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Silvia at 2011-05-29T12:42:28.
I am 17 an I’m pregnant I would love
to find a good family for my baby. I am 8 months pregnant
And I ask is for a couple to provide a home for my child. Please reply by email:
Jaga at 2011-04-14T08:27:01.
Postpone the Exam
Now i m studying final year B.E (8th sem). we have the exam in this monday(18.04.2011).Exam s coninuously conducted by trichy anna university.. thre s no leave 4 upcoming exams, it’s very difficult to study 4 the exams. so pl kindly giv atleast 1 day leave for next next exams. If it happens means it ll b useful 4 every students. pl kindly consider my request.
Aisha Bilal(swiss Perfume) at 2010-08-24T07:53:40.
Aisha Ali Mohammed Bilal
Manama, Ajman
United Arab Emirates
Mobile No: 050-9953678
Email address: Aisha_ali33@hotmail.comMy Objectives
I am seeking a responsible position as a Receptionist/ Secretary in a well reputed organization.
Personal Details
• Date of Birth: 31-8-1981
• Nationality: Pakistani
• Gender: Female
• Address: Al Manama, AjmanEducational Experience
• 2004 - Completed ICDL Course a Comprehensive computer course in general computer operations
• 2002 - Graduated from Al Naimia Secondary School with 87.6% marks in Arts Stream (Arabic Medium)Language
I speak four languages: Arabic, English, Urdu and Baloshi.
Skills:
• effective team working skills;
• a high level of organizational skills;
• ability to multi task
• diplomacy and sensitivity when working with clients;
• IT literate
• Excellent telephone manners
• Good stress and anger management ability
• Motivated and Quick learner
• Sincere hard workerComputer knowledge:
• Microsoft Office Excel
• Microsoft Office power point
• Microsoft Office word
• Microsoft Office access
• Microsoft Office outlook
• Typing ability in Arabic and English
• Internet search engineProfessional Experience
Swiss perfumes industries:
Receptionist: April 2009 till date-
• Meeting, greeting, and welcoming visitors
• Entering visitors details into the visitors log book
• Assisting new employees as well as old ones in some cases with provision of ID badges, time sheet, photocopying, sending fax messages, posting notices and mail distribution.
• Taking incoming telephone calls, dealing with such calls promptly in a professional manner, and re-directing appropriate calls to other individuals or departments within and outside the establishment
• Translate documents
• handle basic enquiries
• Dispatching and accepting mails and couriers services (parcels)
• accept deliveries
• Ordering taxis for visitors
• Keep the reception area tidy.
Contactopia FZC
Customer Service Agent: April 2008 till January 2009
• Answering phone calls to provide quality customer service
• Promote company’s services
• Receive complaints and handle them professionally
• Responding to customers’ queries.
• Data entry of each call into the system
• Attempting to solve matters myself before escalating complex matters to the supervisor
• Constantly working on my call handling skills in response to the feedback provided by the management to improve the service level, performance, efficiency and customer’s experience in my callsI have started my career with internship to gain experience where I worked as:
Secretary for Al Manara Al Khairiyah School 2006
Substitute teacher of math for Al Naimia Secondary School 2005
Receptionist for a local hospital 2004I thank you in advance Sir/ Madam, for taking time to considering my application, and looking forward to meeting you in person to further reveal about myself.
Yours Sincerely,
Aisha Bilal
Pomidor at 2009-09-27T17:10:42.
Very amazing server design. What CMS do you use ?
Titan at 2009-11-23T21:43:46.
Richard Thripp,
Do you know how I can start my own Wordpress MU?
Richard Roger
Richard X. Thripp at 2009-11-23T23:48:52.
Download it here and unzip it to your web server. There are technical considerations and you need to have virtual subdomains enabled (wildcard DNS entry). There are also lots of customization options such as WordPress plugins and WPMU DEV plugins, some of which are hard to implement.
You need a MySQL database and every new blog registered creates 8 MySQL tables in the database… so 1000 blogs = 8000 MySQL tables. This sharding of data makes WordPress MU geared toward many disconnected blogs that are practically different sites. BuddyPress might be an option.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-12-02T23:45:40.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130273370034
This auction is for two 10-packs of Ativa Scratch-Resistant Mini DVD-RW discs for camcorders, exactly as pictured, new in retail packaging, with Jewel Cases! Also, I’ll include a bonus new Memorex mini DVD-RW, so 21 discs in all.
These are rewritable, so you can use them again and again on your mini DVD camcorder. 1.4GB capacity, 30 minutes each. Most camcorders will let you fit an hour on them at lower quality, also.
You can also record to these on your computer’s DVD burner (they fit in the inner tray), at 1X or 2X.
From the package: “Durable coating provides 30x greater resistance to scratches than a disc without a hardcoat.”
These retail for $19.99 each, so the value of this auction is about $39.98. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-12-02T23:27:26.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130273367408
This auction is for four 30-packs of LightScribe 16x DVD+R blank discs, assorted colors (gray, green, orange, yellow, blue), 120 discs total, brand new sealed in retail packaging, exactly as pictured. You can use these in a LightScribe DVD recorder to laser-etch nice, silkscreen like labels onto the tops of the discs.
These are $17.99 each at Office Depot, so the value of this auction is about $71.96:
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=101300Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-12-02T23:08:12.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130273364540
40 brand new Ativa DVD+R DL (dual-layer) discs in jewel cases, the same ones pictured. Perfectly sealed, 4 separate packages of 10 each.
Write speed: 1X to 8X. Capacity: 8.5GB each (compare to 4.7GB with regular DVD+R’s). You can store 4 hours of DVD video at good quality, or 8.5GB of general data. These are “Recordable,” meaning write-once. Made in Taiwan, Office Depot item #495-625.
Older recorders don’t support these discs; make sure yours supports DVD+R DL. If it was made in the past two years it probably does.
Most Hollywood movie releases are on dual-layer discs, so you can back them up to these discs without having to compress the video.
40 8.5GB discs gives 340GB total storage capacity. Blank dual-layer DVDs have always been ridiculously expensive compared to single-layer blanks. 40 of these cost $71.96 at Office Depot, for example. Home-recording of dual-layer discs was quite a technological break-through in 2005, but most people don’t use them because of the cost. They work quite well, though. I record them at 2.4X, not 8X. Though it takes an hour, it’s more reliable between different players and burners.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-12-02T22:54:46.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130273362428
Two 50-packs of Ativa Pocket Mini CD-Rs. Brand new, factory sealed, exactly as pictured. These are small and fit in the inner tray of your CD drive or player.
You can record 210MB of data or 24 minutes of audio (for music CD players) onto one of these discs with your computer’s CD burner. Max recording speed is 24x.
These retail for $14.99 a pack, so the value of this auction is about $29.98.
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=495590Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-12-02T22:30:46.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130273358229
This auction is for two Ativa USB adapters, brand new in the packages as pictured.
From each package:
5-Pin Mini B Adapter: USB B Female / 5-Pin Mini-B Male: Connects Computers to Digital Devices: Office Depot item #937-095 [Ativa is an Office Depot store brand]
Ativa’s 5-pin mini-B adapter converts standard USB A-B cables so that an electronic equipment with a 5-pin mini B device can be connected to your computer. Such equipment includes most digital cameras, MP3 players and PDAs.USB A-B Female Adapter: USB A Female / USB B Female: Connects Computer to USB Device: Office Depot item #937-109
Ativa’s USB A-B female adapter enables you to connect two USB A-B cables so you can increase the distance from your computer to your USB equipment. To maintain optimal data-transfer performance, do not exceed 16 feet between your computer and your USB device unless you have a signal booster.The 5-Pin Mini B Adapter goes from the small USB port features on cell phones and digital cameras, to the larger female port on big printers, so you can use a standard USB cable to connect to your computer.
The USB A-B Female Adapter goes from the normal female port to a female USB A port (the same as on the front of your computer). The purpose of this adapter is so you can combine 2 USB cables into one longer cable. That’s why there’s a 16-feet warning on the package (USB cables longer than 16 feet may not work right).
These are $9.99 and $7.99 at Office Depot, so the value of this auction is about $17.98:
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=937095
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=937109
[these are the exact same items]Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-12-02T19:31:10.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130273310459
I’m selling two Sony Blu-Ray Recordable (BD-R) discs, brand new and sealed in separate retail packages as pictured. Write speed is 1X-2X. 2X is 9MB/sec (equiv. of 60X for CD-Rs), and at that speed writing 25GB takes 47 minutes.
With a Blu-Ray burning drive, you can save up to 25GB of data or video (high definition or standard definition) to each of these. If you use software to put them in Blu-Ray video format they’ll play on set-top Blu-Ray players, much like DVD-Rs.
These are recordable, meaning you can only write to them once because the blue recording laser permanently burns marks into the dye layer of the disk. So if your computer blows up while you’re burning your high-def movie, your $20 disc becomes a coaster. These have better archival stability than rewritable Blu-Rays when recorded properly, however.
“This disc conforms to Blu-Ray Disc Rewritable format Version 1.1. Before using, please confirm compatibility with hardware manufacturer.”
* Ideal for high definition recording and playback.
* Ideal for Full HD 1080.
* Premium storage case included.
* AccuCORE technology: scratch guard, archival reliability, stable writing, temperature durability, UV guard.These are still expensive… One of these discs is $16.79 on Amazon.com, so the value of this auction is about $33.58. That’s the price of being on the cutting edge, I suppose. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-12-02T18:41:21.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130273295612
15 brand new Memorex DVD+R DL (dual-layer) discs in pristine retail packaging, the same ones pictured.
I have 13 packages of these: if you bid for quantity 1, I’ll mail them by USPS first-class mail. For more than 1, parcel post, and there’s a shipping discount ($2.99 for each package after the first which is $5.99). If you want me to send them to some other country, contact me with your country and I’ll figure out how much it’ll cost.
Write speed: 2.4 to 8X. Capacity: 8.5GB each (compare to 4.7GB with regular DVD+R’s). You can store 4 hours of DVD video at good quality, or 8.5GB of general data. These are “Recordable,” meaning write-once.
Older recorders don’t support these discs; make sure yours supports DVD+R DL. If it was made in the past two years it probably does.
Most Hollywood movie releases are on dual-layer discs, so you can back them up to these discs without having to compress the video.
15 8.5GB discs gives 127.5GB total storage capacity. Blank dual-layer DVDs have always been ridiculously expensive compared to single-layer blanks. This 15-pack is $22.94 on Amazon.com, for example. Home-recording of dual-layer discs was quite a technological break-through in 2005, but most people don’t use them because of the cost. They work quite well, though. I record them at 2.4X, not 8X. Though it takes an hour, it’s more reliable between different players and burners.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-30T21:04:05.Earned $47 from AdSense, $2 from Amazon Associates. Most of the ad revenue comes from old posts and search engine traffic, which is nice, because old work continues helping new people and generating more revenue.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-27T17:08:42.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130272036964
This is a D-Link DES-1105 5-Port 10/100 Mbps Desktop Ethernet Switch, new and sealed in the retail box, exactly as pictured. I’ve removed the UPC barcode for a mail-in rebate.
Comes with the unit, a power adapter, and a CD with documentation.
From the box:
What this product does: The DES-1105 is a 5-port 10/100 Mbps Ethernet switch. By connecting the DES-1105 to your router, you can add up to four computers or other Ethernet-based devices to your home network. Add a print server, Network-Attached Storage (NAS) or Internet camera and experience the benefits of networking.
Hassle-free setup: The DES-1105 is plug-and-play requiring no configuration, which makes setup simple and hassle-free. Connect multiple computers and share files, music, and video across your home or small office network, or create a multi-player gaming environment. If you need help, visit the award-winning D-Link customer support web site for answers to frequently asked questions, product downloads, and easy access to the friendly D-Link customer support team.
Features:
* Five 10/100Mbps Switched Ports
* Up to 100Mbps of Dedicated Bandwidth per Port and up to 200Mbps Bandwidth in Full-Duplex Mode
* Compatible with All Popular Operating Systems
* Plug & Play Installation
* Supports MAC Address Learning
* 24/7 Basic Technical Support
* 3-Year Limited WarrantyMinimum System Requirements:
* Devices Supporting 802.3 Ethernet or 802.3u Fast Ethernet
* CAT5 Ethernet Cable
* Network Interface Card for Each Computer
* CD-ROM Drive to View Product DocumentationThese specs are accurate:
Brand
D-Link
Model
DES-1105
Switch Type
External
Standards
IEEE802.3,
IEEE802.3u,
IEEE 802.3x
Network Management Type
Unmanaged
Ports
5 x RJ45
Speed
10/100Mbps
Switching Method
Store and Forward
LEDs
Power
Link/Activity 10/100Mbps
Dimensions
5.8″ x 4.5″ x 1.2″This device sells for $19.49 on Amazon.com: http://des-1105.th8.us/. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-27T00:54:11.http://www.willitchangeyou.com/so-youve-heard-it-all-before-part-1-gratitude/
If you focus positively on what you have, you’ll get what you would’ve wanted had you focused negatively on what you didn’t have, while the negative focus would’ve yielded nothing but unhappiness.
That’s what I got from this article. I like it! Keep working optimistically.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-20T23:00:58.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130270463063
This is a high-yield black toner cartridge for HP 4500 Series printers, brand new in the box as pictured. Manufactured by Image Projections West, the box says “preserve savings without sacrificing quality.”
Works with: HP Color LaserJet: 4500, 4500dn, 4500n, 4550, 4550dn, 4550hdn, 4550n. Prints about 25,000 pages.
Sealed, weighs 5 pounds. Says “OPC unit” on the side, part #545-95A-ODP. UPC 705148500510.
This is Office Depot item #135504. They sell it for $91.99:
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?&searchTxt=135504Happy bidding, and let me know if you have questions. The box doesn’t have many details.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-20T22:27:45.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130270458597
I’m selling two Sony Blu-Ray Rewriteable (BD-RE) discs, brand new and sealed in separate retail packages as pictured. Write speed is 1X-2X. 2X is 9MB/sec (equiv. of 60X for CD-Rs), and at that speed writing 25GB takes 47 minutes.
With a Blu-Ray burning drive, you can save up to 25GB of data or video (high definition or standard definition) to each of these, and then delete and reuse as needed (because they’re rewriting instead of recordable). If you use software to put them in Blu-Ray video format they’ll play on set-top Blu-Ray players, much like DVD-Rs.
“This disc conforms to Blu-Ray Disc Rewritable format Version 2.1. Before using, please confirm compatibility with hardware manufacturer.”
* Ideal for high definition recording and playback.
* Ideal for Full HD 1080.
* Premium storage case included.
* AccuCORE technology: scratch guard, archival reliability, stable writing, temperature durability, overwriting reliability.These are still expensive… One of these discs is $19.70 on Amazon.com, so the value of this auction is about $39.40. That’s the price of being on the cutting edge, I suppose. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T23:16:02.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130270029195
This is an Eagle Consus N-Series Serial ATA (SATA) to USB 2.0 (1.1 also) External Hard Drive Enclosure for 3.5-inch (desktop) hard disk drives. Brand new, never opened, in the box as pictured. The UPC barcode has been cleanly removed.
You can put an internal SATA hard drive up to 1000GB in this and use it as an external drive through USB. This is made of strong aluminum (which dissipates heat), and comes with a stand, AC adapter, USB cable, instruction manual, and drivers CD.
Works with Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS 9.0 or higher, Linux.
This is the same drive as here: http://www.xpcgear.com/etcsnsu2bk.html
This package retails for $19.99. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T22:58:32.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130270026644
20 brand new Office Depot DVD+R DL (dual-layer) discs in jewel cases, the same ones pictured. Perfectly sealed, 2 separate packages of 10 each.
Write speed: 1X to 2.4X. Capacity: 8.5GB each (compare to 4.7GB with regular DVD+R’s). You can store 4 hours of DVD video at good quality, or 8.5GB of general data. These are “Recordable,” meaning write-once. Made in Taiwan, Office Depot item #516-275.
Older recorders don’t support these discs; make sure yours supports DVD+R DL. If it was made in the past two years it probably does.
Most Hollywood movie releases are on dual-layer discs, so you can back them up to these discs without having to compress the video.
20 8.5GB discs gives 170GB total storage capacity. Blank dual-layer DVDs have always been ridiculously expensive compared to single-layer blanks. 20 of these cost $29.98 at Office Depot, for example. Home-recording of dual-layer discs was quite a technological break-through in 2005, but most people don’t use them because of the cost. They work quite well, though. While faster 8X discs are available, 2.4X recording is better. Though it takes an hour, it’s more reliable between different players and burners.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T22:47:25.http://daytona.craigslist.org/sys/924651762.html
This is a brand new Microsoft brand keyboard, USB interface, keys + number keypad + eight hot keys, comfort curve design, spill-resistant, ultra-thin profile keys, easy setup, no software, works with Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS X v10.1.5-10.3.
Model #B2L-00002. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009ZBRS0/brilliaphotog-20 $12 on Amazon.com, good reviews. I’m selling this keyboard for $10. Call me at 510-936-2417 or email thrippr@daytonastate.org if you’re interested. Thanks,
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T22:26:08.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130270022541
This is a brand new, factory sealed, Staples battery-operated pencil sharpener with a “heavy-duty steel blade and space-saving design.” I have one and I’ve sharpened 50 pencils with it and it works well. Requires 4 AA batteries, not included.
I have 25 of these. Buy multiples for a shipping discount ($2 each after 1st).
This is Staples item #935215, UPC 718103042604. Staples sells this pencil sharpener for $14.99: http://staples-slimline-pencil-sharpener.th8.us/
From the box:
The Staples brand pencil sharpener quality promise: When your pencil is dull or broken, Staples brand pencil sharpeners will get you writing in no time. Everything from the helical steel blades to the motors has been extensively third-party tested. So whether you need the portability of a battery-operated model [this one] or the frequent-use construction of an electric, count on Staples brand pencil sharpeners to help make your point, every time. We promise. If you’re not 100% happy with this Staples brand product, just return it anytime. It’s that easy.* For home office use
* Color silver/black
* Helical steel blade with built-in safety switch
* Transparent shavings receptacle
* Uses 4 AA batteries (sold separately)Makes a great gift. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T21:47:52.http://daytona.craigslist.org/ele/924576403.html
I’m selling this laser printer I got on a sale a few months back. I used up the toner and moved on. It’s in perfect condition, same as pictured. You can get a new toner cartridge here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000H94VZO/brilliaphotog-20 ($31, prints 3000 pages).
This is much cheaper than inkjet printing. Black and white only, though. Prints on 8.5×11 paper, 8.5×14, envelopes, laser labels, has a custom tray. My old toner cartridge IS included, and if you shake it, you can print another 20 pages. You can have it refilled or buy a new one. Comes with two CDs: one for Windows XP, Linux, Mac, and the other for Windows Vista. Also included: a power cable and tray extension for legal size paper. You’ll need a USB cable to connect it to the computer (or an old parallel cable). Good reviews on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0019W8ZZ0/brilliaphotog-20 This printer retails for $114. My price is $35 (firm), and you have to come get it. Call 510-936-2417 or email thrippr@daytonastate.org if interested. Thanks!
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T21:05:13.http://daytona.craigslist.org/ele/924510510.html
I bought this laser printer for $120 minus a $70 rebate at the start of the year, used up the toner, and then moved on to a business-class printer. I got about 1200 pages out of the starter cartridge, though, and I never had any problem with this unit.
This is a great printer, much more economical than inkjets. Black and white only, though. Prints on 8.5×11 paper, 8.5×14, envelopes, laser labels, has a custom tray. Toner cartridge IS included, and if you shake it, you can print another 30 pages. You can have it refilled or buy a new one. On Amazon.com, you can get a remanufactured cartridge to print 2200 pages for $25 shipped: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0019W8ZZ0/brilliaphotog-20 Comes with a CD (drivers) and power cable. You’ll need a USB cable to connect it to the computer. Works with Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP, and Vista drivers are available at hp.com. Good reviews on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0019W8ZZ0/brilliaphotog-20 My price on this is $30 (firm), you have to come get it. Call 510-936-2417 or email thrippr@daytonastate.org if interested. Thanks!
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T20:39:19.http://daytona.craigslist.org/ele/924469468.html
I’m selling this shredder. It’s brand new in the box, never opened or used, as pictured. 6 sheet capacity, light duty shredder, cross cut, 8.5 inches wide. 3.8 gallon basket. 5 year warranty from Staples.
Auto start/stop, reverse function, overheat protection with LED, plastic basket, safety interlock switch. Shreds paper, staples, and credit cards. Plugs into the wall. Staples brand. Staples item #615700. I have FIVE of these, new, $10 each. If you buy all 5 for $50, the picture on the right is free. It’s a 8×10 of a photo I took called Symmetry. http://richardxthripp.thripp.com/photo-symmetry-122 Otherwise, that photo is $10. If you’re interested, call 510-936-2417 or email thrippr@daytonastate.org You’ll have to come pick up the shredder(s) (I’m in Ormond Beach). Thanks!
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T20:21:15.http://daytona.craigslist.org/sys/924440658.html
I’m selling a case of legal size copy paper, 8.5 x 14 inches, 10 reams, 5000 sheets, Staples brand (item #126987), 92 brightness, 20 pound, brand new, unopened, stored in the dark.
http://www.staples.com/office/supplies/p1_Staples-Copy-Paper_10220_Business_Supplies_10051_SEARCH This case of paper weighs 70 pounds and normally sells for $52. I want $30 for it. I have TWO cases (10,000 sheets). $30 for one or $50 for both cases. You have to come pick up the paper. If you’re interested, give me a call at 510-936-2417 or email me at thrippr@daytonastate.org Thanks!
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T19:57:39.http://daytona.craigslist.org/sys/924402773.html
I’m selling a brand new Sky Link 16 Port Fast Ethernet Switch, as pictured. The box is beat up but the unit is fine.
The front of the instruction manual says this is a 16 Port 10/100 Mbps unmanaged QoS N-Way Fast Ethernet Switch, whatever that means. It comes with a mounting bracket, screws, and power cord. From the back: power: 100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz, case material: aluminum, ventilation: two fans, dimension: 432mm x 235mm x 44mm, weight: 1300 grams, temp: 32-122 Fahrenheit, humidity, 10-90% Standard compliance: IEEE 802.3 10Base-T Ethernet, 802.3 Frame Type, 803.2u 100Base-TX Fast Ethernet, 802.3 NWay Auto-Negotiation, ports: 16 10/100 MBps auto-sensing RJ-45 ports, 1 uplink port (shared with port 16), data transfer rate: fast Ethernet: 100MBps (half duplex), 200MBps (full duplex), Ethernet: 10Mbps (half duplex), 20Mbps (full duplex), network cables: unshielded twisted-pair cable, topology: star, LED indicators: power, link/activity, full duplex/collision, 100Mbps No Ethernet cables included. This would be good for a wired network of a bunch of computers. This retails for $30, but I’m selling it for $15. Call me at 510-936-2417 or email thrippr@daytonastate.org if you’re interested. Thanks, Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T19:26:09.http://daytona.craigslist.org/sys/924349668.html
This is a computer case to use if you’re building a computer. It’s an Ultra Wizard Steel Series ATX Mid-Tower PC Case, blue (ULT31584). Brand new in the box, as pictured. The UPC code is missing.
Fits AT, Baby AT, ATX, and Micro ATX motherboards. No power supply unit included. There is a flip-up panel on the front with two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire port. You have to plug that into the motherboard. 7.8 inches wide by 16 inches high by 19 inches deep. The front cover opens so you can get to the CD drives and power button, and it locks and comes with a key. 2 Case fan mounts, large front panel vent, quick release side panel, side panel air duct ready, side panel VGA vent. Nine drive bays: 3 external 5.25-inch (CDs), 1 external 3.5-inch (you can get to it from the front), 5 internal 3.5-inch (hard drive bays). Comes with a lot of screws. Read about it on Amazon.com here: http://ultra-atx-pc-case.th8.us/ Weighs about 15 pounds. You’ll have to come get it. This retails for $35, but I’m selling it for $20, even though it’s brand new. I have THREE of them, two blue (pictured) and one black, all new. $20 each or $50 for all three. I’m never going to build a computer… Sells for more elsewhere: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/sys/922327637.html If you’re interested, call me at 510-936-2417 or email thrippr@daytonastate.org Thanks, Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T18:47:26.http://daytona.craigslist.org/pho/924283019.html
I got this printer in September of 2007 free after rebate with a laptop I bought. In April of 2008 I opened it and printed about 40 8×10 photos and ran out of ink. It’s been in my closet since then.
