Inspire Emotion

One of My Favorites…….

It takes me back…….  Peaceful Easy Feeling by The Eagles (live).

Inspire Emotion NOT Accepting Paid Ads

I tried it. I hate it. The Entrecard paid ad system sucks. I cancelled all paid ads on this blog and Modern Glam, and will no longer accept them. Inspire Political Discourse has not and will not accept paid ads either.

Entrecard and the New Ad System

Cross-posted on Inspire Political Discourse.

Entrecard has implemented a new system for paid ads, and in my opinion, the implementation of the ads program really leaves much to be desired.

While they don’t “force” you to accept ads, they have put in to place a couple of things which accomplish exactly the same end.

1. If you do not accept any ads, they will place your e-card at the very end of your category in campaign. This means that you will potentially get many fewer blogs to spend EC to appear on your widget. [UPDATE: I just checked again, and they may have changed this without noting it, because I can not find it at this point. If anyone has an answer, please post to comments. Thanks.]

2. If people do not agree to and accept ads, eventually, they will actually more or less force you to do so, as Phirate notes below:

Music Video - Tom Waits - "Blue Valentine"

Ya gotta luv Tom Waits' "Blue Valentine". The video is a live performance by Waits at Horsley Village Hall Glos UK in May 2008. Thanks to Ken Armstrong for turning me on to this singer. Happy Valentine's Day to all!

 

Quotation From "House" - Season 1 - Occam's Razor

Dr. Cameron: “Men should grow up.”
Dr. House: “Yeah, and dogs should stop licking themselves. It's not going to happen.”

Image source Wikimedia Commons.

A Rant: Blog Titles -- Get Freakin' Real!

I've been blogging off and on for about 2.5 years now, and I've visited a lot of blogs. Some of the stuff I see and read, I still do not understand, and I wonder why a thinking person would believe that theirs is even worth landing on, much less taking the time to read or comment.

One of the things I see, and we're talkin' a lot of blogs on Entrecard now, is blogs with names that have absolutely no relationship to their content. None. Whatsoever. It is annoying, at the least, and damn inconsiderate at the worst. It is also freaking stupid.

I won't name names here, but will give a few imaginary examples. I bet that you too could name reams of these blogs.

A blog with a name like "Hot in Stilettos", that contains only pay per post stuff related to all and sundry, all of it completely unrelated to the title of the blog, is just nonsense. Really. Get a clue, if you recognize yourself. Unless you wish to be dropping entrecards for the rest of your pathetic blog's existence.

A blog with a name like "Sally Sue's Writing", again containing nothing but pay per post articles, sucks. If you give a blog a name that has "writing" in the title, we expect to see something other than badly written articles ads for various and sundry sponsors. You waste our time, and make us mad when you lie via your title about your content.

And really, need I tell you that a blog entitled "Tips for Romance" is not expected to be about how, where and why you are going to find your next sexual conquest. Nor is it expected to be about the display of your own immaturity and misogynistic attitude. Try a name like " The Misogynist". Need I say more?

So what's your opinion? Have you ever seethed re these mistitled blogs?

Music Monday: Channeling Aretha

I love this song. If I could sing, I would be Aretha. Or Duffy. Or.... (I always say that) *sigh* Anyway, I can't get this song out of my head today, and thought it would be more fun to share it. I hope you like it too.

Respect - Aretha Franklin 1990

There is, in fact, a Great Wall of China...

“No, there is not a thin line between love and hate. There is, in fact, a Great Wall of China with armed sentries posted every twenty feet between love and hate.”

Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House, from the television series, "House"

Image source Wikimedia Commons.

Another Year; the Mandatory, Ubiquitous Resolutions

New Year resolutions are said to be rarely kept. Something like 3% of them are actually ever acted upon according to a news report on network tv.

But, think about it. If we don't even bother to make these resolutions, how much less likely are we to act upon them? In my opinion, setting goals is always a good thing. And, so I am setting my goals for the new year.

The order isn't relevant, however, hopefully, the resolutions will be. I won't pinky swear though.

1. I am going to make a concerted effort to live more green.
Currently, I participate in the local recycling program, and have for at least 12 years. But, this really is a minor thing, and I believe that we all need to do more.
- I plan to cut out fast food completely. Our landfills, are overflowing with containers from McDonalds, Taco Bell, etc.. Enough already. If they can't be compelled to be more responsible in their packaging, then I will not buy from them.
- I will begin composting.
- I am going to buy organic as much as possible.
- I am buying an old-fashioned push mower.
- I will walk more, for example, to the drugstore, which is only a mile from my home.
- I am changing all of my bulbs to energy efficient bulbs.

2. I will forgive that group which brought our country to the brink of fascism, and economic annihilation. But, I will watch them. And, I will continue to speak out. I will never again retreat in to the comfort and complacency of my lifestyle. This matters.

3. I will spend more time on my art, and less time on things that shouldn't matter. For myself, for my family, for my own sanity.

Anais Nin Quotation re Chaos in Human Growth

“We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations.”

Anais Nin

Image from Wikimedia Commons.