C Tann-Starr's Outside Blog

A Generic Rant Is Best When Playing In The Closing Escrow Superbowl... I wil not pretend to be so arrogant as to assume to school you on how you feel or bicker about how you express those feelings. I will urge caution because as a periodic playful and crazy person I do understand insanity when I see it (LOL). Why don't I just make it about me responding to what I see:

A broker who questions the ethics or practices of another broker may freely choose not to do business with the person who ticks them off or sets their alarm bells in motion. A person can make a formal complaint. A person can mediate or arbitrate. A person can litigate. A person can walk away. A person can illustrate a pithy point or share a bad business moment in order to gain insight from their peers on what to do (or not do) and how to possibly avoid certain pitfalls.

Sharing knowledge is cool. Mentoring and training peers is a wonderful, time consuming undertaking, however, one may not convey his or her feelings to other trade practitioners in any manner that might lead them to take similar action that results in a boycott or unfair dealings negatively impacting the particular person or firm one is complaining about that would not have happened if not for you and what you have specifically done...

In other words, writing generic rants is best. Don't name names and attack another business or brand on your blog posts. Truth is always a defense and I get the fair use review doctrine but Antitrust issues are a hard pill to swallow. If the "they" you are ranting about are dumb enough to come to your post and confess they are the ones who did you wrong in such an outrageous manner, verifying your truthful complaint while they try to justify screwing you over because they are stupid and arrogant then it may not be your fault they get spanked by their peers if they continue to act like an idiot in public because people can respond to the words coming out of their own mouth that they publish any way they feel is appropriate.

Needless to say I am having a very interesting morning with my e-mail and recreational reading (LOL). No, I will not link back to the blog posts I am laughing about or frowning over, but I will caution you guys to think about what you are doing when you click the comment post button. Those comments may not seem like much now, but they can turn into a serious nightmare later if the blog wars escalate to litigation. You have no idea what anyone in this forum is doing with your blog posts. After all, "Member's Only" posts can be printed and faxed just like everything else on the Internet. Every browser has a "File>Save As" option that allows you to download and save an entire web-page to your hard drive. If you calm down a day late and go back to delete or modify your comments the damage may already have been done and the evidence obtained and delivered to an attorney. 

Even temporarily insane passionate/emotionally triggered miscreants can feel remorse, so think about what you are saying while foaming at the virtual mouth with those political and other category of posts people. In NY State, my Broker In Charge is deemed to be responsible for my real estate advertising and websites. (e.g. every time I comment a link shows up next to my name with TannStarr.com and REMAX People Realty). If you read my blog you guys know I'm not a shy person and am prone to say just about anything. My serious, frivolous and wise cracking ways frequently send people towards and away from my profile/posts. What I will not do is get so riled up over another person's personal opinion that I throw everything I have struggled to attain and build away by knowingly, willingly and intentionally engaging in behavior that triggers a six/seven figure Antitrust fine for me and my firms. Believe you me when I say those laws are so complex and scary people can easily stumble in there and commit a violation unintentionally.

The Community Rules are here for a reason. Respect them. Please be advised that "Member's Only" posts are published to a forum: How private is private when you're dealing with cybersapce? Think about it... Slow your friggin' roll with that acid togue. When you are right, I concede that you are right but if you say it wrong bad things can happen to good people. Freedom of Speech is not free when you get smacked upside your virtual head by the Justice Department or a libel, slander, defamation civil suit.

Go edit yourselves. You know who you are (because you seem to enjoy riling people up as if you're trolling to induce heart attacks or for litigation). Why do people insist on parking on a competitor's blog post and just spew negativity? Go write you own damn post and get as negative as you want. I am a fun and games kinda gal, but even I draw the line at some stuff. Notice how i didn't park over there and simply said what I have to say over here? I am not saying you can't be pissed off and express yourself but what I am saying is you better be real correct about the crap you are flinging around about other people because we all have friends in cyberspace. The links will be forwarded. Group founders will be called. People will go off behind the scenes and start looking for an outlet for all of that anger you have inspired. When the suits come knocking and calling some things can't be taken back with a belated dang I got caught I better apologize attitude.

Truth is always relative to what is known. If a writer doesn't tell you everything why act like a know-it-all when you respond from out of state? Where you there? Are our laws similar? Do you know the players involved? Wanna help a newbie resolve something? Ask him or her an intelligent set of questions before you cyber-bomb them with your personal brand of sarcastic napalm because you think your 20 plus years of selling houses means something to a person who is barely making it and you've never given one referral to to help them pay their friggin' bills. Everyone in the Rain is trying to make money. Make no mistake about that. When you make someone else feel lower than a roach it pisses a lot of people off. Just because there are three comments on a blog post doesn't mean 1000 people have not read it and several people have shot me an e-mail asking me to say what they dare not say. (Yup. It's true: People count on my misbehaving - LOL). But I digress...

When people ask for an opinion or help in the Rain it is because they are exposing themselves while trusting this community.

Vulnerable people are not for your personal target practice. You know how I get when you mess with my bay-bays. I love my bay-bays. These people are my friends. We are learning each other an getting comfy in the rain. Loan Officers and Stagers are not second class citizens. We are all members of a struggling industry and we all bring something valuable to the table.

Being a Realtor is not the high end of the food chain. You are just one member of an assembled team playing the closing-escrow-superbowl for the client. HOW DARE SOME OF YOU MAKE SOMEONE ELSE FEEL THEIR CONTRIBUTION DOESN'T COUNT IN THIS FORUM. Don't make me come over there... You sure as hell wont like it if I tell what I really know about some of you. No one here is perfect. We all have issues. If Wordy C can shut up and bite her tongue you may want to seriously consider doing the same. Everything on your mind does not need to be said. There is a lot of irony in that statement coming from a writer like me 'cause I say just about everything (LOL). However, I do not start my day out by naming names and intentionally making another specific writer feel like crap in cyberspace.

People have feelings. People can be hurt. Businesses can suffer. Watch your friggin' comments because an objective disagreement or difference of opinion is not the same as an insult, libel, slander and defamation...

Play nice in the electronic sandbox people. :-)

Blog Post Therapy done. Was that generic enough for you? I can write another rant if this one doesn't doesn't suit you. Seriously... (LMAO) ;-)

Stambovsky v. Ackley 169 A.D.2d 254 (NY App. Div. 1991) the Haunted House Non-disclosure Case is a very interesting read. Here's a brief re-cap as a law cliftnote so your eyes don't cross and you don't choke on legal eagle stuff. It's part of my reading list from my attorney girlfriends and I cracked up so much I had to take a break, pop in the Rain and share this with you.

My fave cliftnote quote is a question, then part of the answer: "Issue: Under what circumstances may nondisclosure of information by the seller of a house to the buyer entitle the buyer to rescind a contract for sale?" Part of the answer: Although New York follows the caveat emptor rule and the buyer is required to inspect the house for any defects, in this case the buyer probably would not have been able to discover that the house was haunted had he inspected it. Since D knew about the problem and did not disclose it to P and P could not have detected it, P was awarded rescission of the contract for sale. The court held that the caveat emptor doctrine only acts against those who do not exercise their rights and who fail to take due care. In this case there was no clue or objective standard to apply to P regarding how the ghosts were to be discovered."

