Every time that I sit down to write one of these posts, I find it hard to believe that the week is already half over. Today is no exception and as we ease our way into the holiday season, I’ve unearthed some rather timely blog posts that talk about all sorts of things, ranging from the business of freelance writing to an interesting discovery in Africa that is sparking all sorts of controversy. Let’s see what the blogosphere has to offer this week.

Ms. Danielle is quite the pro when it comes to search engine marketing and search engine optimization, but she knows a thing or two about alternative advertising techniques. The lovely Danielle has put together a guide that provides tips on buying flat-rate text ads. Speaking from a publisher’s point of view, text link ads have been among the most lucrative blog monetization method, but what about if you’re the one wanting to do the advertising? Danielle gives you a simple mathematical formula to find out whether a particular ad spot is worth your while.

Rock Diesel is still hard at work becoming an affiliate, but he totally recognizes the Christmas shopping season as a great time to make some money, both online and offline. He’s narrowed down the huge number of options out there to 6 toys to target this holiday season. We already know the Nintendo Wii made the list, but what about the other five? You may be surprised.

Jennifer Mattern is a freelance writer like me, so I’m she battles through many of the same issues as do like finding respect and keeping it fresh. She also has a great system for setting freelance writing rates the right way. Many people set out on a career like this hoping to make as much as they do from their regular job, but $20 an hour there is not the same as charging $20 an hour as a freelance writer. Jennifer explains why.

Etienne Teo has been reasonably successful with this whole “make money online” endeavor, telling his friends that he makes more working from home than they do at their conventional jobs. Following in a similar line of thought, Etienne discusses how to make money money without spending a dime. Yes, you can embark on a line of work that costs you next to nothing on a monetary basis, but can open up opportunities for all sorts of fame and fortune. Can you guess what career that is?

Last, but certainly not least, is the blog post that provides the title to today’s edition of What’s Up Wednesdays.

Thinkreferrals Blog Network has something for you to consider. A new dinosaur has been discovered deep inside of Africa and its name has sparked a fair bit of controversy. Dubbed Nigersaurus, the long-necked dinosaur is a “younger, smaller cousin of the North American Diplodocus.” It’s quite common to name dinosaurs after the region in which they are found — Nigersaurus was found near the River Niger — and it’s assumed that the dinosaur’s name is pronounced like the country: “nahy-jer”. People say the name is not politically correct, but I say these people need to grow up. On a side note, it’s interesting that this sauropod didn’t tower its head above the trees, rarely lifting its head above its back. It “grazed on plants near the ground more like a type of cow rather than a reptilian giraffe.”