Tuesday 21 February 2012

February Miscellany: of Feet; What People Have Said to Me; and the Nuisance of Blogger's Word Verification.

Ciclo dei Mesi
February


In last February's Miscellany I already described the abhorrent character and fate of  those unfortunates born under Pisces, so I won't repeat myself here. It remains for me to say that there is need to observe the feet, which are governed by Pisces.

The feet short and thick, signifies a person to be weak; slender and short, to be wicked; fleshy and hard, to be a blockhead. The feet small and fair-formed, to be a fornicator; much hairy, to be lecherous and bold; naked of hair, to be weak of strength and courage; the inner part of the sole, not hollow, but filled with flesh, that they make no hollowness in the step, to be beyond measure crafty and cunning.

The Shepherd's Prognostication 1729


o-o-o-o-o-o

What people have said to me in the last three weeks:

o-o
Oh, hello, it's you. I didn't recognise you without your dog. How are you?

o-o
I really liked your article in the Magazine. I didn't know you were as old as that.

o-o
You're looking a lot better than the last time I saw you.

 o-o
I've remembered about your milk allergy, so I've made a spinach and cheese starter. You can eat cheese, can't you?

o-o
See? I told you (to a third party), she always says what she means.

o-o



o-o-o-o-o-o



The new, fuzzy and complicated  word verification which Blogger has forced on those of us who use it in their comments, is driving me mad. I simply do not have the time to spend extra minutes each time I make a comment on deciphering illegible phrases. Personally, I have removed it by going back to the old interface, choosing 'settings' -  'comments' - 'show word verification'. Saving the settings and going back to the new interface completed the process.To stop advertising vandals leaving comments long after the posts have disappeared into the netherworld of blogging, I have set comment moderation to start after four days. So far, I have not had any unwanted comments or obnoxious ads.

I am very sorry, but I simply will not comment as frequently as before on those blogs which use the new word verification, even comment moderation is better than that. Squinting and decoding take valuable reading and writing time. I use email comment notification, which means that all comments on my posts appear in my email inbox.  If you have email on your blog rather than 'no-reply blogger', I will be able to comment via email.

Like I said, I am very sorry, but blogging is meant to be fun, not a chore.






66 comments:

  1. AMEN! I have a video (upper right hand column) from Carnegie Mellon's inventor of this reCAPTCHA "crap". He is entertaining and easy to listen to and he explains WHY, but I still have turned it off myself.

    I need to read the next installment of your "Long long long" ago youth". Ha ha, can't believe the things people say... :)

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  2. I agree with you on the word verification horrors. I set mine, I think to ask for it on old posts but I think I am plagued even more than ever - however they do go directly to spam anyway and I only have them turn up in my emails where they are speedily deleted.

    I have a feeling that whoever wrote the foot prognostications hated everyone.

    People are forever tactless. I am ALWAYS saying things wrong wrong wrong. It is probably why I am universally detested.

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  3. 'the inner part of the sole, not hollow, but filled with flesh, that they make no hollowness in the step, to be beyond measure crafty and cunning.'

    My hubs has actually been operated on his feet when he was just a wee boy, to lift the inner part of the sole. He's still very crafty, not so sure about cunning ;-) Oh, and he is a pisces.

    It's good that they didn't think you're as old as you are, isn't it? Must be all that marzipan ;-)

    Wholeheartedly agree on the WV. Ugh!


    Can

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  4. Not a clue why there's 'can' under my above comment. Must have typed it just because I can?

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  5. I got rid of the word verification when I saw how awful it was. But, I don't know how to fix the no reply blogger thing. So, no one will e-mail me. Frustrating.

