Sharing Is Caring...Only If It's Of Value To Others

I subscribe to the belief that sharing is caring...only if it's of value to others. That second part is the key. Only share if it's valuable to others.

A lot of people don't grasp that second part. (I'll admit that I often struggle with it.) They don't understand the line between interesting/fun/useful and irrelevant/nonsensical/pointless rambling. I think that's because value is like beauty, it's in the eye of the beholder. So to determine whether or not what you're sharing is valuable, you only need to ask one important question. Is what I'm sharing benefiting anyone other than myself?

Because there are times when what you're sharing isn't relevant to anyone other than yourself, your own ego! You're not creating value. You're creating noise! And in a world where everyone is suffering from information overload and pressed for time, what you're really doing is being inconsiderate and downright annoying to others. For those too narcissistic to realize and/or care, life isn't all about ME, ME, ME! Most people, for the most part, don't care about you. I know, that hurts. But ride that sting out for a minute and let it soak in.

Take Twitter for example. Why must people Tweet their own blog post 2, 3, 4, 5 times or more a day! We get it. You wrote a new post and we're proud of you. Now if we want to read it chances are we already subscribe to your RSS feed or clicked on the link you Tweeted the first time around. But to repeat Tweet over and over again, it just seems so pushy and screams "look at me!" Are these people starving for attention? Did they miss a couple hugs growing up? I don't know what the deal is, but I really wish it would stop already. And don't even get me started on people that obsessively ReTweet old content they wrote from weeks, months, even years ago! Every blog has an Archive and every idiot with a half a brain knows how to browse through it. In other words, spamming out your own content isn't cool or appreciated. So shush.

After all, statistics say that over 70% of Tweets are ignored. That means chances are nobody is reading what you're Tweeting anyway! And regardless of how many Twitter Followers you believe are hanging on your every word, the more narcissistic and spammy your Tweets become the more your Twitter stream is being muted in their TweetDeck. It leaves a bad taste in people's mouths when you shove your content down their throats, up to and over 3 meals a day!

I call this the "I don't give a shit if your life is busy what I have to say is important so pay attention to me right now damn it approach." Whatever method they use to shamelessy plug their work over and over again, the message remains the same. That message says, "I don't value your time but you should value what I wrote and read/comment/share immediately!" I understand that everyone in this life wants to be heard and appreciated. And the competition to be heard and appreciated is fierce, especially online! But if you don't get the response you were hoping for it may just mean people are busy and haven't opened their Google Reader yet. Or they read it, but didn't find it valuable enough to comment and/or share. And that's ok. Not everything you write will be gold. You're not Hemingway. You're a blogger. So check yourself.

While your fragile digital ego may be hurt, it's really your ego that got you into this mess to begin with! So you really can’t blame anyone for unsubscribing, unfriending, or unfollowing people online. There is simply too much noise. And that noise leads to the crumbling of one’s sanity! Less noise. More sanity. Less social media. More living. Overall, more value!

If you like this post If you found this post of value, consider commenting and/or ReTweeting.

Happy Festivus from The Rest Is Still Unwritten!

Since the holidays are upon us, I will not be blogging as often as I usually do (which is at least twice a week). I know, I know. I’m sorry. Everyone needs to unplug though, including me. So for the next 5 days I’ll be M.I.A. from the blogosphere. However, if you are feeling antsy for some compelling thoughts from me, don’t freight! Although I will not be publishing a new post to the blog, I will be sending out new Tweets from my Twitter stream! Try to control your excitement.

You can expect at least one or two updates per day. Compelling, thought provoking, controversial, offensive, hilarious, filthy fun. That pretty much sums it up. Some of them may even be sweet. You know, because I have a heart, or at least this time of year I pretend to have one.

So if you are looking to escape your relatives over the holiday for a few minutes, swing on by my blog and check out what I’m rambling about. And of course you can always follow me directly on your mobile phone via Twitter @davidstehle

Happy Festivus!

(Wikipedia: Festivus)

You're Personal Branding Yourself As A Narcissistic A-Hole

Brace yourself because some of you are about to be offended by my brutal honesty. Lately when I started to hear everyone complaining about Personal Branding and Social Media, I fully agreed with their criticism. Everyone needs to stop the ass kissing and start being real. Honestly, I've been ODing on everyone PBing themselves for sometime now! Translation = I can't take the Personal Branding craze! Seriously, this shameless self-promotion stuff has got to stop! I feel like I'm back in high school watching the social misfit, who is desperate to fit in, try every trick in the book to gain attention. The only difference is we are no longer in high school. Instead this has graduated to Gen-Y's use of Social Media. It's nauseating to witness. If all the so-called Personal Branding experts would stand before Simon Cowell he would shake his head in disgust and in that smug, British accent say..."It’s dreadful, truly dreadful. I'm bored. I don't understand what you're trying to do. Tell me what the point is."

Maybe it's just that I don't understand how people can make a career out of Personal Branding, or maybe I just think it's an annoying career? Either way, I hate to be a hater, but it just feels like constant self-promotion. And essentially that's all Personal Branding is, which of course makes it slightly worse than a pushy salesman that is trying to sell you something. Because in the case of the self-proclaimed Personal Branding expert, they are trying to sell themselves! Wait...wouldn't that be similar to whoring?

We live in a society where status has become everything and image has leveraging value. We are constantly bombarded with branding, especially Personal Branding. You, Inc.! A Brand Called You! Brand Yourself! Inc. Yourself! Some would say go F yourself! Far too many people are concerned about how they "look" to other people when they should be focusing on who they REALLY are. Do you even know who you are anymore? You’ve turned your identity into a brand and in the process lost your true self. It’s sad really. And in a way, I feel sorry for them. I watch these people obnoxiously plug their blog posts countless times a day on Twitter and spend hours upon hours thinking of ways to promote themselves. One more follower. One more subscriber. One more fan. One more hit. Driving traffic to all their social media platforms has become their obsession, their drug of choice!

I feel like they are the type of people that buy into those "get rich quick" schemes that run on late night TV, that Personal Branding will bring them fame and fortune. For whatever reason, they seem to believe that if they name drop themselves and their web address enough that somehow they will be the next big brand! That people will remember me. People will like me. And they will know my name. Nope, sorry. Nike and Pepsi you are not and probably won’t ever be. All you're doing is irratating people and making them sick to death of you! I know, I know. The truth hurts, but someone had to say it.

The biggest problem with Personal Branding is there’s no sincerity. Because there’s no way in hell you absolutely LOVE every person you come across and think they are brilliant! We all know there are times when you disagree with them, but lack the balls to say so for fear of hurting your own "brand." It’s like your looking to be re-elected when you were never elected to begin with. Campaigning for office, but the office doesn’t exist! I’m just so sick of seeing Personal Branding experts handing out the equivalent of a virtual chocolate chip cookie to everyone they see who makes a nice poopie. It’s ridiculous! Being fake hurts a "brand" far more than being real. Even though everyone loves being complimented, insincere compliments can be seen a mile away, as can hollow connections and fake friendships. Sincerity and integrity go hand-in-hand. And I don’t see how anyone in Personal Branding could go very far without them. You've made yourself into a gimmick.

