When you sign-up for the site for the first time, you can create a username and blog for yourself — then an alert will be sent to me to check your credentials and basically see if you’re human and not some spambot that’s sent to signup with impunity. You will receive an email with your username and password, which you will use to sign into the site.

Now, here comes precaution #1. I have to approve your registration. Once your registration is approved, then your username/password credentials can now be used in the site. If you dont have approval, these credentials are useless.

One of the major criterias I use before approving registrations is if the profile fields are filled-in. People, there are about FIVE fields in there — if you took the time to sign up for something, I’m sure putting in a few facts won’t hurt, right?

So, again, spammers and bots are punished with impunity here and are reported to sites that actually list their IP addresses. These are sites that websites refer to as basis for any person’s credibility.  Spammers can be identified through their IP addresses, despite the different usernames, their system only has 1 address and that is the only this we need to block them from our system.

So, again, if you’re human, then you’re reading this. Fill-in the profile fields — identify yourself to us — what’s the use of social networking if you dont share some general facts about you, diba?

A gravatar, or globally recognized avatar, is quite simply an image that follows you from site to site appearing beside your name when you do things. Avatars help identify your posts on blogs and web forums, so why not on any site?  Signing up for a gravatar.com account is FREE, and all that’s required is your email address. Once you’ve signed up you can upload your avatar image and soon after you’ll start seeing it on gravatar enabled sites!

To get a Gravatar, go to http://en.gravatar.com/, then sign-up. The image that you upload into the gravatar will be associated with the email address you put in when you first sign-up. You can only assign one gravatar per email address.  After you’ve signed up for a Gravatar (and followed the activation instructions), come back to www.conspi.net and refresh the site — you’ll see that your new avatar is now displayed for all the world to see.

The wire is a place where friends and other members can come along and post messages to a specific piece of content within this site. The wire allows members to post on other members profiles or leave messages for other group members.

I have installed a plugin that extends this feature further by allowing users to sync their Twitter status messages with the wire. Your Twitter messages will be seen sitewide by default. If you wish to sync your Twitter account with the wire, here are some very simple steps to set it up:

1. Go to the dropdowns located at the very top of this website, head over to “My Account”;
2. Go to “Settings”; in the expanded menu, click on “Twitter to Wire”;
3. You would be redirected to a page where you simply enter your Twitter username and password;
4. Save it, then go to your Twitter account and write a new status message. Then go to Conspi.net and refresh: you will soon see your latest Twitter message broadcasted over the Wire.

Pretty neat, huh?

In this case, we want to share our videos by inserting them into our blogposts. Here’s how:

1. From your plugins panel, activate the EmbedIt Plugin (if its hasnt been yet, if so, proceed to your blog post.);
2. In your post area, there is a menu beneath called CUSTOM FIELDS.
3. Add a new custom field and call it HTML1
4. In the Value field, paste the embed code from your YouTube video, then click ADD CUSTOM FIELD
5. In the main post area, type in:  HTML1 — but place it between brackets [ ]. This is the shortcode that calls the embedded code you just placed within the custom fields. Note: I couldn’t put the actual bracketed code in this sample as it wont show up in the site. The plugin is activated kase and it thinks its a real code.
6. Save your post and view.

Multiple videos in one post:

You can have as many as 9 videos in your post (or so the plugin claims, I havent tested that many yet). All you have to do is to keep adding Custom fields but raising the number incrementally: HTML1, HTML2, HTML3, etc. Do the same procedure from #4 to #6 from the list above.

Cool note about customizing YouTube colors and sizes:

In YouTube, where you see the URL and embed codes on the upper right hand side of the page, there is a way that you can actually customize the colors and sizes of the video you wish to post. Just click on the “customize” icon next to the embed code (its a little blue gear image), then it drops down to a panel where you can do your customization.

To see this plugin in action, visit this post: Conspi Video by Yna Miranda-Dalisay

You can also use this procedure to embed iframes. Our Conspi Calendar page is one example of iframe embedding. Cool no?

Happy embedding!

For those of you who’ve visited Conspi.net these past years, you would’ve seen a series of  design changes, but with very limited activity.  For one, content (or the lack of) has been a major problem of the site.

