"That's a wonderful suggestion, Ms. Jones. Perhaps one of the men would like to make it?"

Today's title comes from caption of a marvelous New Yorker cartoon, which shows a board room full of men and one woman; the chairman of the board is addressing her following her suggestion. That cartoon came to mind this evening because of this comment in Talking Points Memo by guest blogger John Judis, on June 24 [link]:

Thanks to all the people who wrote in response to my first attempts at blogging. As Josh will testify, I was a bashful bride who had to be wooed with flattery. But I am glad I did it. I learned something about the vitality of this medium. It is an important replacement for the vanishing soapbox, union hall, and neighborhood pub.

Judis's use of the soapbox analogy struck me as awfully familiar. In fact, here's what Laboville had to say just one day earlier:

The reality of the modern world is that we no longer gather on the village green, or in the great halls in town, to discuss and be challenged by the ideas of our day; those conversations have moved online, and are now carried on by the bloggers and their readers. And so while I may occupy but a small soapbox, it is the only soapbox I've got, and I thank all of you for helping me make the most of it.

Of course I'm not saying that Judis stole it from me or that the thought is even particularly original. I'm just saying that it's nice to know that the cognoscenti and I are in tune. And maybe someday, my soapbox will be just as big as Josh Marshall's...