It’s hardly used and in perfect condition. I’ve misplaced the CD, but you can download the drivers and software from epson.com to use this on Windows 98/ME/XP/Vista, Mac: http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=72265&prodoid=63059188&infoType=Downloads&platform=All The starter ink cartridges are also gone. This prints photos really nicely (about the best quality inkjet prints I’ve seen) because it takes SIX cartridges: Epson #78 Black, #78 Cyan, #78 Light Cyan, #78 Magenta, #78 Light Magenta, #78 Yellow. At Office Depot they might run $80, but you can get them on eBay cheaper: $41 shipped for the whole set:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370101962021 Also, you’ll need a USB cable to connect to the computer. You probably have one already somewhere. Then, paper. You can print 8.5×11 with this or smaller. This printer will also label printable CDs and DVDs. There’s an adapter to fit them in the print tray included, which I never opened. Also: 1 printable CD-R is included, blank. This printer retails for about $120, but I want to get rid of it so it’s $20 to a good home. Read on Amazon.com about it here: http://epson-r260.th8.us/ I’m in Ormond Beach. You’ll have to pick up the printer at my house. If you’re interested, call me at 510-936-2417 or email me at thrippr@daytonastate.org Thanks, Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T18:05:48.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269959625
This auction is for two Maxell Digital 8 / Hi 8 8mm metal-particle video cassette tapes.
These are brand new, sealed in the package as pictured. Maxell offers a full lifetime warranty on these.
You can use these cassettes in Hi8 (analog, 120 minutes) or Digital8 (digital, 60 minutes) camcorders. From the package:
Hi8 Standard Play mode: 2 hours
Hi8 Long Play mode: 4 hours
Digital 8: 1 hourThese retail for about $9.99. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T17:51:24.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269956469
2 packages of Foray Chisel-Tip Dry Erase Markers with erasers, brand new, six each, assorted colors, same as pictured.
These are chisel tip, so the point is large, but you can write with a thin or thick line by turning the marker.
12 markers in all: 2 black, 2 blue, 2 red, 2 green, 2 orange, 2 purple.
* Quick drying.
* For use on whiteboard and nonporous surfaces.
* Low odor, non-toxic.
* Store horizontally, do not shake, recap after use.Read more about these markers here!
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=326562These retail for $6.99 a pack — so the value of this auction is $13.98. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T14:32:51.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269917125
This is an Office Depot remanufactured LC31M magenta ink cartridge for Brother printers, new in the box as pictured.
This cartridge works with these printers, along with 3 other cartridges (black, cyan, yellow): Brother IntelliFAX 1820C, 1920C, 1920CN; Multi-function MFC-3220C, MFC-3320C, MFC-3320CN, MFC-3420C, MFC-3820C, and MFC-3820CN.df
No install by date is listed, but the box says ©2006.
Contains 0.44 ounces (13 ml) of magenta [red] ink.
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=525453
Office Depot sells this for $9.99. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T14:30:31.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269916624
This is an Office Depot remanufactured LC31C cyan ink cartridge for Brother printers, new in the box as pictured.
This cartridge works with these printers, along with 3 other cartridges (black, magenta, yellow): Brother IntelliFAX 1820C, 1920C, 1920CN; Multi-function MFC-3220C, MFC-3320C, MFC-3320CN, MFC-3420C, MFC-3820C, and MFC-3820CN.df
No install by date is listed, but the box says ©2006.
Contains 0.44 ounces (13 ml) of cyan [blue] ink.
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=525397
Office Depot sells this for $9.99. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T14:21:52.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269915385
This is a Rosewill Z RCX-Z775-SL 92mm fan and heatsink, brand new in the box as pictured. I removed the UPC barcode carefully (for a mail-in rebate), but haven’t touched the fan.
This works with Intel LGA 775, Intel Core 2 Dual, Pentium 4, Pentium D, and Celeron processors, according to the box. Also:
Bearing type: Long life two ball bearing / 80,000 hours
RPM: 800-2100 RPM + or - 10% (supporting PWM)
Air flow: 16.5-46.2CFM, 2.9mmH20 (supporting PWM)
Noise level: 21-27.45 db(A)
Power Connector: 4 pin
Weight: 483 grams
Heatsink material: huge dimension aluminum fins, 3 embedded copper heatpipes and copper baseFor more details, read the manual online. Includes pictures!
http://www.rosewill.com/RosewillSoftware/RCX-Z775-SL%20User%20Manual%20V1.0.pdfThis retails for $40 I think. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T14:08:47.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269913165
This is a Rosewill 3 Port IEEE 1394a [FireWire] PCMCIA Card (6-pin) for laptops, new in the box, exactly as pictured. Note: I cut off the UPC code from the box for a mail-in rebate.
If your laptop has a PCMCIA CardBus Type II card, you can add this card to your laptop to get 3 FireWire ports, which is used for camcorders, hard drives, etc. It’s often preferred to USB because it’s faster (in practice), more reliable, and puts less strain on your computer’s CPU.
Works with Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, XP 32/64 bit, Vista 32/64 bit, Mac OS 8.6, Linux, says the box. Includes a manual.
From the box:
* 1394a support
* Hot Swap support
* Rosewill item #RC602
* Bus Interface : CardBus Type II, 32-bit 33MHz, 3.3V
* Supports all common camcorders, disk drives, printers and scanners with 1394a interface
* Supports up to 63 devices [FireWire hubs?]
* Supports devices hot swap [unplug without turning computer off]
* Supports maximum data transfer rate at 400Mbps
* MS Windows compatible including DV and SBP-2 drivers
* Connectors: 3 x IEEEa 6-pin ports, 1 x DC JackManual is included, but you can also read it here:
http://www.rosewill.com/RosewillSoftware/RC602%20User%20manual.pdfThis was about $30 originally. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T13:45:20.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269909687
This is a Uniden TCX 905 5.8GHz cordless phone accessory handset and charger, for use with the Uniden TRU9400 phone + base. This does nothing without the TRU9400, but if you have that, you can plug this charger base in somewhere around your house, and the additional handset will communicate wirelessly with the TRU9400 system.
This is brand new, but the box has been opened and is a bit dented at the bottom (see picture). I checked, and everything is in great shape: the handset, charger base, AC adapter, rechargeable battery (nickel-metal hydride), and instructions are all there. The belt clip is missing. I’d never use it anyway.
From the box:
* Add this accessory to expand your existing Uniden TRU9400 Series Cordless System. [Series? I guess there's more than one.]
* NOTE: Will not operate without a Uniden TRU9400 Series Base.
* For use with 1 & 2 line phone models.
* You must have a 2-line subscription through your local telephone company in order to use the 2-line feature. [You can use the phone normally without 2 lines, of course.]That’s all. The box doesn’t say much. The handset has caller ID, a button that says “speaker,” and a button that says “int’com” with “hold” underneath, which must be for switching lines.
On Amazon.com, this is $29.51. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T03:10:49.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269840974
This is a new Sterling Communications 56K V.92 PCI Internal Faxmodem, Model S20, same as pictured. It’s open, but unused.
You can add this to an empty PCI slot on your desktop computer’s motherboard to connect to the Internet by dialup or send faxes over the computer.
Works with Windows 98 / 98SE / ME / 2000 / XP
Requires a 500MHz CPU for XP or a 266 MHz CPU for 98 / 98SE / ME / 2000Drivers CD and phone cord not included. You can download the drivers here, including new drivers from Sterling for Windows Vista:
http://www.sterlingmodems.com/models20.shtmlSupports the International V.92, V.90, and V.44 standards
56K data / 14.4 fax
Download from the Internet at speeds up to 56 kilobits per second
Easy installation / Easy-to-use Data + Fax software included
Supports 33.6 K and slower speeds
V.44, V.42bis, and MNP data compression
14.4 K fax (group 3, class 1)
V.42 and MNP error-correction
Includes modem card, data/fax software, manual, and phone cord
One year warrantyNetzero and Juno still offer free dial-up Internet, limited to 10 hours per month. You can use their services with this modem:
http://www.netzero.net/free
http://account.juno.com/s/landing?action=viewProduct&productId=freeHappy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T03:04:58.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269840078
Brand new retail 5-pack of Maxell mini DVD-Rs, shrink wrapped, with cases. Same as pictured. You can record to these in computers and mini DVD camcorders. 30 minutes recording time at standard compression. These are recordables (write-once discs), so you can’t delete what you’ve recorded. You can play these in standard DVD players after recording them, in the middle tray (the discs are small).
* 5 Pack includes one each: blue, green, magenta, light blue, and orange Disc with Case
* Recordable / One-time recording
* 8 cm mini DVD designed for one time recording for one time recording with DVD-R compatible camcorders
* Disc can be played back on any DVD-R compatible recorder, player or computer drive
* Up to 30 minutes of DVD quality video recording / 1.4GB of data storageStorage Capacity: 1.4GB
Recording Time: 30 minutes (SP); 20 minutes (HQ); 60 minutes (LP)
Write Speed: 1x - 2x Compatible
Disc diameter: 3.25 inches (8cm)UPC 025215669576
These are $5.99 + $6.98 shipping on Amazon.com. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T02:56:06.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269838624
This is a set of 4 Office Depot remanufactured ink cartridges for Brother printers, new in the boxes as pictured. One for each color (cyan, magenta, yellow, black): LC31C, LC31M, LC31Y, LC31BK.
These work with these printers, each of which require one of each color: Brother IntelliFAX 1820C, 1920C, 1920CN; Multi-function MFC-3220C, MFC-3320C, MFC-3320CN, MFC-3420C, MFC-3820C, and MFC-3820CN.
Office Depot item #’s 525-397, 525-453, 525-474, 525-390 (cyan, magenta, yellow, black, respectively).
No install by date is listed, but these say ©2006 and are unopened.
The cyan, magenta, and yellow cartridges each contain 0.44 ounces (13 ml) of ink. The black one contains 0.95 ounches (28 ml).
I checked what Office Depot sells these for:
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=525397 Cyan $9.99
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=525453 Magenta $9.99
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=525474 Yellow $9.99
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=525390 Black $16.99So the value of this auction (all 4 cartridges) is $46.96. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T02:37:45.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269836184
A genuine Epson T037020 color inkjet print cartridge, brand new, factory sealed, same as pictured.
Suggested use-before date is June 2009. Epson item #C13T037020, UPC 010343842335.
According to the top of the box, this works with the printers: Epson Stylus C42UX, C42SX, C44UX.
On Amazon.com, this is $20.60. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T02:29:08.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269834796
A genuine Epson T036120 black inkjet print cartridge, brand new, factory sealed, same as pictured.
Use before October 2010, Epson item #C13T036120, UPC 010343842328.
According to the top of the box, this works with the printers: Epson Stylus C42UX, C42SX, C44UX.
On Amazon.com, this is $17.99. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T02:21:42.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269833636
This is a Speck brand ToughSkin “Ruggedized Protection” rubber skin for the 2nd generation (a.k.a. 2G) iPod nano, brand new in the box as pictured, black color.
It says:
* Durable, shock-absorbing material for maximum protection.
* Convenient all access controls. [You can use the iPod buttons and see the screen while this is over it.]
* Includes screen protector & belt clip. [It does!]I like the shape of this thing. If only I had an iPod to use it with.
On Amazon.com this is $24.99 + $8.95 shipping (yeah right). But it’s worth at least a few dollars. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T02:11:26.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269832130
U.S. Stamp & Sign Headline Engraved Acrylic Sign, “Fire Extinguisher”, 2″ x 8″, Red Sign, White Text
I like these, but I’m willing to part with them. They’re brand new in shrink wrap: nine 8-by-2 inch signs that say “Fire Extinguisher” on white text on a red background. They’re 1/8 of an inch thick, with double-sided adhesive foam tape on the back. These weigh 2/3 an ounce each. If you have a lot of fire extinguishers at your business, these could be useful.
These are from Office Depot, Item #830-408, UPC 735854008338.
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=830408They’re $3.99 each there, so the value of this auction could be as much as $35.91. Happy bidding.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T01:57:27.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269829947
Three genuine Kodak 10 series color ink cartridges, brand new and sealed, same as pictured.
The package says “Compatible with all 5000, 3000, and 800 series Kodak EasyShare inkjet printers.”
The install by date is September 2008, but these will still work fine. They haven’t been opened.
The front says “save up to 50% on everything you print compared to similar consumer inkjet printers.” Ink is usually way too expensive, but Kodak claims to be making it cheaper. With a black ink cartridge, this should print 105 4*6 photos (it says so on the back). There are 5 ink colors in this cartridge, to represent a rich gamut of tones.
The retail price of these cartridges is $14.99 each, so the value of this auction is about $44.97. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T01:49:23.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269828889
This is a genuine HP #41 Color Inkjet Print Cartridge, brand new in the box as pictured (HP item #51641A).
Install by date is 01/2009, made in Puerto Rico. It’ll work fine much longer, since it’s still sealed.
From the box, this works with these printers: HP Deskjet 820, 850, 855, 870, 1000, 1100; HP Officejet Pro 1150; HP Color Copier 110, 120. The cartridge contains 1.32 ounces of ink in three colors (39 ml). UPC 088698004272.
On Amazon.com, the HP #41 sells for $24.95. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T01:40:24.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269827607
This is a genuine HP #14 Black Inkjet Print Cartridge, brand new in the box as pictured (HP item #C5011D). The box is torn on the left, but the cartridge is fine.
Expiration date is 01/2010, made in Singapore.
From the box, this works with these printers: HP Officejet d125, d135, d145, d155, 7110, 7130, 7140; HP Color Inkjet cp1160, HP Digital Copier 610. The cartridge contains 0.88 ounces of black ink (26 ml). UPC 882780600829.
On Amazon.com, this cartridge is $21.99. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T01:22:37.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269825000
This auction is for twelve Maxell Mini DV Digital Video Cassette tapes, brand new in the packages, same as pictured. There are four three-packs.
Mini DV tapes are small (about 2 by 3 inches). You can record 60 minutes of video on them in Mini DV camcorders, so these tapes yield 12 hours in all. You can transfer video to the computer and reuse them.
From the back:
* Maxell mini-DV employs a newly developed metal evaporate technology that has a recording density approximately 6.7 times greater than VHS.
* Additional outer coating protects metal evaporate recording layer providing durability and reliability even under repeated editing operations.
* Anti-static resin case shuts out dust and other contaminants for maximum protection of high quality, digital picture.A six-pack of these is $16.38 + $6.50 shipping on Amazon.com, so the value of this auction is about $45.76. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-18T01:09:54.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130269823059
This auction is for two HP 41 remanufactured ink cartridges (recycled and refilled), Office Depot brand, new in the boxes, same as pictured.
These color ink cartridges hold 1.32 ounces of ink each (39 ml) and work with: HP Color Copier 110, 120; DeskJet 1000Cse, 1000Cxi, 1100C, 820Cse, 820Cxi, 850C, 855C, 855Cse, 855Cxi, 870Cse, 870Cxi; OfficeJet Pro 1150C, 1150Cse, and other printers (this list is from the box).
Office Depot sells these for $30.99 each:
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?searchTxt=966152Remanufactured cartridges are nice, because they have to do a good job refilling them. Office Depot says these cartridges are “quality tested” with “100% satisfaction guaranteed.”
After you use these, you can recycle them at Office Depot for $3 in store credit each (issued on a gift card at the end of the quarter through Office Depot’s Worklife Rewards program).
Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-17T23:41:15.http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/be-heard-speak-plainly.html
When one feels that he/she has obfuscated his/her inexorable vicissitudes behind a cloak of biodegradability, it may become a prerequisite for continued social discourse to reinstate them in less conglomerated taxonomy.
You’re right, I can’t do this. Sorry.
Really, it impresses people more if you are honest even if “offensive” and if you speak precisely when your peers prefer vagueness. The truth about offending others is that if you offend others, they are actually offending themselves. Whatever you can say to yourself you can say to other people.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-17T20:57:46.http://www.timpeter.com/blog/2008/11/11/blogging-is-dead-what-are-you-going-to-do-about-it/
Thanks for quoting me! I like being quoted… makes me seem important. Ha ha.
I’ve been thinking of blogs as like t.v. shows while regular websites are like movies at the theater. The latter are one-off events (ignoring sequels), while t.v. shows just go on and on forever… that commitment is what makes blogging special.
Blogs require continuous effort. They’re like narratives. So they’ll only work out if you pick something you really love to write about, not just whatever’s popular or profitable.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-13T01:07:35.http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/5-home-office-items-you-should-never-skimp-on.html
256MB of RAM is supposed to be plenty of temporary space. I think Windows XP / Vista manage memory very inefficiently. Firefox 3 seems a lot slower than v1. Then again, there’s also all those big pictures, videos, music, JavaScript, and other resource-heavy stuff on MySpace pages…
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-11T14:13:30.http://www.craigharper.com.au/2008/11/six-hundred-articles-later.html
I’ve only written 40-some articles, but I can see this happening when I’m at 600! It’s the same for myself. I actually printed a book (3-ring binder) of everything I’ve written, and I’ve been reading it because I forget to practice what I preach.
You can’t change anyone else; they can only change themselves. The best we can do is help others to take action, think differently, refine their beliefs, become motivated. I guess that’s why personal development is “self-help.”
Liquid Roof Coatings at 2009-02-12T12:22:28.
Nice! You can’t change anyone else; they can only change themselves. This is fact and we can only help or guide to others in order to change their attitude. But how? how we can help those people who never ready to adopt the positive changing.
Richard X. Thripp at 2009-02-21T06:41:32.Well, if you’re blogging you can keep writing, but it could be that every person who doesn’t improve from your writing represents a deficiency in your message. So keep cutting out the fluff and making it sharper. If there are people you know in person, the best way to influence them is to be a good influence yourself.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-10T02:09:29.http://www.whatsnextblog.com/archives/2008/11/the_annual_death_of_blogging_is_baaaaaack.asp
Saying that blogging is dead is like saying that writing or music or publishing is dead. You could say that a format is dead, say LaserDisc or VHS, but a medium like blogging doesn’t really mean anything. The best we can come up with to distinguish blogs from other websites is that they are frequently updated, are more personal, are in reverse chronological order, and allow reader comments. That means we’ll always have blogging, because this is just obvious stuff.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-10T02:02:04.http://www.twitip.com/do-you-log-in-to-twittercom-to-tweet-poll/
I log on to Twitter always, although I use the Tweet This links on my blog to expedite Twittering (the plugin shortens URLs in advance and pre-fills the Twitter box with the URL and post title), and the “Tweet any page” bookmarklet at Th8.us (bottom of page) has a permanent spot on my Firefox bookmarks toolbar. There are other solutions, but I like these because they’re simple and fast and I created them. I recall a plugin that auto-posts your blog posts to Twitter, but I prefer writing my own tag in under 140 characters for each broadcast tweet.
I’m surprised how many third-party interfaces have built up around Twitter, and how widely they’re used. 24% of people don’t even go to Twitter, and 45% only sometimes. Of course, this poll is skewed toward the Twitter-savvy… this whole blog is, for that matter. Not that I mind!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-08T16:26:03.http://www.twitip.com/do-you-converse-or-broadcast-how-to-build-or-kill-relationships-on-twitter/
I tend to broadcast my latest blog posts, photos, eBay auctions, news, etc. What I’ve been doing recently is writing some short insight about them that’s different than the title or just the first few words of the post. It makes my Twitter page different and more interesting (rather than being of no value to anyone who reads my blog), and it makes me think.
Also, I’m talking more about what goes on in my life, tweeting interesting web pages I come across NOT created by me, following more people, and replying to their tweets. It’s good to be balanced between being a broadcaster or a conversationalist, but whatever it is you are not allowed to be boring.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-07T01:51:45.http://wphacks.com/how-to-adding-a-twitter-link-wordpress-theme/
Awesome, I had this idea too! I created Tweet This, a WP plugin, to do this. It shortens URLs in advance through Th8.us, TinyURL, or other services (you can choose).
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-07T00:05:23.http://www.allamericanblogger.com/4262/obama-christ-votive/
This post was the 50,000th URL entered into the http://th8.us/ database (through Tweet This); thanks! You’re featured on the home page for a few days.
Obama could be the messiah! I don’t think he’s too important though. American empire and corporatism will continue regardless of Republicans or Democrats (it’s the difference between Coke and Pepsi).
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-04T23:17:44.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130266975180
This is a brand new mousepad of a photo I took called “Two of Us Against the World” (www.rxthripp.com/portfolio) — two dandelion clocks against a dream-like sky.
I have one of these on my desk, and it gets lots of comments from visitors. This is 7.75 by 9.25 inches, 1/4 inch thick, durable polyester, non-skid rubber backing, new and sealed, commercial quality.
Also comes with a free 4×6 print copy. Enjoy!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-04T22:47:21.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130266969963
This is a new Coolmax HD-211 U2 aluminum 2.5-inch hard disk enclosure, USB interface, same as pictured. The box is open and I took the UPC code, but the item is brand new and unused. This was one of those notorious Coolmax free after rebate items from a year ago. They told me I didn’t send the UPC code when I did, and I had to fight several months for my $30 check.
You can put any IDE / PATA 2.5-inch (laptop) hard disk in this, according to Coolmax. Windows 2000 / XP / Vista and Mac OS 8.6+ should automatically recognize the drive. The package mentions a driver CD for Windows 98SE, but none was included. You can download Win98SE drivers here, though:
This comes with a screwdriver, screws, a carrying pouch, and a USB cable. That cable has two ends on it, so if you have an old computer that doesn’t provide enough power to the drive, the drive won’t spin up and you can use a second USB port to give it a jump.
This enclosure looks pretty sturdy. It sells for $23.99 on Amazon.com. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-04T22:20:46.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130266965640
Four genuine Kodak 10 series black ink cartridges, brand new and sealed, same as pictured.
The package says “Compatible with all KODAK All-in-One inkjet printers.” That includes the EasyShare 5100, 5300, and 5500.
Three of these expire in October 2009; the fourth expires in August 2009.
The front says “save up to 50% on everything you print compared to similar consumer inkjet printers.” Ink is usually way too expensive, but Kodak claims to be making it cheaper.
The retail price of these cartridges is $9.99 each, so the value of this auction is about $39.96. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-04T22:05:44.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130266962845
12 new rolls of Kodak Professional Plus-X 125 (125PX) black and white 35mm film, 36 exposures per roll. 432 exposures in all.
This is good for photography classes, because a lot of them require 35mm b&w film.
I was going to use these, but I got tired of film photography and never opened them. They say “use by 12/2007,” but they’ve been kept cool and in the dark and will develop fine. This was from a box of 20; the other 8 worked great. I prefer Tri-X 400, but this is good quality and a bit less grainy, being at ISO 125.
UPC 041778793602, Kodak CAT #879 3606.
Black and white film now sells for more than color film; you can expect to pay $4 a roll or more. This auction is worth about $48. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-04T20:02:37.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130266933329
This auction is for FOURTEEN Maxell Digital 8 / Hi 8 8mm metal-particle video cassette tapes.
These are brand new, sealed in the packages as pictured. There are seven two-packs. Maxell offers a full lifetime warranty on these.
You can use these cassettes in Hi8 (analog, 120 minutes) or Digital8 (digital, 60 minutes) camcorders. From the package:
Hi8 Standard Play mode: 2 hours
Hi8 Long Play mode: 4 hours
Digital 8: 1 hourOn Amazon.com, a 4-pack of Maxell Hi8 tapes is $14.99, so this auction is worth about $52.47 with 14. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-04T19:42:07.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130266929914
TWO 4GB Kingston DataTraveler 100 USB flash drives, black color. Two separate packages. 8GB total storage capacity. Great as gifts or to resell.
Both drives have five-year warranties from Kingston, are unopened in perfect condition, same as pictured.
These are black with a switch on the side to extend / retract the USB port. There’s no cap, which is nice because caps are easily lost.
Kingston offers “MigoSync” software free with the drive; you can download it at migosoftware.com/kingston (”$19 value” says the package). It keeps your computer and flash drive files in synchronization.
These are $11.45 each on Amazon.com, so the value of this auction is about $22.90. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-04T02:32:05.http://blog.razvandobre.com/2008/10/10-things-about-steve-pavlinas-personal.html
I just read Steve’s book too. There really is no other book like it; he’s done a fantastic job covering as much ground and theory as he has, and it feels uplifting to read. I didn’t find it as exciting as his blog, but if you’re new to personal development, this book will help you to develop strength, motivation, and purpose.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-04T02:27:02.http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/11/04/watch-me-launch-my-new-blog-twitip/
Great idea, Darren! Added your new blog to my feed reader. There’s a lot of stuff to cover w/ Twitter; I can see doing a whole blog on it. I didn’t get caught up in this Twitter phenomenon till six months ago, but now I use it as a log book, to share spur-of-the-moment thoughts (rather than drawn-out blog posts), and to connect with friends.
Nice use of Tweet This, by the way. You can keep an eye on some stats here: p.3ansp.th8.us. So far, your posts tweeted through the Tweet This links have received 51 clicks.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-11-04T01:45:58.http://kikolani.com/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason.html
Beautiful poem and comments. The seasonal part I find important–most of the people I know now, I won’t be in touch with in a few months or years, but that’s not something to despair over. It’s something to celebrate. Temporaryness is special.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-31T23:12:37.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130266088469
This is a new laser toner cartridge, remanufactured by Office Depot, which replaces a Dell 310-5400 cartridge. Exactly as pictured. This can be used with the Dell 1700 and Dell 1700n black-and-white laser printers.
The box and package have been opened (this is from a red tag sale), but the cartridge is new. UPC is 877041006953. This is the old box design; the cartridge is rated for 6000 pages.
The Office Depot SKU number on this is 336624. This cartridge costs $112.99 from officedepot.com, but I’m starting this auction at 99 cents with no reserve.
