Melbel's Post-A-Thought

Every year the masses make their New Year's Resolutions and I am no different. This year, I've decided that we I longer want system hogging "patches" or glitzy do-dads taking up memory on any of my computers. That's why I've made the decision to no longer use Microsoft Vista and instead use Linux. Yes, yes I know that if you go into the Task Manager, these extra processes can be closed, but upon system restart they come back... like a virus.

I also noticed that when I have my computer on for an extended amount of time, it slows down. When I restart it, it works faster and better. My one Linux machine no longer has this problem since I've made from Windows to Linux. This alone is a good reason why those who run servers, run Linux... so they can have them working (with stability) 24/7. Even Google runs Linux! The machine I already have Linux on is a server. It runs really well and when I actually hosted something with it, there were no problems.

I've made the decision to use Ubuntu, the most popular Debian based Linux distribution. If you've never used Linux, I'd recommend this one as it's considered the most user-friendly. I will also probably be using K Desktop Environment, which is a really handy piece of software which offers some really beautiful desktop designs. It's kind of interesting, if you think about it -- there are some decent looking Windows desktop environments, but users have to pay for them (and they slow down your system.) K Desktop is free of cost and it doesn't bog down your machine. As a matter of fact, Ubuntu is free of cost as well!

I know many Windows users worry that they won't be able to get their programs running on Linux, but there are many programs that Linux users can download which allow them to run on programs written for Windows. WINE, which stands for 'Wine Is Not an Emulator') is one such programs that has gained a lot of popularity over the past few years. Another program known as Crossover Office, is also quite popular and works similarly.

In sort of an homage to the Turnip of Power's post titled, "Remove Dead Links From Your Site," I've decided to run a little clean-up of my own. In my cleanup efforts, I found a site that gave me a list of links I had posted on my blog that may have hurt my site stats.

The Bad Neighborhood Text Link Checker Tool checks all outgoing links on a site to find ones that may be hurting a site's reputation. For example, if I were to link to a spammy website, it would make me look bad to not only Google, but to a handful of other websites and most importantly, to my readers. According to this tool, most of the sites I've linked to are reputable, but there were a few, in particular, that were less than reputable. One of these sites I owed a thanks to so I kept the link to it, but made it a no-follow link. On another one of my blogs, which was a do-follow blog, contained many "bad" links. I've thus made the blog no-follow and I should soon see a positive change in site stats because of this.

So, this brings me to a question for my readers. If you've run your site url through this tool, did you have to make any changes to outgoing links on your blog?

I'm not a fan of the Unicru job application. I'm sure if you're found this post, you're likely an equally frustrated candidate for a job with a company that has made the poor decision of using the Unicru application. There are many companies that I can name off the top of my head that use this application including CVS, Best Buy, Blockbuster, and Kroger (to name a few.)

This, however, is not my sole rant against Unicru. This is just what I believe to be the answers to the test. I cannot guarantee, however, that a job will be attained using these answers or that these are actually the ones that the Unicru test is looking for. If you want to read my other post about why I dislike Unicru, you can check out my post titled The Unicru Application.

SA = Strongly Agree
A = Agree
D = Disagree
SD = Strongly Disagree

You expect to succeed in whatever you do SA
You are good at taking charge of a group A
You keep calm when under stress SA
You are somewhat of a thrill-seeker SD
You like to be alone SD
You are well aware of your inner feelings SA
People are often mean to you SD
You get angry more often than nervous SD
You know when someone is in a bad mood, even if they don’t show it SA

You would like a job that is quiet and predictable SD
You work hard at what you do SA
You keep your promises, no matter what SA
You work better with your hands than your mind A
You don’t work too hard because it doesn’t pay off anyway SD
You love to be with people SA
You love to listen to people talk about themselves SA
You hate to give up if you can’t solve a hard problem SA
You prefer to do things alone SD
When under pressure, you think about all that can go wrong SD
It is easy for you to ignore small problems SD
You feel lively and energetic at parties SA
You are a quiet person SD
You don’t like to be interrupted when you are doing something SD

When someone is rude to you, you get over it quickly SA
You do not always feel hopeful about your future SD
When you need to, you take it easy at work SD
You attract attention to yourself SD
You believe that you would be very successful at a sales job SA
You finish the work you have to do, even when you’re tired or bored SA
You are proud of the work you do at school or on a job SA
You look forward to going to work (or school) SA
You quickly see the solutions to new problems SA
You have no big regrets about your past SA
In school, you were one of the best students SA
It bothers you when something unexpected disrupts your day SD
When someone treats you badly, you ignore it SA
You like people to notice you A

Slow-moving people make you impatient A
You often feel nervous about something SD
You got mostly good grades in high school SA
Many people cannot be trusted D
You rarely act without thinking SA
You have friends, but don’t like them to be too close SD
You could describe yourself as ‘tidy’ SA
In your free time, you go out more than stay home SA
Your stuff is often kind of messy SD
People have a lot of arguments with you SD
You have a lot of different abilities SA
Your moods are steady from day to day SA
You are lively and talkative SA
There are some people you really can’t stand SD
You do not fake being polite SD
You show it when you are in a bad mood SD
When things go wrong, it’s hard to control your temper SD

