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The Writer's Mailbag: Installment Twenty-Four
How Long Can We Go On?
Indefinitely!
As long as there are questions then this series will continue. I’m lovin’ the questions and from your comments you are lovin’ the answers, and that, my friends, is a winning combination.
So, as my dad was fond of saying, let’s do it to it like Sonny Pruitt.
You know how this works. Leave your questions in the comment section and I’ll answer in the next installment. Even if you don’t have questions, hopefully you’ll find some answers here that will clarify things for you about topics you’ve often wondered about.
Let’s get going, shall we?
Stolen Work
From Sally: “I have been wondering if you ever find it necessary to file a DMCA report? You are so productive with your writing that I wondered if you have time to do that as well as write. I have a list of stolen hubs which I have filed reports for but somehow never seem able to rid myself completely of little red signs in my accounts page and quite honestly sometime I wonder if it is worth the effort.”
I’m going to drive a few of you crazy with my answer, but oh well. I don’t have the time to keep filling out DMCA reports when my online work is copies and stolen. Sorry, but that’s just not where my priorities are. If I was on HubPages strictly to make money and for no other reason, then it’s possible I’d be filling out those reports, but that’s not why I write online. This falls under the “I don’t give a damn” category, and that’s just the way it is for me.
Online piracy of written work is a huge problem, and it’s one that is not going to be contained or eliminated during our lifetime. Filling out a DMCA report just means you put out a brush fire while the whole damned forest is burning down around you, and I’ve got better things to do than practice futility.
Hubpages Standards
From Bradmaster: “My question is on the high standards demanded by hp of the hubbers. The hp guidelines are numerous, and chilling, yet when they flag a hub for missing their hp quality mark in the sand, they use a generic computer message.
How does one go about guessing what the specific problem that they need to correct to make their hub worthy of the hp quality Requirement?
This is like trying to satisfy the public school common core requirements.
While hp wants quality writing, they lack the specific feedback to help the author make the proper changes. This is especially important when you write a several thousand word hub across dozens of text capsules.
Where in that volume of writing is the problem that generated the quality alert from hp?
In my estimation, hp quality is procedural rather than substantive in nature. There appears to be no content evaluation in the hp quality flag.”
Brad has managed to hit upon one of my biggest peeves with HubPages, namely the lack of meaningful communication between staff and writers. His question is a valid one. If we don’t know what we are doing wrong, then how do we know how to fix it?
I have had very few articles flagged by HubPages, and we’re talking about five out of almost 900, so obviously I’m doing something right. Almost every single one of my articles is at least 1250 words in length, has three quality photographs, and has two videos. Occasionally I’ll toss in a poll and sprinkle in some links, but the three things that are nonnegotiable are the three I mentioned.
As for Brad’s assertion that there is no content evaluation at HubPages….I happen to agree with him. I have seen numerous Hubs of the Day with grammatical errors that would shame a second grader, and yet they were voted the best article of the day. I don’t know who is choosing these articles for praise, but whoever it is, they need to return as quickly as possible to the School of Illiteracy. As a former teacher I am insulted and offended when poor grammar and inferior work are praised.
The Numbers Game
From ArtDiva: “Another question. I have to assume when posting articles, views come from both inside and outside the HP community? Come from sources out there using a keyword search? I don’t promote using a blog site, and rarely use social media. As stated before, not a professional writer and not familiar with all the “how to” strategies to promote written and literary skills. Your articles are very well written, directed to your audience and engage participation. My articles written very specific to my art, and do not necessarily generate active engagement. With Squidoo, it wasn’t an issue. But if traffic is low, “scores” go down here, and if going below a certain level, what happens? I would like to think others here might find “scores” a little offsetting also. Gives question to what we write. Are we just appealing to the search engine gods?”
ArtDiva, welcome to the world of keywords, and quite frankly I hate it. I’m trying to imagine Hemingway sitting in a cottage by the sea, writing “Old Man and the Sea” while worrying about the perfect keywords to raise his online viewings. The image won’t come to me.