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?jopa=null&norefinement=true&searchTxt=336624
After you use it, you can return the cartridge to Office Depot for recycling and receive $3 store credit.
While I don’t have a Dell printer, I always use remanufactured cartridges in my Lexmark printer, because they’re cheaper and work as well. All they are is brand-name cartridges that have been used and then refilled by Office Depot.
Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-31T20:36:48.http://www.craigharper.com.au/2008/10/how-to-get-fat.html
This is awesome. No where do you see people blaming other people or circumstances for their problems than with obesity.
It is hard to stay thin. Our bodies are designed to save up food because having an abundance of food constantly is abnormal. But renovating your life is all about doing hard things like not eating. Life isn’t supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to be a challenging adventure.
You can actually stay thin and eat all the time. Eat salad, nuts, legumes, fruit, and other goodies. Don’t eat meat 21 times a week. Drink water, not soda.
At the very least, stop blaming others. Say “I’m fat because I choose to be fat.” That’s a huge step in the right direction.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T22:22:52.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264754779
8 Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA batteries (single use), brand new, sealed in two packages of 4 each, same as pictured. These expire in 2023 and “last up to 8X longer than alkalines in digital cameras.”
These are lighter than alkalines (33% lighter) despite having more power, and they should work from -40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (a far larger range than rechargeables). UPC code 039800035066.
These are the new 2008 Energizer Lithium batteries. They’re calling them Ultimate Lithium instead of e2 Lithium, and they claim to last 8 times longer rather than 7 in digital cameras. I’m not sure if they’ve really changed, though.
A 4-pack of these batteries is $10.99 on Amazon.com, so the value of this auction is about $21.98. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T22:10:53.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264753505
TWO 2GB Ativa Secure Digital (SD) Memory Cards, in separate packages, brand new as pictured. 4GB total storage capacity. These are great for cameras, because 2GB is the highest SD-compliant capacity (above that you need SDHC which only new cameras support).
These are 60X Hi-Speed, meaning they support 9 megabytes per second sustained writing speed. Some SD cards say 60X but are only for read speed (when they are perhaps 15X write speed), but these say right on the back of the package that 60X is write speed.
On my Canon PowerShot A620 (7 megapixels), I can take 600 photos at the highest quality JPEG setting with one of these. The lag between shots decreases slightly compared to a regular card. The speed boost is most noticeable when copying the files to the computer with a good USB 2.0 card reader, though.
These are for use in digital cameras, PDAs, camcorders, mobile phones, MP3 players, PC/notebooks and other devices that feature an SD-compliant slot. These will also work in SDHC devices, because they are backward-compatible with SD.
This item was recently on sale for $9.99 each at Office Depot, so two of them are worth about $19.98. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T21:07:02.http://www.laurentk.com/2008/06/twitter-api-how-to-send-tweets-from-a-wordpress-tweet-this-button/
Wow, awesome! I totally came up with Tweet This way after you and stole your name inadvertently. It’s a good idea. Sharing blog posts on Twitter takes too many steps normally.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T21:05:24.http://richpalmer.com/blogsviewsandblues/2008/10/18/facebook-sharer-tweet-this-and-youtuber-bvb27/
Good collection of plugins. Thanks for including Tweet This.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T20:55:24.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264742748
A Bluetooth Wireless Cellular Headset, new in the box with charger and ear hook. Instructions included.
If you have a cell phone with Bluetooth functionality, it will pick up on this headset code “-PBH-8W.” Then you can connect to it, keep this in your ear, and keep the cell phone in your pocket while talking. The microphone is at the bottom of the earpiece. Operating range is 30 feet. This is called a headset on the box, but it’s really an earpiece, because it only goes in one ear. The device only weighs half an ounce.
The earpiece includes a Lithium Polymer rechargeable battery. There is a small door on the side of the earpiece with an adapter hook. You can charge the battery by plugging the included AC adapter into the earpiece and the power plug into the wall. Initial charging takes 2 hours. Charging is complete when the light on the headset turns off. You can talk for about 4 hours on one charge, or 70 hours of standby time.
You can adjust volume with two buttons on the earpiece. Press the white button on the top to answer or hang up on a call.
I wish I had a Bluetooth phone so I could use this! It seems like quite a piece of technology.
Office Depot sells this for $29.99. Check that out here:
http://www.officedepot.com/catalog/txtSearchDD.do?jopa=e35QM9moVrQpftG0OQqihJB&norefinement=true&searchTxt=903957Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T20:32:51.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264738455
A box of 12 Sharpie permanent markers, fine point, black, fresh, brand new, just as pictured.
These are workhorse markers… no frilly yellows and lime-greens here. All black.
* Quick-drying, fade- and water-resistant ink
* Permanent on most surfaces
* Sanford item #30001, UPC 071641300019On Amazon.com, this box is $6.00 + $7.04 shipping. Happy bidding.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T20:11:58.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264734527
A 60 pack of Staples 4×6 inch glossy photo plus paper, brand new and sealed, as pictured.
This paper is 64-pound, 9.5 mil thickness. Staples item #648177. It’s fairly good quality. Works in all inkjet printers. Don’t use it in laser printers because you could melt the finish and mess up your printer.
Photo plus is in-between basic and supreme on Staples’ quality scale. This is for “hobbies and projects and photos to share.”
I have 10 packs… if you buy more than 1 I have a shipping discount ($3.99 for the first, $1.99 shipping for each additional), and I may not use first class mail.
This is the paper I use for all my 4×6 home printing. It’s cheaper to send to an online lab… but if you want to print something quickly this is great.
At Staples.com, this is $10.49 + $9.95 shipping, and user reviews rate this at 4.5/5 stars. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T19:34:16.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264728500
This is a brand new Sterling Communications 56K V.92 PCI Internal Faxmodem, Model S20, sealed and shrink wrapped in the box. You can add this to an empty PCI slot on your desktop computer’s motherboard, and then install the software on the included CD, to connect to the Internet by dialup or send faxesover the computer.
Works with Windows 98 / 98SE / ME / 2000 / XP
Requires a 500MHz CPU for XP or a 266 MHz CPU for 98 / 98SE / ME / 2000Also works with Windows Vista! Download software here:
http://www.sterlingmodems.com/models20.shtmlSupports the International V.92, V.90, and V.44 standards
56K data / 14.4 fax
Download from the Internet at speeds up to 56 kilobits per second
Easy installation / Easy-to-use Data + Fax software included
Supports 33.6 K and slower speeds
V.44, V.42bis, and MNP data compression
14.4 K fax (group 3, class 1)
V.42 and MNP error-correction
Includes modem card, data/fax software, manual, and phone cord
One year warrantyNetzero and Juno still offer free dial-up Internet, limited to 10 hours per month. You can use their services with this modem:
http://www.netzero.net/free
http://account.juno.com/s/landing?action=viewProduct&productId=freeHappy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T17:44:57.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264707692
This is a 20 pack of HP Premium Plus Photo Paper, 4 x 12 inches, brand new, sealed. These are like two 4×6 prints end to end. 1:3 aspect ratio. Great for panoramas or tall portraits.
High gloss, inkjet, borderless, 75 pounds, 11.5 mil thickness. The package weighs 8 ounces, which is pretty heavy for 20 sheets. Premium Plus is HP’s top-of-the-line paper, above advanced, premium, standard, and everyday.
From the package:
Optimized exclusively for HP’s latest inkjet printers including HP Deskjet 5740, 6520, 6540, 6550, 6840 series; HP Photosmart 2600, 2700 series, 7850, 8150, 8450, 8750 series; HP Officejet 6200, 7300, 7400 series; PSC 2300 series. Not recommended for use with HP 38 ink cartridges.
Ideal for professional-quality photos that capture expansive views or wide shots - perfect for framing or albums.
HP’s best photo paper delivers brilliant color photos — and sharp, high contrast black and white images.
Professional weight and thickness with a unique HP back coating that prevents prints from sticking when stacked.This speciality paper retails for $14.99. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T17:25:00.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264703856
QuickBooks Simple Start 2008 makes accounting simple with just the feature-set small businesses need. This is a brand new copy of the full retail version, sealed, never installed nor registered, with the UPC (028287017481) and serial number barcodes intact.
From the box:
#1 Best Selling Small Business Financial Software
Plus Pack: Software PLUS checks, training & online backup
Just the essentials: the simplest way to track sales & expenses.Free checks must be ordered by 1/31/09. Free year of online backup must be activated by 1/31/09. You can still use all the other features if you miss the deadline.
Recommended system requirements:
* At least 2.0GHz Intel Pentium III (or equivalent) with 512 MB of RAMMinimum system requirements:
* 1.8GHz Intel Pentium II (or equivalent) with 256 MB of RAM
* Windows XP/Vista
* For Vista users, 1.2GHz Intel Pentium III (or equivalent) and 1GB or RAM
* 1 GB of disk space for QuickBooks installation
* Microsoft .NET 2.0 Runtime (Provided on CD, requires an additional 50MB.)
* 16-bit or higher color
* Optimized for 1024×768 [monitor resolution]. Supports 800×600 with small fonts.
* 4x CD-ROM
* All online features/services require Internet access with at least a 56 Kbps modemTrack money coming into your business: Create professional-looking estimates, invoices & sales receipts
Track money going out of your business: Automatically tracks expenses as your print checks & pay bills
One-click reports: Easy-to-understand reports help you monitor your bottom line & prep for tax timeNoteworthy Features:
Track sales, expenses & sales taxes
Professional-looking invoices & estimates
Inventory tracking & purchase ordersSimple Start is for NEW QuickBooks users
Made for first-time users, Simple Start 2007 cannot import data from prior versions of QuickBooks Basic, Pro, or Premier [however data can be exported to them if you upgrade]This package sells for $69.99 at Amazon.com. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T17:08:56.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264700750
8 Energizer e2 AA Lithium batteries (single use), brand new, sealed in two packages of 4 each, same as pictured. These expire in 2022 and “last up to 7X longer than alkalines in digital cameras.”
These are lighter than alkalines (33% lighter) despite having more power, and they should work from -40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (a far larger range than rechargeables). UPC code 039800035066.
A 4-pack of these batteries is $10.99 on Amazon.com, so the value of this auction is about $21.98. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T16:48:25.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264696892
This is a genuine HP #56 Black Ink Cartridge, brand new in the box. Most stores sell these for $20.
I bought this in March of 2007, but I upgraded to a laser printer and never used it. It’s been sitting on a shelf since then. The box says “Install by December 2007,” but it will still work fine because it’s never been open and it’s been cool and away from the light.
HP 56 cartridges have 19 mL of ink (0.64 ounces). The new HP printers take cartridges that are $15 but hold 5mL of ink, so these are better if you have a compatible printer. According to the side of the box, these printers take HP 56 cartridges:
HP Deskjet 450, 5150, 5550, 5650, 5850, 9650, 9670, 9680
HP Photosmart 7150, 7260, 7350, 7450, 7550, 7660, 7755, 7760, 7960
HP Printer / Scanner / Copier 1110, 1209, 1210, 1311, 1315, 1350, 2110, 2175, 2210, 2410, 2510
HP Officejet 4110, 4215, 5505, 5510, 5605, 5610, 6110
HP Digital Copier Printer 410
HP Fax 1240A bonus: you can recycle this cartridge for $3 in store credit at Staples or Office Depot after using it. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T16:47:10.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264691093
TWO 2GB Ativa Secure Digital (SD) Memory Cards, in separate packages, brand new as pictured. 4GB total storage capacity. These are great for cameras, because 2GB is the highest SD-compliant capacity (above that you need SDHC which only new cameras support).
The auction quantity is 4 because I have eight 2GB cards, which I’m selling in 4 groups of 2 each.
On my Canon PowerShot A620 (7 megapixels), I can take 600 photos at the highest quality JPEG setting with one of these.
From the package: “For use in digital cameras, PDAs, camcorders, mobile phones, MP3 players, PC/notebooks and other devices that feature an SD-compliant slot.” These will also work in SDHC devices, because they are backward-compatible with SD.
These were recently on sale for $9.99 each at Office Depot, so two of them are worth about $19.98. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-25T15:39:13.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264683094
12 Assorted Sharpie Retractable Fine Tip Permanent Markers.
These are brand new, never opened; the exact package pictured.
One of each of these colors: black, navy, blue, turquoise, aqua, green, lime, orange, red, berry, purple, plum.
Fine tip Sharpies start out fine, but dull with use. So the point gets wider after a while (more like medium than fine).
Sanford Item #32707; UPC: 071641327078
From the package:
• Same great sharpie ink, now in a retractable marker that allows easy one-handed operation!
• Permanent on most surfaces
• No cap to remove or lose
• Quick-drying, AP Certified nontoxic ink formula
• The Safety Seal™ valve design prevents dry out!On Amazon.com, these are $19.71 + $5.24 shipping. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-21T18:15:47.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130263932115
This auction is for a package of four Sony Digital 8 / Hi 8 8mm metal-particle video cassette tapes.
These are brand new, sealed in the package. The auction quantity is three because I have three four-packs. Note that if you buy more than one package, each additional one is $1.99 shipping and I may not use first-class mail.
You can use these in Hi8 (analog, 120 minutes) or Digital8 (digital, 60 minutes) camcorders. From the package:
NTSC (USA): Long play: 240 minutes; Standard play: 120 minutes [Note: Standard play is higher quality]
PAL (Europe): Long play: 170 minutes; Standard play: 85 minutes
Digital8: Long play: 90 minutes; Standard: 60 minutes* Video Hi8 and Digital8 format compatible
* Play-back of Digital8 recording is not possible in either video Hi8 or Video 8 camcordersThese are $7.75 each on Amazon.com… so a 4-pack is worth like $31. I think these are hard to find now. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-18T23:21:43.http://www.craigharper.com.au/2008/10/do-you-determine-your-beliefs-or-do.html
I wrote a lot about this in Transcending Limiting Beliefs—I think it’s really important that you determine your beliefs yourself, because only you know what’s best for you.
Negative beliefs usually have negative words like “can’t” or “shouldn’t” in them, i.e. “I can’t be successful” or “I shouldn’t ask someone else out.” Following that, there’s some justification like “because I’m undeserving.” Usually it’s far less solid than this, but the belief still has the power to cripple your potential.
Keep growing and learning! Organized religion is often crippling… being a Christian, for example, is a huge responsibility (says the Bible). You have to constantly be sacrificing for others, following love, fairness, and compassion in your own heart and actions, and spreading the good word toward others. Those are good things. But 99% of Christians do far too little of this, cling to material possessions, and obsess over stuff that doesn’t matter. For them, Christianity is a limiting belief, and they are usually the ones who got it from their parents rather than consciously choosing it.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-18T23:12:40.http://dennisjohn.wordpress.com/2008/10/14/are-we-scared-of-the-great-google-kingdom/
I wrote about this in Digital Sharecropping; Google controls so much stuff it’s scary. Don’t forget they have your credit card if you’ve used Google Checkout.
I still use them for email, but I keep a backup on my computer. It’s important not to rely on other companies too much.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-18T17:33:20.http://www.shoefiti.com/2008/08/16/shoes-on-wire/
Thanks for the comment. I thought a simple title worked better with the minimalistic image, but yours works too.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-17T21:26:26.http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/why-all-the-best-marketers-know-each-other.html
The conclusion is great; I read a lot of blogs on personal development for example, but the returns are diminishing, and they’re nothing if you’re not implementing what you’re reading. It’s easy to read something and “know” something yet never do anything with it.
Avoid that by taking action! Success builds success and courageous leadership builds more courage.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-14T16:38:02.http://yastrow.com/2008/you-cant-multi-task.html
I totally agree with this; you have to focus just on one task at a time to make much progress. The cost of switching between tasks is high because you lose focus. Back in June, I wrote a post on this called Don’t Multitask.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-20T19:04:53.http://yastrow.com/2008/you-cant-multi-task.html
In reply to this comment, by Steve Yastrow:
Thanks Richard. Loved your post. But I was intrigued that you find it easier to avoid distraction if you don’t have a to-do list. The opposite works for me. If it’s written somewhere I don’t have to think about it. Otherwise, I end up switching tasks so I don’t forget to do something.
Thanks, Steve! It might be because I don’t have a lot of tasks to juggle, but even if I did, I’d be working toward prioritizing and culling them so I could work intuitively (from memory). I do keep a list of topics and ideas for future blog articles, though not a to-do list.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-20T19:09:41.http://yastrow.com/2008/you-cant-multi-task.html
In reply to this comment, by bonnieL:
Read your post Richard. Thanks. Your photos are great!
bonnieL
Thanks, Bonnie! I’m moving toward portraiture now… people are so interesting.
But if I tried to multi-task by doing my homework while taking photos, it just wouldn’t work. If you’re going to multi-task, make sure it’s for something important. Talking on your cell phone and eating a sandwich while driving is multi-tasking, but it’s not of a good type, unlike vacuuming the floor while watching the news, or untying your shoes while writing an email, which could be quite productive.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-14T00:49:45.http://thekeys2internetmarketing.com/web-20/twitter/twitter-what-are-your-favorite-tools
Thanks for putting Tweet This up there; you’ve made good use of it on this blog! Fits right in with ShareThis / Email This, etc.
TweetLater is a new one for me; I can see how that would be useful for leaving messages or scheduling events.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-13T21:45:29.http://kikolani.com/sunset-cloudy-sky.html
Beautiful sky! I like the flare, dark clouds, and golden colors.
The only bad thing is it’s over-exposed. Too many of the clouds go to pure white, while none of the clouds get close to black. Check your camera’s histogram after taking photos; this one’s histogram would have trailed off to the right while being empty on the left.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-13T20:48:03.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=130262375990
This is a lot of four Walgreens Clearly Better Pitcher Filter Replacement Catridges, brand new in the boxes, exactly as pictured.
These fit Brita, PUR, and Culligan Pitchers, and have a cartridge life of 50 galloons.
From the package:
Model WP-1RU, fits pitcher WP-1, created exclusively for Walgreens by Culligan.
Activated Carbon and Ion Exchange Resin Reduces the Following:
Bad taste and odor
Chrloine taste and odor
Mercury
Copper
Particulate Class VI
ZincThis package includes: One (1) WP-1RU Replacement Cartridge; Filter change reminder sticker
Directions:
1. Remove sticker then soak filter cartridge in clean water for 15 minutes.
2. Wash and rinse the pitcher and all parts (note: do not clean in dishwasher).
3. Insert new filter into pitcher, seat firmly and fill with water.
4. Place the filter change reminder sticker on your calendar two months from when you start using a new cartridge.Walgreens sells these for $6.99 each, so the normal retail price of this auction is $27.96. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-13T19:54:07.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130262364869
8 Assorted Sharpie Retractable Ultra Fine Tip Permanent Markers.
These are brand new, never opened; the exact package pictured.
One of each of these colors: black, dark blue, sky blue, blue-green, green, lime-green, orange, red.
Ultra-fine tip Sharpies are like medium-point pens. I use them to label the backs of resin photographs and CDs, when I need to write a lot. As long as you don’t push down overly hard you’ll be fine on those surfaces.
Most of Sharpie’s retractable markers are fine tip (which is fairly broad); this is the first time I’ve seen them in ultra-fine tip.
Sanford Item #1746523; UPC: 071641002395
From the package:
• Same great sharpie ink, now in a retractable marker that allows easy one-handed operation!
• Permanent on most surfaces
• Ultra Fine tip for precise marking and writing
• No cap to remove or lose
• Quick-drying, AP Certified Nontoxic ink formula
• The Safety Seal™ valve design prevents dry out!On Amazon.com, these are $12.95 + $4.81 shipping. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-13T19:23:08.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130262357690
15 brand new Memorex DVD+R DL (dual-layer) discs, the same ones pictured. Note that the shrink wrap is torn on the back, but these are new and all 15 are there (I counted).
Write speed: 2.4 to 8X. Capacity: 8.5GB each (compare to 4.7GB with regular DVD+R’s). You can store 4 hours of DVD video at good quality, or 8.5GB of general data. These are “Recordable,” meaning write-once.
Older recorders don’t support these discs; make sure yours supports DVD+R DL. If it was made in the past two years it probably does.
Most Hollywood movie releases are on dual-layer discs, so you can back them up to these discs without having to compress the video.
15 8.5GB discs gives 127.5GB total storage capacity. Blank dual-layer DVDs have always been ridiculously expensive compared to single-layer blanks. This 15-pack is $26.81 on Amazon.com, for example. Home-recording of dual-layer discs was quite a technological break-through in 2005, but most people don’t use them because of the cost. They work quite well, though. I record them at 2.4X, not 8X. Though it takes an hour, it’s more reliable between different players and burners.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-12T04:50:08.http://www.stevepavlina.com/forums/steve-pavlina/23308-blog-about-financial-crisis.html
“You should vote” assumes voting matters. But when you have two candidates who are identical, voting is irrelevant. In fact, it’s actually evil because it validates a corrupt system. You can’t pick the lesser of two evils. You either choose evil, or you choose nothing at all.
If you’re going to vote, vote for a libertarian or vote for Mickey Mouse. Second choice is to not vote. Could you imagine what would happen if we had a 1% turn-out in the 2008 election? That would send a clear message that we, the American people, know that both candidates are mortgaged puppets and our elections are shams. You can’t send a clear message by voting for the “lesser” of two evils.
Fiat regimes institute mandatory voting once the public is on to them. They did this to my mother when she was growing up in Vietnam. It legitimizes the system. It will come to the United States. What should you do then? Vote for everyone. Check all the boxes. They can’t count your “vote” if you’ve voted for everyone.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-12T00:49:35.http://blog.razvandobre.com/2008/10/stay-fit-without-any-gym-23-simple-ways.html
These are good suggestions. Paying other people to lift weights at the gym is very futile. It does nothing to benefit others. Why not exercise by picking up litter, doing household chores, mowing lawns, going for photography walks, or taking bad parking spots and walking further?
At the very least, lift your own weights and find some way to generate energy from it. Perhaps you could power a light bulb?
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-12T00:33:15.http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/10/12/should-blogs-have-comments/
I enjoy comments, but they can become problematic if you get too many of them; you have to remember that blogging is more about broadcasting than conversing. Most visitors read your articles. They aren’t interested in what other people have to say about them. So if you’re spending more time on comments than writing, it may be time to pull the plug. Or create a forum instead.
Of course, the audience in this comment section is going to misrepresent the majority, because we’re just the people that comment.
A big problem with comments is that no one reads when you reply to them. That’s why the subscribe to comments plugin is a great idea. The only problem is that you get an email for every comments; on busy Problogger posts that can amount to dozens of emails. I don’t mind because Gmail bunches them all together in an easy-to-read thread.
On my blog, I use a customized version of a plugin called Wordpress Thread Comment, which allows you to reply directly to comments (your comment appears indented below), and, whenever that happens, the new comment is emailed to the parent commenter. Very handy.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-11T17:59:55.http://www.balancedexistence.com/personal-development-smart-people-steve-pavlina/
Good review. I’ve been reading Steve’s book in bits and will get my review written up next week. I like his focus on personal responsibility and power especially; you can’t be personally developed if you don’t embrace power over your actions and environment.
My only concern is that the book seems watered down compared to his blog. My favorites are his polarizing articles, like the ones denouncing religion and ordinary employment, yet he avoids stepping on many toes in his book. Instead, we get general stuff like lists of suggestions for building effective habits, and “all-encompassing” tools like love and power. He’s trying not to offend people, but that may just allow them to stagnate.
Nevertheless, this is a great milestone for the field, and much more substantiated then any other books out there.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-11T13:07:42.http://www.delightfulwork.com/2007/10/13/screw-going-back-to-school/
I like this, because it’s true and it’s the opposite of what most people (even personal development blogs) say.
I see too many people at college who are just there to “get a degree and make more money.” If I ask them enough questions, I can usually find what they really want to do: something like music, poetry, photography, or web design, but they don’t want to put in the tremendous effort to succeed in those fields. They want to do something easy.
Life isn’t easy.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-11T12:53:32.http://lifedev.net/2008/10/we-create-because-its-fun/
I’ve noticed many other people don’t take joy in creating, or they even say what I create (photographs) is nice but won’t make any money, meaning I should give up now.
Of course, we artists never give up!
Have you looked at WordPress MU? It’s a good blogging platform, though not so good for building communities.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-11T12:42:02.http://www.delightfulwork.com/2008/10/07/authoring-your-own-life/
I like this article. It’s comfortable not to take personal responsibility, and you can go for years blaming other people or institutions for your problems… but in the end it all comes down to you. Scary, but far more empowering.
Even if you’ve been letting others author your life for years, it’s not too late to take control. In fact, you have all the more reason to.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-11T12:32:43.http://freelanceswitch.com/money/how-i-make-2000-every-year-without-doing-very-much/
Awesome story! You’re illustrations are quite useful; most people don’t put in that kind of effort up-front.
I’m going to try selling some of my portraiture as stock photos, since I already have my models signing all-encompassing releases. Submitted to Shutterstock, iStockphoto, and Crestock; hope it goes well.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-10T23:44:11.http://kikolani.com/engaging-beauty.html
“The beauty that lies with all of us.” Very poetic! I agree all the way with this. Showing beauty is why I’m in photography, and recently branching into portraiture.
