Author Archives: shadengk

How to Beat Social Media Algorithms and Save Your Feed

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Beat the social media algorithm Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

To paraphrase Gandhi, “Be the Feed You Want to See in the World.” One of the things that I dislike about recipes and “help” articles on the Internet is that they require you to wade through a bunch of extraneous stuff to get to the information you want. There’s always a story, complete with large photos, that requires you to scroll for five minutes before you ever get to the solution. That’s why I paraphrased Gandhi and put the easiest solution to beat social media algorithms first. Now, if you know how to do that, you don’t have to read any further. However, it would be nice if you did continue because that’s how the algorithm works. The longer you stay on this page and the more you click on the links on my website, the higher the ranking my page and website will achieve.

Computer Algorithms

Algorithms have no decision-making capabilities. It is important to know this because it means that the algorithm can’t decide if you want to see content. It can only compute the amount of time you spend interacting with a topic and, based on its program, the type of interaction you focus on. Algorithms will also look at the key words you are using. Whatever you interact with, no matter the type of interaction, is what you will see. If posts that make you angry cause you to react on social media, those are the posts you are going to see. Algorithms may also look at what your friends and who you are following are interacting with, which means you can’t control everything you see on your feed because some of your (social media) friends are likely going to interact with stuff you don’t like.

Your Posts

The easiest things to control in your feed are your own posts. Post the type of content you want to see. If you’re posting your political views, chances are you’re not only going to the views that align with yours, but you’re also going to see the views that are directly in conflict with yours. Anger is a powerful motivator, and if Trump or Biden get you to like, comment, block, stop scrolling, repost, subscribe or other interaction, you’re going to get more of them on your feed – both good and bad (from your point of view).

If you’re reposting something, make sure it’s something you want to see more of. Keep your personal feed free of the stuff you dislike, that makes you angry, or that could incite others, and you’ll be on your way to a happier, more engaging feed.

Seek Out Friends

You’ve seen the post:

Facebook is blocking me from seeing my friends posts and showing me ads instead. Like and comment on this post, so I can see more from my friends.

Your friends interacting with your post will allow them to see more of what you are posting. You need to interact with your friends’ posts. Social media’s first priority is to keep you on the page. Interacting with your friends with a long comment that sparks a conversation will compute to the algorithm and cause it to show you more of that type of content. If you want to see more posts from your friends, it’s up to you to make that contact, like, long comment, and share (repost) their posts.

Post What’s Verifiable and True

A lot of people will post or repost something that they want to be true. Cough CPR doesn’t work, but the post makes its rounds because “if I’m alone and having a heart attack, I’m going to do what it takes even if it doesn’t work.” Flat earthers abound; conspiracy theorists, like scum, rise to the top. Some people just want to believe the lie: If you repost this the lucky penny, the four-leaf clover, screaming goat, Jesus will grant your wish. It’s the modern version of a chain letter. No matter how much you want it to be true, do not post it until you have verified it as a fact. If your opinion is not true, it is a lie.

That doesn’t mean you can’t post your opinion. (And obviously, you can post whatever you want because freedumb.) However, “aliens built the pyramids” isn’t an opinion; it’s a conspiracy theory. “This cupcake tastes amazing” is an opinion. “Who is the worst president ever” is an opinion-based question. An opinion is something that ascribes value to a subjective experience. Facts are not objective. The best way to look at it is if you don’t want to see the opposite of what you are posting, then don’t post it. For example, if you really dislike people who think that chocolate is the best flavor when you think vanilla is, don’t post your opinion on vanilla.

It’s important to remember that posting your opinion, even when based on facts, will not change anyone’s mind on social media. You won’t have the perfect comeback, the perfect link, or the perfect rapport with someone to help them see the truth or the light. Responding to a post where you have the undeniable truth on your side – i.e., the Earth is round – will only cause your feed to become inundated with people who disagree with you and no amount of evidence will convince them otherwise.

The Chaos Bullies

This is probably too cool a name for those people that enjoy poking the bear. There is a significant portion of the population that gets their jollies from poking the bear. They don’t care if what they post is true. They don’t care that their comments hurt you or the people you love. Their only pleasure in life is making others angry. If they can get a rise out of you, they will feel better about themselves. They will have gotten the attention they crave, and they will have learned how to control you. Their like toddlers who learn to control mommy and daddy by making a scene in public, throwing a tantrum in the market, shouting out “you’re not my parent” and asserting that they will call the police and claim abuse.

