It’s Like Open Mike Only Different
Here’s how it works.
The rules are simple — be nice.
It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. . . . Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.
Here’s what we might talk about:
Open Comments at 6:30 Chicago Time
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Related articles
By Popular Demand The Mike Is On
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Related articles
pm The Mike Is in Chicago!
By Popular Demand The Mike Is On
Comment Night Again at 6 Chicago Time
Well, I managed to tear myself away from conquering the world in time today – yay me 🙂
Hi AdLib!!!
Great to see you!
Which game are you playing?
Just to let you know, SO and I are heading off to vacation (in Wisconsin!) next week. The house weââ¬â¢re staying at doesnââ¬â¢t have Internet and I wonââ¬â¢t be able to join in on Tuesday night Mike night. If you could post a comment that I would love to be there, but canââ¬â¢t because of vacation, Iââ¬â¢d appreciate it. The scoop is here:
http://www.scotherrick.com/writeblog/2006/6/8/goals-and-vacation-time.html
In any case, Iââ¬â¢ve had fun joining in the last 2-3 weeks and I think it has been good for you too (though tiring ââ¬â us west coast and Australian dudes keep you up lateââ¬Â¦).
And a nice interview series with you too going on.
Iââ¬â¢ll be back June 19th.
Hi, I’m the Advice Librarian, and I’m still hooked on Civilization 4. There’s just something so compelling about trying to manage the entire course of human history and balancing all the various stratecical political, economical and military considerations so that you have the right tools available at the right time – desicions you make in the year 3800 BC have ramifications for what happens in 1950.
‘course, I got hooked on the Civilization series of games way back when there was no numerals… so my jones was well established. I really shouldn’t have bought this incarnation, but sometimes I’m really terrible at managing myself.
I can see where that would really take me over too. I’m having a hard time not wanting to get involved in it.
The writer in me is really enjoying this bit taken out of context . . .
I got hooked on the Civilization . . . way back when there were no numerals
Heh, I got roped in before there was general Interent access for the population in the Offline World too – and one of the technologies you have to develop in the course of the game is mathematics. Along with the absolutely crucial alphabet and parchment/writing so you can construct libraries… 🙂
Any game where you get bonus points for constructing more libraries naturally gets my approval…
You are after all the Librarian of the Ages. Do you advise the troops too?
In the game, you control your entire civilization, of course – I’m not sure I should be extolling the virtues of the game any more though. The last thing the world needs is more Civilization Zombies 🙂
CivZombies is what we were called back in the day when the game first appeared – walking around with the slightly glazed and sleep-deprived expression of having pulled another all-nighter staring at a 14″ monitor until dawn.
To sort of bring this back on topic – I’ve invaded New York a number of times recently; sometimes to get it back from the foreign invaders, sometimes because it looked like a nice city to add to my own civilization 😛
I’m going to New York City tomorrow. But I like talking about your game. It sounds like fun. Can you name a character after me? Or aren’t there individual characters?
It’s been a long time since I even played any reindeer games…
How do you win, keep the buildings up against the enemy from afar?
Say hello to the Big Apple for me… funny how you can miss something you never thought you’d miss.
HI Joe!
I didn’t know that’s what reindeer games were.
Hey Mark!
Did you live in New York City?
I lived out on the Island all my life almost
Ah a LonG Gisland boy.
So, do you talk that with a slight southern accent?
Which Island? Liberty Island, Ellis Island, Long Island?
Like Liz said – LonGGGGIsland! Nope, no southern accent heeyah…
So Joe’s got a reindeer to go with the moose and the donkey!
Liz, you’re getting quite a hoofstock collection here!
Sorry for the misspelling on my part. I’m from the Midwest. I have a spelling accent.
Ah Ha – a fellow tropical storm survivor – Hey Chris.
Scot, Where in Cheezeland are you headed?
You don’t really play characters at all, you play an entire civilization at once – though the civilization is represented by a “leader” character – Roosevelt and Gearoge Washintgton for the US for example – and you can win by 4-5 different means. Being the first civilization to send out colony ships to establish offplanet colonies, building the UN and getting elected world leader, having three cities grow so culturally dominant that the rest of the world is swayed to your side or just outright conquering the world… the diplomatic victory is generally the most difficult one.
Civilization is published by Firaxis Games – and it’s only second to the Sims in terms of games sold. That’s an interesting point, by the way…
Now, I have to find a way to incorporate a reindeer into my blog???
Mark, You call that a storm?! 🙄
Hey, Chris,
Congratulations on your new home!
Scots not here. He just asked me to post that so you guys would know why he couldn’t come. Isn’t that the coolest thing?