People are great. I used to believe that people were evil (when I was like 13), but that’s false and limiting. You can really understand and connect with others once you see the fire that burns within us all.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-10T23:02:36.http://zenhabits.net/2008/10/re-centering-finding-your-way-back-to-the-life-you-meant-to-live/
I think it’s important to realize that a big house or a new car doesn’t matter; you just need a place to live and a car that works. Then, you can do anything.
Most people get stuck in these 40-year mortgages and never pay off their houses though… that’s not bad in itself, but it forces them to stay in awful jobs. There’s a lot of freedom in not having crushing debt over your head.
Happiness comes not from possessions or friends, but from the constant improvement of yourself. Then, friends are the icing on the cake, and possessions are little sprinkles. They don’t really matter much.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-10T17:40:22.http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/5-tips-for-building-your-photography-portfolio/
I like this. I’m doing the shooting for free and hard editing pretty well. Since I’m doing art photography, that means one or two photos of each of my models, not dozens.
When you just do one photo of a person instead of twenty, you can spend a lot more time editing that photo, adding vignetting, removing blemishes, and such. It’s fine to take twenty, but don’t bring twenty photos to completion.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-10T17:37:42.http://www.craigharper.com.au/2008/10/why-most-weight-loss-is-temporary.html
Your body doesn’t want you to lose weight, because it’s always preparing for a famine. So when you do lose weight, you burn calories more efficiently, so it’s more easy to gain it back.
For a time, it takes more willpower to keep the weight off than it did to lose it… so never give up.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-09T18:23:40.http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/10/guest-post-ho-1.html
If you have a coupon and you don’t qualify for the terms or it’s expired, try using it anyway. If the coupon is for 6.4-ounce toothpaste, it might also work for 4.3 in the computer. Or if you’re friendly, just ask if you can use it anyway. Often the answer is a yes.
And then sometimes, the answer will be a no even if you should be able to use the coupon. Don’t get angry; there will be plenty of times when you’ll get to use coupons outside of the rules anyway. The rules aren’t set in stone.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-07T21:49:01.http://www.awakeblogger.com/2008/10/top-10-of-barack-obama-quotes-of-change/
We now have an empire on our hands far worse than the British.
What great changes has Obama made in his years in the Senate, or his decades in government?
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-07T16:00:51.I use my real name always—and my real name is the URL of my blog, rather than something relating to its content. This is so that it can encompass everything I do. I prefer one heavy-hitting website to ten fragmented blogs. If people are interested in my photography, they’re also going to like what I write about personal development, and vice-versa.
It helps to have a memorable name.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-07T12:44:02.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130261060819
TWO 2GB Verbatim Store ‘n’ Go USB flash drives, red color. Two separate packages. 4GB of storage space. Great as gifts or to resell.
Both drives are unopened and in perfect condition, same as pictured. Verbatim offers a limited lifetime warranty on both.
The drives have a sliding button in the middle to extend or retract the USB port. There is no cap. I like it, because I always end up losing caps.
These are “enhanced for Windows ReadyBoost” so you can use them as added memory to speed up your Windows Vista computer.
Compatible with Windows 2000 / XP / Vista, Macintosh 9.X or higher, or Linux kernel 2.6.X or higher. There is a password security program included on the drive; if you use it, you can only use the drive on Windows. You could put other encryption software on the drive like the free TrueCrypt (www.truecrypt.org), which works on Mac and Linux.
Flash drives are cheaper than ever; one of these sells for $18.99 on Amazon.com, so the retail value of this auction is $37.98. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-07T03:01:04.http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/win-a-dslr-in-our-new-photography-competition/
Awesome! I got my entry in: The Rebel. There are lots of intriguing portraits there, and community voting is a nice touch.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-07T01:51:40.http://www.levnow.com/blog/2008/10/05/grab-your-camera-daily-vigilance-with-tabs/
This is a great tip; I’m doing this every day now. I used to convince myself that there was nothing interesting in Florida and I’d have to go to the jungles of Africa to really get some cool photos, but that’s totally false. It’s also a limiting belief.
Wherever you live, there’s great things to take pictures of. Go out and take pictures of interesting people, plants, and buildings. Or take pictures of dull people in an interesting way. Photography is limitless, because you don’t have to deal with the drudgery of sketching or painting the scene. The scene is right there. You just have to interpret it.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-07T01:47:05.http://blog.razvandobre.com/2008/09/time-pressure-is-it-bad-or-good-for-you_24.html
Time pressure is good if you’re not going to get the job done on your own, but that means you’re not committed to it to begin with. That can include school and work projects, though you shouldn’t be attending school or work if you don’t enjoy it.
There should be no reason to place time constraints on your writing of personal development articles, because you don’t need any pressure. You love what you do and it will take as long as it needs and no longer. If you cut that short, your cutting yourself short. That is transcending time limits.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-07T01:43:25.http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2008/05/13/why-you-should-seek-out-new-relationships/
On embarrassment, I go further than saying that it’s a necessary risk. It’s all in your head. If you’re embarrassed by someone, it’s not them; it’s because you’ve let them embarrass you. No one else can hurt you with words or thoughts or feelings or statements if you choose to not feel hurt.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-06T20:10:27.http://too.blogspot.com/2008/09/lrrk2.html
My Great Aunt contracted Parkinson’s disease in her fifties; she passed on a couple years ago in her seventies. After twenty years, it got progressively worse to the point that she couldn’t move.
I remember my Grandma often having to call her back over the phone, because she’d inadvertently hit the “talk” button from the shaking.
I think Parkinson’s disease has a connection to arthritis and cancer, because all three involve the body turning against itself; destruction from the inside out rather than from external causes. I found out this year that cancer is a vitamin deficiency; you should eat apple seeds and similar seeds every day, so your body can use vitamin B17 to kill the rogue cells that want to form cancerous growths. I blogged about it here: The Cancer Myth. Cancer is a big problem, so it’s nice to know I’ll never suffer from it, despite all my friends and family that have died in vain…
Might Parkinson’s disease be a vitamin deficiency too, and all this stuff about genes just be a coincidence? There could be a vitamin we don’t get, because we eat all processed foods rather than natural foods. Our modern treatments don’t cure the disease; they just patch the symptoms, buying you some time.
If there is a natural cure, it’s probably something you have to get in your diet every day, just like how you eat iodine every day (in salt) to avoid goiters. It’s likely that you can’t “cure” Parkinson’s disease, just like you can’t “cure” thirst.
Finding that natural cure and prevention is harder, because it requires long-scale testing to be effective. But it should be easy to get started. Research dogs and cats in captivity (i.e. apartments) vs. in the wild; it could be that the ones in the wild don’t get the disease but the ones in captivity do, just like only domesticated dogs get cancer (because they can’t eat grass and weeds which have B17 in them).
The next step is to research people who live close to the Earth and eat straight from nature; perhaps in the jungles of Africa. Do they get Parkinson’s disease? If they don’t, find out what it is they’re eating that prevents it.
Good luck Mr. Sergey, and let me know if you get to the bottom of this.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-06T19:27:34.http://www.copyblogger.com/ginger-or-mary-ann/
I think this is all about broadcasting versus conversing; broadcasters are independent, don’t work with others, and make proclamations, while conversationalists are focused on comments, feedback, and networking.
Broadcasters make quantum leaps while conversationalists build incremental momentum.
Mary Ann was a conversationalist while Ginger was a broadcaster.
I prefer broadcasting… it’s more exciting.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-05T20:43:12.http://kikolani.com/pretty-girl.html
This is pretty deep; beautiful women are often in fact cursed, because most men won’t treat them like normal people. This effects women more because men generally look for good-looking women while women look for men with charisma, personality, and independence, putting looks second. So men have the advantage because it’s easier to improve personality than looks.
To the beautiful women out there: don’t lose hope, because there are exceptions to every generalization.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-03T20:36:52.http://performancing.com/future-all-software-bloatware
In The Mythical Man-Month, Fred Brooks describes this as the second-system effect. The first version of a software program is simple and basic, just getting one job done. Then the developer(s) keep adding more stuff to make it better. Eventually it becomes slow.
Software becomes slow if more stuff has to be loaded into the memory even if it isn’t used. The trade-off of avoiding features is that if there’s a feature someone needs that isn’t there, the user can’t implement it himself. Broadly speaking, it’s more important to cover everyone at the expense of speed, than to have speed at the expense of functionality.
On the other hand, lots of bloat comes from backward compatibility or just keeping things the same way. That’s why on Windows, we have so many keyboard shortcuts that are redundant or make no sense. It’s also why Windows Vista is like 13GB.
Firefox was supposed to be the lean, fast replacement for the Mozilla suite. Now it’s becoming the same bloated project all over again. I think all of Firefox’s features can be implemented with less memory usage, fewer bugs and crashes, and more speed. But they have plugins to keep compatible with…
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-03T20:18:18.http://williamsmind.com/blog/?p=62
The “never stop complimenting others; especially children” part puzzles me. Won’t that create emotional dependence in them?
You’re a very analytical person and you believe in an objective reality. You want to believe “subjective opinions” aren’t important, but in fact, life is just one subjective opinion. Everything you do is based on opinions. Opinions are great.
What I like to do is to compliment everyone, but if someone’s doing something especially great, I’ll go way overboard with the compliments. It’s not meant to please others; it’s meant to please myself, because it’s feels a lot better to believe everyone else is wonderful rather than believing everyone else is unworthy.
Compliments aren’t about you; they’re about what a happy person the complimenter is. You don’t have to become numb to both praise and criticism; just detach your ego from criticism. That doesn’t mean you ignore it or do nothing. It means that you realize the criticism is of your work, not your ego or you.
The next step is to recognize where the criticism is coming from. A lot of criticism (half of it) comes from insecurity on the part of other people; they may want to do what you’re doing, but they’ve told themselves they can’t (limiting beliefs) so it hurts them to see you succeed. Don’t take those people seriously; instead try to raise them up above their level. Instead of reacting defensively or nonchalantly, discuss why they dislike your work. Most people will find this really surprising, because they’ve never had such a discussion before.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-03T20:01:05.http://williamsmind.com/blog/?p=79
I loved the example of writing with your left hand, because that’s something most people will say you just can’t do. They’ll say that only talented “ambidextrous” persons can write with both hands, while it’s impossible for them.
That’s why “talent,” while innately good, is often put to bad use. People use the talent excuse to justify their lack of effort and progress: “I’m not succeeding because I don’t have talent.”
The real answer is that you’re not succeeding because you’re not trying. What can stand in your way if you work on your talent every day?
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-03T18:38:55.http://www.three8six.com/geek/geekforum/tabid/396/forumid/43/postid/66/scope/posts/Default.aspx
Nice to meet you, Alex.
I have a 16GB flash drive, so I guess I can call myself a geek.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-10-03T18:07:42.http://www.portofinodaytona.com Portofino in Daytona Beach Shores has some great pizza and Italian food. Say hello to George for me.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-29T17:59:52.http://www.stevepavlina.com/forums/general-introductions/20150-personal-development-core-truth.html
I think you believe in necessary evil. Work you don’t enjoy is a necessary evil to get to what you want.
This is a limiting believe though, and it will keep you in unenjoyable work if you stick with it. Evil is never necessary. If something is evil, it’s not necessary, and if it’s truly necessary, it can’t possibly be evil.
Change that believe to “you must confront your fears.” Because confronting your fears is something you want (and need) to do, even if it feels like you don’t.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-29T17:52:49.http://www.stevepavlina.com/forums/steve-pavlina/23161-killing-bugs-blog-2.html
Most people who will let one ant or spider go will not feel such affinity with 300,000 ants. Then, it’s kill kill kill.
Many of us think the same way, subconsciously, about people. It’s wrong to kill or hurt others, but it isn’t so bad to bomb them en masse.
Of course, this is wrong; 300,000 people are just as valuable as one person. And if bugs are sacred like people, it’s as wrong to euthanize a million of them as it is to torture one with a magnifying glass.
What bothers me, is that many of us don’t even show the same love for people as you’re showing for bugs (with things such as perpetual war and abortion). But it may actually be that by respecting bugs we’ll come to respect each other.
Some people will justify killing bugs and animals by saying they kill each other. But that doesn’t matter because we aspire to be better than animals; we want to show compassion where they do not. But if we put animals at human level, then they are us and we’re back to square one. It’s the chicken and the egg problem.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-28T22:46:48.http://aphotoeditor.com/2008/09/05/single-serve-websites-a-cool-trend/
This is a good idea in theory, but I wouldn’t do it for anything unprofitable as what I put on the web I want to stick around forever, with the same URLs. Verisign collects $6.86 per year per domain, and they continue raising it a few percent every year. Registrars charge $9 or $10 per year to make a profit.
I could see keeping something like myproject.thripp.com for 100 years, but myproject.com might not last more than 10.
The other problem is that most content management systems aren’t designed to span multiple domains, so you can’t keep a consistent look between sites. They basically become islands. Also, your search rankings are fragmented.
If you want a collection of islands instead of a cohesive whole, single-purpose domains are fine.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-28T22:41:59.http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/verisign-increases-com-fee-to-686/
Why should domain registration prices go up? There are 22 million .coms, so that’s $151 million per year gross for Verisign. The increase is $9.7 million per year.
Despite inflation, computers and processing power is cheaper than ever. The domain registration fee should decrease as more and more sites are registered, not increase. It’s not costing them anywhere near $151 million per year to keep all the .coms registered.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-28T19:26:14.http://blogs.photopreneur.com/mounting-your-own-photography-art-exhibition
Great advice here. I prefer getting my work out on my own site than Facebook or Flickr, because then it’s branded, it belongs to me, and I can make money from selling ad space.
Love the partnership between the frame maker and the photographer; quite an idea. I’ll have to try one of these exhibitions some time.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-27T16:51:17.Hey, great use of Tweet This! It fits right in with ShareThis and I Love Social Bookmarking.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-26T23:54:43.I agree with Chris; we should get rid of this nonsense. Money should be backed by gold and created by Congress. The government should sell off all the land it “owns” in Utah and other south-western states to pay off the “national debt,” and then never create a national debt again.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-24T21:50:59.http://imod.co.za/2008/09/24/13-damn-useful-wordpress-plugins-you-should-see/
Thanks for featuring Tweet This!
I think Manageable looks interesting; would be even better if you could use it on the front-end (browsing your blog) too. I’ll see if I can implement that.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-23T23:58:32.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130257742522
TWO 2GB SanDisk Cruzer Micro USB flash drives, black color. Two separate packages. Great as gifts or to resell.
The quantity on this auction is 2 because I have FOUR of these 2GB drives. 2 groups of 2.
Both drives have two-year warranties from SanDisk, are unopened in perfect condition, same as pictured.
These both have U3 software included, Windows 2000, XP, and Vista only. You can still use the drive on Mac and Linux with the software unavailable. The program starts up automatically and gives you access to programs in a Start-like menu from the system tray. You can add programs, and they’ll work on any computer as the settings are saved on the drive. A lot of people find it convenient.
You can remove the software easily, and restore it again if you change your mind. Scroll to the bottom here for info about that:
http://www.sandisk.com/Retail/Default.aspx?CatID=1450
Included U3 programs are Skype (phone chat), McAfee (antivirus), and games.
The drives both have retractable caps. I’ve had one of these for over a year, and the switch still works fine, so it seems sturdy enough.
While not exactly “micro,” this is still fairly small. 2GB flash drives are getting cheaper. You could easily pick up two of these for $50 at any office store, and if you go on Amazon, they’re $12.70 ($7.75 plus $4.95 shipping). That puts the value of this item at $25.40. Happy bidding!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-22T23:29:15.http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/live-deliberately/
I just wrote a lot about this in Transcending Limiting Beliefs. In a nutshell, it’s comforting to live your life thinking you’re not in control, because it removes personal responsibility from your life. But you can only forfeit authority over your life for so long before seeing the truth: you are in control of everything.
For some people, this takes many years.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-22T19:22:02.http://kikolani.com/new-look-for-kikolani.html
Great job! I like the tag cloud at the bottom-right, the contrast on it especially.
I redesigned my blog last month too. It’s a lot of work, but worth it once it’s done because everything looks much nicer.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-22T19:21:26.http://kikolani.com/the-cottage.html
Very pretty; I like the quilt out front! You could just lay on that and gaze up at the clouds all day. I, on the other hand, would take pictures of them.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-22T19:14:42.http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/how-to-build-credibility-on-the-web.html
I can use these on my blog; they do help you to connect with your audience and build trust. Last week, I rewrote my about page with these goals in mind.
One thing I can add is this: always use your real name. Even on MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, etc. Most people are afraid to back put their name and reputation behind everything they write, but you should because it really demonstrates authenticity. It’s also easier to keep track of one name rather than a dozen aliases, and you’ll build brand (name) recognition.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-21T20:27:36.http://www.craigharper.com.au/2008/09/wasting-time-on-bullshit.html
The last one’s really important; I’ve been meeting a lot of people like that lately. They were happy, but now they’re letting their appearance or lack of possessions drag them down. You can’t root yourself in worldly concerns and expect unworldly results.
The title is perfect for this article. Time is limited. That’s actually nice, because it gives us a reason to do the important things first. Don’t put fluff first or you’ll never get to the top of the list.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-21T00:16:48.http://kikolani.com/monsoon-cloud-rolling-in.html
Cool, that’s quite a cloud formation. Great colors and contrast. The sky does such interesting things–I always keep an eye on it.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-22T19:24:30.http://kikolani.com/monsoon-cloud-rolling-in.html
In reply to this comment, by Kristi:
@Richard: That cloud was so monstrous, I couldn’t get the whole thing in one shot. It was amazing!
@Kristi: I know what that’s like! You’d need a really wide-angle lens to see the whole thing, or you’d have to stitch a bunch of frames together.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-27T00:06:01.http://kikolani.com/monsoon-cloud-rolling-in.html
In reply to this comment, by Kristi:
@Richard: I have a wide angle lens somewhere. I will have to find it once I unpack all of my things again.
@Kristi: Very good! I have a Canon Rebel XTi and use the kit lens as my wide-angle lens (at 18mm), because all I have is it and a 50mm lens. I’ll have to buy another one some time—either a macro lens or a good zoom lens covering a big range.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-21T00:13:50.http://kikolani.com/a-double-rainbow.html
Wow, beautiful capture! I like the mist and reflection, and the whole photo has a warm feel to it.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-20T23:39:16.http://blog.razvandobre.com/2008/09/10-tips-on-how-to-get-over-need-to-be.html
The best way for me is to disconnect my ego from my ideas. It’s hard to do, but then you don’t care at all about being right because it just isn’t important anymore. Other people are surprised when you don’t care about being right, because they’re expecting and hoping for a fight. But fighting only entrenches ideas; it never creates them.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-20T16:28:54.http://thinksimplenow.com/happiness/the-power-of-language/
I like this article. “I can’t” always holds you back, because even if you know it’s not true, you’re reinforcing a limiting belief subconsciously. I can’t think of any time when you’d actually need to use “I can’t.”
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-20T01:42:36.http://www.alexshalman.com/2008/09/04/danger-of-happiness/
Wow! This is exactly what I had in mind when I wrote How to Be Happy. Making happiness the goal is like eating a cake that’s all icing. It makes you sick.
“To operate with the greatest good of all in mind” is a worthy goal, which I aspire to myself. How would it work if you changed it to “to operate with my greatest happiness in mind”? Not very well, I can tell you that. Working for the greatest good will bring you the most happiness, because happiness is always a means, not an end. It can’t be accessed directly. I’m glad you’re opening peoples minds to this.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-20T01:32:53.Awesome! The thing about insane dreams is true, but honestly, 99% of the world is under-dreaming while 1% is over-dreaming. Over-dreaming just isn’t a big consideration. If you think you’re doing it, you’re actually under-dreaming, because if you were over-dreaming you wouldn’t even know it.
Dare to dream big.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-20T01:18:18.http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/websites-for-photographers/
I like to WordPress with the Post Thumb Revisited plugin, because you can easily have both a gallery and blog with PHP-Exec and the proper use of the plugin’s function.
The lines between photo-blogs and portfolios are blurring. I prefer photo-blogs myself, because if you enjoy art photography you should be taking photos often, and you should want to share them in an accessible format supporting conversations (comments). Traditional portfolio websites just don’t do that.
I also agree that you should stop share-cropping on Flickr / Facebook / deviantART / MySpace and get your own site, even if it’s expensive. So much more freedom and potential. You could be banned from MySpace at any minute, but if you create your own network, you are the master of your domain.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-20T01:08:52.http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/color-management-101/
I edit all my photos on a CRT. I just can’t get the colors to be true on my LCD, and that’s true for all but expensive LCDs. Get a dual-head video card and a bulky old CRT, calibrate it by eye or with a CRT colorimeter (cheap on eBay), and you’ll have truer colors than an LCD monitor five times as expensive.
Color spaces, printing, and gamuts are a whole ‘nother issue. You get a feel for which colors won’t print well after a while (saturated yellows, reds, purples, browns).
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-20T01:04:49.http://www.kaihenstudios.com/drupal-6.4/?q=node/8
Never make happiness a goal. It’s materialism to the extreme. Instead, build a permanent foundation for happiness built on action, not state.
That means you have to set really big goals and missions. Start by changing your blog’s goal from being a diary to being a resource. I wrote more about this here: How to Be Happy.
You probably won’t do anything, because at this point in your life you prefer being depressed all the time. You can do that for a few more years / decades if you’d like.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-20T00:57:10.http://www.kaihenstudios.com/drupal-6.4/?q=node/5
Get some new talents. Do you look at other people around you and notice them radiating with talent? Most of them are just like you.
You have the potential for a lot of personal growth, if you channel your introspection into change rather than complacency. Take the disclaimed out of your blog’s footer. You should want people to change after reading this. Saying you don’t helps no one.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-19T01:55:13.http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/11/20/stop-thinking-youll-get-by-on-your-high-iq/
I don’t like the tone of this article. You make it sound like children won’t learn how to talk with others unless we “teach” them how. And if we don’t do that, they won’t be able to play with other kids nor collaborate with others. They’ll be set on solitude for good.
The truth is, you can’t “teach” social skills, insofaras the student must connect with others himself. There are no physical maladies so great that they override free will. The kindergartners are free to socialize with the other kindergartners on the playground, and if they do not, they do so by their own choice. Children are the same as adults in that regard. I remember being 5, and I was perfectly capable of talking to other kids, and then sometimes I’d prefer to think quietly than to socialize.
Sure, we can reinforce self-esteem in children by how we describe the world to them. But ultimately, this is a crutch until they build their own legs of self-esteem. You don’t keep walking around on crutches when you have good legs.
I think you have a model of social interaction based on compromise and no surprises. Unfortunately, that assumes everyone knows what they want out of social interactions. The truth is, you may really want someone to come along and show you a problem in a whole different light, even if it contradicts your beliefs / religion / ideals or whatever. You can’t get that with “trained” social behavior.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-19T01:29:58.http://www.onmoneymaking.com/hate-money.html
Hating money for these reasons is like hating cars because people get into accidents and die. You’re totally misplacing the blame.
I was hoping for a positive conclusion: that you don’t have to have a job you hate because if your passion helps others, then you can make lots of money from it (if it doesn’t, it’s not helping others or you haven’t monetized it correctly). Even without working in an office. You don’t have to sacrifice your heart for your wallet. You may not be able to quit your job immediately, but over a period of months or years (shorter the more dedicated you are), you can create ways to become less job-reliant. If you love to play the piano, become a piano teacher.
On the other hand, if you’re depressed after reading this, I wrote The Perks of Having a Job just for you.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-18T23:21:32.http://www.onmoneymaking.com/asshole-envy-and-the-value-of-extreme-focus.html
You don’t have to abandon your family and step on others to be driven or successful. You don’t even have to do those things to be an asshole. There are plenty of other ways to do it.
You’ve missed the mark here. Cheating others isn’t the way to be a successful asshole; the real way is to forget the critics. Critics are always telling you that you can’t do this or that, and they’re the ones who will consider you an asshole when you show extreme focus. Ignore them; don’t let them turn you into a wishy-washy, soulless non-innovator.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-18T22:52:34.http://www.copyblogger.com/how-to-stop-being-invisible/
You have to pick either providing value or getting attention as your primary focus. This article suggests the getting attention.
People who focus on getting attention usually provide value, because you have to (in one shape or form) to get attention. Neither choice is right or wrong, but providing value is better for me because it gives me a clear direction.
Getting attention is a more muddled goal. In one blog post you’re providing value, but in the next you’re just trying to get someone to click an ad or buy something valueless. Obviously, you need both attention and value, but you can use one to derive the other. I know I need to crank up the value if I’m not getting attention.
Writing posts purely for attention is different from advertising your value-centered posts. If your posts are value-centered, you should feel guilty for not advertising them, because you’re depriving unaware people of value.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-18T22:22:43.http://www.copyblogger.com/are-you-a-writer/
“I’m not a writer” is very much a limiting belief, because by believing it, it comes true and you don’t write anything. I’m glad to see you’re applying your creativity and embracing your writing skills.
