Transparency/Disclosure statement

Because there are a growing number of people visiting this site, and especially professionals in the media and advertising industries who may not already be familiar with who I am, I thought it important to post a "transparency/disclosure statement" - that is, a public declaration of how I make my money, the groups with whom I am affiliated, and any other information that may influence what I write about here and the way I write about it. This entry has been written so that I can include it as a permanent link at the top of my blog page, for readers who wish to read a full disclosure of my professional life as it relates to [metafeed]. I encourage all bloggers, in fact, to include such a statement at their page, to differentiate themselves from the growing amount of bloggers secretly accepting payment for their work.

Background. I am an underground, self-publishing author in Chicago, a former novelist and poetry-slam veteran who is currently mostly writing travel books, which I then sell to the public. For about ten years I was pursuing this writing as a full-time career; in late 2004, however, I decided to no longer do so, and to instead attempt to open and operate a commercial arts center. The decision naturally has drawn me more and more to the issues concerning small businesses, such as marketing, leadership, project-management and the like, and to start reading and analyzing a growing series of traditional business writers on a daily basis.

Aims of [metafeed]. My goal with this webpage is to present a series of links to content already found on the web, highlighting interesting information concerning the arts, technology, small-business issues (especially marketing, a favorite subject of mine), literature, language, travel, and other related subjects. In many cases, I then add my own comments concerning the linked information, and especially on how it relates to fellow underground artists and small-business owners. My hope is that people interested in such topics as business and marketing will find this site as informative as traditional business blogs, but with the added bonus of content most traditional business writers do not include, such as links to underground artists who are doing interesting things in the world of small-business, as well as the sometimes anarchic and illegal ways the artistic community is reacting to mainstream companies and marketing campaigns.

How I make my money. In that I am currently unemployed, I can definitively state that I am in no way, shape or form affiliated with any of the websites mentioned in [metafeed], nor do I accept any money or other inducements to talk about such websites. (I am, however, currently seeking employment, so please contact me at ilikejason [at] hotmail [dot] com if you're interested in hiring me for a legitimate, aboveground job.) Marketing agencies should be warned that if such an attempt to purchase my influence is made, not only will I absolutely reveal the attempt to the public, but most likely make fun of you for doing so. Occasionally I will highlight the personal websites of friends of mine; in such cases, though, I publicly acknowledge the relationship within the entry itself.

Regarding journalism. Visitors to this site should please be aware that I am in no way a journalist, as it is defined by the ethics code of that industry, nor do I claim to be. Content featured at [metafeed] is in no way at all confirmed by me as being true, and should be kept in mind when reading the information being linked to here.

Political affiliations. I am a political moderate, and obviously lean toward the liberal side when it comes to such issues as the arts, civil rights and gay rights. I am not, however, a registered member of any political party, nor do I donate money or receive money from any political organization. Although every attempt is made not to express my personal political opinions at [metafeed], occasionally such biases do naturally slip through; I apologize in advance for when it happens.

Identity. "Jason Pettus" is my actual legal name, and I would be happy to offer proof to media outlets who are interested in featuring me in their publication, if requested.

Regarding my other websites. Although [metafeed] is deliberately written so that it is "office-friendly" in terms of subject matter and language, the same is not guaranteed of my other websites. In particular, visitors should be aware that my other journal frequently discusses such subjects as drug use and unusual sexual situations (often in graphic or even pornographic detail), and that my electronic books occasionally contain images that are absolutely inappropriate in an office environment. Proper caution should always be taken if visiting my other sites, while in situations where viewing such work could get the visitor in trouble.

Reprint rights. All original content at this website is copyrighted 2005 by Jason Pettus, including my supplemental audio commentary, "The Daily Feed." All rights are reserved, including the right to demand removal of my work at your own website, and the right to pursue legal action if such demand is not met. That said, since the main goal of this website is to share information, and especially to get others to link to and quote this information, in general I encourage others to reprint this information in any way they deem fit, as long as proper acknowledgement is made. For anyone caught attempting to pass off my commentary as their own, my claim to ownership will be invoked, and I absolutely will pursue legal action, including filing a lawsuit.