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Given the riotous success of last night's invitation to de-lurk (so many comments we blew out the server!), I thought I would kind of continue on that theme tonight. Something some of you were asking for last night was a user's guide to FDL. We do have a lot of features these days, from the Spotlight Project to that herd of brightly colored icons at the bottom of each post that I have to confess that I don't entirely understand, to basic questions like how to post a link.
So, tonight in the Comments section, I or some other helpful individual will endeavor to answer any questions you may have from, "How do I Spotlight a post to the New York Times?" to "What's an EPU?" to "What is the difference between TRex and trexing?" to "Where did I leave my keys yesterday?"
While we may not be able to answer all your questions about Life, The Universe and Everything (42!!), we'll tell you whatever we do know and hopefully point you on your way to the right answer. Also, any of you who lurkers who never got a chance to speak up before the stampede knocked out the comments section last night, this is a second chance to add your voice to the Big Discussion.
In the event that this thread starts to look overloaded, I will open up a special Late Late Nite Bonus Thread to catch the spill-over. If your question doesn't get picked up and answered right away, please don't take it personally. Just wait a few minutes and try again. If this thread is anything like last night's, it's going to move very fast. Some initial postings may get overlooked in all the hustle and bustle.
Once again, thank you all for joining us here at the Late Nite Lake! It's you guys who make all of the great work we do possible. Thank you for your support!!
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Spotlight
Do I?? really? I can’t believe it!
I got myself EPUd in the last thread, but this was SO important to me that for this one comment I’ll hijack the thread:
Thanks, EVERYBODY! I just caught Angie first when I got back. Wow. What an outpouring of support! And people wonder why I hang out at FDL…! I can’t thank you all enough. (And I also can’t apologize enough for Sen. (GA-Really Stupid) Saxby Chambliss. Let’s get real here… SAXBY? I pray daily that John Barrow will stomp the crap out of Max Burns again (which he did 2 years ago… should I bring garlic and a crucifix to vote?), but to be honest there’s not all that much difference.
Little Johnny Barrow has an ad out that not only says we gotta “stay the course” and not “cut and run,” but he’s also proud of having voted to repeal the “death tax.” Bleah. I got all over his e-mails and his web site and suggested that he might consider calling it the “Paris Hilton Welfare Tax,” and I became WAY less polite about the “cut and run” shit.
I love my city, and I love my job… However, I absolutely HATE what goes on around me. I stopped watching local news over 2 years ago… I don’t care what deity it is, just pray for us down here! Thank God and Jesus and Buddah and Allah and The Goddess (not necessarily in order of importance..!) for FDL. If there’s anything that keeps me from getting a gun and using it y’all are it! (There. Had my rant. Feel better now!)
Continue as you were….
Hello, from Rawlins Wyoming!
Eminem! MOSH!
Not to grab all the glory, but in case anyone missed it our TRex was honored by a minion of The Great Orange God, whose name may not be mentioned aloud…:
Snipped from http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/9/26/74836/3296
CHEERS to the best line of the week. TRex at Firedoglake on the Lieberman campaign’s Secretary of Foot-in-Mouth Disease, Dan Gerstein: “DANGERSTEIN out to do spin control for your campaign is a lot like trying to change a diaper with a Molotov cocktail. It doesn’t do anything about the shit, and now everything’s on fire.” If that were music it’d be Mozart.
{prostrates thrice to theropod…}
Trex! Read this comment on the Loser thread and thought of you…
GSD @
107
Marion in Savannah @ 5
If snark was a Cello, TRex would be YoyoMa
Okay, I’m sick and tired of seeing my name here. I’m gonna go downstairs and let them know that The Theropod Is IN THE HOUSE… (back shortly…)
Hey, Oilfieldguy!
Where are you headed after Rawlins? Loaded or Dead Head?
If your passing thru Denver, we could do lunch — or sumpin’!
Oilfieldguy @
7
Whoo-hoooo!! I hope that quote makes it all the way to DANGERSTEIN’s desk!
