I was recently shown a link to RationalWiki - a pro-science and anti-pseudoscience wiki, which also covers a host of other topics, such as politics and debate. RationalWiki serves as a counter to wikis that post extremist and/or fringe nonsense. One excellent article I came across on the site was about the conspiracy theory that the Moon landings are a hoax:
I think the article provides an accurate account of the origins of the conspiracy theory as well as gives good counter-arguments against it. My favorite would have to be the part about the US "propping up" the Soviet Union was simultaneously wanting to "humiliate" it - that alone shows the absurdity of how the hoax advocates sound. That, and it's ridiculous to think the US bribed every single country to keep quiet. The obvious explanation is: The Moon landings were real.
(Note that RationalWiki is not connected to Wikipedia. Both sites are wikis, however; see Wikipedia's definition of a wiki for more information.)
Showing posts with label Websites. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Websites. Show all posts
Sunday, 14 August 2016
Monday, 9 November 2015
"Don't Look At The Comments" - CollegeHumor
While this CollegeHumor video presents a tame version of Internet comments sections, it sufficiently summarizes why looking at such sections is a bad idea:
Sometimes comments sections can give useful insight commentary into the subject of the article to which they are attached but they can be, more often than not, cesspools of trolling. Also...
...the above-linked article, also from CollegeHumor, pokes fun at the denizens of Internet comments sections.
(And just to clarify, these don't apply to people who comment on my blog!)
...the above-linked article, also from CollegeHumor, pokes fun at the denizens of Internet comments sections.
(And just to clarify, these don't apply to people who comment on my blog!)
Monday, 6 April 2015
When I began Air Nice-to-Livelands, I did not possess a Facebook account; it wasn't until July of 2011 that I did but my activity over there didn't increase until sometime in 2012. I've never mentioned here that I have an account - until now.
So why the change? Well, today I found out that a close relative of mine has one and I helped them out today with their account. The revelation came as a huge surprise to me but not as much as my having a Facebook account was to them. Both of us expected a lecture from the other!
Now that I'm open about this, if anyone following Air Nice-to-Livelands wishes to follow me on Facebook, please let me know and I'll e-mail my username and/or link. Of course, there is no pressure to do so and I won't take offence if no one does; some of my Blogger friends are Facebook friends with me already.
So why the change? Well, today I found out that a close relative of mine has one and I helped them out today with their account. The revelation came as a huge surprise to me but not as much as my having a Facebook account was to them. Both of us expected a lecture from the other!
Now that I'm open about this, if anyone following Air Nice-to-Livelands wishes to follow me on Facebook, please let me know and I'll e-mail my username and/or link. Of course, there is no pressure to do so and I won't take offence if no one does; some of my Blogger friends are Facebook friends with me already.
Saturday, 18 January 2014
What city?
Yesterday, two of my friends linked me to this page:
My result was Portland, which pleased me as Portland was the largest major city to me when my family and I lived in Oregon.
I decided to post this because it was mildly entertaining and because, unfortunately, I couldn't come up with anything else interesting to write about tonight. I should have something better for tomorrow.
Friday, 11 January 2013
Brooke Greenberg
This article was brought to my attention. It's about Brooke Greenberg, a 20-year-old woman who has a condition that has prevented her from growing and maturing, trapping her in the body and mind of a toddler:
Doctors are unsure what the causes of her condition, which has been labelled Syndrome X, are. I hope that, whatever those causes might be, doctors will be able to cure Greenberg one day.
Doctors are unsure what the causes of her condition, which has been labelled Syndrome X, are. I hope that, whatever those causes might be, doctors will be able to cure Greenberg one day.
Saturday, 29 December 2012
The big quiz of 2012
There's a 100-question quiz on The Daily Telegraph website. It covers events throughout 2012, from the Olympics, to art and literature, to quotes and to general knowledge. If you have half an hour to spare it's a fun quiz to take:
I scored 69; even without lucky guesses I managed to get at least half the questions correct!
I scored 69; even without lucky guesses I managed to get at least half the questions correct!
Friday, 7 December 2012
On the word "frape"
For the most part, I am fairly relaxed about vulgar language. Rude words don't usually offend me unless they are said to excess, to which I then find them boring. That being said, there are certain words that do bother me - especially terms that are racist or sexist - with one in particular being "frape".
A "frape" is defined as when someone has their Facebook profile modified without permission by another person (hence, a portmanteau of "Facebook" and "rape"). It can refer to a person having their account broken into, but for the vast majority of the time it's when someone forgot to log out, their friends use their computer, and those friends change the person's profile around in a humorous manner.
I object most strongly to this frivolous use of the word "rape". Having your Facebook profile picture changed to a balloon or having nonsense written on your timeline is nothing compared to a woman having her body violated. A rape mentally and physically scars a woman for life; a couple of friends messing about with your profile will temporarily make you look foolish and ensure you remember to log out in future and/or increase your account's security. At the end of the day everyone will understand, laugh at, and move on from a non-hostile (if initially unwelcome) practical joke between friends; a rape is not at all humorous nor are its consequences merely fleeting.
