• Posted 12/19/2024.
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    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

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    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
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    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Any men in Massachusetts?

No need to be sorry. Hopefully I'll be getting on the forum more often again; maybe that'll make some sort of difference in my "search" ;)
 
If I were half my age (23 instead of 46), living in Boston (which I'm not) and single... I guess that's strike three... I'd certainly ask you out for a coffee or dinner. A girl who keeps turtles has to be at least nice enough to ask out on a date :)

As far as your BF vs BS comment, keep your standards high and you'll meet someone worthy of your affection. I think too many people "settle" for someone who just isn't right for them, out of fear of not finding the right person... look hard enough and long enough and you'll find one man who is right for you. You may find him in the strangest place... but if you hold out hope, he's out there... best of success in your search for a BF (MAN). There are a few out here worth waiting for... you just have to be patient.... and really picky.

I probably sound like the father of a teenage girl, huh? I am LOL

Tom Townsend
 
LoL... finally, someone gets it... too bad you're not single, I mighta been able to overlook you bein a few years older (though twice my age may be a bit much)... oh well.

Anyway, still keepin my eyes open for someone who doesn't play games, likes to go out and have fun, but also enjoys stayin in and watchin a movie (one of my fave things to do, especially when it's rainin and/or I just feel like cuddlin, which I LOVE hehe). Lemme know if that sounds like you... and if so, fly your butt to Boston! Haha...

;)
 
I don't know about you, but I felt that Jennifer made it pretty plain (not that I was suggesting anything to the contrary) that she *isn't* interested in a married man.... especially and old fart married man LOL... but that I "got" it...

I think it is a pretty admirable quality that someone is interested in finding the right person to have a relationship with, and not just hop into bed with someone else because they've got a pulse... call me old-fashioned, or even backward in the twenty-first century, but it's about time people discovered that being dedicated to one another is much more rewarding than being a (male or female) slut... I happen to think Jennifer has that pretty well figured out.

Think of a world with families with Moms *and* Dads... less STD(s) and a whole lot fewer troubles than the one we live in now. I believe that's what you get when you have whole families.

Before some single parent gets all mad at me.... I also admire single parents who choose not to invite every Tom, Dick, Jane or Joan into their kids' lives too... being a single parent can't possibly be easy, and sometimes the person that started out as the Mom or Dad just didn't work out... another reason for waiting for the right person to marry, in my opinion, for the right reasons... There are too many Mothers who are raising their children without a Father in the home and the same goes for single Fathers.... I wouldn't suggest running out and getting married again *just* to have a person of the opposite sex in the household... making the same mistake twice doesn't make a lot of sense. In fact, I've heard it said that doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result is one definition of insanity... and it is insane to jump into a bad relationship just to be in one.....

I do want to be clear that I wasn't asking Jennifer out, and she wasn't suggesting that we get together... that much I'm sure of.

So now that I've dug a huge hole, I'll step back and admire my work... flame resistant suit on and all.

Tom Townsend
 
lucille said:
My mistake; and I apologize to you both. Please be Christian and forgive.....
Click to expand...

Not to open a can of worm of an entirely unpalatable flavor, but are you sure you meant christian? Some of the most unforgivng and hypocritcal individuals I have EVER met claimed christianity as there own.

Maybe it's just me.
 
wilomn said:
Not to open a can of worm of an entirely unpalatable flavor, but are you sure you meant christian? Some of the most unforgivng and hypocritcal individuals I have EVER met claimed christianity as there own.

Maybe it's just me.
Click to expand...

No kidding just live in the "Buckle" of the bible belt like I do. I swear most people think I am satan or very close to it.
 
You know Brian, it could be the horns. Now that I file mine down regularly I have much less reaction than I used to.

Try it and see if it doesn't help you too.
 
wilomn said:
You know Brian, it could be the horns. Now that I file mine down regularly I have much less reaction than I used to.

Try it and see if it doesn't help you too.
Click to expand...

No Wes it is that darn pointed tail........ And the fact that people who voice their opinions such as I do in Alabama have to have 666 burned in their skin somewhere. Prime example the big thing that happened over the Ten Commandments monument in the state judicial building and the Federal mandate that required its removal. There is a seperation of church and state for a very good reason. The Spanish Inquisition comes to mind right off the bat.
 
Yup in Abalama, the state where a child's first words are often uncle daddy, I can see your point.

But you are not trying to imply that the judge who had that 4 ton block of granite secretyly installed in the courthouse MIGHT NOT have been sincere in his reasoning?

Wasn't he up for re-election too?

The topper is, as they were written they were NOT accurate translations of the ORIGINAL ten commandments. I'd say how typically christian here, but don't want to start another sidetracking thread.

