Paul Edmondson: "It's in Section 6 of the TOS" (but he forgot something)

Today I checked out an amusing HubPages forum thread started by Robin Edmondson. Here's the gist:

HubPages has finally found a way to edit any content on their site (whether or not they have authors' consent).

But it is so much more than that, I'll explain:

Pie Chart illustration by RoseWrites created May 17th, 2015. Based on statistics provided by Marina Lazarevi (3% opt-out rate), Paul Edmondson (edited 20% of traffic), and the low percentage of flagged content being taken off the site (success rates are  0 - 48 percent).

As noted in my explanation of the HubPages business model, there is a huge chunk of content on the site that:

1) Authors have no idea is there, like these folks.

2) Authors do not receive any compensation for (no AdShare, Amazon or eBay revenue) because of these four clauses (deemed "Inactivity") in the HubPages Terms of Use:

a) If there has been no change to your "earned balance" for over six (6) months. [So, if you have $500 sitting in your account for 6 months plus one day, HubPages can keep it. I guess they don't roll it over.]

b) Your account has expired tax information that is greater that six (6) months beyond the date of expiration. [Extremely odd, since HubPages has no reason to collect SSNs].

c) You have uncollected payments or unaccepted payments by the payment company into your account for a period greater than six (6) months. [Again, if you try to collect your money after 6 months, it is NOT rolled over. HubPages keeps it.]

d) You have not responded to attempts to contact you at the primary email address for six (6) months from the date of first attempt to contact you (for which no response has been received).

But what if Paul Edmondson refuses to acknowledge MY attempts to contact him?

3) HubPages has (at best) skewed their data about reader satisfaction. As I detailed in a previous post, a score between 50 and 80 is "good" (not 24 to 29). More importantly, a TQM Journal study by Kai Christensen and Jacob Eskildsen concluded:

"The Net Promoter Score is a very poor predictor of both customer loyalty and customer satisfaction."

4) As janderson99 pointed out, "Will HP provide compensation if traffic falls?" [I'm sure the answer is "no."]

And it's telling that Paul Edmondson replies to janderson99 with this line:

"Our goal is to treat Hubbers with respect . . ." HA. I guess respect doesn't come naturally for Paul Edmondson and his team – so they've made it a goal now (something they'll achieve in the future).

But Paul Edmondson Forgot a Crucial Fact

After people complained (naturally) about "editors" being able to tweak their work (without their consent), Paul Edmondson chimed in with this:

"Hubbers do own their content and can take it down at anytime. It's also important to remember when content is posted on HubPages that it may be modified as part of our service." [Don't forget kids, if you remove content, you forfeit any and all of your earnings too].

Hey Paul, did you forget? You IMPORTED work from Squidoo without obtaining the consent of all authors beforehand. So, in reality, any former content owner from Squidoo that did NOT agree to the transfer of his or her work, who was unaware (or dead) is NOT held to your ridiculous TOS. (Click to enlarge cartoon).

Satirical cartoon of Paul Edmondson as he explains why he didn't need content owners' permission and the similarities between "importing" and "posting." Created May 30th, 2015 by RoseWrites / All rights (and lefts) reserved

I'm looking forward to the day that the Federal Trade Commission puts a stop to this.

Cartoon created by RoseWrites May 13th, 2015 / All rights reserved

Cartoon created by RoseWrites May 13th, 2015 / All rights reserved

Author's note: I wonder if Vic Dillinger and others can find anything libelous in this post? The only opinionated phrase I wrote was "your ridiculous TOS." Everything else is based on fact.

InfoBarrel Author of the Week: InfoBarrel's Mysterious Article Approvers

You've written your guts out and finally you click that big "Submit" button. Sure, you try to keep occupied – you feed the cat, clean up your work area, and get a bite to eat. But in the back of your mind, all you wanna know: did my article make the cut?

Photo by Christos Loufopoulos (ophilos on flickr) CC-by-2.0

After a few hours, you check the forum and it looks like there is a delay on approvals. People say, "Just keep writing, work on your next article."

But you and I both know you're only going to do a half-ass job on the next one until you know (for sure) that your stuff is good.

"All the Rage" by David Goehring on flickr (CC-by-2.0)

Finally, that email arrives.

You're almost too afraid to look; you consider asking your partner to read it to you. Oh, but then you tell yourself, 'Grow up and take it like a woman (man)!'

Denied.

At first you feel enraged. 'But my hubby, girlfriend, mother thought it was great!' [Of course they do, they love you.]

Tsk, the article approver must be insane.

After about 20 minutes (or a few hours, depending on the length of grudge you tend to hold), you dig down deep. You re-read that denial message over and over. You still hate that approver's guts for a minute.

And finally, once you are all alone, you silently acknowledge:

"Okaaay, it could use some work, I guess. Geez they're picky."

Photo by Meg Wills (whatmegsaid on flickr) CC-by-2.0

That is growth my friend. If you can get to the final stage – acceptance – you'll make it.

However, few do.

To help you along your writing career path which (obviously, if you are reading this) will be highly successful, I tried to break those article approvers, to find out their secrets, to crack their code.

Damn it, what exactly do those people want from us anyways?!

Admin avatar on InfoBarrel (aka Serious Cat or SRS cat)

I told Serious Cat all about this and he finally agreed to let me pick the brains of your worst enemy (or your best friend – depending on your stage of growth): the InfoBarrel article approvers.

Full Disclosure:

Just so you know, I feel your pain. I too was denied, not once, but numerous times. But I persisted. I was afflicted with hyphen-itis at one point. Another time, I was denied for "calls to action."

Bad english? Yeah, I got that denial message too (and I've lived in Canada all my life and even won some awards for writing).

Today, I'm a new woman. I write less crapily, no less crappy. Okaaay, more better now.

