Blogspot Linking

Ok, some of you have trouble or are making claims about not knowing how to link someone else, so I'll put up a little post here about how to add links on your blog. If you're wondering how to link people and whatnot, this is the place for you to check out how to do it.

There are two rather simple methods to set up links to other blogs that are widely used: the first is using blogrolling, and the second is to use straight HTML hyperlinks.

Blogrolling

If you look on the left sidebar of this site, you'll see how blogrolling works. If you want to sign up, just click the powered by blogrolling link. It will give you the javascript code to insert into your template.

HTML Hyperlinks

HTML hyperlinking seems complex at first, but in reality, it's not that hard. This is the format of a hyperlink (note: italics represent where YOU type):


<a href="URL of link">The text you want for the link</a>


So, let's say you wanted to link the main page of this (meaning my) blog, it would look like this:


<a href="http://yearinforever.blogspot.com">What's A Year In Forever</a>


The quotes have to go around the URL (double quotes). Sometimes it works without them, but that will soon disappear with XHTML taking over HTML, so you want to be on top of the change. See? Not to hard. If you were listing more than one link, you'd probably want to add a line break command so that they'll all lay in a pretty little line. To do that, you would just append to all that code (I'll add another link for fun):


<a href="http://yearinforever.blogspot.com">What's A Year In Forever</a><br />
<a href="http://www.google.com">Google. It Rocks.</a><br />


If you put those in, it will look like this on your site:

What's A Year In Forever

Google. It Rocks.


Simple stuff when you get down to it, right?

Great. Now where do I put that stuff?

Well, more than likely, you have something called a "sidebar" in your template code, where all of that fun stuff like previous posts, archives, and the about me section is, depending on which template you picked. In your template, it usually is started by something that reads:


<div id="sidebar">


Below that will be sections I mentioned, probably with tags that look like <h4>, or maybe h1, h2, or h3. These are just various level headings, used as a sort of chapter beginning. Somewhere underneath that sidebar tag, and before the end of the sidebar (represented by a </div> tag below the sidebar div), add your hyperlinks or blogrolling and you should be good to go. Just use your preview button to make sure you like where it is and the code is working properly. You are now fully ready to link all the people you think are worthy.

I hope that helps those of you who have problems with this. Feel free to write and ask any questions, I'll answer them when I can.

Good luck, and link away!

Indecent Proposal

I found this old Mastercard spoof in one of my directories tonight, so I looked for a good link to the video online and found one. Some of you will really love this, but this is not PG material, due to controversial dialog. If you're offended, well... don't click the link.


Indecent Proposal Mastercard Spoof

Privacy Issues: AIM, Gmail

Well, in my weird adventures around the blog-o-sphere and the net, I've learned a couple of new things that I figured would be important to share. In this little post, I'll cover AOL Instant Messenger's hidden spyware and the hidden truth behind Gmail©. Come on in and let's talk for awhile.

AOL Instant Messenger©
First of all, I know many of you, like myself, use AOL Instant Messenger. Occasionally, AIM well send a user notices of newer versions, and persistently ask you to upgrade your program. Generally, when updating, new features are added, security is patched a little bit, and maybe a design change or two comes with said download.

Be advised, however, that the most recent upgrade (a few weeks ago, I believe) is not exactly what you think.

Encased in this download is a "product" called Viewpoint Media Player. The intention is to bring more dynamic advertising content to AIM users and, I'm sure, to bolster revenues for what otherwise is a free product. The shady aspect in this product is two fold:

1) It collects information about the user.

2) There is NO mention of it in the End User License Agreement.

Basically, this program is easily labeled: SPYWARE.

No opt in or opt out options, no notification, but here's a data collecting program with the cloak of content delivery. Things like this piss me off, and it makes me wonder where AOL© is truly headed.

Removal instructions and more information can be found here.

Gmail©

1 gig of storage space is hard to turn down. Imagine, you could send an entire wedding album of pictures, and still now run out of space. You could save hundreds of thousands of emails, and always have access to them without having to hold to some pathetic 10 megabyte limit. How great of Google to offer such a wonderful thing.

Or is it?

Those hundreds of thousands of emails are not just held by you, but by Google's Gmail as well. And the whole idea of revenue from Gmail comes from data mining your emails for relevant content advertising. But there's some creepy stuff that isn't included in the privacy policy that would allow government officials access that is limited only by the definition of easy. Maybe I enjoy having a little extra privacy for almost no reason (I'm a good boy), but the idea that Google may be holding hands with Big Brother and slipping us some Brave New World soma is a bit unnerving.

For further explanation and elaboration, go here for the simple explanation and go here for a more technical and involved explanation.

We'll Be Back After These Messages

Hey everybody, I'm sorry I've been M.I.A. as of late, but it has been crazy hectic, and I forgot to forewarn people of being absent for a few days. I had a wedding to help prepare and attend this weekend which I'll post about later, 2 weeks of classes to now catch up on, and a local TV appearance (if all goes well) on Wednesday. If I have time to throw some things up, I will, but otherwise don't expect me until the end of the week. I hope everyone is doing well, and I'll be by to visit soon. Thanks for the concern and the misplaced adoration.

Unusual Pet Tricks

Scene: Vetrinarian's office, two dogs running around with entusiasm unmatched, my mom and the vet. Time period: a few years ago....

