REVIEWS, COMMENTS, OPINIONS. HOW HELPFUL ARE THEY REALLY?

    
                   

     

        On my goodreads page these are my available stats: 

                                          886 ratings (3.50 avg.)     27 reviews

 

Title Idea: Isn’t it great to be able to read other people’s ratings to help you evaluate a product?  I love Amazon (for their products) and Kindle and Goodreads, because you can read so many reviews and that can help you make a more informed decision.  Usually. Isn't that what its intent is?

 Except when you don’t like what they say and you are dumb enough to reply. (That was me).

 

MY LATEST RICIDULOUS THEORY: 

If you read my review of the Butterfly Garden, you’ll know that I really loved that book.  After reading it, I posted a review on Goodreads. I also looked at some other reviews. I read some that were only one star, because I was curious as to the reasons someone would not be liking something I thought was so good. There was one review, where the woman,  who,in my opinion, ranted about how awful the book was for five or six long paragraphs. Why would someone put so much energy into not liking a book?  In my stupidity, I posted a reply. Do you remember the term “flame war?”

 

THEORY:

People enjoy expressing themselves. They do not however, like, when they are disagreed with.

 

 

HYPOTHESIS:

 When most people express their opinions, they believe they are right. Well, we all think our opinions are right or why would we express them? (Except for our friend Fred, who enjoys stirring people up. You probably know someone like him. They're fun as long as you're on to them). Many people do not understand that an opinion is not an actual fact, and will fight til the death defending their words.

Research design:

In this instance, all I have to go on is my experience. Being old is always a good justification for that. Except maybe when it comes to technology. Although I have been on line for many years. Especially on Ebay. And I think that may have been where you could get in trouble because they didn’t have the rating system and monitors they now have.

Back in the day, if you said something someone didn’t like, you incited a "war." Nasty words flew back and forth and it was definitely not something you wanted to get involved with. I never did.  Not until, well, here’s the story.

 

In research we call this anecdotal evidence. Which is the fancy way to say, “oh yeah, this is what happened to me.” This is what we use when we don’t have any actual statistics to back us up. (Think of this like insider trading only since there’s no money involved we can’t get arrested).

Now I get to tell a story.

 You can check the year, since I’m too lazy. It was right after Michael Jackson died. I had this really cute broach which was a Mickey Mouse head, with attached, swinging gloved hands. It was gold tone with rhinestones and in perfect condition.

I couldn't find the pin on line. It must be really rare.

 

I had purchased it quite a few years before I decided that Michael was a sicko, so I decided it might be a good time to sell. I put it on Ebay and had one winning bid. From a woman named Dawn.

I waited for payment and it didn’t come. I sent her an email. Her response was an apology but she had bid on impulse and she and her family didn’t even have rent money etc. so she wouldn’t be buying it and it was my fault for tempting her. In retrospect, I should have let her go. But blaming me? That brought out my stubborn. I wrote back that I would inform Ebay and she would get a negative review. So, before anything happened she wrote an awful review about me. I don’t recall the deets, but it pissed me off. I had 100% positive feedback and was not going to let this nutcase get away with this!

I put in a complaint to Ebay because she was wrong, and I wanted that review removed and didn’t want to pay the commission on money I hadn’t received.

The next communications I received from Dawn, after berating me, were mostly her telling me I was the devil and she and her pastor were praying for me. I think that was her way of apologizing.

 

At that point I pursued the proper channels. I got them to drop the charges against her (since I was not looking to do anything more with her) and had Ebay take down the feedback. I never posted anything negative about her. It was like nothing had happened. Mostly I forgot about it. Until now.

 

Working definitions.

Every site has a different term or format for feedback from its customers. On

Goodreads you write and give a numbers of stars for a review of a book.

Facts:

I read a review that I responded to on Goodreads. Honestly, I had no idea that Lucille would be so offended. As I mentioned she really put what sounded to me, like vitriol into this review. I disagreed with her reasoning and the only thing that I said that seemed to set her off, was, “where is all this hate coming from?”  (I have since deleted my posts because I didn’t want them there).  I assumed she would understand that I meant hate for the book. Here is where I will say that I was picking up something in my unconscious. My training was kicking in. Because if you read her replies, she actually was rather hateful.

I got a reply and was a bit surprised at how angry she was. She thought I was calling her hateful, I think, and then lambasted me for my opinion of the book.

One other woman wrote something that supported what I said, but then a couple of other women and Lucile kept coming back with me being an awful person. I had of course apologized initially. I never meant to say anything hurtful and said so. I also said everyone was entitled to their opinions. And she wrote back something else. And something else.

I decided, okay. Another Dawn. I stopped responding. Actually, I only responded twice and let it go. Then, a month later, I get another email about a new thread. She is still on me and saying something like she’s going to be happy to ignore me. Huh? I hadn't been writing.

Just another day in my life.  That’s when I deleted all my posts.