Without Further Ado

I present to you my interview with Serious Cat (aka SRS Cat, admin, Ryan) and the mysterious article approvers on InfoBarrel.

Q: Why do articles take so long to be approved?

Approver #1: Article approvers are writers like yourself. They have their own websites, blogs and articles to edit and keep up to date. We also have lives outside of IB and we are not on the site 24/7. There are only a few of us, and if one or two gets busy with real life, that leaves a lot of work for a handful of people. There are also hundreds of articles that come through the queue, not just yours.

Also (in my case) if I see an article that I have denied six or seven times, I just cannot look at it anymore – especially if the corrections have not been done. I will leave it for another approver to look at.

Approver #2: The approvers have been in the article-writing business for a long time. We have hundreds or thousands of articles to maintain. If an affiliate site changes their linking scheme, or a site closes down and approvers have to move their articles, that reduces the amount of time they have to approve articles.

Also, remember, that when a content site closes down, hundreds or thousands of writers move all of their articles, often to IB. So the queue gets backed up, and even should each approver read a hundred articles per day, not all articles will be accepted, and so some will be resubmitted many times until they are approved.

Q: What does it mean when a denial letter states: "Where are your sources?"

Approver #1: Unless you are a well-known expert, where did you get the information from? This especially applies to articles that have medical advice or are historical in nature. Even people who write New York Times bestselling biographies have sources!

Approver #3: You will not build much of a genuine following if you do not provide proof of your statements, claims, theories, or findings. Otherwise, your article is based merely on opinion or personal experience (and you will probably receive a denial stating your article is blog content).

What stands out about InfoBarrel is the fact that they've already made it incredibly easy to cite your sources with footnotes (just use the references tab). If you are unsure how to proceed, read classicalgeek's Newbie Guide.

Q: I don't understand why my article is "low quality"?

Approver #1: Low quality can be different things. If you are writing about something that is all over the internet and are not adding anything new (like, "10 uses for baking soda" or "how to pack a picnic basket"), it is low quality. Word count is also low quality, especially if a topic is very broad. Brevity can be a good thing, but not always.

Approver #3: You definitely need to bring "something new to the table" if you are going to tackle something widely covered already (or if you even hope to rank well on Google). Whatever you do, be sure to include the most recent credible sources (from the Mayo Clinic or the CDC) not someone anonymous named Healthy-Nutz-Advice.

Q: My intro is awkward and I was told I ask "too many questions" of the reader. What are some examples of acceptable intros?

Approver #1: If you repeat the same word over and over, even in variations, it is awkward. You don't speak like that. If your sentences are short and choppy and stilted, it sounds robotic. (Think the old "Dick and Jane" books.)

Approver #3: If you read the New York Times or even InfoBarrel's Top 100, none of the intros sound like an infomercial, high school essay, or lecture. Sentences that we don't want to see include: 

"Today we are going to ... "

"You and I are going to start by ... so let's look at how we can ...." 

Equally unacceptable is a series of questions at the beginning like: 

"Do you suffer from ...? Have chronic ....? Need more ...? Then you've come to the right place."

Approver #1: Here are examples of bad openings:

"In this article I am going to tell you about ..."

"I am going to tell you about the history of the blue widgets. Blue widgets have been very important throughout time, and life before blue widgets was very difficult for people. Now I will tell you about the history of the blue widget."

"I love pizza! Pizza is great! There are so many ways to make pizza!"

Approver #3: That reminds me, too many exclamation marks, questions marks, or ellipses is a no-no. Use an exclamation mark when someone is screaming (if possible), otherwise it's annoying and pushy (so are all caps).

Q: What mistakes get under your skin?

Approver #1: Bad punctuation and spelling that goes uncorrected and is resubmitted. Like I did not notice! The other approvers can see why it was denied the first time (and the second and the third), so you cannot put anything over on us.

Also, dupe/spun content. We have ways of finding this out.

Those who sneak in links after having their article approved ticks me off as well. Then I look extra hard at any other work that is submitted.

Approver #2: Oh, I have so many pet peeves, I hardly know where to start. Homonym errors, such as too and to, or loose and lose, the placement of adverbs (I could write an entire book on exactly where to place the word "only" or "just" in a sentence), and omission of hyphens are the worst offenders. And the confusion of words such as "less" and "fewer" sets my teeth on edge, as do misspellings such as "alright" (there is no "alwrong," is there?).

Another thing that annoys me is resubmitting articles without changes in the hopes that some other approver will pass it. We're really not that easy to trick, so don't insult our intelligence. And finally, people who try to sneak around the rules. We notice.

Approver #3: It gets under my skin when someone writes a biased piece and then tries to find some phony references to support their claims. Sometimes footnotes are added to the end of sections and not where they should be placed. A footnote should be added to any sentence like this:

"Studies show that chronic inflammation of the blue widget can lead to ..." 

And if someone writes: 

"Numerous studies prove that ...." then add more than one footnote. You can add as many as needed. The references tab is extremely easy to use on InfoBarrel.

Q: Why do I need to credit my photos? And why do they have to be "free for commercial use"? Can't I just download what I want from the internet?

Approver #1: A photo does not belong to you the same way another person's writing does not belong to you. The only way approvers know that it is a free to use image is to credit it as such by using the site name or your name/username. I would be just as annoyed if someone took an image as I would if they stole my content.

Approver #3:  For certain sites (like Pixabay) you need only put "Photo from Pixabay" (since it is a site that provides free images for commercial use). From flickr (and even Wikipedia) you need to be more careful and read the licenses. 