The best way to deal with bullies is to ignore them. By not interacting with them, you take away their power. If a bully is persistent, you can and should block them. Just remember that the algorithm is going to pick that up and file it away as an interaction. You may have to block quite a few people and bots depending on the comment. If the bully is not a social media friend, you can change your settings to post only to friends, and avoid the possibility of unwanted attention. (I posted about a person’s car being stolen, found and impounded. It was going to cost $500 to get the car out of impound. I had 60 almost identical comments about how to use an Instagram tracker to get the car back. All of the comments referred to one of two Instagram pages. I tried blocking them, but they just kept coming. I switched the post to Facebook friends, and that cleared up the problem.)

Facebook Manipulates Feelings

In 2012, Facebook manipulated the feelings of over 700,000 users subjected to the social media platform’s science experiment. They found that those who saw more positive and uplifting posts posted more uplifting words by the end of a week. Those who saw sad posts posted sadder updates by the end of the week. We know that Facebook has done at least one experiment to control people’s feelings. We don’t know what they have done with that information.

Follow the Right People

John Schneider was posting a series of amazing, heartfelt tributes to his wife who died a year ago. He talked about compassion, lifting others up, and explained how we’re all fellow travelers. These were amazing sentiments about coming together in hard times. My heart went out to him, and I was uplifted by his ability to express his emotions. It was nice to have a childhood icon explain some of the very things I was feeling and could relate to.

Schneider is also a die-hard Trump supporter. Once his year of grief was over, he posted more of his alt-right rhetoric, disrespected the president, and shouted pain from his social media platform. How could he reconcile the two positions? More importantly, for me at least, is how could I reconcile the two positions – one of uniting and one of dividing? The last post I saw from him was one where a woman complained about his political stance. Rather than engage in a dialogue, where neither would be convinced by the other’s position, but where maybe they could come to an understanding, Schneider and company just kicked her out. Good riddance. Schneider doesn’t have to be nice to people. He doesn’t have to be consistent in his beliefs, and I don’t have to follow him. I don’t want to see political posts against the American judicial or political system. I don’t want to hear from people who only believe in democracy as long as it conforms to their vote and opinions. That’s my personal thing. If you love Trump, and seeing political posts makes you happy, follow John Schneider.

If you don’t want those kinds of things in your feed, do not follow people who are posting politics. If you do follow people posting about subjects you don’t want in your feed, you will engage and your feed will be inundated by those things you don’t want.

Your Friends’ Feeds

From time to time, maybe more often than you want, one of your friends is going to post something you don’t want to see in your feed. Social media will share these posts with you because you have interacted with your friends. Ignore the posts you don’t like. Don’t comment on the post, don’t angry emoticon the post. Ignore it, especially if it’s something they copied and pasted or it’s from another page. If it’s especially bothersome, block the page (not necessarily your friend). Just remember blocking is a form of interaction.

Beat the Social Media Algorithm

If you’ve made it this far, thank you. It won’t be easy to beat the social media algorithm and save your feed, but it will be worth it. By engaging more with your friends’ original posts that you truly enjoy and only posting what you would like to see more of, you will be able to find your happy place again. Avoid the angry emoticon, interact with what and whom you love, be healthier mentally. (And if you want more of this type of content like, share, follow, comment, subscribe and interact.)

Why the Trucking Industry Would Lose in a Boycott Against New York City

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Truckers boycotting New York City doesn’t target the judicial system in New York, and it doesn’t directly affect the politicians. Instead, the boycott targets New Yorkers. New Yorkers are the quintessential “F—k around and find out” people. You want to bring that type of energy to the table against New Yorkers? Fuhgeddaboutit. In their response to every threat, New Yorkers have shown themselves to be some of the toughest SOBs in the world. More importantly, September 11 showed how New Yorkers come together in the face of tragedy and hard times. They don’t have to fight to win; they can love in solidarity. In fact, that may be the city’s and its citizen’s greatest strength.

Supply Lines and COVID

During the COVID-19 lock-downs and their after effects, Americans learned more about supply lines than they ever wanted to know. While some businesses have already forgotten those lessons by returning to Just-in-Time inventory management, you can be sure New York has not. The lessons that the city and state learned during the pandemic will be put to use if a trucker boycott were to disrupt the supply chain. New York already has some powerful tools in its arsenal to combat a lack of distributive power.

The National Guard

One solution the governor may decide to use is the National Guard. The military organization can be called out in times of emergencies, and it has a lot of people who can drive large vehicles. The Guard can be sent to where the loads are left, pick them up, and bring them into the city. If the stores getting the shipments pay the same amount to the National Guard that they would pay to the ordinary delivery company, it may not even cost the state of New York much to put this plan into action.

Port of New York and New Jersey

New York, in partnership with New Jersey, has the largest port for importing oil and the third largest port for importing containers. In this case, boats could bring the needed supplies into the port. Even if there are no big rigs available to pick up those containers, New York has possible solutions. The port is already connected to a railway system. Load those trains up, boys.

