Past Interviews with MckMama and MckDaddy

Yesterday's post brought back lots of memories when everyone was listing their "aha!" moments. Within those comments, there were multiple references to previous interviews that have taken place with MckMama over the years. For some of the readers here, portions of these interviews were their "aha!" moments.

At the suggestion of a couple commenters here, I am putting the links to these videos in this post since a number of readers said that they had never seen some of them.

* If I am missing any others that you would like to see added to this list, please let me know:

June 14, 2009
Blogger Pregnancy Hoax (Good Morning America interview with MckMama, discussing the "April Rose" scandal)
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7835797

September 21, 2009
Critics Take Shots at MckMama (interview with Fox 9)http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/Jennifer_McKinney_Mommy_Blog_Stellan

November 11, 2009
Stellan's Parents Talk About Recovery (interview with Fox 9 - this took place outside the hospital in Boston)
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/Stellans-Parents-Talk-About-Recovery-nov-11-2009

February 22, 2010
Blogging for Big Bucks (interview with KARE 11)
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=842663

February 22, 2010
Interview with MckDaddy (interview with Moms Like Me - Twin Cities)
http://twincities.momslikeme.com/members/JournalActions.aspx?g=1621567&m=10431343

When was your Aha! Moment?

* Alternatively Titled:

How did you accidentally end up here?

This is something that comes up a lot here and I know similar posts have been done on this in the past, but I always think it's pretty interesting.

Since we seem to always have new visitors here, I think it's nice to do a post like this periodically.

So, when was your "aha!" moment?

La Sora Cesira non sa come dire grazie...

Io non riesco a trovare un modo abbastanza sentito e affettuoso per dirvi grazie.
Grazie per avermi seguito durante il primo anno del blog, grazie per aver cliccato i miei video e i miei post deliranti, grazie per aver commentato, condiviso e suggerito. Grazieeeeeeeeee!!!
Ma grazie soprattutto perchè per merito vostro, e solo vostro, oggi la Cesira sta cominciando persino a trovare dei lavoretti e può lasciare le precedenti professioni precarie di collaudatrice facciale di tubi di scappamento, arrotolatrice di scotch da pacchi e compositrice di musica da citofono.
Penso che se in un altro momento fossi andata a proporre i miei video o il Cesirpensiero a chicchessia, avrei collezionato una timballata di calci sulla bombarda ed ora sarei costretta alla plastica chiappale.
E invece no. Invece, solo grazie a voi e questo non lo dimenticherò mai, oggi la Cesy Rubacuori rilascia persino delle interviste…. ma dico vi rendete conto?!
Questo ennesimo scandalo la dice lunga sul futuro del nostro paese….
Io comunque mi godo con sano divertimento questo momento di gioia e, scusate se mi ripeto, so che ciò è avvenuto un po' per merito mio e molto per merito vostro.
Visto che ci siamo, ci tengo molto anche a dedicare un vigoroso gesto dell'ombrello, unito ad una volgarissima coreografia da stadio che prevede l'uso contemporaneo delle braccia e del basso ventre, a tutte le persone che nel corso della mia esistenza professionale mi hanno dato picche senza neanche cominciare il giro, e naturalmente anche alla security della villa di Arcore, che mi ha sempre rifiutato l'ingresso solo perchè invece di entrare con Lelemore, ho tentato di forzare il posto di blocco con il mio Benelli 50 truccato da Vespone, inguainata peraltro in una elegantissima salopette di pelle suina.
Ora, amici miei adorati, spero che continuiate a starmi vicino per ridere insieme di questo paese un po' farlocco e delle sue inimitabili perversioni.
Io, ricordatelo bene, vi amo veramente assai.


P.S. Ultima cosa… vorrei rispondere a tutti i vostri commenti, vi sarei quindi grata se aggiungesteste (congiuntivo) la vostra email al fine di darmene la possibilità ( ammazza che frase precisa che m'è uscita! )

Information Regarding Bloggers, Disclosures, & Giveaways

In light of the recent events in the blog world, "iHeartFakeSmiles" asked "melissaaustin" if she would be willing to share some information with all of us on the subject of blogger disclosures and giveaways.

Melissa has a blog of her own and has become familiar with these regulations over the past year. She was willing to write up the following post and we're hoping that it might help shed some light on how to properly handle these matters on your own blogs, as well as illustrate how giveaways should take place on the blogs that you read.

Thank you, Melissa!

* Keep in mind that the following guidelines apply to bloggers in the United States. Bloggers should research the regulations in their own country to ensure compliance with all current requirements.

Here is Melissa's post:

"Let me just preface this by saying, I am in no way an expert in the blogging industry. I am simply a blogger, who like many other bloggers, is interested in operating my blog in the most ethical fashion possible.

In 2010 (possibly 2009) the FTC handed down a series of rules, regulating bloggers. For some time, there was no "set in stone way" that we, as bloggers, had to operate. For the most part, the honest bloggers were already implementing the rules in some way or another on our blogs.

