Dead Air (Updated)

[Forgive the overwrought title, I was once a DJ and “dead air” was a “very bad thing”.]

All hell has broken loose on the homefront and predictably my server chose this moment to have hiccups. If you commented and it never showed, be patient. I’ve approved them a couple times (with responses from me) but it’s not getting through to the great database in the sky. This too shall pass.

Update: In the “be careful what you wish for” category, I’ve discovered that WordPress, the software that makes this blog go, has a new update with tricked out “privacy policy” settings. This is very good news. I don’t know why it’s happening now but I like it. I want to set the software to even more carefully ignore private information that it already does. (If that’s possible. I’m pretty sure I don’t record much of anything but I never went full nerd to verify it.)

The bad news? The software is made for bigger fish than me. I’m supposed to generate some sort of “privacy policy web page” as part of the overall system and it’s like three network gurus and a team of lawyers had a word orgy. Also there are details I never pondered. Perhaps I’ll have to disable the Amazon affiliate links? (I can live with shutting it down if need be. Sometimes you good folks buy cool shit and it makes me a few bucks but it’s not paying the rent. True story, last month’s earnings was less than a can of beer.) Some people “subscribe” to the blog and get an e-mail when I post. I think that’s OK but I’m not sure if that’s something I’ll need to encrypt, disable, or just update a plugin.

I’m a big fan of privacy so I’ve been sussing it out. Wish me well. I’m wading through all sorts of crap about cookies and archival procedures and whatnot. I haven’t a damn clue what most of it means. I’m not a complete dinosaur but I’ve got a day job… and tinkering with WordPress settings is boring. Clearly the WordPress designers intended for me to convene a meeting of my IT support staff at Curmudgeon Corporate headquarters where we drink coffee, draw shit on a whiteboard, and then know what to do.

Last night I was trying to sort it all out and finally said “Fuck it”. I’ll get back to it but life has my balls in a vice and blogging is on the back burner for now. Eventually the dog and I will figure it all out. We’ll click all the buttons, set all the settings, and have an official “policy” that’s you can read whenever you get bored or paranoid. It’ll be designed so I don’t know jack about anyone unless you specifically told me. I think this is very positive… something the software should have been doing 10 years ago. But for the short term the implementation is wonky.

Also, Zuckerberg can bite me. (I’m just ‘sayin.)