If times got desperate, they could employ drivers in box trucks or even go with an UberEats-style delivery and pick up. It wouldn’t be efficient, but it would open jobs to more people. You don’t need a CDL to drive a box truck. Again, businesses receiving the deliveries could pay the drivers of the vehicles rather than their regular shipping companies.

Long Term Effects

Necessity is the mother of invention. If the boycott were to drag on, New Yorkers would innovate new ways and reinvent old ways of getting goods to where they need to be. This is the city that built the tallest building in the world at a time when it was dangerous to do so. New Yorkers know how to get creative. Railways may become more prevalent. Drones might become more proficient. Robots and artificial intelligence will be advanced into doing the heavy lifting and delivery. No one can predict the actual way New Yorkers will fill in the gaps. However, once New York lights the way, other states will follow. Whatever they do will get passed on to other areas where there is no trucking boycott. The demand for trucking services will decline, possibly on a worldwide scale.

Boycotting Vs. Striking

The average salary for driving a semi is about $120,000 a year. When a trucker, or a group of truckers boycott some place, they don’t get paid that money. A boycott is not a strike. The Teamsters may support a strike, but unions, typically labelled socialist, don’t generally support boycotts. Truckers would lose their income, which they likely can’t afford to do.

More importantly, trucking companies will simply adjust their schedules. Businesses do not want to lose the revenue that New York City generates for them. If a driver doesn’t want to go to the Big Apple, the trucking company could simply find another driver, one who doesn’t support the Big Orange, and send that trucker and the shipment. It a simple capitalist transaction.

Moreover, a trucking company could threaten workplace sanctions against truckers refusing to deliver loads. This could include fewer runs, resulting in less pay. If one trucking company boycotts New York, another will step in to take its place and the profits from those deliveries. Businesses are geared to short-term profits, and they don’t want to lose any revenue, especially not for political purposes.

A Successful Boycott

In order for the boycott to be successful, truckers would have to take a page from the French. They would need to drive their rigs to the outskirts of New York City and park them on the roads, besieging the city like an ancient army taking on a castle. They would need to cut off the ports and remove the river from the equation. They would then need to find a way to control the skies. Prices would skyrocket, and the people would rise up and demand Trump be allowed to work in the city and not be fined.

Unfortunately, as many protestors on the left find out, blocking a road for any reason is against the law and can result in police action that includes impounding of vehicles, getting hit with batons and/or pepper sprayed, possible use of fire engine water cannons, and being put in jail for an unspecified amount of time.

Other Unintended Consequences

Even if the boycott is likely to be unsuccessful, for numerous reasons mentioned above and also including an actually lack of commitment to the cause, taking big rigs off the road for any length of time would be a win for the environment. It would be an even bigger win if it results in a better way to deliver goods.

The Good Samaritan and Immigration

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When Christ is asked what the greatest commandment is, he offers two:

37 …“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:37-40

All the laws and all the prophets hang on these two commandments. If a Christian can follow these two commandments, they wouldn’t need to worry about anything else, assuming the Christian doesn’t hate themselves, which creates a whole new problem.

Luke also has a similar passage, but in this one, the person who asks the questions seeks clarification about his “neighbor.” Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan:

A man is beaten by thieves and left for dead. He is passed by members of the church, including a priest. However, it is the Samaritan, a person who should’ve had nothing to do with the man, who stops to help the man. The Samaritans hated the Jews and vice versa, and yet, this Samaritan took care of the man’s wounds. He then took the man to an inn, further administered to his injuries, and the next day, he paid the innkeeper to take care of the man while guaranteeing additional money to pay for any expenses that weren’t covered.

In short, the Samaritan took a victim of violence, a person he would’ve otherwise despised, and took care of his health while giving him food and shelter, not just for the moment’s he was with him, but for as long as the innkeeper deemed necessary.

Christ has asked people to take care of their neighbors. He made it the second commandment like unto the first. There is very little separation between the commandments. Even if he ranked one over the other, it sounds like it was a tough call.

Then, he made it clear that our neighbors aren’t just those who we love, or those who are near us geographically. Our neighbors include those we despise. They include those who are hurting. They include those caravans that are coming from the south, who are being unceremoniously shipped under false pretenses by the very same people who call themselves Christian.

Those people have certainly not learned the lessons of the Good Samaritan, and many have not learned the lessons from Christ’s own life. Instead, they use their religion as a bludgeon to hurt others and to remain ensconced in their powerful positions while feeding the emotions of their followers the stones and snakes that a father would not give a son when he asked for bread or fish.

