cut your leg off, eat HTML

Reading another blog, I came across a nifty little widget, a snazzy rectangle from Blogrush. Thought it might look 'good' on my page. Now, what to add on a page is post worthy, because determining widgets can be a time-consuming blend of personal aesthetics and pathetics.

But after browsing, perusing, and all the other requisite tasks one goes through to consider inclusion, I copied, pasted, and uploaded some quality HTML. And then, click-click-view, and there, in full rectangular glory, was my new Blogrush widget.

Our relationship lasted six weeks.

Today, Blogrush sent me a declaration of separation; a notice that our human-HTML bond had been terminated.

We regret to inform you that your blog did not pass our Quality Review criteria.

You will notice that the widget no longer loads on your pages -- please remove the BlogRush code from your blog for now.

We determined that your blog did not meet our strict quality guidelines. Please do not take this personally but realize that we must abide by a very strict set of quality guidelines. (They are listed below.)

Below is a complete list of our quality guidelines:

- The blog contains unique, quality content that provides opinions, insights, and/or recommended resources that provide value to readers of the blog.
- The blog should be updated on a regular basis (at least several times a month) and should not just go a few months between posts.
- The blog should already contain at least 10-12 quality posts. New blogs with very little content will not be accepted.
- The blog's primary contain must be in English. BlogRush is currently not available for non-English blogs.
- The focus of the blog should be quality content.

Best Regards,

The BlogRush Team

In truth, I had no idea that the widget could walk away. My impression has been that widgets are like digital GAPs, always looking for some good, free pub. A widget on my blog was akin to someone shelling over $40 for a hoodie with a GAP logo on it: free advertising.

What occurred today would be the equivalent of the GAP calling me and telling me that I needed to return the hoodie because I had not created enough retail traffic.

I am left a little confused, a little hurt, and a little vindicated.

I had never been one to wear GAP hoodies, and I surely refuse to define myself by the acceptance of an invisible web-based entity that knows little of me and chooses only to judge me by the traffic which I generate.

Sitting in the school library at this moment, I see seniors working on updated thesis statements, revising, editing, and posting to their blogs.

I'm quite certain Blogrush couldn't hold a widget over the quality of content these students are creating, and I'm realistic enough to admit that their work is far more important than any blog by any adult.