Oh, Silly Blogger
Google, owner and master of all things Blogspot, has decided in their infinite wisdom to disallow url links from commenters not signed into a Google account (ie, a Blogger account, for those less savvy than I :)). This has set the blogging world aflutter. What’s going on now? Are they going to punish Do Follow blogs? Are they trying to prevent WordPress users from getting backlinks? Do they want more people registered with a Google account? Can they see me sitting in my underwear?
There is much head scratching and blog rearranging happening. The phrase “Googlenoia” has been officially coined (I actually really like that term). If Google wanted to really be on most folks’ minds, it’s… well, actually most people don’t really care, but those of us in “the know” know, well, something is going on. Google’s on a mission and it’s definitely not to make friends in the blogosphere.
Personally, I’ve always hated Blogger’s commenting system. For some reason it’s always difficult for me to get my comment to publish- especially if word verification is enabled. Honestly, I could read the word out, write it down, have someone else write it down, translate it to Swahili, and still not get it right the first time. I still think Blogger misses me and is out-of-control jealous because I moved to WordPress. Sorry, Blogger, but I’m not coming back, baby.
This does suck for folks that use commenting as a way to get traffic back to their own sites. I used to always say the best way to build up a good readership is to get out and mingle. Then people follow your link back and VOILA! This works well for those that hate you as well as for those that love you (People that hate you will read just to see if you mess up so they can blog all about it. Little do they know, huh? Mwahaha!). But that only happens if they can find your site. Usually they do this by clicking on the comment author name. Not anymore, at least if the comment is on a Blogger blog.
Nope. Google doesn’t want you to find Jane Doe’s blog via her comment link. They want you to have to do a search for her in their engine. Isn’t it obvious? Imagine if I were to comment on your Blogger blog and just left the name “Lizzie”. Of course you can’t find me through my link so you either pretend I don’t exist or you “google” me. Imagine a search for “Lizzie“. Hot damn, but you have to go through a lot results to find me. That means a lot of ads are served up for your perusal. And that means… Ok, there aren’t a lot of ads on page results for “Lizzie”, but that’s not the point. The point is you’re searching for me. And that’s all that matters.
Or maybe Google, in the guise of Blogger, doesn’t really want you to get any traffic. No one clicks on a name that’s not linked right? So they’re not going to go see your site and then you’re just left in limbo, wishing and worrying and wondering- until you decide to start an Ad Word campaign and BINGO! You’re so set.
There is a silver lining to this catastrophe, though. Now, when you leave a “sternly” worded comment on a Blogger blog and don’t include your URL, the blog author can’t accuse you of being an anonymous coward (as if “Joe Kewl” was actually your real name!). It’s not your fault that Google is trying to rule the world, is it? This is beneficial should you want to tell said author and all of said author’s blog-pals exactly what you think of them. Now they can’t hunt you down, point their silly bloggy fingers at you and laugh uproariously. Nor can they link to site with some nasty word that even a sailor wouldn’t say- can’t link it if they can’t find it, huh? Can’t you see the beauty in that?
Why did Google change Blogger’s comment form? Just like the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop, the world may never know.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Sphere: Related ContentMy Soaps Suck
Yesterday I attempted to get back into my soaps. I’m kind of busy, but I thought I needed a break because- well, just because. Unfortunately, As The World Turns hasn’t moved very far with their story line. Very typical stuff, except for Kit living with Carly. That was a bit odd, but whatever. There was absolutely nothing redeeming about the show yesterday. There was not one thing that made me want to tune back in on Monday.
Then at 3 pm I decided to see what’s happening in Springfield. Guiding Light hasn’t moved very fast either. Well, except for Harley and Gus breaking up and Gus suddenly discovering that Natalia is the love of his life. HUH? And who didn’t see Harley falling for Cyrus? I might as well write the storyline, because I could have predicted most of that. But what the hell is with Cassie and her other “son”. She goes from wanting to have a baby with Josh to “Oh yeah! I forgot! I have that other kid on that island. Duh. We should bring him instead.”
Duh-duh-duh-duh-DUMB.
My Predictions
So, I’ve already predicted there would be a “Who’s the Daddy?” storyline with Meg’s new baby. Didn’t need a crystal ball to figure that one out. Next one up is Lily, Holden, and Dusty. Yes, Lily’s getting kind of old to be frolicking with a man not her husband sans birth control, but this is the soap universe. If a woman gets a good amount of airtime it’s possible for her to get knocked up by her lover. So, Lily and Holden are going to reconcile and just after Lily’s going to find out she’s pregnant. Uh-oh. This works out well for Dusty because he doesn’t have any kids of his own (if he does, I’ve never seen them, OK?).
**NOTE: Who is taking care of Lily’s kids while she’s hanging out in that hotel room anyway?**
Will and Gwen will get their baby and no one will have the heart to tell them that it’s actually Gwen’s niece, whom her brother sold to her mother-in-law. It’ll come out eventually when the baby’s mama wants her back. Gwen and Will lose again (why don’t these people want this couple to have a kid?).
On GL, Beth will find out she’s carrying Alan’s baby and decide she’d rather live in a mansion than with a washed up doctor. Alan will forget his obsession with Natalia, right after he breaks up her and Gus, and gladly take Beth back. Gus and Alan will have it out and Olivia will get caught up in it. Since she was supposed to break up Gus and Natalia, she’ll probably fall for Gus and there ya go. Another fun obsession.
Then there’s the thing with the Coopers and… well, who cares? Harley will get pregnant by Cyrus and then she and Marina will have it out. Oh! That’s thrilling- not. No one will finish Gus and Harley’s house, because there aren’t too many painters in the group. And Cedars will still not be remodeled. *yawn*
Have I lost that lovin’ feeling for my soaps? Or are they just too damned boring right now? I can’t really decide. I’m pretty sure they’re just too damned boring. Lucky for me, though, I have a DVD of “My Little Pony” that I can replay 75 times a day. Nothing says fun t.v. like “Pinkie Pie’s Ladybug Jamboree”.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Sphere: Related Content