You were right on Liz – it is LonGGGGIsland. One word, emphasis on the Big G as in GGGGHHHH ya’ know?
Nahhh, that was nuthin!!!!! Not even a big breeze…
Thankful for the rain tho’
Chris
That storm didn’t get your new blog wet during the move did it?
The number one game is about doing household chores, taking out the trash, balancing your checkbook, and inerior design. The number two game is about recreating the political and economic history of humanity, and how technology, politics and economics relate and are completely dependent on each other. The media narrative on games is all about Doom and other shooting games, but the Sims and civilization sell as many copies as the rest combined….
AdLib
Have you ever moved off planet?
Mark, We sure neede the rain, though.
And it helps if you say “LonGiland” through your nose.
Then follow it up with a “Youse Guys!”
Nah, the blog didn’t get wet. But just about everything else did today!
I think he move ON planet… 😉
AdLib
You should do a post on the best selling games in the world.
Yeah Chris I went to school with a bunch of LonGIanders.
Exactly Chris lol…
Wassup witch youse guys anywayzzzzz.
Oh, I’ve won the game in every way possible – I’ve even played the followup game called Alpha Centauri set on a colony planet; which was also great fun 🙂
I think I’m beginning to come out of the heaviest phase of my addiction now though – it’s always a bit cyclical; sort of like a binge drinker.
At least I admit I have a problem with control 🙂
I went to school right across the East River from “the Island.” Half the student body was from there.
AdLib
Perhaps you should start a 12-step program for gamers. 😉
K, Philly,
Sup wit uz guys anywayz
Oh my, oh my, I’m just a poor little girl from the midwest out here along with these eastern boys.
So does that mean Ad Lib is from the Far East, or the Mid East? 😆
Not to worry, m’Lady, we’ll protect you…
I think that AdLib is from Civilization
the closest I’ve been to New York is watching the ball drop on Times Square on TV; though I’ve lived out Liz’ way once. in High Scool I was an exchange student in Ontario, just off Lake Huron. Horseshoe Falls down Niagara way was pretty impressive, I must say…
You’d still have to drive quite a ways to get to me, AdLIb. I think that might be closer to Joe.
Technically speaking, I’m from the Extremely Near East, we’re one longitude east of Greenwich. Which would make you all from the Far West, wouldn’t it?
Somehow I knew you’d get technical, Ad Lib!
Yeah, I can drive to Niagra Falls (slowly I turn. step by step)
in about an hour and a half.
Direction is all relative, as one of my friends from OZ once told me. What we call the Far East. Australians call the Near North.
BHut it’s turning Winter there and it is 80 degrees here right now…
Huh, then you might know the place I went to school – Central Huron Secondary School in Clinton, Huron. ‘Twas a four-hour drive to both Niagara and Toronto from there….
The Three Stooges!! Now them I know.
NI A GRA FALLS . . . Slowly I turned . . .step by step, inch by inch . . .
There ya go
Now Liz & Joe, That was before my time!
“The Three Stooges!!”
Hey – no politics… 🙂
Not by much… even I watched re-runs
A guy who doesn’t know THE THREE STOOGES?
I thought all guys had to know THE THREE STOOGES to be in the guy club.
5 Stooges… Moe Larry Curley Shemp and… who?
I saw his picture, he’s not THAT young 😉
I suppose that means I’m going to get kicked out of the club? I mean, I know OF them, but I’ve never really watched. I’m more of a Monty Python kind of guy….
It’s…..
Dah, da,da,da,da,da,da,da,da,da,da,dah…
I’m with Ad Lib, Monty Python & the Marx Bros.
Now, I have that sone in my stupid little head…
SONG!!!
See one of the stooges had lost his girl friend on his honeymoon I think it was. She ran away with another guy. I think that’s how the story was. In any case it doesn’t matter because the only thing that counted was it happened at NAGARA FALLS. And since that day he couldn’t stand to hear those words. Because it all came back to him . . . So whenever anyone said Niagara Falls
And of course the other STOOGES in sympathy had the same reaction at the same time.
NI A GRA FALLS . . . Slowly I turned . . .step by step, inch by inch . . .
Just put on some “Macarena” and that nasty little act of musical vandalism will take over your brain….
Dontcha hate it when you’ve gotta explain a joke?!
The fifth STOOGE was Joe
Yeah, that was from their original Vaudville act…
I was transformed and put on film with the girl and car.
Onstage, there was only the three stooges.
ha ha
Youse Guys remeber Vaudville??!!!
I am the puppy of the bunch!
NOW, name all Five Liz
Hmmm, just checked it out and believe it or not there actually was 6 Stooges! Three Shemps! The Original actual Shemp, then Joe Palma (a stand in) and lastly Joe Besser who replaced Shemp after Shemp passed away.
