WARNING: The following post may contain bitching, ranting and/or whining. Stop reading now if you don’t like that.

Anyone who uses or reads livejournal frequently probably knows that they’re currently creating an advisory board and allowing livejournal users to “run” for positions on it. I don’t know the details, ’cause I’m not going to vote or “run”. I do know that the politics of it are leaking into my fan fiction communities.

My only reason for being on livejournal is to read fan fiction. I have an account just so I can comment on other journals; there is currently nothing posted on my journal. I try to ignore all the other non-fan fiction stuff that goes on cause I think it’s stupid.

People got all up in arms about accounts being deleted and/or suspended during the whole six apart thing or whatever it was. And now there’s politics going on because the fan girls think someone should speak for fandom rights. Okay, here’s the two things no one seems to realize:

1. Livejournal has every right to delete anyone’s account they want for whatever reason. You know why? Cause it’s their service you’re using, their rules you have to follow. If you don’t like it, don’t use livejournal.
2. There are no rights for fandom. If you’re writing fan fiction, you’re using someone else’s copywriten characters/settings/storyline, whatever. And you’re doing it without permission. You have no rights.

Does anyone really think that if they get “elected” to this advisory board they’ll have any sort of impact? Livejournal’s still going to get the last word. I have a feeling they’re only doing this cause of all the complaints about the last bit of drama with six apart and want to look like they’re listening to their users.

I feel like the people who fight for fandom rights and similar things are just wasting everyone’s time. Seriously, just use another service or get your own webhosting or put your stories on an archive. There are so many other important things that you should fight for, not something you’re never going to get.

I’m getting this close to stopping my use of livejournal. I don’t want to deal with all this other crap when I just want to read a fan fiction story.

I’m just waiting for the host of Iron Chef America to lose it and announce the secret ingredient: Human Flesh! Or something more metaphoric: Your Hopes & Dreams!

Two things before I start:

1. As the title says, this is my opinion, just my opinion. Don’t take this as the be all, end all of blog ethics. It’s just how I feel things should be. However, since I am always right, maybe you should take this as the be all, end of blog ethics.
2. Prepare for bitching, whining and complaining, ’cause that’s what I do. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. And if you read it anyway and then comment with a complaint, you’re going to get bitched at. You’ve been warned.

I’ve come across a lot of blogs on the internet, which goes without saying. Unfortunately, there’s usually only one out of every ten blogs that I actually like and would read again. There are several reasons why I won’t read a blog:

1. If it’s a blog about blogging. I’m all for helpful tips, including writing tips. However, most of these blogs aren’t helpful. They’re either written by people who think that the minute they write a blog, that they’re an expert (and no, before you ask, I don’t believe I’m an expert on blogging nor is this post in the blogging about blogging category) or people who are trying to make money blogging. I don’t get this blogging for money concept ’cause you’re not getting paid for your writing, you’re getting paid for ads. Plus, I believe blogging is personal and not something that has concrete instructions. Most of the “tips” are vague and the same ones posted on every other blogging on blogging blog.
2. If it’s a photo blog. Actually, I would “read” some photo blogs, if they were the author’s pictures or user submitted originals. Most photo blogs are full of images from around the internet. Sometimes they’re hot linked, sometimes they’re copied to a photo storage site, but almost never is the original artist credited. Just because you found a image you like on another website or in a email doesn’t mean you can put it on your own website as if it was your own. It’s like looking through someone else’s photo album, stealing a photo you like and putting it in your own photo album.
3. If it’s a blog that just regurgitates the same images, articles, videos, whatever found on other websites. Sometimes, it feels like there is no original content on the web. So many blogs just post the same things they saw on another blog or web site. If it’s already on the net, why do you need to put it on your blog? Especially if you have nothing original to say about it.

I prefer the blogs I read (and write) to be original and personal. If you write about your day or funny things your roommate says or the trouble you have with your kids, I’d rather read that then any of the type of blogs listed above, even if they are boring. The problem is, that most of the internet seems to think that the above list is how blogs should be. However, I also believe your blog should be what you want it to be. So, if your blog fits into one of the categories above, fine.

I also believe that most bloggers these days are doing things wrong and unethically. Bloggers seem to think that anything on the web is free game and copy writes don’t exist. That’s not true. Once you create an image or write something, it’s copy written. Which means the original creator controls who uses it. You’re stealing if you use someone else’s work without permission. But bloggers forget this, especially when they’re regurgitating something they saw from another website.

This isn’t how I do things. Everything on my blog(s) are my own, including the images/photos. The themes are not mine however, but they all have their copy writes on the page. And that’s how I’ll continue to do things.