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  6. Oh, Friko, I laughed at "I didn't recognize you without your dog"!
    I've turned off the word verification on my blog, and wish everyone would do the same. I have enough trouble with my eyes without squinting to decipher something illegible. Am seeing the ophthalmologist again in a couple of months, and am even learning how to type ophthalmologist without stopping to go back to insert the first h.
    This is how exciting my life is. I have furniture-sized things to pick up at the hardware store and am too headachy to phone my next-door neighbour to help me fetch them. I'm sure the headache has something to do with my eyes.
    The only progress I can see is in my ability to type ophthalmologist.
    I hope you and your beloved and your recognizable Benno are all well.
    K

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  7. Blogger's spam filter is good; nobody will regret going without word verification. I promise you.

    I can't figure out what kind of feet I have! Maybe that's good thing.

    The remarks you have recorded gave me a good laugh..."you can eat cheese, can't you?" !!!!!

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  8. Honestly, word verification only takes a little, very little at that, practice. It is all about not looking too closely. You just glance at the word and your brain translates it. My eyes are probably among the worst of all of us and yet I've gotten to where I can type the words and I do it by not thinking about it. Of course, the entire problem is much easier solved by eliminating it. So that was just much ado about nothing I suppose.

    I like the one where they told you that you are looking better. When someone tells me this I wonder what the heck did I look like the last time you saw me. Ah well.

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  9. thank you on word verification...it is horrible...i have the same settings on mine...interesting stuff on the feet, may use that in a poem...oh my on some of those comments

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  10. I was so grateful to whoever it was who put the directions up there either yesterday or the day before. I have not yet stopped replying because some of my very favorite bloggers have it... but I have written to blogger.

    Since I can review all the replies in my email, as you do, I figure if it's something horrible I will eliminate the answer.

    I could deal with the one word and figured it was a harmless enough additional protection, but I think perhaps Google can simply improve their filters, for all the bucks they are making.

    Interesting what people will say, isn't it? without ill intentions, even. Or sometimes it is masked aggression, frankly.

    I have been told I have the ugliest feet on the planet, to which I said, "How kind of you to notice." I guess it must mean something dreadful but I do not care to know!

    PLEASE, if I have not eliminated WV on my site, will you tell me? Thanks.

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  11. I got a laugh out of reading what you have overheard the past few days. I especially loved the last statement about you saying what you mean. Imagine that. If only more folks would say what they mean and mean what they say.

    I used comment moderation because of an ex-husband. I figure no one else needs to be subjected to his nasty comments. The spam filter works, so no word verification for me. I agree. I just won't take the time to decipher the fuzzy letters for the verification.

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  12. I agree with you. The new word verification takes 3 or 4 tries and by then I am worn out. I have never had word verification. The new word verifications border on the ridiculous.

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  13. My favourite comment is usually from my patients if I see them out and about , ' oh I didn't recognise you with your clothes on!' would certainly raise a few eyebrows from eavesdroppers.
    Good move on the word verification, will be switching mine off

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  14. Loved the things people said. Unfortunately, I have frequent relapses of foot-in-mouth disease, so I can only hope for mercy. As for the word verification, I'll give Rubye Jack's approach a try, but so far I have been defeated more often than I succeeded. Wish my parents were still around so I could question them about robots in the family tree. Jim

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  15. Fair enough, Friko, but I hope you'll still sometimes make an exception to the rule!

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  16. Hi Friko, I cannot abide the word verification, I've had comment moderation through E-mail since I started the blog 3 years ago and have never had a problem. I guess whatever kind of feet we have dooms us to wickedness. Mine are pretty wretched looking. Glad you're looking better than you have in the past, but obviously it's Benno who's the crowd pleaser. Give him a piece of cheese!

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  17. 'I didn't recognise you without your dog'
    'I didn't know you were as old as that.' - People say the 'kindest things' don't they.
    That wv is driving me to distraction too. I've tried everything to eradicate it on my blog - the new Google Chrome interface I signed up to will now not allow me to go back to the old one to change the setting. I've sought advice from wizards of the web and took their advice but I still can't seem to fix it. You're quite right though - blogging should be a pleasure not a chore. It's sad this has happened.