Findings:  Most of the time, reading other people’s reviews of products is a good thing. I like sharing (as you know since I’m writing this blog) and understand that not everyone will give a thumbs up. I actually appreciate the negative reviews, you know, like the product wasn’t well made, the screws don’t line up. Things that are helpful. I suppose, one should keep this in mind. Reviews of an actual product that has dimension and purpose is easier to write. about. It can be based on facts and not just opinions.

 

 

CONCLUSIONS:

Reviews, comments, thumbs up or thumbs down are useful tools.  However, they are probably best used when there is an actual product involved. If you are reading an opinion, you have to remember that. It is only a person’s opinion. And a person you don’t know. Looking at the overall stats is probably better than reading the individual remarks. Also, if you don’t like something, it’s probably best to keep it to yourself. At least in my humble opinion. It's just an opinion. And only mine. It really bears no weight anywhere. Except in my head, and oh yeah,

 on this blog.

I don’t want only positive comments. I would love to have a dialogue. Discourse and disagreements are places where you can learn. Just be careful where you leave your footprint.

Thanks for reading. As always, your friend in cyberspace.

Guess which one is Fred.

FEAR OF FARTING YEAH PASSING GAS IS P.C. BUT WHY DO WE NEED TO BE PC ON A NOT SO EASY TO CONTROL BIOLOGICAL ACT?

Fear of Farting. Actually, we use that term when we are being politically incorrect. If we are in polite society we might say, passing gas or breaking wind. Or ignore it. That’s the most usual way, especially when not with good friends or immediate family.

 

The scientific study of this area of medicine is termed flatology.

Okay. That’s not something I’d want on my resume. Nor did I even know that such an area existed.  I told you that you can get an education here.

 

My question is: why is it that people are so uptight about our biological functions?

THEORY:

Human beings want to believe they are not animals, therefore, they repudiate basic biological functions. (Meaning, like, me? My body? Um, no, it doesn’t do that).

 

HYPOTHESIS:

If we make fun of, or hide, bodily functions, we distance ourselves from our true animal nature which we find disagreeable, as we believe we are “above” such things.  (Meaning, I can think, I have a big brain, I am not an animal, and I am a human which is way, way better.)

 

I chose to use the biology of flatulence to demonstrate my hypothesis.

Imagine a yoga class, early in the morning. Forty people are bending and stretching and yeah, probably experiencing flatulence. Every once in a while, in the quiet, you hear one that refuses to be kept in. No one says a word. Everyone notices.  No it wasn’t me. Although it could have been, why should that bother me?

 

The accepted term for having excess gas, is flatulence. There is no medical term equivalent to farting.

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED), in its inimitable way, notes that the word "fart" is "not in decent use." The OED defines the transitive verb form of fart: "To send forth as wind from the anus 1632." The word comes from the Old English "feortan" (meaning "to break wind"). Although the word "fart" is "not in decent use," it was used by the likes of the great English poet Geoffrey Chaucer.

 

The noises commonly associated with flatulence ("Blowing a raspberry") are caused by the vibration of anal sphincters, and occasionally by the closed buttocks. Both the noise and smell associated with flatus leaving the anus can be sources of embarrassment or comedy in many cultures.

 

A very small history of flatulence.

Historical comment on the ability to fart at will is observed as early as Saint Augustine's The City of God (5th century AD).

Okay.  That’s what I meant by small.

The rest of the blog will hopefully be images taken off the net. They pretty much say it better than words.

 

 

 

Why are we such snobs? When we have instinctual urges we feel as though our bodies are betraying us.

 

 

Yes, I do understand not wanting to be around a really smelly fart. That doesn't mean we have to point our fingers and laugh.

 

I wonder if we weren't more accepting of our animal aspects, if we would have fewer overeaters, under eaters, bathroom issues like constipation and diarrhea. Sorry, I guess it's one of those who gives a shit days. HA!

 

I'm not advocating for walking around naked or peeing in the streets. Although there are many what we consider undeveloped countries where they do just that.

 

I'm only saying that we might be better off accepting who and what we are. Animals are territorial. Our wars may be a distortion of that instinct.

Oh yeah, I forgot. Our wars are for profit. The ones who have to fight them think about it as territorial.

 

How can we tame the beast inside? Sometimes, acceptance is the first step.

You can't change what you don't acknowledge.

 

We Are Animals. Let's Deal With It.

 

 

Thanks for reading.

 

 

 

I have a new address. And I think I can stay here too. Does that mean I'm bi-blogal?

Alright. I'm working on it. I do have, I believe, a blog on WordPress.

I'm working out the deets which could take , forever. It's so different.

I think there is a way to direct my readers from here to there. I just have so many printed directions and instructions that I have to go through them. But first I need an Irish coffee at 10am. This is bad.

They said I should tell my friends.  that I just installed a website on wordpress and it had an https.  All my own. Isn't that exciting?

I hope you can put it into a search and it should come up since there aren't that many sites with this ridiculous name. I'm babbling. Sorry.


http://www.drgsridiculoustheories.com


at the end it says via Softaculous with a hash tag. But I think that's just for them to advertise.