Who knew, as a buyer or broker, you had to ask if the damn house is haunted? I sure as hell didn't (ROTFL). Geez... Did I mention my girlfriends were mad fun? If you can't have fun at work, where can you? My tutors sent me a PDF that floored me. It's very well written and the droll, dry treatment of ghosts tickled me pink. BTW, the six page Westlaw PDF file (Cite as: 169 A.D.2d 254) on this is fantastic. You guys have soooo got to read this. Seriously... Law briefs can be funny when you love irony. ;-)

My fave quote from the appeal contained in the PDF is on page 2: "The unusual facts of this case, as disclosed by the record, clearly warrant a grant of equitable relief to the buyer who, as a resident of New York City, cannot be expected to have any familiarity with the folklore of the Village of Nyack. Not being a "local", plaintiff could not readily learn that the home he had contracted to purchase is haunted. Whether the source of the spectral apparitions seen by defendant seller are parapsychic or psychogenic, having reported their presence in both a national publication (Readers' Digest) and the local press (in 1977 and 1982, respectively), defendant is estopped to deny their existence and, as a matter of law, the house is haunted."

Hmm... might want to think twice about what you publish in your blog posts and the comments section... Imagine hypothetically being "estopped" to deny what you published said down the road (LMAO). ;-)

Brokerage Commissions Must Be Earned... Seems like a simple statement but I find it amazing some people don't get this. It's not about an Open house, a flier or a passing conversation; it's about (a) procuring a meeting of the minds and (b) getting the important essentials into an executed contract.

The paper trail is very important. Some people are pretty casual with their e-mails. You may want to rethink that and do more negotiations in writing. If you do have a phone conversation, re-cap and follow it up with an e-mail. E-mails can help you reconstruct a time-line sequence in the correct chronological order if you habitually use them. They can also refresh your recollection if you forget something that may turn out to be very important later on... As a matter of fact your blog post conversations and posts can also time stamp your business activities. :-)

My gal pals are really gung ho regarding sending me all over cyberspace to understand the intricacies of a commercial transaction. They want me to get out of the books and into the historical life of real estate transactions. From 1986 to 2009, I have a reading list that has been making me go "hmm" since last night. I spent the wee hours this morning with this blurb from Real Estate Weekly, Sept 7, 1994 by Edward L. Schiff.

Do you want to know my favorite points to quote? Check these out:

(1) Helmsley-Spear, Inc. v. Melville Corp. (611 N.Y.S. 2d 240), holds that the mere introduction of a property by a broker to a perspective purchaser does not entitle the broker to a commission. "Despite Melville's refusal to engage the broker's services, Helmsley-Spear claims that in February 1987, one of its brokers made a "cursory showing" of the Dictaphone Building in Westchester to Melville's real estate manager as a possible building to lease. This building was not managed by Helmsley-Spear nor was Helmsley-Spear exclusively engaged to represent the building."

Seems to me the buyer or potential tenant gets to choose who negotiates/writes up their offers and represents their best interests.

(2) Heelan Realty & Development Corp. v. Skyview Meadows Development Corp. -612N. Y. S. 2nd 192 is also a very interesting read regarding "commissions claimed by a broker resulting from a deal which collapsed." Hmm... "It [the court] ruled that no brokerage commission is earned until the buyer and the seller have a meeting of the minds on all substantial issues. Mere agreement as to the price on a proposed sale of real property does not constitute a "meeting of the minds" of the buyer and the seller, absent an agreement as to other terms that are essential and customary to real estate transactions. It is only when the seller wrongfully or arbitrarily prevents the completion of a deal does a broker's commission become due."

Seems to me the binder is only the beginning... We don't stop working until we close escrow. Anything can go wrong at any given moment so if brokers don't cooperate and our clients become entrenched in inflexible ideals, the potential is there for everyone to lose. This deal went south because sets of people (LB, BB, Seller, Purchaser) refused to get a very important letter while demanding the others do it... I am not an attorney so I have no idea why the seller didn't do it and don't know how the buyer could have done it without being the owner of the property. Hmm... I don't know what was technically required but I do know stupidity when I read it.

Non cooperation is the height of stupidity when you are supposed to be dealing in good faith and representing the best interests of both parties involved in a real estate transaction. Do you want to collect days on the market or do you want to close escrow? I am still reading cases from the 1980s and find myself thinking the same crappy attitudes are here in the Rain right now that were evident in the squabbling of old.

Sure you want to keep pissing on another agent about not paying them if they don't attend your Open House? Seems the courts are more interested in the actual work done and the exact factor that proved to be the decisive moment when a buyer and seller has a mutual meeting of the minds.

Our attitudes spill over into the lives of the people who observe us. There is more to negotiating and earning a commission than opening a door and handing a prospect a flier. Your 5 minute conversation may not be the reason they are or are not buying a property. The whole reason is usually the sum of all of the components that factor into their decision making. I routinely have to speak with my buyers, their spouses, their relatives and their friends before some of them will actually say yes. When did your 5 minutes trump my 2 weeks, 2 months, or year?

No practitioner should take any prospect, customer or client for granted. If they decline to choose you and go with someone else you can bet your bottom dollar there is a reason. It doesn't even have to be a good one. People can be irrational and/or generally do what they are comfortable with. It's up to the buyer and/or seller to determine who they want to work with, how and when. It's up to us to service them to the best of our ability when they do select us. A lot of time and conversations passed between the people who eventually litigated their positions.

They each thought they were correct to file their complaints. Things don't always turn out the way we plan...

My girlfriend Susan was kind enough to make this available for a re-blog. Please consider helping families in need and donate to your neighborhood food banks. :-)

Fruit Sushi? Kyoto is the Bomb! Seriously...

Wordy C does not do wordless posts. Seriously... I have to admit I almost did with this one. That dish left me speechless in a good way. I am soooooooo addicted to good food and I love blogging from this place. If you are ever on Union Turnpike near Parson's Blvd in Queens County you have sooooooo got to try this dish.

Awesome... simply awesome...

Wordy C on Fair Use: A Case Study In Accidental Copyright Violations Part 2 of 5

What drives your blog? The need for speed or do you have a slow, careful writing hand?

The cut and paste function is a very useful but sometimes tempting tool. Used wisely (e.g. to get a small snippet of information to showcase a specific quote you are attributing to another source) you can save time assembling an article. Used incorrectly (e.g. plagiarism, copyright violation), one may find oneself in a very sticky situation when caught. Here's a unexpected, scary thought: what if you get set up?

When was the last time you read Yahoo's Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy regarding Flickr accounts? Have you seen this?  It is very brief so if you have not please take the time to read it. Most people I chatted with didn't even realize the two cyber-entities were interwoven.

I noticed an interesting gap in the conversation yesterday regarding protecting users from other user manipulation. I kept thinking someone would start that thread. Hmm... Oh well... feel free to open the door here. After having spent a lot of time in their (Yahoo/Flickr) forum reading yesterday here is what I discovered:

Users change their digital permissions all the time. They own the copyrights, they own the accounts, they can check a box or click a radio button at whim and create situations you had no idea could get you caught up in potential litigation down the road if you have nothing in writing to protect yourself. For example: One user had taken some great shots that were used by a website he objected to (competition?). He changed the creative commons license and made the photographs private after the fact to deliberately break the links. He checked back a few days later and was miffed that the targeted website showed the missing photographs as being temporarily unavailbe. He openly complained in the forum about what he did and the fact that that their page rankings was still higher because of his Flickr photograph links even though the photographs were no longer visible. His discussion talking points in sum and substance? Was this link back and photograph usage (after he changed the rights after the fact) considered fair use... He thought it was unfair the other site was still benefiting from his free no longer free or visible photographs. I bet you Flickr users didn't see that mind set developing did you? It made me pause, then scrap my original draft of this post because I suddenly found myself wondering exactly what I had accidentally stumbled into while writing a completely different article.