There is a big difference in how you appear to others, versus how you truly are. The difference is supposed to be in meaning, not in being. When you are authentic, you appear to others the way you truly are. When you aren’t authentic, your true face shows up in ways that are often shocking and unpleasant to others. Personal Branding is like a lot of hot air being pumped out at an amazing speed. Inflating one’s self is superficial, short lived, and often triggers some ugly demise that can create widespread harm. AKA, your peers hating you. And what could be worse to the high schooler, or in this case the Personal Branding expert, than your peers hating you? Bottom line, no one cares about your Personal Brand.

I enjoy mixing a small dose of hypocrisy in with a good old fashioned tongue lashing. So I will admit that I let TwitterFeed send out an auto Tweet on my behalf when I publish a new post to my blog, but other than that, I do my best not to PB myself. If people want to (note the hyperlinking) read my blog or follow me on Twitter - great! And if they don't, that's fine too. I just refuse to cram it down their throat. I don't need or want attention that bad. Being viewed negatively in order to see my name in (virtual) lights doesn't sound like a good trade-off. Honestly, I don’t even know what they are selling, or if anyone is even buying! I just know I hate how it’s packaged. So stop spoon feeding it to me. Please.

***NOTE***
If you feel me on this post, please ReTweet...because irony is beautiful like that.

Giving Taboo Topics A Voice

Controversy erupted when BrazenCareerist.com Founder Penelope Trunk tweeted...

"I'm in a board meeting. Having a miscarriage. Thank goodness, because there's a fucked-up 3-week hoop-jump to have an abortion in Wisconsin."

While I applaud her for being brutally honest and speaking out about such a taboo topic, I'll agree that her Twitter wording was a bit crass. However, I think everyone needs to keep in mind that people don't share the same feelings in the same situations. While one person may be devastated by a miscarriage, another person may be breathing a sigh of relief. How a person reacts to a situation isn't wrong or right, it just is what it is. We are all entitled to our own feelings, even if everyone doesn't share them or can handle hearing them.

Read her blog post and watch the CNN interview here.

(It’s somewhat necessary to at least watch the CNN interview linked above to understand what I’m talking about below.)

Penelope is right though. Miscarriages and other taboo topics should be explored. Because how else are people going to learn about, understand and bring awareness to things that happen in everyday life if we are too scared to discuss them? It's the very reason I have a Label on my blog titled "Taboo Topics" where I can discuss things that have happened in my life that others think should be hush hush/off limits topics - things like suicide and child molestation.

The reason I bring this up is not to debate miscarriages or abortion because as a man who has never gotten anyone pregnant, I'm in no position to speak even remotely intelligent on the subject, nor do I want to. Let's be completely honest, the vast majority of men out there don't have a clue what exactly a miscarriage or an abortion fully entails. We get the jest of it, but we really don't know the details of what happens in a woman's body. And it wasn't until I watched Penelope's interview, did I know just how common and frequent a miscarriage occurs. I also didn't know that the process takes literally weeks, which makes concealing what you're going through all the more difficult. We are unaware of these things because society has labeled it as one of the many taboo topics we don't dare speak of! I want to change that though. I think it's time we give taboo topics a voice. So when I read about Penelope Trunk being so brutally honest and candid about what she was going through, I wanted to stand up and clap for her, for giving yet another taboo topic a much needed voice. If we can't talk about things, we can't learn. And if we can't learn, how will we ever grow?

I'm not asking, nor suggesting, that everyone exposes the skeletons in their closet and airs their dirty laundry for all the world to see. I'm just encouraging people to talk. To educate. To bring awareness to things like suicide, child molestation, rape, domestic abuse, miscarriages, abortion, addiction, the list goes on and on. You know what the taboo topics are. They are the very subjects that are so widely misunderstood by the public because the public refuses to give them a voice. But if people would just muster up the courage to discuss them, you would quickly see how many others can relate. We are all more closely tied to one another than we care to believe.

Whether you agree or disagree with Penelope's views on miscarriages and abortion isn't relevant to this post. What I do want to know is if you think it's good or bad to discuss taboo topics? And have you ever been as candid about your personal life as Penelope or myself? Looking back, was sharing that "secret" a relief or a mistake?

I can't speak for Penelope, but I know when I came clean about my battle with depression and my suicide attempt (10/5/09 - My Deepest, Darkest Secret), it was a HUGE sigh of relief! It felt so good to get that weight off my chest. And if I helped just one other person by sharing my story, it made any of the negativity I received from that post totally worth it. What you get from me online is 100% me, but you don’t get 100% of me.

A Message From The Dog

Hello there. You probably know who I am, but if you don’t, then let me properly introduce myself. I’m the dog. What dog you ask? Well THE dog, of course! You know, David’s English Bulldog Diesel. If the name isn’t ringing a bell, than I’m rather shocked. Afterall, the guy doesn’t shut up about me...and rightfully so. I’m kind of a big deal (or at least to him I am). I don’t mean to sound cocky, but I’m probably the one thing in his life that is more important to him than life itself. That’s how much he loves me. It’s sweet, but sometimes mildly disturbing how much the guy kisses, hugs and cuddles on me. But hey, whatever makes him happy. I’m glad to be of service. It feels kind of good to warm his heart and light up his face with a big smile. But enough of this sentimental dog crap. Let’s get down to business. Let me tell you why I’m taking over his blog today.

They say in life that no matter how flat you make a pancake, it always has two sides to it. The same is true about a story. And while this is my Dad’s blog, it only tells one story – his. Now normally that would make sense and be totally acceptable, but there is something he’s failed to mention. The majority of the time when he writes, I’m by his side. Literally, by his side. He often pets me with one hand and types with the other. (And I’m not at liberty to say where the guy developed a talent like that!) I like to believe that I relax him and put him in this tranquil state that allows him to withdraw from the everyday stresses of his life and reflect on...

Hold on, I gotta fart.

Ahhh. Ok, that’s better. MUCH better! Wow, sorry about that. But I am a Bulldog and pig ears do a number on my tummy. Hold on while I crack a window.

Ok, back to what I was saying. Actually, I lost my train of thought. I think I was talking about flipping pancakes at iHop or something? Oh well, doesn’t matter. The point is that when the guy blogs or Tweets about me, remember you are only hearing HIS side of the story. I most likely have a different "tail" to tell. I’m no longer going to be the strong and silent type. I’m going to speak out, or rather Tweet out! I’m going to expose the naked underbelly of our relationship and tell MY side of the story.

So if you’re interested in viewing life through a dog’s eyes, then follow me on Twitter @DieselTweets

I promise the link is safe to click and flea infestation free.

Relationship Status: Must Be In One!

What is it with some people's obsession with being in a relationship? I just don't get it. It's as if the word "single" is the new dirty word! They would rather be labeled a "cheater" than "single." Because if you're a cheater, you are at least in a relationship, or you've recently been in a relationship. But if you're single, you're dubbed a loser? This "must be in a relationship" notion seems to be especially true for Gen-Y, which I suppose makes sense given the fact that we grew up on technology. The Internet had just begun to boom when we were teenagers, which was the same time we started dating. Shortly after, Facebook came along and with it the infamous "Relationship Status" field we needed to fill out. While some where eager and more than happy to select "In A Relationship," others sheepishly selected the dirty word from the drop down box - "Single." Still, others opted for the "It's Complicated" selection...which always kills me when I see someone under the age of 18 saying it's complicated. Think it's complicated now? Just wait until you're older and you actually have a REAL relationship. Something more meaningful. Something that involves deeper feelings than the puppy love, school crushes you are accustom to.

