Resellers: Supporters of the Smack or Destroyers of My Deal?

With its mile-a-minute chat, personal Living Rooms, Private Messages and real-life Smack Parties, we can easily fool ourselves into thinking that Jellyfish is just another online community. But that’s not true, is it? At least, it’s not entirely true. Jellyfish.com is a shopping website built around the idea that people like good deals. The community was born from that notion…and a few dozen upgrades the fine folks in Madison have added over the months.

For almost as long as I’ve been a Smacker (longer than most), there has been a debate about resellers. Some Smackers believe that buying an item on Jellyfish supports the site, no matter if it is later sold elsewhere at a profit. Others think that this so-called “eBay mafia” robs the average Smacker of the best possible deal on an item he or she wants and/or needs. The counter argument to this is, of course, that if it was a good enough of a deal for someone to turn a profit, the other buyer was sniped by his own greed.

I’ve seen the debate go round and around the issue and I have stated my opinion in the main chat a number of times. But something that happened last week made me want to bring it here. One WISD “spy” reports that he/she “saw Don (HisDudeness) and WestEndGuy going at it. Don was saying that Westy was lying about working with charity and lying about who he is. Westy defended himself but couldn't provide links to anything. But Blondie574 stood up for Westy and went after Don pretty hard. ByrBwr was on Don's side, saying that Westy is a liar and a fake. Blondie was pretty fierce…”

Such debates are indicative of what happens any time this topic is broached on the main chat, and it almost always devolves into name-calling, hurt feelings and/or Smackers being muted. Since those scenarios are the exact reason behind the formation of this blog, I thought I’d pose this question to WISD readers…

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT RESELLERS? No posts will be edited and I hope that all contributors will support their opinions with a rationale.

Blind Item - the College Football Edition

Which Smacker lost a bet and had to change her beloved school avatar in favor of a Big rival? I'd hate to Badger you with details, but I'd be Lion if I said she was Cruisin' along happily through the end of the week.

Spy Report

While I hope WISD can become a forum for all things Smack, I can’t be online 24/7 to observe the latest buzz. That’s why I asked for “gossip spies” – a term that may be a tad misleading. I don’t want/expect anyone to stalk another Smacker; rather, I had hoped that if something interesting happened online while I was away, a WISD reader could fill me in so I could share it with the Smack Collective.

And that’s just what happened yesterday. An anonymous Smacker (he/she did not reveal a JF identity) sent in some news about Jellyfish’s favorite fire-, comic book- and controversy-loving Smacker – siegethepyro:

Siegethepyro came on last night and said "attendance post I'm not here" and then when people said "Hi!" he went bipolar on them. He called them all a variety of names and told them that he would not be posting in chat any longer and he didn't want to talk to anybody from JF anymore.

Then people went and looked at his profile and came back and said that he deleted all of his friends but one. Since his profile page said he was still online, people tried to talk to him but he wouldn't answer.

So there is your gossip, is Siege banned or slapped or just having a bipolar moment? Why did he delete all of his friends? Lots of good questions!

Thank you, anonymous Smacker, for sharing this information, your questions and theories. What does everyone else think? Siegethepyro is apparently not talking, but the floor is open for anyone else to share their thoughts.

Smacker Profile: PLUMPKIN

During today's live show, one Smacker suggested an idea for WISD that had been brewing in my head since I decided to launch this blog. And thus, I bring you the first in (hopefully) a series of Smacker profiles – a look at PLUMPKIN.

PLUMPKIN, aka peaceoutforlife, aka Plumpkin Plumps, describes herself as a one-year old plush toy from Berkeley, CA. Seriously…you can't make this stuff up. What else do we know about her? How about:

• Her YouTube videos are either alternative cinema brilliance or a psychopathic cry for help from a deeply disturbed mind
• Her gratuitous Outwit submissions are either marks of literary genius or an attention-whoring move from a deeply disturbed mind
• Her likes (cuddles) and dislikes (HRMPH) are either statements of pure innocence, or the confused ramblings of a deeply disturbed mind
• Her support of the Cal Bears is either a show of loyalty to her hometown team/alma mater, or the sporting masochistic manifestations of a deeply disturbed mind
• Her name, with its similarity to a vulgar sex act best described elsewhere, is either a mark of a great sense of humor and understanding of irony, or the bizarrely promiscuous bragging of a deeply disturbed mind

That's all that this writer knows about one of the most polarizing Smackers around. But what does it all mean?