The originator of "frape" probably came up with the term in good faith, but they and other people who have used it since don't understand that when we cheapen the word "rape" we risk trivialising how serious and disgusting rape really is. One could argue that editing a profile without permission is still a violation in itself - it is! It's an invasion of a person's space - but it's not rape. Even if an unrelated person hacks into an account it still cannot be likened to rape; it's both wrong and condemnable, but it's still not rape. I'm sure nearly everybody would object to having their accounts hijacked - and in no way am I playing down the importance of account security - but those same people would be further opposed to themselves and others being raped.
The solution to dealing with the usage of "frape" is to firmly explain why modifying a friend's Facebook profile is not comparable to the violation of a woman's body and the loss of her dignity. Say how offensive the term is to women who have suffered rape or how rape-related humour only serves to enable rapists. You could even say it comes across as misogynistic! However you decide to put it, make it clear that the word they are using is unacceptable. If we don't take action, nothing will change; I freely admit that I have made the mistake of letting the use of the aforementioned offensive term go unchallenged, and I am ashamed by that.
Rape is one of those topics that I refuse to take lightly. If we joke about rape we harm those affected by it, we encourage the rapists; and we do nothing in preventing others from becoming victims of such a violent, disgraceful act.
A "frape" is defined as when someone has their Facebook profile modified without permission by another person (hence, a portmanteau of "Facebook" and "rape"). It can refer to a person having their account broken into, but for the vast majority of the time it's when someone forgot to log out, their friends use their computer, and those friends change the person's profile around in a humorous manner.
I object most strongly to this frivolous use of the word "rape". Having your Facebook profile picture changed to a balloon or having nonsense written on your timeline is nothing compared to a woman having her body violated. A rape mentally and physically scars a woman for life; a couple of friends messing about with your profile will temporarily make you look foolish and ensure you remember to log out in future and/or increase your account's security. At the end of the day everyone will understand, laugh at, and move on from a non-hostile (if initially unwelcome) practical joke between friends; a rape is not at all humorous nor are its consequences merely fleeting.
The originator of "frape" probably came up with the term in good faith, but they and other people who have used it since don't understand that when we cheapen the word "rape" we risk trivialising how serious and disgusting rape really is. One could argue that editing a profile without permission is still a violation in itself - it is! It's an invasion of a person's space - but it's not rape. Even if an unrelated person hacks into an account it still cannot be likened to rape; it's both wrong and condemnable, but it's still not rape. I'm sure nearly everybody would object to having their accounts hijacked - and in no way am I playing down the importance of account security - but those same people would be further opposed to themselves and others being raped.
The solution to dealing with the usage of "frape" is to firmly explain why modifying a friend's Facebook profile is not comparable to the violation of a woman's body and the loss of her dignity. Say how offensive the term is to women who have suffered rape or how rape-related humour only serves to enable rapists. You could even say it comes across as misogynistic! However you decide to put it, make it clear that the word they are using is unacceptable. If we don't take action, nothing will change; I freely admit that I have made the mistake of letting the use of the aforementioned offensive term go unchallenged, and I am ashamed by that.
Rape is one of those topics that I refuse to take lightly. If we joke about rape we harm those affected by it, we encourage the rapists; and we do nothing in preventing others from becoming victims of such a violent, disgraceful act.
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
Decline of texting
It's astounding; yesterday I learnt that it was the 20th birthday of texting/SMS and wrote a short blog post to recognise the occasion. Today, I discovered that texting reached its peak and is "in decline", albeit slowly:
The main reason for this apparent decline is because of the increased use in apps on smartphones that are cheaper texting services than SMS. Other reasons cited include Twitter and Facebook, but I don't think that either of these are suitable replacements for texting: with Facebook, both users need to be online simultaneously to be able to communicate with one another in real-time, and with Twitter, same again but the conversations are public...clearly not ideal for a discussion intended for quick discussion between two people.
A text is usually the fastest way to contact someone: it's far more likely someone will have their phone with them than be connected to the Internet; even with a smartphone there's no guarantee that the person will use their device to always be on the Web. Despite any supposed "decline", I don't think that texting/SMS is going anywhere anytime soon: it may be old, and can cost up to 15 cents/pence per text on pay-as-you-go, but it's quick and simple.
The main reason for this apparent decline is because of the increased use in apps on smartphones that are cheaper texting services than SMS. Other reasons cited include Twitter and Facebook, but I don't think that either of these are suitable replacements for texting: with Facebook, both users need to be online simultaneously to be able to communicate with one another in real-time, and with Twitter, same again but the conversations are public...clearly not ideal for a discussion intended for quick discussion between two people.
A text is usually the fastest way to contact someone: it's far more likely someone will have their phone with them than be connected to the Internet; even with a smartphone there's no guarantee that the person will use their device to always be on the Web. Despite any supposed "decline", I don't think that texting/SMS is going anywhere anytime soon: it may be old, and can cost up to 15 cents/pence per text on pay-as-you-go, but it's quick and simple.
Monday, 3 December 2012
Twenty years of texting
Exactly twenty years ago today the world's first SMS message was sent. BBC News has an interview with Matti Makkonen, the person who suggested the idea of texting in 1984; the interview was conducted via text messages:
Makkonen is often referred to as the "father of SMS", but he is not fond of the title because texting was created by other people, not him; he wasn't the first person to send a text message, either.
