Gazebos on Decks for the DIY Dummy

deck with gazebo

Most of the staffers here at the Antisocial Network can claim at least intermediate skills in some form of DIY. That may be why, when one of them runs across what's supposed to be a "how-to" article that isn't, they get a little  peeved. It's one thing when a freelancer botches the instructions out of laziness and/or ignorance, it's quite another when the freelancer just punts. Today's punter is one Bryce Hammons (so-called "info guru" at Catalogs.com), whom we caught drop-kicking "How to build decks with gazebos" (the site now attributes his crap to "Catalogs Editorial Staff," but it's all Bryce's).

Hammons has been featured here at the AN before (twice) with some fairly useless information; including a case of bait and switch on doggy doors. Here, the self-described screenwriter with a polysci degree opens by telling his readers that they will,

"Learn how to build decks with gazebos to create a stunning backyard: A backyard replete with perfect landscaping, the family all huddled underneath a gorgeous wood-paneled gazebo..."

Cute, that – although we find that "all huddled underneath" tends to call to mind the survivors of a natural disaster at a shelter, not folks enjoying their "stunning backyard."  That's probably just us: we have higher standards for language than some. That rubbish notwithstanding, Hammons embarks on the how-to section by telling his readers to,

"Put A Little Back Into It: DIY Network offers solid tips on how to build decks with gazebos. "

Wait, what: we thought Hammons was gonna tell us how...  but he's sending us to another website? Perhaps he gets more hands-on farther into the article...

"How Can I Simplify the Process? Look for a company that supplies custom-made gazebo products and self-help kits to help you get started with the right design and components."

Nope, still nothing on the how-to front. Wait, here's another section: "Here's how: Click to get started and you will be taken to step 1..." Well, that's not very useful! As we read on through Bryce's 500-plus words of "how-to:" we realize that A) he never gets to "how to" and B) he never talks about building a deck, just about buying a gazebo. Yep, just one more case of a freelancer pulling a bait and switch with an interesting-sounding title that disintegrates into a sales pitch; a classic Dumbass of the Day technique!

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