The recent Panda update produced a typical change in traffic for HP shown below.
I have often wondered why the change is so immediate and consistent. As shown in the image below it would suggest that the change is not the sum of all the changes in quality rating and/or penalties applied to all the pages, otherwise it would not be so consistent.
It is appears to be a universal rating change or reset applied to all hubs and to the site over all.
For example a change in HP site rating from 76 to 72 out of 100.
This would imply that Google's Panda is effectively a way of changing the quota of page views allocated to HP. This pattern is quite consistent for other changes, for example the increase in traffic from March 25 to May 6.
Anyone have any thoughts or explanation for this?
It sounds like you're talking about something interesting, but I'd need to see more months and to understand exactly what is being measured (one subdomain, or HP overall, or a single page?) before I could venture a guess. I'd also like to see the dates of Google changes marked.
I've been trying to figure some of this stuff out myself. The period you've got as the highest peaks saw my daily traffic from Google go from 120 a day to 280 or so consistently. This last update dropped it to 95! These numbers appear to be consistent with the ratios you've posted.
I wonder if there isn't more than Panda that makes the changes. If we could completely understand the changes, it would help all of us in the long run.
The sudden shifts and the amount of rise/drop at the shift match my own experience of the data.
The simplest test would be to track Google's ranking of the HP domain and see if we can correlate date, direction, and perhaps magnitude of shift in the Google rating of the HP domain with the date, direction, and magnitude of drops in Google traffic to HP and to our subdomains.
The application of business statistics to web issues is a specialty of mine. But the specific details of tracking Google rankings, using Quantcast, etc., is outside my territorty. Anyone want to put together a team to gather & analyze data?
The big problem is that Google doesn't tell people how it ranks different sites. Well also it might rank them differently for every keyword.
I know one company puts out "search visibility" data for different keywords that it tracks. But it doesn't track all keywords. Mostly we just see a drop in traffic from quantcast and conclude that Google is now ranking us worse.
Of course, individually, people can see how they rank for different keywords that they target. That has it's own problems though, with Google personalized results etc.
The traditional concept of Google ranking is based on ranking of pages, not sites. The overall ranking is derived from the sum of the parts. Panda appears to be a site-wide and subdomain rank (penalty or boost weighting index) that modifies the ranking of the pages across the board for all keywords.
In very simple terms it appears that the Panda re-rank weighting is applied in this way.
The weighting can of course go up.
# Article 2 75 => 73 - drop in traffic, etc.
The weightings after Panda are applied to all search result outcomes.
Something like this is the only way to explain the consistent 'Steps' in the traffic data for HP and subdomains.
Yep, I agree. That's what I was trying to say but it didn't come out too well.
The thing that nobody understands very well is how this works with subdomains. I think initially the hope was that each subdomain would get its own panda rating, so good writers would not be affected by spammers. But it seems to me that it is not working like that.
The subdomains were never given true independence. There are all sorts of site maps, topic pages, hot, best and latest listings that link the pages back the mother ship HP. This means that any Panda changes will affect all subdomains, no matter how well they rank themselves - some more than others. If HP delivered the topic pages, etc. as 'hot' deliver on demand pages, rather than hard-wired ones, the subdomains would be more independent. I think there is clear evidence that the subdomains worked brilliantly at first, but G wound down their success. (Paul E has stated that they won't do what is required to completely separate the subdomains in order to preserve the community - We're all in this together). Time for more independence I say!
Perhaps HP should have looked at which subdomains did well at that initial swap over and dumped all the rest.
All the QAPing is doing this now.
If it is accurate then good. Unfortunately I suspect the QAP can still be scammed by false 'engagement' factors - ie. internal traffic. NOT what Google is interested in.
The 'engagement' factor is weird in my opinion. HP initially used low traffic as a crude tool to identify stuff that could be dumped. The idea was 'If the page gets little traffic from Google, then a large percentage of these are likely to be of poor quality - 'no Google love'. So lets dump the the lot and deindex them. Idling for low traffic was a crude way of getting rid of a lot of poor quality stuff quickly. HP still persists with this approach and still claims that good quality, low traffic pages hurt the site. There is no evidence of this and traffic is not part of Google ranking system. I think that HP still works on the principle "If the article gets low traffic there must be something wrong with it - Google hates it, so won't feature in the SERPS - so dump low traffic ones" There is no income from these pages anyway.
As I've written below, I am of two minds about the subdomain interlinking. If we didn't have it, then the good writers would probably not have been panda'd, but it's possible that being linked to the mothership helps with ranking.
If there was no interlinking, then it would be pretty much like writing on blogger. That is subdomains too, but independent, and I bet you they don't all have the same penalty. I've heard people with blogs are starting to see good traffic.
The only other advantage HP offers is very good monetization. I reckon the HPads CPM is better than what most people can get from Adsense. So we might still be better off giving HP 40% of impressions.
All very interesting and has given me a lot to think about. HP is easy and nice and fun. And the CPM is great. But it is judging what works for you I guess, what you want, how to achieve it... etc..
I have often thought, Mark, that you might be better off with blogspot. Probably not better off financially, though. But I bet you could develop a real following. Have you seen hyperboleandahalf?
I don't imagine stickmen are conducive to adsense. But once you became famous, I bet you your Zazzle and cafepress stores would make a lot of money.
Or not. But you would probably find it great to have total control over your stuff and to totally own it. Of course there is the community here, but I bet you a lot of people would subscribe to your blog.
Thanks aa - appreciated and I kind of know it, but haven't got there yet. I am too slapdash and lazy on my other places - no QAP to pass. I have seen hyperboleandahalf - and wow. It gave me a lot to think about - weaving a tale, lots of pics - comic for adults - excellent. I'm still learning I think and perhaps not working hard enough. Anyhow. Thanks!
My traffic has dropped in a similar way to HubPages. However, my best hubs are still on page 1 of Google. I have taken away my history, so the place in search is real. How can that be?
I would say that if they've been on page 1 for a considerable amount of time that they have gained backlinks. These kind of links add value to your page in the eyes of google. Quality backlinks tell search engines how other sites 'rank' our pages, kind of like a vote of trust.
You've got to factor in that during the summer months certain areas of the country spend their free time outdoors. In the winter, their computers are entertainment.
One of the things I noticed when Panda first struck back in 2011 was the loss of the long tail keyword rankings so you might want to take a look at that in GA and do a comparison. The other thing to be aware of is that you can lose a lot of traffic just by being pushed down one or two places in the SERP's for your main keyword/s.
The last Panda update was on March 15th. Now, Panda runs continuously. I wrote a Hub about Google Panda and what it does if you're interested.
You know, I think the fact that Panda runs continuously only matters in terms of data refreshes, not updates.
Something definitely happened on May 9th. It wasn't just us, lots of sites got hit on the same day.
Just because Panda runs continuously doesn't mean Google won't make changes to its algorithm. The day they release this algorithmic change or update, SERP rankings are going to change, and sites are going to lose traffic or gain it. Just as we saw on May 9th.
What is different with Panda running continuously is that it no longer makes data refreshes on specific days (like once a month as it used to do before). What this means is that when you make a change to your site, say remove excess advertising or thin content, Panda should notice this as soon as your site is crawled. You don't have to wait for the next data refresh for changes to be recognised by Google. Theoretically.
To answer the original question, I'm not sure why you think the quantcast traffic is inconsistent with what Google says Panda does. Panda and penguin give a score to the whole domain, not to individual pages. The only inconsistency is if you expect the scores to be given to subdomains, rather than the whole domain.
It seems to me that Google isn't paying that much attention to the fact that HP has subdomains, and treats the whole site as one entity. Probably because of the extensive linking between the subdomains. I suspect this is why the subdomain solution was so successful when it was first introduced, but then stopped working. It seems to me that Google has changed the way it treats subdomains here.
I'm not convinced. My traffic doesn't follow the pattern on that graph and never has. I seem to go in the opposite direction, more often than not - or don't move at all!
You have to remember that when there's a Panda update and Hubbers lose traffic, they'll flock to the forums to vent - but you won't hear from those whose traffic isn't affected, or has improved. So it's easy to get the impression that when HubPages is hit, we're all hit - but in fact, that's not the case at all.
Hmmm your case does seem to disprove my theory. However, if the subdomains were truly independent, you would expect some of them to go down, and some to go up with a Panda change, so overall traffic would stay more or less constant.
So either your subdomain is behaving strangely, panda is not the only game in town, or there are a few subdomains that provide most of HP's traffic, and when they go down, quantcast traffic goes down, and vice versa.
I have to say my traffic closely follows the overall HP curve.