So, who has a question? Raise your hand.
This is karma, Marion!
enjoy yourself.
Oilfieldguy..Rawlings Wyo..I really miss Wyo..I used to commute from Jackson Hole to Little Rock..1550 miles door to door and 26 hours with a couple of naps along the way. TRex: 700 posts tonight!!!
I don’t know who invented blogs, but I am so grateful for FDL and all the other insightful, intelligent conversation that exists in this alternative universe from the inane mainstream media. This medium is also empowering a few, like the great KO, to start speaking the truth to the American public. TRex, you are hilarious and inspirational. I love this place and hopefully more and more people will discover what a powerful source FDL, and many others are in helping us focus on how to get our country back. Thanks FDL!
Are we all watching President Pervez Musharef talking to Jon Stewart, or is it the servers? Damn. Look at what I just said… PRESIDENT Musharef, talking to, let’s face it, a COMEDIAN… Might that just POSSIBLY be because it’s one of the few places he thought he could get his point across without spin? Tragic…. WORSE than tragic…
Methinks this is gonna be a berry berry nasty campaign.
Hey neocons, more salt for them wounds?
They are not used to Democrats fighting back, are they? I credit the netroots for absolutely hammering the Dems for being so limp.
Bush has a policy that is a terrorist multiplier.
Where is Osama?
I heard That Iraqi Dude Musharif or whatever his name is on Blitzer today.
I swear I heard him say, “Be bewwy bewwy quiet, we awe hunting Osama. hehehehehe.
Marion, sorry to hear about your being outsourced. That’s a bad one, and like torture, it’s not just wrong ‘coz it’s wrong, it doesn’t work either. It’s a fad, they think they’re so clever, like when they were all buying dot com stocks or junk bonds. That stuff didn’t work either, but they never seem to notice that. Hang in as best you can, better days a-comin’.
OFG, well, and hello to you in Rawlings WY from Toronto. You at the Flying J?
Hey “bloggers”. I know you are all obsessed with electing more ineffectual politicians of your stripe but why not forget about what your unprincipled and self-serving politicians might do to save you and actually consider doing something to save our country? It is our country after all.
Oct. 5th seems like as good a day as any, no?
Hell begins the day that God grants you the vision to see all that you could have done, should have done, and would have done, but did not do. -GOETHE
angie @ 11
You have NO idea! {Doing the Snoopy “happy feet” dance!!!}
what’s the piquancy, kenneth?
I cannot believe that our actions in the middle east, Iraq and other areas are actually fueling hatred and the threat of additional terrorist activity towards the US…my goodness.
When is the report on the Spinach incident going to be de-classified?…
TREX!
LURKERS!
NUTS!
BOLTS!
Okay, so what *are* all the little icon thingys at the bottom?
Marion, this was my epu’d post:
life is upside down……………
Thanks for the warm welcome. I have been reading this blog for a while.
I really like the spotlight. I have even sent some daily kos articles through it.
ck, deadhead to Rock Springs–deliver to Vernal Utah.
Question for TRex:
Who played Lumpy on Leave it to Beaver?
I have a question: what’s that you have stuck in your teeth?
Oilfieldguy @
7
Hey, it even made the “Hotline Blogometer”. Now, THAT’s changin’ a diaper!
curiousgeorge @ 22
I have been wondering that myself. They are apparently a way to share posts with other online communities, but so far I have not been able to really gather what these communities are or how they differ from one another.
Someone? Anyone?
Bueller?
Steve — 700 posts tonight — and 350 will be from Marion. LOL Sorry, Marion, just kidding.
two beers @ 19
Oh, my… A dear friend of mine and I once followed Dan Rather for about 3 blocks along Park Avenue in New York City… just asking him where the frequency was… Makes me HOWL just remembering it…
Pachacutec @ 26
Oops. Just a Pox News staffer. How embarrassing. I’ll be back just as soon as I floss.
Pachacutec @ 26
That answer can be found here.