I’m writing more and more too, but as blogging rather than publishing a book or something more formal. It’s a great way to start because it’s simple and easy, and it can lead to ‘greater’ things later. I wouldn’t mind never publishing a book, because writing free articles reaches a far larger audience.
The aversion to writing stems from a bigger belief, as you’ve noted. That belief is: “I’m not creative.” I’m an artistic photographer, and I’m surprised how easy it is to put my vision into pictures. Other people enjoy them, but they tell me “I wish I had the eye to do that.” You don’t NEED the eye, you already have it. Same with writing.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-17T23:00:31.http://www.articlesbase.com/motivational-articles/selflimiting-beliefs-341822.html
This is a good start, but examples would help. Many people can’t even recognize their own limiting beliefs without examples.
You could use:
“You get what you pay for.” — Not true, because people give gifts, stores have loss leaders, people cheat, etc.
“The Earth is flat.” — This could be really limiting.
“The only way to attract a partner is to be rude and uncaring.” — This fulfills itself, because you act like this and attract people who like this.
“Earning money is painful.” — What if you love your trade? What if you want to earn more money? More money = more pain isn’t a good place to start.
“Good relationships require like minds.” — Replace “require” with “can have,” because this belief assumes a host of other limiting beliefs: conflict is bad, differences sprout conflict, agreement is the only sprout for commonality, conflict always entrenches existing beliefs, etc.
Keep writing, learning, and sharing always.
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-16T12:22:51.Community is a double-edged sword. You need it when you need it and you don’t need it when you don’t need it. I used to seek out a lot of feedback on my photography, and people would just tell me what I wanted to hear. Sure, I could’ve sought out new people, but the real solution was to start taking my own actions and producing my own art, rather than looking for the approval of others.
I think points 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are better suited to personal rather than communal relationships. A couple close friends are better than the few hundred distant friends the word “community” implies.
I prefer to give up the friend / stranger model entirely. Everyone is my friend. If you’re human, I already know you and you’re my friend.
Really, how could you be so different than I don’t know you? This mindset has helped me meet lots of new people.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-16T10:29:24.http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/why-just-do-it-just-doesnt-do-it-for-you.html
It’s really easy to take a lot of action but not get anything important done. I think a lot of this can be applied to reading too; we’re pushed to read, but not pushed to read actively or thoughtfully. The same applies to actions.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-15T23:58:32.http://freelanceswitch.com/freelance-freedom/freelanceing-freedom-70/
http://www.ping.fm is the only thing that comes close to automating this.
The answer isn’t to update your networks infrequently or use a web service to batch-update. The real solution is to abandon these social networks entirely and create your own social network on your own domain (preferably a blog). If your friends refuse to follow you on anything but Facebook, you don’t need them. Stop sharecropping and get your space, not MySpace.
Once you abandon the social networks, instead of getting friend alerts or notifications every few minutes, you’ll get them every few days (as comments or emails). You’ll see that your website is dependent on you and you alone to build. You can’t rely on friends and social commentary anymore. With a blog, you have to contribute real value. It’s like moving from your parents’ house to your own house. You have more freedom, but more responsibility.
Since moving from ad-hoc blogging on forums and social networks to my own blog on my domain, my writing has improved immeasurably. This is because I have to take complete responsibility for my success, and because the noise of comments / feedback / discussion is largely removed.
Social networking is a pointless waste of time. No matter how cozy the bath, you can’t spend all day in it.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-15T23:43:55.This is so true. Even the Rolling Stones, the biggest rock band of all time, spends a year or two touring after each album release, endlessly promoting their work, because they know that’s the only way to reach the most people and sell the most copies.
Releasing an album, publishing a book, starting a blog. These are all starting points. If you stop there, you’re doomed to failure.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-15T23:38:57.http://www.blogcreativity.com/conditional-tags-dynamic-wordpress-sidebars/
is_home and is_page aren’t “parameters,” they’re functions. They’re declared in the WordPress core, specifically, in wp-includes/query.php.
One useful thing is that you can put an exclamation point before them, for example, “if !is_home()”. That shows some code on every page but the home page.
If you have a lot of elseif statements it’s more efficient to use switch / case / break, but that’s a different approach to learn.
The proper (versatile) way to create dynamic sidebars is with plugins and widgets, but that’s complicated. I code conditional statements right into my theme too because it’s easier.
This is a great introductory guide.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T22:46:11.http://www.dailyblogtips.com/backup-your-blog-regularly/
I have a LiveJournal blog which I use the LiveJournal Crossposter plugin on. It automatically copies my posts to LiveJournal, updates them if I edit, and deletes them if I delete them on my blog. It will even has an option to cross-post old entries in the settings.
Posting doesn’t seem any slower, and I have a running backup of my blog posts on LiveJournal.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T22:26:09.http://scrapur.com/index/twitter-plugins/50-plus-twitter-plugins-tools-and-applications/
I created a WordPress plugin for Twitter called Tweet This, so I’m always interested in other tools for my favorite site of 140 characters or less. Great compilation.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T22:23:39.http://c.hadcoleman.com/2008/07/ryder-jackson-coleman/
Wow, congratulations! I wish many happy years to your family.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T22:21:11.http://c.hadcoleman.com/2008/06/twitter-plugins-for-wordpress/
Consider adding Tweet This to the list. It lets you add an icon or link to each of your posts that lets your readers share it on Twitter if they’re logged in. The cool thing is that it shortens URLs in advance (pick Th8.us, is.gd, TinyURL, or others), and includes the title in the tweet text.
I find it useful (I created it and use it on my own blog), and I haven’t seen any other plugin like it.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T17:27:18.I just released a new version of my WordPress plugin called Tweet This, which lets your readers share your blog posts on Twitter with ease. It even shortens the URLs in advance, through Th8.us, is.gd, TinyURL, or others (configurable).
http://richardxthripp.thripp.com/tweet-this
This might be good to use / feature on WPCandy. It isn’t well known yet, but it does something no other Twitter plugin does; most of the others are just for cross-posting blog posts or showing your tweets on your blog, but this gives power to your readers.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T17:20:07.http://brajeshwar.com/2007/tiny-link-wordpress-plugin/
This is a great idea! I took the idea further with Tweet This, which caches the shortened URLs so they aren’t fetched on every page load, and taps right into Twitter’s API so your readers don’t have to copy and paste.
Twitter has an API where anything that appears after the equal sign in the URL http://twitter.com/home/?status= appears in the post box. You may want to mention it in your description; you could easily use something like
<?php echo ‘<a href=”http://twitter.com/home/?status=’ . TinyLink() . ‘” title=”Post to Twitter”>’ . TinyLink() . ‘</a>’; ?>
to do that.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T17:10:10.http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2007/03/22/integrating-twitter-into-your-wordpress-blog/
My suggestion for Twittering is Tweet This, because I created it to fix a problem I was having. I wanted an easy way for my readers to share my blog posts on Twitter, but I found that I’d have to shorten the URLs in advance as they eat up the 140 characters. Tweet This does just that, adding an icon to each of your blog posts which people can click to post to Twitter (if they’re logged in).
There are many plugins for cross-posting your blog posts to Twitter, or showing your tweets on your blog… but none that do this.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T17:04:59.http://techdebug.com/blog/2008/07/01/twitter-wordpress-plugin-autolink-to-username/
That’s an awesome idea; I haven’t seen anyone else do it. Much easier then typing the whole HTML tag.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T17:02:52.http://www.onlinesalessuccess.biz/twitter-plug-in-make-wordpress-tweet-able/
You can add Tweet This to the list of WordPress plugins for Twitter; this one’s different because it lets your readers tweet your posts with ease.
Twitter just gets more addictive every day. I’m glad I don’t have an iPhone.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T16:53:01.http://www.quickonlinetips.com/archives/2007/04/10-best-twitter-tools-for-wordpress-blogs/
Interesting list. Hadn’t heard of TwitThis; it’s a bit like Tweet This which I created, except it uses JavaScript, whereas my plugin allows your readers to share your posts on Twitter with a TinyURL (or is.gd, Th8.us, etc.) created and stored in your WP database.
I was disappointed that most of the Twitter plugins are for displaying your tweets rather than facilitating the sharing of your content by others, which was the reason for Tweet This.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T12:14:32.http://www.craigharper.com.au/2008/09/few.html
The truth I got from this article is that many people have great ideas and concepts, but their worthless unless you are courageous enough to develop them. Often, that takes a lot of hard work. If you’re afraid of hard work, then you’re not one of the few.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T12:12:08.http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/back-to-basics-the-big-picture.html
Great article, love the photography references. What your life really needs is a zoom lens; being stuck with a prime lens at 18mm or 200mm or even 50mm won’t cut it. With a zoom lens, you can focus in on details as needed, then zoom out to keep track of the picture, while seamlessly holding a middle view that is neither wide-angle nor telephoto.
Sure, you won’t do any of these things as sharply as you would with three separate lenses. But you can’t be wasting time changing lenses when you’re at a broken traffic light.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T12:07:20.http://freelanceswitch.com/general/tips-for-wearing-multiple-hats/
This is solid advice. I especially agree with embracing diversity; you have to be involved in every step as a freelancer, or contract the work out to others. Managing your finances can’t just go undone.
I blogged about the dangers of scheduling in The Irrationality of Apportionment; what often happens is that the moment you’re struck with inspiration for that great article, you realize your schedule says you have to balance your checkbook. Then you do that, come back to your article an hour later, and there’s no spark left.
SO, I recommend you keep your schedule flexible. Rigid schedules are only good if you’re not good at managing your time to start, but you can transition to a flexible schedule as you become more self-motivated. Then, leave a lot of time open by not scheduling anything close to the deadline, but instead way before it’s due. That way, you can get “side-tracked” by inspiration without worrying about the schedule.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T11:58:49.http://www.yieldingwealth.com/savers-losing-out-in-the-current-economy/
Unfortunately, since we have a fiat currency that’s being expanded at a rate of 15% a month in “national debt” to the “Federal” Reserve, our money becomes progressively less valuable. It’s only a matter of time before we have hyper-inflation like post-war Germany and our money is replaced by Ameros which will be just as bad.
While the international bankers continue to gain, people like you and me with $15,000 in our savings accounts lose, because all our hard work is gradually being erased.
I don’t believe in needless debt. Putting your money into real property like a house, a car, a printing press, gold bullion, or something you need is a great idea, and this is a great time to do it. That means BUYING those items; not renting or leasing. Mortgages are okay if they’re necessary. But saving the money for retirement, if retirement is more than ten years off, is a bad idea because by then our money will be valueless.
The real way to plan for retirement is to build passive streams of income like royalties or websites with affiliate advertising, which can continue on their own when you stop working. Saving lots of money now and then making no new money after retirement just won’t work.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T11:46:35.http://successbeginstoday.org/wordpress/2008/09/goal-setting-determination-versus-stubbornness/
They sound like the same thing to me. Determination is merely the kind of stubbornness we like, while ordinary stubbornness is the type we don’t like. If you think someone is stubborn, maybe they’re determined and you’re just jealous of their determination.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-13T08:10:41.http://support.synhosting.com/
Hello,
When I signed up, it said I was getting a six month bonus (PDF attached), but now I’m being billed after three months unexpectedly. I’m going to be sticking around with SYN Hosting for a long time, so getting six months free would be nice. Is the first invoice mistaken?
Also: the new bill is for $9.99 for one month. Can I get the six-month discount? ($50 / 6 months)
Thanks,
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-12T16:53:07.http://www.consumingexperience.com/2008/09/importance-of-dating-stories-articles.html
I thought this was going to be about real dating! Ha ha.
Anyway, I do agree how important dates are. For any news site or blog, the URL for each entry should have the date in it.
On the other hand, if the site contains timeless content rather than passing news, I recommend against putting the date in the URL or displaying it prominently. It dates the article. Some people recommend hiding the date for an impression of recentness, but that’s unnecessary. Just put it at the top or bottom in gray.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-12T16:48:19.http://madramblingsofchris.blogspot.com/2008/09/hey-its-911.html
If you search “911 fraud,” you’ll find there’s a lot of evidence that the destruction of the towers was an inside job. Buildings like that are quite resilient; they’re designed to be hit by several air planes and burn for many hours without falling. The towers did neither, and they remain the only buildings to be single-handedly defeated by airplanes. A few thousand gallons of jet fuel should be nothing for a strong steel tower.
Also, watch how they fall. They fall at free-fall speed, as though charges have been placed for a controlled demolition. If they were falling from the damage from the airplanes, it would be much slower and more drawn out.
9/11 was perpetrated by the leaders in our government as an excuse to remove our remaining freedoms in the name of safety. We actually lose both and gain neither. This is not our country anymore.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-12T08:53:06.http://www.runlancaster.com/blog/netweaving/what-are-your-networking-challenges
Great idea. I know how easy it is to get stuck lurking on forums, communities, Twitter, or even blog comments, but it’s much more better to get involved. You meet lots of interesting people too!
Some people lurk through their whole lives. Starting a blog definitely demonstrates that you’re not a lurker, but you should maintain it by continuing to cover your topic, and it should be fun if you love your topic.
I started using Twitter four months ago, and while I don’t have too many followers or conversations, I use it as a running journal of my projects and thoughts (400+ tweets) so far.
Great use of the Tweet This plugin, by the way. It fits right in with ShareThis, Print This, and the others.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-11T16:56:29.http://gulopine.gamemusic.org/2008/jul/14/bitly/
Giving users control over the domain instead of random hashes does seem risky and is definitely inefficient in the database. That’s why I haven’t done this over at Th8.us.
TinyURL lets you enter a “custom alias” now, which seems to work well. It’s the same as bit.ly. http://tinyurl.com/amazon There’s an example of where a company missed the boat. “microsoft” and “google” both go to the right sites, but others do not.
When short URL services let users pick, they’ve basically become domain registrars in their own right. I wouldn’t be surprised if we encounter court cases over trademark infringement and such as bit.ly and TinyURL get more popular.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-11T14:51:54.Email to partner@twitter.com
Tweet This WordPress plugin
Hey,
Just shooting you a message about this cool WordPress plugin called Tweet This I created. It adds a button to each of your posts which your readers can click to share the post on Twitter (using the Twitter API i.e. http://twitter.com/home/?status=hello). It includes the post title, and it shortens the URL in advance through Th8.us, is.gd, TinyURL, or several others (configurable). The problem normally is that while you shorten URLs through TinyURL, that’s not till after clicking “update” so the full length of the original URL counts toward the 140 characters. Not so with Tweet This. This will get a lot more people sharing posts from the blogosphere on Twitter.
Cheers,
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-11T01:36:11.http://www.dailyseoblog.com/2008/09/add-a-twitter-button-on-your-posts-wordpress-plugin-tweet-this/
Hello Mr. Mani! I just released Tweet This v1.1. Your download link goes straight to it, since that’s the link for the current version.
I upped the bird to 24-bit color, so it doesn’t look smudgy anymore. By default, it works the same as v1.0, but it includes the post title in the tweet text. Also, short URLs are cached, and there are some options under Settings > Tweet This. You can pick your URL service (Th8.us, TinyURL, is.gd, etc.), choose a small “Tweet This” link at the bottom of each post instead of the big bird, or disable auto-insertion entirely and use tweet_this_text_link() or tweet_this_small() in your theme (within the loop). Try it out!
@Srijith: I fixed that bug in 1.1. I had my CSS wrong, so in 1.0, the icon actually disappears after you click it. Now it should work right.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-09T08:57:39.http://trac.mu.wordpress.org/ticket/734
Ideally we’d have the option of having a shared or separated user pool, because I like the current behavior, where my users have the same credentials at both sites.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-08T11:32:02.http://wordpress.org/support/topic/199241
Tarballs (tar.gz format) are more efficient because the files are compressed as a whole. The cost is that to extract one file (i.e. wp-config.php), your computer has to read through every file in the archive. The benefit is that the compression is more efficient, which is why the file size is smaller than ZIP.
The file sizes listed on the WordPress download page are just plain wrong. They should be 1.5MB and 1.3MB or 1.4MiB and 1.2MiB, not 1.2MB and 1.0MB. 1 kilobyte == 1000 bytes, 1 kibibyte == 1024 bytes, even though Windows says a kibibyte is a kilobyte.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-08T11:09:21.Reading other personal development blogs and improving my design has been my biggest time sink. I’m finally getting away from that and writing with my own voice, though.
Blog design is over-rated. Unless you have yellow text at 6 pt. on a white background, you’re fine. Interesting content gets read by interesting people, even if they have to read it in an ugly format. Once you build up popularity from your interesting content, people will be begging for the privilege of redesigning your blog for you.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-08T01:38:50.http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=2662
I think users should be able to change the slugs of their categories and tags also. I noticed that when you go to Manage > Tags and click a tag, the tag slug field is still there, but whatever you type in it is ignored. For the category edit pages, the slug field is completely removed.
The slug field may be removed / non-working in MU to keep compatibility with the wp_sitecategories table; we don’t want users to be able to change the slugs there. But that can be worked around I’m sure. WPMU v2.7, maybe?
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-08T01:35:42.http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=9468
Is WordPress MU installed properly? The code that causes that message is in wp-settings.php:
if ( !is_blog_installed() && !defined(’WP_INSTALLING’) ) {
die( __( ‘The blog you have requested is not installed properly. Please contact the system administrator.’ ) ); // have to die here ~ Mark
}
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-07T10:25:30.http://northxeast.com/blogging/the-blog-myth-revisited-why-you-need-a-blogging-system/
My blogging system is to do everything myself. It’s the best way when you’re small.
Even when you have a larger blog, if you’re passionate about the topic, I don’t see why you shouldn’t write every article. When you write everything, your readers see a cohesive vision rather than a blog in fragments.
If you don’t have enough motivation or your topic isn’t interesting enough to keep writing about, the answer isn’t to get other people to do your job. The answer is to find what really interests you. Perhaps your true interest is personal development or relationships or your kids, but the topics are too personal or cliched. Write about them anyway. Anything that truly fascinates you will do the same for others. If it doesn’t, it wasn’t your passion to begin with.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-07T08:52:09.http://www.new.facebook.com/people/Maria_Bray/707627818
Are you the lady who was married to the sports memorabilia fraudster, Wayne Bray? I saw the t.v. show from 2006 about him (Masterminds), and his blog at waynebray.blogspot.com. I’m very surprised that he took in millions of dollars for forged goods but got away with six months custody, and it’s even more shocking that there’s hardly any information online about him.
If that was your article, “What qualifies a man as dating potential?” on Helium.com, I read it and am glad to hear you’ve moved on to happier relationships. Sorry if I’m drudging up dark memories.
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-04T15:18:04.http://www.dailyseoblog.com/2008/09/add-a-twitter-button-on-your-posts-wordpress-plugin-tweet-this/
Thanks for the write-up! I know about the config options; this is my first plug-in and it’s a rough release. I’ll get custom images and other options in the next release.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-02T01:17:25.http://wordpress.org/support/topic/200859
I’ve created a plugin called Tweet This, which lets your readers link to your posts in a Twitter tweet easily. It even pre-trims the URLs, so they have plenty of space to write without going to TinyURL or another redirection service manually.
http://richardxthripp.thripp.com/tweet-this
Here’s the long description:
Adds a Twitter icon to every post and page, with a nice rollover effect. URL trimming by th8.us. If logged in, the reader will find the Twitter.com tweet box pre-filled with “www.*****.th8.us “. No configuration options. The icon appears at the top-right of each post.
Normally, posting a link to Twitter eats up your 140 characters. Though they shorten URLs with TinyURL, it doesn’t happen till after you post your tweet, so you don’t have many characters to work with.
While you could go to TinyURL.com, copy and paste the blog post’s permalink, shorten the URL, copy that new URL, go to Twitter, and paste it into the box, this plugin merges all that into one step, using the Twitter API (a.k.a. an HTTP GET request) and th8.us, an external URL trimming service I created. I didn’t like how long TinyURL’s URLs are, so I made th8.us. Its URLs are 16 characters instead of TinyURL’s 25, giving you more space to write about the blog post. I use the http://www. prefix instead of http://, which saves three characters. Twitter picks up on it fine.
This plugin fetches a shortened URL from th8.us for each of your blog posts’ permalinks server-side, then displays a link to Twitter for each post, with a cute icon.
Released under Version 3 of the GNU General Public License:
http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl.html
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-11T19:54:08.http://wordpress.org/support/topic/200859
This plugin is at version 1.1.1 now, and it’s a lot more efficient (caches URLs) and has good configuration options. Get it here:
http://richardxthripp.thripp.com/tweet-this
or here:
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-01T06:51:00.http://tpvswp.wordpress.com/2008/08/06/is-there-really-no-adsense-on-wordpress-com/
Advertising is a wonderful thing. It brings in money without people necessarily buying anything. It’s an indirect, passive income stream. Matt and the WordPress team have done a lot of work on WordPress.com. I don’t see a problem with them making money off their users’ hard work to cover their expenses, or even to make them filthy rich.
You can join in the fun yourself by moving to your own hosting and paying the bills / handling technical issues yourself. I have, and I refuse to look back.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-01T02:42:17.http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=7382
Awesome job! I’m in the same boat as you. Tweaking WordPress MU is a great way to learn PHP, because you have to code versatile solutions that work across many blogs, and you gain immediate progress because you’re standing on the shoulders of greats. Keep plugging away.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-31T22:32:02.http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=9334
I’m looking for the same thing, d_kc!
http://premium.wpmudev.org/project/set-password-on-wordpress-mu-blog-creation
That plugin looks good, because it lets users choose their password at the start. Then, there’s just one email: the email to activate.
I don’t want to spend $50 to join WPMUdev Premium though. I’d prefer someone to just hand me the answer on a silver platter for free.
Disabling the activation emails is enough for me. I saw that topic from a year ago, but it makes no sense to me either.
It would be nice if this was in the WordPress MU core. You could disable activation right under Site Admin > Options!
Let us know if you find anything.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-31T05:55:50.http://lifedev.net/2008/08/open-source-creativity/
The article cuts out at the end, but I think it would say “It takes a smarter person to develop that idea by sharing it with others.”
The great point here is that anyone can have an idea, but actually doing something about the idea is the hard part. You can get others to help you, or you can go it alone. Sometimes, being the only artist is the best way to go, but usually it helps to develop the creativity through a federation of sources.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-09-04T11:22:25.http://lifedev.net/2008/08/open-source-creativity/
In reply to this comment, by Glen Stansberry:
Heh, you’re exactly right! That’s pretty close to what it was supposed to say. Thanks for pointing that out. I’ve fixed it
Awesome! See, I can just read minds like that.
Keep up the good work; I’ve got LifeDev in my feed reader!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-30T10:25:48.http://www.stevepavlina.com/contact-info.htm
Hello Mr. Steve! I’d like to review your upcoming book on my blog. Here’s my info:
1. Name: Richard X. Thripp
2. http://richardxthripp.thripp.com/
3. StatCounter.com says I got 2000 unique visitors this month.
4. It’s a ghost town. Either that, or my writing is so perfect there’s no need for anyone to comment. Alexa rank is 700K. I’m dedicated to photography and personal development, have grown a lot from your articles, and write my own articles to share what I’ve learned with the world. I refuse to ever stop, so it’s only up from here.
5. My address:
1829 NELSON AVE
ORMOND BEACH FL 32174-7227Your book sounds interesting, and I’m liking the analytical layout (I’m a Computer Science major too). Truth be told, I’ve never read anything about personal development in book format, so this will be a good experience.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-29T18:18:31.http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/video-on-a-dslr-would-you-use-it/
I like this idea. As long as it doesn’t make the regular photography features harder to use, and it doesn’t add much to the cost of the camera ($50 maybe), I could see using a camera like my Canon Rebel XTi for video. Memory cards are fast and large so we have the space, and being able to use any 35mm lens is a great bonus.
I laughed at live view at first just as people will laugh at video on a DSLR now. But since switching from the PowerShot A620, which had a swiveling LCD screen, to the Rebel XTi, which has no such screen and no live view, I miss it. There are a lot of times where it helps, like when you hold the camera above your head or down low looking up. It’s hard to get it right without seeing what you’re doing. Just as it will become hard to have a DSLR without video capabilities.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-25T21:59:18.http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=9281
Disabling Activation Emails
How can you remove activation emails, so the database tables are created and the password is emailed immediately upon registration? Users find them annoying and they yield no security benefits; all they do is save empty blogs in the database, which I don’t mind.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-26T08:28:32.In reply to this comment, by MrBrian:
You would have to code a plugin for it. There’s a premium one that lets you enter the password during signup, but i think you still need to activate via email (which i highly recommend).
http://premium.wpmudev.org/plugins/Thanks for the quick answer, MrBrian. I found this post by donncha that says you just need to add a “site_option” to disable email validation. It sounds easy, but I’m not sure what it means.
So with that plugin, someone can set their own password and then receive only the activation email? That sounds like a better idea. I’m going to sign up for that some time, for that, the comment and post indexer, and the database splitter (thinking ahead).
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-25T18:34:52.Email to support@meebo.com
Suggestion for meebo.com
Hi! I have a suggestion for your service. When you log in to your meebo.com account but type your password wrong, the notice that says “Try again! Please check your name and password.” should be in bold red letters and close to the meebo.com log-in form, not the IM services form. I mistyped my password today, and was confused because I didn’t see the notice because it doesn’t stand out.