According to Wikipedia: "Fair Use is a doctrine in United States Copyright Law that allows limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the rights holders, such as use for scholarship or review. It provides for the legal, non-licensed citation or incorporation of copyrighted material in another author's work under a four-factor balancing test. The term "fair use" originated in the United States, but has been added to Israeli law as well; a similar principle, fair dealing, exists in some other common law jurisdictions. Civil law jurisdictions have other limitations and exceptions to copyright." You can read the full article here.

BTW, a balancing test may be described as any judicial test in which the jurists weigh the importance of multiple factors in a legal case... That leaves the door pretty wide open for a spectrum of conclusions, don't you think? I find the notion of being fast and fickle with copyright permissions very disturbing because there is a lot at stake for anyone who gets caught out there. How does one pass the balancing test for that type of situation if you take a photograph and use it but have no documentation because it is, or was, a social media convenience? Is that trend growing in the forum discussions a potential hint some hypothetical people may be trolling for litigation if the lightbulb goes off and they start playing with the creative commons radio button for use, no use, use, no use situations if they don't like your Google juice and suffer from traffic envy? What mechanisms are available to stop them from creative financial havoc on some poor, unsuspecting blogger if its done quietly with no Internet chatter to tip one off? Is this the beginning of the hypothetical, "Poor blogger, I wont sue you, rich blogger, you had no right to steal my work?" syndrome? Inquiring minds want to know... While we are figuring this out and trolling through more research you may want to stick with taking your own pictures, buying rights from a reputable company and getting your friends and family to help you so you can avoid the possible drama of a cease and desist notice with a damages request.

It's not just an issue of photographs. It's an issue of everything that doesn't belong to you.

Lets go to Wikipedia to quote what Plagiarism is and contrast it to a Copyright Violation. It is vital you understnd these concepts in order to understand what Fair Use is and isn't.  "Plagiarism, as defined in the 1995 Random House Compact Unabridged Dictionary, is the "use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work." Within academia, plagiarism by students, professors, or researchers is considered academic dishonesty or academic fraud and offenders are subject to academic censure, up to and including expulsion. In journalism, plagiarism is considered a breach of journalistic ethics, and reporters caught plagiarizing typically face disciplinary measures ranging from suspension to termination. Some individuals caught plagiarizing in academic or journalistic contexts claim that they plagiarized unintentionally, by failing to include quotations or give the appropriate citation. While plagiarism in scholarship and journalism has a centuries-old history, the development of the Internet, where articles appear as electronic text, has made the physical act of copying the work of others much easier. Plagiarism is not copyright infringement. While both terms may apply to a particular act, they are different transgressions. Copyright infringement is a violation of the rights of a copyright holder, when material protected by copyright is used without consent. On the other hand, plagiarism is concerned with the unearned increment to the plagiarizing author's reputation that is achieved through false claims of authorship." You can read the full Wiki article here.

Bloggers are a nebulous group comprising people from all walks of life and every profession inmagined. A blogger may or may not be a student or journalist. What ever your station and status in cyber-life one point must be made very clear: your station and status does not absolve you from engaging in or being accused of plagiarism and/or copyright violations. If you like what someone says quote them. Doing so brings clarity to the discussion at hand and helps to facilitate a meeting of the minds regarding talking points. If you like a picture, get permission to use it in writing. How hard is it to shoot off a two line e-mail?

Revisit The ActiveRain Community Guidelines:

(1) Respect copyrights. Only upload content/images that you have the right to use (what you have paid for or own), and whose copyright rules allow for commercial use. 

(2) Do not plagiarize (copy and paste) content from another source, and publish it as your own. You must obtain expressed permission from the original source to republish, and give reference to such within the body of your post. Permission to re-print is NOT the same as permission to re-publish. This also applies to publishing other real estate listings that are not your own.

Here is a third guideline quote I would like to share with you that I believe is very important but frequently gets overlooked: "Please take these rules seriously. Don't try to look for loopholes or ways around them; please take them to heart and try to respect the spirit in which they were created. We administrate this community using logic and common sense, and we will give greatest regard to the intention of the rule. If we decide to terminate your account as a result of a violation of these Community Guidelines, you will be prohibited from ever signing up for another account!"

Last talking point: Don't hide behind the mantra of Fair Use to swipe things that do not belong to you... It can get very expensive...

A Case Study In Accidental Copyright Violations Part 1 of 5

What Drives Your Blog? Original or Borrowed Content?

I am going to take you out of the Rain to Google. When it comes to researching about copyright violations, Lexus Nexus and Google are my best electronic friends. As a Paralegal, I pay thousands of dollars to access Lexus. Since Google is free, lets stick with the equal opportunity use search engines and the on-line clearinghouses available for you to conduct your own research to check the veracity of my statements.

I would like to bring your attention to the Chilling Effects Clearinghouse on-line samples. Have you heard of it? Have you visited this database? As a blogger you should. Start here at the KazaA complaint to Google. Read the entire link because I am not going to paraphrase it here for you and the Q&A section underneath is fabulous.

Sometimes you have to see things for yourself to understand why I say and write the things I do to you. If you knew what I knew about how bad a copyright violation could get you would, like I, hesitate to use third party works that you have no idea where they originated from.

I am not against third party providers, I am against people who do not watch their copyrights or check the veracity of the third party claims. Some third parties provide for academic use, others for commercial use. Some fly by nights steal other peoples work, make some quick on-line money, then disappear. Watch your licenses and use the material according to the rights provided for. If you don't have written permission or a licensing agreement you are leaving yourself wide open for a world of hurt if your blogging habits result in a copyright violation complaint being lodged against you.

Did you know if you accidentally accuse someone of a copyright violation and it's really "Fair Use Doctrine" material they can get damages from you, possibly into the six figure realm? Here's an example of what I am talking about: http://www.onlinepolicy.org/action/legpolicy/opg_v_diebold/

Here's an interesting warning I shall quote from Google to make Blogspot bloggers think: "Please note that you will be liable for damages (including costs and attorneys' fees) if you materially misrepresent that a product or activity is infringing your copyrights." http://www.google.com/blogger_dmca.html

Creating original works can keep you out of trouble and possibly bankruptcy court (if you lose after getting caught). Why is my picture blurry on this post? Because I want you to get it out of your head that it has to be perfect. You can shoot a picture of anything and make it interesting if you just try... BTW, my three year old took several pictures in our garage of my neighbor's bike while Mama stood there smiling. You people telling me you can't take a friggin' picture yourselves? Seriously? He was hanging off of me trying to get the camera back while I shot a few. It was great. We had fun. Took two minutes. You don't have two minutes to invest in your blog by whipping out a camera and shooting whatever you see???

Do you know your ActiveRain community rules? Do you understand they assist in copyright violation investigations? Do you want to go to another social media spot and acquire photographs from people you do not know who may not even own the rights to those photographs? My kids supposedly made it to a photostock company that supposedly sold their pictures to a third party. They changed their tune when I said I was their Mama, there was no model release and fax me the receipts.

People lie. Can you afford to pay $100,000 if that social media account mysteriously closes down and you have no receipt or written permission from the "owner," just the picture you are accused of stealing sitting on your blog?

Live From The Flower Bed

This is one of my fave outside offices. It's the walkway to our apartment building. While the shorties play and wait for their school bus pick-ups I tend to get quite a bit of work done. I have sixteen e-mails that I need to answer because I think there's been some confusion generated regarding my last post.

