• 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.

Dust cloud from the Sahara Desert

WebSlave

WebSlave

Maybe seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.
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Yeah, like we NEED something else going on right now.

Anyway, both Connie and I have been feeling a bit of a scratchy throat lately, and sneezing more than normal. What with this coronavirus thing going on and being bitten up by mosquitoes lately, gets the mind to going off on uncomfortable tangents sometimes. But maybe, just maybe, this could be the cause of what we have been feeling.

Massive Saharan Dust Cloud Is Moving Across The US Turning Skies Strange Colors

I just checked my temperature and blood oxygen level, and all is good, so yeah, this seems reasonable to me. Seems like there is a LOT of dust in the air because of this and both Connie and I have been spending some time outside. Can't actually see the dust, but the skies do seem to be quite hazy and not as blue as they should be.

Actually carrying the handheld bug zappers whenever we go outside, and sometimes we can get into a pretty fierce battle with those blood suckers and it is kind of a workout. Which, of course, elevates our breathing, and works up quite a sweat. We do get bitten now and again, but we send a LOT of them to mosquito heaven as a trade.

Of course, just seems that if it isn't one thing it is another. And I don't even want to dwell too much on the ant problem going on all over the yard. Connie has been doing battle with them using a mixture of sugar and Borax which does seem to be turning that tide. Fortunately they aren't in the house, yet, but with the numbers we are seeing everywhere, it was just going to be a matter of time. That could wind up being a BIG problem if we don't nip this now.

Anyway, if you live anywhere in the track of this dust storm, you might want to be aware of it if you start getting respiratory problems over the past few and next several days.
 
Here half the family has scratchy throats which only got worse doing some yard work. Definitely looked hazy here today.
 
I've noticed that when I get up in the morning, I feel just fine. But after going outside, even for brief spells, my throat starts feeling kind of raw feeling. I guess I should wear a face mask, but heck, I'm reluctant to use them up. No telling when I would be able to get these 3M N95 respirator masks again, nor how long we just might be needing to have them around.

It's been raining about every afternoon the last few days, so I would think that would clear out all the dust in the air via the rain. Or perhaps the dust layer is at the level where it causes the cloud formation and the dust is coming down via the rain. :shrug01:

It is supposed to be laden with good nutrients for plants, so perhaps there is a small silver lining in that cloud. But not sure I am all that keen for making the trade of healthy lungs for healthy plants.
 
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