December 15, 2013 AsktheBuilder Newsletter & Tips

If you're a new subscriber in the past five days, this is NOT a normal newsletter. You'll see one of those on Tuesday.

First, see that ad just to the right?

The one that says "Please HELP GROW Ask the Builder".

I don't charge a subscription for this newsletter. That's cool. I don't want you to pay me a subscription fee.

Realize I do spend a ton of time creating it each week for you. I try to help you save time and money. I may not always succeed, but believe me I try.

You can help me in return by making a small indirect or even a direct donation.

To indirectly help me, just shop at Amazon using my affiliate link. CLICK HERE and you're taken to my Favorite Tools page.

If you want to buy ANYTHING else, just use the search at the top and go hunting. You don't have to buy a tool.

I get a tiny commission from anything you buy.

This does NOT raise your price on the things you buy. Amazon just gives me a slice of their profit for brokering the sale.

If you don't shop at Amazon, but want to donate to keep the newsletter going, waaaaaaay at the bottom right corner of this newsletter is a simple PayPal DONATE button.

Do you see it?

Just click it and you'll know what to do.

THANKS in advance for anything you can do to help keep this newsletter going.

VIDEO, YOU AND ASK THE BUILDER

For twelve years, I used to do a two-hour call-in radio show. It was huge fun. I ran the board with all the controls at one of the stations I worked at. I liked doing that.

Last weekend, I was a guest in a radio studio here in NH on a show for 90 minutes. I was flooded with great memories of doing my radio show.

I've got a question for you. How would you like to do something similar, but in video?

Imagine if each week in this newsletter I'd give you a link to a video I create where I answer your questions.

I can see me demonstrating things, making quick drawings to help you understand the situation, show you a product that will solve the problem, etc.

What do you think of this idea?

Just reply to this email.

Want to be in the first video?

Reply to this email now.

Attach great photos of any problems at your house, and then write to me in 200 words or less about the problem and your questions. You'd also have to give me a RELEASE so I can use your photos in the video.

I then do my best to answer you in a video. In 30 minutes I could probably solve the problems of four or five homeowners just like you.

If you want to REALLY amp it up, you send me a one-minute VIDEO you make showing the problem. I then splice your video into my video answer.

You may have to use Dropbox or even send me a CD since video files are too big to fit as an attachment to most emails.

Let's try this and see if it's fun. Okay?

FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS - VIDEO TAKE DOWN REQUEST

Can you do me a HUGE favor? Can you watch two videos I just uploaded to YouTube in the past two days?

What if I told you a person - YouTube won't tell me who - has filed an OFFICIAL take-down request to have the video(s) permanently removed from YouTube?

I'm curious if you feel the videos should be removed and need you to comment one way or the other.

I'll just give you one URL to click, because at the end of the first video, I give you a link to click to get to video #2.

These short videos are not about home improvement. It's about being a good neighbor.

You might make the world a better place to live in by watching them. Feel free to SHARE the URL to your friends to have them watch it.

You MUST watch the videos NOW because YouTube COULD REMOVE THEM TOMORROW!

Editor's Note - Apparently, YouTube has removed the videos. The link no longer works.

NOTE: Before you leave a comment, read some/all of the other comments. If you're asking a question, I probably have answered it in previous comments.

YouTube does have a great privacy policy and here's the exact language they publish about why they would take down a video:

How does YouTube determine if content should be removed for a privacy violation?

For content to be considered for removal, an individual must be uniquely identifiable by image, voice, full name, Social Security number, bank account number or contact information (e.g. home address, email address). Examples that would not violate our privacy guidelines include gamer tags, avatar names, and address information in which the individual is not named.

CLICK HERE to watch the first video in the two-part series.

Wait until you see the stump of the one tree in the second video. Consider pausing the video and count the growth rings yourself. Wow!!!!

I'll be back on Tuesday with a normal newsletter. If you HURRY and send in some photos, I may be able to do the first Ask the Builder video answering your question(s)!