Saturday, 1 December 2012
Excessive phone checking
I was pointed to this article on the Daily Mail about extreme phone checking being a problem for some people in developing friendships and becoming an obsession:
A few months ago I wrote about being less bothered by people checking their phones, with the caveat that this behaviour wasn't done to excess. It is very, very annoying to be talking to someone and they decide that their phone is more important than your discussion; it's also rude on their part.
Don't get me wrong, I think my phone is great and I prefer to have it with me most of the time, but I usually check it twice (occasionally three) times an hour and nearly never at the table, with another person, or at some other engagement. I'm not constantly playing with it, and I don't text with/call people when I'm having a face-to-face conversation: unless it's something particularly imporant - not idle chat - why would people texting/phoning me have priority over the person with whom I'm in the same room?
A few months ago I wrote about being less bothered by people checking their phones, with the caveat that this behaviour wasn't done to excess. It is very, very annoying to be talking to someone and they decide that their phone is more important than your discussion; it's also rude on their part.
Don't get me wrong, I think my phone is great and I prefer to have it with me most of the time, but I usually check it twice (occasionally three) times an hour and nearly never at the table, with another person, or at some other engagement. I'm not constantly playing with it, and I don't text with/call people when I'm having a face-to-face conversation: unless it's something particularly imporant - not idle chat - why would people texting/phoning me have priority over the person with whom I'm in the same room?
Wednesday, 10 October 2012
Sheer disrespect
Discussions about politics often become heated. This is to be expected, but normally the conversations are respectful and there are no hard feelings by the end. This year, politics are extremely hot given the major election that has been taking place for the last ten months; even so, people should try their best to keep a cool head on and avoid insulting each other and their respective preferred candidates.
Which is why it appalls me to read hateful comments on Internet articles about President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. There is a huge difference between disagreement and sheer disrespect/irrational loathing of a political figure. I am an Obama supporter, but I will listen to and sometimes even agree with reasoned argument and criticism; however, I will always dismiss offensive and hateful comments about him.
Over the past week alone I have read comments that contain insulting variations on his name and frequently call him a traitor, un-American, or that he outright "hates America". A number of comments say that Obama should be arrested, imprisoned, and some have even said he should be executed! The fact that Obama has not done anything to justify any of those things notwithstanding, I find the name-calling and potential violence these people spout to be blatantly disrespectful to someone who is the President of the United States and considered the most powerful man in the world. I could not imagine this sort of language ever being allowed to flourish under George W. Bush, and during his presidency I would have disagreed with anyone who suggested that he should have been executed (I haven't changed from this opinion).
It's at the point now where most comment sections I read on articles about American politics have immediately devolved into a thread devoted to hating the president and anyone who supports him - and these include British news sites. When someone writes "liberals are a cancer" or "death to Obama supporters" it makes me angry, but at the same time it upsets me that there are ordinary people who believe that stamping on their political opponents is the way to win elections and "take the country back" - that is what happens in dictatorships, not democracies.
To be fair, I have seen hateful comments directed at Obama's main challenger, Mitt Romney, although they are less vitriolic and I've yet to read anyone say that Romney should be executed or that his supporters are un-American and should be killed. On several occasions I have observed people who do not plan to vote for Obama argue against and scold people using hateful or violent commentary against him.
In the case of the First Lady, I almost always dismiss any criticism of her because I believe that she has not done anything to warrant it, she does not create policy or change any laws, and because she has not commented negatively about her husband's political opponents. I disliked criticism of Laura Bush, too - for the same reasons as Michelle Obama; both are decent women.
I worry that, regardless of who wins, the rhetoric will continue after the election has concluded. People need to stop the insults and pure hatred and go back to getting along and compromising (and by "compromising", I mean that everyone makes the effort to get along/work with others, not one side gives in to the other). As I said earlier, keeping a cool head is the way to go.
Which is why it appalls me to read hateful comments on Internet articles about President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. There is a huge difference between disagreement and sheer disrespect/irrational loathing of a political figure. I am an Obama supporter, but I will listen to and sometimes even agree with reasoned argument and criticism; however, I will always dismiss offensive and hateful comments about him.
Over the past week alone I have read comments that contain insulting variations on his name and frequently call him a traitor, un-American, or that he outright "hates America". A number of comments say that Obama should be arrested, imprisoned, and some have even said he should be executed! The fact that Obama has not done anything to justify any of those things notwithstanding, I find the name-calling and potential violence these people spout to be blatantly disrespectful to someone who is the President of the United States and considered the most powerful man in the world. I could not imagine this sort of language ever being allowed to flourish under George W. Bush, and during his presidency I would have disagreed with anyone who suggested that he should have been executed (I haven't changed from this opinion).
It's at the point now where most comment sections I read on articles about American politics have immediately devolved into a thread devoted to hating the president and anyone who supports him - and these include British news sites. When someone writes "liberals are a cancer" or "death to Obama supporters" it makes me angry, but at the same time it upsets me that there are ordinary people who believe that stamping on their political opponents is the way to win elections and "take the country back" - that is what happens in dictatorships, not democracies.
