here's the deal: FREE! We're interested in adding to the quality of life rather than the bank accounts of CEOs and stock holders. As a non-profit service we just aim to build a community of people serious* about contributing positive energy to this site, country, and planet.

How to participate in our free services?

1. Register as a Newbl (newBluePlanet) member in 1 minute. No personal data required.

2. Once your email is validated you become a Newbl Newbie with limited privileges.

3. After you submit your first comment/post in any forum (but NOT live CHAT) you'll be upgraded to a Newbl CITIZEN. (Tip: Simply post a couple of lines to introduce yourself)

How to participate in the Liberal Hearts Club?

1. A Newbl CITIZEN must add their club profile. Follow the single or friend links to the right sub-category. ADD your profile.

2. After 24 hours, you can view other profiles and Private Message someone you want to communicate with.

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continue to liberal.hearts.FAQ

Love what you are starting here. In another post (I don't remember where) you mentioned that this is a "beta test". Do you foresee advertising in places like bluesky?

Good ?. scary. I think ads there would probably boost the membership here..

8 hours ago, scarylibrarian said:

"Do you foresee advertising in places like bluesky?"

I joined Bluesky this past spring, but deactivated my account after three months. It wasn't my "cup of tea." However, I very briefly reactivated it last month strictly to promote newBluePlanet (or NewBluePlanet . . . correct spelling, please, Site Captain!). I think "word of mouth" is the type of promotion that V.3 wants, right, Cap'n?

Besides acquiring more members, nBP needs more participation by members in its forums. I see that membership is increasing and I sometimes see a lot of "guests" online (some of who are probably lurking nBP members). But, I don't see an increase in forum action. Très disappointing.

I think you'll see the same thing with LHC profiles, people not completing them until the already see someone of the opposite sex already with one in their state, and in their age group as well. The sad fact is, most people coming to check out the site will only stay and participate if they see or feel they will soon see, local dating options for them. In the meantime, only a small minority will stay for the online community here, much less actively participate in the forums. Folks like you and me are not a common breed. Most people are instead just focused on their busy offline lives or on finding someone to date, etc.., rather than online forums or making new friends online, etc..

the LHC profiles is surely a longer term project, but it does get daily traffic from the high search engine ranking of liberalhearts.com.

13 hours ago, scarylibrarian said:

Do you foresee advertising in places like bluesky?

thanks for asking. If you check the Innerview with BobDylan, we talk about advertising. Basically, as a free, non-ad supported site, there isn't money for advertising.

i'm an experienced search engine optimizer, so this site is optimized nicely for organic traffic on the search terms at the top of the home page. it actually would not take much to get things going on the forums -- only take a handful of members commented each day with something interesting to say.

it will help for me to do a short video demo of how to use the site and get the most out of it. And there are other things i have planned, but i'll confess i'm taking a little break for the holidays to catch up on other things, like my songwriting.

i think other people are engaged in their usual holiday routines right now.

5 hours ago, macphysto said:

I joined Bluesky this past spring, but deactivated my account after three months. It wasn't my "cup of tea." However, I very briefly reactivated it last month strictly to promote newBluePlanet (or NewBluePlanet . . . correct spelling, please, Site Captain!). I think "word of mouth" is the type of promotion that V.3 wants, right, Cap'n?

Besides acquiring more members, nBP needs more participation by members in its forums. I see that membership is increasing and I sometimes see a lot of "guests" online (some of who are probably lurking nBP members). But, I don't see an increase in forum action. Très disappointing.

indeed, there are over 300 registered members, but few posters. I guess that's not unusual if you consider that even if you had 300 facebook friends you'd probably only see a few new posts each day from friends.

thanks for the Bluesky mentions. yes, that is helpful. Any spelling works as a link, but, officially, i go with newBluePlanet.

I'd suggest doing more interviews with other members, maybe early next year, when you have the time. It might stimulate more response on the forums from other members, if they relate to the interview content or identify with the members who are sharing about themselves. I don't even have close to a hundred FB friends, but like you say, V., there are very few posts each day from my FB friends, and I rarely post anything personal about myself, instead mainly sharing political posts, because I really don't want many people knowing my personal business. Tho I have shared some of my struggles on here, because I guess it feels cathartic to do so, and because we all have some degree of anonymity here, with the usernames and all...

I guess the true sign of when we have achieved some degree of community on here, is when members are able to feel free sharing honestly and openly about their personal lives, and in turn receive honest and supportive feedback from others, on the forums, instead of only thru messaging..

yes. BD, i will do more interviews in the weeks ahead.

macphysto, i'm looking at you...

and scarylibrarian...

15 hours ago, V.3 said:

macphysto, i'm looking at you...

Hold up! Let me put some clothes on!

Ready!

This is the kind of situation that I simultaneously eschew and welcome. Eschew because my response will alienate people. Welcome because my response will alienate people.

By the way, that clipping sound you hear? That's me "nipping it in the bud."

1. Who cares what I think? My thoughts, ideas, and perspective are not profound, stimulating, or interesting. To apply comedian Robert Klein's impression of President Gerald Ford: I am a mediocre man. Nothing to see here, Folks. Move along.

2. V.3, you wrote to BobDylan that he was more social than you are.

I'll wager that you are more social than I am, Cap'n. Indeed, I bet that I would win in an nBP Most Antisocial Member competition. I am reclusive and misanthropic by nature and in real life. Earlier this year I had to attend a "fun" team-building event during which attendees were instructed to share pictures and stories about their personal histories. While listening to my colleagues regale everyone about their "fascinating" lives, I had to mightily resist the urge to scream,

"Just call me Jimmy Crack Corn, y'all. Because I . . . DON'T . . . CARE!"

When it was my turn to share, I frostily informed the room, "My personal life is private."

Andy Warhol acutely predicted*, "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." Unfortunately and annoyingly as far as I am concerned, Warhol was right. In the 21st century, "thanks" to the Internet, everyone can stand on his/her cyberspace soapbox and shout "Look at me, World! Here I am!" to claim his/her "right" to fame.

So what? and Big Whoop is my reaction.

All of which begs the question, "If you feel that way, what the hell are you doing on newBluePlanet, Hypocrite macphysto?"

A fair question. What can I say? I'm like Shaft. I'm a complicated man but no one understands me but my woman. And even she doesn't understand me! THAT'S how complicated I am!

* Actually, he didn't.

I like you anyway, mac, lol..

Well. There's no accounting for tastes, is there.

Thank you, BobDylan, for your kind response.