My Journey to FanX 2023 (and What I Did There)

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When panel suggestions opened for FanX 2023, I had no idea what I would be doing in September during the convention. I was looking for jobs and hoping to get something that would pay the bills. I figured if I wasn’t employed by the comic convention in Salt Lake City, I could get to the Salt Palace and have a good time. So, I filled out the form and suggested “Disneyland Is Creativity.”

Disneyland Is Creativity

“Disneyland Is Creativity” is the name of the first book I published. It uses the structure and history of Disneyland to illustrate creativity principles. Main Street, U.S.A. is a good example of how Disney made people feel comfortable when coming into the park; you need to feel comfortable if you want to practice creativity, especially in a business setting. Disneyland’s opening day provides plenty of examples of failure and mistakes; in creativity, you’re going to fail and make mistakes because you’re trying something new.

I had done a panel based on my book at Lilac City Comicon, and I have also done the follow-up panel based on the Haunted Mansion at Lilac City Comicon and Ogden UnCon. I was confident I could present a compelling and enjoyable panel for FanX conventioneers and Disney fans.

FanX 2023 Notification and Work

When I got the email to let me know that I had been chosen, I was excited. I was also working at a bookshop and didn’t have days off available. Still, I figured I would figure out the time off at the time that I was able to let people know I was invited to FanX as a panelist. The bookshop was fine with me going; I just wouldn’t get paid.

Then, I got a notice that my rent would be increasing. My bookshop job would no longer pay for my expenses. I was going to have to find something new.

I applied for a hotel job and a bank job. I scheduled interviews for both, and I was offered the job at the hotel. I told him I would have to discuss it with my wife. He said he would get back to me the next day with the exact pay amount they were offering. He didn’t call the next day.

I did the interview for the bank and was offered the job there as well. However, they had some details to work out before they could give me the benefits package. I called the hotel, the person at the front desk refused to take a message. I called a second time, and left a message with a different front desk person. I called a third time, and I had the bank offer in my hands. There was only one more hurdle to jump for the bank before the offer was finalized. I asked for time off to go to FanX. While waiting for the approval, I called the hotel manager one more time. He did not get back to me. The bank did with the approval for unpaid leave, and I accepted the offer.

Flights and Hotels

I had to book flights and hotels for FanX. I booked the cheapest hotel I could find within walking distance. If I was going to drive, I didn’t want to have to deal with my car during the convention. I should have looked at the reviews. By the time my wife looked at the reviews, it was too late to book a hotel with the FanX discount, which is what I should have done in the first place. We found the City Creek Inn and Suites about 1.5 miles away from the Salt Palace. It ended up being good enough – quiet, waffles for breakfast, clean room. It could do with a renovation, but we were just going to be sleeping there.

I booked flights out of Eugene with Southwest Airlines. They were the least expensive that didn’t charge for luggage. That meant I could take my books, computer, and posters to FanX without paying anything additional. The flights went smoothly; we didn’t even need to pay for earlier boarding. (We got the last two seats that were together on the flight back. All the other flights we sat together without having to worry.)

The Worst Buddhist

Geek Buddhas from The Worst Buddhist

I knew Darren Lamb, the Worst Buddhist, was going to FanX. I think he may have been at every convention put on by the group since its inception – 15 shows or 10 years ago. I edit Darren’s books because he writes stories that need to be written and read. If you’re looking for something amazing with some Buddhist leanings, Darren delivers. His fiction works include “The Book of Benjamin,” an exploration of what happens if the answers are literally inside of us, “Rebirth: a Zombie Tale” explores reincarnation during the zombie apocalypse, and “The Pit Bull” brings together a dog and a disparate and desperate group of people who are looking for healing.

I asked if he would allow me to do a book signing at his booth. He was enthusiastic about it. I asked him to pick us up at the airport, and he was enthusiastic about that, too. I scheduled and did the signings at his booth immediately after my panels.

Darren also writes some great non-fiction. If you are looking for a way to practice spirituality, and you can’t find anyone to help you, “Ronin Buddhism” is a great read to set you on your own path. (I have used affiliate links for the books in this post. They take you to Amazon, which provides me a small commission if you purchase something and doesn’t cost you or the author anything additional.)

Walt Disney World Vs. Disneyland Panel

Josh Twelves Facebooked me and said I was scheduled for a panel on Thursday. I looked at my schedule and told him I didn’t know anything about that panel. I knew I was scheduled for Friday, but Thursday was free as far as I could tell.

He clarified that he added me to his panel. I didn’t know Josh, but I have been to both parks. Disneyland is my go-to vacation, and I was a College Program participant at Walt Disney World (which was amazing). After a little back and forth, I agreed to do the panel with Josh, Tracy Mangum, and Jake Dietz. (The latter two do “the Movies that Make Us” podcast.)