In general, anything that states it is dedicated to the Public Domain or under Creative Commons 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 licenses" are free for commercial use. (InfoBarrel is a commercial site). Wherever possible, credit the author (photographer) of the work too. For example: "Credit: Serious Cat on InfoBarrel (CC-by-2.0)." Also, credit yourself if the image is yours.

Q: My article is "unfinished." What? I put a period at the end of the last sentence!

Approver #2: Just like in school, you should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. If you article lacks a conclusion, it sounds unfinished. Remember the old adage: "Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them."

Q: Where should Amazon products be placed (ideally) in an article? In InfoBarrel's forum, someone mentioned being denied for having an Amazon product "too high up" on his page.

Ryan (admin): There is no hard and fast rule but I prefer to feature them within the content where they are most contextually relevant.

They aren't going to be beneficial to the reader at the top of an article because there is no context. If you want a reader to buy something from you, you need to give before you take.

Stacking them at the bottom of an article is very visually unappealing as well.

Q: Another person mentioned that when she "cut and pasted her text, it has been rejected because the type is too small." What is the work around for that (I'm pretty sure the font is Georgia on IB)?

Ryan (admin): If you are copying and pasting from Word, sometimes the markup gets carried over through the clipboard. There is a paste from Word option in the editor that removes all Word formatting so you can format it natively in our editor.

Q: Another person mentioned being "denied one time for too many backlinks." Can you shed some light on this? And (I'd imagine) the new IB 4.0 will have some different parameters and allowances for linking (based on your July 2015 blog post).

Ryan (admin): There are many reasons this could happen. The linking rules will change on IB 4.0. There is a lot to cover, just expect to not be limited by links, however we will simultaneously be continuing our policing of writers trying to abuse IB for link building.

Q: In the forum, some people have complained: "I've been denied for an article that was previously published on InfoBarrel. What on earth has changed? It seems harder and harder to get stuff published on IB lately."

Ryan (admin): If you are editing an older article that was below our current standards, editors may deny it. Improving it will help benefit everybody, so do it :)

In Closing:

I want to thank the article approvers from the bottom of my heart for allowing me ask them the eleven most confounding questions mentioned in InfoBarrel's forum.

I also want to thank Ryan (admin) for dispensing the questions and answering some of them himself.

As for Serious Cat, well, my cat editor (Kady) has a crush on him and is offering to send him some home-grown catnip.

Drop by next week for InfoBarrel Author of the Week and InfoBarrel Newbie of the Month.

Kicking Horse Coffee Sent Me a Freebie

Since the launch of InfoBarrel Author of the Week and InfoBarrel Newbie of the Month, I've been looking for a corporate sponsor.

Aug. 4th, 2015 Kicking Horse Coffee Arrives (Free Coffee)

I want to be able to provide my guests with a thoughtful keepsake or something that will boost their creative powers. The first thing that came to mind was my favourite coffee: Kicking Horse.

I've been hooked on 454 Horse Power (Dark) for about a year now. Even when my coffee goes cold, 454 tastes pleasant.

How I Learned About Kicking Horse Coffee

Roy MacGregor's September 19th, 2014 article in The Globe and Mail titled Small-town success Kicking Horse coffee brews bold move to the U.S., caught my eye.

What I learned (and liked) were these facts:

Credit: Niels de Wit (nielsautos on flickr) CC-by-2.0

Elena Rosenfeld's mother, Carol, always wanted her to become a chiropractor. Instead, Elena and her partner Leo headed west after university. (She got her degree in religious studies; he in anthropology and sociology). 

They bought some land and set themselves up in a rustic cabin with a garage. She had some cool wheels too, a 1972 orange Volkswagen Westfalia.

After working in the food industry (waiting tables and cooking) they took over a small cafe, sold it, and decided to go into the coffee business.

Elena's mother once snapped: 

"What are you two schmucks going to do, sell coffee out of your garage?"

And that was the quote that grabbed me. Elena actually posts the quote on her website and thanks her mother for saying it.

So, they decided to roast and sell fairtrade organic coffee. And it is excellent. Seriously. 

Those of you who follow me know that I will sacrifice anything (even my dignity) to get good coffee. I wrote the guide Foolproof Coffee (which has received 476 visits, so far) and I swear by my Bodum Chambord French Press.

The other thing that you should know is this: Kicking Horse Coffee has won numerous awards and they even won the title of Canada's Favourite Fairtrade Product this year (2015).

Since I'm Bold (and Annoying) Enough to Ask

I wrote to Kicking Horse Coffee to see if they were open to sponsoring my blog. The response I received was kind and generous. Antonella Sacconi, Director of Marketing, thanked me for writing and added:

We love to hear from our Kicking Horse Coffee lovers!

Regarding your query to sponsor your blog, we currently do not have program to do this, therefore we are unable to pursue your request.

We wish you the best on your blog and writing career! Please send us your address so we can fuel you with some coffee.

Have an awesome day!

And They Delivered on Their Promise

My Favourite Coffees: Kicking Horse 454, Kick Ass, and My Bodum French Press

My recommendations (U.S. residents will find it less costly & faster to order from Amazon) are:

Kicking Horse Whole Bean Coffee, Kick Ass Dark Roast, 10 Ounce Bag For dark roast lovers that enjoy a full-bodied, rich coffee. Not bitter or acidic either. 

Kicking Horse Whole Bean Coffee, 454 Horse Power Dark Roast, 2.2 lb. Bag My favourite, for deep thinkers and those with something to prove.

Kicking Horse Whole Bean Coffee, Three Sisters Medium Roast, 12.3 Ounce Tins (2-Pack) My choice for a dessert coffee (when dessert is the coffee). It's slightly sweeter than 454.

There's Fur in My Coffee: What's Hot and What's Not

Yesterday, I published an article on Paw Mane Fin about the tragic loss of Cecil the lion. Since I have sold a few anti-bullying items in my Sousababy Zazzle store over the years, I decided to design three charity products to honour Cecil.