To be fair, I have seen hateful comments directed at Obama's main challenger, Mitt Romney, although they are less vitriolic and I've yet to read anyone say that Romney should be executed or that his supporters are un-American and should be killed. On several occasions I have observed people who do not plan to vote for Obama argue against and scold people using hateful or violent commentary against him.
In the case of the First Lady, I almost always dismiss any criticism of her because I believe that she has not done anything to warrant it, she does not create policy or change any laws, and because she has not commented negatively about her husband's political opponents. I disliked criticism of Laura Bush, too - for the same reasons as Michelle Obama; both are decent women.
I worry that, regardless of who wins, the rhetoric will continue after the election has concluded. People need to stop the insults and pure hatred and go back to getting along and compromising (and by "compromising", I mean that everyone makes the effort to get along/work with others, not one side gives in to the other). As I said earlier, keeping a cool head is the way to go.
Monday, 24 September 2012
Charlotte Garside and Blisse Mellens
I read the following linked article this morning; it's about a five-year old girl from East Yorkshire - Charlotte Garside - who was born with an extremely rare form of primordial dwarfism:
It's a very emotional and touching piece. While there were a few comments from people being concerned about the Garside being "paraded about" I don't think that was the intention here - even it's the Daily Mail -, and given the rarity of the disorder she needs all the help she can get.
I also read about Blisse Mellens, a girl who goes into epileptic fits at sounds, particularly at those that are loud and/or sudden; her family has to live in near-total silence to ensure her safety:
It's just as emotional and as touching as the article about Charlotte Garside. Both girls do not deserve the conditions that will affect them for their entire lives, but I am glad to see that they both come from loving families who are doing their absolute best to give them the finest quality of life possible.
I hope a cure or some sort of treatment to lessen their difficulties will be found. We often don't think about extremely rare disorders, and as a result we end up forgetting the people who are affected by them.
I hope a cure or some sort of treatment to lessen their difficulties will be found. We often don't think about extremely rare disorders, and as a result we end up forgetting the people who are affected by them.
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Other media
I am available on a few other websites, and if anyone is interested I am happy to connect in other places with people I know here (I've already done this with some of you). One place is Twitter - although I admit I'm not very active there - and I also have Skype; either e-mail me or leave a comment if connecting with me elsewhere is something that would interest you. It's okay if it doesn't, but I'm happy to leave the option open!
Friday, 6 July 2012
Questions from "World Turn'd Upside Down"
A couple of days ago my friend Stephanie posted a list of questions on her blog, World Turn'd Upside Down, as a way for her readers to learn a bit about each other. I commented over there saying that I would be glad to do the list; here are my answers:
1. Websites, blogs and social media can skew our lives and make us look hyper-focused on one aspect of your life. What are some interests/hobbies/etc. that you have that you think your readers/friends might not know about?
I proofread/copyedit the writings of other people (I admit it is easier to proofread and copyedit the works of others than my own!), as that is what I am working on career-wise. I love following politics, mainly in the US and UK but sometimes in other countries, too; and while I am not a sports fan, I do not mind occasionally following Wimbledon (as I am at the moment) or the Olympics. I also love meeting with people in person!
2. What have blogs/the Internet introduced you to that you never knew about before?
I have spent my entire life in the United States and the United Kingdom, and have barely ventured beyond those two countries; as such, I have not really experienced what people are like in other places. However, from interacting with different people on the Internet I have learnt that people are similar the world over: the average American wants to live the best life possible, as does the average Brazilian and the average Chinese person (while I would have preferred to have met these people in person, at least I have some insight into them). Labeling people you have never met as "enemies" serves no good purpose whatsoever.
3. What are your top 10 most visited websites?
Google sites (while there are several, I am counting them as one), Yahoo! sites, Wikipedia, BBC News, various dictionary sites, Politico, and The Huffington Post (not ten examples, I know). Beyond them, there are probably dozens more that I use for research, although they are more spread out in how much I visit them and therefore do not qualify among my "most visited".
4. What is your favorite/most bizarre/interesting fact about something in history?
Apparently, when Richard Nixon was courting his future wife, Pat Ryan, he loved her so deeply that he would take her to her dates with other men (sources here and here) merely to spend some time with her. Disregarding his problems as president, I think this shows a little-known, positive side to the man. I consider this to be my favorite historical fact.
5. If you could wake up tomorrow and have acquired a new skill in your sleep, what would it be and why?
The ability to play the piano: I currently do not play any type of musical instrument, and I have heard that the piano is amongst the most difficult to master.
6. If you could spend 1 year in a different time period, which would you choose and why?
The United States in 1977, for no other reason than to experience living under one of my favorite US presidents, Jimmy Carter.
7. What are your Internet pet-peeves?
Harassment issues aside, I would say my biggest annoyances on the Internet are when some people post uninformed comments on news articles, post off-topic trolling comments to light-hearted pieces, or "debate" by insulting other people rather than coming up with a reasonable argument to support their view(s).
8. What is your newest hobby/interest? Tell us a little about it.
Related to answer #1, exploring the website lang-8.com: it has been a worthwhile experience to increase my proofreading/copyediting skills by correcting the writings of people who are not native English speakers. It has also been something new to do while the weather has been incredibly wet recently!