If you are an online writer, and views are important to you, then you must play the game and use keywords to improve your view numbers. Otherwise, you will drop so far down the Google search engine that you will effectively disappear, never to be heard from again. If you desire to be successful in online writing then yes, you must appeal to the search engine gods.
If you do not write for that purpose, but rather write for the sheer joy of it, then tell the search engine gods to take their keywords and shove them where the sun don’t shine.
ENCOURAGEMENT
From Zulma: I have a question that maybe you can include in your mailbag. How do you encourage someone who has writing talent to pursue it more seriously?
Great question, Zulma, and it’s one that is near and dear to my heart. I liken it to my days as a teacher when I was constantly trying to find ways to motivate students to be all that they could be. So many of my middle school students didn’t believe in themselves, and it was my job to change that scenario.
How do you do it? I don’t know if there is any one way, but I wish more writers on HubPages would do it. I’ve mentioned before, but it is worth repeating. When I started writing full-time three years ago, I had almost no confidence in my writing abilities. Today I have a loyal following who tell me that I have some talent. Whether they are correct or whether they are just being supportive doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that their support early on was the reason I kept writing. I needed that early encouragement or I would have quit.
I think having online “friends” tell you that you have talent is a whole lot different than having your mother tell you. When we are talking about encouraging someone we are related to, it becomes more difficult, because the one who needs encouraging will always discount the encouragement from a relative because, well, relatives almost always support you with kind words. That’s their job, right?
In that scenario, I would enlist the help of someone not related to the person, and ask them for an objective opinion, and then share that opinion with the person who needs encouragement.
Another Week in the Bag
Twenty-four down. Next week we’ll hit the quarter-century mark. Not bad for a random idea for a “filler” article six months ago.
Thank you for your support and for the constant stream of questions. Keep them coming and I’ll keep the mailbag alive.
2014 William D. Holland (aka billybuc)
“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”
Comments
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LOL....see, Brad, i told you so.
billybuc
wow, you think that was Spanish? oy vey!
- Author
You are very welcome, vkwok. Thank you as always.
Thanks for sharing another incredible installment, Bill!
- Author
Frank, it's my belief, and remember, it's just my opinion, that HP is only interested in keywords and SEO...quality of writing doesn't even enter into the conversation. How else do we explain the new editors they are bragging about, and yet HOTDs continue to be chosen with multiple grammatical errors? I hope I'm wrong but I don't think so.
Thanks for saving me from the spam file. Much-appreciated. :)
Billybuc..sorry i missed this issue.. most of my reminders of new hubs published has gone into my spam folder.. but glad I caught this before I cleared my spam box.. bradmaster's question interested me because I have always though HP was looking for quantity not quality... and somehow still believe that.. so.. I ask???? Can I be correct in my assumption?
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manatita, you caught me in a very forgiving mood when I wrote this. No, HP is not clear in their direction, and I think that hurts all concerned, including HP. Thanks for being here, my friend, and best wishes to you as well.
Bill, your responses continue to shine and I rather like the mention that Hub Pages can sometimes be unclear with their direction. Yes, you didn't quite say it that way, I know, but it's a very valid point. Best wishes to you both.
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Ann, I don't think so. I think the last comment I saw from you was early last week. Strange things happening on HP. This isn't the first time a comment has disappeared. Thank you for trying and for letting me know.
Bill, have you been receiving my comments? I can't seem to find them and I've made comments twice. It's weird - it seems like they just disappeared.
- Author
Brad, if I knew any Spanish I'd respond....Da Nada???? Is that right?
billybuc
Gracias Amigo
- Author
Brad, I've had numerous friends banned on HP, and they were wonderful writers with some serious talent...but their subject matter was considered offensive...Spanish Inquisition for sure, my friend.