Mark,
I was a little quick on the enter button, you are right about Shemp Howard.
Moe and Curley’s Brother…
Doctor Howard, Doctor Fine, Doctor Howard…
See Joe, I wasn’t pickin’ on you. There really was a guy named Joe. I didn’t know there were two of them!
I did, but I can take a joke, after all a baby kangaroo is called a joey…
🙂
We got Joes coming out our ears!
Hey Joe, what ya doin with that gun in your hand?
How about this – try 7 yep, seven! When Joe Besser’s wife got sick Joe Derita joined them. He was otherwise known as Curly-Joe.
Feeling kinda dumb I am LOL…
Chris, OH NO!! Not your ears!!
Joe,
No weapons on this blog
What did you do, look it up???
IT’S A SONG… JIMMIE HENDRIX…
Joe, you gotta be careful. This is a highly skilled technical bunch. Some are even trained professionals… Internet savy and all that.
Yep! Right in the Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Stooges
I’m getting a wikipedia vibe here – anyone else harboring a deep suspicion that Mark has the Wikipedia entry on the three stooges open?
OH NO! OH MY! He said that W word. I’m shaking!!!!!!!
Oh My Lord!!! Someone mentioned Jimmie!!! You’ll have to pardon me while I go meditate hehe
AdLib, I thought you of all people would have had the answer…
Wikipedia!
Wikipedia!
Wikipedia!
Wikipedia!
Wikipedia!
Yeah – I’m just naturally contradictory 🙂
The THREE STOOGES ARE Bad American Humor. Give AdLib a little credit.
Mark,
I’m having apoplexy.
I’m coloring all over my computer screen of Wikipedia.
Ok, what about Fawlty Towers?
Laurel and Hardy!!!!!
I’m a Wikipedia fan.
I like the Wiktionary too.
And Wikispecies…
Fred Wynn?
See, Somebody used the Wiki word and everybody disappeared…
Not to worry, I have had more than one conversation with myself…
😉
Have we developed superstitions on Open Mike Night?
Nah, Joe’s just in a hurry to converse.
I’m propagating ads through my blog in the other tab.
No superstitions yet that I know of.
This is the 13th… do-do-do-do
Hey folks … how’s everyone doing this evening?
Heh, I don’t know everything – it’s why I run the Library. I rely on collecting the wisdom of everyone who has some advice to share, trusting that if what they’re saying makes sense to me it’ll help people who’re looking for advice on specific topics. Facts are in abundant supply – between the CIA world fact book, endless reams of academic research, Wikipedia, and all the other sources it’s easy to look the basics on anything. It’s harder to transform the “fact of what is” into “what this means to you” – it’s the difference between knowing who’s been a Stooge and evaluating their performance in terms of skill.
Since I read everything I’m sendt before approving it, well – I’m getting an education on topics I wouldn’t get into on my own. I still wouldn’t touch MLM with a 10-foot pole, but I know a lot more about it now, for example…
“and I feel so alone… every body must get stoned”
Ok, who sang this song?
BEN!!
Did you bring Jack tonight? 😆
Here’s a little controversy for y’all.
“GAO Probe Finds U.S. Doled Out As Much As $1.4 Billion in Bogus Assistance to Hurricane (Katrina and Rita) Victims.”
Yep – including this gem –
“FEMA made about $5.3 million in payments to registrants who provided a post office box as their damaged residence, including one who got $2,748 for listing an Alabama post office box as the damaged property.”
Propagating ads, Chris. That sounds evil.
Joe — Bob Dylan sang that. I think.
Jack’s on vacation. Sorry Chris.
Joe – in those days I was too stoned to pay attention to who the singer was…
Nah, Liz.
They’re AdSense. Google says they aren’t evil.
(and you know I believe everything I read…)
Hey Ben!!!
Don’t let Chris start that Jack stuff again. Mark will probably join him.
So, Ben.
Are you saying your donkey’s…. off tonight?
😆
Ben, right.
Mark… way to serious.
AdLib… I always knew there was a reason you hung around the library.
😉
~waves to everybody.
So .. what’s with wikipedia anyway? Are we allowed to quote stuff from wikipedia .. without referencing back to it? I always do, but after I use stuff – I always wonder …
and.. while I’m wondering
Personally, I’ve stopped using margarine on my toast and just use Peanut butter – because it gives basically the same effect = plus, you don’t need any topping on your toast because – well, you’ve got peanut butter on it already.
Chris,
Lay down a link to your new blog . . . so everyone can go see it and so that I can put it in the post in the morning.
Hey Liz…I know, with Chris it’s “donkey this and donkey that…” Crazy!