I don't like causing confusion unless I deliberately mean to be confusing. I thought "stop stealing" was a pretty clear missive. Guess not (ROTFLMAO). Seems I upset some people who steal but would rather I use a more delicate, politically correct euphemism for their predilection in engaging in copyright violations... Okay. My next post shall be a case study in accidental copyright violations... Hmm... Nice blog post title. I shall use it after lunch (LOL). ;-)

I like chilling under the trees hanging out with my neighbors... We stay here sometimes long after our kids have gotten on their buses. Gotta go. Time to pick up Sana.

Hmm... My next post is going to be mad fun because it's a perfect example of people taking something that is said and turning it into something else based upon what was not said by me. I like inspiring others to write so by all means have at it but don't whack me for protecting my interests... Might whack you back (ROTFLMAO). You guys certainly know how to keep things interesting.I shall play nice in the electronic sandbox when I return. Seriously... ;-)

Thank you for taking the time to write and voice your concerns. I suppose this is the part of the show where I go into Paralegal mode so you can get it... I shall try to be helpful after lunch and provide some interesting examples of why it's best to be original but there may be some sarcasm and irony in there. After all, that tends to happen when you flip my b*tch switch. ;-)

Minion Painting 102: Drawing Can Be Fun So Go Create Something New And Original... Stop Stealing...

You do not have to do what I do but you do have to do something original with your blog posts. It doesn't take much to splash a little color on a small board. You can finger paint. You can pixelate. You can even fling paint like a monkey. You can grab a bunch of kids and draw stick figures, flowers and butterflies under a rainbow together. Use crayon if you have to... Do what ever it takes (like buy commercial use clip-art and stock photographs, giving them their notice props) but stop swiping other people's stuff.

Stop acting as if you can collect what you want without written permission.

How hard is it to send an e-mail and ask? Don't casually ask over the phone, people. Get it in writing. People may not remember you 6 months down the road. People may die and estates may come after you for some money because there is no paper trail that the original owner said "yes."

Be original. Be yourself. Do it your way. Draw, paint, splash color, photograph, sing, make music, make noise... I make lots of noise (LOL). If all you got is chatting on audio, then talk into your microphone. Don't be shy... Have that virtual, audio conversation. I love hearing from people. It's a pleasure to hear bloggers speak. Your audio can be your art. You can be poetic and lyrical if you develop an audio blog to go along with your written work. Original creative art is always interesting to check out because it says something unique about you. What do my drawings say? That I am sometimes a very anal retentive with detail personality (LOL). 

Original blog posts with your original audio, photography and other forms of art is the way to go. I've been noticing people cutting and pasting other people's work because they somehow believe a re-blog means the writer is doing some sort of creative commons license.... Some people disassemble and take what they want thinking this is not plagiarism or stealing. Got news for you: NO we are NOT giving away freebies because we post to the public and yes you are stealing when you take something without permission that does not belong to you...

Know what I think of your e-mail arguments when you get caught after I and other Rainers simply say stop: What a bunch of crap. I will not play nice in the electronic sandbox if you steal my work.  That's exactly what I am thinking and i mean what I say about stealing from other bloggers is wrong and has consequences. Most people new to blogging don't know a lot, so I have a lot of patience explaining the copyright rules to them. Then there are the ones who get caught over and over and over and over... Those people flip my b*tch switch.

The Internet is not a creative-commons-automatically-in-the-public-domain so I can use it place. The Internet is simply an electronic platform facilitating the transfer of files. It's a tool like your telephone.

RSS feeds are tools as well. They do not confer rights from the owner to you. An RSS feed is just for links back to the original work because you're asking for updates on your fave spots. RSS feeds are not creative commons licenses so do not for one minute think that if you piss a writer off you can hide behind argumentative dribble like, "the Internet is public domain" or "I subscribe to your blog through RSS feeds so I can publish your work without your permission because the feed grants me access and permission..."

Oh really? Have you Googled the fines on copyright violations? You need to do your research on that one. It will not stand in court if you get caught and you will eventually piss the wrong person off and get caught big time if you do not stop.

If you blog do yourself a huge favor and protect other's people's copyrights the same way you would protect your own intellectual property. It may keep you out of a heap of trouble. For example: My kids are cute. I use them all the time. They are popping up everywhere because some people think they are models for stock photography companies. Yes, I've been lied to and told they purchased my photographs from a stock photography site (LMAO). When I explain that I am their Mother and they are real people who work for M&Ms and only for me, the conversation usually gets very interesting after that (ROTFL). Have I sued anyone? No. Will I sue someone? Maybe... Depends upon their intent and how stupid they get when I ask them to take my kids down from their websites.

My children live in ActiveRain, Facebook and YouTube. My original art is also considered to be my virtual children by me. If  you take them (my brick and mortar bloodline kids and virtual children) somewhere I did not intend for them to go I shall politely ask you to send my babies back home by removing them from your unauthorized areas. I will only ask one time because my creativity, like my kids, belong to me. If you do not receive me, then you can receive something more official to prove how serious I am about protecting my work and the reputation of the wee people.

If something that I do can help you and others I have no problem considering giving you my blessing but you have to ask me. I am very open about Autism and PDD-NOS issues. I tell a lot about my quirky life. You don't get to put that in a book without my permission. You don't turn them into a brochure. If you are not one of my blogging buddies that I routinely tell to use whatever they find useful (e.g. Big Mike, Margaret Rome, Elizabeth Weintraub, Lizette Fitzpatrick, TLW, Paddy Pizappi, Melodious, etc... ) don't pretend that joining Club Chaos automatically makes you one of my bay-bays. I know who the bay-bays are because they are my friends. They are the family I get to pick for myself. I know them. They know me. We know how far to go. We apologize when we go to far. First we tried, then we trusted each other. We have contact in ways you have no idea of. Friendship is a beautiful thing and I absolutely love my friends. Don't abuse your virtual friends and your social media platforms. You can be kicked out of virtual places if you are not careful and there could be liability issues that hypothetically may wipe out your savings if you lose in a court of law.  

Faking friendships with other writers to steal their stuff is a no-no. You will be found out. Friends talk among themselves. Stealing the work of your competition because you want their Google juice is a no-no. You will be found out. Thinking that Rainers will not sue other Rainers for blatant copyright violations is a lie from the pit of Hell. Being in the same group as another member does not a friend make. Leaving a comment on a post that you are going to use the post, then cut and paste from it like you created the work is a no-no. When Wordy C writes a long comment on your post, you can not one week later cut and paste it into a blog post with a bit of clip art for 200 points. That's a no-no. Matter of fact, that is seriously bad blogging (LMAO). Cut your own comments into a friggin' post, not other Rainers. That comment on your blog post belongs to me. I am having a conversation in cyberspace, not supplying you with new material to steal as your own post later on. Those comments are part of your record concerning who responded and how, HOWEVER, they are not your intellectual property.  It's no different than a YouTube video being embedded in the comments section. You certainly didn't gain any new rights from someone like Pink or a band like U2 for it being there now did you? What the hell makes you think you can steal rights from other Rainers? Because we're nice??? Did I mention I have a b*tch switch? (LOL)

Do you see where this conversation is going? Don't take me seriously because I routinely don't take me seriously? That's fine (or may be a no-no if the B-switch is activated). However, even my silly bouts of misbehaving on-line belong exclusively to me. When Wordy C reads her e-mail and answers back you can't collect them and my Twitter tweets and compile them into a book. You need permission. Quoting me once or twice is not the same as devoting a chapter to my work. Twitter does not own our tweets nor does Twitter give you a third party license to collect them for a tweet-publication. Tweets are 140 character micro-blogs. Your Twitter landing page is the one comprising a collection of micro-blogs that belong to your profile. Imagine miniature outside blog if the thought escapes you (LOL). So what if we are chatting openly among friends and the general public at large on a blogging platform. Lack of privacy in a written conversation does not constitute lack of intellectual property rights by a blogger tweeting thoughts and linking back to ActiveRain or another website so you can read the whole story. It also doesn't give a person rights to music because they Blip.fm a song into the Twitter stream and it friend-feeds that into Facebook. Yes, I have had the argument and am still having it with people who should know better but don't  (LMAO). 