- Author
Brad, your statement, sadly, is right on. It is all about the bling and not the content, and I think that is very sad.
billybuc
I forgot to mention that hp also lacks any feedback when they ban a hubber. Consider, a hubber with over 100 hubs, numerous commenting across other hubs, and answering questions, and participating in forums, then finds that all of the hubs have been unpublished without warning. Only, the computer generated message that you are now banned, leave the kingdom.
This was the way of life during the Spanish Inquisition.
Thanks
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Thank you ChitrangadaSharan. i wish I had someone working for me whose only job is to track down online thieves, but since it's only me, they can have my work and blessings to them.
- Author
Of course, Zulma, whenever she is ready I'll be here.
- Author
Faith, I promise I won't raise the rates. Maybe I'll turn delivery over to a private carrier, but I'll make sure you don't pay a penny. :) Thank you, my friend, and I've got you dialed into my GPS for next week.
blessings always
bill
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Thank you Alicia. I'm so glad you found it interesting.
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Jo, you are never really late for class, so thanks for getting here when you could. And thank you for sharing that story....how very strange. She obviously didn't feel like she had done anything wrong, and maybe by online standards she didn't....that seems to be the consensus of everyone who steals content.
billybuc
Thanks for airing the mystery of how to correct flagged hubs.
At the least they could flag the capsule, or capsules that didn't make the hp grade.
I have been following the hp templates, and I have tried to do what you have done for your hubs. It is more now about the book jacket, than the story that is inside the book.
Is there a market for just selling book covers? lol
Thanks
- Author
Bill, thanks for sharing your thoughts on theft. I'm just a writer, buddy. I'm not a detective and don't want to be.
Happy Tuesday to you!
- Author
ArtDiva, I doubt I'll ever know what those scores mean, and I doubt, also, that I'll ever really care. :) Thanks for the question.
Another Interesting installment!
Perhaps the question asked by Sally was in my mind too and I loved your answer. It happens and it will continue to happen in the Online writing World. How true!
Thanks for sharing!
She's 21, 22 come the 30th, and has been writing on and off since she was 16. We can provide more info in the email if that's OK.
Hi Postal Bill,
You are certainly on a roll with this Writer's Mailbag series, and it is wonderful so long as you don't start charging a fee and then raise it up like the postal service does LOL.
I am in agreement with DJ, for when a hub is high quality when first published, why should the score drop? I know it is all truly based on the amount of views dropping over time, but that does not mean the quality of one's hub has diminished! I think that HP should leave the hub's score at the highest score and not allow it to drop and find a new way of measuring things. That is just my two cents worth of nothing. Haha
On stolen hubs (sigh), I tried to keep up at first but I am just worn out with it all. Maybe those who felt the need to steal my hubs, hopefully, actually needed to read the message ...
Don't forget your mail route back here to HubPages next Monday.
Blessings
This is another interesting hub in your mailbag series, Bill. I hope the series keeps going for a long time!
Hi teach, sorry.. I'm a little late for class, Christmas seems to be getting in the way. Another superb mailbag. In reference to the stolen hubs, I've simply stopped counting. I had one of my poems taken, it was used by someone to promote her painting or drawing, I sent her an email, explaining that had she asked for permission to use the poem, I would have most probably given it. Long story short, she said that she loved the poem and thought it went well with her artwork, but if I felt strongly about it, she would remove it. I told her that I liked her work also, and maybe we could come to a compromise, she use my poem and I use her work. Well, obviously she didn't like that much, the next time I checked her site, my poem was gone, how's that for a result? One down, many more to go. I must agree with you, filing a DMCA is just too time consuming. Another bumper crop of Q&A all very useful and nicely done. Bill, take care and my best to you.
Hi Bill. I found this weeks questions quite interesting. I have also just about given up on the stolen and copied content issue. Every time I finally get rid of one, two new ones pop up. And some of the sites that are stealing the hubs are very difficult to track down. I've come to the conclusion that it's the price we pay for writing online.
As far as the HP standards it really would help if they let us know what the problem is so we can correct it. Duh?
Another great installment Bill. Have a great week.