So what’s the mood like today? We kvetching? Cheering? Laughing? Crying?
I don’t know Joe. I find $2,748 for an Alabama post office box as the damaged property pretty hilarious.
EVERYBODY: HART !
Love your toast story. Thanks for reminding me . Here’s the snacks and beverages you guyszz.
Liz, I’d be happy to oblige (even if I can’t spell it).
You may check out my humble new home at the following address:
http://www.ChrisCree.net
Ben,
Everything is normal round here…
Pick a subject (not Jack) and let em fly
Mark,
Who’s got all of that money and the infamous $2billion?
“I saw a horse fly. I even seen a house fly…”
Ben,
What going on with your contest and where the heck is Steve. You’ve been officially appointed as his keeper.
Peanut Butter on toast! A Man after my own heart! Wow, PB and Toast, Jimmie, Bob Dylan, stoned, this is a great Open Mike Night! LMAO
Two subjects (not really) — just two “things”:
1. Has anyone ever used reddit? I’ve boosted my blog traffic significantly with it versus digg and del.icio.us.
2. If you’re interested in advertising your blog or business, check out http://www.text-link-ads.com. I’m not affiliated, but they have a special $100 off, so you can spend only $25. So far I’ve been getting a lot of traffic from one of my text ads (although no purchases: so maybe it’s NOT good *chuckle*).
Yeah, only cool and incredibly intelligent people hang out here.
Mark, I think the wind outside is getting to you!
Liz,
Matt from The Only Republican came by today to let us know that “You canââ¬â¢t find that $200b because itââ¬â¢s an entirely fictional number. Excess profits? Whatââ¬â¢s that? Also, one does not ââ¬Åcollectââ¬Â a tax break. Those arenââ¬â¢t real $$, they are imagined dollars which never changed hands.”
Liz — contest is plugging along.
I got a new prize recently: Limerick book from a guy on MySpace. Pretty cool.
We still need more submissions, not sure how many we’ve had, but the prizes are pretty cool, although mixed between business stuff, t-shirts, blog stuff, etc.
I wish there were more ways of PROMOTING the contest, but I haven’t found that many except for a few writing websites.
By the way, I prefered Hendrix over Dylan.
Heh, Wikipedia is licenced under the GNU free documentation licence: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Free_Documentation_License – in essence, you can do whatever you want with it as long as you provide the source code when you distribute it….
I prefer Pink Floyd myself…actually, not sure I prefer them over Hendrix and Dylan, but I’m a fan…
“Tax Break” is a tax you don’t have to pay leaving cash in hand.
Aaaah Chris – there was another life. As long as I don’t romance it too much I’ll be okay 🙂
Oh and Steve’s busy I think – he announced recently he’s having another kid and will be blogging just a bit less. He’s looking for volunteer bloggers for his site http://www.whymyblogstinks.com in case anyone’s interested.
If I see him online though I’ll drag him and Milton over…
I think Hendrix and Dylan should have done a
inna-gada-da-RainyDayWomen
“Hendrix over Dylan”
Absolutely! Definitely! No Doubt!
Purple Haze!!!
Ooooh – wadda sacreligious – ooooh – I could just – ooooh…
In A Gada Da Vida!
I always liked CTA… I know some of you don’t remember, but that was the original name of a group from around Liz’s way…
Ben’
Thanks for mentioning Steve’s need.
That just reminded me.
I know of a paying gig. A man who’s looking for a business blogger. New blog. Anyone interested should email me. lizsun2@gmail.com
Ben,
Feel free to post the rules of your contest here.
Inna-gada-davida wasn’t Hendrix, was it? I seem to remember something about a buterfly, but it’s fuzzy.
Hendrix WAS Iron Butterfly.
Sorry. Didn’t know… 😳
IGotNewsForYou Writing Contest Rules — http://www.igotnewsforyou.com/contest.asp
The rules are pretty simple:
1. Write a short, funny fake news story. Short = 100-150 words.
2. Style of humor: any (raunchy, high brow, play on words)
3. Send as many submissions as you like to byosko@gmail.com
NOTE: Please read the samples available on the contest page. The reason this is important is because the stories we need end up getting personalized by our system. So when writing them you need to make sure that at least 1 character in the stories could be anyone. For example: a satirical news story about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie is fine, but there has to be a way of getting you, me, Liz, HART or anyone else into the stories. If that sounds confusing just check out the contest page or go directly to the home page: http://www.igotnewsforyou.com to see how it works.
There are quite a few prizes, so there’s something for everyone. Ok, maybe not everyone, but there’s a lot of neat prizes.
Thanks Liz.