9. If you could invite 3 deceased people to dinner who would it be and what would you talk to them about?
The aforementioned Nixon would be one and I would talk to him about his courting of and love for Pat. Another would be Aneurin Bevan, the Welsh politician who was the driving force behind the establishment of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom; I would be interested in his thoughts on the NHS when it was implemented and on its current state. The third would be my great-grandfather (the father of my Dad's mother), as he was the only one of my great-grandparents alive at the time of my birth and I hardly knew him.
10. If you had to play a character in a movie, who would you play and why?
This may not be very original, but I choose Marty McFly from all the Back to the Future films. I find time travel fascinating, and McFly did go on some exciting adventures! I have always loved the third part, where he went back in time to the Wild West.
This has been an interesting set of questions to answer. Thank you, Stephanie!
1. Websites, blogs and social media can skew our lives and make us look hyper-focused on one aspect of your life. What are some interests/hobbies/etc. that you have that you think your readers/friends might not know about?
I proofread/copyedit the writings of other people (I admit it is easier to proofread and copyedit the works of others than my own!), as that is what I am working on career-wise. I love following politics, mainly in the US and UK but sometimes in other countries, too; and while I am not a sports fan, I do not mind occasionally following Wimbledon (as I am at the moment) or the Olympics. I also love meeting with people in person!
2. What have blogs/the Internet introduced you to that you never knew about before?
I have spent my entire life in the United States and the United Kingdom, and have barely ventured beyond those two countries; as such, I have not really experienced what people are like in other places. However, from interacting with different people on the Internet I have learnt that people are similar the world over: the average American wants to live the best life possible, as does the average Brazilian and the average Chinese person (while I would have preferred to have met these people in person, at least I have some insight into them). Labeling people you have never met as "enemies" serves no good purpose whatsoever.
3. What are your top 10 most visited websites?
Google sites (while there are several, I am counting them as one), Yahoo! sites, Wikipedia, BBC News, various dictionary sites, Politico, and The Huffington Post (not ten examples, I know). Beyond them, there are probably dozens more that I use for research, although they are more spread out in how much I visit them and therefore do not qualify among my "most visited".
4. What is your favorite/most bizarre/interesting fact about something in history?
Apparently, when Richard Nixon was courting his future wife, Pat Ryan, he loved her so deeply that he would take her to her dates with other men (sources here and here) merely to spend some time with her. Disregarding his problems as president, I think this shows a little-known, positive side to the man. I consider this to be my favorite historical fact.
5. If you could wake up tomorrow and have acquired a new skill in your sleep, what would it be and why?
The ability to play the piano: I currently do not play any type of musical instrument, and I have heard that the piano is amongst the most difficult to master.
6. If you could spend 1 year in a different time period, which would you choose and why?
The United States in 1977, for no other reason than to experience living under one of my favorite US presidents, Jimmy Carter.
7. What are your Internet pet-peeves?
Harassment issues aside, I would say my biggest annoyances on the Internet are when some people post uninformed comments on news articles, post off-topic trolling comments to light-hearted pieces, or "debate" by insulting other people rather than coming up with a reasonable argument to support their view(s).
8. What is your newest hobby/interest? Tell us a little about it.
Related to answer #1, exploring the website lang-8.com: it has been a worthwhile experience to increase my proofreading/copyediting skills by correcting the writings of people who are not native English speakers. It has also been something new to do while the weather has been incredibly wet recently!
9. If you could invite 3 deceased people to dinner who would it be and what would you talk to them about?
The aforementioned Nixon would be one and I would talk to him about his courting of and love for Pat. Another would be Aneurin Bevan, the Welsh politician who was the driving force behind the establishment of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom; I would be interested in his thoughts on the NHS when it was implemented and on its current state. The third would be my great-grandfather (the father of my Dad's mother), as he was the only one of my great-grandparents alive at the time of my birth and I hardly knew him.
10. If you had to play a character in a movie, who would you play and why?
This may not be very original, but I choose Marty McFly from all the Back to the Future films. I find time travel fascinating, and McFly did go on some exciting adventures! I have always loved the third part, where he went back in time to the Wild West.
This has been an interesting set of questions to answer. Thank you, Stephanie!
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Bad ways to break up
The other evening there was a short segment on the radio about bad ways someone can end a relationship with another person (or as I prefer to call it, "Breaking Up: The Douchebag Method"). Over the years I have heard of several poor ways to break up with someone, and I thought I would begin to list some of them; some would be quite creative if they were not so heartbreaking to the person on the receiving end:
1. Very short telephone call
I remember when listening to Dawson McAllister Live on the radio how Dawson McAllister strongly recommended to people looking to end a relationship to do it in person, rather than through other methods such as texting, e-mails, or even phoning (although this did assume a "good" relationship, rather than abusive ones where he suggested to just leave). I once heard an instance of someone being dumped via a phone call lasting less than 30 seconds (I did not hear it on the show, however).
2. Re-arranging magnets on a refrigerator
One woman was informed by her boyfriend that she had been dumped via his re-arrangement of magnets on either his or her fridge (I do not know what the exact wording of the letters was). He was not in the vicinity of the fridge when she saw it. This one gets points for being clever, but it is still cowardly!