Thanks,
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-25T17:44:26.http://class.daytonastate.org [Fall 2008 BSC1005 Sec. 05 private forum]
Greetings, fellow biologists!
Hi everyone, I’m Richard X. Thripp, and I’m in BSC1005 section 05 (Monday / Wednesday / Friday). Was just there two hours ago. The in-class quiz on the first day was a great idea. I think I got seven out of ten right; I’ve forgotten a lot of important details from high school, but will re-learn them shortly.
What I’m really impressed by, is Dr. Backer’s efforts on this website. I clicked “Content” expecting to see a syllabus and one or two files, but no. My professor has written notes, lists of terms, study guides, and reference links for every chapter, in a well-ordered format. Amazing. I’ll be on here a lot for all the extra study material and community discussions.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-25T00:29:20.http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/EastVolusia/evlEAST03082208.htm
What worries me is moving the theater three miles from the campus. I’ve been to the current theater; it has hundreds of seats and a beautiful stage. What more do we need?
I’m thinking mainly of the students, but this isn’t something that should be funded by the state either. They’re going to be paying $800,000 for the “funds matching grant,” plus $700,000 each year for all eternity.
- Richard X. Thripp
http://daytonastate.org
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-24T20:38:57.http://www.askapache.com/htaccess/apache-speed-subdomains.html
This is not a good idea. Each subdomain requires a separate DNS request, which makes the site slower. This is exactly the opposite of what you should do for a faster website.
Real speed benefits come from things like cached gzipping, merging CSS and JavaScript files, CSS sprites, moving JavaScript to the bottom of the page, and far-future HTTP expires headers, not this.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-24T16:07:12.http://wpmu.org/sitewide-comment-tracking-revisited/
Awesome, replaced the Xiando plugin with this on my site.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-24T14:56:18.http://activerain.com/blogsview/653740/The-Cool-College-in
Hi Lisa! I’m posting my follow-up comment from my blog here, so your readers can see it:
I wasn’t thinking of the gradual evolution of the college, but you’re right, it has gotten a lot grander over the years, and is much more worthy of the “state” title now. The dual-enrollment thing is great, particularly for being free. I thought about using it but didn’t because I was far enough ahead in high school and had the BrightFutures scholarship coming.
You’ve got some good points there. I have to admit I like the name, and all the better if it’s the right step for the college.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-24T00:05:30.http://blogs.albion.edu/hsetter/2008/08/20/albion-dear-albion/
The last year is bittersweet, but you have to move on eventually. Good luck to you!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-23T23:15:21.http://wpmu.org/wordpress-261-released-wordpress-mu-261/
Merging and gzipping the JavaScript and CSS, and setting far-future HTTP expires headers, would be better than Turbo. The admin pages are too heavy now. I don’t think you can make those changes with a plugin unfortunately.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-24T00:18:25.http://wpmu.org/wordpress-261-released-wordpress-mu-261/
In reply to this comment, by James:
Turbo is purely a personal thing - I doubt it’ll do much for our servers but I’m starting to find it intolerable to be using backends without it!
Can’t comment much on http expire headers / gzip although wp-cache can do some of that, right?
@James: On the front end, but not on the back end unfortunately. WP-Cache’s gzipping isn’t useful because it does it on every page load which uses too much CPU power; WP Super Cache is what I use because it caches each gzipped page. It’s even faster than WP-Cache, but anything dynamic like hit counters (unless JavaScript), popular posts, etc. won’t be dynamic because it serves static HTML. The cache is invalidated / updated for new posts and comments, and every hour (configurable), and it’s WP-Cache only on the front-end for logged-in users, which is slightly slower but allows some dynamic content (like the Site Admin link; you don’t want that appearing to the general public, even if it goes nowhere).
Even WP Super Cache doesn’t touch CSS, JS, or the admin pages, though.
The admin pages are too slow… I’m making a simple write post panel that appears at the top of the home page of http://daytonastate.org blogs when users are logged in. Just title, body, tags, and category fields, and post or save as draft, with no fancy JavaScript or autosave to keep things quick.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-23T19:40:45.The pop-up previews are already being done by snap.com and you can see them at LiveJournal. I don’t like them. You see a thumbnail of the site, but they pop up when you hover over a link and obscure the text. In Firefox, I can just click the scroll wheel to open the link, so I don’t find it useful.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-23T18:54:11.http://blogs.capella.edu/library/2008/08/09/is-nationalist-arrogance-messing-up-your-search/
This is why library catalogs are going to have to move toward Google-like relevance searching. Keyword relevance, weighted fields (titles are more important), and perhaps even patron voting can help bring the most important stuff to the top.
I know librarians spend a lot of time weeding their collections to overcome the current search technologies. If we can get results to be more relevant, weeding will be less necessary. The resources that are obscure can prove invaluable for specialized reports, yet fall to the bottom of the list with the more relevant stuff above.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-23T18:47:08.http://blogs.capella.edu/blog/2008/06/10/upgrade-complete/
Wow; you’ve done a great job on this site! I work with WordPress MU too, so I can see when someone’s put a lot of effort into their project. Beautiful design, blogs, and colors. The photos in the sidebar are a nice touch. Keep up the good work!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-23T18:37:15.http://blogs.ischool.berkeley.edu/dperkel/2008/08/11/under-construction/
It doesn’t look “under construction” at all to me. You’ve got a clean layout and you’ve written a lot of good stuff. Keep up the good work!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-23T18:36:18.http://blogs.ischool.berkeley.edu/dperkel/2008/06/24/kids-and-adults-too-talk-to-many-at-once/
When I sign on to my instant messaging and am talking to three people at once, I lose focus. I might start working on something else on the computer but then I am drawn back to reply to who I’m talking to. Same for phone conversations. I have to give them my undivided attention, because any other way it just doesn’t work for me. Multitasking often is worse than single-tasking. I suspect a lot of people get into the multitasking trap without realizing it, especially in this digital age. Your article made me think a lot about that.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-23T18:32:43.This is interesting stuff. The consolidation of telecommuncations providers alarms me. In a good world I’d have ten different broadband providers to pick from, but in my neighborhood there are just two (AT&T and Brighthouse), and they’re both expensive. And if they block websites for my “safety” I’m out of luck.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-23T01:41:04.http://bui4ever.com/web-itecture/wordpress_mu_with_domain_mapping/
Great tutorial. I followed it and found the last part, “I can create http://how-to.abunchofcars.com and users can also sign up for their own blogs as they do on the main site,” the most enticing, but it isn’t working. I have http://thripp.com/wp-signup.php and http://daytonastate.org/wp-signup.php (the add-on), and registering sites works fine for me or logged-in users, but when new users try it, they can’t log in to their accounts after activation, because either wp-signup.php or wpmu-functions.php writes the site_id field to the wp_blogs table as “1″ regardless of the domain. Their accounts work fine when I edit the database myself, but do you have any suggestions for solving the problem at the source? Thanks so much.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-23T06:26:06.http://bui4ever.com/web-itecture/wordpress_mu_with_domain_mapping/
In reply to this comment, by Richard Bui:
That’s the major drawback of domain mapping a site and then creating subdomain off of it. For the longest time, WordPress.com had to manually make the database change also. Most recently, Andrew Billits of EduBlogs.org fame had figured out how automate the process. Unfortunately it’s quite complicated and requires core hacks to Apache to accomplish.
For the most part, you’re stuck with having to make manual database changes or asking Andrew how he did it. I wish I had a solution.
@Richard Bui - Wow, I thought this was a simple edit I was just overlooking. I don’t feel so bad about spending hours trying to figure this out now, if it really is that hard to do.
Are you sure you have to edit Apache? Seems like this could be something kept to WordPress MU, unless Apache needs to tell WPMU which domain it’s on but isn’t now because of the domain mapping.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-23T07:24:12.http://bui4ever.com/web-itecture/wordpress_mu_with_domain_mapping/
I’ve done it! I’ve been thinking how to tackle the problem for hours, and finally I thought, why not handle it upon activation? It’s only the site_id that needs changed. I added two lines below ” $result = wpmu_activate_signup($key);” in wpmu-activate.php:
global $wpdb;
$wpdb->query(”UPDATE $wpdb->blogs SET site_id = ‘4′ WHERE domain LIKE ‘%.daytonastate.org’”);This is a brute-force, crass way of handling it, but it works. Replace “daytonastate.org” with your mapped domain and “4″ with its site_id. I tested it. I created and activated a blog while logged out, and I can sign on immediately and the site_id in the wp_blogs table is correct.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-23T14:17:03.http://bui4ever.com/web-itecture/wordpress_mu_with_domain_mapping/
In reply to this comment, by Richard Bui:
@Richard X. Thripp - Richard, sorry I was thinking of something else. Editing the Apache was for automating the domain mapping process so that no human interaction was necessary, not quite what you were looking for.
I’m glad you figured it out! Thank you for sharing the information so others might benefit also!
@Richard Bui - You’re welcome! That makes more sense; didn’t think Apache would be involved with what I was asking. http://daytonastate.org is live now.
Donncha has cooked up a plugin for automated domain mapping. I haven’t tried it since it seems to require a static IP, which I don’t have.
All I need now is cookie sharing between Thripp.com and DaytonaState.org. WordPress.com has figured it out; if only they’d share their secrets.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-22T12:30:57.http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=9254
I’m using the Multi-Site Manager plugin and I want to let my users sign up for blogs at http://daytonastate.org/wp-signup.php or http://thripp.com/wp-signup.php for the respective domains. The only problem is that wp-signup.php or wpmu-functions.php always sets the site_id column in the wp_blogs table to 1, even though daytonastate.org should have the site_id of 4. I’ve tested, and you can’t even log on to an account until the site_id is changed manually.
Is there any way to make this set itself automatically when a blog is created? All the other topics I’ve found here just suggest doing it manually in phpMyAdmin, but that doesn’t work for my case (open registration).
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-23T09:59:47.http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=9254
I solved this through a kludge: I added two lines below ” $result = wpmu_activate_signup($key);” in wpmu-activate.php:
global $wpdb;
$wpdb->query(”UPDATE $wpdb->blogs SET site_id = ‘4′ WHERE domain LIKE ‘%.daytonastate.org’”);You can use that if you’re facing my dilemma. Just change “daytonastate.org” to your add-on domain and “4″ to its site_id.
My new problem, a more minor one, is that if say, bob.thripp.com is taken, no one can register bob.daytonastate.org, and vice-versa. If you have a solution for this, even if it’s a hack, please post.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-24T18:16:02.http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=9254
In reply to this comment, by MrBrian:
domain_exists in wp-includes/wpmu-functions.php is what checks if the blog is taken.
Thanks, MrBrian. I saw that before, but I didn’t notice that domain_exists is a part of create_empty_blog, which hard-codes the site ID to 1. domain_exists is then called by wpmu_create_blog which does the same, which is called by validate_another_blog_signup in wp-signup.php, which is used to create a new blog for a user who is already logged in. BUT, blog creation works fine when logged in; I can create richardxthripp.daytonastate.org even though richardxthripp.thripp.com exists, which is how it should be.
Apparently the three instances of “$site_id = 1″ in wpmu-functions.php do not matter at all. The problem is somewhere else. I’m still looking.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-22T12:26:33.http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=9254
Getting wp-signup.php to pass site_id var.
I’m using the Multi-Site Manager plugin and I want to let my users sign up for blogs at http://daytonastate.org/wp-signup.php or http://thripp.com/wp-signup.php for the respective domains. The only problem is that wp-signup.php or wpmu-functions.php always sets the site_id column in the wp_blogs table to 1, even though daytonastate.org should have the site_id of 4. I’ve tested, and you can’t even log on to an account until the site_id is changed manually.
Is there any way to make this set itself automatically when a blog is created? All the other topics I’ve found here just suggest doing it manually in phpMyAdmin, but that doesn’t work for my case (open registration).
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-22T04:44:53.http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/how-to-spam.html
We get telemarketing phone calls all the time, and for one in four the recorded message doesn’t even play for some reason (bugs in their system?). Phone spam is particularly bad because telephone calls are generally considered urgent. (Where did that belief come from? My family has it.)
The immediate solution to spam is better filtering methods. Gmail is getting pretty good… out of hundreds of spam messages each day, only a couple reach my inbox, and I can spam them just from the snippet without opening them, generally. Same thing with my blog, where Akismet has blocked 7000 spam comments. The solution definitely isn’t CAPTCHAs, registration, and challenge questions, I can tell you that.
The best solution is to stop spam at the source, but that isn’t possible for email and it doesn’t work well for phone calls. The problem is that declaring something spam is a subjective decision, but that doesn’t mean we should avoid it entirely. There is a huge gulf between the edge cases and the majority of spam (Viagra ads). Blog and community owners combat spam by setting their own rules, and they can do whatever they want since it’s their sites. The only problem is when deleting spam takes more effort or cost than its creation — it should take significantly less.
Your definition of spam is too wide. It means commercials, billboards, AdSense ads, and television commercials are spam, because they’re unwanted by many. We cannot define spam in wishy-washy terms if we want progress.
Anti-spam measures must come at grassroots levels; this is not the government’s place whatsoever. Developing software and effective algorithms is a large part of this, coupled with local moderation and targeted blocking.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-21T17:20:22.http://www.thinkvitamin.com/features/biz/the-5-hidden-costs-of-running-a-cms
What’s especially important is to pick a CMS that is well-supported. Make sure the developers are active, but even more importantly, especially for open-source solutions, choose one with a big community around it. This is why I chose WordPress; the out-of-the-box features do not excel nor even reach CMS levels, but there’s so much you can do with others’ plugins that I’ve gone much further than I would with Drupal, with my limited programming skills.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-21T17:11:00.http://www.yieldingwealth.com/credit-cards-watch-out-for-the-small-purchases/
Instead of asking myself questions like “do I need this?”, “is this purchase a good deal?”, and “what could I use this item for?”, I ask “what’s the worst thing that could happen if I don’t buy this item?” If I don’t buy it, will I really need it later and then have to pay a higher price? “Really need” has to be within the next few months (especially with technology), because prices are constantly falling and opportunities appearing.
I only have a debit card, but I prefer cash because I don’t have to log stuff; if I buy something at the store I know exactly what I’ve paid because there’s no way the store can (accidentally) take more of my money. They don’t even know my name. And I stay fiscally responsible because cash feels more valuable than plastic.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-21T10:04:53.http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/08/19/repeating-content/
My blog is becoming like a wiki, not because others can edit it, but because I link back to old posts all the time, if they’re relevant. Of course, as I learn more about my subjects (photography and personal development), I’ll have to do repeats covering certain topics in more detail, but I have plenty of ground left to cover and things to learn and write about.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-21T05:26:26.http://gritinthegears.blogspot.com/2008/06/new-thripp-curmudgeonly-orgasmatron.html
Ha ha, looks like a powerful weapon.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-21T02:46:04.http://wpmued.org/2008/08/15/wpmu-domain-mapping-plugin-on-cpanel/
Great tutorial. The new plugin looks interesting. I’m using David’s Multi-Site Manager for http://daytonastate.org , and it works fine, but I can’t upload files or access the Site Admin from it. I just use FTP and use Site Admin from the main site, but it would be nice to have that out of the way. I’ll try Donncha’s plugin if he gets cookie (remote login) sharing. That would be awesome.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-21T01:21:36.http://activerain.com/blogsview/650273/Daytona-Beach-Now-Has
Interesting post about the college. The part about attending college locally being uncool is fascinating to me; I’ve posed the question to my readers:
http://daytonastate.org/is-daytona-state-college-not-cool-16
Thanks for the discussion topic, and keey up the good work.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-20T03:11:16.http://wpmu.org/wpmu-dummies-part-deux/
Wow, I love this, if for a centralized view of the error logs alone. Using it on my WPMU site. Keep up the good work.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-20T02:51:51.http://wpmu.org/wordpress-261-released-wordpress-mu-261/#comment-268
I’m a “wait and see Wanda” too. For http://thripp.com I’m planning on jumping from 1.5.1 (WP 2.5.1 equiv.) to WPMU 2.7 when it’s released. It’s easier that way, and I’ll try to change my hacks to the core to plugins in the interim.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-20T01:15:30.http://perishablepress.com/press/contact/
Hey, I have a suggestion for the design of Perishable Press. There isn’t enough vertical space between lines in the “Popular Posts” column and comment policy section. They look squished together, because there is only 4 pixels between them rather than the normal 7 in the other sections.
I bet no one else has complained because this is such an insignificant detail. Well, now you’ve heard it from me.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-20T01:02:01.http://inphotos.org/field-of-flowers/
Beautiful shot; love the deep blue sky and two-thirds composition. If only the focus was on the nearest flowers it would be perfect.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-17T02:09:03.http://thenextweb.org/2008/08/11/buddypress-will-change-the-game-wordpress-the-next-social-network/
I’m looking forward to using BuddyPress myself, but the big problem with WordPress MU as a social network is the sharded database table structure. It just isn’t designed to process data in an aggregated fashion, because each blog has eight separate tables. Sure, you could duplicate the data in a central place, but that’s wasteful and inefficient.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-17T00:06:05.http://tagyouredead.com/2008/07/09/time-for-a-vacay/
Good luck choosing a job, Megan. Bealls is a good store; my Grandma finds good deals there on occasion.
You should consider professional blogging. It’s more fun than a job if it works, and if it works it has far more potential. Google AdSense and Amazon Associates are a good start to make money with.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-16T23:59:07.http://donttrustthisguy.com/2008/05/11/blogging-is-not-technology/
This is the truth. Too often people complain about blogging as a fad or as lacking value, but it’s just a medium. Any sort of message can be conveyed through it, even the stuff of great books. The only big differences are format (reverse chronological order) and reader discussions.
Even Twitter can harbor great ideas.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-16T23:52:19.http://hardiannazief.com/08/site-launch-dephecom/
Very nice design and photo! Would’ve taken me twice as long to make. I hope she gets a lot of use out of it, though I don’t read Indonesian.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-14T23:40:07.http://amillionairsdiary.wordpress.com/2008/08/07/about-me/
Don’t make a million dollars the goal. Find something else you love to do that contributes to the world, then do it. Make sure it helps a lot of people. Blogging is a good start. Write about the tiny details that no one else is covering, be it about computers, cars, Legos, personal growth, or something else. Put some ads up or ask for donations, and then when you get tons of traffic, money will start rolling in. Don’t make traffic the goal either. It will come if you are dead-set on the true goal, which is doing good for others.
I haven’t reached any of these goals: making a big contribution to the world, earning a million dollars, or getting many visitors. It takes hundreds of hours of real work, not busywork like keyword sniping and page design.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-13T07:23:53.http://webjackalope.com/fast-page-load-time/
#4 on image widths and heights could be clarified. Most browsers including Firefox will load all the text, but they won’t know the size of the images until fetching them. When you start reading a site and the text keeps jumping up, you know the missing image attributes are to blame. If they were there, the browser would show blank space equal to the size as a place-holder while loading. It can’t do that if it doesn’t know the dimensions.
#3 is true, but local hosting will be slower if you’re on shared hosting to start.
I didn’t know that using multiple domains would help. It seems like multiple connections would just mean two slow downloads instead of one fast one.
Using few cookies and offloading them is interesting, and something I haven’t read elsewhere. I’ll try that sometime.
This is a light article, but you’ve got a good start. Good subjects are Gzipping CSS and JavaScript (saves lots of space), combining CSS files (not just JS), Gzipping pages, caching them to avoid CPU overhead (WP Super Cache for Wordpress is good), the overhead of HTTP requests (one large image is faster than five small ones), image formats and compression, and inline vs. external CSS. (Inline CSS is done with a server-side include for easy updating.)
When I created my URL trimming service, th8.us, I used inline CSS and compressed all the HTML to one line with no extraneous whitespace to make it as fast as possible. Google does this; their HTML code is an interesting mess. Quite efficient too, except for all the tables, though Gzipping minimizes bandwidth concerns.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-13T06:57:42.http://webjackalope.com/homepage-web-design/
Good advice in general. I don’t like the emphasis on how quickly your visitors will leave if your layout is cluttered and stuffed with ads. If you are providing a uniquely valuable resource, your visitors will want to read it, even if they have to jump through hoops. Don’t put design above substance. Combining the two is the best bet, as you said in point 1.
Another thing that I’d mention is that home pages are increasingly in blog format. Even if your home page is mostly static content and an access hub, it’s increasingly easy to embed a Wordpress blog in it. Show the date prominently so your visitors see that you’re actively committed to your field, but only if you are posting regularly.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-13T06:49:33.http://lifedev.net/2008/08/a-quick-note-about-product-launches/
Great work on those projects! Trendfo’s graphs look interesting, and Web Jackalope has a lot of promise if you continue writing helpful and insightful articles.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-12T22:50:54.http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/08/13/5-methods-to-enhancing-page-load/
Good tips, the JavaScript and Flash ones especially. AdSense is the only third-party script that I’ll let on my site.
I’d add that using Gzip on the page’s HTML shrinks it considerably; sometimes 90% if there’s a lot of repeated information. If your page is PHP you can just add “ob_start(”ob_gzhandler”);” in a PHP statement at the top of the file. WP Super Cache is even better because it caches the compressed versions, reducing the load on your server’s processors. You can also Gzip JavaScript and CSS to save lots of bandwidth.
I use this site to check if a page is compressed. Problogger isn’t, but if it was with WP Super Cache, the HTML would load 75% faster.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-12T23:37:19.http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/08/13/5-methods-to-enhancing-page-load/
In reply to this comment, by Aaron:
Gzip will eat you for lunch and redefine what “refried beans” means if you’re a big site. Be very wary. Gzip = Lots of CPU crunch = lots of load time on the server.
@Aaron: That’s why you have to cache the Gzipped pages. If you’re using Wordpress, WP Super Cache makes it easy, replacing both the uncompressed and compressed old pages when a comment or post is added or edited, but otherwise reusing them. WP Super Cache produces lots of incompatibilities, such as the Firestats plugin, recent commenters lists, poll results, etc., because dynamic items stay out of date. It’s worth it for me, as I’m on shared hosting and the cache saves a ton of processing power and bandwidth.
CSS and JavaScript, of course, should not be compressed on-the-fly. You should compress the files on your computer, storing and linking them statically on your website.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-08T23:15:59.http://www.freenology.com/08/30maybe-60-free-digital-photo-prints-from-snapfish
Snapfish pulled the coupon 4 hours ago. It doesn’t even appear on the linked page. The code still works for free shipping on mugs and mouse pads, but no prints anymore. Disappointing; it was quite a good deal (anything free is).
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-08T14:07:01.http://www.newrambler.net/lisdom/225
I agree; the catalog is an essential good. Just because it hasn’t made as much progress as it should doesn’t mean we should (or can) throw it out.
I’ve been hearing of a few libraries abandoning classification schemes, and just grouping subjects together intuitively. The catalog becomes less useful then. With a Dewey Decimal code + author’s last name you can go right to the book on the shelf after looking it up, but if there’s no organization you can’t. Even shelving the books by barcode number is better than nothing, though no one does that because it would make you completely dependent on computers to find anything.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-07T14:07:14.http://sourceforge.net/forum/message.php?msg_id=5152563
Great work on the OpenBiblio project! I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit at my library (lib.thripp.com). I have some features I think will add to the program.
Hold requests can be placed anytime, not just when items are checked out. Then they can be secured on the holds shelf in the library for a specific patron to pick up.
You can place holds by bibID instead of only barcode; then whichever item is returned first can fulfill the hold.
When a requested item is checked in, show the name, telephone, and email of the first person in line for easy contacting.
Switch from POST to GET for searches. Then the queries appear in the URL, so you can bookmark them and the browser doesn’t generate any warnings when using the back and forward buttons. Then, switch long names like searchText and searchType to q and t to keep the URLs simple.
An awesome full-text search system with Boolean queries, scoping by collection or material (someone made a patch in the patch section), MySQL relevance ranking, ISBN/ISSN/barcode/call number search, and JavaScript highlighting on the results pages ( http://www.nsftools.com/misc/SearchAndHighlight.htm is good). This is a lot, but title+author+subjects and ISBN would be a good step to start.
An awesome patron search system with search by custom fields, first name, birth date, address, etc.
Global checkout limits: Instead of per material type, set a max number of total items per patron. Specific materials can have fewer; for example, a maximum of 20 items per patron that only 5 of which can be DVDs.
Forward due dates passed closed days.
Renewal limits can be “max number of days” rather than the number of times. I’d like to set books to a 21-day loan with a 63-day max, regardless of the number of renewals.
Patrons can place holds, renew items, and view their items and due dates from the OPAC. Add a password field to the members field, like the one in staff, so we can give our patrons passwords and they can log on with their barcodes and passwords.
Batch editing on the Marc screen, with deletion checkboxes to quickly remove all those pesky 9XX fields from Library of Congress records (bonus points if we can do that automatically upon import).
