I’ve got a “tech” style rant here … I’ve been blogging for roughly 5-6 years now. I’ve had a couple different blogs, the most “popular” (for me and my readers I guess) has been Starryskye. That one is my baby, lol. Now, I’ve been doing paid posting through a couple sites on there for a few months now and I’ve learned a lot. One is Google’s idea of “Page Rank” (which a lot if not most advertisers rely on to determine whether they should use said blog to advertise on - is a sham. It isn’t based on hits/visitors (i.e. TRAFFIC) - it’s based on some sort of weird googly algorithm that only Google understands. So, when Google laid the smack down on all bloggers who do paid posts (mostly the company I work under, PayPerPost) we all seriously got hurt. My “PR” 4 (Starryskye) is now a 0. Why? Because Google doesn’t think that paid blogging is a good thing and wants to monopolize the industry (hello - AdSense?).

Another thing I’ve learned is that a lot of bloggers are really, really SNOBBY. They seem to think paid blogging hurts the “blogosphere.” Now, I personally only write about what appeals to me - or what I can share a funny story about. If I personally do not want it on my blog it isn’t getting blogged about. It really pisses me off when other people dictate what they think is good or bad and try and push it on others. Paid blogging IS NOT a bad thing when done correctly. People have been advertising for YEARS why can’t blogs be used? If you don’t like the blog content DON’T READ IT! It’s pretty simple people!

Don’t cut out my pagerank, therefore cutting out the extra money I use to pay my bills. That’s super wrong and nasty. And if you are one of those snobby bloggers you can just take your techno-bullshit and run with it. Trash talking other people is bad blog-karma. Not to mention rude.

I keep seeing this goofy commercial on the television for a cordless glue gun by “Barbara K” … The commercial cracks me up because the woman is so, well, she’s really funny. But, the glue gun looks really COOL! I told him that I want the glue gun for Christmas. So, does someone wanna get it for me? hee hee …

Seriously though. I have a glue gun - and a billion little glue sticks. I hate to use it because the cord is short, so I use an extension cord. But, it gets heavy and I hate to use it. So I never glue.

In the commercial they show the usual crafting and such, but also a dude fixing a birdhouse on the side of his home - with the little bird house still attached to the home! So, he’s up on a ladder gluing - ha! I could use this gun to fix everything! Anyway, I’m totally rambling, but the point is, the glue gun looks really cool. When I eventually get one I will let ya’ll know what I think of it.

I found this neat website while using StumbleUpon. It’s called American Rhetoric: Top 100 Speeches of the 20th Century by Rank. The website has mp3’s of famous speeches from everyone from Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” to Eleanor Roosevelt’s “Adopting the Declaration of Human Rights.”

It’s a really neat website, especially if you have kids in school. Or, if you are just a history buff like me!

Check out the website here.

I have my house listed with a certain real estate property manager (I won’t list the name at this point, I will wait until after I talk with them). When I signed my contract I saw nothing re. banned breeds of dogs. I allow renters with dogs and cats to rent this house. According to my prop. manager the pet deposit is $250 - according to the MLS listing that they’ve posted on my house the pet deposit is $300!

Back to the banned breeds though. On a list of houses for rent by this company, they say the following dog breeds are not allowed to be in the house, including: rottweilers, pit bulls, german shepards, and chows. I want to know how they off saying that these breeds cannot be in the house? The breeds are NOT banned in my county! In fact, I HAVE a Lab-Rott mix! I am a huge animal advocate, might seem silly but that’s where I stand. Needless to say, this doesn’t sit well with me.

They’ve pissed me off a few times now - the “banned breeds” and two different pet deposits are just two issues. More include their downright crappy listings (mine were way better - much more descriptive), my picture of the house is better (theirs is super grainy), and they never return calls (in fact, someone came to the house to view it telling me that the company never called them back. I didn’t let them in because I was home alone with the baby though.) They make me mad, but I’ve already paid them $250 to list my house. I can’t manage it myself since we won’t be living in Jacksonville.