3. On a social website
This is one I read about, rather than heard on the radio: there was a guy who phoned his girlfriend after a date, and she told him to check Facebook: when he did he could not see anything wrong with it, but then she told him to refresh his page, and voila! She had just changed her status from "in a relationship with (such and such)" to "looking for someone". Dumping someone over any social networking site is a bad idea, but the way this particular break-up was carried out was especially "evil".
4. Cheating on someone, and getting the person you cheated with to tell the person you cheated on that they have been dumped
It is bad enough getting someone else to inform your soon-to-be-ex that they are being dumped, but nothing adds icing to the cake more than telling the person you cheated with to tell the person you cheated on that the relationship is over!
These four are the most notable to spring that my mind for the moment. If I come up with more I shall create new posts for them and link back to this one. Feel free to recommend other bad break-up methods.
For the record, I agree with McAllister that it is best to end a relationship in person, assuming the relationship has been relatively amicable, not abusive, and you are not looking to get away from the other individual for your own safety. Certain things really do need to be told face-to-face, not over any other medium. As funny as these all sound, the person being dumped was likely really hurt by what happened to them.
1. Very short telephone call
I remember when listening to Dawson McAllister Live on the radio how Dawson McAllister strongly recommended to people looking to end a relationship to do it in person, rather than through other methods such as texting, e-mails, or even phoning (although this did assume a "good" relationship, rather than abusive ones where he suggested to just leave). I once heard an instance of someone being dumped via a phone call lasting less than 30 seconds (I did not hear it on the show, however).
2. Re-arranging magnets on a refrigerator
One woman was informed by her boyfriend that she had been dumped via his re-arrangement of magnets on either his or her fridge (I do not know what the exact wording of the letters was). He was not in the vicinity of the fridge when she saw it. This one gets points for being clever, but it is still cowardly!
3. On a social website
This is one I read about, rather than heard on the radio: there was a guy who phoned his girlfriend after a date, and she told him to check Facebook: when he did he could not see anything wrong with it, but then she told him to refresh his page, and voila! She had just changed her status from "in a relationship with (such and such)" to "looking for someone". Dumping someone over any social networking site is a bad idea, but the way this particular break-up was carried out was especially "evil".
4. Cheating on someone, and getting the person you cheated with to tell the person you cheated on that they have been dumped
It is bad enough getting someone else to inform your soon-to-be-ex that they are being dumped, but nothing adds icing to the cake more than telling the person you cheated with to tell the person you cheated on that the relationship is over!
These four are the most notable to spring that my mind for the moment. If I come up with more I shall create new posts for them and link back to this one. Feel free to recommend other bad break-up methods.
For the record, I agree with McAllister that it is best to end a relationship in person, assuming the relationship has been relatively amicable, not abusive, and you are not looking to get away from the other individual for your own safety. Certain things really do need to be told face-to-face, not over any other medium. As funny as these all sound, the person being dumped was likely really hurt by what happened to them.
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
Water restrictions
Following-up on my post to do with people washing their cars too much, here is an article about the potential water shortage in the United Kingdom, and steps being taken to preserve water, such as limiting showers and not filling up personal swimming pools.
A simple step not covered in the Telegraph article would be to tell people who wash their cars every single week to cut back on how many times they clean their vehicle; as I wrote in my previous post, the cars are often mostly clean anyway: they do not need a weekly wash, and there is less reason for weekly washes in the face of restrictions on water usage.
A simple step not covered in the Telegraph article would be to tell people who wash their cars every single week to cut back on how many times they clean their vehicle; as I wrote in my previous post, the cars are often mostly clean anyway: they do not need a weekly wash, and there is less reason for weekly washes in the face of restrictions on water usage.
Friday, 3 February 2012
On increasing blog views (again)
I mentioned in a comment of mine for yesterday's post that I would be making a follow-up piece to it. Here are some more thoughts on the matter, though they do crossover with some of what I wrote before, and are a little more to do with blogging etiquette:
1. Think of other bloggers
I think it is important to not see other bloggers as "opponents" or "enemies". Every other blogger has the same goal as you: to write and have their content read by as many people as possible. Before saying "why am I not getting any views?", it is best to think that other people have been in that same position, and you should do your research and see what they have to say that can help you.
2. Networking with other blogs
If your blog has a specialised topic, such as being about children, cooking, or politics, there will be networks of blogs that you can join. If you do join a network, and its members help you and successfully integrate you into their community, remember to then help other people within the network, plus any newcomers: you do not want to take and not give anything back.
3. Comment on followers' blogs and follow them back
Overlaps with yesterday's fifth point, but I would argue that commenting the blogs of your followers is perhaps more important than commenting on random blogs. At the very least, it is discourteous to not comment on other blogs when people are commenting on yours. Of course, you should not comment just to ensure that people continue to give you comments: what you write on their blogs needs to be as genuine as what they write on yours.
It is probably a good idea also to follow the blogs of people who follow you, although this does depend: if you are followed by a particular blog(ger) that you find to be unpalatable (like if the blog serves no purpose other than to slander people, or the blogger themselves is a known troll), I can understand not wanting to follow back. In addition, if you have a huge amount of followers, it may not be feasible to follow them all back and keep track of them...on the other hand if you do have that many followers, I doubt that you will need advice on how to increase your views!
