wide a range of politics) and I have difficulty imagining the membership being able to amicably choose a list of charities to benefit.
Besides, I don’t know that we are going to ever really make any money. I could be wrong about that. I’d be glad to be wrong about that.
I for one am in difficulty imagining how we could market the Planet without spending money. I will tell you, the cost of advertising my business has just about bankrupted me.
But I think a better year is before us, and that we are going to do pretty well in the polls come November, so I’m feeling good.
There you go again Kev, referencing those damn cats again. What do you have against dogs?
Just kidding, LOL!
Woof, woof…
Thanks boomer, but I like this one better…gee will Kev?
I doubt it 🙂
…and I have 3 cats…Bailey, Lucy, and Kenzie!
I remember watching that! My mom used to sing that to me.
I couldn’t agree more about the anti-huff stuff, Kev. We don’t want to be an HP satellite site.
good point, nellie. I was just thinking about how easy it would be to post another anti-huff comment (they do give us plenty of material), but I held back because – enough huff is enough!
Srsly, I think it’s important to keep an eye on Huff and any other site that proclaims to speak for us. Our input can make a difference : in the few hours since I’ve been watching the article on Menendez’s response to “dropping like flies” HP has totally changed its headline into something reasoned and accurate. You have to wonder why they couldn’t get it right in the first place, but I also know it wouldn’t have happened except for the comments.
And srsly again, I think it’s important that while we’re keeping an eye on Huff and whoever, we also need to stay balanced and be grown-ups about it!
Well said, jan!
Who/what is this HP you are talking about?
Hewlett-Packard 😉
just kidding – HP is sometimes used to abbreviate HuffingtonPost.
I know Jan. My point is: “I am so over that”!!! I’m here to get away from that POS site!
Edit:My apologies, jan. I was being snarky.
X 1,576,327,976+
Tell me about it.
And with your help, we will not have any difficulties pulling away from HP.
I would suggest the plastic stickers that adhere to windows without glue – you know what I mean, right? – with the Planet POV Logo and the website address.
That way we could stick them on our vehicle windows and our RV windows to advertise on the road. (or any window)
I would think they’d be a cheap thing to manufacture and I know we’d buy them.
And since we travel, we’d be advertising!
My two cents…coffee mug, I seem to be breaking quite a few these days…so I would like coffee mugs with the Planet’s logo.
Also, I’m with Kev on the Planet not being referred too as a anti-Huff site, I think we have enough good writers and posters here that we can stand on our own.
Yes I agree. But isn’t it fun just to think of things?
I love brain storming, in fact I think we should use this Friday’s Vox Populi to throw some ideas out there…it get pretty good once everyone gets going.
I just don’t want this site to known strictly as a Huff-No site….a few funny things about Huff-No is OK, but when it gets to be too much, we look like a bunch of whiners.
Hey…scroll down a few. I left a video for you.
This is a cruelty joke to me! Seriously.
My time is spent w/ the two boys right now; I have about 10 minutes a day to look at email, the daily Planet, etc. and NOW I’m supposed to read all the articles to be sure that I have voted correctly??? AAARRGGGHHH!!!! I hate being an informed voter!!
Serioulsy, thanks for all the links. I’ll do my best, but until Friday, I have no time. Cant swear I’ll get through the comments as well – but sometimes, they are equally informative.
Great job, guys! Expect an uptick in members. I’m mouthy, and my favortie words now are “Join the Planet!”
I definitely understand. My suggestion for those who are tight on time is to at least skim each article for familiarity then make a return trip for reading comments.
Thanks so much for your support and spreading the word. I can’t think of a better way to promote or present The Planet to new people than to send them a link to this post and let them browse through this amazing selection of articles.
Hope lots of folks here share this with others!
Will do, Jefe! and think about the swag idea….I only have godzillions of tee shirts, but always looking for more. I gave one to my Pashtun students that say “I like you. I will kill you last.” Both seemed to enjoy them – should that worry me???
Heh! That’s my kind of humor! Sure, let’s discuss it!
Ad Lib: I think also that this is a way to advertise (write off the expense) AND to help generate income.
When our situation changes (and I know that it will), I will make more donations. For now, all our charitable monies went to Kiva for Christams gifts. But if we can help – by ideas like this, which can help raise money, then glad to do it!
Guess everyone will get PlanetWear next Christmas – thanks to Em and Jan and e’cat for their support.
Maybe we can have a design contest? Or maybe the founding fathers/mothers get to make the final choice? Either way works for me.
Hey AB! That’s hilarious! ROTF!
Hey AB! Glad to see you this morning!
