Monkey Boy

Blog Things

I was over at ipears.com reading an article on what was preventing the author from creating content...and it got me thinking about what prevents me from creating content and the answer is <dum> <dum> <dum> Traffic Exchanges. I spend more time building up credits, playing games and chatting online, trying to drive traffic to my site, than actually creating good valuable content....or waffle if you prefer my waffle...and pulling traffic to my blog.

It all started at a party when someone mentioned I try a traffic exchange program to get my blog kick started.....you know just use for a while....until I got my stats up, then quit....but there just never seems to be enough visitors....nothing recaptures the thrill of those first 5 comments.....another 10 daily visitors and I'll stop I promise...like any addict this is just a little lie I tell to myself....so I can sleep better at night....SLEEP what sleep there is no sleep for those addicted to surf.

I can't go cold turkey....no way no how....but I am going to deregister from all but BlogMad. My traffic has increased from 20-30 hits a day to over 100 hits a day since I joined BlogMad, I don't really need the others....I'll flush them down the toilet....and hopefully someone will invent a patch for BlogMad (you know like a nicotine patch) so I can wean myself off it slowly.

BTW BlogMad is open to the public from tomorrow....in about 8 hours....with a double credit day....yes double credit. This means you will get 2 visitors to your site for every site you visit....tomorrows a public holiday in South Africa...guess I'm going to be surfing.

2 for 1 Madness

If you're here via any other traffic exchange program than BlogMad....WHHHYYYY????...between now and 10pm tonight (probably 10pm South African Time 10pm GMT) they are running a 2 for 1 special. You will get 2 visitors to your site for every site you visit.....Get over there....if you need an invite leave me a comment or send me a mail...hurry...it's going crazy......... gotta run.........

Well that was fun while it lasted...unfortunately now it's over...lets hope the admins over at BlogMad do it again.

Election Day

I know it’s a bit late but 1st of March was Election Day in South Africa. Traditionally…and this year was no exception…election days are a public holiday…this is supposed to free people from obligation and aid voter turn out…but actually it frees people from obligation to drink, watch TV, go on picnics and at about 21:00 say “what the ffff…. voting over already, damn I missed it never mind next time” I don’t have the figures yet but I suspect poll numbers will be pretty low this year…it was a bit overcast and cloudy you see.

This is local elections and the choice of parties is pretty daunting. I made my crosses and it wasn't an easy task choosing with just under 100 97 parties. On offer where gems such as Abolition of Income Tax and Usury Party, Royal Loyal Progress and the party headed by Louis Luyt the man who f#$%ed-up SA Rugby....guess he wants to try his hand at something easier. All you need to get on the national ballot is 50 friends, two colour logos and R500.00 (about $85)...its true check here...so everyone with an opinion or an axe signs up. I really don't understand how the Americans struggle along with only 2 or 3 parties.

As expected the ANC (Nelson Mandela's Party..sorry Thabo) are well out in front on around 66% of the vote with the DA (to put it diplomatically a more Eurocentric party) trailing second on 14%. The final results should be out by Saturday but I don't predict any major changes or upsets. If you're interested the results are here but be warned this site is written in dotnet...you know the Microsoft thingy...and only really works with Internet Explorer so FireFox users are out in the cold....And I Thought This Was Supposed To Be A Democratic Process.

Oh yeah and 1 March was also BlogMad launch day. They have a fast growing and vibrant community. I have a couple of invites for the public beta so leave me a comment if you would like to be fast growing and vibrant.

BTW don't expect a quick reply...I'm off to the pub....cheers.

BlogMad Bug Day

BlogMad is having a bugday this Saturday (25th February). They are opening the beta system to users who are active in the forums or are already signed up. To quote Paul's email on the matter:

".....[we will be] working on bugs on the bugday ( this coming Saturday ) In order to accomodate the globe we'll start at about 2pm GMT and then run right through till possibly the next day.

