and I still have recommending rights (though I'm an Obama supporter) so this would be a data point to confirm your theory. I recommended your diary, by the way.

Which thread was that? I must have missed it or am just drawing a blank... I too am an Obama supporter who retains rec privileges, so that might also support the theory.

can we trade a****e in and get him back?

Your "half life" bit is entirely correct.

What happens to an echo chamber when its purpose for existing - promoting a candidate who is no longer in the running - goes away?

MyDD is at a crossroads.  Either it will thrive as a place for community and honest dissent, or it will wither and die, as everyone who still has a horse in this race departs.

What diary was that?  Good thing I didn't rec it.

Well, there are supposedly some very close MYDD connections to the group that Bob Johnson was writing about, which may have lead to the mass loss of rec/rating abilities.  I know my answer is cryptic, but I have my rec/rating powers back and I don't want to lose them again.  Yes, I have relented to "The Man."

Also, I have to believe that MYDD is removing rec/rating powers for business practicality.  Obama supporters own most of the blogosphere.  This site is one of the few sites where there are a decent number of both Hillary and Barry supporters.  Since we can't get a straight answer from the administrators, I'm going to take a guess at why such powers are removed.  Jerome does not want this site to become Kos with a majority of pro-Obama/anti-Hillary  diaries on the rec. diary list.  Thus, he suppresses some Obama supporters' rec/rating abilitie.  As you may have noticed, a majority of posters on this site are starting to lean toward Obama, yet a majority of rec diaries are still pro-hillary.  Jerome's not going to turn away customers because its bad for business, but he'll limit their ability of those new customers to keep his business model intact.  I'm going to guess that traffic on this site over the last 2 to 3 months is the highest it's been ever, and if he allows Obama supporters to take over, he'll lose the Hillary gang.  Its a balancing game that's good for business in the short term.  What the future holds for this site when Obama becomes the nominee is yet to be determined.  

Oh my god. This diary really doesn't warrant a response; but since it's like the eight diary int eh last two days of people talking about this, I might as well.

Note to people who get stripped of privileges: Things are far less lax in the blogosphere world ever since hordes of Obama people made Kos' website the toxic sludge it is now.

Why do you spend countless HOURS obviously fretting over an ability rate other people, when maybe you should work on being a)less condescending to other readers and b) open to having true political discussion.

I realize this is a long comment so it will likely get parsed to hell by the ravage Obamawildebeests, but I doubt people are arbitrarily taking away your privileges.

Also more annoying than reading harsh political Astroturf wars over simple issues int eh diaries, is reading countless diaries like this.

Though I guess I'm already on thin ice here, having written that racism piece...

I lost privileges from the Bob Johnson post.

Admin gave me privledges back.

I asked them to also give back to the rest of the people who's only  crime was to REC a diary.

I just lost my REC privledges again.

And one more time to Teresa, Apolitik, etc.

Why is removing REC privileges in a secretive manner not in line with any site rules okay with you.

Jerome has gone into hiding over ths one, and I feel sorry for the other admins having to deal with the fallout.

Just look at this thread's poll, that is just from people who DIDNT LEAVE.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/5/14/1838 20/180

I would estimate Jerome did this to 100-200 members.

Read this: http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/5/15/1427 30/254

There's a general blindness to the realities of the primary situation around here, and the folks who are blinded by their partisanship don't want anyone helping their fellow blind folks to see the truth.  

This general blindness has led to a very low quality of articles and diaries overall.  

Where are the diaries, for example, about Bush's recent deplorable remarks overseas, comparing Democrats to Nazi sympathizers?  Nowhere.  Dailykos at least maintains a healthy level of important discussion along with the Obama promoting.

But facts are facts, and this place has about three weeks to go.  

I dont' miss Bob JOhnson one bit. I don't think he added anything contructive here.

I would personally defend and protest at any Hillary supporter who lost the ability to rec or rate.

Hell. Why do I come here more than DKOS? Because I think at the heart of democracy is healthy reasonable DISSENT.

Racist or sexist comments apart, I've never hide rated or trolled anyone. If we can't express our disagreements, where is the hope for dialogue.

On a progressive blog like this, which is after all 'just talk', this kind of censorship is not just against the spirit of netroots, it's an existential challenge.

If we can post. rec or rate, then this community is sham and we might as well be an editorialised front page of the MSM media.

So Hillary supporters. They came for us. But one day soon they might come for you. Let's prove this community is bigger than these candidate wars. And show the admins that we take the guidelines SERIOUSLY

This is a self correcting and self censoring community, not a virtual thought police state.

have lost his ability to Hide-Rate a week or two ago.  I'm not even sure exactly when.  I can still TR, and I can still Mojo, but no Hide Rates for me anymore.

I don't know how this fits into the narrative that Obama supporters are losing the ability to Rec comments, but figured I'd point out that Clinton supporters appear to be losing certain privileges as well.  

For what it's worth, I don't even look at the rec list anymore.  I don't care to read anything by some of the regulars there and I don't really want to sift through 300 comments to find something to talk about.  I find it much more enjoyable to throw my two cents into a discussion with 10-20 people rather than massive hordes.  Besides, the new diarists are so much easier to pick on (joke, sort of).

... I tracked down the Bob diary in question and indeed I did not recommend it (didn't see it at all in fact). So that does support the hypothesis that that diary was the link.

"Half life" refers to the amount of time it takes to free the body from half of the drug an individual has ingested.  Let's imagine that I smoke a cigarette.  In half an hour, my body will have rid itself of half the nicotine in my system.  A half an hour later, my body will have eliminated half the nicotine that was then available (in other words, three quarters of the original amount), and so on and so forth.

Your use of half life seems to suggest that you think Hillary will hang on to about the time of the convention.  I tend to agree with that, but I don't tend to think that was your notion.

and I still have my reccing privlidges as can been seen as I recced this diary.

Using courtesy, addressing issues not slamming individuals, minimal profundity, respect for the fact that ths site is an owned site not a public right and the moderators have the absolute final say, not just becoming provacateurs for the hell of it, thinking before you respond, etc.  

Not only does this help in retaining standing, but unless you are in a life and death situation, flame throwing really does not get you anywhere and does not get you listened to, particularly if you are a minority viewpoint.  

I know this is kind of an alter kocker way of putting it, but be this internet or private conversation, standards apply and you don't bite the hand that feeds you (or provides a soapbox).