Another thing to consider is that Panda doesn't just affect us, but also our competitors. Our panda rating might remain the same, but if a competitor improves our traffic might go down. Perhaps you have very specific competitors since you write in a very specific niche?
OMG, I am going to go to sleep tonite with that image stuck in my head!
Actually if you look at my profile, I don't write in a specific niche on HubPages - I put most of my dance articles on my blog.
You're also assuming that mine is the only sub-domain that bucks the trend. It's not. There are many others - so I prefer the theory that some go up, and some go down. It certainly reflects my experience.
The link you posted talks about a manual penalty and a notification about unnatural links to the BBC. What does that have to do with Panda?
Anything else that isn't "factual" that you would like to discuss?
A person just starting out on Hubpages begins with zero traffic when they publish their first article. Say a year later they get a thousand views a day. If there is a G quota for traffic, that would imply others have lost traffic just because this new person gained traffic. It would also imply that there is some sort of cutoff point where you're no longer "new" and your traffic will drop simply to make room for new writers in the quota.
Granted, the HubPages community is very fluid. There are new writers who succeed, new writers who fail, old writers who give up and old writers who keep going strong. There's also the QAP factor now, where content is de-indexed and some authors are packing up and shipping out.
It's plausible that there is some kind of traffic balancing act going on, but it could very well be a product of all the changes going on here at HP and in the online content world in general rather than a conspiracy by G to punish the site. I think its counterproductive to speculate too much, since we'll never know. I'd rather think positive than assume there is some kind of conspiracy against my work.
As for the anomalies in the data, with my own traffic I almost always see a chip taken out of it every time some new algorithm rolls out or there is a major update. But it recovers within a week or so. My theory is that HP doesn't always fair so well when it comes to satisfying G's idealist notions, but in the reality of everyday user engagement and satisfaction a Hub is as good as any other page, and will rise accordingly. It takes a little time for things to reshuffle to where they ought to be after an update.
I have thought for some time that HP writers should not link to each others articles. For awhile, HP pushed this idea but I don't see the team doing that any more. The problem as I see it is if you link to an article that is not considered "authoritative", you have created a "bad" link, so to speak. Also, as people delete articles, leave HP or whatever, those links then become ruined, and this creates another set of problems. I really think we should all dump our links to each other's articles for these and other reasons, and stick to linking to well known, credible sources or link within our own articles where possible. This way, we are not damaging each other's subdomains but are strengthening our own.
That is quite true. But.....even if we don't link, there is a hell of a lot of interlinking done by the site itself, like the "related hubs" underneath each hub.
On the other hand, if there was no interlinking, then we wouldn't get the page rank flow to our articles, which might in fact make them rank worse. It would really be like writing on blogger, where each subdomain is pretty independent.
But, at least the links the site makes are dynamic, so if a hub is removed you don't end up with a bad link. Also I would hope that the QAP plays a role in choosing the hubs that are displayed underneath your hub.
I thought Google had largely discounted internal links. One reason why content sites plummeted.
I dislike the links to other authors content. It makes it less likely a reader will stay with me - resulting in a higher bounce rate and loss of potential income. Sure I get reads across from others but on balance I'd prefer to not have 101 reasons to leave me.
Hmmm, I've not really come across any writing on how Google treats internal links. So all thoughts about this are the product of my (not very bright) mind.
I would be surprised if there was ever a time the way Google treated external links the same way it did internal links. But......If you have an authoritative domain, that ranks well, and some pages have a lot more internal links, than other pages, then I would imagine Google thinks that these pages must be the important ones and ranks them better.
If you imagine an "organic" website, written to convey information by somebody who doesn't care about what Google thinks, it will have tiers of pages, depending on how detailed and important the information is. How that website is interlinked will tell Google which are the "main" pages, and it will try to send more traffic, for more general queries to it. So logical interlinking is still important to a site.
In the past Google said links to other sites with good information related to your keywords was a good thing. They are of benefit if they are good links only though. Just hope they aren't to poorly written pages.
How much power those links have to help or hurt depend on how search engines view the subdomains, which really isn't clear.
If they can indeed have a major impact, it stands to reason that not only linking between Hubs could have a positive/negative influence, but also any time we leave a comment on a Hub, answer a question or make a forum post. Those all create links to our subdomains. Should we be more judicious about whose Hubs we comment on, or whose questions we answer?
Either way it's almost a moot point, because HP has so many links built into the system that we're all forever entwined anyway.
I'm responding to the whole topic of linking to hubs written by other hubbers.
I am not writing in terms of SEO, but from a place of believing in offering my readers the best work we can offer and as a believer in win-win success.
I will continue to read articles by other hubbers, and link to excellent ones that are relevant to the topic of my own articles. That comes from who I am as a writer and what I believe about business success.
To the extent that Google succeeds in its expressed purpose for Panda, this will be beneficial.
I do like to keep people close to my own article, so I try to remember to edit the HTML and insert "target="_blank"" on those links (I think I got the syntax right), so readers see the new item, but don't lose my hub.
I hope other writers will do the same. I still believe that the long-term solution is to write articles people want to read, write lots of them, tie them together in sensible ways, and share the link juice!
If you are linking to external sites that have strong credibility, you are always much better off than linking internally to another author's hub, except in the instance where that author does indeed have strong credibility, such as in a doctor who writes about disease, etc. You should also remember that when you link to another author's hub, you are also, in effect, linking to that author and ALL of his hubs. So, if some are great and others not so good, the linking can damage you. The same is true if you link externally to a hub that does not have strong credibility.
1) Well, then, you've shown us the solution. Let's all be strong, credible professionals with a lot to offer, and share links.
2) To be clear on a technical point (remember I'm out of date): Does Google check a page's *outbound* links and increase or reduce page rank based on quality of the destination domain? If so, is it measuring the destination sub-domain (a particular hubber) or the destination domain (all of HubPages) in doing this assessment?
One thing we all know is Google is changing and continues to change. Each of the steps in the graph are Panda influenced in our opinion. We think the May 9th update was a Panda change as well. Penguin updates are usually a small ripple across the site.
I've questioned (behind the scenes to google) about whether subdomains are the optimal way for HubPages to be organized. Especially since we see such a huge percentage of urls show in the serps as hubpages.com only (google is ignoring the 301 - at least for display in the serps). Google's response has been not to switch back. Leave it as is. They have also advised other sites to spit their sites up by subdomains or sub directories so that they can better distinguish the low quality sites from the high (instead of viewing them as one large site).
We are confident that not all subdomains are treated the same. It's pretty clear that some go up and others go down. We also think Google's algorithms work at the page level, subdomain level, and at the domain level to a degree.
Google's been very consistent with us. Focus on quality. When I've asked about interlinking (related Hubs), and topic pages, they've suggested that authors focus on content quality not links.
So, why do we see these macro steps up and down with Panda updates. One idea is there is a high degree of correlation with the type of content Hubbers create and we know that the vast majority of featured Hubs are very close in quality. Perhaps we are all dancing on the line. From our perspective we would love to see more delineation between what content Google likes.
Others think that it's all about content thresholds. For example, if we were able to make HubPages 30% excellent, 40% good, 25% ok, and 5% poor, we would see traffic gains. This is somewhat similar to the first idea. If we could move a large portion of the OK Hubs to Excellent, that may get some panda relief.
Love to hear others thoughts on this.
Since Google has said there will be a softening of Panda this summer, our hope is the continued quality work will pay dividends.
Our view is there will be short term fluctuations, but to set the course for the future, our strategy is focused on original, long format, media rich Hubs. The antithesis of twitter. More robust than YouTube. I personally feel that HubPages succeeds when authors get the rewards (traffic, comments, earnings etc) for their information. When we deliver this, the community grows for the benefit of all.
Paul - thanks for your thoughts and questions. It's nice to have simple guidance from an expert.
On the item you wrote above, I still see a vast range in quality within featured hubs. Using just my own hubs as an example - over 100 featured - at the low end, we're talking 5 text capsules and 2 pictures. At the high end, we're talking at least Stellar (1150+ words, often a few thousand, 2 special capsules, and lots of photos). That is quite a range in both quality and also time-cost of production.
Figuring that's the range from ok up to good, it would be very useful to know if I'm better off producing a lot of good hubs, or maybe 1/3 as many hubs, but making all my new hubs excellent. (Rough guess, it takes 3 times longer to produce an excellent hub vs. a good hub.
Lastly, when you say "we" and "us," who's the "we"? I know from your profile page that you're one of the founders of HubPages. But I don't know if you're still involved at a corporate level, or whether you were writing as a hubber or offering a statement from HubPages.