You can't embed the YouTube of a song in ActiveRain because someone else did it or it's in your friend feed. How many times do I have to say watch your copyrights? Yes, it is a lot of fun, but did you fax or  e-mail and ask permission? Was permission granted? Did you use a sight like Blip.fm that has contractual arrangements with Twitter, iTunes, Amazon, the record labels, etc. Do you know who has or doesn't have arrangements with Facebook? Stop pointing to other platforms and saying it's okay to continue it over here because it is not. Read the community rules (and stop driving Harlen crazy...) I have 820 people to worry about. Imagine the handful of people at ActiveRain having 158K plus members to worry about. Can we give these people a friggin' break? I certainly need a break. I have been e-mailing my behind off about copyright concerns. I am a wee bit tired playing Chaotic Mama to a handful of recalcitrant cyber-children. I love you dearly, thus the gentle spanking.

Pay attention to your platform's terms of service. You, as a writer creating intellectual property for publication, should always monitor your work and create as much original content as you can. Quoting is cool. Fair use is cool. Get creative with sticking with the rules. Your creativity can open so many doors if you take the leap of faith and color your virtual world with yourself... Need music? Buy a license or get your permission in writing. Cover your a$$. People tend to forget where they left their car keys. Do you think a band is going to remember they said it was okay three years from now when the record label attorney drags you into a hypothetical class action lawsuit against YouTube-Users as a hypothetical user who violated the ActiveRain and YouTube terms of service agreement? They are tracking down grandmas and 12 year olds right now regarding copyright violations people. Don't believe me? Google it...

Respect the re-blog, the RSS feeds, your writing neighbors and all copyrights. The blog and bank accounts you save may be your own... Just sayin...  :-)

Morning lovelies. :-) I'm sitting in Yahoo minding my business reading my e-mail and scheduling appointments when I come across a notification from ActiveRain support that my writers have new posts to be approved for my team blog. Cool. I click the link, log into AR, make a few comments, approve the post syndication and start trolling the blogs for my blogging buddies.

I see Lenn Harley did a reblog. Cool. I check it out. I click the links. Register. It says I have to check my e-mail to confirm. Okay. Back to Yahoo I go. I click the link. I get a confirmation page. Before I can close the tab out a new tab pops up entitled "VirusDoctor" and I get crazy screen showing a green program load bar flying from 0 to 100%

I rip the network cords out of the back of my computer.

I am staring at a new browser tab pissed the hell off because I don't know what this is. I have a triple firewall and double antivirus. How the hell did I get this? Adware.Win32.Winad? AdvWare.Hotbar? Trojan-Downloader.Win32.Small.dge? Trojan.Qoologic - Key logger? Sheur.ZSQ?

I freak out when I see the key logger shit because that is a nasty hack attack. I gotta go change all of my account passwords if this turns out to be true. The damn thing has the nerve to recommend "Click 'Start Protection' button to erase all threats."

Oh really?

I am not clicking that. It is inconceivable to me that Norton 360 would miss these and a few others. The tab claims that I have 10 critical and high threat viruses. Hmm... The interesting thing is the scan has been disabled on my PC Tools Antivirus but not Norton 360. Hmm... I am running Norton 360 waiting for confirmation that these things are actually on my computer while I stare at three red blinking warnings declaring 10 viruses found: 1 in my documents and 9 in shared documents.

Off I migrate to the laptop to write this while I wait for Norton to give me a report. Mike's computer and my laptop appear to be fine. We are sharing a five station router. My HP tower is the only one that appears to be under attack. Bummer. All my work is on there. I can't afford to lose a single file off that machine.

I don't know what this is and I hope it isn't crap to make me buy something that I do not need. I certainly am not clicking some strange button to "remove" something that appears to have been maliciously downloaded this morning. I am pissed off that my PC Tools wont scan this. Norton appears to be doing it's job. When Norton is done I'm going to use Evidence Eliminator to wipe all of the temp files with a department of defense scrub and digital bleach job. I don't want any temp files left anywhere... I am thinking clicking the "start protection" button will trigger a malicious installation. What say you?

WTF is Microscano.info and how did it pop up it's own tab on my Firefox browser to start this shit???

This better not be a fucked up advertisement for a product because I am soooo calling my attorney girlfriends about this unauthorized intrusion into my little digital world. I am stressed out beyond belief because Paralegals have to maintain the confidentiality of client files. Comprehensive scans and running computer forensic tools to track alterations and accessed files take a long time and I have a client I need to drive to an open house in Long Island. I just cancelled my gym routine to deal with this crap.

A pissed off Wordy C may be getting really evil with some stupid person later this afternoon... Seriously evil... I do not let people mess with my home office. It's how I pay the bills and feed my kids. Mama is really loaded for bear today. Will keep you guys posted...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Neighbors-Exec-moved-into-apf-818362254.html?x=0&.v=1

Gotta share this link.

Imagine being robbed by B. Madoff and having your home taken from you...

Imagine having a bank executive get a homeowners pass from security and "move" into your newly foreclosed home... Imagine having the neighbors complain to the press the property is not being shown to people who want to buy it because "they" are living and/or throwing parties in it... Imagine neighbors writing down license plate numbers and reporting them because what is happening appears to be sooooooooo wrong...

Think I am kidding? Read the above link. Very sad state of affairs, indeed...

There's an on-going investigation in progress... Hmm... Wonder where it's going to go... Imagine that...

http://www.fox.com/fod/play.php?sh=fringe

Happy addictions in moderation... Waiting for Fringe... just waiting... Wondering what are they going to do next and looking forward to every single minute of it. I love this show almost as much as I love Kyoto Green Tea Ice Cream. Every have it? It's a must see and do if you're on Union Turnpike in Queens County. :-)

Fringe Schedule: http://www.fox.com/fringe/?src=schedule_page

GET YOUR BLOGGER'S BUTTS OVER HERE AND DO THIS NOW!!!!!!!

Club Chaos, you have homework. The clock is ticking. Go to the original post and high-jack the reblog. Let the marketing games begin people... How can I not support my fave place to be?  ;-)

A Question of Deception: Big Deal? Or No Big Deal? You decide...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZFwKFndtg4&feature=related

Perry Stone has something very interesting to say here in this YouTube link. Someone sent me this link to a clip of him and I thought it was very interesting that "they" had these chips and that "they" are trying to make people implant them. Hmm... I have to say that I don't want one either (LOL). I think it's a big deal that more people aren't paying attention to stuff like this...

What say you about those potential chip implants?

This was pretty cool too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SsNqVabsgE&feature=related

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/sep/08/chris-griffith-home-loan-modification-mirage/

Chris Elizabeth Griffith is always a great read. I started my day giggling at her banter in Facebook after Stephen and I stopped counting airplanes (LOL). I have to go torture myself and stand outside waiting for Noah's school bus now. While I am cross-eyed on the sidewalk with the rest of the bleary eyed mommies and daddies, go read Chris Elizabeth and the loan modification mess...

