These systems can all work together instead of against each other. I like how the tribes do it. Promoted content mixed in with actual content, and the ads are clearly marked. I'd prefer to see the ads inside posts though, and actual content posts hitting top slots to bring in the eyes. Then the one promoting would be in several slots at once instead of in one slot on a page with a ruined reputation. Advertising is done to get eyes but each ad on the trending page pushes eyes away. The more they do it, the fewer eyes they'll get. If this place was booming, that paid vote business model becomes useless the exact moment it became as successful as it possibly can. If 1000 advertisers all wanted that slot at the same time, they'd buy two seconds worth of "visibility" and then blend in with the rest of the crowd nobody wants to see. It can't even scale and pushes the product that actually brings in their market away. Drives me nuts, man.

I like Reginald as well. These characters I produce are becoming my favorite thing to work on, and before I came here, I didn't work on characters at all.