• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    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.

    =====================
    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.
    **************************************************
    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.

Drone view of the walking path on our property

WebSlave

Maybe seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.
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I decided to break out the Skydio 2 drone to take video of the walking path on our property that Connie and I use for exercise. Haven't played with this drone for a while, so I decided to try it out in a "follow me" mode, using a beacon that allows the drone to help stay on track both via a video image recognition, and also via a GPS signal. Connie didn't feel up to walking that day, and I wasn't sure it would be much fun for her, not knowing what to expect out of the drone. So this is sort of a "selfie" I guess, with the drone following me along the path.

All in all it did pretty well, but did get itself into a jam a few times. A few other times it seemed to give up on the idea of following me at all, and I had a few concerns that the drone was going to fly off on it's own to parts unknown. At least with it's outstanding obstacle avoidance, it didn't crash into anything. But it did go through a golden orb spider's web at least once. Not a lot of control with the beacon, but I was able to get it back on beam most of the time with some coaxing. Except at the end of video #1, where it decided to fly into the woods alongside the path and just hover there, ignoring me completely. So I just initiated a landing and let it have it's way. I tried to encourage it several times with hand waves to let it know it didn't need to be afraid, but I guess the weenie drone didn't believe me. I don't think I gave it the finger at any point, but maybe I did. :eek:

Both videos are rather long, and probably not of much interest to most people. But what the heck. You get to see some of our bamboo groves if you are interested in seeing them. If not, well, there are other things you can look at on this site.





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oiTbzlodL8





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgYpjScyNX0
 
Thanks for the video's Rich. That land reminds me of my teenage reptile hunting days.
 
It is certainly a peaceful walk for us. I think Connie is now preferring that over walking up and down the roadway. And I get to eat some tangerines pulled off of a tree and spit the seeds along the path, that sometimes spring up a new tangerine tree here and there. Walking through a bamboo grove seems to be a naturally soothing and relaxing experience, for some reason. And I just find the combination of palm trees and bamboo culms to be magical feeling. I am hoping it will be therapeutic for Connie.
 
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