It was a fun panel that Josh moderated well. There was plenty of audience participation, but I think the consensus was that Disneyland is better overall. We did have a West Coast bias because it’s super easy to get to the Happiest Place on Earth from Utah. We also had a Walt Disney bias; Disneyland is the only park he walked and lived in. Neither of those two things can be said for Walt Disney World.

Disneyland Is Creativity Panel

Jenya said this was her favorite panel of the two days we were able to attend FanX. I had brought the wrong laptop, so I couldn’t connect to the projector. That meant I had to do the presentation without the PowerPoint prop. Jenya thought it went even better than the previous panels I had done on the same subject.

I enjoyed being able to take a group of Disneyland fans down the Main Street, U.S.A. of our imagination while relating aspects of the park to creative principles. The questions afterward were great, and we found out that one of our audience members was headed to do her own Disney College Program experience. If you want me to upload video, leave a comment.

Panels and Books

I was able to sell three sets of the books I brought: “Disneyland Is Creativity,” “The Haunted Mansion Is Creativity,” and “Penguinate! The Disney Company.” All three are available on Amazon in eBook format. Only “The Haunted Mansion Is Creativity” is available on Amazon in both paperback and as an eBook. I have some paperbacks of the other two still available. All three sales came from people who came to the panels.

FanX and Its Guests

Outside of my panelist duties, I was able to see several stars and a couple of panels. Alexandra Daddario, Jake Abel, Zachary Levi, John Rhys-Davies, and Christopher Lloyd were the biggest names that I saw on stage. Lloyd said this would be his last comic convention. Abel was hilarious. They were all hampered about what they could talk about by the writers’ strike that is being supported by SAG-AFTRA.

We started the day with Jim Meskimen, who was funny and sincere. He made a good impression on us, pun intended. Meskimen does impressions as part of his act; you can visit Jimpressions.com for more information. Jenya really enjoyed the History of Costumes panel put on by the costume department of the Hale Center Theater Orem.

Artist Alley

As with almost every comic convention I have attended, there just wasn’t enough time to do much with Artist Alley beyond my own book signing. We saw Ty Hulse from afar, who we had met at Lilac City Comicon. On Friday night, our last day, I took a couple extra minutes to rush through the aisles jam-packed with amazing artwork, stickers, and posters, but nothing caught my eye until I saw a comic book for $2.99. That’s a great price. As I looked more at the booth, I noticed that the proceeds were going to help stop animal abuse. I wasn’t really sure I wanted it, but as I walked a couple of booths past the comic books, I decided that I had budgeted the money, and I should come away with something from my FanX experience. (Plus, Jenya was sure I wanted it and said I should get it.) If it doesn’t support the artist, at least it will go to a good cause.

So we made a U-turn, and I went to the booth. The Calico comic book series from Sigma Comics was eight issues and a sticker for $20. I was warned the comic was graphic; the bad guys won’t make it out alive.

I would’ve loved to stay for Saturday, but budget constraints and other circumstances required me to go home. Thursday was great because it was less crowded than Friday. Friday was great because the convention energy picked up. We were glad to have been able to attend and participate in FanX2023.

Which Is Better Disneyland or Walt Disney World? Panel at FanX

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I was asked to participate on a second panel while at FanX in Salt Lake City: Which is better Disneyland or Walt Disney World? Scheduled for Thursday at 5pm, this panel will feature five panelists: Josh Twelves, Tracy Mangum, Jake Dietz, and Amanda Provost.

Disneyland

My experience with Disneyland is as a vacationer. I’ve been to the Happiest Place on Earth more than 50 times, and as those who have read My Life in the Projects, Disneyland was a safe place that we went to every year as a family to have some happiness. I am the author of Disneyland Is Creativity.

Disneyland is the only park that Walt walked in. It is home to innovations, without which Walt Disney World couldn’t exist. Disneyland is the OG park.

Walt Disney World

I worked in the resorts at Walt Disney World while a participant of the College Program. (Going to Salt Lake Community College gave me the opportunity to be a part of Walt Disney World.) As a member of the custodial team for Saratoga Springs, I was able to take advantage of everything the four parks and backstage have to offer. It was spectacular.

Which Is Better?

The answer to the question will depend a lot on the comparison. Are we comparing the two resorts: Disneyland and Disney California Adventure against The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot? Or will we stick to Disneyland versus the Magic Kingdom? There are questions of budget, time, and attractions. Will we come up with the definitive answer? Do we have to choose?