I am donating 50% of any royalties I earn from the sale of my T-shirt, mug, and backpack to Oxford's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU). The photo I used was taken on April 20th, 2014 by Mathias Appel on flickr who generously dedicated it to the public domain.

My Editor is ordering the "Proud of Saving Animals" Backpack by RoseWrites from Zazzle 

All three of my Cecil the lion designs state:

Proud of Saving Animals (Not Killing Them)

In some circles of our society, unfortunately, hunters like Dr. Walter Palmer are proud of "taking" an innocent life. Even his choice of words bothered me. He didn't admit to killing Cecil; he rephrased it to sound less offensive.

He claimed, "I had no idea that the lion I took was . . . "

Took?

No, you meant the lion that you murdered (and in the most ruthless way too): injured by your poorly-aimed crossbow and then shot at close range and finally beheaded and skinned.

Shame on you and those like you.

I want to make it clear that society (as a whole) embraces those who save animals - all animals and especially endangered animals.

Proud of Saving Animals (Not Killing Them) T-Shirt (click to enlarge)

The T-shirt I designed was the Custom Value T-Shirt on Zazzle. It sells for $15.95 and is available for men, women, and children in 139 different styles. Note: other styles cost more.

Proud of Saving Animals (Not Killing Them) Mugs (click to enlarge)

The coffee mug I designed is titled Proud of Saving Animals MUG by RoseWrites. The 11 oz. Classic White Mug design sells for $16.95. And, like the T-shirt, you can further personalize it on the opposite side with your own favourite photo and/or text.

Proud of Saving Animals (Not Killing Them) High Sierra Backpacks (click to enlarge)

And lastly, since parents are doing back-to-school shopping right now, I felt my High Sierra backpack was excellent value for the low price of $36.95. It is available in four colours. I think the black, red, and blue ones are the most attractive. 

My daughter and all of her friends agree that killing animals is wrong.

And I want to add that my daughter was so moved by Cecil's story that she created the following cartoon to help me raise funds for WildCRU too. Click to enlarge each panel:

Created August 2nd, 2015 by Daughter of RoseWrites

Thank you for taking the time to read through my first "There's Fur in My Coffee" blog post.

InfoBarrel Author of the Week: LittleTwoTwo (Lyttle Twotwo)

In honour (and imitation) of Jerry Seinfeld's web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, I decided to interview InfoBarrel author, LittleTwoTwo, in a 57 Chevy Bel Air convertible.

Image of 57 Chevy Bel Air convertible by Christopher Koppes on flickr (CC-by-2.0) | Avatar of LittleTwoTwo, my editor and I added July 22nd, 2015 using Pixlr / All rights reserved (Click to enlarge)

I also brought my editor along. Admittedly, LittleTwoTwo appears to be emerging from the glove compartment (rather than sitting comfortably in the front seat) but you get the idea.

On a personal note: I was deeply moved by something LittleTwoTwo did on October 19th, 2014. Soon after a heated InfoBarrel forum thread, she sent me a private message. I won't post all of it here, but here are a few things she wrote:

"Just wanted to let you know that even though I was quiet during the big discussion (it was truly above my paygrade) I agreed with quite a bit with what you said (and others as well).

It seemed to me that others were taking things personally and thus accused you of attacking. One of them was being incredibly manipulative with her/his words.

Maybe their emotional responses were guilt driven seeing the truth in your words. I dunno, maybe they are just old school buddies that won't see the truth."

She has no idea how much better her note made me feel. Suddenly, I didn't feel so bashed and bruised.

Later that week, I read her Canadian Disasters: Great Miramichi Fire article. 

Wow, I was blown away by her account of this lesser known Canadian disaster. She referenced no less than a dozen sources. (For those who write history pieces on InfoBarrel, take a peek at her bibliography).

And rather than just rewrite history, LittleTwoTwo put those times into perspective for her readers. For example, she wrote: 

"But help would come, right?

It was 1825 and there was no such thing as Red Cross, Salvation Army or any kind of relief assistance."

It was the perfect example of a compelling history piece – and LittleTwoTwo and Vic Dillinger have it nailed. 

Other articles she's written that I found myself completely immersed in include: Chicken Soup Recipes From Around the World, When Canada Forgot About Human Rights, and Euthanizing Your Pet: The Hardest Good-bye. LittleTwoTwo is another writer that (like Amerowolf) can tackle any subject.

Avatars of LittleTwoTwo on InfoBarrel and Lyttle Twotwo on Google Plus (used with permission)

In a forum post on InfoBarrel, LittleTwoTwo mentioned she was from the east coast of Canada. Then, I realized the reason for her cartoon man avatar. She's got something to hide.

And for those of you who thought Newfies weren't bright, well, it turns out that (for five years running): "St. John's (the capital city of Newfoundland and Labrador) showed the greatest improvement" in Canada's Smartest Cities by Nancy Macdonald (Maclean's magazine, 2010).

Then there's the fact that Newfoundland and Labrador have "more dialects than any other place on the planet."

So I checked out her Google Plus profile page and there it was: INTP all the aquarian way. I had my people (mostly the Grade 3 army) crack the true meaning of INTP while I looked up "the aquarian way."

According to Yogi Bhajan from Aquarius Times (Spring 2003), "Aquarian values have no boundaries."

No boundaries? Hmm, society needs boundaries – we call 'em laws, sister! What kind of trouble are you getting involved in? I'd better consult my team of cryptologists. 

Here's what we came up with for INTP, so which one is it LittleTwoTwo:

I'm not telling police; I never talk properly; I notice tall people (which would explain your avatar); I need to pee; or I nailed Tom Petty. (Whoops, think that last one was for Sunday's confession). 