Now, I have expanded Conspi.net’s ability to socialize with its customers, stockholders and fans by allowing them to enter information relevant to Conspi, in a more interactive venue. Below are some of the features of this new site:

1. Register and get a free blog. Well, 3 free blogs actually.  You have the option to not make use of a free blog by choosing only to get just a Username to create groups, participate in groups, use the sitewide messaging system (Wire) and other features. Of course, it’s much cooler to have your own blog in this site. You can choose to make your blog public by allowing it to be listed under the Blogs section, or turn that feature off in the privacy section in your user panel.
2. Join or create Groups. As a registered user of Conspi.net, you have the option of creating your own special groups and inviting your friends over to join. There is no limit to what kind of group you wish to create, as long as it doesn’t violate site policies in pornography, foul language and such. Groups allow you to send messages or wire posts to specific members. There are 3 types of groups you can create (you also see these explanations when you start creating groups):
   1. Public group — these are groups that are generally free for all  registered users to join in and are listed automatically under the site’s GROUPS section. Joining these groups doesn’t require permission from the group owner. 
   2. Private group — these groups are also listed under the site’s GROUPS section, but joining one requires the approval of the group owner. This is good if you only want people you know to become members of  the group.
   3. Hidden group — these groups have more restrictions. Memberships under such groups are by invite only and are not listed under the site’s GROUPS section. 
   There is only but one requirement before anyone can join your group, or you can invite people in: they must belong to your FRIENDS list. Read on.
3. Add Friends to your network. You can invite registered users to become your friends, or request friendships with other registered users.
4. Use the Wire to send short messages. The Wire is basically a shoutcast where you can put short messages and disseminate sitewide (everyone can see and reply to it), or send it to a specific group where you belong or created. 
5. Connect your Twitter account with the Conspi Wire. By entering your Twitter login info under “Twitter to Wire”  within the Settings panel in your account (check the dropdown), you can automatically wire your twitter status sitewide.
6. Get email alerts for messages or wires sent to you. You will also be alerted when a new person gets added to your group, or if you have requests for group admission. You have the option to turn email notifications off for certain events under the Settings panel (check the dropdown) in your account. You also have your own account inbox to view personal messages sent to you from the Conspi network.

These are the few, but powerful features you can take advantage of while you’re in the Conspi network. I intend to add more interesting features in this site in the coming weeks. Enjoy!

Conspiracy Garden Café
59 Visayas Ave., QC (Across Shell Gas Station)
9206517/ 4532170
www.conspi.net

1 (M) - 3P
2 (T) - Writers Night (KM 64) 7pm/ TSG
3 (W) - Ray Olaguer
4 (Th)- Toto Sorioso
5 (F)- Johnoy Danao
6 (Sat) Cynthia Alexander
7 (Sun)- Gospel Jam (5-8pm)
8 (M)- Piano Night w/ Rica Arambulo
9 (T) Writers Night (Alitaptap StorytellersPhilippines) 7-9pm / Kate Toralba
10 (W)- Noel Cabangon
11 (Th)- Guitars for Good Governance
12 (F)- Cynthia Alexander Album Launch
13 (Sat) Comedy Night: Mike Unson MU32 The Birthday Show with Stanley Chi, Uli Oposa, Derf Hebrado and Trian Lauang
14 (Sun)- Gospel Jam (5-8pm)
15 (M)- Songwriters’ Night
16 (T)- Writers Night (Lirahan) 7pm/Cooky Chua with Mike Villegas
17 (W)- Miguel Escueta
18 (Th)- Light it Up: Christian Musicians Night
19 (F)- RJ JMNZ
20 (Sat)- Abby Asistio/ Layag
21(Sun)- Gospel Jam (5-8pm)
22 (Mon)- Piano Night w/ Rica Arambulo
23 (Tue)- Writers Night (Teatro Pasiking), 7pm/Agatha
24 (Wed) - Noel Cabangon
25 (Thu) - Color it Red
26 (Fri) - Diyosa/ Bayang Barrios & Mike Villegas
27 (Sat) - Mayo Baluyut with DRP
28 (Sun) - Gospel Jam (5-8pm)
29 (M) - Salinawit ni Pete featuring Cooky
Chua, Lynn Sherman, Mara Viola and Pete Lacaba with Ferdie Borja on Piano
30 (Tue) - Writers Night (CDC sa Conspi)/Alamid Acoustic