4. Respond to comments on your blog
This is similar to the part right above, except it applies to your own blog: if people are commenting, it is paramount that you reply to them: a lack of response may come across as though you are not interested in feedback (if you have comments enabled on your blog, by default people are going to assume you want input). If people disagree with what you have to say, providing they are being civil you should engage them back politely (blatant trolling should just be deleted, there is no need to feed trolls); and if people compliment you, be grateful!
So ends my follow-up to "On increasing blog views". I would again like to thank Jenny for her inspiring me to write the first post, and subsequently the second. Regardless of how many views you get, remember to have fun blogging!
1. Think of other bloggers
I think it is important to not see other bloggers as "opponents" or "enemies". Every other blogger has the same goal as you: to write and have their content read by as many people as possible. Before saying "why am I not getting any views?", it is best to think that other people have been in that same position, and you should do your research and see what they have to say that can help you.
2. Networking with other blogs
If your blog has a specialised topic, such as being about children, cooking, or politics, there will be networks of blogs that you can join. If you do join a network, and its members help you and successfully integrate you into their community, remember to then help other people within the network, plus any newcomers: you do not want to take and not give anything back.
3. Comment on followers' blogs and follow them back
Overlaps with yesterday's fifth point, but I would argue that commenting the blogs of your followers is perhaps more important than commenting on random blogs. At the very least, it is discourteous to not comment on other blogs when people are commenting on yours. Of course, you should not comment just to ensure that people continue to give you comments: what you write on their blogs needs to be as genuine as what they write on yours.
It is probably a good idea also to follow the blogs of people who follow you, although this does depend: if you are followed by a particular blog(ger) that you find to be unpalatable (like if the blog serves no purpose other than to slander people, or the blogger themselves is a known troll), I can understand not wanting to follow back. In addition, if you have a huge amount of followers, it may not be feasible to follow them all back and keep track of them...on the other hand if you do have that many followers, I doubt that you will need advice on how to increase your views!
4. Respond to comments on your blog
This is similar to the part right above, except it applies to your own blog: if people are commenting, it is paramount that you reply to them: a lack of response may come across as though you are not interested in feedback (if you have comments enabled on your blog, by default people are going to assume you want input). If people disagree with what you have to say, providing they are being civil you should engage them back politely (blatant trolling should just be deleted, there is no need to feed trolls); and if people compliment you, be grateful!
So ends my follow-up to "On increasing blog views". I would again like to thank Jenny for her inspiring me to write the first post, and subsequently the second. Regardless of how many views you get, remember to have fun blogging!
Thursday, 2 February 2012
On increasing blog views
A few days ago, my friend Jenny wrote a post on her blog in regards to increasing blog views. She had some advice on what to do, further advice on what not to do, and some humour mixed in there too. In her comments section I posted some blog view ideas that have been working for me, and I will be again writing about those ideas for this post although they will be in greater detail than what I put in the comment (they will also be adjusted to apply to everyone). I shall also be writing about some more ideas that I have thought about since then:
1. An active blog
Anyone who is serious about having a blog with a significant base will have to make sure they post regularly. The definition obviously varies, but I would consider an "active" blog to be one that is has at least a post per week. The basic point of a blog is to write content for people to read, and if you do not write anything on a regular basis, you will not receive many views.
2. Suggesting posts to people who may be interested in a topic
Mindlessly spamming your blog will only cause it to blocked, blacklisted, or have something else done to it that will cause its reputation to be ruined. However, sending a particular post to somebody who might be interested in its topic is acceptable: for example, if you found an online recipe, used the recipe, then wrote a lengthy piece about it, it would be a good thing to send the post to the writer of the recipe (this does assume the post is helpful, whether it is a glowing review or something constructive that suggests how the recipe could be improved: do not send them a post that outright insults them). Doing so offers the other person feedback, and gives your own work some views (who knows? Maybe they will suggest your piece to others, or even decide to follow your blog themselves).
3. Using Twitter
If you have a Twitter account and several followers, it would be very worthwhile to link to your posts in your tweets. If you do not have a Twitter account, and therefore no followers, it will still be worth creating an account there: it is likely you will know people with Twitter accounts, so you will be able to follow each other. In addition, careful use of the hashtags (the "#" on the keyboard, followed by another word, such as "#cooking" or "#homecooking") can attract people to your tweets, and therefore your posts. If you have written about painting, placing "#painting" in your tweet will help you find some views.
If you use other social media, such as Facebook or Google+, I also recommend linking to your posts on those sites as well. Be warned, however, that it would be best not to use those accounts solely for the purpose to linking to your blog: no one wants to follow a spammer.
4. Telling friends
Simple word-of-mouth by telling your friends about your blog will get you views. In addition to having friends who "officially" following my blog, I have other friends (and family) who follow my blog...they are just not in the "followers" section. If your friends find your blog interesting or merely a fun read, they might even tell their friends about it.