I’m a nutty kind of guy with bolt action tendencies.
Like I said earlier.
Authoritarian Bullies respond to only two things a punch in the kisser or jail time. So I say kudos to those with gloves off.
In TRex terms - Attack!
Oilfieldguy @ 15
Oilfieldguy, I’m gonna have to call you on not issuing a formal “spew alert” here. Don’t make me have to warn you again…. (Oh, dayum, HOW I howled…)
Yes, TRex, I have a question. Keith Olbermann tells the president what a weasel he is, and Eminem does a killer GOTV rap. My question is, “Why are the voices the left needs to hear coming from TV announcers and rappers? As opposed to elected, paid Democratic leaders, for instance?”
Oilfieldguy @ 7
That was the line that blew my skirt up and just did, again. :)
To pre-empt the inevitable and eternal question…What the hell is EPU?
It literally means Evil Parallel Universe, who at one time was a regular and omniscient commenter (now, he is an occasional but still omniscient icon). Coincidentally I presume, he would leave insightful posts at the end of comment threads after a new post was loaded upstairs.
Not to be denied, EPU would storm upstairs and post his comment on the new thread.
Now being EPU’d is a badge of honor claimed by commenters who will not stand for their thoughts and prose to be lost in the Evil Parallel Universe of a stale comment thread.
I’ve been seeing Digg it as a link at other blog sites. Some sort of networking recommend thing or another. I would like a clue as well.
Sigh. Nevermind….
Pachacutec @ 26
Kale. just kale… OOOH… look, shiny thing?
Got EPU’d on the Jordan Barab’s thread, but I just had to bring this over ’cause it will stop me from taking my anger out on my poor ol’ computer. *g*
“Jordan Barab rocks!
I’ve never been in a union myself, so I’m always just an outsider lookin’ in.
That said, I’ve often lamented (or Lamonted if you wish *g*) the lack of the power, benefits and protections in my field of IT that a union could, and perhaps ought to provide.
No, let me change that. None of this perhaps sh*t! Damn well ought to provide!
We always hear about this pendulum swinging thingie, but I sure get tired waiting for it to swing back from the all-powerful Corporate death-grip on the lives of the average worker.
And I’m not talkin’ about your blue-collar worker! I’m talkin’ about all of us white-collar slaves to the Corporate Masters.
I’d rant for good bit more here, but I wanted also to whine a bit too. *g*
My whine: Just how come Jordan’s posts don’t get more FDL participation?
Heck, you’d think that “union” was a bad word.
Ohhhh…it is. And just how sorrowful is that?
Unions, Labor, Liberals…why even fecking Democrats have become “bad words” in the lexicon of American discourse.
And these “bad words” are courtesy of a deliberate, reprehensible, and perhaps even criminal demonization by those insanely “right” folks.
You know, the very same folks who are driving this nation over a cliff.
So for the FDLers who think that passing up a Jordan post is OK, ’cause they don’t have no union card, or ’cause “But I’m A White Collar Worker”, you had best be waking up!
The same Repub bastards you’re fighting on Lying about Going to War, Torture Bills, Illegal Domestic Wiretapping, Tax Cuts only for the Rich, etc. are the very same fecking Corporate crazies who RIF you and ship your job to the highest bidding non-union state or even overseas to Lower Slobovia in a heartbeat.
It ain’t real helpful if you get rid of the cockroaches in your kitchen, but leave ‘em in your bedroom!
So come on in FDLers! The water here too is just the thing to make you feel good. Might even make your day!”
/whine and rant off
Cap’n Crunch @ 20
sorry to ask, but did the e coli thing get followed up in the u.s. by the ‘terrorizing our food supply’ story? and if so, did anyone else find this a conveniently republican-esque connect fear to terror post-labor-day-in-election-year meme?
’twas reported on aussie news as well…
Too tired and too much beautifulness, righteousnes, thoughtfulness to take in. I love you people. Must shut down computer and get out of house and walk around block and listen to bugs and look at moon.