I will also be giving the Disneyland Is Creativity Panel scheduled for Friday at 3pm. As with all comic conventions, panels and participants are subject to change. Download the FanX 2023 app and mark these panels as favorites, so you don’t miss them.

If you would like me to bring you a copy of Disneyland Is Creativity or it’s sequel The Haunted Mansion Is Creativity, please contact me. Otherwise, I will have a very limited number on hand.

FanX 2023 in Salt Lake City and ‘Disneyland Is Creativity’

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It’s official! We are less than a month away from FanX 2023 in Salt Lake City, and I have a panel, “Disneyland Is Creativity.” Based on my book, this panel will provide ways to improve your creativity by using examples and metaphors from Disneyland’s structure and history. This panel is a must for fans of the park and for those who are interested in learning principles of creativity to improve their lives and the lives of others. The time and place of the panel will be released with the FanX app. Download the app, bookmark our panel, and join us for a walk down memory lane.

Get ‘Disneyland Is Creativity’

You can get a copy of “Disneyland Is Creativity” and its sequel “The Haunted Mansion Is Creativity” from Amazon. You can also order them directly from me and pick them up at my panel. We will bring a very limited supply of books to be available at Darren Lamb’s table in Artist Alley. (Darren is known as the Worst Buddhist; his table will have cool, geek-inspired Buddhas and stickers as well as books he’s written.) I’ll be happy to sign your books when I see you at FanX in Salt Lake City.

FanX 2023 in Salt Lake City

FanX 2023 is Salt Lake City’s premier comic convention. It will be held September 21 to 23, 2023. Tickets often sell out. Get yours ahead of time.

As always, events and panels are subject to change. Be sure to confirm the panels and activities you’re excited for, ahead of time.

Make Money Online with InboxDollars

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On May 31, 2022, I signed up to make money online with InboxDollars. On August 1, I had made $100 by doing surveys, playing (mostly) solitaire, receiving PaidEmails, using the InboxDollars search engine, and uploading some very small Magic Receipts. I took advantage of one offer to see how it worked. With my two referrals also earning money, it only took me a little over 63 days. That’s about $1.60 a day. It won’t pay the bills, but if I’m making that in my spare time, it’s not too shabby.

Referrals to Make Money Online with InboxDollars

When you sign up with my referral link, I get a 30% bonus based on your activity. If you make a dollar, I get 30 cents, and more importantly, you get your whole dollar. The money doesn’t come from your account. Obviously, I want you to make as much as possible, but even a couple cents a day goes in the pot and contributes to the $10 minimum withdrawal currently on my account. Once you’re signed up, you get your own referral link that you can send to family and friends. You’ll get a 30% bonus based on their activity. (I’ll get nothing but a percentage of what you earn through activity, at least as far as I understand it.) Referrals are obviously the easiest way to make money because once they’re signed up and working, you don’t have to do anything.

Using Offers

I’m always skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true. However, because I had a good experience so far, I thought I would try one out. One of my PaidEmails had an offer for Golden Hearts. The website has a small number of casino slots and other games to play. The offer was to donate $10 and you’d get $15 from InboxDollars. That’s Golden Heart’s shtick. The money goes to a charity of your choosing. Did I have $10 to lose? Education isn’t free, so I thought I could make it up on other activities if something went wrong, like I clicked on the wrong link. I got my $15 from InboxDollars about a week later, maybe a little longer. Even better, the coins I got from Golden Hearts had me at $10.82, which means I made my money back twice!

Golden Hearts offers its members the opportunity to spin, once every 24 hours, for more bonus coins. As long as you remember to visit the site once a day after the hour you first spun the wheel, you’ll be able to continue to play whatever casino game catches your fancy on the site and win more money. (If for some reason, you don’t want to sign up through InboxDolllars, use this referral link. But seriously, you should sign up through InboxDollars.)

Other Parts of InboxDollars

I’ve already covered a lot of the others to make money online with InboxDollars in a previous article. If you’re looking to supplement your income and have a little fun doing it, InboxDollars provides a way. In their July 2022 break down of site statistics, InboxDollars reports that the most made from surveys by one person was around $366. One member made over $2,000 through offers, and someone made $670 from referrals!

All the information I have written is true as far as my experience. This article contains referral links as explained above.

‘Hocus Pocus Spell Book’ Retains Fabulous, Funny, Evil of Sanderson Sisters

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While watching the highly entertaining, over-the-top, comedic, delicious portrayal of the Sanderson Sisters in the cult classic Hocus Pocus and its newly released sequel, the audience often forgets that the sisters are evil. They talk about eating children, they terrorize teenagers, including keeping two of them in a cage, and the audience sees them kill a child by sucking in her essence to become young and beautiful, or at least, younger and more beautiful.