Hey look, Gimme a Break Rooster showed up.

Rooster by Jenny Campbell on flickr (CC-by-2.0)

Without Further Ado

I present to you my interview with InfoBarrel author LittleTwoTwo (aka Lyttle Twotwo). Oh and she not only answered the naughty question; she elaborated on it. 

Writing-related questions:

Q: How did you end up on InfoBarrel and what do you like about it here?

A: I started writing online at HubPages and for some reason or another I was searching their forum (which I normally avoid) and came across a thread about InfoBarrel. The poster was angry and felt that InfoBarrel was a scam since they would not publish his (or her) work. I was curious and did my own research. It did not take me long to see that InfoBarrel was not a scam, but a legit writing platform.

I was already growing unhappy with HubPages and after a few months on InfoBarrel, I found myself starting to dislike Squidoo as well. They just really couldn't compare to InfoBarrel. Or perhaps InfoBarrel was a better fit for me.

Today, InfoBarrel is the only site I write for. They have standards that apply to everyone (regardless your popularity level), the community has shown themselves over time to be helpful, honest and understanding (without catering to egos) and most importantly InfoBarrel wants in-depth articles and not the tabloid-style writing most others want.

Q: What's the deal with your InfoBarrel avatar? Your Google profile states you are female. Also, can you explain what your tagline "INTP all the aquarian way" means?

A: I was going to use my real picture as my avatar – everyone said it gives me more credibility as a writer. I didn't agree with that notion. My credibility as a writer (anyone's credibility) comes from their writing, not a picture in a profile. I wanted something memorable but simple and that little sketch fit the bill quite nicely, even though I couldn't find a female version I liked.

When Google wanted to know more about me, I panicked – I didn't want to leave it blank nor did I want to write a book. At the time, my company was doing those Briggs Myer personality tests and even though I know they are much like horoscopes (in that they are vague and could apply to anyone or anything), I assumed the majority of people were familiar with both Briggs Myers and the Zodiac – and it seemed a perfect way to sum me up in a few words. [Well, some of us aren't from the east coast, smarty pants.]

INTP's are said to be logical, problem solvers and creative where as Aquarians are more rebellious, individualistic and free thinking. I'll walk the line, but I will do it my way. 

Q: You mentioned you were from Canada's east coast but "without the Newfie accent." Personally, I love the Newfie accent, what's the story behind that?

A: My mother's side of the family is all East Coast. I was born in Toronto but spent a large portion of my youth in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. I feel more at home in the East Coast provinces than I do in the big urban city of Toronto. I picked up the excited, fast talking ways of their speech but never picked up the accent. I, like you, love their accent and unique phrases.

Q: What recommendations would you make (for writers and admin) to keep InfoBarrel going strong?

A: I think the bulk of responsibility falls on Administration to keep InfoBarrel going strong and steadily improving. They are the ones who have to ensure that quality is maintained and that standards are not lowered for quantity. They are the ones finding ways to keep the writers well paid and making InfoBarrel a desirable place to write and publish. The Admin team, to date, has performed their duties amazingly well. After the whole HubPages and Squidoo debacle, I feared never trusting an online publisher again. But InfoBarrel has my trust still, the Admins care about the site, work hard at keeping it awesome and it shows.

Writers are a unique lot. Each has their own reasons for writing, their own ideas on how to write, what to write ... that offering advice in a generalized manner is almost insulting. Personally I try to keep InfoBarrel strong by bringing my A game, by acknowledging what doesn't work, changing, growing and rising to new challenges that are presented by writing. I try to keep up on links in existing articles, stay on top of the comments and engage those who take the time to comment on my articles. Whenever you are stuck, the forums are the best place to get helpful advice and to learn.

Q: What is the strangest response or most hilarious comment you ever received on one of your articles?

A: I am not sure I ever received a comment that counts as strange or even funny. It could be my subject matter or my writing style.

Highly inappropriate questions (entirely voluntary):

Q: Ever shave somewhere you wished you hadn't? And if so, how long did it take until everything was back to normal, if you know what I mean?

A: I nicked myself shaving 'down there' one time and swore off shaving with a vengeance. It did not take long to decide I did not much like hairy either. I decided to try a wax parlour for my 'down below' area and as a first timer I was an excellent candidate for upselling. I was told to ask for the bikini wax but got talked into a Brazilian wax. 

[Mmm, looks like Shocked Lemur woke up.]

Red-ruffed Lemur by Mathias Appel on flickr (Public Domain)

LittleTwoTwo cont'd: Giving my partner the thumbs up I sauntered off like a hero. 

I was brave, even downright cocky, right until they pulled the first strip off, my scream shook the rafters, tears flowed easily, curses feel freely (there was some artistic license taken in the description) and when I started to calm down I could hear it in the distance, laughter – belly deep hilarious riotous laughter of my partner. 

It took about 6-7 weeks for the hair to return, but my pride was bruised for much longer.

Q: Who was your first (or longest lasting) crush?

A: Based on what my bedroom walls looked like as a child, I would have to say it was a toss up between Kirk Cameron and River Phoenix, though River lasted much longer.

Q: What are your thoughts about the "Free the Nipple" campaign?

A: Personally, I think it is a low priority first world 'oppression' that does nothing to address inequality between the genders and in many ways muddies somewhat clear waters. The campaign itself is hazy in what it stands for and I can't see it being helpful to the causes associated with gender inequality.

You had a great point in your blog about how hard it already is to earn a man's respect and even when the boob is covered it has power. As one commenter mentioned it would also tap into body images, who is 'boob sexy' enough to show their nipples?. When I asked my partner about this campaign he first asked for pictures, then did that face and cheek thing men do when boobs are the topic of conversation.

