Blog Scraping
For the uninitiated:
Blog scraping is the process of scanning through a large number of blogs, usually daily, searching for and copying content. This process is conducted through automated software. The software and the individuals who run the software are sometimes referred to as blog scrapers.
Scraping is copying a blog that is not owned by the individual initiating the scraping process. If the material is copyrighted it is considered copyright infringement, unless there is a license relaxing the copyright. The scraped content is often used on spam blogs or splogs.
A Lack of Civility
Ever since I discovered Craigslist a few years back I’ve found it to be a great resource to buy and sell things, as well as, procure services from handymen, cleaning ladies and more. The ease of searching for what you want, the anonymity that comes inherently with posting things and the localized focus allows me to deal with people local to me rather than across the country.
What’s Wrong With This?
So let me get this straight. Paris Hilton has gained fame and fans (really pathetic) by doing absolutely nothing but being born into the Hilton family.
She’s spending just over a month in jail for violating her probation for DUI and people can’t stop talking about how she is doing in there? Jeez, maybe the time in jail might actually be good for her and the rest of the world!
But what is absolutely confounding to me is that NBC is offering her $1 million USD for a post-jail interview. Yeah, like she really needs that $1 million and what kind of message is this sending to the public? Become famous, break the law, go to jail for it and become even richer when you get out?
Just pathetic!
Update: NBC Denies Rumor
Turns out that NBC is now denying the “rumor” of the $1 million for the Paris Hilton interview.
Now was this always a rumor or did some buffoon actually make the offer and now the network is rescinding the whole thing based on what people must be saying on the ‘Net??
Cheers
Unfit Parents
Every year there is at least a story about some forgetful parent that’s left their child locked in a car while the temperature inside and outside the car soars. We’ve already had two such cases this year with one turning tragic.
As a new father of a very young baby, there is not a thing that I wouldn’t do to ensure her safety. No amount of stress from work or any other source would cause me to neglect her needs even for a moment.
The word “unfit” might be broad, but then it’s all about perspective isn’t it? Becoming a parent is a choice and with it comes added responsibilities. If you are incapable or unwilling to deal with any of this, then please don’t have children.
Then there are these psychopaths that handle stress of their lives by taking it out on their young helpless babies. These kinds of stories absolutely rile me up.
Nothing in life can be bad enough to make a parent willfully cause harm to a baby. I agree that this father is ’scum’ and should rot in jail. No sympathies here!
Cheers
A Lack of Service
Any homeowner lacking the handyman gene can attest to needing to call various people into their homes to render them some service. Early last year when we decided to finish our basement we began the process of having many people through the space giving us estimates.
It is here that the lack of service in a service-oriented industry revealed it’s ugly head. You would imagine that if your job was in the service industry, then the gauge of your work was not only how well you performed it but also how well you treated your customers.
Fraudulent Charges
I’m the kind of person that would rather charge my purchases on plastic and deal with the bills at the end of the month than carry around a large wad of cash. I’m also the kind of person that pays my bill in it’s entirety each month.
Imagine my surprise when my beloved Discover card denied my purchase today. I immediately called them to find out what happened and was informed of some charges that, in the hustle of bustle of the mall’s throng, seemed OK. So I had them reactivate my card, but the charges that gentleman from Discover was speaking of seemed a little odd.
Ridiculous Airport Security
I’m out of town at my company’s head office for the beginning of the this week and I got to experience our wonderful airport security after a very long hiatus. I’m here to report that everything is as annoying and messed up as ever.
Apart from having to remove my laptop from it’s carrying case, remove my shoes and unload every little thing from my pockets, the wonderful folks of the TSA decided that they’d take an extra close look at the toiletries that I was carrying.
The end result? I know have no toothpaste, hair gel, hand lotion. Why? Because I had more than quarter of the tube. These were essentially brand new tubes/bottles.
I’m not necessarily mad that they took these things away, but the fact that after taking 10 steps into the Terminal E, I could freely walk into the duty free shop and buy gallons upon gallons of alcohol to do all sorts of nasty things. Who thinks up these stupid rules anyway??
Cheers