The OPAC is center stage (not in opac/index.php), and public URLs are friendly. This can done with Apache’s mod_rewrite plus changes to the URLs in opac/index.php and shared/biblio_search.php. Here’s my .htaccess file, for example:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^([0-9]+)$ shared/biblio_view.php?bibid=$1&tab=opac [NC]
RewriteRule ^e/([0-9]+)$ shared/biblio_view.php?bibid=$1&tab=cataloging [NC]
RewriteRule ^$ opac/index.php [NC]
RewriteRule ^search shared/biblio_search.php [NC]
The “e/” is just for convenience, so you can jump to the edit screen by adding it before the bibID in the URL. An example URL: http://lib.thripp.com/62
Assuming nice permalinks and the switch from POST to GET, we can add author links if an author has more than one book in the catalog. This way, you can easily see more books by an author. I’m doing this now. I replaced H($biblio->getAuthor()) in shared/biblio_search.php with this:
$ampold = array(”&”, ” “);
$ampnew = array(”%26″, “+”);
$author = H($biblio->getAuthor());
$authorNew = str_replace($ampold, $ampnew, $author);
$getAuthorCount = mysql_query(”SELECT COUNT(bibid) FROM biblio WHERE author = ‘$author’”) or die(mysql_error());
$getAuthorCountRes = mysql_fetch_row($getAuthorCount);
if ($getAuthorCountRes[0] > 1) echo ““.H($biblio->getAuthor()).”“; else echo H($biblio->getAuthor());The URL structure would be different (I’ve changed the arguments in my installation), but otherwise it could be done.
Support for cover images, along with display in the search results. A basic way is to add a table cell to shared/biblio_search.php with this code:
$localTN = “/*serverpath*/files/covers/$bid-sm.jpg”;
if (file_exists($localTN))
echo “![\"Front](\"../files/covers/$bid-sm.jpg\")
“;That checks files/covers for a file called BIBID-sm.jpg, and if it exists, displays the image with a link to the file BIBID.jpg. This assumes that you always upload a cover image and thumbnail (with the -sm filename delimiter) in tandem.
I’m using a more complicated way like below:
$getisbn = mysql_query(”SELECT field_data FROM biblio_field WHERE tag = ‘20′ AND subfield_cd = ‘a’ AND bibid = ‘$bid’”)
or die(mysql_error());
$printisbn = mysql_fetch_row($getisbn);
$getamz = mysql_query(”SELECT field_data FROM biblio_field WHERE tag = ‘970′ AND subfield_cd = ‘a’ AND bibid = ‘$bid’”)
or die(mysql_error());
$printamz = mysql_fetch_row($getamz);
$localTN = “/*serverpath*/files/covers/$bid-sm.jpg”;
if (file_exists($localTN))
echo ““;
elseif ($printamz == “Not on Amazon.com”) echo “”;
elseif ($printamz != “”) echo “![\"Front](\"http://images.amazon.com/images/P/".$printamz[0].".01._SCTZZZZZZZ_PC.jpg\")
“;
elseif ($printisbn != “”) echo “![\"Front](\"http://images.amazon.com/images/P/".$printisbn[0].".01._SCTZZZZZZZ_PC.jpg\")
“;That checks for a local thumbnail first, then a Marc field with tag 970 and field a. If I type “Not on Amazon.com” in it, it returns nothing. If I type an ASIN (Amazon ID) in there, it shows Amazon.com’s cover scan. Otherwise, it uses whatever is in the ISBN field for Amazon.com’s cover scan (assuming you use ISBN-10 with no clutter like “(pbk.)”). If Amazon.com has nothing they return a 1×1 GIF which no one will notice. This way, I can use Amazon for cover images whenever possible.
My code isn’t good because I don’t know what I’m doing, but it’s a start on the easy stuff, at least. I picked OpenBiblio over Evergreen or Koha because I couldn’t get them to run on shared hosting, but I’m liking it a lot because OpenBiblio is simple and much easier to tinker with. Keep up the good work.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-07T12:52:59.http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=2041643&group_id=50071&atid=458474
In OpenBiblio v0.6.1, the home phone field is ignored when you register a patron. It appears blank after clicking Submit.
The reason is that the setHomePhone string is missing from mbr_new.php. This line should be added, between lines 40 and 41 (above the line beginning with $_POST["homePhone"]):
$mbr->setHomePhone($_POST["homePhone"]);
The “Edit Info” page (mbr_edit_form.php) handles this properly, so a work-around is to leave the home phone field blank upon registration and add it in afterward.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-05T09:11:36.http://bargainhuntingmoms.typepad.com/bargains/2008/08/free-shipping-1.html
HPFREESHIP778 expired July 22. It was supposed to be till August 7, but Snapfish revoked it early. It was probably costing them too much money.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-04T09:15:17.http://uncontrolledvocabulary.com/2008/08/03/no-show-this-week-2/
Sorry for your loss. Death is so cruel. I’ll miss Unvocab.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-04T07:07:42.http://matt.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/food/
It’s too blurry in here!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-03T02:32:35.http://www.libraryman.com/blog/2008/07/14/dear-facebook-and-google-i-love-libraries-more/
You pay for public libraries in your property taxes. If you refuse to pay, your house will be confiscated. Would you prefer Google to be turned over to the enlightened government so there are no ads and you can pay a Google tax every year?
You’re fighting the wrong battle. Profit isn’t evil. Businesses only make a profit by providing a valuable service to the world, save for market inefficiencies. Usurping your users doesn’t work for long. Requiring businesses to “permanently give back” is socialism. They’re giving back through the very act of earning money, and it’s wonderful that money can be earned by direct means: ad-supported free services rather than subscription services.
Why is it that the best way to find items in my local library is to get the ISBN or title through Amazon or Google, and then enter it in the OPAC? Because the drive to improve isn’t there. When you have guaranteed tax dollars, no one innovates search, networking tools, cataloging processes, etc. A non-profit doesn’t create a Google. Everyone’s putting their best hours into a day job to support themselves. If only the non-profits could get an infusion of profit, you would see great things coming from them.
We could have free libraries with wonderful catalogs, user reviews, relevant search results, great hours and community services, and no taxes, just like Google gives me wonderful tools to search the web and manage my email without earning a cent. We just need to plaster ads and affiliate referrals on the walls, on the websites, among the stacks, as bookmarks in books, etc. Part of the library could be a bookstore.
Profit and community service do not have to be mutually exclusive.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-08-01T16:18:46.http://www.dailyblogtips.com/7-reasons-to-quit-your-job/
Great article. Even if you have endless riches, you’re still going to want to do something–whatever that is is probably what you should be doing now. I like the experience reason. The truth is, you’ll learn ten times as much from a year of unemployment (a.k.a. self-employment) than from a year with a ‘normal’ job.
While you can be certain you’ll be paid a certain amount for the work you’ve done in a traditional job, it can be cut off at any time. Even if you don’t do anything ‘wrong’, you can be cut to save money. And, unlike with quitting where a two-week notice is demanded of you, your employer will terminate you on the spot. Funny how things work, huh?
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-31T20:44:26.http://www.dutchseo.com/general/why-using-www-might-not-such-a-bad-idea/
I don’t like www even if a lot of people type it. What’s even worse is www on subdomains. I used to host with Netfirms, and they wouldn’t allow second-level subdomains, so http://www.richardxthripp.thripp.com wouldn’t work. Since a lot of my traffic was from print marketing, I lost probably 5% of visitors from mistyping. URLs are long enough already; they don’t need www to weigh them down.
The only time I use www is on Twitter, if the site redirects. It saves 3 characters over http://, and Twitter knows to add http:// automatically.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-29T04:18:33.http://www.consumingexperience.com/2008/05/shorten-urls-via-isgd-free-bookmarklet.html
For even easier Twittering, you might want to try my Tweet any page bookmarklet at th8.us. With one click, it shortens the URL of the page you’re viewing, directs you to Twitter, and enters that URL in the post box. While my links are longer, by using the http://www. prefix instead of http://, they’re 16 characters just like is.gd, and work fine with Twitter.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-25T22:27:57.http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/eye-contact-in-photography/
I prefer eye contact; it usually is more interesting and engaging to me. I don’t think the photo in this article is using eye contact, since the lady has a blank stare. She’s not connecting with the viewer at all. That can be good too, though.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-20T17:24:19.http://artists.gawker.com/news/photography/siegfried-becker-316444.php
Great photo of the Yorkshire terriers! They’re both asking “why are we being carried around?” I think.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-20T16:32:56.http://artists.gawker.com/news/photography/james-m-graham-246774.php
I like the gritty feel to your portraits, and all the creativity and emotion in them. Keep up the great work.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-20T16:28:34.http://www.flickr.com/photos/fusionmonger/2517780080/
Beautiful color, light, and composition! I like his eye; he’s thinking about something.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-20T16:10:44.http://artists.gawker.com/news/photography/bill-anastas-227387.php
Great style, Bill; the contrast in the rainbow photo caught my eye right away. I like the “photoshopping them to my heart’s content” part; too many digital photographers shy away from post-processing, but it really is the way to sharpen your artistic vision.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-20T16:09:29.http://www.jpegsrock.com/index.php?showimage=41
Great mood on this one, and the grain adds to it.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-20T16:05:20.http://artists.gawker.com/345356/natasha-westcoat
Awesome painting, Natasha! I love your whimsical, light-hearted style. Looks like your name and website should be “Wescoat” not “Westcoat”, though.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-20T14:16:58.http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/share-your-best-shot-ever/
Raindrops is currently my best shot ever. It’s a shot of falling drops off the roof of my back porch. Took 70 shots to get one I liked where the drops were nicely formed and interesting.
I was only working with a tiny Fujifilm FinePix A360 at the time, which I couldn’t even set the shutter speed, aperture, or ISO speed on. I got lucky and the sunlight came out while it was still raining, so the camera could use a fast shutter speed.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-20T01:13:10.http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-iso-for-your-digital-photography/
I always am fiddling with the ISO speed, trying to keep it as low as I can. I can’t recall increasing the ISO to add grain, and I usually remember to reset it after shooting in the dark now.
I’d also add that grain becomes a lot more visible when you add contrast in post-production. A photo that looks fine before editing can look awful once you’ve livened it up. Noise removal software has come along way, so you can blur the noise out without losing much detail. I use Noiseware, but Noise Ninja is great too.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-20T00:42:41.http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/949/its-my-birthday/
Happy birthday to you! I’m glad 29 is young, because I’m 16 so I still have years of youth ahead.
Keep up the good work!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-20T00:06:36.http://www.dailyblogtips.com/behind-the-scenes-check-out-the-desktop-of-30-bloggers/
Nice sampling of desktops. I like Dan Craciun’s background photo a lot. Look at that clutter on the one from http://www.se7enize.com though! I could never find anything with that. I try to keep icons off the desktop, because it’s easy to lose arrangement in Windows and it helps me to focus.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-19T23:35:13.http://www.imbloggingthat.com/2007/10/21/backup-your-site-often/
I use a PHP script to back up the thripp.com database often, and keep a local copy of all files. You can set up a cron job to do that each day.
Another good idea I don’t see mentioned often is using this LiveJournal cross-posting plugin to automatically mirror your posts to LiveJournal. It even updates when you edit or delete old posts, and has been working seamlessly for me without slowing posting down too much. Though not as good as having the database, you have a backup of each post immediately when you use it.
Also, use Feedburner’s email service to send yourself an email of your posts each day on a different server like Gmail or Hotmail.
Having multiple themes in the themes folder doesn’t slow you down because only one is active at a time. Nor does using your space for data storage. I don’t see why I can’t use the space I’m paying for as storage. Keeping old installations of Wordpress is bad because they have security problems. With many hosts you can save files outside of the public_html directory so no one can get to them, which is where I store backups.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-19T23:24:13.http://www.crunchnow.com/2008/07/crunchnow-dot-com.html
Wow, awesome contest idea! I’ll be reading.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-19T22:21:02.http://www.blogcatalog.com/group/adsense-group/discuss/entry/show-me-your-adsense-blog-or-site
Here’s my blog, Brilliant Photography by Richard X. Thripp:
http://richardxthripp.thripp.com/
I put some ads next to each post and in the sidebar. Got them set up so they switch between the right and left and change colors on different pages occasionally, which is cool.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-19T22:20:42.A link to my blog on photography and personal development would be welcome.
richardxthripp.thripp.com/
Thanks!
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-19T22:07:56.http://www.blogcatalog.com/group/get-blogging-group/discuss/entry/increase-your-ranking
You’ve got some good advice there. I’d watch out about limiting your articles to 500 words. If you’re covering a topic in-depth, forsake the pithy writing style. Write a whole novel in one post if you have to. Just make sure every word counts, it’s interesting, and rewards the reader.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-19T21:04:49.http://creativeherb.com/2008/07/10/creativeherbcom-v15-promise-polite/
Great idea. You’re going to start writing from the heart now, and I predict it will lead to great things. The next step is to think more interesting thoughts and post more often! I’m liking the stuff about creativity. If you can apply more authenticity to that, you can make a huge contribution to your readers’ lives just through blog articles.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-19T21:02:40.http://creativeherb.com/2008/05/11/95-product-reviews-useless/
This is so right! I see this with digital cameras a lot. It’s not till you’ve used it a few months, even a year or so, before you realize what pieces fall off first and what the camera can stand up to. All the reviews are rushed because they’re commercialized, unfortunately. I’m glad Amazon.com still has some good, unbiased customer reviews.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-19T21:00:51.http://creativeherb.com/2008/05/04/creativity-catch-22/
You can do this by anchoring actions or thoughts to inspiration and motivation, by working feverishly after the action to etch it in your subconscious. Using trinkets is a good idea too. What I find this is really good for is completing useless, misguided projects you feel you can’t escape. If I’m doing what I love, I don’t need any help. But it could help me to be even more prolific.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-19T20:57:24.http://creativeherb.com/2008/05/03/stop-creative-genocide/
I hate when people say how they aren’t creative and only a few people are creative. Believing that is a sure-fire way to be dull. Thanks for debunking the myths about creativity.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-19T03:38:31.http://www.problogdesign.com/design/even-links-can-look-good/
Rollover Effects #3 is so true. I’ve gone to sites that bolden the paragraph your cursor is over, and it’s so distracting for text to jump around and lines to shift when I move the mouse.
Good advice on the different link styles. I may try the colored backgrounds idea. I’d watch out for dotted underlines. They represent acronyms with pop-up titles to me.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-18T23:32:15.http://socialmediatrader.com/what-can-bloggers-learn-from-the-diamond-empire/
Even bigger than the diamond scandal is fiat money. The U.S.A. can print as much as it wants of it for next to nothing and force us and other countries to accept it. Are there any lessons for bloggers to be had there?
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-17T13:37:28.http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/2008/04/unschooling-life-is-moving.html
Good luck on switching to your own website! It’s hard work and it comes down to you to fix all the bugs, but freedom is worth it at any cost.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-17T13:32:16.http://advertising-for-success.blogspot.com/2008/07/new-broadband-router-and-modem.html
I had problems with slowness on a Westell modem from AT&T too. They sent a technician out, and after thirty minutes of trouble-shooting, he just replaced it with a nice new model. So much for working with what you’ve got. I’m glad to have working Internet most of the time, though.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-17T13:30:22.http://advertising-for-success.blogspot.com/2008/07/have-you-made-change-to-vista.html
I bought a laptop last summer that has Vista on it, but I’m not upgrading on my desktop ever. XP is slow enough with 768MB RAM; I don’t need anything Vista has. When I upgrade desktops in 2010 I’m sure I’ll switch over.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-16T02:30:33.http://www.blogonphotoblogs.com/monetizing-your-photoblog
Great advice. It isn’t easy making money as a photo blogger. I’d also add writing photography articles (technical stuff especially), complete with Google AdSense ads and Amazon.com affiliate links. You’ll get more traffic from search engines, and those visitors will more likely to be searching for a particular product / solution, so they’ll click ads or make purchases.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-15T11:23:14.http://digg.com/programming/Reduce_overhead_in_your_MySQL_server
Awesome script; much easier than going through all the databases by hand in phpMyAdmin. Thanks for sharing!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-10T17:37:03.http://www.mitchelaneous.com/2008/04/10/cushycms-only-the-fun-parts-of-content-management/
There will always be people who want control over their stuff no matter what the difficulties (like me), just as there will be people who want whatever is easier. This service caters well to the latter.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-10T00:19:14.http://www.brilliances.com/wordpress-mu-as-a-social-networking-platform/
Very cool writeup. Looking forward to putting Buddypress to the test after it’s a bit more stable. It’s more fun to create your own social network than to use others, because you’re in control and it’s an adventure. If the friends, groups, and albums are flexible and well-done, this will be great.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-10T00:16:13.http://www.richardpalace.com/2008/06/25/google-sitemap-for-wordpress-mu-plugin-1513101/
Hey, thanks for the great guide and step-by-step instructions. I’m using it on my community, and it’s working just as though it were designed for Wordpress MU.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-09T14:06:05.http://www.hido.net/sendmail.php
Hey, thanks so much for developing Phurl. I’m using it at x.thripp.com, mainly for myself. Very happy to not be the slave of Tinyurl anymore. Keep up the great work!
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-08T22:58:27.http://availabledomains.biz/7430-the-end-of-richardxthrippcom-it%27s-thrippcom-now.html
Thanks for the write-up. I think I’ve gotten hold of a good domain name! Just six letters, one syllable, unique, memorable, pronounceable, brandable… the list goes on. Interesting blog compilation you’ve got here.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-07T03:00:06.http://www.pathf.com/blogs/2008/05/wordpress-sucks-but-it-doesnt-matter/
I like Wordpress for all the plugins and being able to change it easily, but there are things that are just too hard to do for no reason. I was trying to print just the post count for a category, on a page with no posts from that category, and none of the Wordpress functions seem to handle it (they all print the category name too).
For that last part, could you have kept in the loop using the condition, if (is_author())? It is just for author archives.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-06T08:03:15.http://urbangiraffe.com/plugins/sniplets/
Great plugin; I’m finding it really useful to put a text string in a bunch of posts but be able to update it from once place. I’m having a similar problem to Andrew though; I use the Simple Tags plugin, and when I activate Sniplets, the box to add tags completely disappears from the write and edit screens for posts and pages. For now I’ve created my sniplets, then renamed admin.js, and the tagging box reappears. I can’t create or edit sniplets, or use the GUI to insert them with the JavaScript file disabled, so it isn’t a good solution. I’m using Wordpress MU 1.5.1 (should be the same as regular 2.5.1). Hope you find a fix for that.
Thanks for all your hard work!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-05T23:54:37.http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=8776
I’m using http://www.synhosting.com/ for my Wordpress MU site ( http://thripp.com/ ); 150 blogs and it’s working alright. They’re in Canada. I think they’ll enable vhosts if you email them, but I just use subdirectories. I signed up with coupon code “saveme” and wrote the host I was transferring from, and they gave me six months free (it’ll be $10/month afterward).
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-05T14:44:57.This is very true; categories can change so permanently committing them to permalinks is a bad idea. You should be able to change the category names and keep the slugs if you’re not in Wordpress MU, though. Just go to the category edit page, click a category, and there’s a field for it. But if you use a hierarchy and want to change it, you’re out of luck.
I don’t even believe in putting the date in the URI: I’m writing (hopefully) timeless stuff so it needlessly dates the content (figuratively and literally). Just the name and post ID (because I like arbitrary numbers) for me. Ideally just the post ID, but the name is convenient for browsing and helps in search engine rank. No trailing slashes below the root, though. No one types them anyway, and now that we’re in the era of mod_rewrite and database-powered sites, I see no point in continuing the tradition.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-05T14:31:22.http://wpmu.org/2008/07/02/imageshack-uploader/
Great plugin; thanks for the tip. I’m using it on thripp.com, and it’s working nicely. It goes through your server rather than embedding the ImageShack upload form on the page, but that shouldn’t be too much load.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-05T09:57:06.http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=8756
The bug is with custom fields; it won’t happen if you don’t use them.
http://trac.wordpress.org/ticket/6457
Says it will be fixed in 2.5.2 (1.5.2 for MU). If none of your users use custom fields, they won’t encounter the bug.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-05T09:37:26.http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=8760
It’s probably faulty URI rewriting. Make sure you have vhosts on in your server configuration, or set subdirectory mode when you install if vhosts isn’t available, and make sure .htaccess is right.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-05T07:53:03.http://ma.tt/2008/03/mybabyourbabycom-on-mu/
MyBabyOurBaby is quite a site and community. It’s amazing what you can build around Wordpress MU, and it’s so much easier / more extensible than doing it from scratch (especially if you don’t know what you’re doing like me).
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-05T07:30:17.http://livvit.com/a-simple-way-to-be-happy/
Interesting, but I don’t dig the “freedom from pain” bit. It takes pain and perseverance to be truly happy. Most of this is emotional, but it may not be, if your vision requires a lot of physical action.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-04T07:30:54.http://cognitiveatrophy.blogspot.com/2005/05/microsoft-word-save-as-html-sucks.html
I don’t like Word’s HTML either. What’s with the “0.0001pt” setting? I guess Microsoft likes to do everything non-standard.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-04T07:06:56.http://edithfrost.com/twittertools_tweaks/
Great idea; glad you figured that out. I’ll use it when I start using Twitter Tools, if only I can get it to work with Wordpress MU.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-04T04:57:49.http://www.thunderguy.com/bennett/2008/06/24/the-lake-anna-coddington/
I like the quote; simple but significant. I don’t hear “and such” being used enough in song lyrics.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-04T03:59:23.http://lightchasersphotography.com/blog/4-concert-photography-tips/
In reply to this comment, by Luis:
Richard:
I get what you mean - I’ve heard people behind me complaining at some concerts that I walk right up to the stage (past a row of bouncers) without a press pass while they get big burly men in their faces. Having mean looking equipment helps in those cases.On the other hand, I’ve been to concerts where they prevent you from bringing in anything but tiny P&S cameras - that sucks.
@ Luis: A lot of events seem to say “no video recording” or even no photography (usually no flash photography). Hadn’t heard about them banning professional-level cameras. I don’t think what they’re doing is logical; it would be better for advertising to let people take pictures or even video. Wrote an article about that kind of mindset (the people as the enemy).
I’ve noticed since I upgraded from a Canon PowerShot A620 (a small p&s) to a Canon Rebel XTi with a sturdy-looking lens last year, I get a lot more respect and people don’t hassle me. I look like a photographer, not a tourist (though the tourists are getting more fancy cameras now too).
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-03T17:11:27.http://photoboxr.com/comments.php?date_time=1215072389461
Good advice. Another thing to remember is that depth of field is relative to the size of the lens: it’s more shallow with larger lenses. That’s why you can’t blur the backgrounds on small digital compacts. Shallow depth of field is nice for portraits and macros.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-03T14:24:23.http://www.zackdesign.biz/wp-plugins/34
I’m liking this plugin a lot and am using it on my site. It’s so basic, yet effective, and the lack of stock control isn’t an issue if you can produce an unlimited quantity of your products, like with mine. My only concern is the lack of security. You can easily fudge the HTML to get a site to display a lower price. For example with your site, putting the code below in a local file and clicking the button in a browser will actually load your site with the item at the reduced price ($5.00 from $359.99).
<p>Budget Intel PC: <strike>$359.99</strike> <strong>$5.00</strong> <object><form method="post" action="http://www.ozedeals.biz/" style="display:inline"><input type="submit" value="Add to Cart" /><input type="hidden" name="product" value="Budget Intel PC" /><input type="hidden" name="price" value="5.00" /><input type="hidden" name="shipping" value="0.99" /><input type="hidden" name="addcart" value="1" /><input type="hidden" name="qslink" value="http://www.ozedeals.biz/" /></form></object></p>Obviously, if anyone does this, you don’t have to send them the item. It gets tricky if you’re giving them a receipt with the price they’ve forged, though. Might even be troublesome if they just cut the price in half and then complain to PayPal if you refuse to take the loss (they’ll have a PayPal confirmation with the product and lower price).
I’m not too worried about it because I’m dealing with low-value items, but otherwise I would be. Nice work on the plugin, nonetheless.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-02T16:23:05.http://lesterchan.net/wordpress/2008/06/30/developing-plugins-for-wordpress/
Great presentation! I love your work, especially WP-Print, WP-PageNavi, and WP-Sticky; they’re indispensable on my site, and really should be rolled into the Wordpress core. It was interesting to learn about the code and procedures behind the software.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-02T16:17:36.http://drmikessteakdinner.com/2008/06/24/surviving-a-slashdotting-with-a-celeron-466/
Wow, that’s quite good. I know you couldn’t do that on Wordpress without caching. I like how Movable Type is always cached, though I use WP Super Cache and find it works well also.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-02T11:18:54.http://www.yellowswordfish.com/758/i-left-my-tan-in-san-francisco/
I like the photo of the tree; it looks like it’s about to fall over. Sounds like you had a fun vacation, with the extreme range of temperatures and all.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-02T08:22:35.http://semperfiwebdesign.com/contact/
Hello. I switched over from SEO Title Tag to All in One SEO Pack and like the features with your plugin much better. There’s only one thing I’m missing: titles for category archive pages (and tag pages too, though I don’t use those). So, my feature request is to have an admin page to specify custom category titles, or if that’s too much trouble, an option in the settings like %default%. Then, I could use SEO Title Tag for category titles and All in One SEO for everything else.
