It's Nice To Know Who Returns A Courtesy...

...and nice to know who does not. I guess I do not understand the world of bloggers, although I certainly have tried; or maybe I do understand - and if I do well it just ain't no different from the rest of the world. There are people out there who when shown a courtesy and given a compliment would show a courtesy back at you, even if they decided not to return a compliment. They direct a courtesy back to you because, even maybe while they do not necessarily agree with you or maybe they just don't even like you enough to give you a compliment, they are respectful folks and they know one of life's best kept rules is that one good deed deserves another. They also see a courtesy given to them as a good deed. So it would make sense that if one blogger provides a link on his blog to the site of another blogger, then that other blogger would return the courtesy; but of course that would only make sense if the other blogger was a respectful type of person.

Of course this does not necessarily mean that someone who fails to return the courtesy of a link with a reciprocal link is a cad; there could be plenty of reasons they do not link back. Some of those reasons could be that a courteous and respectful blogger who has not provided the reciprocal link has not: realized his site was linked to on the other site, updated his site in a while, remembered to provide the reciprocal link, does not provide links as a matter of principal. Then again, the blogger who does not provide a reciprocal link could just be an out and out arrogant, disrespectful, discourteous asshole - although I will admit this type is probably the rare exception. I suppose there could also be a number of other reasons, and it is not that they elude my train of thought right now but rather that I am sure you can think of them yourselves.

I have not quite figured out yet, who of the bloggers for whom I provide a link on my list of links fits in any of the above categories - that is except for two of those categories - those who do not normally provide reciprocal links for whatever reason, and those who have had the courtesy and decency to provide a reciprocal link to my site on their blogs. I also know that out of the first 30 links I have provided to the sites of other bloggers, there are only 7 who showed me the same courtesy in return. So I think a little gardening on my side plot of linked sites is about due. Now I have to decide if I want to treat the non-reciprocating bloggers as weeds and just yank em out by the roots, or if I want to treat them as belonging in their own little brier patch apart from those flowers of respect and decency who had the courtesy grace my garden with a link to my blog. Pretty flowery analogies emanating through my keyboard, but not one word of bullshit to be found, I used all of the manure I had on hand in my real garden.

Well, I'll check the rest of the blogs to see how many others reciprocate with a link to my site, and then I guess I'll give it a good think over the next few days on how I should handle it, and if I should do anything at all. I am pretty sure I will do something, and that weeding and replanting will be taking place in the near future with some. By the way, this is not any sort of a threat to those who don't link back to my site on their own sites. I am not foolish enough to think that my removing a link to your site from my little blog has any effect as any sort of threat, and besides that why would I bother with trying to threaten someone into being courteous. Courtesy is a thing you learn, and then that you develop as your character develops. Making any sort of a threat in order to try to guide someone toward becoming courteous would be counterproductive, and is certainly not something I would even think of attempting with a grown adult who has already developed their own character to either include or exclude common courtesy. Of course, if this rant reminds you that you somehow forgot to give me a link on your site to mine, and then you do me that courtesy, that would be nice of you. A reminder it may be, a threat no - not in the least.

I figure most of the bloggers who visit my site are nice folks. I can sort of tell that from what they have written about in their own blogs, and from the quality of comments they have sometimes left on my blog. I would hate to inadvertently offend any of them by having them think that I believe them to be less than nice people, or that I am making some sort of ludicrous threat when I am not. So please, if you are one of the folks who has not linked to this site on your own site, just take my current rant and any action I take concerning weeding or replanting of non-reciprocating bloggers as me being me, and as me blogging about something that is important to me.

One last thing. If you are a blogger, and provide a link to my blog on your own and I have not given you the courtesy of which I have written - well it is most probably because I am not aware you link to this blog. If that is the the case, please let me know you have extended a courtesy to me, and I will gladly return it to you. Thanks.

All the best,
Glenn B

I toned down the above, the morning immediately after I first posted it. Why? Well because I don't want to be offensive to those who read it and are not among the disrespectful type of bloggers who do not give the least bit of concern to common courtesy. I know my fellow bloggers, the ones to whom I have linked on my blog, better than that. I believe you are rather nice people, and would not have wanted to have you believe otherwise because of the way I had previously phrased some things above.

Respect on the Internet...

...is something that is sometimes easy to find, and easy to lose. I guess it is often easy to find if you find yourself in agreement with someone on a blog, or find they agree with your own blog. The sad thing seems to be that it is just as easily lost, often when one person finds himself in disagreement with another. This often causes one or the other of those involved, sometimes both, to lose respect for one another; and you know disagreements should not necessarily do that.

I usually write out my opinion in no uncertain terms. I do so with respect for the other person whom I am addressing or for the audience I am addressing. In the case of the Internet, that audience could be just about anyone. I expect the same back from my readers, or from other bloggers on whose sites I leave comments. I do not always get such. In fact sometimes you get little to no respect at all if you are not a supporter of whomever you are addressing, or of their blog and viewpoints. I find that makes for such a dull, and boring world , and that usually people who expect you to bow down to their opinions and theirs alone (or at least ones that support theirs) are dull and boring no matter how otherwise intelligent they may be. Differences of opinion make for great discussion and great writing, and being able to respect the opinions of others within reason, even when you may disagree with them, goes to show a great person.