I love the delurk threads! They are the best!
Hello from Texas!
Now how the hell does the “edit comment” button work?
And, why doe FDL get caught in The General’s firewall these days? It was since last summer, but 2 weeks ago, WHAMMO, no more firedogsmokebreaks at work. Bum deal, huh?
Ich bin ein Cruller.
Shell @ 29
Nah… I’m about to head off to bed because my alarm howls at 5:30 AM…. If I ever take a week off, then you’re ALL in trouble! {Snorts loudly!}john Yoo @ 35
Hell, yes. As long as it’s happening to YOU… (meaning John Yoo, of course)…
I been working very hard since I got back from Vegas and I’m just wondering if anyone has ventured into freeperland about the spinach thing. Someone over there has got to saying this is a terrorist bio-hazard attack from illegal mexcriments.
sharkbabe from previous thread.. My bitch about being sent to the mods was tongue in cheek…I had sent a comment in the AM thread about how trash free FDL was and how much I like that aspect. Now on topic..I may have been the first last night to ask about a users manual for FDL, however the second part of that post was an inquiry about doing a user demographic survey. That seemed to not resonate. I read all 603 posts and to me the most full was reading the personal and “demographic” stuff in the comments. I have been curious about the age and geographic distribution of the FDLers. I really think that kind of info is fun and useful.
Mungen_Cakes @ 52
That will go nicely with my latte. I am trying out the ‘quote’ button tonight. De-lurking one baby step at a time.
What the heck is a ‘concern troll’?
thanks!
Turning into pumpkin.
Later on.
So all day I was thinking about all the things I could talk about if TRex opened Late Night up again to us irregular commenters (as opposed to lurkers). Wouldn’t you know it? I can’t remember a single thing. Except to say thanks to the two who liked my name. Actually, that is the real reason I couldn’t enter the comment fray when FDL began - I needed a really good nom de plume and couldn’t come up with one I thought was good enough for FDL.
HotFlash @
36
Because Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, and Rahm Emanuel are invertebrate animals, which means they have no spines. To stand up to the Repugnicans and Pox News requires a functioning spinal column, which apparently these days can only be found in people outside the political establishment.
Like us!
At the Manimalia Research Center, where we are working on tomorrow’s human-animal hybrids today, we often have the debate on whic Bush hack plays top/bottom/gimp etc.
Our verdict is that George is Karl’s gimp and occasionally Dick will join in on some hot tag team action when his heart is up to it. Rummy is invited over if they need any scat play and sundry waterboarding to liven their “frank discussions.”
Just wanted to say how much I enjoy FDL. I am an Agonista but my day is not complete without checking FDL. Thanks…S
Dude @ 59
That is very tacky.
Our President insists on safe sex. All sheep that kick are tagged.
Oilfieldguy.. Rock Springs..the exit to Jackson
I’ve got tears in my eyes..My GF of the past three years and I spent our first night together on Christmas Eve in Rock Springs.
Might I just say, hot shit! That’s the best kind of server problem to have.
I noticed last night that you put up your stats. I take it you’ve been seeing an increase in viewership lately, no?
TRex, please bring back semolina bread and great big Greek olives for all these new wonderful commenters on late-nite. I have plenty of aussie shiraz to pour.
Btw, what’s the word on the big hit piece on Dems that’s supposedly coming out from NYT tomorrow?
bunnypants @ 56
A “concern troll” is an operative from the other side of the political spectrum who turns up and pretends to be on our side, but then begins to attack our tactics and methods.
“I’ve been reading this site since the beginning, but it’s posts like this that are making me feel like FDL is declining in quality. You guys should do more posts about ponies and candy!”
That’s a quintessential concern troll statement, a left-handed compliment wrapped in an insult, wrapped in a colorful candy shell!