We all know someone who changes their Facebook Relationship Status at a dizzying rate! Like a light switch, they're on again, off again. We see the happy, full heart icon when they enter a relationship. Then we see the sad, broken heart icon when they breakup. It's digitally dramatic. And am I the only one who doesn't care whether their heart is full or butterflies or daggers? Maybe it's a girl thing, but relationship status quos just don't interest me. When it comes to relationships, I guess I'm a bit old fashion in the sense that I don't feel the need to publicly announce my single/not single status. For the most part, I keep who I'm dating rather private. Afterall, a romantic relationship is supposed to be a private matter, is it not?

It's not Facebook Relationship Statuses that concern me though. What concerns me is the fact that I know far too many people that are willing to just settle, for the sake of wanting to say "I have a boyfriend/girlfriend." They basically settle for whoever will have them. They try converting their long time friend as a new love interest or get back together with an ex that previously treated them like poop! Why? Because like an old shoe, it's comfy. But when did people start picking comfy over happy? Comfy over excitement? Comfy over finding that one person in life you should (were meant to) be with, rather than the one that you just settled for because it was convenient to do so and they agreed to your relationship status quo? I believe it was Carrie Bradshaw that once said, "I'm looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love." I don't know about you, but I want that! I want a girl that makes me deliriously happy and I refuse to settle for anything less.

Nobody will deny that dating can sometimes be scary, but people are basically throwing in the towel when it comes to love and that's just sad. Who would have thought that we would see the day when being in a relationship is viewed as LESS scary than dating!

Even as far back as the 6th grade, I saw this obsession people had with wanting to be in a relationship. It was like the badge of cool. If you weren't "going with" someone, you were a loser. Sure this love would only last for a week, a month at best, but during that time you made sure everyone knew you had a boyfriend/girlfriend. Kids were so desperate to be in a relationship that they even made-up fictitious boyfriends/girlfriends that they claimed went to another school. Rrright. I won't pretend I was immune to this. Half-way through the school year the pressure got to me. I was tempted to find a cute model from my sister's Teen magazine, cut out her photo, stuff it in my wallet and pass it off as "my girlfriend" that went to another school. In 2009, apparently 49-year-old woman try doing the same thing...but instead of Teen magazine, they use Facebook.

Are You A Social Networking Snob?

According to Dictionary.com the definition of a snob is a simple one. A snob is a person who imitates, cultivates, or slavishly admires social superiors and is condescending or overbearing to others. A snob is also someone who believes himself or herself an expert or connoisseur in a given field and is disdainful of those who hold other opinions or have different tastes regarding this field. Basically a know-it-all that knows little to nothing about what they claim to be an expert in and have much to learn in life. They are soaked up in their own little world and feel the rest of the world revolves around them. Any outside distractions are mere misquotes that need swatted away. So by definition I would not be labeled a snob. Although when it comes to social networking sites, one may label me a snob simply because I don’t accept every friend request sent to me on Facebook and I don’t follow everyone that follows me on Twitter. Why? Well because I don’t want to. Is that a good enough reason?

Ok, that's not really the reason because it if was...then yes, I would deserve the title Social Networking Snob. But I do have valid reasons to decline Facebook friend requests or not follow those who follow me on Twitter. When it comes to Facebook, I tend to only accept friend requests from people I actually know. I operate that way because it's not very wise to document every minute of your life and openly share your cell phone number and other personal data with every person who happens to stumble across your Facebook page on the Internet. You need to be selective with the people you let into your world, especially your virtual world where every word and every photo tends to linger on for all of time. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a bad Facebooker. I just don’t keep up with it. And because of that, I currently have over 100 friend requests waiting for me to accept or decline, as well as roughly 10 e-mails sitting in my account that I have not read or replied to in over 3 months! Shame on me.

Now when it comes to Twitter, I get a bit anal with organization and simplicity. Some may say it’s a touch of O.C.D., but I like to believe I just like things neat. On every Twitter user’s page, there are 36 icons displayed that correspond to 36 of the people they follow. Follow more than 36 people and Twitter decides on its own whose face will receive front page recognition and whose face will get tucked away from view. I don’t like that. I like to see everyone on one page, like one big happy family. I like being able to quickly click on their mug and see what they are Tweeting about. Now sure I can click on my feed and see what everyone is Tweeting about that I follow all at once, but that feels a bit overwhelming. Some people get carried away and Tweet 10+ times a day! I have no idea where they find the time to do that or what exactly they have to say that seems so important to Tweet that much, but I simply feel overwhelmed having to sort through all their Tweets in my feed. I only Tweet once a day. That’s enough for me, with the exception of today when I Tweeted twice because I needed to vent about having my man-period. I’m sure you understand and forgive though.

Anyways, what I’m trying to say is that I’m stuck on the magical number of 36. I recently added a 37th person and now I feel all out of sorts. And I’m trying to figure out who was the unlucky person that Twitter automatically decided would not be front page worthy and tucked away from 36 icon view! Ok, I have issues, I get it. Lately two people in particular (don’t make me out you and say your names) have been harassing me about not following them on Twitter. One even asked me what my criteria was in choosing who l follow and what would it take for me to follow them. My reply - "Amazing head." A snob I’m not. A smartass I am.

I would follow both of them, but at this point I choose to be stubborn simply out of spite. I secretly enjoy annoying and frustrating them. It’s kind of (sick) fun to see them on the verge of smacking me. Don’t ask me why they are so adamant about me following them on Twitter. Me thinks they are tired of the one-sided DMs. Ah yes, I hold the power!

When it comes to what blogs I follow/read, it's pretty simple and no special exceptions are made for family or friends. So if you are a family member or a friend, I’m not going to link to you as one my "Noteworthy Blogs" just because we are blood or BFFs. I’m not into following certain blogs just because they are popular either. I have to truly enjoy your writing and be drawn into what you have to say. The same rule applies to girls. Just because you’re some super hot chick, I’m not going to pretend I’m interested in what you have to say (blog about) so you will want to go out with me. Although...come to think about it, that approach may not be that shabby of an idea!

Tracy's Facebook Fuck-Up Gets Her Screwed Twice

The top item on many social news sites this morning is a screenshot (click on photo below to enlarge) that purportedly shows an embarrassing message a woman posted to her public Facebook page. If real, it’s a mistake that might take some time to recover from. And if it’s fake, well it still might take some time to recover from...and a lot of convincing of one’s innocence! While it doesn’t appear to be Photoshopped, and the woman’s friends are definitely real Facebook members, it’s very possible the account was compromised by another person and it’s just a malicious prank. However, something tells me this is real. Why? Because it’s just more proof to me that older people shouldn’t be on Facebook. They aren’t ready for the digital information overload that is our lives. They have difficulty distinguishing between what is public and what is private when it comes to the Internet. So the information they throw out there often gets filtered incorrectly and they unknowingly make their private life too public. They’re unaware how to adjust privacy settings and gain control of what information is displayed and who gets privilege to that info. To them, nothing is black and white. It’s all gray and fuzzy. And that is where the problem lies! If you don’t know the ins and outs of Facebook and Twitter, DO NOT USE THEM! When it comes to social networking sites, what you don't know can hurt you.

