The Article Writer

This just in: women really enjoy reading The Article Writer blog. At least women here in the U.S. do.

All right, perhaps I’m interpreting something different about the survey released by BlogHer/Compass Partners, the people who conducted the 2008 Social Media Benchmark Study. But the survey reveals several things about American women and the way that they approach the blogosphere: they like it a lot.

According to the survey, 36.2 million women actively participate in the blogosphere every week with 15% posting an article to a blog at least once each week and 21% reading and commenting to blogs weekly. Most interesting of all, more than 40% of the women surveyed consider blogs to offer a reliable source of information and advice for them. Shockingly, when it comes to things that women would give up for blogging, 20% would give up chocolate to keep up with blogging (can this be true?!)

The survey cited an increasing lack of trust in established institutions as one reason why women enjoy the blogosphere. Many women distrust the government, corporations, and the media and enjoy blogging to discuss topics that are important to them including which household products to choose, the presidential candidates, and the ungrateful guys in their lives (I threw that one in ). The study has shown that blogging is all about relationships — for women participants, in this case.

As far as us guys go, we weren’t surveyed but I know that there are a few things that we would never give up for blogging. I’m thinking about NASCAR — what did you have on your mind?

Photo Credit Matthew Bowden.

Tax season is so over.

Here in the US we have a ritual which begins shortly after the new year and ends promptly on April 15th: tens of millions of taxpayers spend hours upon hours gathering paperwork, downloading forms, uploading tax software, and entering data. I believe the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has said the average return now takes about 27 hours to do, this despite so many people relying on software to help them get the job done.

I sent off my state and federal returns late last week, but I then remembered yesterday that the state’s corporate filing was also due. Thankfully, it is an easy four-page form done online — basically I confirmed the information previously inputted, submitted my payment information, and I was done. Poof — there went a couple of hundred dollars.

Though the pictured sign says “county taxes” those aren’t due until September as part of our property tax filing for our home. We also pay property taxes on our vehicles (bright idea, isn’t it?) and I pay a token tax to the town for an annual license. Sales tax is 7% and the feds and the state get their chunk at the pump every time we go for fuel. Restaurant food is taxed at 8%, groceries at 2%, and yes there is a tax for hotel stays.

After a few days rest I’m heading up to Boston to reprise a certain tax rebellion held there in 1773 — I’m kidding of course, but the sentiment is still there.

Yesterday, I began using Entrecard — you know, that online business card thingamajig you can drop on various sites and get a day of free advertising (if accepted by the blog manager). I set up four blogs with it and before I knew it four different email inboxes were being heavily bombarded with requests (betcha didn’t know I operated so many different email accounts, did you?)

Anyway, I quickly had to sort through scads of requests, some of which had absolutely nothing to do with what the respective blogs are all about. Yes, your bakery business looks great — I could almost eat your virtual Entrecard — but I’m not sure I have a place for you on my blogs.

The requests came fast and furious as I imagine that there were boatloads of Entrecard users who were just waiting for me to sign up and place the widget on my blogs. Talk about feeling wanted! But, I know there is another side to Entrecard — to get some free advertising and to push up traffic numbers (namely Alexa) on blogs.

Honestly, I’ve barely explored the whole Entrecard culture, preferring people to drop by and visit me before I do likewise. My cards are plain — you think I’m going to pay someone to create cards for me? Not a chance! And, I haven’t found a site that I absolutely, positively want to advertise on. Give me time, I’m sure that moment will arrive.

Some People Are Just Plain Weird

What is it about the internet that attracts weird people? Okay, that answer is anonymity.  If you’re a social misfit when it comes to meeting real people face to face, why not create a virtual version of yourself and enter a world that you have created?

I don’t have to suggest this — lots of people are doing just that. MySpace seems to be the biggest proponent of online weirdness — gee, you think I’m really interested in friending someone whose sole goal in life is to friend as many people as possible on every single social media outlet out there? All right, I admit it: I can’t stand the competition!

The worst place, of course, is YouTube where anyone can get their fifteen minutes of fame (or shame). I call the site Soap Operas For Sociopaths as not a few people have gotten their fame postmortem. Yes, inflict you tragedy on the masses, commit suicide, and you’ll live in infamy forevermore. Oh, by the way, there is a God.

Off To Entrecard Land

I’m off to Entrecard Land as I’m readying a fifth blog for this madness.  Drop on by — literally — and I’ll see if I can hook you up. Just try to stay on message as you’ll have a better chance of being approved.