Hi: Once in a while, I like to share a message that I get when it's poignant and provides food for thought. This is one of those. As always, I won't say a name so that the message remains anonymous to everyone but me and the sender. I received this message from an Adland member.... =========================================== It is nice to see someone who is popular and does not have 10,000 peopele as "friends". The first thing I noticed in the few days I have used adlandpro was that some people are like vultures, every newbie is a "friend". =========================================== It seems that there are two groups of people here at Adland. A) There are the people that are still (and always) chasing pipe dreams, signing up for every money making scheme, scam and "biz-opp" that comes along. They never really make any money, and if they do it's fleeting and only lasts until the scam gets shut down. I suspect they don't know how to make money in a real business. Despite the fact that what they're doing isn't working for them, they'll work their tails off trying to sign up people. After all, if they can get enough people under them, it might work. At least that's what they think. Except... the people they sign up don't know any better than they do. Usually - not always - but usually, these are the people with the biggest friends lists. B) Then, there are the people who wouldn't "sign up" anyone into anything unless they've checked it out, found it to be legitimate, tried it themselves, discovered that it works, and recommend it for the RIGHT reasons. They understand that their reputation is the most valuable thing they own and won't compromise it for pie in the sky promises. There are fewer of this sort here. People like Peter, Cheri, Deb, Linda Miller, Martha, Winston, Jack, Dave and the other Dave (lol) and many of the regular posters here. They know who they are. (I didn't list all the names, because the list of us is getting longer daily.) Some of them were never in group A. Others were in group A for a while until they opened their eyes and realized that what they were doing didn't work and took responsiblity for changing what they're doing so they can change what they're getting. I respect that a great deal. To my new friend -- you are spot on and I applaud you for noticing - and commenting. You are quite right. : ) Linda P.S. When you run across the first type of person, feel welcome to send them a link to this post. Just tell them they need to read this... http://community.adlandpro.com/forumShowPost.aspx?PostID=309955

Yes some people are like vultures and it seems no matter what you try to do they just keep on coming. You might remember a while back just before we started the warnings on the autosurfs we had a situation where we were advising against Randomizers and the use of PayPal for these losing programs. Our friend John Partington, who runs one, actually took the time and effort, even though he did not agree with our stance, to contact PayPal and look into the TOS and the use of PayPal for these. He came back and posted that we were indeed correct and the use of PayPal for these could result in the loose of your PayPal account and any funds sitting in it. It shook up a fair number of people, as they also used their PayPal account for legitimate transactions and could not afford to take the risk. So, close to four months later we see this post by Linda today. What does all of what I said have to do with this post. Well while reading it, this is the banner that was being displayed at the top of the page. click here So who do we have to blame for people falling into these traps even four months later. Profit is a funny game.

Hi: ========================================== So who do we have to blame for people falling into these traps even four months later. Profit is a funny game. ========================================== Aren't we supposed to do this over coffee in the living room? lol But seriously - who is to blame? The companies running the schemes and scams and the people signing up for them. At some point, adults shouldn't need babysitters to guide their ethics and behaviour anymore. Let's say Joe Blow goes to GoDaddy.com and registers MyRandomizerScam.com. Do you think Bob Parsons looks at every domain registered? Of course not. Then they go to some mega host and set up hosting. Does the hosting company review every website that goes up? No. Not unless they are a small 'private' hosting company like us. Instead, they rely on their TOS and if a site is reported for violating TOS, they nuke it. Then these people go to places like banner exchanges and traffic programs and Adland and God knows where else, and set up their banners. Do the owners review every single banner? Of course not. It's easy to monitor customers when one has only a handful. Not so easy when they number in the thousands. So, unless I believe adults need babysitters, I have to say that they are reponsible for their own actions. However, there is an aspect of Karma involved. Notice that most of those people are in the same lousy position they were in a year ago? Probably will be a year from now, too. What comes around goes around. : )

Aren't we supposed to do this over coffee in the living room? Now folks we sit in the same office less than 15 feet apart and the fact is we will have to talk about this over coffee as I don't really agree 100% with where some of the blame should lie and I do not really wish to say openly. I think the comparison to someone registering a domain name and Bob Parsons checking each name registered is not even remotely the same. Bob, while he might own GoDaddy has to follow the rules and regulations of ICANN before he can even set his own. I am sure that no one has read these, but these are more the rules that GoDaddy has to enforce as a domain name registrant. So, unless I believe adults need babysitters, I have to say that they are reponsible for their own actions. Even when they are guided with the trust they place in others? The people that are at the top of the food chain allowing them to be subjected to misleading information. This is not to say that I don't agree that people have to make choices and decisions for themselves, but they are looking for help and guidance and don't know who to trust so they trust the people they think are looking out for them. The people in positions of authority, so to speak. The owners of successful or seemingly successful on-line businesses. I think that in this case we will end up having to agree to disagree, (Linda and I that is), the rest of you have to decide for yourselves.

========================================== However, there is an aspect of Karma involved. Notice that most of those people are in the same lousy position they were in a year ago? Probably will be a year from now, too. What comes around goes around. ========================================== Sadly, a large majority of their people stick with them. A lot of times I sit here and shake my head when someone I know promotes one of these things to me. Even after prolonged discussions, when you think they "finally" got the message, they throw it all out the window by getting involved again. Is it possible that some people are just that "Thick"??? LOL