It takes a lot to actually make me LOL on the Internet, but this gem did the trick!


I like Jeff. I too would reply with one word - "Nice." And I also would play dumb and not help her immediately. I would want to take in the sick giggle at her expense just a tiny bit longer. Maybe that’s mean, but something like this is too priceless not to bask in for awhile. However, the moral of the story here is a simple one. If you don’t know how to properly/fully use something, don’t use it. Now if you still want to use something, but don’t know how to properly/fully use it, LEARN. Or if you're Tracy, you'll eventually learn the hard way.

Call me a snob, but I liked it better when Facebook was only open to those who had a college or university e-mail address. Ah yes, those were the good old days when your Mom couldn’t friend you and stalk you on Facebook! The good old days when I wasn’t subjected to cougars and MILFs sending me messages on Facebook thinking this was the new Match.com or eHarmony. It’s Facebook. It’s a social networking site, NOT a dating site! There is nothing on my Facebook page that says I’m looking to bang chicks who are old enough to be my mother or that I’m searching for a woman whose kids I have more in common with than her. I’m sorry and I don’t mean to be a dick, but I’m just not interested. Now when it comes to Tracy, I'm willing to make an exception (insert evil laugh here).

If she hasn't been laid in months, something tells me this Michael she's conversing with (and pounding her like a lion) isn’t her fiance. Dirty girl! All we do know for sure is that she likes a strong and powerful mounting. Regardless, I’m thinking I should start a Facebook fan page: "Fans of Tracey’s OTHER Pussy." Or maybe I should send out a Facebook party invite: "You’re Permanently Invited to The Love Cave Between Tracey’s Legs."

By the way...Tracy, I sent you a friend request. Rrroar! ;)

***UPDATE***
Good news or sad news to report, depending on how you see it. The latest rumor is that a group of hackers/crackers from 4Chan have been targeting Christian users on Facebook and a few other sites (mostly online dating websites) and compromising their accounts. ANYONE, even without being listed as her friend, can view Tracy Turkish Brooks Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jesuslust

Again, Digg.com and others are reporting this as a fake. Apparently Tracy is a good girl afterall, or so we should assume. So I thought it's only fair that I should help clear her name. Sorry this happened to you Tracy and sorry so many of us got a sick laugh out of it. But comeon, it was hilarious! Even you have to admit that! And is it wrong that I wish this had been real? Damn it.

So now there is an added moral to the story - use stronger passwords, people!

Get Paid to Tweet, Facebook and Comment on Blogs?

Jobs! Everyone needs one to pay for booze and hookers. Ok, for rent and food, but anything extra should go to booze and hookers. And in today’s tough economy, there is a good chance you are currently unemployed and looking for work. Or you may have a day job, but wouldn’t mind making a little extra cash on the side. So when someone says you can get paid for something you already do for free and love, you’re ecstatic...and skeptical. We’ve all heard of those crappy AdSense ads and other marketing schemes that try to convince bloggers they can make big bucks for doing what love - blogging. However, the truth is you make mere pennies, basically pocket change. Even if you find a little success by cluttering up your blog with ads and hoping unsavvy Internet users will unknowingly click thru those ads, chances are extremely slim you will ever make a substantial living off of blogging alone. So like it or not, you’re going to need to get yourself a REAL job.

Or...maybe I spoke too soon?

Surf on over to Craigslist (new york craigslist > manhattan > writing jobs) and you will come across this posting.

We are looking for a few good writers who know their way around Twitter and Facebook who can leave native comments in groups and to people that are relative to our Company's products.

We will pay anyway you like: per comment, per day, per month, per minimum comments left, per forum. Whatever works best for you.

We are a new Company with a great line of products and we are just looking to get recognized. We are not looking to spam thousands of irrelevant comments. We are not very Twitter or FB savvy, and do not have the time to spread the word ourselves. This is like our Stimulus plan. You leave some cool appropriate comments, and we stimultate the economy by 1) paying you good money, and 2) by helping a new company get off the ground. It's a Stimulus whammy!!

Email us and let us know first if you understand your way around Twitter and Facebook, and second if you have the time to help us.

Thanks

* Location: anywhere
* Compensation: $2-$5per comment or Forum that's relative to our product. This can add up very quickly as there are 1000's of Blogs, forums, Tweets, Groups, etc out in the Webworld.
* Telecommuting is ok.
* This is a part-time job.
* This is a contract job.
* This is an internship job
* Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
* Please, no phone calls about this job!
* Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

Now we are talking about Craigslist here, a site notorious for scams, particularly make money quick/easy scams. As they say, if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. But does that rule apply here? I’m going to let you judge for yourself. However, when someone says it is not ok to call the employer about the job, that leaves a fishy scent in the air.

$2-$5 per comment? For that kind of money I could leave a handful of comments, pocket $20 and buy myself a stiff drink or a cheap BJ on the street!

If anyone is interested, apply and report back to us.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/wri/1168675854.html

***NOTE***
The above statement was said in sarcasm. I do not pay for BJs on the street, but I wouldn’t mind having a stiff drink right now! Which reminds me, is 3:00 too early for Happy Hour to begin on a thirsty Thursday afternoon?

Twitter Makes You A Better Writer

Love it or loath it, Twitter is all the rage lately. If you don’t know what Twitter is, basically it’s a micro-blog. In 140 characters or less, it answers one basic question..."What are you doing?" If you’re a person who tends to ramble when you write, you will surely find condensing your words to just 140 characters rather challenging and often downright frustrating! But that’s a good thing because it helps cure you from diarrhea of the mouth. Long winded writers may have a hard time wrapping their heads around this concept, but a list of phrases can be replaced by single words without loss of meaning. Twitter forces you to write concisely. And that makes for crisper, more direct, easier to read copy. There's no room for flowery prose with only 140 characters to express an idea. It cuts out the fluff and leaves the reader with just straight content, which is important in today’s busy world where people are pressed for time and want you to get your point across in a hurry. In short, Twitter can make you a better writer.

Since you only have 140 characters to spew your message, you will have to dust off your dictionary and thesaurus and expand your vocabulary. You will have to utilize words that are shorter, more descriptive and get the job done in 140 characters or less. In the process, you’ll discover a better, clearer and more concise way to say what you want to say. Plus, every writer needs to be able to edit their work. And by using Twitter, you can really hone your editing skills and make them top-notch.

I’m a fan of simplicity. And writing more clearly and consciously is something I’m working on. If Twitter helps me accomplish this goal by putting me to the test, then I’m going to keep on Tweeting. But now it’s time to put YOU to the test!

So whether you are or aren’t Twittering already, put yourself to the 140 character test now by leaving a comment on this post in 140 characters or less. Remember, letters, numbers, symbols, punctuation and spaces all count as characters on Twitter. Good luck!

(Follow me on Twitter @diamondkt and Tweet this post. You know you want to.)

All The Cool Kids Moved To Facebook, Long Ago!

I have some big breakup news! I’ve dumped Tom and now I’m in an exclusive relationship with Zucky! Don’t know what I’m talking about? Then read on.

Facebook users have long surpassed MySpace users. For the first time ever in mid 2008, Facebook was able to call itself the #1 social network, a title MySpace had carried for years...but not anymore. Personally, I’m happy about that. For some time now, I’ve loathed MySpace! And because I’ve developed a small hatred towards MySpace, I’m disassociating myself from that little corner of the web. So here are my top reasons why I am deleting my very inactive MySpace account.


