Thank you for your responses britgirl and drmike. I must be having senior moments following the threads on the ad issue since I still don't know what constitutes an ad (spam blog) and what isn't.
I have very little knowledge of how to implement a blog on my own site, hence I signed up with WP (Which is a very easy to use and understand, thank you).
Yes, it is hard to tell sometimes what is an ad and what isn't. However, shouldn't the vote of the masses come into play and if they come upon a spam blog decide not to link to it, read it, or have a feed to it? It's like someone complaining about violence on TV and yet doesn't realize there's an off button (and not to mention hundreds of other channels to choose from.)
When I go to a blog, to be honest, I don't know or really care where it is hosted, nor to I really notice. I look at content. If it is a spam site I do not return. I don't blame the host for the spam, I blame the spammer. Maybe I'm being too simplistic?
Since I am not tech savy enough to host the blog on my own site I appreciate the ability to do this at WP. And I agree with one poster how wrote they would be glad to pay a nominal fee to have the ability to have ad links on their pages. I would pay this fee if it were reasonable (now what that is I have no idea).
All I want to do with my blog is to show the work. Talk about the work, get reaction from the work from others. And, yes, tell people where they could purchase prints of the work if they are interested. But my opinion on the differences between spam blogs and mine is that I am engaging the reader. There is substance (I like to think) in my posts.
roadsigns
britgirl
drmike
raincoaster