April | Croncast - From Cool to Cul De Sac

What I Know About Tweeting Flickr Photos

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 19:55:30 -0500

Most of you know that I am a stats junkie and for those that don't, well, it is now out of the way.

I wanted to share some stats about Twittering Flickr photos. I started tracking these tweets in Nov. 2007 and finally thought I had enough data that it made sense to put the numbers together.

If you don't know what the hell I am talking about check out this blog post.

Here's what I got for you so far:

152 - Photos tweeted
1,979 - Click throughs from Twitter, mobile and web
480 - Unique ip's that clicked through
12.9 - Avg. number of clicks per photo
4.1 - Avg. number of times a unique user clicked through

Highest clicked photos

39 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/croncast/2383614174/
34 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/croncast/2224866756/
29 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/croncast/2352452625/
28 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/croncast/2068538331/
27 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/croncast/2086370317/

180 - followers when I started on Nov 23, 2007
380 - followers as of today April 6, 2008

Top clicker

Bellsouth DSL user in Atlanta metro area with 74 clicks (Is that you?)

The time of day for twittering a photo seems irrelevant but Monday through Friday are the best days to do it.

That's what I have. But what about analysis, Kris? Uh, look for that post tomorrow.

Tags: Twitter Tweet Flickr twittering photos

Major eBay Affiliate Program Changes

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:40:03 -0500

No clue how I missed this but one of major contributors to keeping the Croncast server humming, the eBay affiliate program, is being overhauled by eBay.

eBay will no longer use Commission Junction to run their program they will be taking it in-house. It will be interesting to see how eBay changes the program and what their reporting interface will look like. Hopefully, it will be easier to read and offer more information about the types of sales and leads that affiliates generate for eBay.

My only real concern is what the payout structure for affiliates will look like. With all the recent changes in seller's fees and feedback it makes me a bit nervous that eBay will lower the payouts to affiliates. I've become accustomed to accepting their money and very much like the $25 for new signups and fifty-percent of sellers fees.

The new program goes in to effect on none other than April Fools Day 2008.

Are they trying to send affiliates a message?

Tags: iPod eBay affiliate program commission junction

We're Back. Yes we are. Part 2

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:53:32 -0600

We're back with what we are calling 'Season 4'. It's completely arbitrary since we have never had another 'season'. They've all been Croncast!

For those of you that have listened to today's show or read the show notes, the following won't be a surprise - Betsy and I have made the decision that we will be ending Croncast when we hit the 500 show mark in a few months. The 500th Croncast will happen sometime in late April or early May.

Don't be sad! That is 50 more shows. More than most podcasters ever produce.

For the last two weeks we have been discussing our options with the show format and frequency and it seemed to make sense to us to move forward the same way that we have for the last few years. This way the chemistry stays intact and at the end of the run we've got a cohesive library of work.

So for the next few months we'll be here like clockwork every Monday, Wednesday and Friday like usual but once we hit 500 the lights will go dark on Croncast as we know it.

Our goal is to make the next fifty shows some of the best that we've ever done. We don't want to fade away or end on a sour note. We want it to be the the same Croncast that we all enjoy, you and us.

What's next?

Starting Saturday, January 19th we will begin releasing The Resale Queen Podcast. Each week the show will focus on a couple of topics that make Betsy's resale world go round and how they might help anybody with a resale gene become a better junker or clean that newest find for sale on eBay.

I'll be co-hosting with Betsy and acting as her manager. Somebody's got to make sure she records a show each week!

We'd like to thank you for supporting us, listening to the shows and making us a part of your lives. Cheers!

Tags: resale Croncast Resale Queen podcast

Betsy and her husband Kris Apr 30, 2007

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 07:21:19 -0500

Croncast - 2007-04-30.mp3
Show: #356
Length: 32:01
Size: 22.0mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris April 30, 2007

Join Croncast Cronies . . . thanks to all those signed up already!.