Top Reasons Why I'm Ditching MySpace

• Nothing good has ever come from me having a MySpace account.
• I simply cannot take one more MILF e-mailing me!
• The majority of member’s pages make my eyes bleed with dancing Care Bears and sparkly unicorns.
• To make matters worse, some unknown annoying country song that makes me wish I was born a deaf mute begins to blare.
• I haven’t logged in since last year and actually forgot my password, that’s how inactive the account is.
• Having a MySpace account is about as cool as popping your collar.

Besides, all the REAL cool kids moved to Facebook long ago and so have I, even though there was a time when I swore against joining any social networking sites. In fact, I even mentioned this on my soon to be deleted MySpace page. "I once said I would NEVER sign up for any social networking site and then...here I am. In my defense though, I was pressured into getting a MySpace account, nagged into it is more like it. Although I do have free will so I guess I need to take partial blame. One day I'll delete it."

And today is that day.

Goodbye MySpace. It's now your space. I'll not be renewing my lease.

***NOTE***
You can also see this post featured on the frontpage of BrazenCareerist.com

How Changing Your Facebook Dating Status Can Be Deadly

Some people take social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace waaay too seriously! And although I never understood the addiction to social networking sites, others seem to live on there. I’ll login every now and then, but in no way is it the highlight of my life. Although for others, it is their life. In fact, it cost one woman her life! I’m not talking about one of those stay-at-home Mom types that neglects the outside world and daily responsibilities, like taking care of her kids, to live virtually thru cyberspace. You hear about those kinds of people with severe Internet addiction being found hunched over their keyboard dead because he/she forgot to logoff and eat food to sustain life. No, I’m not talking about those freaks. I’m talking about something entirely different and even more unbelievable! I’m talking about a fully-functioning normal woman who made the deadly mistake of changing her Facebook dating status from "married" to "single".

Not long ago news broke about a man being sentenced to life in prison for stabbing his wife to death (on 2/18/08) over a status change she made to her profile on Facebook. Wayne Forrester, age 34, told police he was devastated that his wife Emma, also 34, had changed her online profile to "single" days after he had moved out. Now as I understand it, if a spouse moves out, that’s called a separation. So yes, technically they are still married, but not really "together" - hence the term separated. Now I don’t know if Facebook has a relationship status option to choose from that says "separated", but perhaps she should have choose that since really she’s not single and back on the market...or at least not yet, legally speaking that is. Basically, she’s still a married woman, but I digress.

Apparently the husband drove back to his former home, where his wife was still living, and attacked the mother of two in the early hours as she slept. He stabbed her with a kitchen knife and a meat cleaver. Wayne Forrester, who pled guilty to the killing, was said to be drunk and high on cocaine at the time. The murder was brutal. He beat her, tore out clumps of her hair, and repeatedly stabbed her in the head and neck. Neighbors were woken up by her screams and called police when they found Wayne Forrester sitting outside the house covered in blood. The couple, who had been together for 15 years, had a "volatile" marriage and there were rumors in the past of Wayne Forrester accusing his wife of having an affair.

The day before the murder, he called her parents and complained about his wife's Facebook entry which he said made her look like a fool. He also claims his wife posted messages on an Internet website telling everyone she had left him and was looking to meet other men. In court, Wayne Forrester said he loved Emma and felt totally devastated and humiliated about what she had done to him. So when she changed her Facebook status from "married" to "single", it obviously was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Killing someone over a Facebook status change? That’s beyond crazy! There was even a story about some nerd virtually killing another nerd’s avatar in an online game because their virtual relationship fell apart. And he was charged with a REAL murder when he killed an avatar! I don’t remember all the details, but it was beyond dorky and ridiculous! So what’s next? I mean seriously, what’s even left? Is it possible for society to outcrazy itself once again? People scare me, they honestly do. There are so many crazies out there that I pretty much don’t trust anyone anymore. And the way they act, or rather act out on the Internet, just ups the crazy factor by at least 85%! Please note, that isn’t a real number. That’s just the level of crazy that I’ve seen with my own eyes. So in no way is that an official percentage of crazy recorded with the Crazy Institute Of Online Crazies. I should also note, if you are reading this post and I don’t know you in "real life", there’s a very good chance I think you’re crazy too. I don’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I’m just saying...if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, then it must be crazy.

Scamming Is One Thing, Playing On Someone’s Emotions Is Quite Another

Spam. We all know what it is and we all hate it. Today it’s so common place that we almost accept it as just part of the package that comes with e-mailing. We’ve become tolerant of it, almost immune to it. Regardless of all the hi-tech spam filters in place, plenty still trickles by. If you’re like me, you do a mass delete of these e-mails on a daily basis, sometimes several times a day. We can all agree that spam is a nuisance, but it’s also very time consuming to try to eliminate. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even try to block it anymore. I simply don’t have the time to be bothered by it so in the trash folder it goes. I’m rather shocked that spam still exists these days because I would think by now everyone has wised up to the fact that their penis isn’t going to grow an extra 5 inches overnight by buying a magical $60 pill. Buy yet, some idiot is still opening up these e-mails and visiting the sites that help fund the spammer. And how stupid do you have to be to actually believe that you are the winner of an Xbox 360 or an all expense paid trip to Honolulu, when you didn’t even enter any sweepstakes contests to begin with! Trust me, if you click on the link that says "redeem your prize", you will not be collecting any gift, lump sum of cash or a free vacation. Instead you have just signed yourself up on another hundred spam lists - congratulations! You’re a winner...er, I mean loser.

Spamming is essentially scamming. I understand everyone has to make a living and as much as I despise the manner in which a spammer makes his living, I can understand why he does it. Some spammers make big money with their shady practices. Spam irritates me, but it doesn’t anger me, until today. Spamming/scamming is one thing, playing on someone’s emotions is quite another. And in essence, that is exactly what this e-mail did...

Long time no see
my my look how you've grown :) its been like seriously prob. 5 years since we've talked so you prob. dont even remember me.. but mike from our middle school gave me your myspace profile.. anyhow I've moved outta state since then but wanted to get in touch with you.. you look amazing btw.. anyhow I only check my myspace account like once a month so if you wanna chat hit me up on my msn messenger when you get a chance my msn name is jane20princess@live.com

I wasn’t gullible enough to fall for this, but I’ll admit, it had me going for a split second and I’ll tell you why.

my my look how you've grown :)

First of all, nobody under the age of 50 would say something like that. That is a line a distant aunt says to me when she hasn’t seen me in 20 years. "Oh David, look how you’ve grown. I remember you when you were just knee high and now you’re all grown up and over 6 feet tall!" Supposedly, the person who sent this to me is a 22-year-old blonde, or at least portraying to be.

its been like seriously prob. 5 years since we've talked so you prob. dont even remember me...

Um, according to your photo, you’re hot. And because of your hotness, I can assure you that I would have not let 5 years go bye. I would remember you and I would have been in touch.

but mike from our middle school gave me your myspace profile...