Update the best hubs and make new hubs to create new winners. Clearly, there is a significant variation in how much traffic all excellent Hubs get.
Thanks - I'll focus like that.
Paul E has argued that the step changes in traffic are cause by Google's Panda raising the bar. This means that more of the lower ranking pages don't make it and traffic drops. This would be a universal bar raising applying to all sites.
I think that this probably occurs, BUT there is something else going on. There is evidence that Google applies changes in ranking for individual sites, perhaps based on an algo. What this means is that it reassesses HP in Google's eyes and says " Overall their quality is still not as good as their competitors" so we will lower their ranking a bit from 85 to 79. "Squidoo has improved and they don't have so much junk so their weighting will go up from 65 to 71". These weightings are applied to all SUBS and all articles on HP, so that they all, irrespective of quality score, have less chance of appearing in the SERPS and their rank on the SERP pages is lowered.
If Paul E's theory was correct then the loss of traffic would only be for the poorer quality pages. This is not my experience. When HP's traffic drops 20%, my traffic also drops say 15%. But the loss applies to most of my Hubs, not just the poor quality ones or the ones that got little traffic before the change.
This is evidence that Google adjusts the weighting it gives to HP and to the subs based on its overall assessment of site 'quality' in its eyes. The weightings are applied on a site by site basis using some site algo. There is definite evidence of individual site targeting by Google, for penalties etc. So Google is not just changing the threshold it is changing the ability of all pages in a domain to compete. This change in overall weighting would better explain the consistent step changes in traffic.
I think it's a lot to do with content quality thresholds, both across the site as a whole and for individual subdomains. I also wonder if you've seen any step changes in traffic for specific topic areas? You may not want to answer that in case people are discouraged from writing on particular topics here (!), but it seems to me that the breadth of topics/keyword phrases that have the opportunity to do well on a site like HP reduces with each Panda update. As other niche specific sites are given more content authority by Google and in turn get better SERP placements, it's only natural that other sites will go down accordingly.
However, I still wonder if the automatic links to other hubs can hurt us, especially if any accidental reciprocal links were to happen. I know for a fact that we see unrelated hubs linked - I guess something triggers a hub as a potential link & the filter isn't always on target.
@janerson99 I don't think you're interpreting what I'm trying to say quite right.
I don't think it's "raising the bar" as opposed to changing the algo in some way.
I put out a few possibilities as to why we see steps up and down.
- The content is so similar that Google assesses it fairly uniformly across the site. So, it looks like a domain wide issue, but correlation doesn't mean causation.
- The distribution of quality is too close to the line where Panda sits for the subs or domain. That's why we see step ups and down.
In the May 9th update these sites also saw losses. Their profile is pretty different than ours.
No worries! A can't really understand what you mean.
"If we could move a large portion of the OK Hubs to Excellent, that may get some panda relief."
The poblem is that HP does not have enough excellent ones, the quality is very even across the site and so small Panda changes have a big impact.
Also, that Panda imposes a site specific penalty or rating that is not a universal one, and that sites with very different profiles can be penalised for different reasons at different times.
See I interpreted this to say that the QAP rating of a vast number of hubs is for example 6 (just because that might/or might not be the threshold). Paul thinks that a lot of the site sits on the "panda threshold".
So Google might make a small change, and suddenly the penalty is lifted. On the other hand, they make another small change, and we are under the water and penalised again. At least this is how I understood it.
One possibility could be to raise the bar in the QAP even higher, say to 7, but I think that would cause too many hubs to become de-indexed and the site would lose too much content, and money. I remember, when there was this idea that the QAP threshold would be 8, Melissa saying that very of the hubs she rated made it to 8.
Another solution is for the good writers to write more "8" or higher hubs, thus bringing the overall quality higher.
All this makes perfect sense........except that what Google says about wanting quality really doesn't correspond to what I see in the SERPs. My long, in depth, multi imaged hub about something I am "passionate" about is outranked by a 20 word wiki answers thing, and a youtube thing which is a slide of pixellated photos!
No matter what Youtube videos are going to be rated higher than ours, just because Youtube is owned by Google. I've been running into Pinterest boards showing up in the searches before websites. That is a little crazy. I don't want to click on photos on a Pinterest board. I want info.
I don't want to be mean, but you simply cannot say this kind of thing without any evidence.
Paul E said it - I was just summarizing. HP has the data!
"For example, if we were able to make HubPages 30% excellent, 40% good, 25% ok, and 5% poor, we would see traffic gains. This is somewhat similar to the first idea. If we could move a large portion of the OK Hubs to Excellent, that may get some panda relief. "
Scanning quickly... I read Excellent as Excrement.
Paul is reporting other people's speculations. I've no idea if they have any evidence. You clearly have none.
What I can offer as (admittedly feeble) evidence is that whenever people complain about sudden traffic loss I go and look at their subs and there is almost always some very obvious problem.
Weird, SEO-freak titles (declining in popularity, mercifully).
In terms of internal links, aren't we always led to believe that Wikipedia is the model?
When it comes to external links, however, the most reliable rarely rank (reliable as in studies and data). I've linked to sites that are completely ignored by Google, but IMHO and for what it's worth, are far more trustworthy than many of the nonsense sites that Google rank.
So which way should we go with this?
This will be very unpopular, and I'm sure it will not be implemented, but it seems to me that the only way to raise the average quality of the site, is to raise the bar in the QAP for new content.
Lets say the threshold for featuring right now is 6 (That's what Simone said it was). If I understand what Paul says correctly the average QAP grade of HP overall is not much higher than that, say 6.4 (I'm making these numbers up, I have no special insight).
Paul also seems to think that an overall quality of just above 6 is Panda's threshold. If we could raise the average quality to 7, we would be insulated from Panda changes and would (most probably) not be penalised.
The easiest way to raise average grade would be to raise the featuring threshold to 7, but I suspect that would mean de-indexing so much content that the pruning would kill the tree. But if you require new stuff to be higher than 7 to be featured, you would raise the average quality. If you leave the threshold at 6, then you will keep getting a hell of a lot of hubs that are 6, and the average will stay the same.
It's all good telling people that they should aim for an 8, but I bet you most hubbers don't read the blog or the forum, and are only vaguely aware of this stuff.
You could always give people some sort of incentive to write particularly high quality hubs. I guess this is what the 'stellar' contest was supposed to do.
Maybe a new page to display hubs that are 8 or above (or 9 or above depending on numbers). Sort of like hub of the day? If getting on that page ensured higher traffic from hubbers, and a nice link from a high PR page, people might try to get on it.
I agree. I checked the QAP levels. 6 means barely able to form a coherent thought - should not be allowed outside without a carer. We can do better than that.
I agree - if HP wants to truly be a site known for high quality content, the standards should be high, not mediocre. I have still seen very amateurish or flawed writing in published hubs in the past few weeks (including in new hubs that have passed the QAP). I am not sure what the "Lovely Indian Auntie" hubs do to us, in terms of Google. I know they get hits (money is money, I guess), but is that at the expense of higher rankings and more robust traffic for the site as a whole?
I like the idea. It might work.
You also have to look at the time of year. Most of these Panda changes seem to happen in late spring when less people are online. When the weather warms up people get outside to garden, do yard work and outdoor activities. Over the summer traffic always declines no matter if Google has made changes or not.
When you write you have to realize it's feast or famine, some months are good and some bad. Just like squirrels, you have to store your nuts away when there is plenty and do other things or live sparingly when writing income is lean. Keep writing, editing and weeding out the bad articles/hubs and carry on.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket or in other words don't rely on one source of income.
I have never seen anyone so naturally be able to fit so many sayings into one post. That was kind of impressive.
@Marisa Wright - Yep, with each panda update some go up, some down, some stay the same. We have had very little conclusive data other than Hubs by authors in non english speaking countries were more likely to lose traffic.
@aa lite - I believe you asked about category traffic changes. They almost always follow the same pattern as the overall site.
It is interesting that most of Marisa's hubs don't appear in the SERPS via subdomain. Several others, with older hubs, have suggested that hubs tied to the HP URL may be more stable with traffic, and vaccinated against Panda. It there any evidence of this?
@jandrson99 I've asked Google about this many times. They say it's intentional. Lots of older hubs show in the serps as hubpages.com. However, they are not immune to panda.
Will Aspe's comments in several Forum Topics have gotten me to think about what is truly necessary to pull HubPages out of the doldrums. I think we have to come up with unique viewpoints and original slants to the content in our Hubs. Rehashing existing web content isn't enough any more. I've been trying to think of ways to do that with some of the ones that I've been working on for future publication.
