By DHinMI
We just passed a milestone at The Next Hurrah, and we almost missed it. Yesterday I noticed it had been exactly one year since Kagro X posted “David Corn Stands the First Amendment on its Head,” our first substantive post. In the year since, we've had plenty of good pieces, some even audacious in their ambition and desired effect. For instance, Meteor Blades garnered tremendous attention for his proposal to rebuild an Eco New Orleans. DemFromCT has pushed Bird Flu into the consciousness of so many people that he's become a recognized expert and a founder of the Flu Wiki, where experts from the WHO and other entities exchange news and ideas to track this potentially pandemic-generating virus. And Plutonium Page has repeatedly demonstrated the evidence for and implications of global warming.
But we've also had our eyes on American politics. RonK broke the story that Dick Gephardt now regrets his support of Bush's Iraq policy, a mea culpa that was quickly echoed by several other Democrats, including John Kerry and John Edwards. Before just about anyone in the MSM was writing about it, Trapper John was describing the deep rifts in organized labor that resulted in several major unions splitting from the AFL-CIO. Mimikatz has examined the effects of tax and budgetary policy and ruminated on political ethics and responsibility.
Two of our contributors so dominated blog reportage and analysis of major stories that we had to create new categories for them. Kagro X showed that process could be both fun and deadly serious in his pieces on the Nuclear Option, and now he's examining the justifications for and procedures to generate impeachment proceedings against the Bush administration. And with an assist by the Bush administration (for providing her so much raw material), emptywheel's pieces required us to add a new category for Bush/Administration Scandals.
And finally, we have what I believe is the best piece written at The Next Hurrah, James' post on the death and legacy of Ismail Merchant, and how the media still doesn't know how to talk about couples who've shared a life of love and devotion with partners of the same sex.
Now, on the year anniversary of our founding, we're adding a new contributor, emptypockets, who among other subjects will be tracking the days of our president in his series BushWatch.
But without our readers, none of us would have continued posting here. So, thank you all for reading our stuffr, thank you for commenting and sharing your thoughts and impressions, and thank you for becoming our friends.
well, that was fun.
In the immortal words of Ernie Banks, "Let's play two".
Posted by: DemFromCT | February 26, 2006 at 17:51
It was fun, it was real, but was it real fun?
We thought we were sooo clever when we said that to each other in high school, back in the days when I had scary hair.
Anyway, it's been real fun :-)
And I'll get off my ass and write more.
Posted by: Plutonium Page | February 26, 2006 at 18:08
My favorite thread from the first year may be the original 5¢ consulting open thread.
Perhaps not the weightiest discussion ever held, but a fun turning point when posts began regularly getting double-digit comments and some of the site's character was born.
Posted by: emptypockets | February 26, 2006 at 18:12
and many more...
Posted by: Petey | February 26, 2006 at 19:34
'pockets, that's my favorite, too. And i will never think of the Sistine Chapel the same way, again.
Posted by: DemFromCT | February 26, 2006 at 19:46
OMG, Petey stopped by!
Thanks for a great year. I look forward to many more.
Posted by: Susan S | February 26, 2006 at 20:55
Cheers and huzzahs!
Posted by: jonnybutter | February 26, 2006 at 23:58
Play ball!
Posted by: vachon | February 27, 2006 at 11:14
Well, I'm just incredibly grateful for y'all's thoughtful, well-sourced and just plain difficult posts on subjects the RWCM seems to think are so frakking simple, they don't even need to do research on-line, let alone get out there and actually ask questions and listen to the answers. And fact check? That's for sissy bloggers, not for real journalists, fer Crissakes. Special love goes out today to Kag, MB, and Miss Wheel. Survive.
Posted by: dksbook | February 28, 2006 at 18:02
Dear America
I know as Americans it's hard for us to admit we elected a fool for a President, but the facts certainly support this being true. In this the age of the most unworthy and unscrupulous politician "Wrong-way George" and his administration are truly the worst. Will we be singing the "Star Spangled Banner" in a foreign language before we realize what fools we've been? The agenda's of our President as hidden as some may be do not seem to have the best interests of our "Beautiful America" in mind. "Wrong-way George" is leading this country in the wrong direction. That is unless you consider "to hell in a hand basket" the right direction.
sincerely
Jim Brown
Posted by: Jim Brown | March 03, 2006 at 22:09
The Ship of Fools
Doesn't it seem that the current administration is just a collection of characters? There's Donald "Redrum" Rumsfeld, Condoleeza "Little Rascal" Rice, "Pepperin-Dick" Chaney, Karl "Little Satan" Rove, and of course "Wrong-Way George" Bush. And that's just to name a few. How could you not feel confident?
Jim Brown
Posted by: Jim Brown | March 03, 2006 at 22:35