Ok, now this is where you almost got me here. I know a couple Mikes, but the Mike I would guess you are talking about is the Mike that was my best friend growing up. We were inseparable! So much so that people often had mistaken us for brothers. And because he is no longer with us, you managed to pull at the old heart strings and make me feel hopeful and excited that you are possibly an old friend of his. You see, the timeline would fit. Michael killed himself roughly 5 years ago so it would be quite possible for this person to have been in touch with him just before his death. It would also make sense that she waited awhile before contacting one of his friends out of the blue to see how he is doing now, how he's healing.

anyhow I've moved outta state since then but wanted to get in touch with you...you look amazing btw...

I checked her profile and supposedly she lives in Newport Beach, CA which is just a short bike ride from my sister’s apartment. So there would be a chance my sister bumped into her or even I have at some point while in California. However, I don’t see the point of wanting to get in touch with me? If you live across the country, it’s not like we could really hangout or anything. So why bother with me in the first place?

anyhow I only check my myspace account like once a month so if you wanna chat hit me up on my msn messenger when you get a chance my msn name is jane20princess@live.com

Ah, yes. There you have it. The final obvious clue that she and her e-mail is total bullshit. Why does every MySpace spammer use that same line? Can’t they get a little more creative than that? I'm very tech-savvy and I can spot spam a mile away. I'm not a gullible guy, but yet she managed to have me going for a bit and I think that is simply because it played on my emotions...and in a very cruel way.

I would desperately love nothing more than to get in touch with a long lost friend of Michael’s, perhaps the only person who could possibly answer some of the lingering questions his family and I still have surrounding his suicide. It’s a connection I look for and part of the reason why I even signed up on MySpace and Facebook to begin with, in hopes that I can somehow reconnect with my best buddy in the form of those who were nearest and dearest to his heart. I know it sounds a little crazy and farfetched. I realize my chances of crossing paths with someone from his past are slim to none. Still, I keep a glimmer of hope alive that maybe, just maybe that person will find me or I’ll find them. Perhaps it’s not a healthy method of coping, but sometimes I don’t know what else to do.

5 years later and we are still searching for some comfort and closure on the whole situation. I’m sure this spammer didn’t realize one of their cookie cutter e-mails has the power to really hit home for someone. I’m sure this spammer didn’t intend to purposely bring up painful memories and tease me with this illusion that this is the person I’ve been searching for. The person who somehow was "sent by Michael" to help ease the pain of those who he left behind. The person who was going to be "his voice" in a sense and tell us the things he never could tell us himself. The connection of 3 childhood friends. Obviously, this was all just a delusion of mine. I wanted to believe so badly this person existed that I nearly fell for it. Today was going to be the big day that we connected, finally after all the waiting. To some this would be a typical spam e-mail, but to me, it has been anything but typical.

So I guess I’ll keep searching. And waiting. And hoping. And praying. That tomorrow may be the day. Because at this point, I refuse to accept the thought that the promise of tomorrow may never come.

Psst, Your Boss Checks Your Facebook And MySpace Page

Do you have a Facebook or MySpace page? If you are a 20something, chances are you do. And on that social networking site, do you have countless photos of yourself falling down in a drunken stupor with an empty bottle of JD in your hand? What about photos of you deep throating a blowjob shot at a bar with horny boys looking on as you lick every last drop of the whip cream from your lips? Are there any photos of you peeing in public or with your head stuffed down a dirty, urine-laced toilet while you’re kneeling in a pool of your own vomit? Are there photos of you giving the middle finger, the shocker sign or mooning the world? Are you smashing your titties together while you’re making your sexiest "Come F Me" squinty-eyed kissy-face for the camera? Or are you the guy who is grabbing his crotch while sticking out your tongue with the caption "Suck It Bitch" under the image? Are you photographed dry humping a stuffed elephant...or even worse, actually fucking an elephant? Maybe you are the girl that enjoys showing off her new thong and belly button piercing. Or perhaps you’re the dude who enjoys flashing your 6 pack abs, tatted chest and rockin’ with your c*ck out. Whatever the case may be, moments of debauchery happen. You’re young and you’re entitled to have fun. There’s only one problem, your boss more than likely has seen each and every naughty thing you’ve ever said or done!

(Hey, that rhymed! And I didn’t even intend it to.)

Some will argue this, but personally, I see nothing wrong with a couple wannabe show lesbians making out with one another, especially if they are hot girls! In fact, I encourage hot girl makeout sessions. They help make the world go round. And I see nothing wrong with a couple guys getting into an occasional fist fight. But comeon now, think before you upload your girl-on-girl action shots or your videotaped beatdowns. Capturing less than glamorous moments like these may seem harmless at first, but they may come back to haunt you in the long run. I mean sure, your friends probably enjoy reliving the debauchery with you. But your boss, not so much. So next time, before you hit the publish button, you may want to take into consideration a recent study conducted by CareerBuilder.com As an employer, their findings did not shock me in the least, but they may shock you if you’ve been living in La-La Land without a care in the world.

One out of five employers admits to checking social networking sites to help screen job applicants. And those that don’t currently do so, said they plan on utilizing that method in the near future. According to the survey, nearly 35% of those who regularly screen said that content uncovered through their research has led to the applicant being struck from the job’s shortlist. Scared yet? Now ask yourself this, would you be ok with your Facebook or MySpace page being attached to your resume? If the answer is no, then perhaps you should do a little digital cleanup. Hiring managers use the Internet to "get a more well-rounded view of job candidates in terms of their skills, accomplishments and overall fit within the company." And if you think you’re safe because you aren’t applying for a new job, think again. Bosses of those currently employed have been known to check out their employee’s social networking sites too! Of course nobody will admit to it, but it’s pretty safe to say that some promotions and raises have been affected by the content found on an employee’s social networking profile.

So what should social network users looking to get on and climb up the career ladder avoid posting to their profiles? Hiring managers suggest a profile history recounting a life of drinking and drugs was a major concern in terms of evaluation. Also frowned upon is the posting of inappropriate imagery and/or personal information. Areas of concern include derogatory remarks of race, gender and religion. As well as lying about professional achievements, qualifications and the use of poor communication skills. In short, content on your social networking profile can have disastrous results in terms of your career. I’m not even going to mention how disastrous it can be to your social life in terms of potential date screening. Call me crazy, but seeing a girl hanging all over her ex-boyfriend leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Remember, the Internet is really really good at one thing – keeping information and making it accessible to the world. It’s more than happy to store whatever your little heart desires, as long as it’s uploaded at least once. That’s all it takes. One click, one time publishing. And from there it can multiple and spread like an infectious disease! You can try to cure it, eliminate it by deleting it. However, that doesn’t always work. The only true sure fire way to prevent it is to vaccinate yourself from it – never start posting naughty material of yourself to begin with. I know, I know. It’s hard not to show the world the photo gallery from last weekend’s gangbang party, but try not to. Try really, really hard not to because your career (AKA, your livelihood) most likely depends on it.

Before you are tempted to show off your ass, here are 3 tips to help you cleanup and protect your ass...

1. Be careful!
Nothing is private. Don't post anything on your site or your "friends" sites you wouldn't want a prospective employer to see. Derogatory comments, revealing or risqué photos, foul language and lewd jokes all will be viewed as a reflection of your character.

2. Be discreet!
If your network offers the option, consider setting your profile to "private," so that it is viewable only by friends of your choosing. And since you can't control what other people say on your site, you may want to use the "block comments" or "approve all comments first" feature. Remember, everything on the Internet is archived, and there is no eraser!