What are my moobs and dairy snakes worth? Let us know above in the banner with your support
A little guilt borrowed from NPR
What is one year of Croncast worth to you?
That is one 32nd of a server payment
Wrapping Kris in postal tape to make cleavage
And Betsy will sell access online
What to do with the show
Have all the girls . . . women that Kris dated
Especially when they bring their 30 year old kids
Gotta keep Kristine in tube tops
Made from truck tire tubes
Sapp Bros. on the corner of Plank Road and I-80
With my hot coffee came a hot flash of snatch from Mr. B's past
Something nasty probably happened to your coffee
Which one was this? What! Which truck stop ho was this?!?!?
We ate the truck stop all the time . . . either there or hardies
Who was she?
She's the one who grew up and worked at a truck stop
So what do you bring with you from your youth?
The chicken chute checker
Besides your emotional baggage
These are Kris's jeans from 20 years ago
We had bunk beds
No I didn't have the Outerspace mattresses
We had cheap bunk beds
The kinds you could take apart
Cutting the legs with a chainsaw to make them level
This way . . . two equal beds
Happy belated birthday brother, though you don't listen
Karma was kicking Kris's ass this last week
Even today it has been harsh
It must have been the poking of Unitarians
Well, Mr. B . . . I washed and dried your video iPod
Yep
It looked normal for a second then it started to crackle and the screen turned white
I wasn't going to tell you
Hey, kick me while I'm down . . . one in a long line of things
Life altering events all week long
Well now Mr. B you can run down to Wal-Mart and get a foPod
I'm sorry that karma is kicking your ass . . . but my week has been awesome
Let me check my watch for the karma shift
(What ensues are short show notes for a great Betsy story. Watch the beverage drinking in public . . . I kid you not.)
Betsy turns her mom out . . . garage sale style
Little deaf dog in a bike trailer for grammy
Cruising the McMansion subdivisions an Saturday
It's a Schwinn not a Burly
Another Dutailier Glider
Somebody's baby is stealing all those shoes . . . oh Gigi

Send your support: $50 bucks gets you an autographed Goodwill mug. More amounts to come.

This money, btw, is going to server costs to keep the show up and running.

We are going to do a live show here in Naperville . . . hopefully in July. We'd like to get about 40 people to come out so we can have the joint for about 2 hours. That means you need to get your friends to come out too. Let us know if you can swing it.

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Tags: Dutailier Glider Sapp Bros I-80 karma kicking my ass McMansion subdivisions support the show

Betsy and her husband Kris Apr 27, 2007

Fri, 27 Apr 2007 07:19:58 -0500

Croncast - 2007-04-27.mp3
Show: #355
Length: 31:51
Size: 21.8mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris April 27, 2007

Join Croncast Cronies . . . thanks to all those signed up already!.

I did touch your garage sale money today though
Gigi wanted to pick it all up
The dog could have eaten it
I would make you pick it up Mr B
It could have happened
That's Betsy's baby
Since she's become a more cognizant being
Kids reach that certain stage where they are different
Before two they are like blank Play-Doh
Liking babies more than toddlers
Almost like you have a pal
You're busted baby!
Except I'll have boundaries and rules
Right, at garage sales even if Maggie sees it first it is still Momma's
The parental manipulation
Talking your way out of a speeding ticket
He broke the Smith law
Betsy joining the the Russian Court of Assassination
It is behavior based
He's a repeat offender
Lead footedness . . . does it make me a bad human being?
Yes, it does Mr B
Life is flexible
I feel sorry for you
The better manipulator you are the more successful you'll be
Betsy using her cunning at garage sales
You are asking the world to be flexible and then you get on my case
Doing it up for the home owners association
Betsy steps in to run the garage sale
The pestering late comers
Betsy attempts to will other garage sale posse to knock on doors before they open
Her own garage sale breakdown
Sold 200 things and made $100
Grumpy no food in the house husband showing up
Selling all of your crap that didn't sell on eBay to other people who think they scored a sweet item for resale on eBay
If it has been here for three months and I hadn't touched it . . . it went in the sale
Yes I sifted through your stuff while you were gone Mr B
Recording all the addicted garage salers
They have already made the decision to ruin there own lives
Tailorbyrd shirts from Mr B . . . one will end up on eBay
Someone can buy it Kris and use it as an afterglow mop
We've thought about how to make money with the show for a while
Solution . . . the tip jar shall return

We are going to do a live show here in Naperville . . . hopefully in July. We'd like to get about 40 people to come out so we can have the joint for about 2 hours. That means you need to get your friends to come out too. Let us know if you can swing it.

Audience Survey, please fill this out for us
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Tags: Naperville garage sale lead foot Smith Law Betsy Smith Kris Smith

Betsy and her husband Kris Apr 25, 2007

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:09:33 -0500

Croncast - 2007-04-25.mp3
Show: #354
Length: 32:54
Size: 22.6mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris April 25, 2007

Join Croncast Cronies . . . thanks Kelly C.