Only 1/4
Tax breaks, tax credits and tax refunds/rebates are fictious? Does that mean that the roughly 1000 nKr I’ll be getting back on my taxes this year doesn’t exist? Funny that….
Telcos are infrastructure/public utility providers – and any profits over what the average public utility makes is excess profits, neh? As long as the public are subsidising them by not charging for land use, they’re getting cash breaks – compared to, say, what the cable companies are paying for their land use, neh?
Must… Say… No… to Politics…
Resist…
Nobody like the CTA question???
🙁
“Hendrix WAS Iron Butterfly”
?????
Sorry, Chris, didn’t mean to sound like that. 🙁
Hendrix was a member of the band, Iron Butterfly.
Will you be so kind as you put a link to your blog in the comments now that I’ve been mean to you? 🙂
thanks Adv.Lib. (133) for that reminder 🙂
The first 45 I ever listened to, which – by the way was in one of those yellow little portable 45 players you carried around, with batteries in them .. was “I am the God of Hell Fire” by Arthur Brown .. but, my older brother’s Van and 8-track player in the year that released Queen (I) and Supertramp (Crime of the Century)
BTW – I’m just rambing here – I’m watching Last Comic Standing now too
Ok, I guess I’m talking to myself again, I’m used to it… ;-(
Chicago Transit Authority… aka Chicago.
Liz, I’m supprised you didn’t answer that one… 😉
um .. I’m with Mark Wade on that one ..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Butterfly
Liz, I don’t think you are capable of being mean. We’d have to check with your husband to be certain of that though…
From comment #121
Sorry Liz, but they only appeared on stage with Jimi (I knew that spelling was JImi).
Here:
http://www.ironbutterfly.com/biography.php
I don’t know about Chris but there’s a chance I’m about to lose power here in good ole Savannah! A whole troop of power trucks just passed the house and the other side of Sav lost power Chris!
off-topic … // on one of my blogs – i put a new design last week, one with 1000px width … my traffic hasn’t changed much but it was crappy in the first place. My stats only showed that 6% of browsers/visitors had screen monitor less than 1024 wide .. personally, mine’s on 1152 x 864
Yeah, Mark. The lights just flickered a touch. Ours tends to be a little more stable out here than where you are. Newer subdivision and all.
Tropical Storms…
Oh No! More Wikipedia!
hmm – CTA? Doesn’t ring any bells – I know of the band “Chicago”, and I’ve got this vague notion that Jefferson Ariplane/starship was from out that way – but then, I’m the baby in this group, I think. There’s a bunch of Dixie Chicks I’m really enjoying at the moment, but mostly my musical tastes run to Iron Maiden, Rammstein, Metallica, Korn, and similar hard rock fare… with the occacional Lizard King song thrown in…
I hang my head in Jimi shame. God–Mean to Chris and wrong at the same time. I’m condemned to nice one hell.
I did like Chicago CTA a little.
I’m a MAJOR Supertramp fan. Crime of the Century. YES!!
Hey HART – going to 1000px is fine. Your stats are probably pretty accurate in terms of averages for screen resolutions.
1024×768 is the most common now I’d say.
I would have gone with that width for my site but didn’t really need the space, and the paper (i.e. the product) fits neatly at just under 800 — that’s why I stuck with that, although it definitely has limitations.
Heart, My template’s 900px wide. I was going to stretch it to 1024, but I haven’t figured out how yet.
Forty lashes with a wet noodle for Liz!
Chicago Transit Authority and 8-track players??? – boy are we goin’ down memory lane for me tonight!
HART,
Visitors at my site that are on the lower end of screen res is only around 4%
You shouldn’t have any problems with1000x if yours is at 6%
Joe – I wanted to ask you – what were the results traffic-wise from your interview with Darren @ problogger?
Open up other interesting opportunities / ideas?
8-track players!
Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older and we didn’t have to wait so long?
Ben,
I was going to give stats in a post but it makes every other day look like I don’t have anyone visiting. 😉
I’ll probably post something on it tomorrow or Thrusday. If you look at % it looks good, but actual numbers were lower than I thought.
Older? Nice if we were older? Okay Liz Strauss, apparently there’s some Jack here we don’t know about eh?
I’m old enough! Laffin’
Wait? Wait? For what? An 8 track? I couldn’t get them to stop jigglin’ the darn music!
Mark, I was just singing an 8-track Beach Boys song.
Hey Ben,
Are you still around here?
How do I get this crayon off my flat screen.
Oh – blushing and somberly – I suppose you want an apology now huh? Well – darn it – I’m sorry. 😉
Wow – Beach Boys too!
Aw heck, Mark. I was being 8-track romantic. Next thing you know I would have mentioned the Association. Ew
I’m still here Liz.
