BZ: one door closes; another one OPENS

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Sooner or later, it had to come.

I’ve been on Blogger since my first post on June 19th of 2004.

But Blogger, as you likely realize, is owned and run by Google.  You know, the same monster that recently decided to eliminate the newest Romney promo video on YouTube — that’s right, also owned by Google.

I figure it’s just a matter of time before Google decides to eliminate me because, after all, I’ve had an eight-year blogging romp for free.  And I’m one blogpost short of tapping a major Conservative vein that Google doesn’t like.

On one front I have to hand it to Blogger: this adventure — and boy was it an adventure — didn’t cost me a damned thing except blood, sweat, tears and massive amounts of time.  For a free venue I’d say I’ve gotten my money’s worth but, of course, there is no such thing as the proverbial Free Lunch.  Sooner or later a price has to be paid.  And the upcoming price those linked to Blogger will have to soon face: censorship.

And I refuse to go there.  I will pay for my own “sovereignty,” so to speak.  Because you really do, in the end, get what you pay for.

Now: I am involved in a consortium with TexasFred, American & Proud, and Texas Shady.  We all kick in buckage for our server time, domain names and techno upkeep.  And we OWN our domain names now.

Frankly, it just allows me to sleep a bit better at night knowing that no one can take this blog down for some arbitrary or capricious reason.  I would ask, though, for a time, that you hold a bit of tolerance in your heart for me whilst I learn and transition from Blogger to WordPress.  I may make some — ahem — clumsy mistakes that otherwise wouldn’t have occurred.  For me it’s a learning curve; steep but possible.  I must apologize in advance for future ham-handed efforts to come until I get this WordPress “thing” down.

That said and written, I would ask three questions:

1. What do you think of the new site?
2. Why do you visit BZ and what do you expect to find?
3. How can I make it better?

In closing, I say: Goodbye to Blogger, and to the old Bloviating Zeppelin site.  Some have suggested I simply take it down and move on.  But like one of my children, I can’t do that.  It will be up as long as Blogger allows.  I cut my political and techno teeth on that blog.

BZ is dead.  Long live BZ!

Except: one door is closing and another door is simply opening a bit further.

Excelsior!

BZ

P.S.
Unlimited techno thanks to Bushwack at American & Proud for his unswerving reliability, insight and hard work on this creation and transition!  Absolutely couldn’t have done it without him.

 

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43 thoughts on “BZ: one door closes; another one OPENS”

  3. Well, WELCOME! It’s about time too….

    A brilliant mind needs a pallet worth painting, and BZ, this is it…

    Any help you need, questions, basic HTML, pictures, how to, all of that, I have you covered… Deep template stuff is Rob, but between us, we can fix anything! 😛

    Blog to your hearts content, this is one hell of a platform…

  5. And I now have your NEW HOME linked in place of the old one in my sidebar… I hope Rob has done likewise…

    Seriously, once you get into this thing, you’ll wonder why you waited so long…

  6. Thanks for the clock-thingie, TF, and THANKS for the support!

    And, all things considered, I’ll likely — heavy sigh — truly wonder that.

    BZ

  10. I have updated my sidebar links and best of the web page with this url. Again BZ welcome to the new beginning.
    Please remain seated until the ride comes to a complete stop. Place your tray in the upright position and hang the hell on!!!! We are all looking forward to your opinions/views and other comments. Keep up the good work.

  11. My ride, seriously, as not YET come to a complete stop.

    Because there is so MUCH to learn from this point on.

    BZ

  12. I sent out an email blast to my friends and readers, I hope to draw in some great folks!

    We need to set Site Meter too… It can be moved from the old site or you can start anew… Let me know, it’s pretty simple either way..

  13. Gad, registering and all?! Okay, I don’t get it. You say you have a new site, and you do, then you say you’re in a consortium with other folks..
    But this IS your blog now, right? This is where we go to find you, right?
    I’ve got people trying to get me to get off Blogger, too. Now you’re PAYING MONEY for a blog? (I’m hopeless with technical stuff:-)

    • Z, it’s BZ’s blog, all the way… The consortium he speaks of is the group of us that pay for our SERVER space together.

      Server space isn’t exactly cheap but we, Rob and I, started out together with 2 other folks on a different server a long time ago, and as we moved up in the blog world we went to a better server host.

      We host several blogs and split the cost of the server, that’s all. And BZ has his own domain now, no http://www.Myblog.BLOGGER.crapstick any more, it’s ALL his and no one can take it away from him and no one can sensor HIS blogging, as Blogger has been known to do..

      • Hi, Texas Fred! Thanks for the response.
        I should get out of blogger but I have NO IDEA how! 🙂
        I had Elmer’s Brother set my blog up 4 years ago and I’ve fought going to WordPress but I see AOW’s considering it, too……hmmm.
        I wish everybody the best of luck with the consortium and individual blogs.
        We’ve got a COUNTRY TO SAVE!! thanks!

  14. Welcome aboard, BZ! Great to see you come in out of the cold.

    If Fred or Rob aren’t available for questions, I’ve been known to screw up a site or two and get them straightened out again.

    Looks good, look forward to reading you more often – on my part – since you write quite prolifically and well.

  15. Updated your site address on my blog, BZ. Feel free to grab any of my caricatures, cartoons, or other stuff on my site anytime for whatever use you can make of it.

  16. BZ,
    I’ve updated my sidebar.

    I have reserved a WordPress URL but haven’t yet moved there. C’est la vie! I can do only so much at one time.

    Anyway, I’ll be a regular here. I was having such trouble with getting your Blogger site to load over the past several months. I have no idea why!

    • Blogger has issues at times, but the template BZ was using was WAY out of date… Now he’s running with THE BIG DOGS, and before long he’ll be leading the pack! 🙂

  17. Z, I haven’t seen it on the other side. You’ve got to register, eh? There I go, being a dummy again.

    Bob Mack: thanks for the offer sir, thanks for visiting and thanks for taking the time to comment!

    BZ

    • BZ, notice that under every comment is a REPLY link, hit that and you can reply solely to that comment…

      Yeah, registration is set, it helps keep out trolls and spammers.. It’s NO big deal at all, you registered on my site, Rob’s site and so forth.. Anyone can do it, it’s THAT simple…

      • The bummer is I’d had registered but had to fill in NAME EMAIL AND WEBSITE again just now…I hope that’s not the normal usage requirement!

    • I had to write in my name, email and website only for the first reply tonight; the others, and this, were fine…
      I hope you don’t have to do it every time you come to comment even once! 🙂

  20. MrC: I know one quick fix:

    On your keyboard, push the CTRL key first, then the “+” on the right next to the number pad, and the blog — any blog — will get larger and easier to see.

    To make it smaller, just the reverse: CTRL and the “-” key.

    BZ

  23. Checking in.
    Good to see you have at least some buffering against radical leftist censorship.
    I hope this new home / provider / venue / WordPress etc. is both fun and inspirational for you. Best wishes for continued success here.
    (spell check works)
    (I’ll miss my owl, but perhaps I won’t need him after November.)
    ‘ts all good!

  25. Enjoy your blog BZ. Have not commented previously because of your association with Google. Don’t do anything Google for the same reasons you made the switch. Best of luck.

  27. Minuteman, thanks for coming back, visiting and taking the time to comment. Hope you keep on coming back and commenting, sir!

    Thank, Don, for you and your mind coming to visit! And thanks for the update, indeed!

    BZ

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