3. Be prepared!
Check your profile regularly to see what comments have been posted. Use a search engine to look for online records of yourself to see what is out there about you. If you find information you feel could be detrimental to your candidacy or career, see about getting it removed. And last, but not least, make sure you have an answer ready to counter or explain "digital dirt." (gulp)

Friend Request Or A Fuck Request?

I have a MySpace account. I know, I know. Giggle, point, snicker. I get it, ok. I’m a dork. I know all the "cool kids" moved to Facebook, but honestly, I was never really into the whole social networking scene. I never got hooked on Friendster. I don’t have a Twitter account. And I doubt I’ll ever pack up and move to Facebook, but I do have a MySpace. Ever since my friends nagged and peer pressured me into signing up on MySpace, I’ve received a slew of very disturbing people contacting me. Not long ago I had a gay dude trying to lure me into "hanging out" with him, which in my mind screamed DATE...or more to the point, f-me! Now I have nothing against gay guys, but I don’t want to date, bang or spoon a dude (any dude, gay or straight). I’m sorry if that hurts some people’s feelings, but that’s just how it is and no matter how much you sweet talk me, I’m just not being persuaded to try it. And when you tell me you have some candy in your pants, I’m so not being lured into that trick! I fell for it one too many times. Nice try, but no. Seriously, no! And stop feeding me a massive amount of man compliments. It’s making my skin crawl and the only way I can comfort myself is scrubbing my body down with a wire brush soaked in straight bleach. But still, you make me feel dirty. I don’t want to be your boy toy. So please quit.

These are the only 2 photos I can show. The rest were too graphic.

I could write an entire book filled with all the creepy people I’ve encountered in my lifetime. Some of the stories are quite ridiculous and rather unbelievable. Although they are all true, that’s the scary part. Perhaps I’ll share a few of those stories here on the blog, but that’s for another day and another time. For now, let’s focus on the latest Friend Request I received on MySpace just tonight. I give you Kim and Kelly...

About me:
ME AND KELLY ARE LOOKING FOR GUYS TO GET CHECKED OUT BY ANOTHER COUPLE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHICH ENVOLVES GOING TO ANOTHER COUPLES PLACE WATCH 2 MOVIES OF US IN ACTION FROM OUR SWINGER S CLUBS THAT WE GO TO!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IF YOU LOVE WHAT YOU SEE AND WANT TO HOOK UP WITH US LET THEM THE OTHER COUPLE GET 2 SHOTS OF YOU NAKED NECK DOWN TO PROVE TO US THAT WE ARE GETTING WHAT YOU SENT US AS FAR AS PICS! AND IF YOU ARE THEN WE FUCK YOUR BRAINS OUT IF YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU SENT US CAUSE YOU LIED THEN FORGET IT!

Who I'd like to meet:
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR A GUY TO TAKE TO OUR SWING CLUBS~~~~~~~~~~ AND IF WE TAKE YOU TO OUR KIND OF SWINGERS CLUBS..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ YOU MUST BE DOWN FOR ANYONE THERE ORALLY SUCKING YOU OFF TO COMPLETION! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ YOU DONT HAVE TO GIVE BACK, BUT MUST BE DOWN FOR GETTING SUCKED OFF! THAT S THE DEAL SEXY!

Do I seem like the type of guy who would want a bunch of horny hotties fighting over who goes down on me first? What man would want that? That’s just disgusting! I’m offended she would even offer. There is probably girl-on-girl kissing involved in these parties too. It just turns my stomach. Lesbians who want to fuck my brains out? The more I think about this, the more disgusted I get. I’m totally sending my naked neck down pics right now! I’m kidding, obviously.

Hmm. Maybe I am gay because instead of feeling excited that some unknown slutty bisexual girls want to suck me off, I’ve focused more on her bad grammer, spelling and how she shouts in all caps. And don’t ask me what the squiggly lines are all about. Your guess is as good as mine. Oh...and am I the only one who’s afraid if I actually answered her invite that a bunch of gay dudes would be there in buttless chaps and chains waiting to molest me? I get so scared sometimes. I think I need a hug, not from a dude though.

Related posts of interest...
03/20/07 - I'm Being Propositioned To Do A Porno?
10/2/06 - The Booty Call Surprise

Congrats! You’re The Most Hated Person On The Internet

You know you've struck a nerve with the Internet masses when your saga has been covered breathlessly by media outlets big and small. Google the name "Lori Drew" and a website titled "People You'll See in Hell" comes up as a one of your search results, but that's what happens when you're an adult who helps drive an adolescent girl to suicide. If there is any good news to report here, it’s that Lori Drew has won an award from the folks at RadarOnline.com for being "The Most Hated Person On The Internet!" Out of 10 other nominees, she is the most loathed of all. Congratulations! I would love to hear the acceptance speech. Would she thank the devil instead of God? On a serious note though, if there is anything to celebrate here it’s the fact that Lori Drew is finally going to get what she deserves. A federal indictment has just been announced and hopefully she will be convicted on a slew of charges. All I have to say is...it’s about freaking time! When will people learn that it's ILLEGAL to stalk and harass someone online? The same laws apply ONLINE as OFFLINE. Personally, I think she's a piece of shit and I hope the courts make an example out of her. Justice desperately needs to be served here!

If for some reason you don’t know the Lori Drew/Meghan Meier story, then you must be living under a rock. But for those that are unfamiliar with the story, let me catch you up to speed...

A 13-year-old girl named Meghan Meier hung herself in the upstairs closet of her suburban Missouri home after receiving a bunch of nasty MySpace messages from a boy she had been corresponding with. Except the boy in question, "Josh Evans," wasn't actually a real boy. He was the fictional creation of a woman named Lori Drew, the next door neighbor and the mother of a girl with whom young Meghan Meier had once been friends. Meghan and the friend had a falling out, as adolescent girls often do. Although in this particular case it prompted the girl's Mom to punish Meghan by "friending" her as a 16-year-old hottie named "Josh Evans." The so-called boy, would would later turn on Meghan, harassing her by saying..."The world would be a better place without you."

It seems that Lori Drew planned on toying with Meghan's emotions to teach her some sort of life lesson, failing to realize that 13-year-old girls are fragile creatures who don't take well to that style of teaching. Granted, it later came out that Lori Drew knew Meghan had battled depression, making her cold "This isn't my fault and I had no idea this would happen" defense ring somewhat hollow. To make matters worse, she even enlisted the help of another young girl to make the ruse more plausible.

Interestingly enough, the St. Charles Journal, the paper that originally broke the story, didn't mention Lori Drew by name, but a bunch of pissed-off bloggers eventually outed her. It took nearly 2 years for Lori Drew to be charged with a crime, but prosecutors finally have her just where they want her - in the hot seat. Under the current state laws, the maximum possible penalty that Lori Drew can receive is 20 years in prison. In the interim, congratulations, Lori! You are officially the most despised person in the whole wide web! Tell us, how does it feel? Did you ever think your psychotic ways and your incredibly cruel and heartless soul would win you this award?

So what do you think? A well deserved award? Or would you have liked to see someone else win it?