I'm no prude, I am pro-boob and all for gender equality but being in your face about it is not going to change the attitudes and perspectives that need changing for real change to start to happen in regards to gender inequality. If I am to support a cause or a campaign with my time, money or efforts it really needs to be a campaign that I can believe in and this Free the Nipple campaign is not a campaign I can get into, back or even support a little bit. I don't see why we (women) can't achieve gender equality without the use of our boobs. [Clapping from the audience is heard.]

Q: What famous person, author, TV character or cartoon character do you most relate to (and why)?

A: I have no idea to be honest. So in the spirit of giving a good answer I turned to online for help. Apparently there are quizzes that answer these questions. My results ranged from Carrie Underhill to Road Runner to Johnny Depp. Not exactly helpful, but I did ace the 70's and 80's TV show quizzes.

Q: Do you have an strange (or helpful) writing rituals?

A: I make a cup of coffee, yell at everyone on my way to my desk, then I sit and stare at my technical canvas and promptly get distracted by Simon's Cat (usually) or some obscure fact I must chase down to include in an article that never makes it to the final draft.

The most helpful thing I have started doing is always having a small book on me to write ideas in. So many great ideas have been lost all 'cause it came to me when I didn't have paper on hand and forgot the idea by the time I got home.

Back to you and your work:

Q: What are three or four InfoBarrel articles you are most proud of?

A:  That's a tough one, I am proud of nearly all my work ... though some came out not at all like I had in my head .. lol. But if I had to choose it would be:

Microbial Arms Race, a look at superbugs and how the modern world would look without antibiotics. 

Arctic Explorations: The 1897 Arctic Balloon Expedition, it was a hydrogen balloon in the Arctic in 1897 – how cold I not write about it.

and 

Intellectual Adversaries: Scientists and the Poisoner, this one was one of those articles that sounded great in my head but I couldn't get it out onto paper correctly. It took a few rewrites but I finally got it (I think).

Q: Where can readers find you?

A: Right now I am only active on InfoBarrel, I do have a HubPages account but have not published a story there in a very long time – honestly waiting for next payout and likely closing down shop there. I am always exploring new sites but few actually stick.

I am also on a few of the social medias, but being introverted to nearly reclusive at times I am not always active on them and those who already have me added as friends can attest I am not an over-sharer. I can be found on G+ Lyttle Twotwo, Twitter and Pinterest.

Q: What animal, colour, and veggie would you would be? A: Owl, orange, green leaf lettuce.

Q: Your superhero power? A: Invisibility. No, time travel. 

Q: What TV show would you bring back? A: Firefly.

Q: Favourite comic strip? A: Calvin and Hobbes.

Q: Best movie? A: Goonies.

Q: Are there any other writers on InfoBarrel you'd like to see interviewed? And if so, are there any questions you'd like me to ask him or her?

A: I can't say I have favourites or anything but Leigh Goessl I think would be interesting to interview. Another would be Yindee. Some of her articles have really grabbed my attention. And egdcltd (I think that is his name). There are so many good writers popping up on InfoBarrel that it is hard to pick.

In Closing:

When I was linking up LittleTwoTwo's social media pages, I took a peek at her Pinterest profile. The link at the top led to a GoFundMe page. It was Helping Heidi To Walk Again – a donation page for a chinchilla I saw on my Google Plus stream.

A post on June 1st, 2015 read: "NO MORE DONATIONS PLEASE. I can handle the bills with what was raised and my personal contribution. I would rather see donations given to another fundraiser in need."

Well, nothing screams Maritimer more than that, b'y.

Tune in again next weekend for another thrilling episode of InfoBarrel Author of the Week.

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InfoBarrel Author of the Week: Deborah-Diane

This week, I decided to visit Sin City [Las Vegas] to interview the lovely and talented InfoBarrel author Deborah-Diane.

Since Deborah is familiar with Las Vegas (having written Your Guide to a Fabulous Las Vegas Wedding), she convinced me to try on some Vegas showgirl costumes with her.

Here we are outside the Bellagio Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip in Paradise, Nevada.

InfoBarrel authors RoseWrites and Deborah-Diane (heads) added to photo by Brian Whitmarsh on flickr (CC-by-2.0)

Both DebW07 and mommymommymommy (Hannah Gold) remarked they'd love to see you interviewed. They added you've been on InfoBarrel forever, produce "top-notch" work and "we can all learn a thing or two from" you.

When you answered my question about HubPages in InfoBarrel's forum, you proved to me that you aren't afraid to tell the truth. I doubt you know this, but you are quoted on Wikipedia. When I read how much factual information was either missing (or not updated) about HubPages, I decided to update their Wikipedia page for the public.

At first there was some resistance to have my edits approved, but eventually my proof won over the Wikipedia editors. Below is a screenshot of where you are quoted on the HubPages Wikipedia Talk page (click to enlarge). It's near the end of the screenshot (and on the Wikipedia Talk page).

May 1st, 2015 Wikipedia Edits for HubPages by RoseWrites and Quote of Deborah-Diane in InfoBarrel's Forum

Back to Deborah-Diane

Avatar and photo of Deborah-Diane on InfoBarrel (used with permission)

Okay sister, I read your Google Plus "About" page where you admit you've been married "over 40 years" but you left out how many husbands you've racked up.

I read your "From the Author" section on Amazon. Let's see now . . you said (and I quote): "many people don't realize how simple it is to get married there [in Las Vegas]." Is that the voice of experience, hmm? Further along you asked, "How much easier can it get?"

Come on, don't you think these people just wanna have "a good time" without the guilt? I mean they don't call it Sin City for nothing.

But here's something I did discover in Las Vegas: the future career path of those small elf-type men in Brownies. Apparently, most of them end up being FTD guys.

