Saturday Revisited

[expletive]Please excuse the complete and utter technological failure which is bringing you the Saturday Evening Post on the completely wrong day of the week. Normally, posts which are scheduled to go live do so without any overt intervention. This one is just special. It decided to stay in the scheduler and go stinking nowhere.

This has been a hectic and enlightening week. We traveled from A to G without much turbulence. I learned a few things from and about you. Some of you got through this week with a few laughs (with the help of Wile E. Coyote). A few people rediscovered M3, while a few found it for the first time. Grab a cuppa and settle into a rocker. The fire is stoked.

Speed Bumps

This week M3 tested the limits of software. One post (now two) was delivered far behind schedule. On Tuesday (now last Tuesday), Around The Block, the wind up of the time management series, decided it was not ready to hit the spotlight. How ironic?

Fortunately, instead of being far removed from the screen, I was able to get it to out before the time I believed the Once Daily Digest was set to appear in subscribers’ inboxes.

In another nauseating turn of events, said digest was missing in action, and had been missing since Saturday last. Barring another catastrophe (read upgrade), the digests should be delivered on time. We shall see. I have a horrid feeling I know what the malfunction truly was, but can neither confirm nor deny until a little more data are in to examine.

Almost Wins

The “Gimme Mine” Button

M3 broke a WP previous record for most follows in one day. Unfortunately, the only way those people will be able to follow is on the Blogs I Follow screen which is now named something entirely different. Which, in the most Red fashion, leads to a question: How many of you read M3 through that screen? Since I cannot see my own posts there, I have no idea if they even come up in the stream.

Have you noticed the little red people counter in the right side bar? It is on the way out. Judging from the consensus of all the stats counters, it is only marginally accurate. Google and WordPress say M3 got between 7,000 and 7,500 hits in the last month. One of the more popular plugins, which touts excellent accuracy from users, claims 19,500. My offsite counter claims just over 8,000.

So, why is it the popular, guaranteed accurate one says more than…

60,000?

Yes, I am looking for something else.

6 months

M3 has reached a terrific milestone on the way to being someplace where you can say I remember when M3 was just a baby blog… M3’s Alexa rating has jumped 1,000,000 points in the last month and finally been ranked for the United States. It is a lowly 650,000 website for the time being. Want to help with that?

M3 loves being on blog rolls, Looney Bins and Green Rooms around the blogosphere. For those who have already, thank you. For those who have not, could you please update M3’s address on your blog roll? Many, many thanks!

Loquacious

Complete Successes

We have had some fantastic, brain bending, highly intelligent, print-worthy discussions. We have reminisced about the past, pondered the future and questioned the present. YOU are the reason M3 stays around. In only 30 days, we have passed more than 1,400 comments!

This is excellent news. At the halfway point, we are 500 ahead of the curve for the 15,000 comments M3 is shooting for by the end of the year. At the rate we are going, we will be well over 20,000 comments!

No, these wonderful numbers in no way, shape or form include the spam bots. There were nearly 1,000 of those this month. (Idly wonders how long that would feed wombies.)

Right Turn, Clyde!

Right turn, Clyde.

Since this post is being delivered on what is normally Talk Tuesday, we are going to split the difference and expand the topic from the usual Saturday Evening Post question to what is in your brain which is able to be picked.)

If you were here for F is for Framing, you know the example at the end post was a classic psychology exam question. The point of the exercise was to see how you would react to the semantics of the solutions. Of course, it was a trick question.

Shy executing the people, there is no way to determine with finite numbers how many would die. All three plans had the same results. Knowing concretely about the death rate, the choice of B is triggered  by the “chance” to save more.

To all of my politicos in the M3 Readers, you missed your chance at a political free-for-all in the comments. Politicians and their speech writers are masters of framing. Given the negative connotation of the slang term for setting someone up to be a scapegoat, which is another definition of framing, the politically correct term for framing is spin.

Since the spin cycle is over, let’s look at a few other ways framing plays into your life on a daily basis.

  • Advertising
  • News
  • Charities
What was the question?

Always with the questions…

So, what are the burning questions tonight?

  1. Do you think others framing you gives you enough intellectual credit? 
  2. Does the news insult your intelligence?
  3. Are advertisers doing you or the client the better service when they target you for ads?
  4. Is the psychology behind framing sound?


