Before I share with you some interesting stuff I’ve seen around this week, I have a question. I view most of the blogs I read through Google Reader, and many blog posts have ads there that are not on the blog – but not all of them. Is there some kind of agreement between blog owner and Google about ads or does Google place them at their discretion?
- Semicolon is compiling a survey of top 100 hymns and asks for input: more info. here.
- If you like Facebook for keeping up with friends but don’t like the “clutter” of seeing who took what quiz and who is a fan of what, Jeremy has found an add-on to streamline it.
- Nancy Wilson had an excellent post about being a good wedding guest.
- Susanne at Living to Tell the Story shared this awesome web site called The Infinire Photograph that coule keep a person occupied for hours. Very creative, beautiful photography — a photo made up of hundreds of smaller photos from around the world.
- I discovered a neat new blog called Quoth She. Each post is just a beauitful photograph and a quote. It’s a pleasant spot in the blogosphere.
- Normally I am not a fan of mushrooms, but this one is just too cute.
- It’s that time of year — there are some great inexpensive gift ideas for grads (in the comments) and teachers (more links at the end of the page.)
- Jess at Making Home had a very edifying post titles Wise-Worded Women.
- David Hosaflook has a thoughtful, balanced post about Alcohol on the Mission Field — things to think about if your conviction is not to drink but the culture you’re in allows for it.
- The Common Room has a post about Strong-Willed Children with some good thoughts that are probably counter to what you may have heard before on the subject.
- Ivman has another list of Tom Swifties, such as “‘I forgot what to pick up at the store,’ said Tom listlessly” and “”That’s the last time I’ll pet a lion,’ said Tom offhandedly.”
- Finally, Lizzie at A Dusty Frame linked to this cute video of a couple married 62 years playing a piano duet.
Stray Thoughts 
What do you think of Facebook? I’ve hesitated joining because it has been such a big thing for teenagers – As a teacher, I’ve resisted the appearance of trying to be too “buddy-buddy” with them, which can happen with Facebook.
I’ve seen teachers and students interact there without seeming to get too buddy-buddyish.
Facebook is kind of what you make of it. There are people who are on there a lot, visiting, playing games, taking “quizzes,” etc., and then others just check into it every now and then to see their friends’ updates.
Wow, Barbara. What an amazing list of links.
I just read a really interesting article on Facebook in the April issue of Real Simple Magazine. I still haven’t joined but in my case it’s more because I struggle to find time to even keep up with my own blog and read the blogs I follow, and I’m afraid to add another single thing to my to-do list. Very interesting article and it actually scared me a little. It’s amazing who can find you when you’re on Facebook.
You know, I don’t know when the ads started showing up in my reader but they have. I know I one time, when I first started with Blogger I was fooling around with AdSense. I dont’ know if I checked something in there that time to add it to my reader or not because you can share your reader with others so Google found a way to put ads in there. I guess I should get off my lazy butt and find out if I can remove them, not saying that I share my reader but you bring up a good point. Gonna have to research that. Great post. Have a Happy Memorial Day Weekend 🙂
Doing some quick searching, this is about all I can find on it: http://smoothspan.wordpress.com/2009/05/11/google-is-cranking-the-ads-on-google-reader/
I don’t yet see the value of Facebook. I signed up to keep in touch with the grandkids, but emailing is much faster.
If you’re wondering, I have never seen an ad in association with your posts on Google Reader — though as Thom says, they are on his.
I am of two minds about the ads. If Google uses them to make their money so we can still have the free service, I’m okay with that — on the other hand, what are they promoting in my name? I might not be okay with that.
Facebook really is what one makes it. I rarely ever visit my account, but I have one. It helps my non-blogging buddies keep in contact with me. No matter where I jet set to in the world (joke), my Facebook always stays right in the same place.
I would not recommend anybody ready anything of Charlotte Mason’s — while she makes good and valid points, she is a horrific writer and one often has to read a paragraph from her three or four times to see if they understand it correctly.
Willful children and strong-willed children are NORMAL children. One needs to teach a child — any child — how to moderate his or her will. This does not include trying to break the child’s spirit — it includes teaching them good sense, discretion, patience, manners and safety. Children take “raising”, they cannot be just watered and fed and allowed to grow willy-nilly, least they become weeds rather than flowers in the garden of life.
That was one thing I was wondering about the ads. I feel the same way — I don’t mind if they help keep Google Reader free, as long as they’re not advertising anything questionable. But since I saw them on some people’s and not others, I was wondering if it was something like AdSense where the blog owner got part of the proceeds. No objection there either, just curious.
I agree about raising children. I think the main point of that post was just that people tend to think a strong will is a good thing in a child, because if you can get it “converted,” it will work in the child’s favor, but this blogger was saying in her own case it wasn’t like that — she had to constantly fight her will. We all do, though, to some degree.
WHAT? No Charlotte Mason? Some of us have children receiving fabulous rigorous educations due to her writing;)
Just wanted to thank you for posting the article by the missionary (the one about drinking alcohol). I enjoyed the article you posted, then looked around his blog for a bit – and liked what I found! I’m always glad to find a “new” blog, especially one that has some helpful things on it.