5. Commenting on other blogs
Commenting on other blogs can certainly raise your profile. However, I would be very careful with this one: it is probably not a good thing to comment on other people's blogs just to promote your own, and commenting on every "most popular" blog may be seen as suspicious. If anything, I think it is best just to comment when you feel it is appropriate to, and give the comment substance: the occasional genuine, well-thought out comment to another blog will give you more readers than spamming them with silly comments will.
6. Keep the blog fresh
This is perhaps the hardest of all: coming up with new topics to post, and frequently, can be very difficult: even for me, the hard part is not the actual writing, but coming up with something to begin with. If you run out of things to post and are constantly going back to old writings on the blog, or anything you do post that is new comes across as a redress of everything done before, your readership and amount of views will decline. At the same time, if you have a particular style, your readers like your blog the way it is, and you are still gaining followers, it is probably best not to stray from that formula too much in case the changes drive them away; but you can still modify a format without alienating readers.
At the end of the day, I believe it is best not to worry too much about views, and instead just blog because you are fond of blogging and are into writing. Evidently you should make some effort in attracting a base, but the readers will come to you with the more you write (I am finding that posts of mine from months ago are receiving more views now than they did when they were initially submitted).
Finally, when referring to other people, it is also courteous to give them credit where it is due. As such, I would like to thank Jenny for inspiring me to write this post.
1. An active blog
Anyone who is serious about having a blog with a significant base will have to make sure they post regularly. The definition obviously varies, but I would consider an "active" blog to be one that is has at least a post per week. The basic point of a blog is to write content for people to read, and if you do not write anything on a regular basis, you will not receive many views.
2. Suggesting posts to people who may be interested in a topic
Mindlessly spamming your blog will only cause it to blocked, blacklisted, or have something else done to it that will cause its reputation to be ruined. However, sending a particular post to somebody who might be interested in its topic is acceptable: for example, if you found an online recipe, used the recipe, then wrote a lengthy piece about it, it would be a good thing to send the post to the writer of the recipe (this does assume the post is helpful, whether it is a glowing review or something constructive that suggests how the recipe could be improved: do not send them a post that outright insults them). Doing so offers the other person feedback, and gives your own work some views (who knows? Maybe they will suggest your piece to others, or even decide to follow your blog themselves).
3. Using Twitter
If you have a Twitter account and several followers, it would be very worthwhile to link to your posts in your tweets. If you do not have a Twitter account, and therefore no followers, it will still be worth creating an account there: it is likely you will know people with Twitter accounts, so you will be able to follow each other. In addition, careful use of the hashtags (the "#" on the keyboard, followed by another word, such as "#cooking" or "#homecooking") can attract people to your tweets, and therefore your posts. If you have written about painting, placing "#painting" in your tweet will help you find some views.
If you use other social media, such as Facebook or Google+, I also recommend linking to your posts on those sites as well. Be warned, however, that it would be best not to use those accounts solely for the purpose to linking to your blog: no one wants to follow a spammer.
4. Telling friends
Simple word-of-mouth by telling your friends about your blog will get you views. In addition to having friends who "officially" following my blog, I have other friends (and family) who follow my blog...they are just not in the "followers" section. If your friends find your blog interesting or merely a fun read, they might even tell their friends about it.
5. Commenting on other blogs
Commenting on other blogs can certainly raise your profile. However, I would be very careful with this one: it is probably not a good thing to comment on other people's blogs just to promote your own, and commenting on every "most popular" blog may be seen as suspicious. If anything, I think it is best just to comment when you feel it is appropriate to, and give the comment substance: the occasional genuine, well-thought out comment to another blog will give you more readers than spamming them with silly comments will.
6. Keep the blog fresh
This is perhaps the hardest of all: coming up with new topics to post, and frequently, can be very difficult: even for me, the hard part is not the actual writing, but coming up with something to begin with. If you run out of things to post and are constantly going back to old writings on the blog, or anything you do post that is new comes across as a redress of everything done before, your readership and amount of views will decline. At the same time, if you have a particular style, your readers like your blog the way it is, and you are still gaining followers, it is probably best not to stray from that formula too much in case the changes drive them away; but you can still modify a format without alienating readers.
At the end of the day, I believe it is best not to worry too much about views, and instead just blog because you are fond of blogging and are into writing. Evidently you should make some effort in attracting a base, but the readers will come to you with the more you write (I am finding that posts of mine from months ago are receiving more views now than they did when they were initially submitted).
Finally, when referring to other people, it is also courteous to give them credit where it is due. As such, I would like to thank Jenny for inspiring me to write this post.
Saturday, 3 December 2011
"Firework" - Katy Perry, a piano cover
I love this piano cover of Katy Perry's "Firework" by Youtube user Yew2533; in addition to being played well, it has a cheerful feel to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcuukA6A9D8
A great rendition!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcuukA6A9D8
A great rendition!
Thursday, 10 November 2011
The orangutan and the boy
I came across the following article this morning, and thought it was a gentle, light-hearted piece:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2058936/Moscow-Zoo-orangutan-kisses-little-boy-lips--almost.html
Do not worry, the boy was behind the glass, and there was no danger to either him or the orangutan. It is just a fun little article.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2058936/Moscow-Zoo-orangutan-kisses-little-boy-lips--almost.html
Do not worry, the boy was behind the glass, and there was no danger to either him or the orangutan. It is just a fun little article.
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