I hope you have had a wonderful weekend. See you in the comments.
Red.

© Red Dwyer 2012
Re-blogging of this or any other post on The M3 Blog is expressly forbidden.
Copyright and Privacy Policy available in The Office. 
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28 Comments

  1. A wicked posting Red and I wonder if you have ever noticed this but sometimes when you leave a commeent on a blog, here there or wherever the http is that of WordPress and not of your new dot com, and I was wondering why that happens? 🙁

    I for one changed your http straight away on my blogroll but whenever I click on one of the older one’s, or indeed those that I have previously mentioned, I am always transported straight here to your dot com Space so perhaps that is just a glitch yet to be ironed out, who knows?

    Yes a bit of useless information I guess but I have been meaning to mention this for a while but seeing as this posting refers to the changing of the http on some of our friends Spaces it seemed the right time to mention it 🙂 Wow I wonder how many typos I have made in this window? 🙁 lol

    Okay I will add this one next and find out…

    Have a lovely rest of evening Red 🙂

    Androgoth XXx

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 10, 2012

      The old ones will still get you here because I have redirected the old address to point in default to the homepage here. However, that redirection does not link our two sites. Only the correct address will. It is why I am so careful with the links in the Alumni Club. I have already changed a few to match those who have ventured off onto their own .coms.

      As to the old ones, the change is not retroactive. All of the comment links generated by Gravatar remain etched in cyber stone. They will only change when you change them via Gravatar. My comments should now all point directly here. If they do not, I shall have to investigate and raise sand at the appropriate entity.

      Oh, and I am the one holding the iron. If it is wrong, it is up to me to fix it 😉 Hoping you are having a wonderful night, dear friend.

      Reply
      • Okay well the next time that I see that happen I will direct you to the comment you made and then you might be able to throw some light on that one 🙂 Yes a fine evening / morning but I am growing weary so will be going soon, grabbing a cuppa and catching some Zzzzzzz’s 🙂

        Hey I only have three more postings to do and hey presto the A to Z is complete 🙂 Yay

        Have lots of fun now Red 😉

        Androgoth XXx

        Reply
        • Red

           /  April 10, 2012

          I am nearing the midway point. I only have two more to complete to be at halfway. I am hoping there is a distinct downhill feel to the last half of the alphabet. Enjoy both your cuppa and your rest. I am headed for the pot myself. Seems I drank the last one dry. 😉

          Reply
  2. Thanks for bringing the weekend so soon! I really like these short weeks!

    The stats from my webhost and Google differ only by a factor of 5 or 10. I really have no idea if either is accurate, but I’d like to believe the higher numbers!
    Binky recently posted..Disadvantaged YouthMy Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 10, 2012

      Calendars, much like stop signs, are merely suggestions. I vote…higher numbers.

      Reply
  3. All that work, I think it is time for some sort of upgrade just to keep your head spinning.

    Now to serious matters. Do I think advertisers do me a service by targeting me? Sure, why not. I hardly ever notice anyway, so maybe it makes them feel better.

    A lot of news isn’t news, so in that sense I would say it is a bit insulting. Journalism is rare these days. So much of newspapers and the like are just wire stories with typos. Then they do these stories about someone’s ant farm collection and it just gets annoying. Come to think of it, my comment insults my intelligence.

    No frame in the world would give me enough intellectual credit. 🙂
    Derek Mansker recently posted..Disappointments are always close, but never as close as God.My Profile

    Reply
  4. The news insults my intelligence…. interesting way to look at it.

    The news itself does not insult my intelligence, but the people reporting the news do insult me by thinking I’m stupid enough to think they are doing me a service by lying or cutting out important words from a 911 tape or… Oh please, don’t get me going now. The news people and the rest of the lamestream blamestream media…

    Anyway… as a point of interest, and in case you were not aware, google reports there are 541 links to mommasmoneymatters dot com. Of course, some of them are your own and from wp. Still, a fine number of links.

    Reply
  5. Note to self: do not include remarks between less than and greater than symbols on M3 as it thinks they are html tags and misinterprets them.