Since I believe most people want to be like me, I’m going to give you my blog Do’s & Don’ts:

• Don’t hot link images from other pages because it steals bandwidth
• Don’t copy an image from another website onto a photo storage account or your own computer then put on your website
• Do use your own images/photos
• Do use royalty free clip art or stock photos if you don’t have your own images
• Do ask for permission if you absolutley have to use an image from another site
• Do include links to any websites you mention in a post
• Do include the original source link if you do a product review (not another blog link, but the original site the product is sold on)
• Don’t post a image or video on your site just because you found it on another blog and thought it was funny
• Do post an image or video (with permission and correct credit) if you have something more then “LOL this is so funny!” to say about it
• Do post the story behind a photo/image
• Do write your own original content
• Do give clear credit for any images/photos/contents on your blog
• Don’t copy someone else’s blog post on your blog
• Do review someone else’s blog post and include quotes as long as credit and links are given

It’s just common sense to not use someone else’s image/photo/content on your blog unless you have permission and give credit. It’s not free game if it’s on the internet. And just because it’s on someone else’s blog doesn’t mean it has to be on yours too. I hate seeing the same stuff over and over again. Think before you post, people.

Okay, I’m repeating myself. So, I’ll stop now. I think you all get the idea.

Six months later and I’ve finally accomplished My Stumble Upon Goal. I’ve put it off for awhile, but I’ve got to answer a couple more bad stumble upon reviews. Because the goal is now over, I’m pretty sure this will be the last response post. But don’t be surprised if there’s more later because even though I’m not stumbling as much as before, people can still review my page and people seem to be mean to me. I have no idea why, I’m so sweet and all. Also, don’t forget to check out Review Response for more of the same.

Before I post the first review I’ll be answering here, let me give you a little history on it: At the end of January, I checked my Stumble Upon page, as I do every day, and saw a new fan: icanhasczburger. I was horrified to find out that there was stumbler who’s profile was devoted to the evil that is LOLCats and that they had the gall to fan me. So, I responded with the following thumbs down review (which they have “hidden” on their site, so you can only see it on mine):

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Why must the LOLCats taunt me?! Did you even take a look at my blog before you became my “fan”? Cause if you did, you’d see my intense hatred of all things LOLCat. Or maybe you did and you think it’s funny to “fan” me. Oh yeah, you’re freaking hilarious. That was sarcasm, by the way. Oh, and you’re blocked.”

I later when back to their profile (to find all their LOLCats pages and thumbs them down) and checked to see if anyone else had given them a thumbs down review. I found this review from bapujis:

“A stumble profile entirely devoted to LOLcats. If you don’t think LOLcats are funny, you’re probably churlish and humorless. If you block someone for being a LOLcat lover, you’re a sad, sad person.”

I was very upset that someone would insult me indirectly like that. So, I treated bapujis to a thumbs down review:

“Regarding your review of icanhaschzburgers site: You said “If you block someone for being a LOLcat lover, you’re a sad, sad person.”. Which I am assuming is referring to my review of icanhaschzburgers. Just so anyone else reading this will understand, this is my review of icanhaschzburgers: “You’ve got to be kidding me. Why must the LOLCats taunt me?! Did you even take a look at my blog before you became my “fan”? Cause if you did, you’d see my intense hatred of all things LOLCat. Or maybe you did and you think it’s funny to “fan” me. Oh yeah, you’re freaking hilarious. That was sarcasm, by the way. Oh, and you’re blocked.” So, you can see, I didn’t block him just because he’s a LOLCat fan, but because he “fanned” me. Blocking him is my only recourse to avoid him. I can’t delete a fan and I didn’t want to receive any stumbles or messages from him. Besides, I don’t block people just because they’re LOLCat fans, I just thumbs them down and tell them how I feel…like I’m doing now.”

Not surprisingly, I received a thumbs down review from him:

bapujis says: “I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: if you don’t think LOLcats are funny, you’re probably churlish and humorless. And in your case, evidently, filled with rage too. And if you’ll thumbs down someone for joking with you about your hatred of LOLcats (and not just thumbs them down, but do it *in their review section*) I’ll add insecure and petty to the list of adjectives.

Here’s a suggestion: when you spend all of your time blogging about a ridiculous internet joke that you claim to loath beyond all comprehension, you are probably also mentally ill. Plug that bald head into an electroshock machine right quick and jelly yourself so we don’t have to suck your vitriol, you curdled slosh of rotting fracas-spawned opinions. You miasmic heap of shaved-off cemetery warts.”