Not keen on keywords either, but pander to the "Net Gods" as do we all to sell our wares, whether writing or art. We're just numbers in bot world, and wonder how far from grace can we fall? That score under my profile pic? What is that saying? Think my energy drink has keyed me up. Another good installment you've posted.
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Ruby, you and me both. I always laugh when she comments. That's a person I would love to meet face-to-face.
Thanks for your kind words. You are greatly appreciated.
- Author
Smilealot, very true. I wish it were not so, but that is just the reality of this writing business. Thanks for stopping by.
I must admit that your hubs are alays helpful and I do learn from you, but the second best thing is DJ'S comments. She cracks me up! lol..
How very true it is that writing talent doesn't always equate to financial reward, sad really but a reality of online writing. Thanks for another great read Bill:-))
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You are very welcome, Zulma. I am a teacher first and a writer second...most days. :) I'll treat her gently and help her if I can. How old is she?
Bill, that is so kind of you. I've shown my daughter your comment and she smiled. I think she may take you up on it. She is, however, on the shy side and may not know how to approach you. I'll help her put an email together but it may take some time. She can be persuaded but never driven to do anything. Takes after me, I think.
Thank you for the lovely present.
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Thank you Michelle, and Happy Work Week to you as well. I may have found it, but I still haven't figured out how to turn those followers into money. :)
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Bill, I suspect you would do quite well without me, but it's nice of you to say that. Thank you, sir!
Great installment Bill. I surly agree that writing directed at a few chosen keywords is a pain, but also our reality. It is also great to have those outside promoters aside from family as they really are confirmation that you are in the right place. You certainly found it. Have a great week!!
The mail has been delivered. Another Monday's worth of information for developing our craft. Where would we be without you, Bill?
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Thank you, Bill. I believe in positive reinforcement. I think there is enough negativity in the world, and this site should be a place where positive strokes can be received.
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Carolyn, no apology is necessary. You are talking my language here. I consider writing to be an Art form, and I refuse to accept sloppy work as art. What you said about the internet is something I've said as well. I think online writing has opened the door for anyone who has a computer to call themselves a writer. Simply because a person strings together words does not make them a writer.
Thanks for saying exactly what I was thinking. Well donee!
- Author
Jaye, I'm with you on that one. I don't understand the logic behind praising poor quality work. It sheds a poor light on HubPages, and that seems to be against every business theory I've ever known. Who are these editors who choose these articles? What is the staff thinking?
Anyway, thanks for your thoughts, which I share totally.
bill
On your last item: I continue to be pleasantly surprised how each bit of positive feedback from our loyal readers, in the comments, keeps me happy with writing what I want to write. Thanks, again, for being the bedrock and foundation of that approach, her on HubPages - regardless of the numbers and ratings... ;-)
Hi Billy. I tried to look up Bradmaster to look at his hubs myself and see if I could see what the problem was, but I couldn't find him as a user on hubpages. I think the only time any of mine were ever flagged was when I was trying to use HP for a column I write that shares old poems and excerpts from folklore journals which are in the public domain. Since HP is "original content only" that didn't fly. So, I ended up putting that column on my own website and keep original "articles" here.
This comment goes toward the first and last questions from this edition. I've noticed that a lot of people with great writing talent don't recognize their own ability. Yet, people who are terrible at writing are eager to jump on the bandwagon and make money with it. The same is true of any type of art form, be it music, painting, graphic design, etc. Some people just really aren't very good, but they don't get any real constructive criticism. All they hear is mouth service from well meaning friends telling them how wonderful they are.
And, I agree with what you said above about hubs with poor grammar being chosen as hub of the day. As an English major in college, I AGREE WITH YOU!!! It IS insulting! My major pet peeve is buying a book on Kindle (even if it's $1.99 or even free) and find it riddled with errors. The internet has made it easy for even the BAD writers to find success.
So, my advice for all writers is to keep striving to improve. If hubs are flagged, spend an hour looking up HP advice articles. If you didn't do well in high school English class, chances are your grammar is below par. Spend some time reading up on improving it. Buy a remedial writing textbook from Amazon!