I'm trying to act more like a journalist an less like a student writing a paper. I've figured out some interesting topics, that aren't overly saturated and I've been interviewing people to move the narrative along. That way I can add a professional edge to my work that might not be found elsewhere on the Internet on these topics. I'm sure I'll come up with other ways to provide truly original work.
The HubPages Ad program is the perfect way to monetize this because it doesn't require that I put products on the page to make money. Although I might add a few if they are directly related.
Those would be the first pages scraped and copied. Better to work on improving the site in general.
I used to have consistent traffic that was higher and now I have consistent traffic that is lower. I didn't sign on nearly three years ago to make a lot of money, although that would be a sweet perk. This is probably one of the most interesting forums that helps inform about the behaviors of the hubs and traffic, etc. And since I have a daughter getting married this summer, I haven't had time to focus on all the reasons why this, that or the other right now, so thanks for this forum.
Aw, congratulations! My son is getting married in Sept. I would imagine your experience is a lot more involved than mine.
Thanks, same to you! I miss writing in the Hubs more, but life is crazy until July, so I pop in off and on to at least read some.
I hope it's stress free and beautiful for you all. Enjoy it.
So I'm going completely out the box here, and I hope Paul's still checking in, because I want to play devil's advocate and challenge a few basic assumptions (not for the first time, either!) I'm making these points as a person who holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and Marketing and who has been on HP for a little over a year, with a total of around 130 hubs under my belt, four of which have been selected as HotD at one point or another. I also completed the second AP before the many changes that were made.
Challenge 1: Google's rankings are based on quality of material.
What the heck does this even mean? Proper English usage, grammar, and composition? Or does it mean popularity, regardless of writing quality? Maybe (and I suspect most likely) Google measures quality by its ability to gain advertisers, the PPC it can charge those advertisers, and indirectly, the number of click-throughs on their advertised links. Despite Google's outstanding public relations that has the public duped into thinking Google is all about providing the public with what the public wants, it did not become a multi-billion (with a B!) company by simply doing good works. It's sole purpose is to generate sales. Why would Google have a need to update algorithms if not to induce more revenue by increasing opportunities for advertisers and greater sales results than those advertisers can get elsewhere?
Challenge 2: Algorithm changes are done to protect users / produce more efficient search results.
Google doesn't want to spend on unproductive ads. Actual search result quality is more cluttered than ever these days by top rankings with maps, videos, etc. than actually finding the particular text a user's looking for - something that used to be performed with Boolean searches.
Continuing to think as if I were a Google exec (ha!), it would be really dumb of me to spend $100 to get $20 worth of revenue, especially if that same $100 could net me $1,000 elsewhere. I'm coming to believe this is the real reason behind algorithm shifts - to channel the ads where they produce the best outcomes. This month, maybe "swimsuits" are producing more ad revenue than "jackets," so Google adjusts their algorithms to capitalize on this. But that's not the only type of adjustment that might need to be made. Perhaps there is a new flood of advertisers coming into the marketplace. The real estate market's picked up, and suddenly there are thousands of new real estate agents across the country clamoring to make a name for themselves. That requires a slightly different adjustment. Costs of channels themselves - video vs. articles vs. direct website sales of products - would also be a factor.
So many factors make up a marketplace. There are seasonal adjustments, permanent adjustments as some things become obsolete, and preference adjustments as tastes change and fads rise and fall. Then there are economic factors that influence how much is spent by consumers and advertisers, and how they allocate their spending. (Why did Google acquire YouTube? Because video readily hits those consumers who don't have the attention span to read, and it represented an advertising channel Google could capitalize on.) Ok, I'll stop here, except to say that what Google's concerned about has nothing to do with subdomains and everything to do with revenue, which is why they're not giving straight answers and say only, "Don't bother changing."
Challenge 3: High quality, evergreen hubs are best.
I am sure we all agree to this, yet many people will attest that seasonal topics sell best for them. But the key here is less about evergreen than it is about micro-targeting the consumer. How many readers do you actually convert into paying customers? Related question: Can you keep 'em coming back and spending more?
There are two routes to making money on the web - self-promotion or the more passive way, relying on search engine traffic. Companies like Coca-Cola have huge budgets to ensure that they capture both the web traffic AND direct-to-consumer dollars. Most of us rely on search engine traffic, which produces a pretty low amount of sales as we compete against other, similar sites to a buyer who clicks the top few results and then goes on about their way. To succeed this way, it's not just necessary to rank high, it's also necessary to convert visitors into buyers. For those of us who write just because they enjoy it, great, but if we want to convert, we have to have an understanding of how to do it, and we have to have the tools to get it done.
There are some topics that lend themselves naturally toward conversion and others that require much more persuasion before someone will open their wallet and grab a credit card. Overall, the number of topics on HP that do NOT lend themselves naturally toward conversion far outrank the ones that do. A book review with a testimonial about how it changed my life will prove more effective than trying to sell jewelry because the Crown diamond sold for a record price. Higher priced items require more persuasion, which is a fine art in itself.
1. Create more interaction from users. They should be able to ask questions and respond to info in hubs in an engaging, dynamic way. A comments box after the article is just plain boring and doesn't really add meaningful value, but a social tool that let user comments get posted in varied fonts in the margins next to text they select in the hub's body, so that it temporarily becomes part of the page, could not only keep content fresher, but also help users engage and connect. Right now, we talk AT users instead of WITH them. This is the kiss of death in the new social media web that has emerged over the last few years if you ask me!
2. Reward users who make purchases by creating a widget that asks them if they'd like to get recognized on the page for their purchase or asks them if they'd like to tell the world why they made the purchase they made. If they say yes, their testimonials could be added in a sidebar next to the Amazon or Google link modules. People LOVE seeing their names published!
3. Create more direct streams of revenue. Zazzle's now advertising on HP, but as writers, we could benefit from referring Zazzle products for sale or offering our own. This opens up a world of possibilities for hub topics that aren't easily featured now, such as one that features postage stamps of fighter planes or.... whatever can be imagined.
4. Adjust QAP to determine what is "promotional enough" without being spammy. Or educate writers on how to convert. Or both.
HP's traffic looks like it's dropping to its lowest point in several years, judging from the links provided earlier in the thread (adjusted for a longer time period.) The big picture is about a lot more than algorithm changes, and it's certainly about more than quality, but I'll be honest, I feel like HP just isn't "getting it" because I have only heard about changes on these same old ineffective themes for the last year.
On the whole I agree with this, but will offer just one thought. Google's search engine and adsense, although supposed to be separate, are inextricably intertwined. Advertisers use the SE to target their ads, and I have no doubt that google changes SE ranking based on the ads there.
Having said that, google then needs their SE to maintain the adsense end of the business; the end that earns them their money. If google loses traffic to their search engine (vs Bing, Yahoo or whatever else) they lose money.
And it is here where quality matters - that SE must return what the reader wants. In the long run, then, it is the reader that will determine the quality of an article, not google. Google will try to match the SE to what the reader views as quality, and we will try to match what google does, but it is ultimately the reader doing the deciding.
So quality DOES matter, at least as much as conversion, but it is quality as decided by the reader, interpreted by google, re-interpreted by HP, and finally again by the author. For instance, I try to write my hubs aimed at tradesmen in language they will understand and accept regardless of grammar and pretty charts. I don't particularly care how HP rates it (as long as it is featured), but I do hope that google will eventually figure out that those hubs are "better" because readers keep coming to them rather than to an academic article on the same subject.
If I'm successful, google will decide those hubs are of a higher "quality" than other articles, but that will be because the readers have voted with their mouse. And google, within parameters of maximizing their own income, will place the hub high on the SERP. As advertisers trust google's judgement, google's efforts to maximize their income becomes less of a factor than the readers opinion.
We're saying the same thing, except that I highlighted that we don't know what Google interprets as quality: accuracy, depth, popularity, conversion, or a mix of these?
For all we know, they roll dice. It certainly seems that way some times.
It is almost certainly a mix of those as well as a dozen other things. Time on page, for example should be a good indication of the value of a page to the reader and I would expect google to include that in their algorithm. They're still pushing for the "+" button, too, and that's another indication of how the reader felt about the page.
There is no one size fits all. It's going to completely depend on the type of search query and the demographic of the searcher.
Should we dump internal links to placate the Panda?
The new Google Panda update has hurt sites than contain internal links. I have a lot of these, to my own hubs in the same niche. Would it be a good idea to get rid of these?Personally, I like internal links when they lead a reader to a similar topic.


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The Reviled: The Power Of Hope (Dark Fey Book 1) and millions of other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
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The Reviled has absolutely everything you could want from an epic fantasy adventure. - K.C. Finn, Readers' Favorite
Ayla has an exceptional combination of magical gifts: empathic telepathy, discernment, and the gift of healing.