Thanks,
Richard
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-01T11:35:37.http://independentownersblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/16/what-is-a-google-pagerank-how-can-i-get-one/
Interesting stuff. I couldn’t find any site besides google.com that is 10/10. Even ebay.com, amazon.com, wordpress.com, etc. fall short at 9/10. I guess they reserve that rank for themselves.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-01T10:55:18.Great article. Depth of field used to trip me up a lot. The one bit about the size of the lens took me a while to realize. At 200mm, a lot less is in focus at F2.8 than at 50mm. Must be because the size of the aperture is relative to the focal length of the lens. That’s why you can’t get nicely blurred backgrounds on digital compacts; their lenses are too small.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-01T10:48:33.Good ideas on the flash and daylight photography. Noon time can be good for photos; I’m glad you supported it by suggesting using the shadows to your advantage. One thing I find dramatic under the bright sun is to put the sun right behind the subject. Here’s an example: Yellow Sunshine. You just have to watch out so as not to damage your eyes!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-01T10:26:28.http://www.dphotojournal.com/canon-eos-450d-digital-rebel-xsi-reviews-photos/
I’m still not comfortable with the switch to SD cards, but the buttons and menus are looking nicer. The big LCD screen looks great also. The Rebel series has been nothing but incremental improvements, but it’s come a long way since the 300D.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-01T10:19:45.http://lightchasersphotography.com/blog/leyland-tractor/
Great use of vignetting and black and white for that old time feel. Much more interesting than the color version. I’ll have to watch for some tractors or other farm equipment to photograph.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-01T10:17:20.http://lightchasersphotography.com/blog/4-concert-photography-tips/
Just go up there and take pictures! If you have a camera, you can do anything, or so I’m told. You can walk right up on the stage and snap photos of the performers if you walk with enough authority.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-01T10:07:50.http://lightchasersphotography.com/blog/event-photographers-sync-your-cameras/
Doing it afterward isn’t fun, but at least you can change the metadata on the images. If I have friends helping me take pictures, I try to sync the cameras beforehand by waiting for the minute to change, and then saving the times all at once. Too bad I only have two hands…
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-01T09:58:33.Or, consider outsourcing to a digital lab like Snapfish, Shutterfly, or even your local Wal-Mart. The cost of ink is artificially high, so it doesn’t pay to print 4*6’s at home. Besides, chemically processed prints from a mini-lab beat inkjets in quality, any day.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-01T09:27:17.http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-avoid-camera-shake/
I especially emphasize technique 6. By holding the body with my right hand and gripping the lens firmly with my left, I find I can take clear photos at 1/25, with a 50mm lens on a 1.6-crop body. If that doesn’t work, I like laying on the ground (4), holding my breath, or leaning against a tree.
Great article, and the demonstration photos are entertaining.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-01T09:20:16.http://www.flickr.com/photos/melancon/2296648691/
Awesome job; the HDR effect is fluid and natural. Spooky tree, too.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-01T09:15:40.http://www.fotohacker.com/2008/05/20/use-of-in-camera-sharpening/
Sharpening out of camera is a better practice, because in-camera sharpening is a destructive process that destroys detail. It would be like converting to black and white in-camera; you don’t do it because then you can’t go back to color, or in this case, you can’t go back to unsharpened.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-07-01T02:03:04.http://adsense.blogspot.com/2008/06/were-retiring-adsense-referrals.html
Good move. The referrals weren’t particularly effective anyway; they’ve been in the shadow of the normal AdSense ads for quite some time.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-25T05:13:45.http://wpmututorials.com/wpmu-blog-hosts/
Hey, you can add thripp.com to the list. It’s a subdirectory setup, and you get to choose from a wonderful selection of one theme! But that makes it a community rather than islands of blogs. There’s cool stuff like mirroring to LiveJournal and Facebook, tag auto-completion, printable posts with footnoted links, collaborative blogging, site-wide search, batch tagging and category assignment, a blog list, spam control, sticky posts, hiding pages, and threaded comments with automated reply notification by email (this can’t be turned off). You can set plugins under Settings > PLUGINS; some are on by default.
I’m having fun with it and will pay the hosting bills forever, so enjoy. I changed it so you can set your blog name to be as short as one letter (most of them are still available), and you can use hyphens. I don’t know why Wordpress.com doesn’t let you do that.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-25T04:09:53.http://www.ndesign-studio.com/blog/updates/the-digg-effect/
Wait, I thought the digg effect was when you get more visitors than normal? Isn’t the left half of the graph the digg effect?
It’s ironic that more exposure can bring you less visitors, because your server goes down. I second WP Super Cache; I’m using it on my Wordpress MU network, and it makes everything fast. At least the 2nd visitor and onward in a 24-hour period experiences the fastness. That’s all that matters when you have 1000 people visiting one page in the span of a few minutes, though.
I hope you’ve moved up to better hosting. Great design on the site.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-25T04:03:19.http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001105.html
I use WP Super Cache on my Wordpress MU network, set to update the cache after a day. It makes everything really fast, though category and tag pages lag behind.
Of course, caching doesn’t prove that Wordpress is fast; just that it can be cached. It’s still slow on the first load of each page, and inefficient in general. Wordpress.com’s 3 million blogs doesn’t prove that it’s fast either; it just proves they have 10x the computing horsepower to compensate for it’s sluggishness.
It’s still worth it though; I’m amazed at what I’ve been able to do with no original coding, from reading the codex and by using the great plugins everyone is creating.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-25T03:47:00.http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/eliminate-common-writing-mistakes.html
Supposably is a word. It’s mostly used in the U.S.A., and means “capable of being supposed,” which can signify an unconfirmed supposition where supposedly cannot. Just because your spell-checker says otherwise doesn’t mean it isn’t a word; English has so many archaic variants and nonstandard spellings that new dictionaries are dropping them.
The best way is to do spell-checking, then closely read your work for grammar errors, and then have someone else do the same. You’ll still make mistakes. At least you can change them if it’s on your blog rather than in a book.
Words like camouflage and ephemeral are hard for me to spell. So then I take a photo and title it with them, which burns the words into my mind.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-25T00:20:25.http://nettuts.com/news/unraveling-the-secrets-of-wordpress-commentsphp-file/
Thanks for the tips here. I never liked the default Wordpress comments; I’m bookmarking this to do more hacking on comments.php later.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-24T05:00:07.http://www.mcawilliams.com/darkroom/dandelion-seed-head.html
“Dandelion clock” is the formal name. I’ve photographed a few myself. Great job on this one. I like the unique composition, and you nailed the focus and exposure. The background of green grass complements the dandelion well, also.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-24T04:41:10.http://ocaoimh.ie/2007/09/10/friends-dont-let-friends-see-adverts/
You have some good advice, but I don’t understand why you wouldn’t show ads on the home page, or to visitors referred from search engines and social bookmarking networks. The home page is the most visited page; not putting ads there is going to reduce your income. Don’t you deserve to be paid back for your hard work?
The “Blogs have a notoriously low attention span for most visitors” isn’t the fault of the medium; it’s because many blogs aren’t interesting or useful. They can hold attention just as well as a traditional website, depending on what you write/code/photograph.
I don’t mind ads myself; the Internet is one humongous advertisement. Google AdSense isn’t doing its job if advertising is a burden to your readers, though. Ideally the ads would complement what you write by being contextually relevant and a resource to your visitors. Often it isn’t so, unfortunately.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-23T01:02:52.http://allmybrain.com/2007/11/08/making-wp-super-cache-gzip-compression-work/#comment-539
Thanks, did the same thing on my blog. Firefox figures out the page is HTML despite the gzip HTTP header, but Internet Explorer gets confused and prompts you to download the site. The .htaccess file in the cache directory fixes the headers.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-21T18:13:47.http://tokitover.com/impossible-is-just-a-word/
I find when I say I can’t do something, it becomes true, because I’ll subconsciously limit myself to keep the belief true. But if I forsake the belief, with persistence and discipline, I can do anything.
Thanks for the encouraging words.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T06:05:12.http://wildncrazyride.blogspot.com/2008/06/cant-afford-life.html
Our money is being made less valuable every day! Soon we’ll be burning it to warm our houses. I’m not liking the rising gas prices and such either.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T06:02:23.http://feverishthoughts.com/photo/2008/06/15/delightful-columbines/
Great photo! They’re beautiful flowers, and you got the focus, composition, and colors just right. I’m liking the cool, slightly bluish tones.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T06:00:18.http://workathomemomrevolution.blogspot.com/2008/06/are-bread-lines-in-our-future.html
You know why? Because we have a fake currency not based on gold, but rather, nothing. And the United States government wastes it and prints more all the time, diluting the value of the existing money. Products aren’t becoming more valuable; our money is becoming less valuable. And that hurts us all.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T05:57:03.http://thewebfiles.com/2008/04/23/get-that-escape-button/
Wow, that’s the funniest image ever. It needs to be on a t-shirt or coffee mug, I swear. The escape button is trying to escape!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T05:55:16.Wow, this is so true! If I want to watch something I’ll find it on YouTube or elsewhere, rather than being fed the drivel of network television. Or any television, for that point. It’s not the medium’s fault; video programming can be motivate you and challenge your thinking just as much as the printed word. It’s just not being used well.
On having too many hobbies… it’s often better to just focus on what you love and let everything else fall by the wayside. I’m trying to do that with my photography.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T05:52:00.At least you don’t have drug dealers for neighbors (I hope!). Bad neighbors can be such a problem… or you move into a nice place in the country, and then a big city springs up and there’s noise and trouble all over the place. I wish you good luck on your path to a happy place to live.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T05:49:47.http://greattravelandculture.blogspot.com/2008/06/2-for-water-on-flight-coming-to-you.html
What is it with water being so expensive? People will gladly pay as much for a bottle of water as a bottle of Coca-Cola, even at the gas station. The same water that comes from our taps and falls from the sky.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T05:45:51.http://lifeisrisky.com/blog/eclipse/
Wow, beautiful shot; you can really see the details of the moon. I like the halo, and great job composing the image. Very creative. Much more interesting than centered composition, or even following the rule of thirds. Keep up the good work.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T05:42:39.http://afrogtokiss.net/2008/05/12/what-shes-coming-back/
Glad you’re coming back, Beth! Don’t ever give up writing.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T05:41:51.http://www.noaveragemom.com/?p=368
Taking down your personal items? That could go both ways, methinks. If your prospective home-owners see how happy and productive you are in the house, it’ll positively influence them to buy it, subconsciously. But if that wasn’t the case and it’s the reason for your move, than strip the walls, by all means.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T05:38:49.http://www.patricksays.net/2008/06/15/who-killed-elmo/
Ha ha, love the photo. Poor Elmo… he was too young to die.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T05:36:27.http://dorischua.blogspot.com/2008/06/petrol-increase-public-outcry-and-all.html
It’s up to $4 a gallon (about $1 per liter) here in the U.S.A. (Florida); four times what it was back in 2002. Seems it’s going up everywhere. There aren’t any shortages; there’s plenty of gasoline available at the higher price. Our money is just becoming less valuable.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T05:17:27.http://www.lifeinthefastlane.ca/most-beautiful-goats-competition/offbeat-news
Wow, I have more respect for goats now than ever. Nice photos; I like the one with the goat giving the quizzical look, fifth from the top.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T05:15:50.http://dontfearthetruth.com/2008/06/10/beware-people-suddenly-admitting-the-war-on-drugs-is-failing/
The war on drugs is an excuse for your government to take away our freedoms in the name of safety. They can search our pockets, our cars, and our houses on a whim, and whose to say if they find any “contraband” that it won’t be fabricated. If you take drugs detrimentally, you are harming only yourself, and so it’s no place for the state to interfere. The liberties set forth in our Constitution leave no place for drugs to be illegal (unless it’s a drug that makes you go crazy and kill all your neighbors).
The real war that we should be fighting, is the one against Ritalin and other psycho-tropic drugs being given to million of school children. It’s going to mess up their minds later, and there’s no reason for it, besides lining the pockets of the manufacturers of such drugs.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T04:23:33.http://www.bhatt.id.au/blog/change-is-vital-for-success-complacency-is-the-enemy/
The only safe place in life is continuous improvement and change, and I believe the same can be said for businesses. Breaking the status quo is great. But not just to be different; you have to have found something truly better.
It’s just as dangerous to get caught up in continuously planning changes than it is to plow forward with a derelict system. There needs to be balance; you’re actively looking to improve the workplace, but realize that good changes (like automating tedious tasks) aren’t worth it if the tasks need to be performed so infrequently that the time and expense to implement an automated system is far greater than keeping the status quo. Of course if I’m working on my own, I’d go the long path anyway, because it’s more creative and interesting than performing tasks meant for computers.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T04:13:54.Outsourcing your household chores is not all it’s cracked up to be. You have to train someone else if you want it done like you do, it’s harder to find things because you’ve got someone else arranging them, you have to worry about paying the maid and taxes and such (if you’re being legit), and there’s always the risk of thievery. Unless you have money to burn (which you may if you’re successful), it’s a losing investment.
For the people who create big dreams but don’t follow through, at least their way ahead of the people who deny their dreams to start with. Far harder is it to admit that you want something but can’t (or won’t put the work in) to have it, than it is to live in denial to start with.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T04:00:22.http://blograters.com/2008/01/09/coloradolasiksurgeryguidecom/
Nice blog there. I see the author tries to put “Colorado Lasik” in every post title, and combined with the targeted domain (which Google gives lots of weight to), he ought to shoot up in the SERPs.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T03:57:34.http://www.cutiegadget.com/atm-piggy-bank-the-personalized-piggy-bank/
Ha ha, my cousin has one of those. It talks like a real ATM, and the PIN number actually works and it will keep track of your bills (as long as you key it in each time). For coins, it has a slot and detects the amount to add to your balance. Cool stuff; the kids have it so good these days.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T03:51:38.http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/06/14/accessibility-checklist/
Great advice. I remember the first time I listened to my website in Fire Vox, and hearing how much stuff needed to be changed. Too many web developers use kludges to get the look they want, not thinking about screen readers, or PDA browsers, or printing, or colorblind people, or users of old browsers. There’s so many things to think about.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T03:48:18.http://youthbloggers.net/forum/your-blog/the-ropolitans-a-new-york-mets-blog/page-1
axidentproneandy said:
Haahah thank you thank you.
I’ve never had a problem with spam, so I have no problem leaving the e-mail up there. I love Gmail.
Same thing here, axidentproneandy! I’m never afraid to tell people about richardxthripp@thripp.com, because Gmail’s spam filtering is so good (I use Google Apps for Your Domain to get it on thripp.com).
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T03:21:48.http://www.simplerandomness.com/rollerblading/
Nice set of wheels! The kids have all switched over the those skateboards that bend in the middle now. I see a few with skates in their shoes, but no roller blades as of late. Glad you’re reviving the trend.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T00:58:03.http://wolverlei.blogspot.com/2008/05/sunset-and-flowers.html
Wow, I love the ones on white, especially the yellow flower losing its petals. Very conceptual; it draws in the eyes. Great work!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-16T00:44:37.http://pstutorialsblog.com/44/free-stock-photos/
Hey, if you’re still adding to this list, I’ve released my portfolio as royalty-free stock, and it’s quite a unique resource. Artsy stuff like roses, sunsets, raindrops, bugs, still life, and a few portraits, all sharply creative. Enjoy.
And thanks for this great list!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T19:39:44.College photography courses will teach you more the technical processes of developing film and prints in the beginning, and light, theory, and art later. You won’t be given practical guidance on running a photography business or being a freelance photographer. Depending on what your school does and what path you follow, you may work on through color film, medium and large formats, and other exciting stuff, not even touching digital for a couple years.
http://www.danheller.com/bizfaq.html
I always find that page amusing. Take a business course too while you’re at it.
One thing with grades is that the teachers can often do whatever they want, because it’s a creative and subjective field. This is a plus or a minus, depending on what you prefer and what professor you get. Most of them will give you specific assignments though, so as long as you put effort into those you ought to be alright.
The courses; I wouldn’t call them easier than any others. But if photography is your passion, you may like them so much that all the work will be fun.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T19:26:33.If you mean how to type on the back of photos prints, I wrote a whole article about it:
http://richardxthripp.thripp.com/how-to-brand-your-prints-363
Otherwise, I like PhotoFiltre as a simple and free way to add text to images, and it has some nice effects.
Even though it doesn’t do layers, it’s so much more intuitive than Photoshop for me.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T19:25:38.Edit with curves on the first one; set a point in the upper half on the median line, but a point a bit below the line on the bottom half. You want to make her gray pants closer to black. It also has a blue cast, so try using the color channels tool to shift away from blue.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T19:21:46.Reading http://help.deviantart.com/217/ , it looks to be alright on deviantART’s end. I suggest you contact the owner of freeimages.co.uk to confirm. Consider not just re-posting the stock photos, but instead doing some editing to them or making a collage, as that would be more interesting.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T19:20:52.When you’re logged in, go to the home page or your page and click “Submit Deviation” on the right. You can add as many pictures as you like.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T09:28:21.http://youthbloggers.net/forum/your-blog/brilliant-photography/page-1
Hello youth bloggers! I’m a sixteen-year-old named Richard X. Thripp, and I post my photos to my blog, Brilliant Photography by Richard X. Thripp (pardon the grandiose title). I’ve put a lot of hard work into the design, writing, and taking and editing photos over the past six months, but it’s all worth it because it’s what I love. I do a lot of clich
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T04:49:48.http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/99-remarkable-photographers-portfolios/
I’d like to take this opportunity to promote myself:
Portfolio of Richard X. ThrippAnyway, great stuff in that list. Jumping through, I found Nicolas Henri, Jeremy Cowart, and Georgia Martin particularly inspiring. Great lighting and lots of inventive portraits.
I’m glad to see a few of the remarkable photographers are blogging, but it would be nice to hear more from them, if only to learn from their mastery.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T04:20:12.http://blogs.lib.ncsu.edu/page/photography?entry=fall_on_campus
Wow, the focus and colors on the first one is great; and I love the vignetting, barrel distortion, and shallow depth of field, as they make the leaves feel sheltered and hold your attention on them. I did one like the second, but it doesn’t have crisp colors like yours. The person looking up is a good idea, but it would be better if we could see more of his face (try a different angle). Keep up the good work.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T03:29:40.http://blog.lib.umn.edu/wrjacobs/planetwalt/131410.html
Friday the 13th is cursed! Cursed, I say.
I hope things are working out better for you. Maybe it’s all a coincidence… but leaving the DVD player on overnight? How could you?
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T03:25:52.http://fconcepc.blog.usf.edu/2007/08/01/a-materialist-stance-on-the-matter-of-the-mind-and-brain
My belief is that there is no plausibility in philosophy. If there’s an objective reality to be had, I sure can’t find it.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T03:15:21.http://jmdiaz.blog.usf.edu/2005/11/28/assigned-reading-characters
Great advice here. I’m all for creative writing, but needlessly confusing the reader helps no one. That’s why I don’t like rampant compounding of words; words like straightfoward, reentry, insofar, cutthroat, airconditioner, and photomanipulation all deserve hyphens. They’re hard to read otherwise, and certainly confuse non-native readers.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T03:04:47.http://begeiger.blog.usf.edu/2005/12/10/balls-to-the-wall
Wow, that’s a lot of heavy courses! Hope you did well with them and completed your computer engineering degree.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T03:00:14.http://blogs.uab.edu/uabinperu/2008/06/06/peru-my-photo-essay/
You did a great job documenting your trip. I like the photos with the photographer standing near all the birds, as it seems unusual, and I can feel the wind on the Peruvian flags.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-15T00:47:40.http://lifedev.net/2008/06/the-apple-keynote-leaves-one-question-what-are-you-living-for/
In reply to this comment, by Joe:
Apple events are no different than other events or activities … sports, conventions, off road gatherings, and dare I say … blogging. Yes, Life Dev and other bloggers live for each day to blog … don’t you? You wake up each day salivating about what the new day will bring so that you can be the first to post about whatever.
Life is about living it … and hopefully each of us has some compassion about what we do and what we live for. I live to enjoy each day and try to do the best I can at living life.
It’s not living to blog; it’s living to help others become more productive, or creative, or inspired. Tying yourself up in a medium, i.e. I live to blog, to write, to take pictures, for Apple products, or whatever, is mere consumerism, because none of these are particularly valuable unless you’re influencing other people.
I’m glad you’ve accepted that joy is good, but living merely for it is no better than for the iPhone. You have to go through a lot of pain tribulations to live your best life.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-06-14T17:30:53.http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2008/06/more-thoughts-o.html
I find that the people who don’t edit their photos stick with JPEG too long. Because if you do no editing, there’s no apparent difference between JPEG and RAW. It’s only when you try to push the color further or draw out the shadows in a JPEG vs. a RAW file that you see how much detail your losing (in the places you wouldn’t normally see). Then you switch and start post-processing your work, but you can’t do it with your old stuff because you lost the data right from the start by using JPEG.
I had the same experience as you; I was an avid photographer pushing the limits of a 7MP JPEG-only camera, so when I got a Canon Rebel XTi last year, I switched to RAW immediately. I’ll never go back again.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-05-22T06:54:48.http://wordpress.org/support/topic/161682
The plugin was only gzipping the home page for me too, but it’s working now that I hand-coded some of the values. I changed these two groups of two lines:
`RewriteCond %{DOCUMENT_ROOT}/wp-content/cache/supercache/%{HTTP_HOST}/$1/index.html.gz -f
RewriteRule ^(.*) /wp-content/cache/supercache/%{HTTP_HOST}/$1/index.html.gz [L]RewriteCond %{DOCUMENT_ROOT}/wp-content/cache/supercache/%{HTTP_HOST}/$1/index.html -f
RewriteRule ^(.*) /wp-content/cache/supercache/%{HTTP_HOST}/$1/index.html [L]`To this:
`RewriteCond /wp-content/cache/supercache/richardxthripp.thripp.com/$1/index.html.gz -f
RewriteRule /wp-content/cache/supercache/richardxthripp.thripp.com/$1/index.html.gz [L]RewriteCond /wp-content/cache/supercache/richardxthripp.thripp.com/$1/index.html -f
RewriteRule /wp-content/cache/supercache/richardxthripp.thripp.com/$1/index.html [L]`You can put your web address in there (check the supercache folder), and prepend to /wp-content if your blog is in a subdirectory. I think some hosts don’t work with %{DOCUMENT_ROOT} (I have Netfirms), which may be the source of the problem.
I’ve found this tool good for confirming gzip, if you don’t trust the footer in the source code alone. Here’s the analysis of a subpage from my website, for example.
Good luck getting it to work on your site.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-05-17T04:19:19.http://www.alakhnor.com/post-thumb/?p=133
This makes maintaining my photo blog a lot easier. I’m using it for my website’s gallery and random image sections; I wrote about the implementation in this article: Dynamic Galleries and Random Images for Wordpress Photoblogs. Thanks so much for the great software!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-05-16T17:01:34.http://chereshka.net/phototype/163/leaf-warrior-sleeping-beauty
The “Summer heat” photo is awesome. Beautiful golden colors and lighting. I like the sharpness, composition, and sunlit parts in the middle; they draw your eye to the center and give balance. Great work!
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-05-16T01:04:28.http://fresh01.co.za/2008/05/15/wordpress-25-wheres-the-category-ids/
I wouldn’t be so quick to call it a “problem” needing to be “resolved”; the developers probably removed it to declutter the page, and most people don’t care about database ID codes. The people who are filtering by category ID like that already know to check the URI.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-05-17T10:16:10.http://fresh01.co.za/2008/05/15/wordpress-25-wheres-the-category-ids/
In reply to this comment, by Cobus:
@ Richard X. Thripp: Thanks for the comment
I understand what you mean, and I agree that it declutters the page. And for people who know to chek the url, it’s really no biggie.However, I have often needed clients to give me the ID’s of certain categories when designing a theme for them. And they sometimes had a problem knowing what I was talking about, even while using older version, which still had the category ID’s.
I personally wouldn’t mind if they left it this way, but I thought I would point it out to those who where unaware.
@ Cobus: Fair enough. I’d keep the category IDs too, and the old layout on the write screen; seems they’ve over-simplified a bit.
If your clients’ web sites are live, and the categories are listed in the sidebar, you can get the IDs yourself from the source code of the page; there will be a tag saying li class=”cat-item cat-item-219″ (219 will be the cat. ID). Maybe you can avoid asking them then.
Richard X. Thripp at 2008-05-13T01:07:16.http://carrie.ikith.net/2007/10/flickr-vs-gallery2/
The closest thing to Flickr’s sets with Gallery2 is the tags module plus linkitem; you upload to generic albums (perhaps by month), add tags to photos (like sets), then link to the virtual tag albums from the main page or a sub-album. There’s no good way to batch assign tags, unfortunately.
Desktop solutions like Lightroom, IDImager, IMatch, etc. all offer virtual folders, streamlined cataloging interfaces, etc.; why can’t we have the same for the web without going to a third party? I don’t like Flickr because I’m at their mercy if I post my photos to them, and the free accounts are so limited anyway.
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Richard X. Thripp at 2010-08-24T10:40:32.Okay… I will contact you if I need to hire anyone.
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