So, I'll keep you posted. Which is actually a pun. Since this is a post. I'm cracking myself up today. Or I've cracked up.

anyway, thanks for reading.

LIFE IS GETTING TOO SERIOUS. I NEED TO LAUGH. OLD AND NEW JOKES.

                                       The caption thingy isn't working. Anyway.
                             When I was young and 20......8 actually.


Sometimes we just need a good belly laugh. And I could use one now. Humor is an important part of my life. I did a post on it, so if you'd like to see the theory etc., go back and find it. That sounded harsh. That's the problem with reading a joke rather than hearing it. I don't know how to do moving pictures on the blog.

I don't know if one can laugh at written jokes, but I'll try to find a few humorous things to post and hope you get a chuckle or two.

Either later today or tomorrow, I'll be attempting to move the blog. They can't  do it because Google is a builder, not a host. They can only move from host to host or coast to coast. See all the little tidbits we're learning?
Anyway, I hope it's not impossible to post here, during the process, but if it is, as they say in show biz leave them laughing.

THE JOKES


I was reading up on healthy eating. It mentioned Kale (gag me). The "pro" tip was to massage the Kale for a few minutes to soften and reduce bitterness.
Do you think this would work on my husband?
(I  found this on a piece of paper with health tips. I think I added the question. We all know it would work on wives. The problem is, well we all know what happens when men either give or get massages.)


These I got from a flip over book. Like a daily reader. It was, believe it or not, written by two men. So don't blame me for the male bashing.
Of course I did choose which ones to post, but the pro men quotes were all mostly X-rated. I'll go back and find some that are  clean and could relate to  either sex.


If a man speaks in the middle of a forest, and there is no woman to hear him, Is he still wrong?

Don't talk to my breasts. They're deaf.

I still miss my ex-husband, but my aim is improving.

I like my men super rich and almost dead.

I'm not that old. Your music really does suck!

My sexual preference is often.

It's no mistake that man's best friend can't talk.

Please. Don't interrupt me while I'M IGNORING YOU.

Divorce is expensive.     Freedom is priceless.

 

I tried to drown my troubles, but my husband learned how to swim.

Don't hate yourself in the morning. Sleep till noon.

Friday is casual sex day.

Okay. Enough of those.


       I hope you don't think this is stupid. (okay it is. But it struck me as funny because she's sitting on the settee in this position and if you know little kids, you'll get it.) 

 

"Um, Shari."

"Yes Lambchop."

 

"I have to pee."

 

"Damn. Okay guys. Stop filming. She is such a Diva."

 

Have a Fun Day filled With Laughs.

yes. I've lost it.

thanks for reading.

 

sush. ssh. am I being paranoid?

 

 

 

 

I'm afraid this is one of their tech guys.

I'm using small print so Google won't hear me.(LOL on the mixed sense metaphor).  Yesterday I signed up with another blog site. Well, they host blogs, but I'm not really sure what they are.  I'm too scared to mention names. Especially after reading the "how to transfer your blog". Even with their tech help ( which I have a bad feeling I'm going to have to pay extra for), I'm not sure it will work.




I love Google. They are good hosts. I will still
hopefully be able to use Google+ for my photography posts and group. Damn. I still don't have the names of things down.
(it's called "I love Photography" Community.)

one of mine, but with my phone so it's grainy. I can't take my big camera everywhere because I can't leave it in the car because of the heat. I'm sure you all wanted to know that. oy.

I will try today, to follow the directions, but since I'm not sure if Google is a cPanel or not, this may delay moving. Also, I think you still have to request the other sites assistance to make the transfer, so you have to have an appointment because I have to put this on maintenance mode or some such thing.

instructions

Then, it can take more than 24 hours or who knows how long for it to happen. During that time, I don't think I'll be able to post here. I've no clue. Those who follow me, already are aware of this.

My question is, do you think that Google will send a hit man after me for leaving? Some relationship breakups are harder than others. I've never broken up with a website before, so I don't know.




And of course, as with all my important relationships, it's about communication. Why oh why couldn't they listen or respond?  All I asked for, repeatedly of course, was how to get my comment section to function. It seems that no one knows.

My husband was just on a local fishing blog  yesterday, that he thought looked a lot like mine.  He tried to post a comment.....poof. It disappeared, just like mine do.  Maybe, Google doesn't let anyone on their blogs receive comments. Or maybe they just single out those that are subversive.

If I should go missing, please try to find me. I supposedly have my own domain now.

     It's drgsridiculoustheories.com. 

I suppose I should check it out, although there won't be anything there. Will there?
The new email address is   drgsridiculoustheories.com@dns-protect.net . I think I'll sit right down and write myself a letter, and make believe it came from you.   Just as soon as I post this.




HYPOTHESIS:
People are afraid of the unknown. Therefore, people stay where they are, because it's comfortable.

CONCLUSION:
If you stay, you die. If you move, you die. So, if you're gonna die in the end, you might as well do it the way you prefer. No judgements.  Me, though, even though I'm afraid, I will move. Staying in my comfort zone provides no growth.

 

 

thanks for reading.