When you first talk about PLUMPKIN, her prolific Outwit submissions immediately come to mind. Yet while her first forays into question writing were attempts at shameless self-promotion (ex: "What is your favorite Plumpkin video?"), the majority of her recent questions have been legitimate ones. And yet, when PLUMPKIN's name comes up, noobs and veterans alike emit a nearly audible groan that permeates throughout the internets.

WISD knows a thing or two about shameless self-promotion, but I can't begin to hypothesize more about the inner workings of a Smacker who claims to be a traveling, adventure-having stuffed pumpkin. And thus, this blog's first "Smacker Profile" is doomed to remain incomplete. What do you think about PLUMPKIN, her Outwit questions, her videos and/or the psychotropic meds she may or may not need? Use the comments option below to share your thoughts with the Smack.

Blind Item

Which new Smacker caused drama today with accusations of spamming from an illegal second JF account? Yeah...you can call that an auspicious debut.

Gossip Spies Needed!

Smack Daddy may be watching you at all times, but WISD is only human. Plus, I have another Smack identity that can't be totally ignored. And a job…can't forget about that. How, then, does one anonymous Smacker stay on top of all the latest Jellyfish buzz? By enlisting the help of the vast Smack Nation, of course!

 

Please e-mail me at whoissmackdaddy@gmail.comwith any and all Smack Shopping news of the day. Has a new Gremlin set the record for most mutes? Who got banned today? What avatar will be used tomorrow? Did Jake fat-finger another deal? All this and more is welcomed gossip here at WISD. Spies may remain anonymous if they desire, but I'm just as happy to attribute credit for glory whores.

 

Stay tuned…

Who is Smack Daddy?

We've all heard the theories: Smack Daddy is really a woman, Smack Daddy is an identity shared by multiple Jellyfishers, Smack Daddy was kicked out of the Justice League for being a raging alcoholic with auto-erotic asphyxiation fantasies he should have never shared with Wonder Woman.

Here's your chance to voice a theory of your very own. Please use the comments field to tell your fellow Smackers what you think. But don't forget -- the most convincing arguments are the ones backed up by proof! Share both your ideas and rationale, and perhaps your sleuthing skills will be rewarded with the admiration of the WISD blog...if not the Smack community at-large.

What better place than here? What better time than now?

Admit it -- you're mildly intrigued by the idea of "Who Is Smack Daddy?". It's OK...if not for mild intrigue, I'd have few life accomplishments to my credit.

But now you must be asking, "what is this blog going to offer me beyond what I get from the hours each day I enjoy/waste at Jellyfish.com?" I am so glad you asked...

I envision WISD to be a place where Smackers discuss daily issues, share Jellyfish gossip, and air grievances in a neutral setting (that's right, this blog is the Switzerland of the Smack Shopping world). As I get the hang of Blogger, features will be continually added in response to new ideas and reader feedback.

The first ongoing WISD feature, and blog namesake, "Who is Smack Daddy?" will appear later today. As always, I hope you feel free to post your theories, comments and suggestions!

Why buy the blog when you can have the chat for free?

Greetings Smack Addicts and welcome to "Who is Smack Daddy?".

If you found this blog, likely you made your way from the Smack Shopping show at jellyfish.com. If you have no idea what that means, please feel free to check out the links to the right. We'll be here when you get back.

As a veteran Smacker, I want to first say that I appreciate so many features offered by Jellyfish; I love the randomness of the main chat, I love the intimate conversations facilitated by user Living Rooms, I LOVE the awesome shopping deals that run 24/7.

But as a veteran Smacker, I also have some beefs with the site. The randomness of the main chat, while a great feature, also means that interesting and/or important topics scroll by too fast for in-depth comments or consideration. User Living Rooms are an amazing way to form personal bonds with online friends, but they often lead to the formation of exclusive cliques that resist new members and manifest an "us against the Smack" mentality.

Most of all, however, I hate the hate on Jellyfish.com. I'm not talking about the Smackers who like to "stir the pot" by criticizing, ostracizing or mocking another Smacker's views. Such is life in an anonymous online world; people will always want to have fun at someone else's expense. I can live with that.

What I can't handle are the people who hate for petty or spiteful reasons. "Who is Smack Daddy" will be a mute-free zone, a forum for your Smack friends and foes alike to catch up on recent Jelly-life events, share ideas, and maybe, just maybe build a few bridges.

I hope you enjoy the blog. Please feel free to e-mail me any time at WhoIsSmackDaddy@gmail.com. Comments are not only welcome, they're essential!