Left image of The Brownie Handbook (Book 3) cover illustration by Frances Shadbolt | Right image by Celine Mosnier (hirondellecanada on flickr) both CC-by-2.0 images

I'll have to check this out with Hannah Gold on her Girl Scout Leader blog. This could explain a lot of dysfunction in my life.

Without Further Ado

I present to you my interview with Deborah-Diane (who also goes by the pen names DeborahDian and Deborah75).

Deborah began: First, Rose, I wanted to compliment you on your well researched questions. You obviously spent time looking at my profiles on InfoBarrel and Google Plus and that really impressed me. Thank you. [Blushing.]

Writing-related questions:

Q: When I glanced over your InfoBarrel profile page, I noticed that you have a degree in Human Environmental Design. What's that all about? Sounds like something far too advanced for me.

A:  Human Environment Design is similar to Interior Design, but is not the same as Interior Decorating. For example, I had to take classes in architectural drawing, engineering drawing, architectural history, and housing design. When I graduated, I went to work first for a restaurant design company and after that I worked in the construction department of a grocery store chain. Later, I became a Realtor, often working with people on construction projects, including on a high rise condominium complex. My husband and I have also built several homes during our marriage. In one way or another, I worked in housing and construction until my early 50s.

Q: What brought you to InfoBarrel and what do you love most about it here?

A: I have always loved writing and have frequently written detailed and informative brochures for other people. When I was a Realtor, I wrote a 30-page booklet for my buyers and a similar one for my sellers, which explained the process step-by-step. I granted my firm permission to adopt it, so that all their agents could use it. I enjoy explaining things in writing, and InfoBarrel is the perfect outlet for that. I feel very fortunate to have found InfoBarrel, because I think it is one of the most respected sites on the internet.

Q: Okay, so why haven't you written on InfoBarrel for a couple of years then?

A: After I wrote over 327 articles on InfoBarrel, I began to go back and edit the earlier ones ... which has been a time-consuming process. I continue to go back and improve articles on all the sites where I write and, in general, I don't produces as much new work as I used to. Although I haven't written anything new on InfoBarrel in a while, I still spend time on the site nearly every day. i also have some ideas for new InfoBarrel articles I would like to write, but I am waiting for the upgrades that will come with InfoBarrel 4.0, which should be available soon. I want to see how my new pieces will work with the improved format. I am very excited about the changes they are making.

I also believe that every online writer needs to check their old articles occasionally to make sure the links still work, the advertised products still exist, and the material is still relevant. That takes time. Writers who do not do that usually see their income drop off dramatically from their older material. You need to keep your work fresh if you want it to keep earning money for you!

I also have thousands of articles on other sites, so just maintaining my current library of articles keeps me pretty busy. However, whenever I want to write a really informative article, InfoBarrel is always my first choice. I can't imagine writing one anywhere else. I often recommend the site to retired teachers and other intelligent people I know. I don't think there is any other site like it! [Nods.]

Q: I looked at your Kindle books and I must say this: it looks like you are a romantic who wants to protect children from dirty politicians. Can you tell my readers more about those endeavors?

A: Ha! Ha! I think you summed my writing up very well. I write about wide-ranging topics, don't I? Here are a few two or three sentence summaries for each of the books I have written:

"Your Guide to a Fabulous Las Vegas Wedding" – I wrote this after my daughter, sister, niece and a friend were all married in Las Vegas. I did a lot of research and, after learning how easy it is, I wanted to simplify the process for other people who were also thinking about getting married there.

"Romantic Budget Wedding Ideas" – After raising four daughters and paying for all their weddings, my husband and I picked up a few tips on how to have an elegant wedding without going bankrupt! I thought I would pass on what I learned to other people who don't know what they really need, how to set up a budget, or where to find the best deals.

"The Mayor and the Garbage: The Teen Who Saved His Town" – This is a fictional account of a teenager who becomes the mayor of his tiny town in order to become a voice for the residents who experience an environmental crisis. I came up with the idea after a real life 12-year-old boy became mayor of his Texas town in order to keep it from being annexed by Houston.

"Dangerous Lies We Tell to Children and Ourselves" – When I was in my 50s, I worked for a decade at a local high school and discovered that many teens have a lot of misconceptions about their abilities, the world of work, how to find a job, good careers that will be interesting to them, their family history, death and so much more. I did some research on the harmful effects of lying to children or misrepresenting things to them, and I decided to write a book about my findings.

"What Would Jesus Tweet?" – I wrote this book because, as the granddaughter of a Pentecostal minister and a lifelong Christian, I realized that a lot of Christians believe almost everything in the Bible ... except what Jesus actually said. I am shocked sometimes that there are Christians who do not believe in supporting peace, providing affordable medical care to the sick, food to the hungry, or clothing to the poor, although Jesus clearly told his followers that this is what he wanted them to do. He also said we should not judge others harshly. In addition, since the Good Samaritan was a non-Jewish foreigner, Jesus also made it clear that we were to extend these services to everyone, not just people like us.

Highly inappropriate questions (entirely voluntary):

Q:  For a bride with Wedding night jitters (not me, of course) what would you tell her?

Red-ruffed Lemur by Mathias Appel on flickr (Public Domain)

A:  I'm the mother of four grown daughters and the grandmother of three teenage granddaughters, so I have had my fair share of embarrassing conversations. 

I have always encouraged young brides to talk to their doctors about things like birth control, lubrication and any questions they have ... and to do it at least a couple of months before the wedding!

My jaw drops open and Shocked Lemur shows up: And by "do it at least a couple of months before the wedding" you mean . . . 

ohhhh, talk to my doctor. 

For a second there I thought I might not be going to h*ll.