Comments have been light the last week
I give the Unitarians a hard time because it gets under your skin
Kris tells Betsy like it is
They would anoint the the person with oil
NASCAR jacket guy would show up
"Sir I'm sorry you can't come in"
Can't accept a "Jr."
You just don't seem to get it
The most tolerance of any other crew
The "Jr." can pick from any other denomination
Not only are you good with therapy but you are good for saving
I'm going to have you anointed with oil
Taking your donut hole
Maybe we should have Unitarian representative on the show?
Yes, Croncast listener . . . she noticed you walked away
That is one thing that is different this year
Public planting of topics
Judy fills us in
The live show is definitely on . . . look for a RSVP post and more information soon
How did they meet? Have they ever told you this story?
Our meeting you can break it down quick like
I was following the style of the day
Every idea he had she thought was a bad idea
The Friday night talks
Betsy's dad runs for governor of Illinois in '86
She gets to walk in all the parades
A parade is really long when you are carrying a sign that says, "Sell The Post Office"
Ask the 10 year old about
You had a fun childhood Mr B.
The worm farm was the best experience of life
It taught me the greatest lessons of my life
Kris's turn to tell a story
Going to the creek by walking down the train tracks
"How far on down the tracks I got to go"
The oil barrels weren't stored in my yard
A gas station, service center sized oil can
The EPA doesn't go to your town
Betsy remembers Donnie

Doh! Laptop juice is waning and I need to get this posted. Keep listening because it is a good story.

We are going to do a live show here in Naperville . . . hopefully in July. We'd like to get about 40 people to come out so we can have the joint for about 2 hours. That means you need to get your friends to come out too. Let us know if you can swing it.

Audience Survey, please fill this out for us
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Tags: NASCAR Jacket Unitarian worm farm walking train tracks EPA travel dead pets

Betsy and her husband Kris Apr 23, 2007

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 07:12:12 -0500

Croncast - 2007-04-23.mp3
Show: #353
Length: 30:08
Size: 20.7mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris April 23, 2007

Join Croncast Cronies . . . thanks Kelly C.

This is a production of Palegroove Studios
You are the Junque Queen
They are investments Mr. B
You are pathological baby
Back when you took part in the plan
Watched the man
I am, I spent the entire day with the kids today
It has to do with the desire for you to part with your junk
How many times have you shopped alone?
Walking in to Goodwill and not knowing what you are going to find
I don't need another stuffed animal
That isn't what I said psycho-pants
Betsy forgets that she just told me something else
I'm fat because of you
You're going to be down here in a wife beater and a jogging bra Mr. B
Kris mowed the yard for the first time in two years
Turning dog poop in to confetti
Kris wore sandals to pick up Elliot and his feet were reflecting light
Last year you were a crazy workaholic
You took this new job to work less and it ain't so
When you turn over rocks that stuff doesn't look good
Mr. B you are the stuff under the rock
It's a problem because I say it is . . . you got to get out of the basement
It will be funny till you get diagnosed
Kris is going to Boulder on Tuesday
When I leave the house I go far away . . . it makes up for not going anywhere
Reference back to Jeanie's pee bomb story from her driving days
My work now is not like it was before
Closing up shop at the end of the day
I have to be there and if I'm not they think I'm not working
Kristopher! If they ping you at 2 am you would ping them right back
I love my phone
What they really want to hear about is my excellent weekend
The holidays don't mean a thing in junk . . . the first nice weekend it the best ever
Betsy needs all the karma trades she can get
Outside the donations box are two strollers
The "if you are a patriot you will donate something for retarded children box"
Betsy rationalizes and does the deed
- This is a great story -
Picking Elliot up from church on Earth Day
The wizard jedi master knight pope the 4th is there is his hooded wizard clothes
Don't you lock eyes with people and think this person is just like me
I don't want the hooded people at all
Don't twist my robe, I'll put a spell on you
Both the kids fit in to church
Gigi is a humanist and Elliot is way into it
The doll house wrap up
Thanks to Nicole Simon for the heads up on the broken feed

We are going to do a live show here in Naperville . . . hopefully in July. We'd like to get about 40 people to come out so we can have the joint for about 2 hours. That means you need to get your friends to come out too. Let us know if you can swing it.

Audience Survey, please fill this out for us
Look for the graphic on "Audience Survey" on the main page

Tags: Palegroove Studios donation boxes Nicole Simon junque queen psycho pants peg perego

Betsy and her husband Kris Apr 20, 2007

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:23:00 -0500

Croncast - 2007-04-20.mp3
Show: #352
Length: 32:27
Size: 22.3mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris April 20, 2007

Join Croncast Cronies . . . thanks Kelly C.