QoD Says: Wow. Do you feel better about yourself now? Using all those big words to insult a complete stranger because they think differently then you? Whatever I can do to help. Actually, let me help further by offering you a suggestion: put down the dictionary and/or thesaurus, step away from the computer and get some therapy. I may be “filled with rage” over LOLCats but my rage is understandable, as I explained in another post: Why I Hate LOLCats. However, your rage is obviously due to the fact that your mother didn’t nurse you. So, go get yourself some therapy. You’re welcome.

The next review is in response to this thumbs down review I gave them for their Stumble page:

“ROFLCats are not funny. They should not be encouraged.”

wadjet2 says: “I truthfully do like your page and even the anti lolcats picture, but I have 2 lolcats things on my site and somehow that is enough for you to thumbs me down and whine about lolcats. You don’t like it, I don’t care. Oh, and one more thing, why do you add … to everything? lovely… amazing… kind creepy… and it makes me want to vomit… like my teacher…”

QoD Says: Okay, I went back and looked at your profile. The first time, I was too distracted by the horror that is LOLCats or ROFLCats or any of that LOLCrap to read you’re bio. Turns out (at least according to what you wrote - and we all know some people are less then honest online) that you are 12. Since I’ve stated before that you have to be 12 to find LOLCats funny, I retract my thumbs down. When I have the time to search my pages to find it, I’ll delete the review. However, once you turn 13, I’m going to have to ask that you cleanse your page of any LOLCats or ROFLCats or any of that LOLCrap for the good of humanity, or the thumbs down will return.

They’re were a couple other stumblers who thumbs me down and reviewed me, but I won’t be responding here because they don’t warrant the attention.

I hate LOLCats. I hate every single one of them and their copycats. I’ve said it before, both on this blog and my Stumble Upon Blog, but it bears repeating.

I’ve been asked numerous times why I hate them so much. I finally decided that I’d share the very true and painful story that explains why I hate them. Maybe then you’d all understand and support my crusade to rid the internet of this scourge.

When I was ten, I was attacked. We had a very cute, very big calico cat named Azrael. She was normally very tame and sweet, if not a little snotty. One day, I was walking by the kitchen table, which she was hiding under, and she ran out and clawed my ankle. I was startled and the pain of her claws digging into my flesh caused me to fall over. I fell face first onto the hardwood floor, Azrael still attached to my ankle.

I ended up with an concussion and needed 12 stitches in my ankle. When my mother picked me up off the floor and removed Azreal from my ankle, I glanced at the cat. I swear to this day that the damn cat was laughing out loud at me.

Now, do you understand my hatred? It’s physically and emotionally painful for me to see these LOLCats images. They fill me with rage that gets expressed in thumbs down reviews. This is why the majority of my Stumble Upon dislikes are LOLCat images.

So, I ask you, my fellow stumblers and internetters, please, please, stop creating LOLCats or LOL anything and putting them on the internet. Stop adding them to stumble. Please, for my sanity.

And remember:

For the last six months, I’ve been working on my Stumble Upon Goal. Adalea’s been handling most of the updates. But now that the goal has been accomplished, I’ve decided to take a moment to whine and complain and bitch about the things wrong with Stumble Upon.

What’s Wrong With Stumble Upon

1. Glitches, so many freaking glitches: Random PDF files download, the stumble button breaks, it takes me to my account preferences page instead of an actual page, a page I thumbs up or discover doesn’t show up on my blog, my stat numbers (friends, fans, reviews, ect) are never correct, pages I thumbs up disappear and become only a stumbled page on my blog, ect, ect, ect.
2. Pages tagged with the wrong catagory: This is user generated. When you discover a site, you tag it with an appropriate catagory. Now, I realize some pages can have more then one catagory and that sometimes a stumbler sees it fitting in a different catagory then the next stumbler. But how does a image of a stone heart fit with “heart conditions” or a landscape image fit with “law”? Pay attention to the tag. It’s really easy to change.
3. Stumbling on the same image over and over and over again: Again, this is user generated. The stumble database won’t have a URL twice, however an image or article can be on more then one website. I understand that not ever stumbler sees every page so they may not see that the page they’ve discovered is similar or an exact copy of another page, so some duplicates are understandable. However, the same image or article 5 or 10 times isn’t. Again, pay attention.
4. Spam: I don’t think I need to say anything else about this. Spam is bad.
5. Stumblers who do it wrong: What I mean is the people who’s stumble blog pages are filled with images but not from the original pages. People seem to think if they find the image on another Stumbler’s page they should just hotlink from that blog instead of clicking on the link above it or the image it self and go to the original page and thumbs that up. And other people go to the original page but copy the image and put it on a photo storage site and then copy that link to their blog. It is very irritating to find an image I like on someone else’s blog and then have to skim through 20 other stumble blogs to find the original page! The point of Stumble upon is to share web pages with other people and to do that you have to thumbs up the actual page! Plus, if you don’t include the original page, the author/artist doesn’t get proper credit. That’s just not right.
6. LOLCats and their copycats: It had to be said. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t bring that up. Actually, that is what’s wrong with the whole internet.