I Lost My Mind When I Caught The Flu

Start the violin playing because I'm about to tell a tale of whoa here with. (FYI, that is an actual saying my Grandmother uses and I have no idea where she gets this stuff. The 1930s vault?) I'm sick. Fighting the flu...and in July! Who gets sick when it's 90 degrees out? Apparently me. The flu does strange things to your body...and your mind. Catching the flu is never fun, but having the flu in mid-summer, well that just really sucks ass. The worst part is that when your body shuts down, your mind seems to get a mind of it's own. It no longer belongs to you. It belongs to the flu. Those nasty little germs that come to party in your body. Think back to "The Cosby Show", circa 1980something, the episode where Rudy caught the flu and Cliff did a little jig to demonstrate the germs partying in her body. Know what I'm talking about? No? Ok, then ignore my ramble. Remember I'm sick, so if I'm not making any sense, I have a good reason. It's called being on drugs. Lots and lots of drugs.

The flu battle began back on Wednesday where I cut my workday a little short because I felt like a Mac truck had just ran me over. Thursday I toughed it out like a champ. Meeting after meeting after meeting. I didn't have time to be sick. The words "Have Flu" were not listed on my day's agenda. Friday morning, I got up and was paying the price for being a brave little solider the prior day. Standing in the shower contemplating whether or not I had already put shampoo on my head 3 minutes earlier, I realized I wasn't in the best state of mind. I had no clue what I was doing and the day hadn't even begun! I got out of the shower, looked in the mirror and said f*ck it. Then crawled back into bed where I stayed for 6 more hours, until sleeping beauty rose at a bright eyed and bushy tailed noon! I don't think I've ever slept that much in my life. Total, I had around 13 hours of sleep! It made-up for the lack of sleep I suffered for the past several months. Strung out on flu meds, I did get a little work done from home. I also did something I swore I would never do. Something worthy of being ridiculed for. I hope you are sitting down when I say this...I joined MySpace. I know, I know - cringe, giggle, let the mockery begin.

I was getting stir-crazy. I'm not good at being sick. I can't sit still long enough to get better. So I attempted to entertain myself. I tried finishing the Internet and I almost succeeded until my Mom called. She wanted to chit-chat. Lucky me. If you know my Mom, you know what this is like. She talked and she talked and talked. And just when I thought she was all talked out, she talked some more. On and on and on. My mind had clocked out long ago, but I think she was going on 45 minutes or more chit-chatting to me about absolutely nothing. I sometimes screen my Mom's calls. I know that is really mean. I love the woman dearly, but I just can't talk to her on the phone about nothing for that long. At one point, I actually layed the phone down beside my head on the couch and started channel surfing. The show "Cheaters" was on. If you never saw it, congratulate yourself for having a life. However, when you are home sick, that is about the only thing on TV. So I watched 2 gay dudes fight over a 3rd dude, complete with a bitch slap! I think the show is suppose to be a realty drama show, but to me it was pure comedy.

I'm dragging this post out, much like my Mom's phone conversations. So let me wrap-up with a recap of the flu bug highlights. Eww, ahh.

• Created a MySpace account. You can view it at www.myspace.com/diamondkt Just 1 hour after creating it, I regretted the decision. I've never joined any of those social networking sites like Frienster, nor have I ever signed up for any online dating sites and for good reason. Just an hour after creating the MySpace account, I started getting bizarre messages from people. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only normal person alive on planet Earth. I have a feeling I won't be keeping that MySpace account for very long. Weird people scare me, but I just had to see why it is rated the #1 most visited site on the net today.
• Despite not feeling well, I was determined not to let the flu ruin my weekend. So I dragged my ass out where my friends were doing shots of God only knows what, while I was stuck doing capfuls of Robitussin. Hey, a shot is a shot.
• Took my waverunner to the lake this weekend and came to an amazing discovery. Your back can get pretty fried riding hunched over in 90 degree direct sun, shining down and reflecting up on you from the water.
• Weekend finished off with a surprise visit from my niece. She buttered me up with the usual hugs and kisses. Then she layed it on thick by telling me she likes my car. Finally, she went in for the kill and raided my kitchen. Did you know 2-year-olds like beer? I learn something new everyday.

The Real MySpace Disgrace Is Not Seeing The Forest From The Trees

Perhaps the word "disgrace" doesn't suit the recent MySpace.com related crimes that are taking place. As you know, disgrace means loss of honor, respect or reputation. To shame. The condition of being strongly and generally disapproved. One that brings disfavor or discredit. Ok, maybe the word does fit, but I have a hard time believing that MySpace ever carried some high distinguishing marks in the reputation department. For the most part, it's a place where teenagers strive to get themselves an easy ticket into the in-crowd...virtual style. Personally, I've never jumped on the MySpace bandwagon, nor do I ever plan on hoping aboard anytime soon, or ever. To me it's just...well...cheesy and queer. Ok to use those terms? In my opinion, I think those words do fit!

I'm not trying to offend anyone who uses MySpace. I say to each their own. I am however a little offended over the ignorance displayed by the media. Their lack of understanding "the big picture". The tarnished images surrounding all these MySpace related crimes that have been in the news of late. There is a saying "you can't see the forest from the trees" and in this case, it's true. Everyone is so concerned over the minuet details that they are missing the meat and potatoes of the problem. Am I the only person alive that believes a person should be held accountable for their actions and that soul blame should not be pushed off onto some website, video game, music CD, movie, ect? You know the old routine. A kid commits suicide, Ozzy Osbourne song lyrics are to blame. A kid shoots up his school, the video game Doom is to blame. A dumb kid lays in the middle of the road and gets run over, a scene from a movie is to blame. Now when a kid goes off with a stranger and bad things happen, a website is to blame. Whatever happened to blaming the kid or better yet push some of that blame on the parents? How about a little role modeling, some education, some boundaries, that every action has a reaction? How about using better judgment to keep your butt out of trouble. Nobody ever seems to think of that because it's far easier to point the finger elsewhere.

This time all the fingers are pointing to MySpace. I say stop blaming MySpace for a second and let's look at the facts. Let's be rational. Think it thru a little first before you cast judgment. Sure MySpace was "linked" somewhat in these crimes. Example: It's true that a boy met a girl on MySpace and then later killed her parents because they didn't want him to be with her. So in that sense, MySpace provided the initial meeting grounds. Perhaps without MySpace, these 2 would of never of met and a set of parents would be alive today. Then again, who isn't to say that the young lovers wouldn't of met in a more conventional way and it may of lead to the same double murder outcome. I could list all the MySpace related crimes and play the other side of the fence showing you how MySpace isn't to blame, but I think you get the point. MySpace is taking all this heat because it's the hottest site on the web for teens with more than 60 million members. It's causing a stir, both online and off. People love a stir, especially the media. They love to get the public up in arms over anything.

Just 10 years ago, the exact same scenario was being played out with AOL. Everyone was blaming AOL chat rooms saying it was a breeding ground for pedophiles. Maybe that was true and sure it did make it easy for a perv to reach out and talk with a kid, but guess what? Those "bad guys" existed before AOL. They exist in other venues, online and off. The point is, bad people don't just live on MySpace. They are everywhere. Bad things just don't happen on MySpace. They happen everywhere. It's time for people to wakeup and look at the big picture. Stop blaming MySpace for everything. This isn't a MySpace issue. It's not even an Internet issue. It's a real world issue. MySpace is no more dangerous than the real world. If you disagree with that statement, then perhaps you need to unplug your computer and get out into the real world and have yourself a little looky-see around.