Gairynzvl was abducted by The Reviled at the age of seven, and suffered cruel neglect, abuse and deprivation - a process designed to turn childfey from the Light.
Now, fifteen years later, he is a Dark One who lingers in the shadows, trying to communicate with Ayla.
Through her extraordinary gifts and against all odds, Ayla listens to him when no others will, and touches his pain.
Dark Fey: The Reviled is an epic fantasy filled with mystery, magic and romance. It shares the inspiration of hope, the resilience of love, and the power of forgiveness through a tale that is rich with beauty and horror alike.
Winner, 2016 Readers Favorite 5-Star Review & Recommendation
Winner, 2016 New Apple Award for Excellence in Fantasy
Winner, 2017 Golden Book Award for Readers Choice and Judges Selection
Winner, 2017 Book of the Year by Fresh Lifestyle Magazine
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Soulbound (The Return of the Elves) (Volume 1)
Bethany Adams
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5 stars! Reviewed By K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
The Reviled is a young adult fantasy novel by Cynthia A. Morgan and the first book of the Dark Fey series. There are worlds of light and darkness coexisting alongside one another in this lavish fantasy world, and the story initially focuses on the world of the Light Loving Fey. This domain of fairy kind contains both Ayla and Mardan. Ayla is a guardian whose mission is to soothe the pain of others with her incredible powers, whilst Mardan leads a somewhat solitary life as a Celebrant. As the pair grow closer, however, Ayla senses a darkness growing among The Reviled, creeping in the shadows of her world. Unsure of how much to share with Mardan, Ayla worries for the fate of Jyndari as the darkness approaches.
For fantasy and fey fans, The Reviled has absolutely everything you could want in an epic fantasy adventure. Our two central characters are superbly well developed and engaging to read about, but Cynthia A. Morgan's expansion of the world around them is what really captivated me. Jyndari is an exotic world with deep detailing and a delicate balance between dark and light. The emotional spectrum of Ayla's journey is rich and harrowing, taking us into the deepest corners of her incredible mind as she senses the dark fey lurking at every turn. The mystery of what he wants from her is well spun out to an exciting and satisfying conclusion. Overall, I'd highly recommend The Reviled to fans of young adult fantasy and fey stories.
Series: Dark Fey (Book 1)
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (March 29, 2016)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,962,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
#52363 in Paranormal & Urban Fantasy (Books)
#22083 in Mythology & Folk Tales (Books)
#33297 in Epic Fantasy (Books)
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dark fey cynthia morgan good and evil light fey light and dark highly recommend looking forward forward to reading recommend to anyone fantasy genre next installment young adult beautifully written writing style turning the pages mystical realm recommend it to fans battle between good well done really enjoyed
Joss Landry
5.0 out of 5 starsMorality. A depth of Characters. Fast moving.
Wow, is my first word. Cynthia A Morgan renders a beautiful story while the characters live and breathe as though they are right next to us. This story is well-worth the late night read, even with my busy day beginning at the crack of dawn.
The fantasy tale grabs you from the first page and pulls you into the world of Fey. Dark Fey and Fey of Light.
The people we meet are gentle and honed in the arts of casting their thoughts while exercising compassion and friendship to all.
AylaYna lives in the land of the Fey of Light and is educated by scholars because of the gifts she possessed at birth. She practices incantations and magic that Elders hide from other Fey.
Later in life, she meets up with Mardan a male fey who promises friendship and more, should Ayla wish to receive this.
I found the language the author uses does an excellent job with the tone, the voice and the phraseology that portrays how the Fey react, what they might say, and how they might express themselves.
A Dark Fey crosses Ayla's path one day and begins to unravel danger, excitement, testing her curiosity as well as her strength and acceptance. Her friend Nayna doesn't understand why she won't report the intrusion to the Elders. Somehow, Ayla doesn't know herself why she waits for the voice of a stranger to echo softly inside her head and misses him when she no longer feels his presence.
A must read for anyone who loves the fantasy genre. Quite tame, and superbly done, I know you will enjoy this novel.
4.0 out of 5 starsFantasy Tale of the Light and Dark Fey
For me this book got off to kind of a rough start. I felt there was a little too much expository writing, and the balance between what the author was telling me about her lead character versus what she was showing me seemed off. But as the book wore on, I got increasingly pulled into the story.
The world-building is well done in the sense that the author has clearly spent a lot of time in this fantasy realm, thinking through every facet of it. The lore between the dark and the light fey is fun, and promises plenty of conflict, which the story ultimately delvers on.
Feeling worlds apart even from her own kind, the light fey, our heroine endures what a lot of teens endure: conflicting emotions of feeling on the one hand freaky, and on the other hand, special. So I could see this tale playing well to a teen audience. All the more considering there's plenty of young love with all the insecurities and awkwardness that comes into play with that.
With the relationship story often overpowering the drama between the light and the dark fey, this story may play better to female readers (especially of romance) and young men seeking to know what goes on in their girlfriend's minds. But reversing the typical A and B-stories as the author does also adds a fair amount of suspense, as we wait anxiously for the conflicts between the light and dark fey to unspool and play out. And that in turn may play to a broader audience.
Brienne Dubh - Escapology Reviews
4.0 out of 5 starsA magical tale that I would recommend to anyone who loves all things Fey
Welcome to the world of the Fey and the mystical realm of Jyndari.
Alya is a light Fey who has special gifts. Tutored as a child at the temples by the elders of her kind she has never quite fit in with the regular fey and finds it hard to socialize with others except for her one trusted friend. Alya chooses to use her gifts as one of the Guardians by protecting the clildfey form the ever present threat of the dark fey.
Alya is introduced to Marden who is a light fey that understands and to a degree lives the same solitary life as Alya. He shows interest in her straight away and the two become close though something seems to be holding her back.
When she suddenly senses the presence of a dark fey she is intrigued as well as frightened by him. She isn't sure if he is there for her or there to claim a childfey. However after many visits the dark fey still hasn't revealed himself to her, made an attempt to attack her or tried steal a clildfey. So what does he want?
This is a great magical story and the light and dark fey are different from a lot of the fey in other stories. In the beginning we are introduced to this new Fey world and their practices. There is a lot of detail that paints a full picture of this beautiful and delicate world. I did feel that there was a little too much information as it took longer than I would have liked to get into the meat of the story but it didn't take away from the story itself in the end.
I really enjoyed this authors writing style and I was pulled along with the characters in every emotional direction they went. I'm not a massive fan of the Tinkerbelle type fairy as I do love stories that have a darker edge to them but his book managed to give the reader both sides and balanced them beautifully. It is not only about light and dark but truth and acceptance, forgiveness and loyalty, love and pain. Now invested in the realm of Jyndari and the Fey who live there, I'm very much looking forward to the next installment.
A magical tale that I would recommend to anyone who loves all things Fey.
I rate this 7 out of 10. Very good, would definitely recommend a long soak with this one.
Reviewed by Brienne Dubh @ Escapology Reviews
Marilyn J. Collier
5.0 out of 5 starsFairy Lovers Alert: A tale of good and evil for all Fairy lovers
The tale starts with a young fairy named Ayla who possesses special talents. Her younger years were lonely as the Elders trained her in the Temple. She is now in her late teen years and has a friend while watching the young fey, the name for the young fairies. There will be the handsome, charming love interest, but some force from the Darkness keeps pulling at her. Her world in the world of light and goodness, but all know of the Dark Fey who steal the young and convert them. The darkness is feared and guarded against lest the Dark Fey break through at night for their evil deeds. Ayla has fallen in love with the charming male fairy, but cannot reveal the depth of her feelings for the unknown. What happens when a young Dark Fey breaks through into her world is for you to discover.
This item: The Reviled (Dark Fey)
Standing in Shadows (Dark Fey)
Cynthia A. Morgan
Breaking Into The Light (Dark Fey) (Volume 3)

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Waqf
Is Waqf Mentioned in the Quran?
By Shabana Binte Mahmoodul Hasan
Don't believe it? Yes, it's true! There is no direct mentioned of waqf in the Quran. Instead, waqf which refers to a religious endowment i.e. a voluntary and irrevocable dedication of one's wealth or a portion of it – in cash or kind, and its disbursement for Shariah compliant projects is mentioned in several hadiths (traditions of Prophet Muhammad pbuh). One of the more prominent hadith is about the land owned by Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (r.a.) in Khaybar. According to the narration, Sayyidina Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (r.a.) got a land in Khaybar and so he went to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asking for advice about it. The Prophet (pbuh) then advised him to make the property inalienable and give the proceeds to charity. This instruction is a clear form of waqf. Apart from the above, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in another hadith again mentioned about waqf. According to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), "When a man dies, only three deeds will survive him: continuing alms, profitable knowledge and a child praying for him." It is noteworthy to highlight that waqf is a form of continuing alms.