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  18. I concur with all those who have turned off, as I have, word verification -- too inconvenient for words!

    What funny comments people have made to you lately!

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  19. BRAVO on the word verification! Let's boycott ......

    And, as for the feet critique, mine are perfect - what does that mean? LOL

    P.S. - I'm asking your permission to use the end of story graphics, you know, the -o-o-o-o-. Another friend uses -oOo-, I'm asking him, as well. And, I'm saying - please!

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  20. I totally agree (I've said this for the umpteenth time, as everyone seems to be complaining about word verification). Thankfully, Blogger catches the vast majority of spam that attempts to hit my blog. I've not used word verification for years and VERY little gets through.

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  21. So whatever type of feet a person has, it sounds bad. At least mine are not hairy.

    I'm guilty of saying (very often) that I don't recognise people without their dogs. I also usually don't know their names (though I will know their dogs). It's not just me, thankfully. Everyone in my neighbourhood seems equally rude that way. I hope that cheese person isn't a friend.

    As for comment moderation....I noticed this new horrible squiggly thing but didn't realise it probably afflicts my blog as well. I just thought some bloggers had set it that way. Bummer. I hate it. I don't understand why Blogger needs to make it THAT illegible. I shall try to follow your instructions and see what happens.

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  22. I did not know you could go back to the newer interface after removing word verification. I might try that...after a while.

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  23. I cannot believe there are so many rude people in your little village...forgot to add that.

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  24. No, you shouldn't have to hack through the vines just to leave a comment. The blogs without verification are now the small mercies.

    The things those damn villagers say to you....at least they are not the sycophantic types, that is for sure. ~Mary

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  25. I put word verification on briefly after a spate of adverts for which I had no requirement. I took it off again later the same day when I realised what blogger had introduced.
    Don't you just love what people think it is "OK" to say to you?

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  26. Obviously, from the large number of comments already, you have hit several of our blogging nerves. First, the WV nerve. I have had it turned off for awhile but got some good tips over all this from other bloggers.

    And the things people say to you, Friko. I cannot actually believe it, I think you made them up. :-) Very entertaining!

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  27. how do i know what verification i have on my blog?
    i have not changed mine since i started, does this happen automatically?
    loved the pist i mean post, sorry i cannot delete anything at the moment my keyboard has gone wrong.
    made ne laugh out loud.

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  28. I don't dare admit I was born under the sigh of Pisces Fortunately, none of those feet match mine. And I thank you from the warped soles of my feet for getting rid of the new verification.

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  29. My daughter is a Pisces - and a lovelier one there couldn't be! I won't be reading this one to her!
    I am fed up with the word verification, and have noticed that it is slowly disappearing from many blogs. Alleluia!

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  30. I do wonder why Blogger has done this. The word verification they use is unnecessarily difficult to decipher. I don't suppose anyone has consulted users and I don't suppose anyone there cares. Infuriating!

    I've disabled mine, too. I am a bit concerned even though I have comment moderation. I had to shut down comments on my last blog (which didn't have word verification) because I got so many spamming posts from morons who wanted to sell their fake handbags, etc.

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  31. Dear Friko,
    Now I will go to my blog and see how all you said works. I'm truly challenged with all this and so I need to determine what my blog does when people comment.

    Peace.

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  32. Friko, all the recent word verification intensification stuff is a bit much. I agree with you about just how much an innocent commenter should be required to hop through in order to leave an innocent comment.

    Those comments you've received in that real village environment are also a bit funny. Here in the big city we usually get by with a smile, a nod, or even a comment about the weather or a thank you for holding a door open to a shop or a bus.

    xo

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  33. Funny, I too was not recognized without dogs, only last week. The discussion about Whitney Houston's demise, celebrities, fame, pharmaceuticals along with alcohol and addiction seems to fit perfectly for Neptun's home coming in to Pisces.

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  34. I took word verification off for the same reasons. Comments are supposed to be fun!