Crayon on your flat screen?
There’s crayon on my TV…I haven’t bothered removing it, the kid will just put more there when I’m not looking.
Some water might do it? Windex?
OhMiGawd! You have absolutely just got to see/hear this!!!
http://www.savetheinternet.com/broadband.html
I’m not sure if I’m in the twilight zone or the “5th Dimention”
I scribbled on my flat screen when Mark said the W word out loud.
I think WordPress must have a crayon plugin somewhere. Maybe we could find out on Wikipedia!
Microfiber soft abrasion cloth with some specialized screen cleaning fluid should do the trick – no water on flat screens if you can help it, I’ve been told.
Hhmm…I just noticed that my exit rate on the home page of my site is 59% — higher since I changed it…damn statistical analysis. What are you telling me!?!?!
Scribbled on your own flat screen eh? What’s the W-word?
There’s that W word again! I can barely see what you guys are saying!!!
Thanks AdLib. You’re a true friend.
Ben, just don’t say it…. Oh, Noooooooo
More crayon on the flat screen…
Seriously, though.
I need to scram off to sleep. Been waaay too many late nights this week already. I’ll take a peek in the AM to see what hijinx I missed.
Enjoy! 😎
Wikipedia!
Nite Chris…
Good night, Chris. Love your new digs!
That IS so Cool.
http://www.savetheinternet.com/broadband.html
Thanks, all! Good Night! *waves*
{Am I doing this right, Heart?}
Your exit rate is 59% – what’s your bounce rate? Is that up or down since you changed the design?
Bounce rate before: 44%
Bounce rate now: 65%
Not sure I can really get much from that though…still interesting, somehow, somewhere…
Taking a break to watch some of the NBA finals… later guys
Check in later Mark!
Enjoy the game!
Hmm – bounce rate going up is mostly a sign that people aren’t liking the new design. Though that can be deceptive in a way – is your overall traffic similar? If the absolute numbers/conversion numbers are up or stay the same while the bounce rate goes up, that’s a sign of having an unproductive traffic source in the system. The thing then is to look at where your visitors are coming from.
*nods* Thanks AdLib. Traffic has gone up, so I suspect it’s more an issue with where traffic is coming from versus the site itself.
I still think the home page might be a bit overwhelming for people – I gotta crack that nut!
AdLib
Keep talking you’re really good at this.
Gosh Ben,
Selling a concept is a tough thing.
I guess you know that.
Much easier to sell something tangible.
Selling a concept is hard, that’s very true. I guess I perceive it as more tangible than others do, but that’s probably cause I’m *in it* all the time…
I do appreciate the feedback though, as always…
For now though I have to call it a day, a bit early, but I need to rest it was a long night and early morning!
No worries, Ben,
I have an airplane to catch in the morning.
Tell the donkey hello!
Yeah, with traffic up and bounce rate up, what you wanna do for traffic analysis is look at your sources of traffic. What’s the sources of productive and unproductive traffic? What is it that the visitors from unproductive sources aren’t seeing that they expect when they click through to your site? Can you change the adverts that are bringing you the unproductive traffic? Can you find more sources like the ones that are currently producing for you?
It’s a little bit intrusive, but you might think about adding an exit poll tied to the back button on the browser, asking politely what they didn’t like – offer them a free fake newspaper for an answer, for example. Though that might be a bit over the top for a first step – I’d be looking at the traffic sources first and thinking of polls second.
*back* // ~waves goodbye to those leaving and hello to newbies .. // I am now back full time, on computer (no TV) ..
Ben .. 59% ? is that good? I used to watch all my statscounters but, I have over 30 projects and was taking too long – and you have to login. I then moved to sitemeter so I can just see a graph without looking in. I have a network sitemeter code in the network code, because I’m even lazier than that – and just want to see the bigger picture.
K.. last time posted was on Page 6 .. reading pages 6 & 7 now.
Right now – I’m having fun with a new statscounter.. ClustrMaps .. you can see it in the footer of http://PetLvr.com/blog/ (trying to see if the all the earthlings in the world reads my blog) and http://1800HART.com/blog/ (seeing if general people read my blog, or canadians, americans, etc – which could affect type of content I use)
My worry with Ben’s site is that I don’t think they get what the fake newspaper is.
I dunno, the title and the front page for Ben’s site is pretty obvious. Personally, if I were to recommend something to Ben – It would be to convert his format into a suitable and workable WORDPRESS theme – because it’s pretty cool looking template, if I could imagine it as a template. Then, it could be widespread use to give it away for free ..etc etc
You’d make the format a template, but not the stories, HART?
You should tell Ben that.