Importance of Waqf
Even though there is no direct injunction of waqf in the Quran, one must not undermine its importance, especially when it creates great benefits for both the endower and society. From the perspective of the endower, through waqf creation, an important and pious deed will survive the endower till after his/her death. Apart from reviving the sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), the establishment of waqf can also help to offer support to the community and endower. Finally as waqf donations can also be made in the name of a deceased person, the continuous reward achieved through waqf will greatly benefit the deceased person.
Advantages of Waqf for the Endower
From the perspective of society, waqf is seen as an essential pillar of the religion, social, cultural, scientific, economic and political life of the Islamic society, which will eventually lead to sustainable development. Waqf is seen as a long-term investment for the overall community with continued benefits. Finally with successful implementation of waqf, both society empowerment and poverty alleviation will be achieved.
Advantages of Waqf for the Society
Waqf Innovations
To further revitalize the waqf system, innovations have taken place. Some innovative mechanisms founded upon revitalizing the waqf system include cash waqf, waqf-shares, corporate waqf, waqf sukuk etc. Global Sadaqah also practices waqf innovation as waqf can now be performed online through its platform. Recently through the Global Sadaqah platform, waqf can be performed online for the successful development of the Baytuna Residence (social housing development in Indonesia) musollah.
Selected Examples of Innovative Waqf
Eventhough there is no direct injunction of waqf in the Qur'an; one must not undermine its importance. This is because through waqf, both societal and economic developments are achieved. Admittedly, there are some limitations in the overall waqf system; these are somehow addressed through the development of innovative waqf mechanisms. It is also hoped that through waqf innovations, some of the waqf potentials that have yet to be tapped can now be tapped upon. Finally, if utilised properly and effectively, waqf can be regarded as a highly effective platform for sustainable economic growth and an important mechanism for wealth distribution.
You may also want to read:
Ramadan Challenge with Global Sadaqah Campaigns
Walking Through Waqf - Part 1
I'tikaf - Spiritual Retreat
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Q.What is the difference between the getRequestDispatcher(String path) method of ServletRequest interface and ServletContext interface?
context.getRequestDispatcher("/jsp/jsppage.jsp") is valid but not context.getRequestDispatcher("./jsp/jsppage.jsp"). that is it can not evaluate a path other than context root.


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Ann Otto
Progressive Women
I just finished reading Noon at Tiffany's again. I read the historical biographical novel by Echo Heron when it was published in 2012. Clara Pierce Wolcott Driscoll Booth (1861-1944) was from Tallmadge, Ohio. Her well-preserved house is still occupied on a hill, barely visible next to a busy roundabout. Clara was a talented artist who designed many of the early Tiffany windows, lamps and other items. But no one ever knew because Louis Comfort Tiffany insisted on taking the credit.
Gender Issues 1910
Despite suffragette activities, women had few rights in the early 1900's. They were often depicted in literature as weak, dutiful, and inferior to men. But by 1910, women's education was progressing. The first generation of women began entering professions. Most were from the middle class or prosperous social backgrounds and were interested in social issues. Anna, a main character in Yours in a Hurry(YIAH) is upset over the New York City shirt waist factory fire in which many women perished. She likes Theodore Roosevelt's 1912 Bull Moose platform, in part, because of his stand on social issues which would help women and families.
Daeida "Ida" Beveridge, developer of Hollywood and property owner in her own right, found that American women in the West had more rights than those in the East, as confirmed in 1912 when California's women achieved the right to vote.
Common threads in Clara's and Anna's Stories
I'd forgotten how similar Clara's story was to Anna's. Both came from small Ohio farm communities. Both professionals had supportive siblings. Both were disappointed by a manipulative man. Clara was lucky enough not to marry that particular man and have a child, which is what happens to Anna.
Like journalist and aviator Harriet Quimby, discussed in an earlier blog, Clara has to continually prove that she is intellectually equal to the men in her profession. Unfortunately Clara can't take credit for her successes as Harriet can. Harriet's singular popularity was not appreciated by the suffragettes. She felt that action and individual achievement—not public group action—was the way for women to make their point.
Both Harriet's and Clara's reputations were often in question when working in male-dominated professions. There were rumors about Clara and Mr. Tiffany, and according to the letters Echo Heron saw he appeared to have had those intentions. Tales of Harriet's possible affairs with another aviator, John Moisant, her manager, and even her friend, D.W. Griffith are still around. Her biographer, Gia Bradley Koontz, found no proof.
Biographies and historical novels about women of the 1890-early 1900's abound. Please share your favorites by replying on this blog or on Facebook, Twitter or Google. You can also post them on the great Facebook group page, the Historical Novel Society.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/politics-reform/essays/women-and-progressive-movement
Goldin, Claudia. 1980. The work and wages of single women,1870-1920. Journal of Economic History 40(1): 81-88. on the Harvard University site http://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/2643864/Golding_WorkWages.pdf?sequence=2
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Next time: Barbara Tuchman's Guns of August still a great seller
Ann Otto Author
Little Cities Of Black Diamonds
Thomas Wolfe


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Contact: D. Anthony Robinson, President, Green Fairy Studios LLC, anthony@greenfairystudios.com
SEATTLE, WA – Green Fairy Studios LLC, an independent tabletop game publisher in Seattle, releases their second card game, Lygari!™, on DriveThruCards.com.
Following the success of their first card game, Fairy Rade™, as a Print On Demand (POD) title offered via DriveThruCards.com, Green Fairy Studios LLC has released their second card game as a POD title as well. Lygari!™ is a bluffing card game for 3-6 players, where each player takes the role of one of the Einherjar, the spirits of Viking warriors, in Valhalla, boasting about their quests in their former lives. Players make claims to defeating various types of creatures from Norse myth, but may lie about which cards they have played. Other players must judge when to call each other a "Lygari," a liar.
Lygari!™ is the second in a series of games to be published by Green Fairy Studios that explores various ancient myths, including Norse, Celtic, Greek, and others.
"We hope these smaller card games can help us raise funds for some of the bigger projects we have in mind," said Anthony Robinson, President of Green Fairy Studios LLC. "We have a really interesting setting in mind, and look forward to showing off more hints about it through each of our smaller games."
More information about Green Fairy Studios LLC is available on their web site at http://www.greenfairystudios.com. Lygari!™ is available on DriveThruCards.com at http://www.drivethrucards.com/product/176772/Lygari?affiliate_id=319468


Good news for foreign parents and grandparents who planning to Immigrate to Canada. Concerned liberals promulgated that they would increase the applications quota of parent and grandparents to 10,000 in the coming immigration program that is about to open on 4 Jan 2016.
However, no specific oaths have been made in how the applications quota are easily met each year. As of 1 April 2015 statistics, it was found that around 68,000 parents and grandparents were found in the waiting room for Canada's immigration. Moreover, no one had any idea on the count of applications to be granted each year and their waiting times. Reportedly, the Canadian government has planned to put forth the requests that it is going to accept in 2016.
Sources noted that the first priority will be given only to certain overseas individuals with Canadian work experience or Canadian education. These foreigners are given the priority because if their potential work experience that they have in the province. Moreover, overseas applicants who do not have the valid Canadian education or work experience are also eligible for lodging the application, only if they meet the minimum criteria of work experience, language proficiency, age and education.
While prospective Parents and Grandparents can Migrate to Canada for their dream under the listed economic streams, which many individuals do not. But the only requirements that they are suggested to meet is that they must and should have the qualified sponsors in Canada. And the sponsors are recommended to qualify certain financial tests and make the required commitments for the same, said the sources.
Sources have also stated that Canadian government has set to improve its target of economic immigrants, by maintaining the percentage of parents and grandparents between 6% and 7%.


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Europe: Home
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Eastern Europe Open Access
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Geography and Local Sites
Associations/Organizations
The Council of Europe
The Council of Europe was founded in 1949 for the purposes of working towards European integration and consists of 47 member states. Distinct from the European Union, the Council of Europe focuses on legal standards, human rights issues, democratic development and cultural cooperation.
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
Security touches on many aspects of the way we live and are governed. The OSCE's comprehensive view of security covers three "dimensions": the politico-military; the economic and environmental; and the human.
European Data Portal
The European Data Portal harvests the metadata of Public Sector Information available on public data portals across European countries.
