About This Blog
The Times Observer gives an editorial view of the events and issues that shape our world.
To find out more about The Times Observer, please go to the About page.
Anthony Leone is the publisher and editor of this blog. You can contact him through the About page.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A Time For A Change
Nearly a year ago I toyed with the idea of taking The Times Observer away from Blogger and putting it onto my own Web site.
I went back and forth with this idea. Some times I liked the idea of having more creative freedom, since I’m a layout editor. I enjoy putting my own touch on things and I tried to do that when The Times Observer was on Blogger.
But sometimes I realized that I knew nothing about the Web and even less about Web design. That is until I created another blog for a friend of mine and I quickly realized that my layout skills could easily find a home on the Web besides physical newspaper design. That’s when I started looking at area colleges where I can learn more about Web design and that’s why I have not updated The Times Observer much. These past few months I have been taking courses and I will receive my Web development certificate this May.
But another thing happened that made me decide that taking The Times Observer onto my own Web site would be the best thing for it, for me and namely, for the readers.
In August 2008, I believe someone read one of my columns about then Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. This person must have been so upset about it so much that they flagged The Times Observer, while still on Blogger, as “objectionable”.
I had heard that many Obama supporters were flagging blogs that spoke ill of the Senator from Illinois. The sad thing is, is that person never took the time to read my entire blog, where I also blasted Republican presidential candidate John McCain and praised the two men.
Blogger informed me in an impersonal notice (not even an e-mail) that my blog was flagged as spam. So, because of this, I could post my editorials and columns but I had to use a verification code in order to do so, which became extremely inconvenient.
No matter how many e-mails that I sent to Blogger or Google, explaining that The Times Observer was not a spam blog, I did not get a reply back. I did notice that every time I sent a request to verify that my blog was not spam, either a Google bot or someone from a Google company in California would visit my blog, only to send another impersonal notice.
Interestingly enough, without warning, after the presidential elections, I could post my columns and editorials without using a verification code.
It was then that I decided that The Times Observer should not be at anyone’s mercy and should take full command of its future. So, to old readers and new ones, I welcome you to the new Times Observer. Let’s have fun!
