An Open Letter to WKSR.com

To: wksr@igiles.net
Subject: Why won't you list my blog on Swap and Shop?
Cc: ronnie@wksr.com

Dear Sirs,

Your website says, in very plain English:

"Swap & Shop is a free service of wksr.com for individuals who have something to buy, sell, trade, or giveaway."

Well, I'm not charging anyone anything to read my community affairs blog. So it seems to qualify as "something to giveaway."

"To use this service you must agree that the item you are placing on Swap & Shop online is legally yours..."

Check. It's my blog. Mine, mine, mine, mine.

"...and that the phone number or e-mail address you are giving is yours personally."

Check, again. I've always submitted my real phone number and email address...

So, could anyone in a position of responsibility please explain to me why, after three separate attempts, I can't get my blog --

http://gilesfreespeechzone.blogspot.com/

-- listed on WKSR.com's "Swap and Shop?" I cannot see any violations of the rules listed, and I cannot imagine that you have a special set of rules that apply only to me, so I'm going to take a leap of faith, and, for the fourth and hopefully last time, submit a listing under the category "notice." Please either list it this time, or come up with an explanation of how my blog doesn't meet the posted rules.

Thank you very much,

Kendrick McPeters

Notice: The Voting Registration Deadline...

...is July 3, 2006. Register before then, or abandon all hope of voting in the August election. Incidentally, early voting for that election begins on July 14, 2006.

Blogmaster Incompetence

I don't know exactly how I did it -- I was just fooling around at Blogger, and I accidentally clicked my mouse -- but I apparently have deleted an entire thread on this blog. Remember the discussion on people getting "probation on top of probation?" Well, it's gone now, vanished into the digital ether.

All I can say is, I'm sorry, and I'll try not to make the same mistake twice. Please forgive my incompetence!

And speaking of incompetence, I'm struggling to get my Earthlink DSL modem to work with my (non-Earthlink ) wireless networking system. I know, I know, I shoulda bought em both from Earthlink, but I didn't, and so now I'm having big problems. It's kind of a chicken and egg situation -- you can't install the router unless the DSL modem is working, and the DSL modem won't work unless the router is working. Arrgggh.

If any techie types out there can offer help, I'd be delighted to try out your suggestions. Either post your advice here, or email me (mcpeters@usit.net). My router is a Linksys WRT54G; my modem is ZyXEL 660R.

The rest of you -- the non techie types -- can either pray or wish me luck. Thanks.

I dream the impossible dream....

....of getting this blog listed on WKSR's "Swap and Shop." Just a few minutes ago, I posted the following under the category of "notice":

Community Affairs Blog

Find out what your neighbors are saying! Log in to the "Giles Free Speech Zone," and join in the fun. Suggest topics or reply to comments made by others. Your anonymity is guaranteed!

Point your web browser to...

http://gilesfreespeechzone.blogspot.com/

...and see what you've been missing!

I filled in all the appropriate blanks, and, so far as I can tell, my posting is entirely in line with what others are posting under "notice." Incidentally, besides all the lost puppy notices, the class re-union notice and the like, was included the following:

http://www.wksr.com/wksr.php?rfc=src/swapitem.php&id=56509

Follow the link, and you'll find a blatant COMMERCIAL AD for a satellite TV package. This is clearly not something that an "individual" has posted, but a for-profit company. My 100% non-profit blog is definitely more in line with the "spirit" of Swap and Shop, but it still strikes me as a longshot, to actually get listed there.

One thing's for sure. The only reason for NOT listing this blog, would be to try and keep Giles County in the dark about what some of us are saying. Refusing to list GFSZ, would only be an expression of arrogant contempt, by the elites who expect to run things... and usually do.

The automated posting form said to allow 24 hours for the notice to be approved. So I'll wait, with fingers crossed, to see what the powers that be at WKSR decide to do. Anyone want to lay odds? :-)