Agriculture and Rural Development at the European Commission
It is made up of 13 Directorates dealing with all aspects of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) including farm support, market measures, rural development policy, quality policy, financial and legal matters, analysis and evaluation as well as international relations relating to agriculture.
Open Society - Europe
The activities of the Open Society Foundations in Europe focus on bolstering well-entrenched democracies while building up less stable ones, promoting minority inclusion in policymaking, supporting good governance and accountability, advancing education and public health reform, and helping societies adjust to European integration.
European Union Foreign & Security Policy
Comparative Education Society in Europe (CESE)
German Institute for International Educational Research (DIPF)
A Concise History of Modern Europe: Liberty, Equality, Solidarity by David S. Mason
The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern Europe by Timothy C. W. Blanning (Editor)
European Foreign Policy: does Europe still matter? by Christopher Hill (Editor); Karen Elizabeth Smith (Editor)
Pioneers of European Integration and Peace, 1945-1963 by Sherrill Brown Wells
About this guide...
This guide is meant to supplement two international guides. They are International Relations and International Studies. Those guides have more information intended for comparisons of countries and regions. . For general information see :
Library of Congress European Collections
Elections in Europe 1815-1996 by Daniele Caramani
The Societies of Europe is an 8-title series of historical data handbooks and accompanying CD-ROM sets on the development of Europe from the nineteenth to the twentieth century.
Europe's Energy Portal - EU .
A hub for information related to the European Union and energy; includes statistics
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EUROPARC Federation
The voice of Europe's protected areas.
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Publications and statistics about health in Europe.
European Industrial Observatory Online
Database containing over 8,000 records from 1997 to present of news articles, comparative studies, reviews, analyses, and issues of the EIRO bulletin providing information on industrial relations in Europ
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Business information service that supplies daily news and policy, legislation, economic data, and job information pertaining to the European Union. Searchable by topic, region, or country.
EUR-Lex: Portal to European Union Law
EUR-Lex provides direct free access to European Union law. Here you can consult the Official Journal of the European Union as well as the treaties, legislation, case-law and legislative proposals. You can also use the extensive search facilities available on EUR-Lex.
Newspapers from Around the World
See Historical Newspapers from Around the Globe. (Americas are in process.)
AtoZ World Business is the world's most comprehensive country-by-country resource for success in international business and trade. AtoZ World Business consists of 100 Country Business Guides of 108 topics each and 76 World Trade Resources
Polis : The Starting Point to European Politics
Daily news items on Europeanpolitics with links to other sources, plus links to relevant websites arranged by subject category. Links show twin emphases on the European Union and the democratic political institutions worldwide.
European and World Values Surveys:
Comparison of European and global values on variety of topics
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Links to Internet sites with resources about Eastern Europe.
European Union portal site. Contains information about the governing body and member nations such as statistics, opinion polls, financial and advisory boards, links to institutions, and current legislation.
European Union: challenges and promises of a new enlargement / edited by Anca Pusca. by Anca Pusca (Editor)
The European Union by Norris Smith (Editor)
What Next: How to Get the Best From Brexit by Daniel Hannan
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URL: https://libguides.msmary.edu/Europe
Subjects: Foreign Languages, History, Political Science


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Arrested Development Season 4 Watch: Episode 10 - Queen B
Published: May. 27. 2013 1:52 PM
Netflix has released Season 4 of Arrested Development in its entirety, which means we'll be binge-watching the series' revival and sharing our reactions with you over the next couple of days. The recap below contains spoilers from Episode 10 - "Queen B." Read no further if you haven't seen the episode yet!
"Now the story of a family whose future was abruptly cancelled and the one mother who had no choice but to keep herself together. It's Lucille's Arrested Development."
One thing has become abundantly clear after watching ten episodes of the new season of Arrested Development: a rewatch is most definitely in order. Not that there isn't a tremendous amount to love the first time through, with each installment completing a little more of the full tapestry, however, there are even more gags and connections that are slipping past unnoticed. Of course, that's also what has always made Arrested Development so special. Seeing it once has never been enough to fully appreciate the intricate plotting or dense joke structure of the show and Season 4 is no different. Actually, it's probably even more complex than the three previous but still offers a ton of laughs in the moment and "Queen B," the first Lucille-centric episode, delivers plenty as well as an attempt at some character development. That's right, the Bluths are finally growing as people. Even at Gangy's age.
"Their bark is louder than the dogs they eat back home. And I got news for them, anyone who comes after me is going to be one un-fortunate cookie. [laughs] I made a pun!"
AD fans have a lot of experiencing watching George Sr. operate behind bars (in fact, we've seen many of the Bluths imprisoned) but the fourth season is time for Lucille to finally face the music. "Queen B." cold opens with a look at the Bluth Matriarch's life in prison as part of yet another reality show (no, not John Beard's How To Entrap a Local Predator, she's already entrapped) called the Real Asian Prison Housewives of The Orange County White Collar Prison System. How did 'Lu,' inmate number 07734, become a (despised) member of the Jade Dragon Triad? Could it be her penchant for puns? (I love puns.) Nope. It's just a suggestion from George Sr. (I think... anyone else getting their George Sr. and Oscar wires crossed?) when he pays her a visit about halfway through the episode. He actually wants her to 'fake' an alcohol addiction in order to secure a transfer to Lucille 2's rehab clinic called Austerity. Puns! At this point though, Lu is happy to stay in the nice prison that's still a prison and play Mah Jong with the JDT.
"I got Olive Garden to offer us unlimited bread. Who better than the Chinese to help us build a wall..."
Oh, she also teaches them her Buster inspired smoking loophole, even though it's incredibly hard for the rest of them to say, and convinces Olive to invest some of that bread into the wall separating the US and Mexico. So, it's crossing that too familiar 'light treason' line, big deal. Especially since Lu is quickly wearing out her welcome with the JDT anyway, not to mention their reality show camera crew, meaning her plans quickly flip-flop over to the anti-wall side of the argument even before she watches the Steamboat Willy'd video of the progress. The exact details of her plan, once all the flipping and flopping has happened, well, are not really clear to me but in the end they need Love (Terry Crews in a great recurring role) to be against building it and we all know how that turns out. What? I haven't discussed that yet? Well, Love is in a coma and out of the picture leaving Lindsay to take up his cause and rally in support of the wall. This also puts her in a dangerous position since her lover Johnny Bark has but a bomb on board her boat!
"Homosexuals kidnapped the boat and took it on a joyride. Mother didn't want to trample their rights, so she let 'em. Then she realized that her son fell off the boat and into the water and she went back. Oh, and a fish swam by my ankle. That really happened... Should I keep that? "
Right. The luggage. It turns out it is kind of romantic that Tobias and Lindsay have matching suitcases since it saves the latter from the explosion. As for the former, the recently blued stand-in for Sue Storm presumably goes down with his ship but had his own very funny journey getting there. One of the relationships that never got too much screen-time in the original run was Lucille and Tobias which is a shame since Jessica Walters and David Cross are absolutely hilarious together. After things goes south for Lu in the nice prison, she eventually transfers (thanks to some drunk acting worthy of Method One) to rehab where her son-in-law has recently been hired as a therapist. Well, hired is a stretch, he's on a work release program since he was arrested in John Beard's sting operation. This also means he must identity himself as a sex offender to everyone, something old T-Bag takes in stride.
"Au-stare-ity"
I knew the moment Tobias asked her how she was that we were in for a treat. Especially since Lucille followed up the query with one of her signature winks. It's also pretty fun to have the pair together now that the (thin) veil has been lifted on the family's running gag about his sexual orientation since no one takes shots like Mother. Tobias stands his ground though, refusing to give in to her demands, which leads to many sessions of staring. Even a pun couldn't rouse her out of the battle of wills but her doctor's new musical, on the other hand, might be the breakthrough she needs! The stupid play is the first time she's cried in-it's not a stupid play! Sorry. The not stupid play based on Marvel's Fantastic Four has found its villain (Lucia) thanks to a truly wonderful/terrifying audition followed by her bossy attempts to, well, be Bob Fosse. Her natural charm can't be contained and she's soon tap dancing on everyone's feelings. Poor DeBrie. Jessica Walter is too talented. It's not really fair. The not stupid play also puts the squeeze on Michael since Lucille 2's brother Argyle (Tommy Tune), who's quite similar to Tobias, needs some cash to make it a full on broadway production.
" I probably should have expected that."