There'll be 3 or 4 webcams set up so that people can watch us at work, eating pizza and getting on each others nerves."

It sounds like a lot of fun. The object of the day is to stress test the system and BREAK it. Come on guys sign up. Register on the forums. Make a post. You could be chosen for BlogMad's BugDay and get in on the ground floor of this exciting new traffic exchange program.

What Song Was Number 1 When You Were Born?

Found this fun link in the forums at BlogMad. You put in your date of birth and it tells you what was No 1 on the UK Top 40 the day you were born.  I was born 2 Sept 1968 and the song was <drum roll>........Beach Boys - Do It Again.......</drum roll>. (Do It Again??????, bet my mother didn't want to hear that as I was being born). I'm a little disappointed because I don't like the Beach Boys and I can't remember the song. I know I was born a couple of weeks early and later in the month the number 1 was Hey Jude - The Beatles which is a much better song to be born (to? under? with?) but oh how I wish my mother could have hung on till December when the number 1 was Hugo Montenegro Orchestra - The Good The Bad And The Ugly. One of my all time favourite songs...the anthem of the spaghetti western (my favourite movie genre) and signature tune of that uber cool cowboy Man with No Name.

Please leave a comment with your Number 1.

BTW things are hotting up at BlogMad. Beta testing starts 1 February 2005 so if you haven't joined yet...JOIN.....if you don't now what BlogMad is read my earlier posts.

BlogMad Launch Date?

You may remember I posted about BlogMad a couple of weeks back. Well there has been a flurry of activity over the last couple of days (which is more than can be said for the activity at Monkey Boy which has definitely not been flurrying).

The BlogMad crew have:

• Created their official blog BMlog
• Setup frappr,
• flickr (for screenshots),
• BlogMad forums and
• <drumroll> announced a tentative launch date of 1 March 2006 </drumroll>.

...slow down boys...I am struggling to keep up.

Let's face it this thing is getting hot. If you haven't already done so I suggest you sign up and get in on the ground floor.

Sign up early…
             ...get the free credits…
             ...become one of the founding members...
             ...and be known by name rather than just an anonymous account number.

BTW.....a post is just not a post without at least one BTW is it..... I have been chosen as a beta tester so in honour of this accolade I assigned BlogMad their own category and will keep everyone updated on the development and testing progress.

If you don't know what flickr - frappr is or what BlogMad actually does then don't be shy. Leave a comment or send me a mail and I will elaborate...I ain't an old blogger...3 months ago I didn't know what any of these frippy, frappy words meant either.

BlogMad

You may have noticed that I like punting South African web sites and services (remember jonga)...why? cos I'm Souf Effrican.

Well the latest SA web service is BlogMad. At least it will be as soon as it is out of Beta (or maybe it should stay in Beta like Flickr and gmail...seems to be a Web 2.0 trend...I know, I know I keep promising to post on Web 2.0 and I will...be patient....where was I?.....

BlogMad is a blog traffic generating service rather like BlogExplosion. BlogExplosion sends 1 visitor to your site for every 2 blog sites you visit. BlogMad goes 1 better. They send 1 visitor to your site for every 1 blog site you visit. So signing up will either double your visits (or half your clicks, depends how you look at it.) As an added incentive you will receive 25 free credits for signing up now.

Doooiiit, DOOOO EEET, Dew Eat. Go Big.....

If you are a fellow Saffer (Souf Effrican (South African)) you have no excuse, support the local web economy, if you don't <threat>I live close enough to pay you a little visit...dum dum dum...<threat/> and like Cape Town is shew...not that far man so don't think you're safe Flo.

If you're not an F-re-can then try something different. The last person to ignore this blog now has 12 smelly SA travellers camped out in his living room.

 

BTW I think their image is way cooler than BlogExplosion...so, you know like Web 2.0.

BTBTW (By the, By the way) There is a competition to name their mascot. I was thinking iBall...slogans like "Have you been iBall'ed by BlogMad" will sound pretty cool.