I shall be back with something new and quirky to share with you later (LOL). :-)

09-09-09... Wonder what we're going to do with that today... Cyberspace is going to be hopping with all sorts of numerical stuff, eh? I may have to do a Biblical post on the mathematics in the Bible just to freak yall out about the specificity of GOD... I have charts and everything (LOL). Think I'm kidding? Hmm... ;-)

Number 1: Placement of Cooler...

Place the Antec Notebook Cooler on a firm, stable surface when in use... Hmm... I am neither firm or stable... (LMAO). That's why I go to the gym. Working on the firm part. We shall spoof about my lack of stability later because I have a laptop cooler to assemble little tiny rubber feet on and install (LOL).

Are we having another outside office adventure in blogging? Yup. I've been running the streets since 9AM collecting eye candy for my black and white post to show Julie C. We shall be blogging on the fly for the rest of the day. Gotta get my jog on and post a bunch of turtleruns for Localism. :-)

Number 2: Placement of Notebook Computer...

Hmm... Now you and I both know this thing is going to wind up in my lap, right? (LOL). I shall skip this paragraph completely...

Number 3: Dual Fan Speed Control Switch...

Ooooooo... nice subtle lap breeze. Should have worn my shorts for this one (ROTFLMAO). ;-)

Wordy C product review: Antec gets a double minion thumbs up. I like it!

Thank you Alan May. You are a brilliant Rainer!

Next: Lunch at Kyoto and blogging live (LOL).  ;-)

What a neat post. I am so happy K made it available for a re-blog. I fell out laughing at the Bob Wells quote at the end. That really made my morning. Enjoy!

Wordy C on Simple Reminders: Safety First and Monitor Your Mouth

I can not speak for, or make wild assumptions about the majority of on-line users because I do not know them. Some people are trustworthy and well-intentioned while others simply are not. People make up their minds daily... Minute by minute, second by second, they decide what they are going to do, who they are going to do it with, see or speak to and how they are going to say what ever it is that is on their mind.

When you are planning on creating your own version of an ActiveRain Road Trip to hook up with Rainers my advice to you is to know the person's blog. Intimately. Spend time with them on a daily, weekly or monthly basis so you can be sure that this is the virtual person you want to be brick and mortar friends with.

ActiveRain is a very unique place and the human interactions facilitated through the forums have been some of the most fascinating on-line experiences I have ever had. I am unaware of any specific incidence of violence between Rainers and will not speculate about a crime having been committed because I have read blog posts were Realtors have witnessed the arrests of other Realtors. As they are on-going investigations in progress, one would be wise not to assume people are automatically guilty. People are innocent until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and it is very easy to get arrested. All it takes is a phone call and an accusation with another person being willing to press charges.

When dealing with both sides of the equation, you do not know what their intentions are or were. You do not know what mistakes have and have not been made. Please do not be so quick to condemn any human being because they have had the misfortune of being arrested or charged with a crime. The jury is still out and deliberations are on-going.

If you are going to make friends with a person, then make friends with them because you genuinely like them, flaws and all. Friends don't run when friends get into trouble. Friends don't run when friends get sick, divorced, destitute, or any other drama that embellishes a life. You can yell, scream, fight, love, rant, rave, cry, laugh and commiserate with a friend. When you do that enough on-line and feel such a connection or bond with them, then by all means go on your AR Road Trip and enjoy your new brick and mortar. If you can't handle the whole person when they show you who they are, don't go for something to blog about, go blog about something else and keep your car parked where ever you left it. Let people have some dignity if they mistakenly choose to tell you something they obviously should not have. These people have family and friends to. Monitor your mouth... put yourself in their shoes. Maybe they reached out to you because of who they think you are rather than what and who you really are. It's not just their life, it is also your on-line reputation at stake here.

Being a Rainer means you take the community rules with you. They don't stay on your blog post. They stay with you.

I meet Rainers all the time and rarely ever tell you guys a thing. Why? I am making real friends. I don't feel the need to prove that I have been in someone's home, hung out nor feel a need to constantly announce my hook ups. I didn't create the term as a writing tool. I simply called it what it was. There are some friends I constantly tease and we have so many people in common of course we playfully blog about getting together and our friends, family and readers all love hearing the fact that we have a wonderful time together. I threaten to invade states all the time (and frequently do - LOL) however, all people deserve the right to keep their private life private and if you receive an invitation to meet another Rainer you must always make sure it is okay for you to share with the public what you have done. Don't be quick to post pictures and blog about it. Ask ahead of time before you even meet so the person can be prepared and pick outings appropriate for mutual eye candy moments.

Never assume you have the right to simply publish what ever you want about someone else's private life. Watch your mouth. You have no idea how your mouth on your blog may affect them and their home life. If this is your friend then take care of them. If this is a budding relationship, take extra special care because it is new to you both. There is a lot neither of you know about the other. You have to be careful because you may be inadvertently blabbing someone else's secrets...

A final word to my lovely Newb Rainers: take common sense precautions and treat on-line people as you would off-line people on a first date. When meeting someone new for the first time:

1. Insist on a public meeting place like your office, Starbucks, Barnes and Nobles, a museum, the local pizza joint, etc.

2. Tell a friend or family member where you're going and who you are meeting (print their profile page out and give it to them).

3. Take your cell phone along and borrow a damn phone if you do not have one. Crap happens. My kid floats mine in the toilet all the time (LOL).

4. Consider having your entire family or a few friends accompany you. After all, you have no idea who the other person may be bringing. You may find you actually have several Rainers popping over because one person is tweeting their location (LOL). Think I am kidding? I'm not. Been there, had a blast and met a whole bunch of people I had no idea were coming over (LMAO). ;-)

5. Trust your instincts. If you really don't like their comments or writing don't feel obligated to meet with them. Just because they are flying into the area on business and need some time to kill don't let random people  indiscriminately look you up. Have you heard of them before? What do you know about them? No profile picture? How do you even know it's really them? No blog posts just random commenting? You should only spend time with people you are curious about and want to really be with. 2 million plus people read this site. Do you know 2 million people? I don't. I routinely turn offers down because I have a healthy sense of self preservation (LMAO). Have I blown deals behind it? Abso-freaking-lutely. Guess what? Still alive and can sleep at night. (Okay, so I actually nap - LOL). ;-)

I have a really long list but I think you guys are starting to get the picture.

Why did I write this? Because some of the people I am mentoring have questions on how to do this and their prospective friends have issues. I have flaws and issues myself, so I think people should be given a chance to prove themselves to you and you should prove who you really are to them. Talking to someone in the middle of a divorce does not make you the other woman, it makes you the friend they are confiding in because they need a friend... If you feel like the other woman then maybe your intentions are at issue and not his.

If you are going to meet someone know why you want to meet them. You do not need to check with me to find out if a reason is okay. Thank you for placing your trust in me. Now go trust yourself. You need to be comfortable with your actions. If you are uncomfortable, then trust your instincts and hold off until you are at peace and excited about your trip. Never feel obligated. Polite can get you hurt. Say NO and mean it.

Be honest people. This is real life... not just trolling for business or playing social media games so you can lie to your friends about having a fantasy Facebook date with one of my hot Realtor girlfriends... Cyberspace is a small place. You will be found out so watch your mouth or you will trigger a response from people like me. If you read my blog then you should be well aware of the fact that I am very protective of my bay-bays. I know more than you think.