Leave comments on any post
Kris will respond, Betsy won't
"I respond, I email them back"
My night story 10 times better
Kris spent 2 1/2 hours creating a mobile browser database
Much better than Betsy's story . . . not really
Betsy went to a comedy club
Could we have 50 in the basement to do a live show?
Not unless they were quite intimate with one another
Can't mess with the Bunco people
It was a different kind of experience
Thursday night was Ladies Night at the comedy club
The audience . . . Naperville Mommies
The joke about the rabbit . . . Sex and the City reference
Robin gets rolling with Betsy
They begin to party on their own while the show is going on
My husband Rick always wants to heckle the person on stage
"Betsy, does a radio show with her husband, a podcast in their basement. And it's really funny."
It's on now . . . you interrupted my show . . . get up here
Betsy holds back on stage
Before she leaves the club she asks about renting it out
We could have a celebrity guest on the show . . . Gary Shilts
The TV crews were rolling when they taped us
Betsy has never really done a full-blown Betsy ramble on the show
She's come close
There is something in the full Betsy ramble that is indescribable
I don't want mom and her deaf dog there
Why do you need me?
You have to edit it Kris
Blog posts to ensue from Betsy
"Reasons to own a Deaf Dog: The greatest experience of my life."
She really thinks her name is Stomp Stomp
She has to feel the vibrations
I know what your book about it . . . replace "dog" with "husband"
I am going to pierce your ears again Mr. B
The church ladies call Gigi grumpy
Kris is going to back and set them straight
Maggie's speech evaluation
As a parent where did you go wrong?
Talking like this in 4th grade will get her check minus
Christina Aguilara for Christians The Spew, Naperville The Comedy Shrine Naperville comedy club

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Tags: Croncast Cronies Naperville Mommies Bunco Robin Klau The Spew deaf dog

Betsy and her husband Kris Apr 18, 2007

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 06:52:09 -0500

Croncast - 2007-04-18.mp3
Show: #351
Length: 30:21
Size: 20.8mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris April 18, 2007

Join up with the Croncast Cronies . . . thanks Kelly C.
We're here for your tax hangover
Welcome to Wednesday
They should start the new year with taxes
We said in January we we're going to run lean this year
Look at it as an opportunity
Hanging with the short bus dudes
Mr. B you should get a job as a bus driver
The driving tests
There is no way that they could insure me to drive a bus
Sorry I just need to get my edge
Way back when I was lactating
Who the hell reads the fine print?
Your tombstone Kris . . . . all in fine print
The lesson of my life
I am tired of and can't handle another fucking life lesson
Their is only place we haven't been stuck is investing
Unless it is my good looks
Gotta go to NY with puff in your cuff
Same camel hair jacket, less some hair
You can wear undees and have no close
David Sedaris being called out on embellishing
WTF world
What is this weekend Betsy?
First full sub-division sales
People higher up on the food chain
I love to eat the chum from the surface after the big ones have snacked
I signed the documents and didn't look up as she was asking
She was asking Betsy to sell some stuff on eBay
They beg and keep throwing the rope out
"You can take a commission" which means . . . we're cool right?
Liz . . . you are heretofore known as Mike Marusin's wife
Carla brings over a 15 year old Coach bag
Betsy needs her own show . . . "The Appraiser"
It's all $32.99
The stolen eBay accounts that keep buying her bags
The Nigerian shipping address flagged us
As your husband . . . it is embarrassing that people walk up to you and ask you to sell their junk
We're Sanford and Husband, you need to get over yourself
I need a junk shop it would be my dream
Junk spelled 'que' I can't take it
Junk shop to p's and an 'e', Junque Shoppe
I have it baby, your shoppe just needs to be an empty parking lot with the junk piled high
We can start it here in the cul de sac
CBI - chief bitch in charge
Betsy is now writing the greatest garage sale ad ever
She has to make it seem like the ultimate subdivision
It would be like a crappy play
Just take the junque think on tour
Vets treat animals not people
Take the dog to the vet and get it's medical history
Going to the hospital five hours later
Rabies isn't reality . . . but the rabid bats in your walls did it
Dead bat in the back of the toilet when I lifted up the lid
Pure evil
You probably killed the bat and don't remember doing it
Cuddling it too hard and put it in the toilet in a moment of stoned panic
Bow down bitches, I told you so doesn't fit
Baby it is always the same
You're cutting me off again Betsy
You would not succeed as a junk seller Mr. B
McDonald's still makes me happy
I can look at a T and T Barbie, a Twist and Turn from the 60's
Betsy has it locked down on eBay
You are addicted to selling junk
The same way that blue hairs addicted to scratch offs
You got the eBay juice
What happened to the purse business?
Kris busts into the NYC cab story
His wibbling moustache
Maybe that was the best part of the story
When you visit NYC have purpose, walk, talk act like you got something going on
The city is out to get you but can make it better
More people than I have ever seen in my live
It's like walking into the largest ant colony you have ever seen
In NYC people were nice
Right, now that they have your credit card number