I spend most of my time using my laptop in the living room with the TV on in the background. Lately, I’ve been noticing more and more how irritating some commercials are. So, I thought I’d thrill you all with a list of the TV Commercials I Hate. Some are not on the air any more but are so evil that they’re stuck in my brain and thus got on this list.

TV Commercials I Hate

1. Progressive Insurance Commercials With the Cavemen - The premise is stupid. Couldn’t they have just said “so easy a caveman can do it” and leave it at that? There was no need to create a so-called modern day caveman character. And there was no reason to even tease us about a TV sitcom based on the same character. That never made it on the air, did it?
2. Gardasil HPV Vaccine Commercials - I’m all for vaccines, really I am. However, I hate the way they’re being “sold” to us by playing on our fears and paranoia. Gardasil particularly targets mothers of teen daughters in one of their commercials. And they avoid pointing out that HPV is sexually transmitted. Which bugs me. Let’s at least be clear about the disease before you try to convince me to get a “cure” for it.
3. Any Drug Commercial Portraying Normal People Discussing the Drug - Seriously, does anyone talk about the drugs they’re taking with their friends and speak clinically of the side effects?
4. Herpes Pill Commercials - You know the ones I’m talking about. These commercials have me completely convinced that only outdoorsy types who like to kayak get Herpes. And they love to tell complete strangers about their disease.
5. Burger King Commercials with the Giant Half-Burger, Half-Human - This just proves that there is some fundamentally wrong with Burger King. It would be a little better if everyone in the commercial were half-burger, half-human, but no. Only the men are half burger, the women are 100% human. So, that means, some really lonely, desperate woman had sex with a burger. Yummy, that sure makes me wanna eat at Burger King.
6. Absolutely all Commercials Advertising “Male Enhancement” - The ones with Bob in them are the worst but really all of them are horrible. I’m really sorry that some men have tiny penises and are insecure about them but I don’t want to see the products that they can use to make themselves feel bigger. That stuff should stay on the internet where it belongs.
7. Meningitis Commercials - This is just another way to scare us. These commercials are purposely targeted to parents who already worry about every little thing when it comes to their kids. It would be fine if it was a common disease that had a vaccine or a cure, but it’s not.
8. Always Pads Commercials - It’s really just the “Have a happy period, Always” line that pisses me off. I’m convinced that line was written by a man.
9. Head On Commercials - I want to scream every time I hear “Apply directly to the forehead”.
10. The New Weight Watchers Commercials - Now they’re claiming “Diets don’t work” and that Weight Watchers isn’t a diet. Bullshit. What you eat is a diet, it’s just that simple.

I’m pretty sure I missed one or two commercials I forgot. But that’s okay, I’ll just update…

UPDATE: See I knew I’d come up with more:

11. Charmin Toilet Paper Commercials with the Animated Bears - These are just stupid. I know they’re going with the “Bears shit in the woods” angle, but I doubt they’d use toilet paper. Honestly, the animated bears creep me out a little. And what’s with the new ones about “have you turned your back on Charmin”? Have people stopped using Charmin for some reason? Maybe it’s the bears.
12. Chips A Hoy Commercials with the Talking Cookies - Again, as with the Charmin bears, the talking (and sometimes singing) cookies creep me out. I just have issues with eating things that are alive. No, I’m not a vegetarian. The meat I eat is dead before I dig in. They show these cookies alive in the box.
13. Free Credit Report Website Commercials - Especially the one where the guy is singing. They’re irratating and deceptive. First of all, they make you believe that if you get your credit report, you can some how instantly fix your bad credit. Or that if you don’t get a credit report, you won’t know if you have bad credit until you try to buy a car or a house and then you’ll be stuck with crap. A car dealer doesn’t force you to buy a crap car cause it’s the only one you can get, it’s still ultimately your choice. If you have bad credit, you usually already know. If you have bad credit because of a identity theft, your credit report won’t show it immediately. There not updated every day or anything. If you’re worried about identity theft, get one of those credit cards that has the identity theft protection. Getting your credit report doesn’t really help much unless you know your bad credit is a mistake because then you need it to get that problem fixed. They’re just playing on paranoia Plus, there’s the fact that the credit report isn’t even free, you have to apply for some membership thing. The whole thing is a lie and it pisses me off.