Anyone have any good ideas for GOOD rental property managers?

I don’t know about you, but I am VERY excited that “Sweeny Todd” is 1. now a movie, 2. is starring Johnny Depp and 3. is coming out soon (Christmas!). I am a huge Johnny fan, and a huge Tim Burton fan also!

So, Tim Burton - he’s directing so you know the movie will be dark and gothy, and super awesome. Johnny Depp is playing Sweeny Todd, although one issue I can see having is that he sounds like Jack Sparrow from the “Pirates” trilogy. Guess a person can only have a couple “voices” (I know Mike Myers only has a couple .. I always hear him repeat them). Helena Bonham Carter is in the movie also as well as Alan Rickman, Sasha Baron Cohen and even Anthony Head (gosh, he’s been everywhere lately!)

Synopsis:
Based on the 19th century legend of Sweeney Todd and the hit Broadway musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Sweeney Todd a.k.a Benjamin Barker returns to London after being sent away by Judge Turpin with the help of a sailor, Anthony Hope. He opens a barber shop above Mrs. Lovett’s Meat Pie Shop were she sells “the worst pies in London.” With the help of Mrs. Lovett, Todd tries to rid of all the people who have ever done him wrong and hopes to be reunited with his daughter, Joanna, who is now Judge Turpin’s ward. Written by Anonymous via IMDB.com.

Here is the trailer for the movie, courtesy of YouTube:

This movie looks awesome!

My friends and their 2 kids (3 & 4) and the hubby, our kid (3) and I went to the Applebees near St. Johns Towncenter here in Jacksonville for some dinner. It took around 15 - 20 minutes to even have someone come and take our drink orders! The boys food came first (we ordered it with our drinks along with our food) and they were done quickly. The kids were done eating and we were still waiting on our food to get to us. It took around a 1/2 hour for that to happen.

The place wasn’t full, so there was NO reason for it to take that long. We both ended up giving 5% and 10% to our server. We weren’t pains (seriously, I brought plenty of toys) and we didn’t demand much. Sigh … ahh well. This won’t stop me from eating there, but seriously Applebees, don’t drag your ass. Those of us with kids (young kids) don’t mind the “turn ‘em and burn ‘em” attitude, lol …. Crayons can only go so far.

I only watch “Criminal Minds” and “CSI: New York” when I’m either at my parents house or my parents are at my house. Tonight, I’m at my parents house. I like these types of shows, but they all kinda run into each other now. I liked them when they first began a few years ago, but not so much now I guess. I think out of all of them I like CSI: NY, the original CSI and Criminal Minds the most.

A commercial just went on about smart phones. I think I’m starting to want one … Like iPhones are super sexy. I’m more into them now I guess because I’m more into Texting.

Ammonia leak in Tampa. Apparently, some kid thought there might be money in an exposed pipe and he DRILLED into it releasing ammonia in the air. They had to shut down an entire street (a main highway) and evacuate a ton of people. I hope his parents seriously kick his ASS. What the hell would make someone do that? Derrr!

I think I’m done for the night.

Everyone I heard from LOVED this movie. I saw “Shaun of the Dead” which was made by the same people and I liked it. But “Hot Fuzz” was just - “ha ha okay” really. I laughed at all the wrong parts and didn’t find the ending that insanely funny. Ahh well. I guess my taste in movies is a little different huh? I’m boring. I found the two lead guys funny (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) but I thought they were funny in “Shaun” also. Those two just play well together.

Alright, here’s a synopsis: Top London Cop Nick Angel is doing SO well that the other cops in his precinct want him out. So, they move him to the small picturesque town of Sanford, a town that has been trying to win “Best Small Town in England” for years. Soon, he discovers that townsfolk are being murdered and sets out to find out “Whodunnit” with surprising results.

All in all, it was a funny movie. I guess I just didn’t find it AS funny as some of my friends, and my parents, and my husband.