I think direct linking is a sin. So I always use my photobucket account to host my images I use on forums or in a blog I can’t upload images to.
I thought it was just common sense that you get hosting that is your own anyways because I always feel very guilty when I get lazy and go direct link a image without uploading it to my photobucket account.
Even I know this even though I am a n00b and I total idiot and I lack common sense in most everything else ; including properly commenting on a blog entry.