Can anyone offer a nodes list? I get no active connections with the new version:-(

I agree with above.  It's been a while since I synced from scratch, but I remember needing to wait a long time, like an hour for my wallet to find the start.  Not sure why that happens.  Do make sure you have your config file made, and a few addnodes.

Here is what I have at the moment.

rpcuser=Me
rpcpassword=crazylongdonothavetorememberthispassphrase
server=1
addnode=54.80.16.112
addnode=23.23.186.131
addnode=50.16.206.102
addnode=50.19.116.123
addnode=98.165.130.67
addnode=54.242.50.205
addnode=50.17.98.53
addnode=54.225.43.37

red one is required

Some of those nodes could be old and no longer functioning, but I think eventually the peers.dat file starts to maintain that info, not sure though???