How can this be going on during a Mavericks Finals game? Log off, and turn on ABC.
How’s that for contrarian? 🙂
Hey Brian,
Come on back when it’s over!
OK, but I’ll either be drunk and happy or drunk and mad.
No .. if they want the stories – they have to subscribe .. Ben shouldn’t give that away .. I like the template. Can it be converted or modified into a useable blog template? I have no idea, but like I said – I like the layout 🙂
And, speaking of tips .. Liz .. I’ve got another “Great Find” for you or some others … it’s a script that I’ve added on all my blogs, in the same subfolder .. here is one in action .. http://PetLvr.com/refer/ This is in continuation of my laziness for looking at statistics – I look at this everyday to see where people are coming (change week =7 to =60) and the keywords (queries)
sorry – wrong URL … http://PetLvr.com/blog/refer/
Can I point you New Yorkers over to New Orleans for a moment? Hurricane season has already started and – well, the damage from the last one still isn’t cleaned up. The levees are repaired in the nick of time, but… they’re not remotely ready for another Category 5 – and this year looks to be as warm or warmer than last year…
Everyone is leaving early tonight,
there must have been a terrible freight.
Wiki, Wiki one has said,
Drove a stake right through the head.
Never again must that word be said,
lest we all shall lose our head.
Berma Shave
Nite, Nite
Joe
Sweet Dreams,
Joe
PS. I’m going to see Seth Godin
K.
Best to ya,
Let me get an exclusive… Just kidding, knock ’em dead.
Oh HART,
Now that IS very cool.
You should write up a little post on that and I’ll GREAT FIND you.
Great! So I just figured out why the N.Y. reference – you are hopping a plane tomorrow to see Seth? What time is your flight? How long you going? Seeing any shows?
Thanks, Joe, it’s a small room seminar. You’ll hear all about it. 🙂
Liz .. good idea for a post 🙂 more work for me, but ok!
Huh, did WordPress just eat my last comment?
Advice .. wordpress gets hungry after hours. Maybe it did. maybe it did. lest we all worry about our posts.
Damn You WordPress (in his Charleton Heston voice he said) Damn You WordPress!
Hmm – I don’t suppose it would like some of my pepper-stuffed olives with lettuce instead of my comments? They’re way healthier than the junk food diet some wordpress blogs are on.
I rescued it Charleton. Damn Askimet. It’s up at 210.
That New Orleans thing doesn’t look very good at all. Does it?
D’oh! I just noticed … Adv.Lib … how long have you had your template up? I was meaning to thank someone where I found that .. I’m using the “wide” version on my picks blog … http://1800HART.com/picks/ That’s the one over 1000px I was talking about earlier – same version as yours, except wider.
Ah, there it is, back up the page at 210 🙂
Maybe it didn’t like the link? It’s probably a less chatty subject than we’ve been talking about here usually, but the New Orleans people could use some positive attention, I think.
Yes. It was Askimet that was hungry. But I tossed Askimet those olives you mentioned.
I’ve had mine up since the “I’ve been tidying a little” post – that’s when I switched out the templates 🙂
I’ve been getting spammed on all my blogs, by the same people with different IP’s .. and akismet is NOT catching it – I have to end up adding the IP and blacklisting it with the Spam Killer 2 plugin, and then manually delete the comment .. most look like this:
E-mail : Milano9605@yahoo.com
URI : some spam search engine site
Comment:
luogo interessante e bene-organizzato. Devo avere soltanto buoni contrassegni alla scuola;)
~~~
The WHOIS is all over the map, in the above case .. is from :
OrgName: Consolidated Communications, Inc.
OrgID: CONSO-8
Address: 121 South 17th Street
City: Mattoon
StateProv: IL
PostalCode: 61938
Country: US
Mattoon, Illinois!
There is nothing there, but farmland.
Did I miss all the fun?
Hi Tracy!
I think you brought the fun with you!
What have you been doing?
We’ve been talking about music, the Three Stooges, spam and New Orleans.
Work work work – That’s what I do for fun!
Hey, you sound just like me.
Are you guys going to say HI to Tracy or not?
Want a beverage, Tracy? Here’s a cold one.
What kind of work do you do? I write mostly.
Hey, me too! when I’m not out conquering the world, that is….
I just investigate fraud. Nothing special. *grin*
I’ll take a coffee, if you don’t mind – straigh black, the way the Lord intended it….
Ah, forensic accounting I knew that. You didn’t sign in with your URL. So I wasn’t sure that was you.
My son just started an internship with Navigant in DC.
AdLIb.
You are the world. You have no need to conquer it. 🙂
I drink my coffee straight up as well!
So how is sonny’s life as an intern?