It bothers you when you have to obey a lot of rules SD
You can argue hard but still keep it friendly SA
You would rather not get involved in other people’s problems D
It is not easy for you to put your ideas in writing SD
When you are annoyed with something, you say so SD
You were absent very few days from high school SA
You’ve had some disappointments that you’ll never get over SD
You follow through on everything that you start SA
You feel nervous when there are demands you can’t meet A
You think a lot about the worries and stresses you have D
People’s feelings are sometimes hurt by what you say SD
You make more sensible choices than careless ones SA
It bothers you a long time when someone is unfair to you SD
You change from feeling happy to sad without any reason SD
You like to try things that are new and different SA
You do some things that upset people SD
When you are done with your work, you look for more to do. SA

You are always learning about new things SA
You are skilled at convincing people SA
You swear when you argue SD
You don’t act polite when you don’t want to SD
When people make mistakes, you correct them SA
You usually like to be by yourself SD
You talk cheerfully to people you meet SA
You do what you want, no matter what others think SD
You tend to follow others more than lead A
Realistically, some of your projects will never be finished SD
People do a lot of things that make you angry SD
You like to take the lead with others SA
You make new friends all the time SA
You sometimes thought seriously about quitting high school SD
Any trouble you have is your own fault SA
When someone criticizes you, you criticize back SD
You like to plan things before you start to do them SA
You shy away from trying new things SD
You are good at leading people D

You worry about saying the wrong things to people A
You like to take frequent breaks when working on something difficult SD
You have plenty of self-confidence SA
You are not interested in your friends’ problems SD
You do not like to meet new people SD
Your friends and family approve of the things you do SA
You bounce back right away from disappointments SA
It’s fun to go out to events with big crowds SA
It is important for you to feel good about your work SA
You feel bad for a long time after you’ve made a mistake SD
You’d rather not compete very much SD
You avoid arguments as much as possible SD
You can easily cheer up and forget a problem SA
You like to talk a lot SA
You do things carefully so you don’t make mistakes SA
You have to give up on some things that you start SD
You don’t believe a lot of what people say SD
You don’t care what people think of you SD
You like to have a lot to do SA

You finish your work no matter what SA
You are careful not to offend people SA
You think a lot about things that have bothered you SD
You could not deal with difficult people all day SD
You don’t care if you offend people SD
You pay close attention to people’s feelings SA
You agree with people more than you argue SA
You work best at a slow but steady speed SD
You think of yourself as being very sensible SA
Right now, you care more about having fun than being serious at school or work SD
You act pleasant even when you feel bad SA
You want to be the best at everything you do SA
You don’t worry about making a good impression SD
You wait to start your work until you are told to SD

You get mad at yourself when you make mistakes SA
You’d rather blend into a crowd than stand out D
You look back and feel bad about things you’ve done SA
In school or on a job, you could be doing better than you are SD
When you go someplace, you are never late SA
You have no big worries SD
You don’t work harder than you have to SD
You take the lead in conversations or discussions SA
It is maddening when the court lets guilty criminals go free SA
Other people’s feelings are their own business D
You always try not to hurt people’s feelings SA
In groups, someone else usually takes the lead D
You are a good reader.SA
You do not like small talk SD
You do all you can do to win SA
You do not like to take orders SD
You have trouble dealing with sudden changes SD

You try to sense what others are thinking and feeling SA
You try to make everything you do perfect SA
You’ve done your share of trouble making SD
You would rather work on a team than by yourself SA
You are hard to get along with when you are in a bad mood SD
You criticize people when they deserve it SD
You have always had good behavior in school or work SA
People who talk all the time are annoying D
You like to be in the middle of a big crowd SA
You have confidence in yourself SA
You give direct criticism when you need to SA
You ignore people you don’t like SD
You don’t care if you offend people SD
You chat with people you don’t know SA
You have a busy, active schedule SA

We all know that Chinese workers, who make the products we use everyday, don't make much money. We know they work in sweatshops, some of them are children, some of them elderly, working overtime, most bring home under a dollar a day. If you make $2 a day, that's considered good money.

Now you may be thinking that if we don't buy those products, those workers won't even have a job at all. Not true. If we stopped trading with China, they would be forced to do something with their economy, instead of their government sitting pretty being paid off by large companies for allowing them to hire China's great workers for so little money. By stopping trade with China, we would be helping China more.

Here's an interesting fact: The Chinese government pegged their currency (the yuan) to the US dollar from 1995 to 2005. What does that mean? The value of different currencies are changing all the time. So one day where you might exchange the US dollar for the Canadian dollar and get $1.32 in Canadian money and the next day you might get $1.29 in Canadian. This is how it normally works, but when it's pegged, you would get $1.32 Canadian with $1 US dollar everyday.
In China's case, they kept their money artificially low so that the US would always be able to trade with them, keeping China from advancing itself. That sounds like dirty work to me. At least now that's been ended. All we have to do is tell China and tell the companies working in China using people for cheap labor, that we want rights for everyone.