On Sept 6th I contributed to the Chris Carney campaign, and was noted as the 26th contribute of the day. Will I receive the CD that Howie Klien promised? Please advise. To date I’ve received no response towards that end.
http://www.firedoglake.com/200.....#more-4361
If you’d like to help, please consider giving Chris a hand at the Blue America ActBlue Page. The first 30 contributors today will each get a rare, cool CD sent to them, one that can’t be purchased in any stores (or online) but that has music from Sarah McLachlan, Evanescence, Avril Lavigne, Pink, Fugees, Indigo Girls and several other artists with something to say worth listening to.
Oilfieldguy,
*MUST* *RESIST* Aggie joke at all costs.
Wouldn’t be prudent. Eh?
mmmm.
ponies and candy!
Good night, all. Lordy, I cannot begin to tell you how important you all are… Even the lurkers, becuase every now and then you creep out from the shadows and let us hear you. Like last night. Trust me, you don’t need to stay in the shadows. And if you have questions about terminology there’s a HUGE snarkopod who will either answer them himself or let the rest of the late evening crowd do it. Again, thanks if you’re not a newbie, and WELCOME if you are. I’m a real newbie, but hey, I got #1 on this thread! Go, thou, and do likewise!
Nighty night…. I’m off to put on my jammies.
Gnome de Plume @ 55
LOL - That’s how I ended up with my real name and initial. One day I just had to jump in and didn’t want to be bothered wasting time on cleverness. The thread was running too fast and furious.
On Kos I’m “Prose Of Sharon.” That place screams patience before you post what with a 24 hour waiting period.
Oilfieldguy..they may be taged but they understand the words “Baaaaaaaak Up”
p-rex @ 44
It is purely my opinion (w/ a Bill Maher spin), the US is secretly turning their own citizens against spinach in hopes to garner the same “Just Say No” policy that we had in the eighties…now, only if we can reverse spin the weed thing, all will be well.
Maybe, just maybe we can smoke the spinach instead of eating it…really get shit faced (then we can go hunting).
TRex- Can you get e-coli from smoking spinach??
Dude @ 67
I enjoy nearly all humor. After what them refs did to us a couple of Saturdays ago, it helps. Pity them saps who felt the sting of “Wrath” last Saturday!
steve 54 - good thoughts - but stop thinking - just sing your life
bunny 64 - karl roves in disguise - telling us to worry about ourselves and especially behave
ok truly out to walk and look at that moon
love and goodnight kidz
Steve @ 71
Rumor has it Dubya has a pair of velcro chaps.
I’m just sayin’.
Dana @ 65
This is the first I’ve heard of it. Do I look surprised?
Wait, let me fake it a little harder.
A hit-piece against the Dems in the NYT??!! I’M SHOCKED!! Get the smelling salts!! Bring me the fainting couch!
Oh! My heart! I can’t take the strain!
How was that?
Cap’n Crunch @ 73
No, dude. Don’t you watch “Weeds”?
Fire kills plague!
Gnome de Plume @
54
TRUST ME, you came up with a great name… There I was thinking I’d just see who was talking, and there you were… with that FABULOUS name… come back again, and come back often.
My cat refuses to use the New York Times.
Say’s it would be redundant.
Not strictly on-topic, but I wanna know. Now that Bill Clinton has given the party a spine transplant and the NIE has given the Dems some political capital to shove in their back pocket, are they going to stand up to the thugs on the Rape/Torture Legalization bill?
Leahy jumped in the pool. Who’s going to follow? Yeah, Russ Feingold, I’m talkin’ to you.
Cap’n @ 73– I’ll take some spinach… It is a building block for the mind as well as the muscles.
Popeye says so. Aye, aye!
I will put that in me pipe an’ smoke it, Cap’n. It’ll be the end to the war on spinach, sir.
Oilfieldguy @ 71
As an Owl, not knowing the joy of victory comes with the DNA. Sigh.
I think I’ll need to start some research tomorrow about this secret eugenics program the Republicans have with sheep.
Dave Latchaw @ 81
I really will be shocked to insensibility if the Dems actually learn how to push back before November. They’ve rolled over like sprayed roaches and kicked their legs in the air for every other ass-fucking from the GOP. Why mess with a perfect record of inaction and capitulation?