First things first though, a performance at Cinco de Cuatro to prove it's worth the investment. Of course, it is not. Back to squeezing Michael, who hasn't been to see his mother since she was arrested, however, it only takes a quick run-in with his father (and five or six deals) to make him go visit. He also is going to make his separation from the company and family official by putting it in writing, another part of one of Lucille's master plans. When Michael and his mother do come together, it's just like old-times, all lies and mistrust. These two Bluths don't mess around with contracts, making me realize that perhaps they are more alike than I previous thought. They also exchange a few details (rumors) about the family, mostly raising suspicions that perhaps Gob is the one dating Rebel. The note from George Maharis didn't ring any bells but DOVE (BAR), DO NOT EAT should have raised warning flags. And what would a Lucille-centric episode be without an appearance from Martin Mull's Gene Parmesan? Scream! Michael hires the P.I. to do a little snooping, too bad his old fashioned tactics cause a bit of Google-car sickness.
"Star witness. And are you threatening yourself?"
Speaking of sickness, back when Lucille was just under house arrest, Buster was getting pretty sick of waiting on his mother hook and foot. Her attempt to flee the scene when the original run ended was thwarted by the Bluth's compulsion to always turn back, this time inspired by a spat with Lucille 2 and a desire to ensure that 1's insult landed. The more aggressive than passive relationship continued to be Lucille's downfall when her 'friend' was the only one to appear at her trial, thanks to having fully alienated the rest of the family. As I said, even Buster couldn't stand to stare her 100 years in the face making the Lady Austero the star (only) witness. Lucille represented herself. The cross-examination didn't go well and, as per Maritime Law, she got 3-5 years. Of course, that sentence may still be better than what ultimately befalls her rival since I have no clue what happened to Lucille 2 at the end of the episode. She's invisible? A magic trick? Was Gob involved?
"It's only a trial separation."
There's also that bit of character development I mentioned and most of it comes through Lucille's relationships with George Sr. and Oscar. Okay, Tobias' unintentional counselling may have also helped but the results are shown through her interaction with hr husband and his twin brother. I was actually hoping that Lucille was not only fully aware of the old switcheroo but also using it to her advantage so I was initially disappointed to learn that she really was the one being used. Of course, there are some great jokes in this thread, with Oscar calling for Lucille 2 and getting 1 (because the numbers are reversed from Austero's point of view), the bum-per sticker and countless double entendres. In the end, Lucille learns that she's not the villain (debatable) but instead keeps people at a distance as some kind of defence mechanism. A new woman (debatable), she decides to do something she never would have imagined: sincerely thank Lucille 2. Good luck. She'll have to find her first.
"On the next Real Asian Prison Housewives of The Orange County White Collar Prison System."
Read more Arrested Development recaps here.
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Attend the 40th Gala
Nominate a Knight Nurse
Giving Levels
View Our History
Celebrating Our Past, Your Present and Nursing's Future
IN FALL 1979, a small group of BSN undergraduate students and faculty members made history to begin the nursing program at UCF. These trailblazers, and those that followed in their footsteps, have all made valuable contributions to what is today one of the nation's best nursing programs.
Our history of excellence, and bright future ahead, are the result of the thousands of students and alumni, and countless faculty and leaders who have chosen to be a part of our story.
JOIN US in a year-long celebration four decades in the making by:
Attending an event,
Making a gift to the "Innovating Our Future" fund,
Nominating a fellow Knight nurse for an award, or
Volunteering your time.
A SPECIAL EVENING to culminate our year-long celebration that you won't want to miss!
Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel
Join us on May 16, 2020
Saturday, May 16, 2020 | Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel, Orlando, Fla.
Connect with former classmates, professors and community leaders. Celebrate 40 of your fellow alumni honored with a Noble Knight award. Stay the weekend for a fun getaway or staycation with your family.
Ticket information coming soon, but you may reserve your room today. Discounted room rates available for May 15 – 18, 2020.
Sponsorships Available
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT of the UCF College of Nursing and its mission to prepare nurse leaders and patient advocates through excellence in education, research and service.
Contact Katie Korkosz at 407-823-1600, or Christina Gonzalez at 407-823-2422
Noble Knight Nurse Awards
Nominations are now closed.
IN CELEBRATION of the 40th anniversary, the UCF College of Nursing is honoring 40 alumni for their contributions to the profession.
Knight nurses exemplify remarkable work in the field of nursing in one of the following categories:
Charge On
Nominations are now closed. Nominees and the individual(s) who nominated them will be notified in early February.
Noble Knight Nurse Award nominees and recipients will be recognized at the 40th Anniversary Gala on May 16, 2020.
Give an Anniversary Gift
"Going to Peru (has) better prepared me for my future career as a nurse. I am forever grateful."
– Jessica Bailey, BSN student and 2019 medical service trip participant (left in photo)
"My favorite memory from the UCF College of Nursing was being published for the first time with faculty in a peer-reviewed journal."
– Candace Eden '15DNP
"The experience opened my eyes to the opportunity I have to advocate for my patients on a much larger scale."
– Kaley Pinner, Second Degree '19BSN student and 2019 AACN Student Policy Summit attendee
Help Knight Nurses to Charge On
YOU CAN CREATE more memories like these and make a greater impact on the health of our communities.
Help the UCF College of Nursing charge on into the future with a gift to the 40th Anniversary "Innovating Our Future" fund.
Your gift supports the college's vision of becoming a 21st century leader in health professions education by transforming nursing practice through innovations in education and research.
Get Your Special Commemorative Pin
Give $1 for each year of UCF Nursing ($40) and receive:
Commemorative UCF College of Nursing 40th anniversary pin
Give $10 for each year of UCF Nursing ($400) and receive:
A commemorative 40th anniversary pin, and
A chance to name a simulation mannequin for the 2020-21 academic year[1]
Commemorate our founding year with a gift of $1,979 and receive:
A commemorative 40th anniversary pin,
Two tickets to the College of Nursing 40th Anniversary Gala and VIP reception in May 2020,
Membership in the College of Nursing Knightingale Society,
Membership in the UCF Foundation's President's Circle, and
Recognition in college publications
Give $100 for each year of UCF Nursing ($4,000) and receive:
A private lunch with Dean Mary Lou Sole,
Membership in the UCF Foundation's President's Circle,
Invitations to exclusive UCF and College of Nursing events, and
[1] Your name will be entered into a drawing that will be held in spring 2020


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August 1 2018 Edition
The Passage Olympia rolls out the red carpet
By Cassandra Kerwin
Published: August 1, 2018
Photo: Cassandra Kerwin
In an effort to brighten up the city and improve the quality of life in certain neighbourhoods, a variety of unique, temporary public spaces have been popping up around the city over the past few years.
Keeping cool in the spray at Quai Paquet
Posted by QCT Admin
Published on: July 31, 2018 - 10:34
Festival des Journées d'Afrique features dances and rhythms from countries around the world
In Quebec, it's (almost) everyone in the swimming pool
By Peter Black
Photo: Screenshot from Google Maps
If you're a fan of American movie star Burt Lancaster, some scenes will instantly come to mind. The torrid beach make-out scene in From Here to Eternity, his mesmerizing turn as the incarcerated ornithologist in Birdman of Alcatraz, or, near the end of his career and life, as the mythical doctor in Field of Dreams.
Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies: important things you may not know
By Sébastien Clavet
Bitcoin is back in the news because its price is going up again. The sheer complexity of the subject of cryptocurrencies makes it difficult for anyone to accurately determine if it is a sound investment or something to avoid completely.
Local Sports Briefs: mountain biking, football and baseball
By Luc Lang
Vélirium looking for volunteers
The 2018 UCI Vélirium World Cup downhill mountain bike races will be held at Mont Sainte-Anne from Aug. 10 to 12. This is the only stop on the Vélirium World Cup series in North America, and it will also be a prelude to the 2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Championship at Mont Sainte-Anne.
The story behind Rue Antonio-Barrette
By Bill Cox
Photo: Wikimedia Commons - Public Domain
This street in the Saint-Jean-Baptiste neighbourhood of Quebec City is named in honour of former Quebec premier Antonio Barrette (1899-1968).
Memorials and Things of Fame
By Lorie Pierce
August 1, 1818 - The Quebec Gazette
Festival d'Opéra de Québec starts off on a high note
By Shirley Nadeau
Photo: Shirley Nadeau
The Festival d'Opéra de Québec opened on July 25 with a concert featuring the magnificent voices of four Canadian sopranos. Billed as a concert "under the stars" in the courtyard of the Vieux-Séminaire de Québec, it was moved inside the Basilique Notre-Dame de Québec due to possible thundershowers.
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Distance between Banchory and Weymouth. How many miles from Banchory to Weymouth.
The straight distance between Banchory (Scotland) and Weymouth (England) is 444.93 mi, but the driving distance is 562.46 mi.
It takes to go from Banchory to Weymouth.