DIARY REQUEST: Sorting through FEC data.

Introducing a new diary type: the Diary Request. The Diary Request is a special type of diary used to request that somebody write a diary on a specific subject. This diary is itself an example of this new type. You should use a title format similar if not identical to the one above. The tagline should also include the tag = "diary request". One thing different between this and most other types of diaries is the length. Unlike most other diaries, the Diary Request may be as short as a single sentence. Naturally, if there is a recent, active thread with a similar topic it would be much simpler to post the diary request as a comment on that related diary.

Or not. I know a lot of people will say, "Well, why not just do the research yourself?" My answer would be "Because you may have other things to do." Besides, I come from a Computer Science background and re-using other people's work and knowledge and building on it and/or making it more accessible and user-friendly is something I am trained to do. I suspect that I am not the only one on this site for whom that is true.

So, if you think that I'm full of shit, this is probably a good place to stop. For those of you foolhardy souls who wish to continue: an example of a diary request comes below the fold. Abandon hope all ye who enter.

I'd like to see a diary about finding and parsing Federal Election Commission and other campaign finance information. A good primer or tutorial would be invaluable to activists and citizens.