Having only joined the Planet one month ago, I’ve got a lot of reading to do here. This is rather daunting even to me. I am pretty much retired and don’t have many pressing responsibilities like you do! I believe you should just stick to the articles themselves, although I do agree about the comments being informative…but that’s waaaay too much for somebody with your schedule!
In fact, today is my “one month anniversary” on Planet! My family thinks I’ve gone off the deep end! The Planet is all I talk about!
Hidy hi, Em! Good to see you, too. I think I joined around October; best thing I’ve done in I don’t know how long. I described it to a friend as “community college re-dux”. It’s a community; it’s a college! Hallelujah!
I don’t work (at least at a paid job), but manage to stay busy. I think of this as my time for contributions – to the world, to the Planet, to my friends and to my fellow humans. I’m very lucky in that regard. My love is my “family” of Afghan students/friends. I have been blessed -truly, no matter what religious beliefs you may or may not hold – by these encounters.
I’m hoping to write a few blogs soon – one about the game of Risk (world domination, right?) that my husband (The Blovicator) is undertaking against my two Afghan students, one about the extreme honor I had of spending New Year’s Day with my adopted Afghan refugee family (oh, how I love them all!), and one about all the cats I have loved before (a humorous look at life with Al, Binx and Beto). Time is the one commodity I most crave. More time with these sweet kids, more time with the Blov, and more time on the Planet.
Hey, that’s a great slogan. And what a bumper-sticker it would make, eh? Or does one already exist?
Hi Abby! I’m so happy to see you here, and love your posts. Huge fan from “over there”.
I think we should get tee-shirts. I have a friend who makes them. What say? I’m always into shirts as slogans: we had one w/ W.s smirking face saying “Operation Enduring Stupidity” that we wore after the invasion of Iraq. Fun to garner the glares. I’m a “bring it on” kinda gal myself…..
Borrowing from PeaceKitten’s “I’ve been craptured” moment, with the amazing graphic, I went and made bumper stickers w/ Sarah Palin’s photo saying “If I’m elected – you will ALL be CRAPTURED!” for my liberal friends (I have friends of all types, and love them all). Was quite the hit this year, although most are not willing to actually put it on their cars…..
I see swag (shirts, stickers, caps) as an additional way to garner revenue. Support the Planet – and advertise and help with $$! How ’bout it, founding fathers/mothers? We can shop around for best deals. I’ll be happy to help (NEXT week, after reading and voting)
Do you think folks would be interested in PlanetWear?
Please do email me admin@planetpov.com and let me know what your thoughts are on this.
I’d be happy to wear a snarky PlanetPOV t-shirt.
I take mine in an X-Snark.
Planetwear — YES!
Maybe I could help – I have a store on Zazzle – give me a design & I can put it on t-shirts, bumperstickers, mugs, buttons, hats, etc. They can then be ordered online from just about anywhere in the world.
Here’s my store:
http://www.zazzle.com/jan4insight*
Great idea, Jan! I love it!
Ty, Em. Just thought I’d throw out the offer, and we’ll see if something can be worked out (but it’s way too late now to talk business arrangements 🙂 )
What a neat store, Jan. I didn’t know about zazzle — just emailed my brother to tell him about it — he does pen and ink drawings that make gorgeous cards but hasn’t figured out a way to sell them. How does the storefront work? (Hey — you need to write an article about it! Online retailing).
ty, escri! I’ve had a lot of fun with Zazzle, and while I’m not getting rich yet 😉 the sales are gradually building up for me. Like any type of online marketing, you need to promote promote and promote some more!
Adlib and Jan, I would love to retail them for the Planet from my store!
Jan, terrific site! I love the “tote bags”. I would think that would be a good product for the Planet with a cool logo!
TY again 🙂 And btw, the quality of their products is superb. I’ve purchased some of my own products, plus seen the business cards I designed for several clients, and they all look great. The canvas prints I recently purchased of 2 of my designs are drop-dead gorgeous!
I want a bar session, dammit.
Adlib, absolutely! I loved the new graphic you did with the 2001 poster. I think that would look great on a tee shirt!
Hello!
That peacekitten and her ‘craptured’ moments, I will have to take her to task.
I take the Rapture very seriously…note how quiet the thread goes as I say this…and this making fun of it has got to stop!
LOL !!!
Abby, I agree! I really like that…”Join the Planet”!
with the URL underneath.
It’s your idea, tell Adlib about it. The avatar could be the one of the earth used here… sewn onto the back (or front too) of the t-shirt, with the url, as you say, underneath. Or even running ’round the earth avatar. And with JOIN THE PLANET all in caps. To me it is just perfect. Tell him now and see what he says.
Abby, I would not want to see our logo look too much like one of the “green” ones. There are lots of those out there. People might not pay much attention to it if we look like others, or they might think we are some kind of “Save the Planet” group.