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Tags: bus driver David Sedaris read the fine print junque shoppe dead bat in toilet

Betsy and her husband Kris Apr 16, 2007

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 06:52:53 -0500

Croncast - 2007-04-16.mp3
Show: #350
Length: 31:48
Size: 21.8mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris April 16, 2007

Join up with the Croncast Cronies . . . thanks Kelly C.
Bobbling your head to the intro
Skipping ahead for the boring
I thought Friday's show was great
Not many comments but we needed to hit our stride
TV shows stealing out lines
Notes from the Underbelly . . . you are on notice
I'm watching for episode number, I'm sure we'll see more
I did research, the writer fits our demographic
Boob talk and the fear of the return to post nursing side
Getting older and looking the mirror
Asking the man to cut it off
Just ask if they are board certified
Hang me like a side of beef and trim me
4 kids and it was tore up
Sitting up in NY and looking in the mirror
Looked like a gorilla
Betsy cuts off Kris's NY story to tell her dog story
Yeah, you told us so
The dog nazi turns out to be . . . crazy
An entire 15 minutes dedicated to the dog
Carl took me there one time, it's the story of my life
Trish is raising money for Project Bread check it out and feed some folks.

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Tags: shitzu Notes from the Underbelly side of beef New York stories Project Bread

Betsy and her husband Kris Apr 13, 2007

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 06:53:41 -0500

Croncast - 2007-04-13.mp3
Show: #349
Length: 36:01
Size: 24.7mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris April 13, 2007

Triscadecaphobes, yes it's Friday the 13th
Does that mean you are phobic of triscuits?
Afraid of woven wheat?
No, it means that I am afraid of Sandy Duncan
She's creepy
Smack her on the back of the head and one of those eyes is coming out
She's old lady porn, one eyed porn a new genre
I don't think so Booba
Edison was shooting that porn way back when
Getting back in to small town mode
All over a golden plump
Maybe that's how they get so plump
I grew up really, really small town
My folks weren't farmers . . . just passing through for the rest of their lives
He was held back
Other people are telling this story about you, just differently
He had the 13 year old creepy boy stache in 3rd grade
The epitome of backwoods Virginia
He had tight curly brownish/black hair
Might have been the fact that they didn't have running water in the house
Sometimes it's like someone dropped you off on a journey from the center of the earth
My dad raced stock cars at the county fair grounds on weekends . . . I'm class all the way
We would go out to their house
Push the car off the property to work on them on the gravel road
Wild animals in all the junk they
You had wild ferel cats in your yard . . . different baby, I lived in town
He's come out in his underwear and run around
Half a mile from the compound
Of course we have to push it off the property
I don't want a cupcake from you
Farms are junk car magnates
That's what we near Bear, a some property where we can abandon our shit
Making me hold it till we got home
They had the 21st century green toilet paint bucket with sawdust like your friend
You didn't catch him that's for sure
I spied him with his junk in his hand
Enjoying himself in nature and chickendom
What is he doing now? It's a success story
He was an Edison savant
You don't need electricity to run a phonograph
Gotta get rid of your bear plug Betsy
That is so gross
Great day for me Mr. B
My sisters kids were sick and I didn't have to babysit
They just don't get my sarcasm it washes over them
She looked at me blankly
Maggie thinks her name is moo moo
Today was the first day of garage sale season
Twins and triplets sale was training camp compared for this
They were there . . . my people
The Mexican guy in his Astro van with his kids on a school day
The Blue hairs early in line
I'm here for a free bowl of soup or the sale
She goes off about resellers and waking up early
She's 97 Kris, she's so old that she doesn't have an old AOL address
She's grandma1@webtv.com
That man has his kids helping him out
Thank you Mr. B it's a business
You can't match this flow
And there it is Mr. B
I was put on earth to do this
The Madeline in Paris Doll house with all the stuff
Why Wednesdays show sucked
Betsy had Elliot's neuropsych evaluation on her mind
They were really arguing that it was his semen that caused the problem
The genetic crap
Kids with medical issues
At a kids party you can pick the parents based on their behavior
Haven't you been tested for bipolar yet? You're eight! Shit could be going on up there
Join up with the Croncast Cronies . . . thanks Kelly C.

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Tags: Triscadecaphobes neuropsych chickendom garage sale season county fair grounds triscadecaphobia