To do this we start cutting back on products made in China (and other countries known for having sweatshops.) Focus on products made in the USA or Fair Trade products. Fair Trade promotes the payment of a fair price for goods made in developing countries. Fair Trade is good for those who buy Chinese products thinking they are actually helping the workers when they're actually helping the companies. If you want to help someone and they get honest pay for it, helping them and their communities advance, consider items with the Fair Trade symbol on them.

There are many Fair Trade products available, however, if you don't see anything like this in any of the stores where you shop, consider writing the store and asking for Fair Trade products to be made available. You can also find products on their website here. Remember, Fair Trade is a certification given to companies, not a brand, so if you have a favorite brand that isn't Fair Trade certified, consider writing them and asking why.

Instead of buying products made in China, for example, consider buying US made goods. Not only would you be getting a product that you know is safe for your family, but you are helping Americans keep their jobs (and you know they got paid an honest pay.)

I signed up to FreeCreditReport.com to get my credit report. I was aware of this "membership" that I was signing up to and kept it in my head that I was going to cancel during the free trial period which is 7 days. I used my husband's credit card and then viewed the credit report. Within 7 days, I cancelled, like I promised myself. Done, right?
Today, I see on my credit card that I was charged for the membership. I called them up and told them I cancelled in my seven day period. She kept calling me sir for some reason, which is weird because I don't have a masculine voice, I ignored it. Anyway, I explained to her that I don't have the credit card that I signed up with on me, but I have my social security card. She said that wouldn't be a problem. I gave her the number and she pulled up the account and said "it says here: female." I'm like, "yeah, so."
"Well you are male."
"No, I'm female."
"Well you didn't correct me when I called you sir"

What was I supposed to say to that? I just ignored her because I didn't want to be a bitch and correct her. I could give a fuck what she called me. I'm not calling FreeCreditReport.com to correct pronouns, I just want to see why my service with them wasn't canceled and I why I was charged.

Anyhow, she wouldn't let me cancel the service even though I could provide a maiden name, address and all that based on the fact that my voice sounded male to her. Apparently I sounded like a scammer with my "male" voice trying to cancel a service. I got pissed and hung up on her.

Right after hanging up, I decided to go on a hunt for the credit card and found it on my dresser.

-----

I called back and it was the same woman. I told her right off is a shitty voice, "Look, I'm female, I have my husband's credit card, and my social security number, a maiden name, and an address"

I gave her the information and she said that I never called and cancelled and that I was rightfully charged. I said, "Well what do I do? Cancel payment with my credit card company?"

"No, you can't do that because we don't have a record of you calling and cancelling."

"Ok, then I would like to speak with a manager."

"Just a moment."

---The line goes blank for a bit, crackles, and the same woman gets back on the line---

Okay, we are going to remit your payment and cancel your account. Is there anything else I can help you with.

"Nope, that's it. Thank you."

------

In the end you have to get really shitty with companies to get money back that is rightfully yours. If they still refuse, contact your credit card company. AND NEVER USE FREECREDITREPORT.COM. There are ways to get your a free credit report online WITHOUT being scammed.

I often have 99 cent auctions on eBay. Sometimes I sell ebooks, sometimes my SEO services. Anyway, I just went through a successful auction cycle and had some really happy buyers. Well, today I log on to buy something I had saved in my My Ebay that I had been wanting for a while and I found that my account was suspended.

Now you're thinking I did something terrible on eBay. How else can a seller get in trouble, right? Well, no, not really! Apparently since what I was selling was so cheap, I was somehow selling feedback and artificially raising my feedback. First off, my feedback is at 100%, so I why would I do that?

So for selling a lot of items at 99 cents, I was somehow breaking eBay's policy. I talked to eBay about it, but they said that yeah, I was selling feedback. My listing said nothing about feedback... I don't even really care about raising already positive feedback.

Instead of getting my account reinstated, I'm closing it. I'm not stopping there. eBay is not losing just my business. Why? Because I'm pushing the buck further. This has given me the strength to not only close my account but do my best to get other people to leave eBay.

If, as a seller, I sell something to customers at a low price and get punished for it, then I urge all of you, buyers and sellers, to rethink your position with eBay.
Plus, fees are way too high, anyway.

If you use blogspot (or blogger) and have a custom domain, you may have noticed that Google probably stopped indexing your sites. If your blog is like mine, any posts you've made starting in August, aren't showing in the search engine results. This caused me to switch from blogspot to my own hosting with Drupal's site design.

Of course, with my luck, I'd already moved to my own hosting when I discovered how to make a quick fix to the code so that the bots will index my blog. Well, I'd already spent the two days designing and making changes and getting free hosting (and I must say the site looks a million times better) so I'm out of luck.

But that doesn't mean that I can't share the good news, right?

So without further ado, if you want the googlebots to index your blog, follow these steps:

Step 1: Go into your "Layout" tab in Blogspot.
Step 2: Locate the code.
Step 3: Somewhere after the code (but before the code) paste the following code:
<meta content='index,follow' name='robots'/>