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are amazing, charismatic, and can sing a tune in a beguiling, amusing manner. They have individual and unique senses of style. Their portrayal of the Salem witches is truly something to behold. Still, no matter how much we like the characters and the actors, who make them, the Sanderson Sisters are evil. If you need a better reminder of their evil ways, look no further than the Disney “Hocus Pocus Spell Book.”

The hardbound tome is “A Guide to Spells, Potions, and Hexes for the Aspiring Salem Witch,” and Disney doesn’t soften it up. Inside, the book’s graphic novel style presents beautiful, intricate drawings along side what could be real spells and potions based on their ingredients. The infamous dead-man’s toe is there along with oil of boil, cockroaches, tarantula hair. The sharp-eyed Disney enthusiast will recognize a couple of spells, potions, and magical items from other evil Disney warlocks and witches. A scream of fright, anyone?

Interspersed among the pages are words from Winnie, Mary and Sarah as they navigate the books spells, and ready themselves to face the elders coming to burn them at the stake. Their personalities shine through the brief missives.

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For more Disney-related writing check out my books “Disneyland Is Creativity,” “the Haunted Mansion Is Creativity,” and “Penguinate! The Disney Company.” Available on Amazon or contact me for personalized copies.

How to Make Money Online at DraftKings

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You can make money online at DraftKings, even if you aren’t a sports fan. DraftKings is a sports betting website that allows users to put money on their favorite teams. You do NOT have to wager any cash, however, to play their free games and win money, prizes, and DraftKings Dollars. Free games are just like their betting games, but they are FREE.

What’s the catch? DraftKings wants you to play the free games, so that you’ll be interested in betting on another game. Most free games have a sponsor that wants you to buy their product; these games provide a soft-sell for them. Some sponsors will ask for your email. Those are the catches, along with the ones in the real sports games.

How do you as a (non)-sports fan make money? Let’s break it down.

Daily Fantasy Sports Vs. Sportsbook

DraftKings offers two ways to play, and the betting portions may or may not be available depending on your state’s laws. Daily Fantasy Sports, or DFS, is what a lot of people play. It’s been described as Dungeons and Dragons for jocks. You pick a set of players from different teams in an attempt to get the highest score for the game. Your score is based on the statistics (stats) your players accumulate during a live game. If you have more points than the other players playing the same game, you win. Some games pay out to the top 50% players. Some pay out only to the top 10. It just depends on the rules set forth by the sponsor. Do not be intimidated. Think of it like the lottery. You’re picking numbers and hoping they’ll come up.

Every game where you select players will have the player’s position, name, average fantasy output, and cost. You have a budget that you cannot exceed when choosing your team. Your job, in the beginning and absent of any analysis, is to choose players who have the highest average output for the least amount of money. Depending on the contest, you may need to have a certain number of players who qualify for certain positions. You won’t have to know what the positions are or what the abbreviations stand for. You just need to choose a team.

With Sportsbook Pools, you pick a set of teams to win their games (or cover the spread), or answer a series of questions about who you think will do what. Some of these Pools aren’t even sports related. They’ve had pools about TV shows, the weather, and other random fun topics of popularity.

Don’t worry about the jargon if you’re new to sports or betting. For your first pick ‘em games, you’ll just want to pick who you think will win. Since these are free, you won’t even have to worry about winning or losing. It’s all about crossing your fingers and hoping those metaphorical ping pong balls come up the right way.

DK Dollars and Crowns

While DraftKings does offer free games that provide real dollars, they also offer DK Dollars and Crowns. These you can only use on the site. Crowns you can convert into betting capital, and DK Dollars are equivalent to real dollars. This is what is known as house money. You can use it for any games you’re eligible to play as long as there is no restriction on the game you choose. You don’t have to use them, but if you don’t they will sometimes disappear because they have an expiration date.

Increase Your Chances

If you don’t want to just plug in random players, you can study the game to increase your figurative chances of winning. You will have to learn the game you’re interested in, like football or basketball. At least, you’ll need to learn the jargon used for the sports.

Once you know some of the jargon, you can click on the research tab at DraftKings and find out what the experts are saying about who to choose. For the NFL, you’ll need to know what week they are currently in. For the NBA and MLB, you’ll need to know what day it is that your games take place. Then you can try to use the experts’ opinions to create a roster.

You can even look at YouTube to find some people talking about the picks and why they choose them. Of course, even the experts get the picks wrong. Sometimes, injuries will knock your players out of the games. That’s all part of DFS sports.

