Our own social networks ... this has a lot of interesting possibilities for first adapters. I wonder if there will be a 'network name' grab like there was with domain names a few years ago. Is it possible that Art Bl is Art Blanchet from Madison?

Loved your post!  I should start a "Susan Corps" but it doesn't have the same draw.  It's just that there were at least five of us in my kindergarten class so the numbers could be statistically astounding for baby boomers.  Along the same lines, my daughter Sara belongs to a Facebook group simply called "no H" to differentiate from the many "Sarah"s out there and the innumerable times she and others have said, "no H".

That's the Art.  Art is good about reading Twitter, social networking that is kind of confusing.. Art's good about Twittering.  He seems to be a natural when it comes to Twitter, social networking... 

Susan there are all kinds of possiblities.  I was trying to think how my company or office would use a social network and remembered writing a post long ago about The Maureen Corps so just started the network. It's free. Using my own domain with it would cost me 5 dollars a month... the premium charges is where they'll make money and the ads of course.  I can add my own ads. Pay to keep their ads off...

Maureen, I love that name!  The Few.  The Proud.  The Maureens!!

We're not going to let every Tom, Dick and Harry join, for Pete's sake!   <------ you're so funny.  I'm glad I get you sometimes.  

Maggie I am glad you get me sometimes too.

What do I do about Art? Ignore him and he'll go away?

How do you find the time? Activerain is intense enough!

It took a couple of minutes to set up. 

I don't find ActiveRain intense at all.

I second Maggie. That is funny. The Art Gallery is a stellar idea, too. Active Rain intense? It use to be more fun, for sure.

Chris.. you could have a Just Chris social network and it would not just be a hen party.  There have to be guys who are not Christopher or Christian ... nah.. every name does not need a social network, does it?  Maureen just cries out for it. 

I bought a "The Few, the Proud, The Maureens"  license plate holder in 2005 but have never used it.  

ActiveRain used to be more fun.

I saw your new blog... that must have taken a lot of time or money ;-) Is it custom?  I peeked at the bottom to see if I could tell but did not view the source or go all out in my snoopiness. 

It's just something I whipped up myself.  Not much $ at all, just a little time.  The good news is "Word Press for dummies" gets released in a few weeks.  No lie.          

You are good.  I don't get WordPress.org obviously.  I need to hire someone to make mine purdy.  It kicks butt in links and position... and of course content.

Just Chris for Top 12 Women Real Estate Bloggers 2008.. or maybe 15...

I guess anyone wondering what to give Maureen for xmas should be ordering that Wordpress for dummies handbook?     I'd settle for top 100.  

Maureen, when you decline his request can't you send an explanation?  Provide a link to this post.  How about we all go ask to be let in and you can decline all of us so he doesn't feel bad?

Chris: I need a whole library of Dummies books.   Or anything from the Maureen.com store that says "The Few, the proud the Maureens" or 'The Maureen Corps'.... except I don't wear T shirts...  Or a 'Mo is me!'  mug from the Maureen.com store.  Moe is me makes more sense to me, but I am Mo.

You would certainly be the tippy  top tier of the top 100 but there is an explosion of real estate blogging, thanks in part to AR.

Maggie I love Art.  I know he will understand. Or change his name...  I have already Twittered about the mmebeship.  And this will hit Twitter via Twitterfeed at some point.  

You can alway have Art earn his way in.  He could pull a Bryant cross dressing act and his "stage name" can be Maureen.  He will, of course, have to provide photos of himself in drag and they will have to be posted to the internet.    

hmmmm maybe a "No Mo" category for friends of Maureens?  In drag or otherwise...  

Or the Larry and Curley's to go with the Mo?  Mo's Stooges?    (drag optional, but it moves you up the popularity list if you do it)

Maureen,

Social is good but when I joined AR I had no idea why other than writing an occasional RE article. Most of what I write is about the industry...I'm not really into the poo poo stories. Not that there is anything wrong with it but my mix is still favored towards RE. I probably would never have joined if it was based on social.

I'm waiting for AR to have a lonely hearts and dating section. I did find this to be interesting..I found a post about an escort service..I can't find the link but it is registered as a profile here. I'm surprised AR didn't delete it. I have to look for it again.

It's Curely, Moe and Larry.  The Three Stooges is the reason no one could call me Moe or Mo (because it all sounds the same) when I was a kid.  My mother hated The Three Stooges. When friends in high school started calling me Mo. 

I do nave to keep an open mind though don't I.  there are only so many Maureens, even less who care about social networking.

Here it is..I do not usually put links into a comment...sorry! but here is the heading...they must have heard me because the profile was now deleted...pretty sick Indian Escort, Mumbai Escort, Female Escort :- Eroticindianescort.Com

Teresa Boardman posted it on her outside blog....a screenshot        

for anyone who wants to gawk... here's post with the screen shot on Teresa's Weenie blog:

http://www.stpaulrealestateblog.com/weenie/2007/11/prostitution-on.html#comments

Why would people flag a post like that?  Why would you NOT use Contact ActiveRain ??  Or Matt, Bob or Jonathan's email addresses?  I know when Caleb was minding the store he appreciated a "heads up" about similar profiles, entries.  Any social network is going to get spammed, get creepolas trying to set up garbage profiles.