Specifically, the FTC set standards in terms of operating giveaways and reviews on our blogs. This was an issue in the past, because some bloggers often would have conflicts of interests among sponsors, that were not known. Also, some bloggers would receive cash compensation for writing favorable reviews and did not tell their readers about their connection to the sponsor.

Now, as I stated before, I am not an expert in FTC guidelines. But, in general this is what the FTC guidelines mean for bloggers.

1.)Bloggers must disclose, on every post, where the product came from. It is perfectly okay to purchase an item and give it away on your blog in the interest of getting more traffic.But, you must disclose that. If you receive the product directly from the company OR a third party you must disclose that on your blog.

2.)Blogger must disclose any compensation they receive. It is common practice for companies to offer either A.) a product B.)Gift cards to Amazon or C.)Cash compensation. You must disclose your compensation. Bloggers are also required to disclose if their compensation had directly affected their posts. If you post a favorable review of a not so favorable thing because you were paid to do so, you have to disclose.

3.)Bloggers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest. For example: I am a Beachbody Coach, promoting other fitness programs has the potential to create a conflict of interest. Same as if I worked for Tmobile, but say Verizon offered me a free phone to write a favorable review. Those conflicts of interests must be disclosed.

4.)Raffles (like JM's iPad giveaway): The FTC highly frowns upon a blogger hosting a raffle in the manner that she did. Now, they may occasionally let things like that slide. But, it's typically items of smaller value. People donated HUNDREDS to JM for a chance to win an iPad. Illegal. In fact, PayPal prohibits this type of thing.

So, how does a blogger disclose? If you went to my blog, you would see a general disclosure tab at the top. That is not enough. The FTC requires that we disclose in EVERY post (as you would see in my posts). It doesn't have to be fancy. Short and sweet and to the point is fine. This has to be on every post.

The FTC has and will come down on bloggers who don't adhere to their guidelines as well as potentially come down on the sponsor.

The FTC also prohibits bloggers from limiting who can enter. If you have an honest problem with a commenter, such as harrassment or threats, screen shot it and if possible, don't delete it. That way you have a "paper trail" if the FTC comes a'knockin.

Most honest bloggers will spell out when their giveaway starts and ends and how the winners will be chosen (via random.org for the most part) and go as far as to include screenshots.

Any blogger who will not willingly disclose, or who doesn't spell out when the giveaway ends (ie: at some point tonight) is probably running a shady giveaway. Newer bloggers might make the mistake. But, in JM's case, it isn't a mistake if you keep doing it.

I hope that answers your questions. If I can be of any more help, let me know."

Melissa Austin :)

* One additional point to make (thanks to commenter "Lisa" here and I know Melissa has discussed this in some of her comments): "ANY compensation, or products received by the blogger for review, (they get one item to review and usually at least one other to giveaway), should be reported to the IRS as INCOME and taxed accordingly."

* For more information, you can visit the FTC's website here:

http://www.ftc.gov/

Official Explanation from Lansinoh

Lansinoh has not retracted the information that was posted in the tweets from yesterday or the e-mails that had been sent by the company yesterday, despite MckMama's hints last night that a retraction would be coming from the company.

They have, however, offered the following explanation of what took place with regards to MckMama and the giveaway that she hosted on her blog for 4 Lansinoh breast pumps. This statement from Lansinoh should bring closure in this matter.

* You can find the above post here:

http://bymomsformoms.blogspot.com/2011/02/clarifying-lansinohs-involvement-in-my.html

* And, in the interest of total disclosure and fairness, the following tweets were posted by Lansinoh's Twitter account this morning (Tues. February 9):

I'm sorry we misunderstood

Here is an excerpt from MckMama's post on Thurs. February 3, regarding breast pumps that she planned to give away:

And another excerpt from her blog post on Sat. February 5:

And here is a tweet from Lansinoh today (Mon. February 7):

And here are the rest of the tweets that Lansinoh posted this afternoon (Mon. February 7):

I am so sorry that we misunderstood.

Hello from "MWOP2"

This is officially my first post here and I've got some big shoes to fill. I feel that MWOP has done a great job and I hope that this blog will continue to operate in the same manner. I know that we will always have new visitors here, so I would like to mention the guidelines that were first established on this blog:

• We're going to allow Anonymous posters. If it gets to be too much, we'll turn that option off.
• Do not be rude to other posters or call them names.
• Do not be rude about the children or call them names. Commenting on behavior is acceptable, but no name calling.
• Don't tell the moderators how to run the blog.
• No posting addresses.
• The administrator is not able to verify the identity of people who comment here. Believe what you choose to believe.
• We are not a blog about religion, please do not comment or assume that we are all Christians.

I'm going to keep this short and sweet...I have to go watch the end of the Super Bowl on my DVD player screen. :)

- MWOP2