Usually when I see someone complaining about why their hubs aren't featured, and I click on their profile to view their hubs... the hubs are simply terrible writing. So if someone really wants to be a writer, they have to practice and hone that skill. You wouldn't expect to become a concert pianist without practice. Yet somehow people assume writing comes naturally to everyone. It doesn't. But you can learn and improve.
Oh, and I have also said the same about work being stolen on the internet. The same goes with photography and artwork. It's upsetting, it's maddening, but that's the internet for you. The only way to keep your work totally safe is not to put it online. But then nobody will see it. Catch 22.
Billy, I think your comment about being offended at terrible hubs being chosen as hub of the day really struck a chord with me! Sorry for the long rambling comment. It just came pouring out! Anyway, I think you always give good advice. And I appreciate that you take the time to do it :-)
This is another good mailbag Q&A, Bill, with a good variety.
Regarding Hub of the Day awards, I think HP must assign the task of selecting them to a robot! Otherwise, this award would always be given to a well-written and organized hub. The content, structure, and grammar would always be exemplary if HP were actually trying to promote good quality hubs. I'm always delighted when the work of a deserving Hubber is showcased as HOTD, but that does not always happen.
It certainly makes me wonder what the HubPages Administration Team (you know--the elusive staff that rarely provides answers to our questions) considers 'quality' writing. I can't understand the reasoning behind encouraging--even rewarding--poor quality writing on the site. How does it make money for HP when the overall standard is reduced?
I don't mean to imply that the majority of HOTD hubs are poorly written. Not so. Some are very good. Others make me shake my head in wonder.
Jaye
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Flourish, I understand. It was a blow to many of us. For me, not so much, because I'm only here at HP for the community, but I know it would be horrible for someone trying to make money here, or gain a feeling of accomplishment.
The change in scoring that came in September bummed me out. Many of my hubs went from 100s to low 80s or worse. Makes no sense. I kind of fell out of love.
- Author
Zulma, I disagree. There is more you can do. Give her my email address....holland1145@yahoo.com and tell her I'm willing to be her own private writing coach...no charge....no pressure....no negativity...just a safe place where she can go to learn her craft.
That will be my Christmas present to you. :)
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It really is my pleasure, Vellur, but thank you anyway.
- Author
LOL...Eric, it is now. You just coined it, and I love it!
Thank you, Bill, for addressing my question. I suspect you know that I had my daughter in mind when I posed the query. I've passed on your critique of her work and she was clearly pleased. I read a 'Christmas' story of hers to my writing group and they it was well written. One lady even remarked that her style would probably sell well nowadays. I duly reported this back to her. You could see she was happy with the review. And yet...
I suppose I've done all I can and I need to back off.
Great questions and answers. I always learn something new from reading these installments. Thank you for taking the time to compose all these and presenting it to us. Looking forward to many more.
Just a super duper installment. I liked all the subjects this time and learned mucho! Why isn't lesson a verb word -- lessoning? Cuz you did a great job of lessoning this time
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Melissa, good morning, and I'm glad it's not frozen there....yet! LOL have a great week and thank you for always joining me on Monday.
- Author
Thank you, PS, and it is sad that there are those out there who have no morals at all. What can we do other than to keep on writing, because that's what writers do.
Angels heading back your way, my friend.
bill
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I don't understand it, Sally, other than the fact that you do craft articles, and I suspect those are much more popular in the search engines and thus more likely to be stolen.
Hi Bill, giving you a Happy Monday morning shout-out from the Midwest-not-so-frozen tundra! I don't care about the stolen hubs (doubt anyone has tried to steal mine) or the hubscores either, but I agree that more guidance from the hp crew would be helpful for those who do care....Have a great week!
Yeppie I know what you mean about stolen work. I have had so much stolen from articles here on HP. It is just sad that folks are too lazy to do their own work.