Maureen Francis is a member!!!  of The Mauren Corps.  Actually she is a member of the Maureen Corps by virtue of the name her Mom and Dad gave her at birth... but she joined the Social Network dedicated to those of us who are Maureens.   Welcome Maureen F.

Hi Maureen - Maybe I'll start my own group, too.  Ed, Edd and Eddy:)

....Ed you can do a Mr. Ed appreciation group (did you appreciated it?) and meet people of that era...

The few, the proud, the Maureen's.  I am proud to stand up and be counted.  

Maureen, I am still trying to find the time to explore the myriad social networks out there...I have a stack two inches thick!  But, I will follow your efforts and am quite interested to watch it grow.  This may be the best way to network...who knows?

Thanks for joining Maureen Henry I approved you.  I guess with three of us there is a few now....

Diane:  It is certainly not part of my real estate networking.  Having set it up  and investigated it just a little it gives me a new understanding about what happened in the forum on Roberta Murphy's blog and what ActiveRain faces with unmoderated memberships. Anyone can join. Some join over and over and some like the member on the RE Weenie screen shot, don't really belong.  It happens in social networking, but social networking in and of itself is not evil. 

Oh boy - I'm hooked!  One more place to publicize my "other" blog and have fun.  Thanks Maureen!

Michelle: Ning.com  or something on Ning.com was one of the OpenSocial applications that was quickly hacked just to prove the point that he could, that these applications are not secure. An OpenSocail application on Plaxo was the first one hacked into. So go slow.  Be careful.

Maureen - You are very special.  Thanks. 

Art Gallery is good.  Art of War for military men/women (though few women are named Art)  Art Imitating Life.  Art for Art's Sake (or Saki?)  Art LinkLetters?  Art LinkLenders?  Art LinkLedgers?  Art Attack?  Art to Art?  Art...

Gosh I like Art LinkLenders and they would not all have to be named Art beause you are Art.  There's commercial possibilities there...

Do people worry about using something like ArtLinkedLenders, ReesesPieces etc. that if they hit it big, someone would come with their hand out saying

We are the heirs of Art Linkletter and since the name is derived from....

or

we all know what Reeses Pieces are and we want a piece of...

or  

could the Marine Corps storm my Ning.co m network some day...

Is the photo a camel?  Or a llama?

A new social network is born!

http://artful.ning.com/

He's got a video... he's got art on his banner (header?) ... he's way ahead of The Maureen Corps.

If I had not spent so much time on Art's Twittier post where most people are saying " What does the graphic say?"  cassabanana  Mi casa es su casa banana?

Hi, Maureen! What a great idea...and name! The Maureen Corps...it's classic!

I feel like I'm almost a "Maureen" but not quite "there" enough to be a member... <sigh>

~Maura Gebhardt

Maureen - FYI - Art "artful" we have listed several famous "arts" - photos and life highlights (more or less).  The photo/header came with the template.  Nobody'e on there but me.  As to the picture - not a llama - me after an hour on AR writing unclever remarks (like this one). 

(See what you made me do?!?!)

Maura  Thanks. I have a niece named Maura.  I like Maura.  Een is so 1950's 1960's.... ooooh you inspired a new post for The Maureen Corps. I think there are four posts on there,  It's pointless, readerless and nearly memberless but it's mine, mine, all mine.

Art we We only have three members and we have been open for business since 11/06.  Your Artful looks great. It is open to all? Or just Arts?  Does one have to appreciate Art? 

Hi, Maureen!

I actually found a group on Facebook (which I of course joined) called "MAURA is the best name ever!!!!" It made me giggle. There's a whole discussion board thread about what is really the correct way to pronounce "Maura" - it is very funny!

And I don't think it matters if there are 4 posts or 400 posts on The Maureen Corps. because as you said, it's all YOURS! =)

~Maura Gebhardt

That's funny. I wonder if there is a Maureen Corps on Facebook and I just did not know...

Maura how do you say your name?

It is mine but I want to share it with Maureens everywhere...

I say it like "More-ah" (not "Mahr-ah). So I usually explain that it's like Laura with an "m", except that I recently met a Laura who pronounces it "Lahr-ah."

I checked really quickly in Facebook - no Maureen Corps that I can see! =)

~Maura Gebhardt

I had a hair stylist years ago who pronounced it  "Moy-Rah"  My niece is "More-ah" 

My neighbors growing up pronounced my name "Marine."  Birthday Party invites were addressed to Marine.  Some people do pronounce it that way today, some people in my office do..  I probably shouldn't joke about  "The Maureen Corps."  My father and at least one of my sister's used to say "Mreen."  I know I wondered about how it was suppposed to be pronounced as a kid.

I should start a Maureen Corp on Facebook... nah...