Ignorance is bliss, ain't it?
 
lucille said:
The can stays closed, Wes. Just everyone forgive poor Lucille OK?
Click to expand...
You don't need to be forgiven. You have done nothing wrong and I'm not angry with you in the slightest. I just wanted to be clear that I wasn't asking for a date LOL...
 
wilomn said:
The topper is, as they were written they were NOT accurate translations of the ORIGINAL ten commandments. I'd say how typically christian here, but don't want to start another sidetracking thread.
Click to expand...
Just a side note... apparently a nuance missed in all the concern over the accuracy of the "version" of the Ten Commandments...
The term Christian denotes a person who is a follower of Christ. Christ taught a New Covenant that was different from "The Law" or "The Big Ten" as they might also be called, regardless of what translation you may be familiar with. The Old Covenant was (in 1000 words or less) that man had to keep the law, which is impossible, and to make restitution for the failure to keep the law (sin), an animal (without blemish) sacrifice had to be brought to the temple (the larger the sin, the larger the animal) and the Priest would perform the sacrifice, bla bla bla... But, and this is the important part, the sin was NOT forgiven, it was merely rolled forward. Man fell out of grace and could not communicate with God as a result...

Fast forward a few thousand years when The Christ (Jesus of Nazareth) was born... Jesus lived without sin. He taught The Good News (Gospel), and passed on the New Convenant to his deciples. The new deal is that Christ died on the cross to make restitution for all past, present and future sin. He is The Lamb of God. He allowed himself to be hung up and killed to give us a clean slate. He taught many things, but He specifically spoke of a New Covenant.... an abolishing of the Old Law... and the Forgiveness of sin.

So, the moral of the story is that "Christians" value the "Old Law" because it is a strong foundational position.... "Thou shalt not kill a Hebrew" and all that.. no stealing, no fornicating, honoring our parents, etc... but the basis for Christianity is The CHRIST... not "The Ten" commandments.

I would have thought that someone who knew the difference between the "common" translation and the "real" translation of God's Word would have seperated the old from the new a little more clearly. Orthodox Jews, to this day, try to keep "The Law." Christians believe in The Christ Jesus and not charged with trying to keep the old law. Not that there's anything "wrong" with the Old Law.... it's just not what "Christian" means.

Whether you choose to believe what The Bible says or not, you shouldn't confuse Christians with Jews like that.

That's all I really have to say about that. I'm sorry for continuing the off topic thread, but I felt there needed to be a little clarification.
 
Common and real, such simple words in and of themselves.

The difference between the "common" and the "real" translation leads me to believe that you believe you are in possesion of the "real" translation of these commandments.

I'll not stray into that minefield with you if you don't mind. So far I've not had anything to disagree with you over and religion is such a touchy thing, especially if you've done any research at all other than what is spoonfed to most "christians".

Even were you to start a theological debate in another thread, the fact that tenuous friendships would be nipped in the bud would keep me out of the fray.

The hebrews have done a good jobs of keeping things fairly accurate, the christians have stolen a good bit from them and everyother faith and belief system that ever existed, but I don't prescribe to any of them in particular.

I will say this though, polititians who proclaim to have such religious beliefs, that feel sooooo strongly that they go against their own constituants, are not doing good for anyone.

There is a seperation between church and state for good reason. Well, there is supposed to be that seperation. Sometimes it's pretty hard to find, especially when there are MILLIONS of voters who DO subscribe to a particular belief and will vote for someone LARGELY because he says he believes the same way.

There I go, time to stop.

To do right because it is the right thing to do is the best I can strive for. It is up to me and me alone to decide what is right as well as what is not right.

To start this fight with well meaning folks who may not agree with my personal views is not right so, and I really mean it this time, I will stop.
 
Well politicians are just that politicians. They lie, cheat, and steal when they can in search of more power. By having more power also comes more money. Personally I like politics in Louisianna the best. I had a relative who was govonor of that state. He was a sight, and as crooked as they come. Best part was he was honest about being crooked and got himself re-elected because of that fact. Too bad the Feds didn't think it was funny he was crooked and honest about being crooked.
 
No such thing

There is no such thing as separation of "church and state" and it does not appear anywhere in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. This country was founded on Judea/Christian principles without such you cannot have true freedom. What the liberals are referring to by saying "separation of church" is a clause saying basically that government shall not place one respective religion, Christian, over another. This was done as a result of the situation in England where you had to belong to the Church of England to be accepted by the mainstream or to get anywhere in politics, etc.

This country was not founded as a secular society, per se, but, unfortunately, we are turning in that direction and are starting to pay the price in more ways than one.

Just a little history and religion from a old retired (wonder what would be like to regrow my hair down to my ass, drop another hit of LSD, and watch the uncut version of Woodstock again? NOT!!) hippie.

Kevin
 
That's true...there is no true seperation when "in God we trust" is all over our money and "under God" is in our pledge of allegiance, for all of our kids to memorize.
 
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