We could always go to the old faithful,
“Bloggers ‘R Us!” LOL Just kidding! Really…I’m just kidding!
Well maybe if the word ‘POV’ was in big letters somewhere on it they’d know it’s a site for blogging and not a greenie thing.
Do you think Ari at hp will hire industrial spies to check all this stuff out?
Well of course! LOL She’s probably already figured out how to make some money off the deal herself…stealing our designs, marketing shirts and coffee mugs.
I’m tired now… my eyes look like poached eggs from reading one article after another. I’ve been trying to read some every day. I’ve had to stop.
Wishing everyone at Planet all the best, and remember: though not everyone will win a prize, being nominated is an honor, and though not everyone was nominated, being at Planet is a joy.
abby
Well said, Abby! I agree!
I am just amazed at the writing at this place. And you know, there are so many topics and issues, some big, some small, some inbetween and all of them important, it’s like a feast or something.
But the voting is hard…
I’m too shy to vote! 🙁
Two helpful suggestions then:
1. Voting is anonymous
2. Voting will help to make this celebration of our members a success.
Hope you feel more comfortable about it now, participating in this event by voting is all about celebrating the contributions and accomplishments of the membership here.
Morning, Adlib!
Just as the Republicans say, vote and vote often! 🙂
Just a little note…I am completely humbled that my paltry efforts were included when there are so many really great writers here. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate being included! 🙂
Morning Emerald!
You’d be surprised how many people here feel as you do, impressed by what everyone else contributes and modest about their own contributions.
As I’ve mentioned before, when someone writes about something that matters to them, it often makes for a strong article that makes a real impact on readers.
That is what I am picking up on as I read other’s work. It’s the passion that shines through them all!
I’m glad you gave us some time. I have some reading to do! This is going to be hard. Too many smart cookies around here.
Indeed, talk about a brain trust or a think tank, my takeaway from putting this all together is that the community here as a whole is pretty damn impressive.
So many good posts, it was hard to choose. Each and every person that had the courage to write a blog, news item, humorous article, or any of the posts on here are to be congratulated. If not for everyone’s participation we would not have this site. Thanks to all the founders. I have been a Huffno for 7 days now, not even a peak.
Congrats for your Week of Liberation from Crazytown.com! I’ll bet your blood pressure and stress rate is substantially down from where it was too.
Though the crack-like properties of HP can be addictive, the speed and intense emotions, it just seems more satisfying to me to actually and thoughtfully discuss and debate issues here than throw rocks at each other’s heads over there.
I mean, wasn’t that the original intent of our desire to blog?
I second your props to the members here for the genuine concern and generous contributions of time and energy they’ve invested in sharing their thoughts with us.
Something occurred to me….I’ve got a lot of reading to do! 🙂
Congratulations to all those on the list! We’ve got some amazing writers here!
Really, congratulations to all our members, whether or not they’re on these lists.
The entirety of all the posts and comments on this site is really phenomenal.
Yeah, get moving on that book. I am still working on my notes LOL
I vote for all of them! This is difficult. So many good posts!
No kidding! Imagine having to pare down to just these!
Add in all the really good comments and…..Phew!
I’m surprised my head hasn’t exploded!
That’s a great point, on top of all the great posts here are all the great comments!
The Planet has indeed become a “smarts” factory and our warehouses are packed to the rafters.
Now, if only we could export our surplus to certain other websites and political parties.
Chotto mate= Just a minute!
I see that I will have a lot of reading to do between now and the 11 th, if I’m missing again for a few days or more, you’ll know why.
You’ll enjoy it, though!
Darned right I will, every single word.
Well that took some time, reading all the things I’d missed.
Dang that wasn’t easy, but it was enjoyable.
So glad you took the time to go through them.
This would’ve been so much easier if folks didn’t have to be so damn talented here!
AdLib, still being a sort of newbie, I have a couple of questions: In the second column from the right is a heading called “Popular Posts.” Those posts have more votes than the ones listed above. What is the difference? So aren’t they already voted on? My second (or is this my third?) (Oops– that’s the fourth!) question is, where and how do the votes in the Popular Posts get voted on? Is it by replies per post, or is there a voting mechanism? Thanks!
It’s the ‘thumbs up’ and the more the ‘stars’ you see under a post (and your comment there). That’s different than this. 😉
Oh, so if I like a post, I click however many stars I want? DUH. I never actually paid attention– but I will now.
Just gave you 5 stars and a thumbs up for that!
Woo Hoo!!
You just got another “thumbs up”! 🙂
Thanks, Em– ignorance IS bliss ;~))
I was determined to help give you the highest rated comment ever, as well. 🙂
Awesome– and for my lamest comment yet– I love it!!!!