Two coffees, served European with dark chocolate on a nice separate saucer.
Tracy,
I very much like the new template at your blog. It’s clean and crisp. Looks very professional.
He’s loving it as an intern. He’s chasing those details . . . feeling very grown up. One more year of school and he’ll be real. 🙂
Thank you – but it’s not new. 🙂
Good for him. I was abused as an intern and still have nightmares.
Ahhh too much standing at the copier?
Ad Lib were you an intern?
Internship – that’s that curious american custom of unpaid student slave labour? I’ve never been an intern in that sense – all the jobs I’ve had, I’ve been paid for at industry rates…
~waves to Tracy .. Howdy.
Are you really a forensic accountant? I’ve worked with a few. I have many stories.
Adv.Lib.// Trackback coming!
No, my son is being paid for his work, quite well actually.
Tracy,
I think I just missed your “front” page before when I’ve visited your blog. That’s what it is.
HART
Are any of your stories nice or entertaining? We don’t want to be mean to Tracy or tell your sad tales tonight.
haha! Just saw that .. Mattoon .. Farmland! Of course! I wonder where the other spam is? Let me find another in IL .. maybe you know it too 🙂 //
I believe the SAME spammer sent me the identical comment spam message from this host.. in the Queensland.
OrgName: Asia Pacific Network Information Centre
OrgID: APNIC
Address: PO Box 2131
City: Milton
StateProv: QLD
PostalCode: 4064
Country: AU
Ohhhhhh – yes, you didn’t see the front page. That would explain it.
Hart – I’m either a forensic accountant or a person who spent hours and hours creating a website about forensic accounting. *wink*
Internship – unpaid and for a government agency. How much worse could it get?
Heh, what’s your best forensic accountancy story? I’m not real up on the intricacies of accounting beond the basic “how to talk to bean-counters” courses in my engineering curriculum – though I must say I appreciate a scene in the “Komarr” book by Lois McMaser-bujold where her protagonist unleashes his forensic accountants 🙂
Have to ask Martin about Queensland. I’ve only been to Victoria and New South Wales.
Well my very first paying client when I started my company Jan 2000, will be heading off to prison in August.
And the client who left the biggest unpaid bill is currently in prison.
Tracy .. Gotcha 🙂 *winks back*
Liz .. have I ever told you a story that wasn’t entertaining? WAIT! DON’T ANSWER! ..
Well .. ok then .. here’s one. I used to work with an ‘auditor’ who was still taking courses to be a Forensic Accountant. He is a C.A. .. he sworn me into secrecy (as if I really give a damn now) .. that his “best” secret audit technique is..
He looks in your middle desk drawer.
Yup. You have it. All of you con artists out there committing fraud and trying to hide a secret set of books – seemingly keep all the discriminating evidence in your middle office desk drawer .. presumeably underneith your bagged lunch bag.
Oh, the shame from my peers in my industry they shall give me for revealing that secret technique.
Sad but true…. many leave the evidence in the desk.
Oh no Brian! 93 to 94? ut-oh
OKay I must go to bed now. Have to be up early. Ick. Until next time….
Thanks for coming by Tracy!
See you again soon I hope!
Sweet dreams
G’nite to those leaving .. ~wave
(I’m watching ABC btw .. even though I am not a fan, nor care much about basketball – but it is a close game!)
You guys I have to pack it in too, i’m afraid.
I have a flight in the morning. I’m on my way to see Seth Godin for a tiny seminar.
*tosses blog keys*
Ad Lib. Stay away from Civilization. We like you as a Wild Man.
Sweet dreams.
Have a safe journey Liz. G’nite to you and all – I will be off in my own little world too, as it quiets down in here.
Heh, I’ll try, but I have this really interesting setup right now where I’m right next to George Washington – and I was just thinking of taking my army along to visit New York 😛
I know, I know – normal tourists don’t bring their hordes with them when they come calling, but since I’m still in the Classical Era, it seems like the thing to do 😛
Thanks HART for the send off.
You, George Washingto, (and ssssh, Ann Michael) and me with Seth Godin in New York City. Now there is one Motley Crew. I think we could take the city by storm. Perhaps one day there would even be a Broadway musical. “Blogging Broadway” HA!
Wowwwwwwwwww Liz 250 comments in one post ( including mine and like always your sweet one ), I am getting to New York soon just hope you pass the Mike back there.
Truly one hell of a Successful and Outstanding blog, I hope likewise I hope many would that you sport that logo out here, this place truly deserves one.
I would be glad to shout out loud.
Cheers
Keith
So that trip to New York is a reality. That sounds exciting. I’m already in Chicago. Let me know when you’re on American soil.