If I know something, you can bet your bottom dollar that other people know as well... Friends talk among themselves. Just sayin... Enjoy your life in the Rain and be safe. Love, C. :-)

Wordy C Cow Pie Talking Point: Being A Rainer Means You Take The Community Rules With You...

It doesn't mean you have to be perfect. It doesn't mean you can't make mistakes. It doesn't mean you can't be yourself. It doesn't mean you can not have an opinion. It  doesn't even mean you have to like or agree with them. What it does mean is if you are a part of this community, then we expect you to act like you are a part of this community and treasure what is being built here.

This isn't just a place to advertise. This is a culture. This is a whole new way of doing business where (1) cultivating relationships matter, (2) educating the public and our peers matter and (3) sharing what you deem important matters. If someone wants to share something you don't give a flying fig about, move on and don't touch their blog post if you have nothing but nasty things to say. Having a difference of opinion is fine. Attacking other members in the forum is not.

Discretion and Common Sense are beautiful things... If you don't have any go get some. SERIOUSLY... (LOL)

The way I figure it, if you were smart enough to earn your license then you are certainly smart enough to understand the difference between the four (e.g. difference of opinion, attacking someone, discretion and common sense). If I can figure this out on my own, then so can the public. When I mentioned simple reminders like  bloggers should monitor their mouths I had some very good reasons for writing that post. Even more fun, it inspired other bloggers to write what they truly think regarding the subject.

This is how we play blog tag. This is how we expand our thoughts. This is how cyber-conversations continue and evolve in cyberspace. This is what bloggers do: We communicate and share what ever interest us. Readers can Google and read what ever they want. If they don't find it on ActiveRain, they will find it somewhere else. Because we share so much of ourselves, more and more people are discovering the Rain for reasons other than real estate. They are sticking around and they are sending us e-mail. They call. They walk into our offices because of what we've written that triggers something in them to select us as their business representatives. I have had professionals pop in just to say hello. I've had people send me presents. I've had people give me items to pass along to other people because of something I said in the comments section of other writers blog posts. I even accidentally helped someone find gainful employment... Readers have no idea what goes on behind the scenes of a blog post, they only know what we tell them. Sharing inspires good people to act in wonderful ways...

As far as I am concerned, that alone makes me feel sharing my thoughts on any subject matter was and is well worth the effort. People frequently inspire me to write all kinds of stuff and once in a while I get the pleasure of inspiring another writer... If I happen to gain business from someone interested in weight loss and Body Magic, why are you being such a crab with your e-mail because I published it on ActiveRain? So what if this is a real estate network. I am part of the community here. This is MY NETWORK. My friends are here. My friggin' sister is now here. I am a Real Estate Paralegal sharing my day with the people that I choose to share it with. You don't get to decide what I share or who I share it with, you only get to decide if you are going to continue reading or abandon reading me. You also get to decide if you want to leave a comment, e-mail, show up or call. I see people by appointment only so if you want to meet with me, make an appointment. Contrary to the silliness of my scheduled blogging habits, I am a very busy person. I am not into wasting time, however,  your e-mail was important enough to inspire me taking the time to write this blog post. I routinely answer e-mail in public when I think the answers matter to more than one person so get comfy because I am not finished with you yet (LOL).

Feel free to ignore writers you don't care for and stop worrying about how we play or troll for business on this platform when we do so within the guidelines of the community rules. Why are you monitoring how I (or any other writers) play on-line anyway? Are you peeved because I and my friends keep popping up while you're Googling stuff? It seems that way because you named a few other Rainers in your electronic missive. That's what I am getting from your e-mail. Wanna know how I view your complaints? I see it as I must be doing something right because you found me and you keep finding us (LOL). I thank you for the backhanded Google compliment regarding Club Chaos although I am certain you did not mean it that way (ROTFL).

Have I annoyed you because you are trying to be my serious competition and I am not serious about competing with anyone? Holy cow! You did not just go there! Yup. Yeah... I did (LOL) Psssst... I like your moxy. I work with people as a co-operating broker. Don't want to work with me? Cool. I will take the buyer somewhere else like firms interested in closing escrow with my firm. My life is simple. No co-broke, no Wordy C. Don't be mad at me for trying to make a living. Aren't you trying to make money as well? Why do you people get pissed when you act stupid and I simply leave. Sorry. I don't have a "stupid clause" in my contract so yall need to get over the you didn't attend my open house crap. That is not a game people like me play. I have too many buyers and can't be two places at the same time. I like reasonable people, can deal with the unreasonable moments but will not spend valuable minutes with stuck on stupid people. Have you been paying attention to how tough this market has been lately? Do you really want to keep pissing people off because you are the listing broker and no one can cut you out of the deal, but you can cut the buyer broker out if the customer really wants the house. People like you are the reason I habitually use buyer broker agreements. You just don't get it when I say it's my buyer...

Do you understand that when I am in Realtor mode it is not the same as me being in Blog Post Writer mode? When I am in Paralegal mode, it is not the same as me being in Notary, Musician, Artist or Geek mode? Every single writer on this network is a multifaceted personality and you should never assume that a few posts have given you insight as to how to push or motivate a person. Especially a person like me... People like me either walk away or push back really hard so be careful when you shoot off an e-mail like you are some sort of authority or expert because you THINK you know something or someone. Once you press send, you have no control over your e-mail. It can be forwarded to places you did not intend for it to go. I get all kinds of stuff when people are upset and spend a lot of time mediating disputes as a group founder. It's all confidential between the parties involved but you need to understand that that means I know a lot more than you think I do.

I've discovered from all of that behind the scenes moderating and arbitration that if I answer certain people out in the open on my blog, my words can not be misconstrued, altered, diluted or twisted. The whole world has an opportunity to know exactly what I am thinking about a subject. I can be neutral and not pick sides, simply state my case and let the opinions fall where they may. Some appreciate it, some don't. Some people learn something new about me or find the answer to their own situation. Sometimes it is a complete bust and no one gets it. That's fine... There is freedom in being honest about one's thoughts if you are careful not to be malicious with another person when you finally do decide to answer who either want to hear from you or need to hear it no matter what. That's why I love blogging here. ActiveRain cultivates a different type of writer and each writer does the best they can with what they have as they grow with a little help from their friends.

I am a baby blogger with my pampers on. It is an honor and a privilege to have been selected as an Ambassador. It is an honor and a privilege to have been accepted in almost 80 groups. It is a blessing that I have discovered my voice because my mentors and friends care enough about me to correct me when I am wrong and support me even when they do not agree with my position but understand my point of view. If we, while debating and sharing our day, happen to be dominating Google because of our unique and quirky writing habits, why are you complaining about us elevating this network or platform in the public's eyes? Original content is king. Even silly content has a place in cyberspace... :-)

BTW, don't like my silly Google Juice? Oh well... feel free to click another link. Dang! I'm over there too. Oh my word, poor, poor, baby. Rainers are everywhere... You just can't escape us AR blogging buddies now can ya? (LMAO) Psssst... we talk about everything... Seriously! That's why we get on your nerves.... It doesn't have to be that way if you would take two moments to think a new thought. Are you ready for a business pitch? Oh my word, no she didn't. Um... er... yup. Yes, she did (LMAO).