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  35. Oh thanks for the step-through on eliminating that awful nonsense, Friko. I've just done it as commenting on other blogs has become nearly impossible with the now 2 scrambled words in shadow and periods and commas, etc. I had to abandon some comments in the ether mist. 4 days sounds grand.
    XO
    WWW
    PS that dog comment has been thrown at me too. :)

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  36. Right you are, my Friend!


    Aloha from Waikiki
    Comfort Spiral

    >< } } ( ° >

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  37. Hmmm. Methinks from now on I will always wear shoes . . .

    As for blogger's new word verification, it is a great problem. Rubye Jack says she's mastered it, but boy, I have not. So thanks to you for making the adjustment. I'll continue on without it, and, as you have done, have had the thought to shorten the time before moderation kicks in if I run into a problem. So far, so good.

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  38. Wordpress never uses word verification so why should blogspot? The spam filter does a good job. The things people say... often sarcastically. Ew.

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  39. I couldn't agree with you more about the cryptic comment verification. It's beyond annoying. I am heading back to my blog settings right now to change it. I certainly don't want to miss your comments. I would miss them :(

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  40. You are completely right about the horrors of word verification. I have found that if I refresh it lots of times I can get a clear one but that is a pain.
    And I related so much to the fourth thing people have said to you this week. As a vegetarian people have often offered me dishes saying 'it doesn't have much meat in it'.

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  41. Yes, I've done just the same, and got rid of the WV process on my blog, Friko.

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  42. Chuckling at what people say. ;)

    I just ranted about the new word verification today, too. I can't deal with it anymore. My eyes have a terrible time with it. Glad people are reacting!

    Have a really good day, Friko! :)

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  43. I have always found that feet are the most ugly part of the human body and luckily they are mostly covered. As Pondside's daughter, my youngest son is from the sign of Pisces and he is such a kind and nice character. You must have an awful lot of e-mails.

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  44. People say the funniest - or most thoughtless - things.

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  45. I love the things people said to you, Friko. We've all heard the like at times.

    As far as word verification is concerned, mine's been off for weeks for a different reason and won't be going back on. No trouble at all with spam as the filter has caught what little there has been.

    For those who are using the new Blogger interface, you have to go back to the old one to switch off word verification. If you can't find out how to do this, there's a short thread in the Blogger Help forum which gives instructions.

    http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=29c6268a35cc001a&hl=en

    Good luck.

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  46. Ah, Friko, those comments . . . I sometimes wonder if people ever really listen to what they say. A recent one to me was "You look so much better. How much weight did you lose?" making me wonder how bad I must have looked and, of course, I'd not lost any weight at all. ha!

    I, too, have had problems with leaving comments with word verification, the latest making me wonder if my my cataracts came back! Thanks for the insight.

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  47. A brief follow-up about word verification. I've just read that you only have to type ONE of the words and tried this out. It works! So why on earth does Blogger ask us to do both? Deeply unhelpful.

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  48. I went back to read all the seven posts you wrote. Has it been so long ago I came or do you write very fast? On your blog on politics – I think that by what you write in your post bloggers can guess your politics. I write what I am interested about, so may write on politics sometimes (I think I did on my last post.) Your post on Valentine Day was so lovely – I could visualize you waiting with a warm cup of tea for your Beloved – and the bouquet of flowers was perfect. I took off word verification from my blog after I noticed how difficult it is to guess at the letters. I enjoy your retelling of what people say to you – at least you do see some people around….

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  49. I use Wordpress, and I have wondered if my blog has a word verification problem. I stopped commenting on blogs where it is difficult to comment.

    I wish I knew if my blog was difficult too.

    Dianne

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  50. Oh, I just read Gigi's comment so I guess I don't have the WV problem after all. D.

    PS Whew!!

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  51. I agree completely. I hate work verification and this new version is terrible. It will keep me from commenting as well. And I do the same. All comments to my posts come to me via email and that is where I reply to them so if you are a no-reply-blogger, I won't/can't respond to your comment.

