Disclosure | BenSpark Family Adventures

Photo-A-Day #1580

Ted Murphy, CEO of IZEA turned 33 today He asked that people give him photos of themselves with their tongues out. I was only happy too oblige.

Ted takes a lot of crap, apparently from his dog too. But today is the guy’s birthday and people not only came out to celebrate his birthday but to fire barbs at him with regards to his latest venture, Sponsored Tweets. However, today there was a very good article, written in a balanced manner too, by FastCompany. It was titled “IZEA Calls for Transparency, but Can Twitter Remain Pure?“. What I don’t understand is that there are all these programs out there to increase your twitter followers as quickly as possible, companies that pay people to tweet and disclose nothing and yet IZEA catches crap. IZEA is out there publicly telling people that they are paying people to tweet. Publicly disclosing each tweet and manually accepting each advertiser.

I’ve done sponsored tweets through SocialSpark as well as with Sponsored Tweets and before Sponsored Tweets was announced there weren’t that many people causing such a huge uproar about it. Sponsored Tweets have been happening for a while now and only IZEA is the only one disclosing. So why is IZEA the whipping boy? Why aren’t people screaming from the rafters that if any of their followers use another service that they will unfollow them? Why IZEA. Why the haters? Why tear down and be destructive? I can’t figure it out.

Ted, you’ve got to be part duck for all the stuff that you’ve got to let roll off your back. Have a happy birthday man!

Disclosure – I am an IZEA Insider. I’ve been working with them since 2006. Ted Murphy and I have hung out before. I believe in his message and his sincerity.

Photo-A-Day #1557

Here’s a little sunflower that is in our side yard. My sister Tara has been growing a ton of different varieties of them,

Allison had a tough day today. Eva was very nuudgie today. And even this evening she refused to go to bed and wailed and screamed very long, and very loud. So we each took turns checking on her over and over. She’s learned that if she screams “Change” we will come in sooner. We’ve told her that it if she needs a change it is easier to tell us rather than cry and scream.

First she wanted Allison to take out every one of her stuffed animals. Screaming and yelling over and over. Finally all the animals were out. She stopped screaming for a little bit and then went back to screaming. Next she yelled potty. We’re encouraging her to use the potty when she shows interest on her own so I went in and got her. So, we sat down and waited.

Eva has learned how to fib in order to get what she wants. She didn’t need a chance, she didn’t need the potty but she was so insistent. So we are learning very much that you cannot negotiate. So, one more book and back on to bed. Prayers one more time and now she’s sleeping. Ah, negotiations. She’s a mini manipulator. So bedtime took a bit of time tonight.

I picked up a copy of the New York Times. Many people writing about the article, not many in favor of sponsored posts, one guy out and out misquotes the article to illustrate his own little beef with it. I do have to say that what I wrote in the past 3 years with IZEA has been genuine and disclosed. If you find something not disclosed let me know.

The Cloth Couture giveaway is going well, if you haven’t entered yet you should get on that soon.

My computer home is still dead. I had some photos from yesterday that I meant to put up. They were on the external drive so I grabbed them tonight and here they are.