Instead of player hating because you are on another platform and don't understand what or how we do it, send me an e-mail and I'll set you up with an Outside Blog. Duh??? Can't beat us? You ought to be joining us rather than bent out of shape because some Realtors actually have a lot of fun on-line while making money... Seriously... It makes no sense that one Realtor should be knocking another Realtor because some of us play more than write market reports. Why not simply try it? We are not the enemy. I bet you'll like us. It's fun being a Rainer! :-)

BTW, that report jibe, that is an erroneous assumption on your part. You have no idea what any of us are doing while we are doing it. You aren't there standing over our shoulders so quit making general statements as if they are specific facts to support your position (LOL). There are a lot of things I do not post on-line. Might not seem that way if you read my blog, but it's true (LOL).

Rainers are the people living in my computer. I love some of them dearly. We have never set foot in the same room, but we talk every day. Those people know me. I know them. Do you know me? NO... Do you know what I'm wearing right now? No. Why? Because you aren't here (LMAO). In addition, you don't live in my computer, attend Skype par-tays with me or anything (LOL). See where this is going? You need to be in the Rain to understand what the Rain is. It's not just trolling for business. It's a personal journey, an experience between friends, family and readers. Readers eventually become customers and clients... Readers pick who they want to work with. Why pretend otherwise? I periodically remind readers that I am a buyer's broker and keep chatting about my life and interests They eventually call or e-mail me when they need me. A lot of people routinely e-mail me to talk when they don't. Guess what? They send me referrals later on down the line (LOL). Never tell a Newb not to write about their cat or dog. Animal lovers read us too (LOL). ;-)

Got more news for you: first time buyers only want to buy what they can afford. They don't care about what other people have brought or might buy. The "experts" timing the market have been wrong for years. People get that. Joe Shmoe knows this to be true... Especially after the bubble that wasn't a bubble burst and left us all holding the cow pie bag. So stop tooting your horn and waving your virtual flags at me as if you are going to save me from myself and my blog because you are some self proclaimed expert and I refuse to use that word for any advertisement I may create now or in the future.

People are happy that I am a licensed professional. I am happy that I am a licensed professional. I don't need saving from myself. You do realize if that were possible I would no longer be me. Well, I like me and I want to be Wordy C (LOL). Besides, Jesus already saved me. I'm good. My soul is happy because I am not going to Hell. Yay! Everything after that is a small thing, trust me  (LMAO). I may not even be in the industry ten years from now so why are we constantly squabbling over market reports and who is more or less professional than someone else because we're different and don't act like someone expects us to... Can't we agree to disagree and get along? Why can't we just play nice in the electronic sandbox people? Seriously. This post is MAD LONG and I am not finished yet (LMAO). Answering e-mail can be a real ______. ;-)

Buyers want taxable value, assessed value, market value comparisons on specific investments so stop giving me lip service because I don't publish everything that I do in ActiveRain. Want a market report? Okay. Here it is: This market whomps so why do I need to be reporting something the entire USA knows? Seriously? (ROTFL) Why are people pissed off I am not cutting and pasting statistics from the MLS? Why? There certainly are enough people here doing it that they don't need me following along. Besides, I do really nice ones with original analysis, lots of eye candy and fun blurbs but I save them for my clients and when I do presentations to convert a customer into a client. I do not feel the need to post them on-line (people steal enough of other people's work without my wondering where more of my stuff is now going). However, Wordy C adding her two cents and some Club Chaos, Cosmic Cow Pie, Whacked and Jacked spin on it might make for a very interesting blog post report later on down the line (LMAO). Does that mean I am going to write one and spoof the heck out of it? Hell yeah! (LMAO). How could I not??? People count on my periodic misbehaving on-line. That's why I get so much e-mail (ROTFLMAO).

Okay... This is MAD WORDY. Even for Wordy C (LOL). Blog post therapy done. Time to go play in Facebook... :-)

http://www.ardysslife.com/?ID=alicialee

I am not one for cosmetics but the Reshaping, Nutrition and Personal Care Stuff... that we can do (LOL). I am in Facebook playing Mafia Wars when my gal pal from 6th grade gives me the link to her website. Of course, being a social media addict I have to blog about this (LOL).

Knowing my penchant for being a bit transparent in my writing and sharing all kinds of personal tid bits, she wants to know if I put her website on my blog. Hmm... What a stellar idea. Hadn't done it before but it instantly gave me all sorts of interesting ideas to spoof on regarding my naughty shopping habits because I do so love to play on-line with my brick and mortar friends (LOL).

Wonder where I am going to go with this conversation, eh? Let's find out... You guys want to learn something new about Wordy C (and women in general)? Get comfy. You are about to ease drop on what I am thinking. You can learn a lot about people by what they like to buy. Let's do some virtual window shopping together. Let's also get back to the conversations with the cartoons in my head. They go with me everywhere. Especially the triplets Me, Myself and I (LOL). ;-)

So here I am hanging out at my girlfriend's website shopping on-line trying to figure out what little item of pampering I shall try to get the hubby to pay for today. Women do that you know. We smile and say help make us sexy and if they refuse to pay for our gym membership or Victoria's Secrets we remind them our frumpy fat a$$ is all their fault (LOL). So men, pay attention. Make a budget for your significant other so when he or she (some friends do have bi and same sex partners, not a typo) pauses in a catalog of this can improve your ___, be attentive to the conversation because that person is revealing to you want they would like to change about themselves.

We all know I do not wear makeup so I am sooooo not clicking this tab (LOL). Of course, smart people who blog got the link joke right away because in order for me to embed the link of course I clicked on the friggin' tab (LMAO).

Yes, it's true. I am sooooo easily amused. Don't let it distract you from the fact that Alicia has a really nice website. I really am shopping over there right now. :-) If you do wear makeup, feel free to check out the link. Getting eye liner and lip gloss on me makes my gal pals really tired but if I spoof on makeup I know they will check this page out only because they are going to try to use Alicia as leverage to get me to wear some of her makeup product. My friends have a lot of influence over me in case you were wondering why I would say such a thing. I say it to let them know I am already on to them (LOL). It makes the mental chess games of makeup manipulation that much more fun because now they have to work even harder to pull this off (LMAO). Lets go to the area I really want to talk bout: Reshaping.

I love going to the NY Sports Club. My gal pals Susana and Tamara are my gym partners. Besides being gorgeous, smart and fun-funny women, they also are driven to constantly evolve and improve their natural state of being. This is why I tell people to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. They tend to bring you up rather than drag you down and can inspire you to sit on-line trying to figure out how to get back into that little black dress you brought two years ago that you really, really like but can't get into.

Aha! Wordy C is about to buy a "Body Magic Shape Your Body And Reduce Sizes" thing-a-ma-jig.

Hmm... which one to get? What on earth is a corselette? I know what a girdle is. I think it's a girdley-type thing (LOL). Now don't get me wrong. I work out because I eat a lot (LOL). I am 155 pounds, a little chubby and a size 10. I've come down from a size 16 and am working on shedding my last 20 LBS of what I can no longer call baby fat since Stephen is 3 years old (LMAO). I want to see if I buy this thing if I can get into that little black dress...

Seriously. I have a little black dress. Why don't I just buy another black dress? Because another dress is not THE dress. There is no substitute when you already have exactly what you want. Men, remember that because women get peeved when you make us settle for what we DON'T want. Save yourself the argument. Give American Express gift cards and tell us to go shopping with the girls. Mention the words pamper and spa day and we will brag about you to everyone we meet. Seriously. :-)

Will I put the dress on for you? Maybe... maybe not. We shall see... I think it depends upon whether or not I can actually get into it (LMAO). I am going to finish my window shopping so I can make a sexy wish list, give it to the hubby and return to Mafia Wars. We will continue this conversation when my package arrives. Will I show you my underwear? Maybe... maybe not (LOL).