Same reason I don’t use the NYTimes. What? They expect me to read it? You’re kidding, right?
What’s this noise I’m hearing about October 5th? Some sort of protest or something? Wassup?
Oilfieldguy @ 76
Are we continuing this from the last thread!!??? Mine don’t really care, as long as they can piss on it…
TRex @
63
Concern troll history was made this week in New Hampshire:
“A lead staffer in U.S. Rep. Charlie Bass’ (R-NH) office resigned Tuesday after admitting to posting fake messages on political blogs. Tad Furtado, the No. 2 staffer in Bass’ Washington office, resigned after it was revealed that he posed as a Democrat on liberal blogs. Bass said that Furtado posed as a supporter of Bass opponent Paul Hodes but then discussed how difficult it would be to beat Bass.”
via David NYC on Kos.
Marion in Savannah @
82
As are mine, but don’t try and shred it before Juan Carlos has had a crack at the crossword.
He’s a very serious kitty about his crosswords.
Hiya Dana!
May I share a bit o’ stuff with you about the self imploding Senator Macaca?
m’kay, here:
I don’t know if you saw Hardball tonite, but wow.
Okay. Now I really MEAN it… I’ll check up with anyone who’s awake in 5 1/2 or 6 hours…
God Almighty, you folks are wonderful!!!
Thank my lucky stars for FDL — this spot, along with Daily Show and Colbert, are the only things that mitigate the seething rage that I feel every morning when I pick my paper up off the front step. If snark were an alternative fuel, you all would rule the planet.
Marion in Savannah @ 85
Good night, Marion!!
Hey TRex, I have a question:
How do I get the cool little TRex @ 63 before my quotes without doing it manually?
Marion in Savannah @ 86
I never poked my head
Into the last thread
OT
Has anyone met or know anyone who is a fan of Princess Bride and is NOT a porgressive type person?
Am just curious after seeing the club here…(it is just brilliant)
Logging off to run home from work.
See you kids in a bit!
ruffian @
91
In my family, we love it so much that we have spare copies of it! I am not kidding. LOL
Now for the good news..The Nation on-line reports that the Eisenhower carrier strike group will leave Norfolk Va the first of Oct..ETA Iranian coast Oct. 21-22.
So well put, sad, true
ok REALLY goodnight, offa here, really :)
Oilfieldguy @
81
That’s the World Can’t Wait people. Simultaneous protests in over 80 cities. Info here.
T-
EPU is short for Evil Parallel Universe — an old FDL hand, who had a penchant for writing really pithy comments, that wouldn’t be posted until a new thread was up and most folks had moved on. Hence, EPU’d came to mean a comment or discussion in a left behind thread.
And the edit thingy? It doesn’t work in IE6, but it works fine in Firefox. It’s been said that it’s a Java or JavaScript issue — supposedly, it works in the beta IE7 (which is MicroSquish’s Firefox catchup browser).
Dana– Hi! I left you a comment @ 85 and it is in moderation. Please refresh until our loyal and lovely friends release it.
g’nite, perhaps.
Sharkbabe,
I miss you already. My kinda chick right there.
There’s a Princess Bride “club?” Here?
SixStringSlingr @ 88
You hit the quote this commment button then click your browser in the comment box, it will show up.
SixStringSlingr @ 90
Right below the post you wish to comment on is a link titled “Quote This Comment.” It will do all the work for you.
Marion in Savannah @ 65
Been thinking since last nite about that “lurker” word and its peeping-tomish quality.
Perhaps we should change it to “Quiet Guests” or “Shy Visitors”?
Or how about “Folks hitchhiking by the side of the road and waiting for you to stop”.
I don’t know, just something better than “lurkers”.
I am free!
Thank you kind moderator/wizard.
jsut thought i would register and comment. i am a persistent lurker, former commenter at dkos. cheers.
ck@97..Thanks for the heads up on edit on IE. I thought I was just stupid.