When I comment on a post on another's blog, I truly appreciate it when that person allows me to continue to post even though we maybe strongly opposed to one another on some issues. What I do not appreciate is when that other person twists what I have said, or starts name calling or other childish BS, to make it appear as if I am some person not worthy of a readership, or not worthy to leave comments on their blog.

Along those lines, I can say that without a doubt, I do not read any one's blog with the intent of causing trouble by leaving opposing comments, opinions, viewpoints, and ideas; but nor do I go to any one's web site or blog with the intent of getting down on my knees to bow to them as some sort of guru who is the know all be all of whichever subject is at hand. It would be pointless to do either as far as I am concerned, and all it would amount to is animosity or arse kissing.

Of course, sometimes in the source of reading forums, blogs and such, I come across a site that is interesting, wherein the people are usually respectful, and wherein I can leave comments of my own opinion about the issues discussed without having to worry about offending anyone so long as I remain civil. It is often at these sites that I develop what amounts to an association with the person who runs the site, or with the blogger. Many of the blog sites to which I link over on the right are virtually inhabited by folks like that, and although I do not link only to ones like that, I try my best to link to sites wherein I think you will find a respectful attitude should you post a comment therein whether or not it agrees with the mindset of the blogger in question.

The best thing about trying to link to the sites of bloggers who are like that is that you often wind up making a virtual acquaintance that turns out to be surprisingly amicable; like having made a friend. I can say without a doubt that even though I have never personally met any of these bloggers in real life, a few of them seem like old friends already. That is a nice thing about the Internet blogs and forums, and I'll try to keep this blog respectful to the opinions of others even when we do not agree with one another; and I'll try to keep linked to the sites of other bloggers whom to me seem to do likewise.

In closing I'd like to say, thanks to those of you who are respectful commenters and bloggers. You make the Internet a better place, and I am happy to link to your sites here.

Before I close, allow me to say that this post has very little to do with any previous one, and this one is not directed at any particular person I mentioned in a previous post. This one is directed at you folks who make this blog a nicer place to visit, who have your own blog that is worth a visit, and who can share ideas, and voice differences of opinion, and still respect the opinions of others within reason. Thanks.

All the best,
Glenn B

Links to Interesting Bloggers...

...those whom I have found, to date, to be worthy of my time and effort to read them are listed on the right side of my page under the heading: Grumps, Geeks, and Geniuses - Bloggers All Worth A Read. Yes, of course, that link list is quite subjective, and is according to my own tastes. I think anyone I have placed into that link list has a good to excellent blog, is interesting (at least to me even if my ideals do not match with theirs), shows a certain amount of intelligence, and is worth a link. I list them in alphabetical order not to show any favoritism. I have my favorites, those I read everyday whether or not I have the time to spare, but who they are does not matter. if you read them, and wind up liking them, you will pick your own favorites.

The link list to other bloggers' sites keeps growing, albeit slowly but steadily nonetheless. In that way, as I expand my own horizons, I hope also to allow my readers to follow suit. Not to follow me by liking what I like, mind you, but to expand at their own speed down the often jumbled pathway of links as they see fit, or to blaze their own trail so to speak. One of the truly wonderful things about the Internet, especially the so called Bloggosphere, is the ability to link. Through links you can discover people's sites you would never otherwise have found on your own. Finding those sites will allow you to see ideas in writing you may not have otherwise seen. Yes, linking can be a good thing; and I try to supply links to sites I feel have quality content. Usually when you click on one of the links I have supplied, you will find that the site to which I have linked also links to a host of other sites. A wide number of pathways has opened up to you in the virtual world of the Bloggosphere.

Sometimes when you click on those other links, you wind up at sites where you realize you would rather not be. Other times, you wind up at places that seem full of interesting idea, be they in agreement or disagreement with your own. Sometimes you bookmark these sites, other times you link your own site to them, yet at other times you just wind passing through and not going back. If you choose to not revisit a site, such is your choice, based upon your own likes and dislikes; but be careful not miss opportunity. Before leaving a site behind forever, give at least a cursory look at the other sites to which it links. You may find a real gem hidden in the muck, bloggers do not always link to sites just like their own, and this is what keeps blogging links so interesting.

Another reason I link to sites, besides just finding them interesting or enjoyable, is to return a courtesy. If I have found that someone links to my site in their link roll (blog roll or whatever) I usually link right back to them. Of course I look over their site first, but as it seems if they link to me it is usually a site, if not of the same likes as mine, that is one that is interesting in a fairly civil manner. Some bloggers have apparently done likewise by linking to my blog, some have not for whatever reasons. I kind of wish some of the others to whom I link would return the courtesy, but who am I to say whom they should include on their link lists. Whether or not they return the courtesy to me, I find their blogs interesting and supply the links so you too can visit their sites to see if you find them likewise.

My hope is that you visit some of those linked sites, and that you at least find some of them of interest to you, and that through the links they and I have supplied, you will expand your own horizons and help others to do likewise.

All the best,
Glenn B