Keep on keeping on Bill
More hugs and Angels headed your way ps
Still a far lower percentage than mine and I have already successfully pulled down some of the stolen articles. Some I have been unable to shift at all.
- Author
Sally, I was curious so I went and counted them...nineteen have been stolen. :)
- Author
Thank you so much, DDE!
Billy,
That really is interesting, I am amazed that you have not had more articles stolen.
You have a superb week
Sally
Encouraging and always interesting.
- Author
DJ, I always look forward to your comments. You've got me laughing out loud once again
Shakespeare without dog poo???? Impossible!
Get busy on that book, young lady!
And thank you!
bill
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breakfastpop, if you ever figure it out, let me know. You could make a fortune selling the answer to that question: what does HP want????
Have a great week and thank you.
- Author
Hi Sally, and Happy Monday to you.
The number of stolen articles that I have? I didn't count them, but I'm guessing about ten or fifteen out of 900....not bad I guess. I don't know if there is a pattern to this theft situation. If there is, I can't discern it.
No word from HP on the open letter. No surprise, either. :)
Thank you and have a superb week.
bill
Monday Morning Mailbag!
Don't know why, but I am surprised to see it is Monday again, already.
My husband tells me it happens every week about this same time, and
it lasts all day long! Amazing!!
It is hard to understand a given article or poem that started as a featured
hub turn into a 0 hub. If it was a good piece of work is should retain the
marks of good work. But, HP brings down the score because the number of views start dropping. There should be a separation of scores and readership. If it was high quality a few months ago, it should remain
high quality with fewer views.
I shiver to think what HP would have done to Shakespeare or Steinbeck. No videos, no pictures of dog poo; they simply would not have made the HP cut.
Great infor, Mr. Bill.
Thanks,
DJ.
I will never understand what HP wants. It seems to me that if you write at least 750 words and post lots in pictures, you're in! As usual, voted up, useful and awesome.
Hi Billy,
Thanks for including my question and for answering it. I found myself wishing that I had asked you whether people do steal your content and if so, what percentage has been stolen!
When I think that I currently have seven of my fifty or so hubs stolen I admit to feeling a sense of despair. These are the seven which still have red marks next to them, this, in spite of having filed DMCA's for all of them with no end in sight.
I wonder if hubs are more likely to be stolen if they fit into certain genre or whether it just happens across the board!
Anyway, more useful stuff and I do so agree with you about communication or lack of it, for instance, did you ever get a reply to your open letter to HubPages?
Have a great week Billy
Sally
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Ann, that's a very nice thing for you to say. Thank you! If I cheer someone up then I'm doing my job as a human being, and I've got a big old smile on this big old face right now. Thank you!
What is HP doing? I haven't a clue.
Have a wonderful week my friend.
bill
Hi bill! Another Monday comes around! How has it arrived so quickly?
Like you, I'm amazed at the HOTD accolades that seem to condone poor writing. What are they doing? Here am I trying to promote good grammar and spelling and they're effectively telling me that I'm wasting my time.
I know nothing about keywords and I don't care either. So we can get on with writing about subjects we find important and tell them to 'shove it'!
You cheer up my Mondays; they're already pretty good already but you make them better!
Ann
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Thank you John. As long as I'm enjoying it then it will continue.
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Good job, Sha! Good suggestion. If I cared enough, I would do that as well. :) Have a great week!
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Thank you, Janine. I think I'll do just that. Happy Monday my friend.
Great questions and answers again this week Bill. Thumbs up with these mailbags continuing.
Bill, I agree that there should be specific communication between staff and the writers when our hubs become unfeatured, especially if they've enjoyed featured status for a while.
Sometimes we have to take the bull by the horns. I recently had a few poems come up with the empty circle. I emailed Matt at team@hubpages dot com and included links to the poems. Within 24 hours he responded with an answer. I made some changes based on what he told me and they are now featured again.
Always so happy to see you back here each week with this series - always! And of course some more wonderful questions and answers, of course, too. Keep up the good work, Bill and have a wonderful Monday now, too!
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