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  52. I once had a trash commenter and initiated word verification but quickly gave it up. I like the freedom of speech about it. Finally, if you ignore them long enough, the asses go away. Commenting and returning to a blog to read replies and re-comments is one of my favorite things about blogging. Email replies, although maybe more personal, take the community out of the conversation. Maybe you have more bad experiences than I.
    (come by my place. I've got a tour I think you will enjoy.)

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  53. I went off to wordpress after my blogger blog was caught up in a hacking of another blog I had subscribed to . (It is rather embarrasing when that happens). So I don't know whether there is an access problem. I agree that the word verification thing is a pain and time consuming and don't understand Blogger's rationale. Still, I press on because I rather like the people behind the wall.

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  54. Well stated - even with my post cataract surgery, this new word verification gives my eyes a fit...I am still confused though as to how one knows if their own blog requests this...I see no place in my settings regarding "word verification" enabled or disabled.

    As a Pisces, when younger, I am sure Blockhead fit the bill - hoping I am stronger, clearer of mind and have lovely feet at 68.

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  55. Okay. Perpetua said you only need to do one of the words, so, I am going to do just that now and see if it works, Friko. Here goes . . .

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  56. I hate the new word verification, and I also don't understand "no-reply bloggers". Oh well. As you said, blogging should be fun, not a chore.

    I had to laugh out loud about what people are saying. They really do that? Geez... Although sometimes I say really stupid things as well, I'm not intending to be tactless but it happens anyway. Darn it!

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  57. Hehehe fortunately I am not a Pisces ! What about Cancer ?
    Didn't know that cheese contents milk, lol !
    You are so right with the word verification ! I never used it and have set comment moderation after 5 days since at least 4 years and had no trouble with spammers ! I have put a logo in my sidebar and a one under each post concerning a theme ! Because it's impossible to follow comments with this new invention !
    I even once used the thing for handicapped (you must try it it's fun) !

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  58. thanks for the how-to guide, i will definately follow suit

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  59. The whole commenting process is one reason I'd never make a switch from Wordpress to Blogger. Heaven knows there are other difficulties - Blogger really doesn't like to let the riff-raff from Wordpress in, and tries several creative ways to keep that from happening.

    Still, spam never is an issue on WP. Their Akismet filter is fabulous, and if there's a particular person you don't want showing up, you can filter them out via email address, IP and such. Very nice.

    When blogger first made this change I tried THREE times to get the words right on a blog. I think the programmers just get bored, sometimes.

    I know this - I'm never, ever going to look at my feet again. Never.

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  60. Once someone told me "I can look pretty . . . when I try." What is the deal with the things people end the sentence with?! They should keep the first part and leave off the end LOL!

    Word verification has been driving me INSANE! I'm so glad you posted about that ;)

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  61. i am totally with you on the anti-word verification message! AMEN!!!

    and you made me laugh with the things you've been told. :)

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  62. Me feet got so tired lately, that I needed a few days of rest for the whole body.

    Probably mind and soul as well.

    What people said to me; was enough to answer their questions of my origin, from now on, with "Norwegen".

    Funny you did ask. Mood is indeed building up towards 'hate'. Minor. Still.

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  63. Hi Friko - Me Agreed Too - cheers Hilary

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  64. Love those various comments! And I, too,, have been struggling with the word verification, Today I think they've made it a bit more readable.

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  65. Friko- I hear ya! I did away w/word very some time ago. I find that Blogger does a pretty good job at disposing of spam before it hits the comments. Yup. I probably just jinxed myself. ;)

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  66. I used to have a laugh with some of the old coloured single word verifications. I'll probably miss that. But for the record, I have rid the fuzzy-wuzzy black and white shite for hopefully, much smooother visits!

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Comments are good, I like to know what you think of my posts. I know you'll keep it civil.