Mom:
So, Doctor, can you explain why Shadow tends to wrap her paws around Raven and occasionally attempt to "hump" her? They're both girls, it doesn't make much sense.

Doctor:
Well, commonly an alpha female will "hump" another female to express and display dominance.

Mom:
Interesting. [dramatic pause]

Doctor:
It's very common, so don't think it's an odd behavioral trait.

Mom:
Okay, that makes sense. Now can you explain why Shadow does it to my son's leg?

Doctor:
[Silence]

Why I Transfered

I used to go to the University of Maine for quite some time. I left, for a multitude of reasons (one being my last semester I had 5 female roommates and no guys), but I remember getting an interesting list emailed while I was there. Most of it, if not all, holds true, so I figured I would post it here for posterity.

Be warned of some bad language, but enjoy the ingenuity.


You know you go to Umaine if...



You know how many times the Union steps have been rebuilt.

You think Bananas is a good name for a giant bear.

You have had to attend 3 alcohol free events and write about them.

You have mistaken Pizza dome delivery cars for Public Safety.

You have walked frat row is sub zero temperatures.

You drink Mr. Pib, and like it.

You know who the Helium Penguin is.

You know more English than your professor does.

You have lost a toe to frost bite walking to class.

You hope eternally for the snow day that never comes.

You think Margaritas is the place to be.

You open your dorm window when it’s 12 below because its 120 in your room

Your RA is gay as hell and proud of it.

You don’t remember Bumstock and you don’t care.

You personally know a horse rapist.

You consider a coffee in the Oaks room a study session.

You would riot after hockey games but its too damn cold.

Every frat you used to go to is either shut down or burnt up.

Your landlord is Lou and has a mail order Korean wife.

You take more than your 1 allotted fruit or dessert.

You then throw the fruit at something because it was free.

Your next door neighbors are computer geek anti-social shut-ins who never leave their room.

You return your cans to Skeeters so you can accept beer in exchange.

Orloff and 5 O’clock are your vodkas of choice.

You know that Orloff is bottled in Lewiston not Russia.

You consider empty liquor bottles legitimate room decorations.

Especially if they are filled with highlighted water.

Pizza delivered in stapled paper plates seems normal to you.

What’s the student Senate?

You’ve hidden a green bike.

You’ve cursed who ever found the green bike you hid so well.

You’ve gone to cutler just for the basket-o-condoms.

You wish the golf cart guy would come back.

You know what a “bad mill day” is.

You park illegally because you have to.

You know that at Umaine it’s the freshman 40 not 15.

You have to walk to York on the weekends and consider it quite a trek

You like Mondays because the toilets are finally clean again.

You’ve lost patches of skin to the power showers.

Your Janitor spends more time smoking than cleaning

You’ve stalked people for their parking space.

You’ve stayed home just to keep your awesome parking spot.

Your jokes about the elevator falling are only half joking.

The movies on the ROC channel make or break your day.

You’ve thanked God for the Drunk Bus.

You’ve walked to Washburn and back trying to pretend your bag is full of books.

$2.00 Maine card charges piss you off.

You think it is normal when it gets dark at 3:00 pm

You didn’t know we had a radio station.

If you did you never listen to it.

You haven’t bought a CD or movie since you got Direct Connect.

You spend more time putting up away messages than doing things.

You think Hockey is the only sport that matters.

You spend 2 hours per meal in the dining commons.

You hate UNH.

You liked snow before you came here, now you don’t.

You buy a Latti pass a week before spring break.

You wonder where the hot girls go from Oct. to May

You read the Police beat first every time you pick up the Maine Campus.

You check First Class 15 times a day.

You shop at Wal-Mart exclusively.

You run into people you know at Wal-Mart.

You can actually escape from the mess that is the Bangor mall shopping center.

Proximity determines who your friends are.

Snow removal is a valid reason to tow you

You have more than $100 in parking tickets and the year is only half over.

You stayed up till 4 am trying to register for classes.

You know you're not a freshman, but beyond that…….

You’ve puked off your loft.

You hate the fact that the vending machines don’t take Maine Cards.

You can tell who freshman are by the key around their neck.

You’ve never actually seen president Hoff.

Your Maine card is in more than one piece but you refuse to pay $15 to replace it.

You “Almost fought some guy last night”

You only smoke when you drink. (too bad that’s all the time)

You know the walk of shame

You buy Milwaukee’s Beast for one reason, its 10.99 a 30 pack.

You have to Shit 45 Minutes after eating commons food.

You save your meals for steak and lobster day.

You heckle people from the safety of your fourth floor window.

You brave the taco bell line for a tasty Quesadilla.

You know that Professor Palmer dates students and loves it.

You've ever lived off Spaghettios for more than a week just to avoid eating at Stewart Commons.


~~~Credit for this creation goes to UmaineDrunks.com.

J5 Iz Geting Hiz Edewkation

The books on the right are for this semester: 3 classes, $200+. The books on the left, minus the two closest to the cd case (C++ and PHP) were from last semester, 2 classes, price ~$200. The CD case itself holds 200, so that should give you an idea of the size of those books. The shelf I installed myself, onto the barney looking wall of my office space in my house.

The things one does for education. I hope it pays off some day.

Dark Humor

I think my girlfriend is fooling around on me but I can't be sure...

Teaser

I thought this was a fitting tease for the weekend. Everybody, enjoy, and be safe. But crazy. Definitely be crazy.