Deborah cont'd: Some preparations take a little time. I think the right preparation can go a long way towards preventing jitters about the wedding night!

Q: I noticed on your Google Plus page that you've been married over 40 years. What's the secret to staying with the same man that long? More importantly, how did you change him? (JK)

A: Ha, ha! I actually think marriage does involve a bit of training, but not necessarily changing your spouse. Of course, training takes time! If you marry a guy who is basically nice, he will try to please you, as long as you are self-aware enough to be able to tell him what you want. [Not a prob for me, Deborah.]  

Deborah cont'd: However, if you expect a guy to really change who he is, you are going to be disappointed. If you marry a jerk, he never will try to make you happy. He will just get worse!

In October 2015, my husband and I will have been married 44 years. That is a long time. I tell him I'm looking forward to our 50th anniversary, because I want some new gold jewelry!

So what is the secret to staying with the same man that long? You have to be willing to stick it out through the hard times ... and there will be hard times. You also have to take the time to have fun with each other.

Women also have to recognize that if they really enjoy their physical relationship with their spouse and let him know, he'll overlook a lot of missed meals and forgotten household chores! It is NOT true that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach ... if you know what I mean. [Ohh, I gotcha.]

Q: What did you tell your kids or grandkids when they asked where babies come from?

A: I think you can tell from my last answer that I am pretty honest and blunt, and not easily embarrassed. All our children knew where babies came from by the time they were in elementary school! Of course, when they were very young, I just read them little age appropriate books and, as they grew up, I gave them more information.

Q: What author, famous person, TV character or cartoon character do you most relate to (and why)?

A: Honestly, I struggled with this question the most. I have never been much of a hero worshiper. While I enjoy reading biographies of famous people, including authors, I rarely compare myself to them.

Q: What's the smartest move a man can make to get a woman in the bedroom?

A: The dishes! Honest! I read once that it really turns a woman on when a man helps her get the housework done so she isn't too tired to be romantic. After nearly 44 years of marriage, I still think that is true. (I told you I did a good job training my husband!)

Q: How did you meet your husband and does he have any remedies for "Dishpan Hands"?

A: My husband was a young stockbroker and he did a mass mailing to thousands of people. I filled in the postcard he sent out and returned it. He called me and I went to meet him at his office. He asked me how much money I had to invest. When I told him i had $100 in savings, he took me out to dinner, instead! I was a "flower child" living in Berkeley; he was a conservative Republican. We were married six months later in a park in Berkeley. No one expected our marriage to last ... but it did!

One reason we get along so well is that he has ALWAYS supported me in everything I wanted to do. I could choose to work or be a stay-at-home mom. When I worked, I could take the jobs that interested me. I could be a writer, a Realtor or volunteer for a charity (and I have done them all). I have also supported my husband in his career choices. When two people support each other, it really helps their relationship.

Back to you and your work:

Q: Name four InfoBarrel articles you'd like readers to check out.

A: Here are four articles that I enjoyed writing and people seem to enjoy reading. They are the type of articles that seem to do the best for me on InfoBarrel ... informational pieces that fill a need or satisfy someone's curiosity:

How to Write a Compassionate Letter of Sympathy

American History of Women in the 1980s

The Murder of Lee Harvey Oswald

Why America Should Use the Metric System

Q: Where can readers find you?

A: The best way to find me is on my retirement blog: Baby Boomer Retirement. It contains hundreds of articles about where to retire, financial planning, common health concerns, family relationships and more. I have been writing it for four years and it is now read approximately 12,000 to 15,000 times a month. It is completely free, so I encourage everyone to check it out. If you leave a comment on one of the posts, I'll know you were there!

I also have hundreds of articles on HubPages (as Deborah-Diane and DeborahDian), Daily Two Cents, and Bubblews (as Deborah75); I have answered over 6,000 questions on WebAnswers (as DeborahDian). However, my blog is the best place to find me.

Q: Are there any other writers on InfoBarrel you'd like to see interviewed? And if so, are there any questions you'd like me to ask them?

A: I would love you to interview JudyE and ask her about her life in Australia. I know she is traveling in Europe this summer for a wedding, but when she returns I think she would be an excellent person to interview.

Q: Is there anything you would like to say to the other InfoBarrel writers?

A: In the past few years, I have come to appreciate the other writers at InfoBarrel so much. Whenever I have had a question over the years about how to do something, there has always been at least one writer who was willing to step forward to help me out, in language I could understand. I'm not sure if new online writers realize how unique the InfoBarrel forum is. The people there have been genuinely kind, helpful and supportive, and I cannot thank them enough. I am sure that I would not have been very successful as an online writer, if it had not been for the help I received from the staff and writers on InfoBarrel. Rose, you are a perfect example of that! [Ditto for you too, Deborah.]

Again, thanks so much for the opportunity to be interviewed for your site. [The pleasure was all mine, Deborah.]

In Closing:

I had a blast interviewing Deborah-Diane. I vaguely recall her on Squidoo and I've barely gotten to know her on InfoBarrel (until now). I guess because I joined InfoBarrel January 2014 and she's been off doing her own thing elsewhere online for the last couple of years.

I'm so glad to hear she'll be writing more on InfoBarrel (and the new version is coming any day now).

Be sure to drop by next weekend for another installment of InfoBarrel Author of the Week.

NEW

On July 20th, 2015 I designed this coffee mug for guests on my blog.

It is also available in other styles and sizes. Plus you can customize it further with a photo and text on the other side (if you wish).

You can find it on my Zazzle store. It's called A Blog for the Underdog MUG by RoseWrites.

Shown is the 11 oz. "Ringer Mug."

NOTE: I will not be posting this item on every interview. Instead, it will be available through my Google Collections page where every InfoBarrel Author of the Week can be found.