The Spread

When people talk about “the spread” in betting, they are referring to the number of points a team needs in order for a win to count as a win. Winning outright isn’t enough. Teams need to win by a certain number of points. For example, the Bills are seven-point favorites against the Jaguars. If you bet the spread and say the Bills are going to win, the Bills would need to score seven or more points than the Jaguars. If the Bills win the game by three points, you lose the bet. By the same token, if you take the Jaguars to win, and they lose by three, you still win the bet because they lost by fewer than seven points. When looking at the spread, a minus sign before the number indicates that the team is favored to win by that many points. (It’s confusing until you get used to it. Apparently, the guy, Charles McNeil credited with inventing the spread was a mathematician.)

With the free pick ‘em games, I don’t worry about the spread too much. I just try to guess the winner and hope they cover the spread (win by enough points for the bet to payout).

How to Find Free Games

When you log on to DraftKings Daily Fantasy, you’ll need to make sure you’re in the Lobby. A list of upcoming games will load, and you can click on “entry fee.” It should sort out from low (free) to high. If it’s free, click on the enter button and try choosing.

When logging on to DraftKings Sportsbooks, find the “Pools” tab and click on it. There will be a list of pools you may enter in.

Why Play DFS?

Sports is a huge part of American life. It’s a light topic that most people won’t get too upset about, and if it can help you connect with someone else, you might want to learn about it. I learned to love basketball my freshman year in college, so I could live in harmony with my roommate. I didn’t realize how important it would be as I went through life meeting other sports fans. Daily Fantasy Sports offers a way into the sport of your choice while giving you something else to think about and learn.

This article contains my referral links. If you decide to play for real money (of at least $20) on DraftKings, we both will get a betting allowance of DK Dollars. Really, I’d rather hear that you won a free contest than have a DraftKings allowance for games. There are other Daily Fantasy Sports sites. FanDuel and Yahoo! are a couple of others that I will likely explore in the near future.

I wrote this article because the following articles got a lot of response. They were liked, viewed, and some people subscribed to my blog because of them. Apparently, everyone wants to know how to make money online. I want to share the… cents… wealth is taking it too far at this point.

Lindsay Lohan’s Latest Trailer Has Netflix and Fans Falling for Christmas

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Netflix’s new release Falling for Christmas features Lindsay Lohan as a Paris Hilton-like hotel heiress, who ends up with memory loss after a marriage proposal gone wrong. A Good Samaritan, played by Glee’s Chord Overstreet, finds her at the bottom of a hill, takes her to the hospital and offers to put her up at his small-town lodge.

Fans have reacted with joy to the Hallmark-style holiday movie’s trailer and Lohan’s return to acting. One surprising trend can be found on the official trailer on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter: Comments have been overwhelmingly positive.

“I’m actually in tears. This is such a warm welcome back to a Lindsay that I thought we’d never see again. I’m so happy for her and I’m so happy for us x,” wrote S A on YouTube.

“Yesssss Lindsay was my childhood! I’m so ready for her! Let’s pick up where we left off Lindsay, glad to see you back in action 🙂,” wrote fan Colethia Sosa on Facebook.

Even Starbucks got into the act tweeting: “The limit to our excitement does not exist! 💚”

Lohan gifted her supporters the Falling for Christmas trailer on Mean Girls Day (Oct. 3). Many pointed out that the singer actress was performing Jingle Bell Rock in the trailer as a throwback to her seminal film.

“This looks fantastic. As everyone is saying it looks like Lindsey is healthy and happy and back on track to doing the movies that we loved seeing her in. I also love the homage to Mean Girls by using Jingle Bell Rock as the theme!” wrote YouTube user mikeswayiscool.

A few fans noticed the plot resembled that of the classic Overboard, starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. Still, they will be watching Lohan as she makes her comeback to feature films.

Aside from Mean Girls, Lohan is best known for the Disney comedies The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday, and Herbie: Fully Loaded. She went through a period of legal trouble starting in 2007, which included a reckless driving charge and multiple stints in rehab. While she has been active in TV series and shorts, this is her first movie since 2019’s Among the Shadows, a werewolf murder mystery.

A romantic comedy, Falling for Christmas is set to be released on Netflix on Nov. 10, 2022. It is a part of a two-movie deal Lohan signed with the streaming giant. The next film in her contract is called Irish Wish. Lohan plays Maddie, who is asked to be a bridesmaid at her best friend’s wedding; her best friend is marrying the love of Maddie’s life.

This article uses affiliate links. If you buy something through an affiliate link, a small portion of what you pay goes to our website. The best part is it doesn’t cost you anything extra.

I wrote this as part of a job application. I didn’t get the job. It probably didn’t help that I spelled “Lindsay” wrong. (I corrected it so it is “Lindsay.”) Maybe next time.