    Reply
  6. It all insults my intelligence lol. Our frames sometimes need changed because they are false or no longer viable. Advertising – UGH! Things are getting so crass any more. If an ad uses that type of stuff or insults my intelligence, they guarantee I will not buy from them, even if I desperately need it. Similar to fb posts that have threats or warnings attached to them. Good grief people, you don’t insult others to get them to share the link. If it’s good enough, people will share. Anyway, I could go on, but I’m tired. Good post. 🙂 Angie
    Angela recently posted..Why You Should Still Carry OnMy Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 11, 2012

      I am with you on the “if you do not share this you will be broke, your dog will be run over and your roof will collapse” posts on SM. I think advertisers start them all 😉

      Reply
  7. Hi Red! 🙂

    Since framing requires certain assumptions, the chances of you being fitted with the right frame is a bit hit or miss.

    According to my medical frame I am insane – yet I did not create the atomic bomb…

    The news is pap served with a long spoon especially in the tabloid press.

    Since I avoid advertisers, I have to admit their attempts at typecasting leaves a lot to be desired as they never seem to advertise stuff I’m interested in buying.

    Sticking people in pigeon holes has been around since God was a boy, so the psychology behind framing of any kind is problematic and dependent on the individual point of view…

    Love and hugs!

    Prenin
    prenin recently posted..Monday – I switch to an old keyboard…My Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 11, 2012

      Framing does require certain assumptions. What I find the biggest disappointment is when I have been given false information to form my frame. Meaning, rather than represent themselves honestly, my audience frames themselves to me as they wish to be seen rather than as they truly are. And I would love a world without advertising. {HUGZ} Red.

      Reply
  8. well. How’s that for deep? Not framed nicely but using circular diversion to appear not nearly as confused as I am. I don’t know why. now back to the subject at hand (that;s the circular part, although I do it better when I don’t try)

    I don;t watch the news anymore ever since I chose ignorance is my bliss as a mantra and life choice.. not to be confused of course with stupid. I just don’t want to know lots of the things they talk about. It hurts me. And yes, it’s pointedly insulting. I used to blindly, in faith believe every single stinkin word they said – it’t a free damn country we have the First Amendment why lie? When I found out about the aliens on the moon I said to hell with it. It’s all perception anyway – ways to control the masses… wow I sound a little paranoid tonight. I’m not. Just whiny. Did I answer any of the questions? If I wake up tomorrow and think it’s Sunday, then what?

    Advertisers benefit the client. It;s their job that;s what they do. They sell their stuff to us who do not benefit from more stuff.. except shoes.. and maybe..donuts.. otherwise do we really need it and it just becomes a liability and the only ones who are benefited are the ones who win. The clients sell their stuff, make money, the advertisers get paid while insulting our intelligence… I am starting to sound like a cranky old shut in.. I need to go shopping. Or open a bar.
    Lizzie Cracked recently posted..Just for Fun, and for the Animals too. Mid-Afternoon Mental MomentMy Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 11, 2012

      Lizzie, there is nothing paranoid about not watching the news. I gave up news about ten years ago. The last time I intentionally turned on news was 11SEP01. I still watched with the sound off. I had zero interest in what the commentary was. It only echoes the opinions of the advertisers who pay them.

      The only advertising I want is a listing of what is on sale where. Other than that, I can try the product for myself if I am interested, or I can poll those I trust to tell me the unmitigated truth about it. Yes, I am willing to buy something three stars if it suits my purpose, and I will pass on something five stars if I do not agree with why it is being given the stars.

      That’s not cranky. It is real. Shall I order the bar stools?

      Reply
  9. Last night the news report said ” Police have discovered a locked car burning in bushland with a body inside. They are treating it as suspicious!

    You know I didn’t see that coming!!!!
    Friggin Loon recently posted..Mr McFeely’s Purple Panda FailMy Profile

    Reply
  10. I’m sorry I haven’t updated my links yet, Red…
    I’ve REALLY been dragging my feet about it.
    It is BEYOND outdated.
    Mostly because I’m lazy like that.
    Soon, though! I can do it! I know I can!
    Right?!

    P.S. 7,000 hits? Wow! That’s awesome! I’m not sure my mind is even capable of recognizing numbers like that!
    🙂
    spilledinkguy recently posted..Better Living Through Reese’s Peanut Butter CupsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 11, 2012

      I am sure my rattling your chain a bit can motivate you. LOL! 7K for me is really low. I have to fight my way back up the search ranks and put up some more graphics to get me found. My yellow star is the number one visited page in this place. What a hoot that is!

      Reply

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