• 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.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

ravensgait

ravensgait

Convoluted Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2004
Messages
2,184
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Under the Hat
Funny how such benign words seem to offend some folks!! I usually don't comment here on things like this but well this got under my skin.

I was at a store the other day with my 2 year old daughter. She was riding in the cart and talking to whom ever would listen to her and telling everyone Merry Christmas !! Which seemed to touch the hearts of everyone she said it too. I was getting a kick out of her she was enjoying the attention which only made her more talkative. All was going great till we got in the checkout line, she said Hi, Merry Christmas to the woman in front of us who smiled and said Merry Christmas in return.

My daughter turned back around when another lady moved into line behind us she smiled as my daughter turned and looked up at her. And of course she told told the newcomer Merry Christmas !! and gave the woman a big smile.. I could instantly see on the woman's face that she didn't appreciate the sentiment as her smile fell and she just glared at my daughter and backed up a little. So my daughter said it to her again not realising that what she was saying was bothering the lady. I was at a loss at what to do, thankfully the lady in front of us saw the problem and distracted my daughter before she said it again. I have to admit that if looks could kill the look I gave that woman would have dropped her right then and there and I so wanted to say something to her but with my daughter right there thought it best not too. We got out of the store without further incident and with my daughter wishing a number of other people Merry Christmas along the way all of whom seemed to appreciate the child's words.

Now I know that there are religions ETC that don't celebrate Christmas and my problem with what happened isn't about religion. My problem with it is How these days so many folks go so far out of their way to be OFFENDED !! So you don't celebrate Christmas I don't care but to take offense at the sweet comment of a 2 year old child is digging down way deep to be offended. Just seems to be way tooooo much crap like this now days people trying so hard to be offended .

Well I'll say it anyway if it offends you then you really need to take a look at yourself.. Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!
Randy
 
You story was beautiful and brought a big smile to my face, Randy. At least the part about your daughter bringing some joy to others. Dont let other people's ignorance and intolerance take away from that. Just keep thinking about the smiles and good cheer she brought to some people's lives that day.

Merry Christmas to you and yours this holiday season Randy
 
Randy,

Your daughter sounds like a beautiful child. Thank goodness for the lady who distracted her from this awful person.
I think the joy and happiness of a child should be welcomed everywhere.

Merry Christmas to you and your family.
 
There is also another possible scenario, not to whiz in your wheaties.

I met a woman the other day, total stranger, who while we were talking started to cry. It was her third xmas without her husband of 38 years who dropped dead of a stroke.

She's got kids and family and isn't really alone but she is not really a fan of any of the yuletide spirit because for most of her adult life it was spent with the love of her life.

It's tough to know, sometimes, who's just being rude and who's hiding real pain. Maybe she wasn't so much irked by your daughter's cheer as the memories that are all she has.
 
Thanks Sammy and Merry Christmas to you and yours!! One of the many great things about kids her age is that they don't understand things like that so she continues to say Merry Christmas to everyone she meets..

Merry Christmas Lucille and I agree it should.

Wes, maybe but the look she had on her face seemed one of insult not pain..
Randy
 
Merry Christmas Randy, I liked the story!! :)

I hope you and yours is having a great one!! :thumbsup:
 
Im going to be about as rude as i will probably get with this sort of stuff, but... im not for that politically correct " Happy Holidays" thing, ill say it.. if the situation calls for it, but normally ill just wish people "Merry Christmas!"

I celebrate Christmas and its not even ABOUT religion to me, im not religious at all. its about spending time with my family, the food at Christmas dinner and *oh noes* the commercialized gift giving! *shrugs* S'just how it is for me. to me it has more of the feeling of the Thanksgiving holiday.

i dont care WHAT a person celebrates, theres no reason to be rude about something like that to a persons face when its obviously a well intended greeting. if someone came up to me, and just out of habit said " Happy *__________*" id probably say it back, regardless of the fact i celebrated it or not.

I suppose i have to laugh because this is such a CUTE story, and your daughter sounds like the darned sweetest thing telling EVERYONE she could talk to. and the fact that, i was telling just about everyone at work yesterday too, and i too got a few Scowls or a few "Humbugs" *sighs* People need to chill....

I can see Wes's point too though, and yeah, that would be really hard. Those people, i would truly feel bad for. and to them... i hope they can find some sort of peace in time .


Alright! Enough for me :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!!!!
 
Merry Christmas to all! :)
 
Cute story.... Thinking about Wes's theory, I can see that point of view, but still, there is no reason at all for people to try to inflict their pain or displeasure on others to ruin their day. 'Tis the season. If you want to be a wet blanket, stay at home and try to crack your mirror. This is the one time of year when most everyone softens up a bit.
 
If I hadn't seen it first hand it would not have occured to me that it was a possibility. I guess it was just me trying to have the xmas spirit and find an excuse for someone who was being an idiot.

I know better too.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all, eat a lot, hope you get some cool stuff, and thanks for your good wishes.
 
Merry Christmas all~
Thanks for the story and the smile thinking about your daughter!
And Wes~ thanks for the reminder that we rarely ever know what the other guys story is......it's Christmas~ and the Christmas spirit shines through.

Merry CHRISTmas!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top