Jewelled Ramblings™

Top Ten Mistakes Writers Make

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Thanks for reading this post!
Sincerely,

Cat got Your tongue?

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:57:00 +0000

"Just how is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious pronounced? How on earth does one not stumble over the tricky syllables in a French surname? What is the correct pronunciation of [insert word here]?" A simple site, Forvo Beta, can help. Forvo is a free website that offers proper pronunciations of words in several different languages (all the way from English to Mongolian). The only thing required is typing in that tricky word and clicking on the right result.

Pronunciations are user generated and are quite clear for the most part. To find the one needed, it is necessary to first go to Forvo's homepage, which has the appearance of being messy. Ignore the language of the day (unless browsing interests you), categories and the bold membership box when looking up a word. The search box is at the top right.

Query will come in neatly organized form. It will appear in blue links and audio play icons. To save time, don't bother with the link (it just leads to the specific word's homepage which is a repeat of the search page). Go straight for the play button to hear the pronunciation. Having the speakers on is required.

Membership is not required to look up words. It is required if you wish to contribute.

Well, that wraps it up for Forvo. Now go look up that one word that's been trippin' ya for the last twenty-five years.

(Tip: One disadvantage to Forvo is the focus on longer or less common phrases and words rather the everyday vocabulary. For example, let's say someone wishes to find out how to say "rifle" correctly. What will come up in a search? The result will be "Pennsylvania Long Rifle." Oh bother. That's not the wanted phrase. What to do? A simple trick is to listen to the "Pennsylvania Long Rifle" until the narrator gets to the the "rifle" part. For this trick to work, a basic understanding of letter sounds is essentail [which most people already posess when it come to their mother tongue].)

Thanks for reading this post!
Sincerely,

Does your Blog Need a Rating Policy?

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:12:00 +0000

Ratings. You see them all over the net: from simple the system of selecting so many stars to the more complete system of submitting a review, comment and/or point rating. Ratings can be used on anything and are often used on everything (there are ratings for website products, name, design, content...everything). The rating system is part of internet life and probably always will be.

Ratings are used for improving products and websites. They are feedback from people who have actually read or used the service/product. Companies and individuals find them valuable because ratings can show what needs to improved or what is already at a in great state. Shoppers find them useful also; ratings are like flags, they show what is a "must have" and what is troublesome and should be avoided.

Its no secret knowledge- ratings are fantastic tools for both consumers and producers. Yet there is one fatal error in the majority of cases where rating/review widgets or options are present: there is no review policy or standard.

Many website owners will install some simple rating widget and leave it at that. This can be a fatal error. Without a some kind of "read this first before you rate," raters have a broad spectrum to rate from. They may choose their rating based on completely different factors then what the website owner had in mind. For example, many blogs will have a rating option under each post, and they do get ratings. Yet these ratings may have nothing to do with the post. They can be based off of something as distant as a dislike of the color scheme of the blog in review.

How do you know who is rating? Any number of people can rate. Any type of unqualified people can rate. If you only want regular readers to rate your blog- how are you going to regulate this? Its a bit difficult, especially with no precautions like rating rules posted ahead of time.

Then there are trolls who spam review just to harass a blog owner or get attention. Or trolls can be competitors of your blog, and they are spamming just to make your blog look bad. Neither situation is fun to deal with. Especially when you have no previously posted guidelines of which to measure them against. Without previously written rules, an accused rater can make the point that they are not in fault because you never laid out any guidelines.

Without standards, advertisers have an excuse to put ads in the comment section of a review area.
When there are no stated rules, reviews will feel free to bash each other, the website and website master for no valid reason at all.

There are several issues that can arise when one is loose with his or her reviewing area. So many in fact, that you would lose patience with this post if I listed them all.

Obviously, laying out rules and standards is rather important if one wants quality ratings. Below are some facets that should be included in any rating standard notice.

Here are some facets your rating rules or standards should include.

1. Reading the Entire Thing. Many people will just read a paragraph or two, skip or scan through the rest and rate it. Or, if it is a product, people will only look at pictures, or use it once and rate it. If you want ratings on the whole body and not just the introductory paragraph, I suggest you ask readers to read the entire article first.

2. Reviewers and Bias. Bias can greatly effect rating. A reviewer, or rater, can have a dislike for the post author or the topic of the post and give a low rating because of it. A rater may have a mutual liking for the author or adore the topic and give a high rating even if the quality of the post stinks. Both scenarios make such ratings useless and unreliable. Encourage raters to try and put a bias on hold to the best of his or her ability.

3. Remind your Raters what They are Rating. If you only want ratings for the a certain post, make that clear, if you only want ratings on content, make that clear. If you only want ratings on website design, make that clear. If you only want ratings on usefulness - say it with me- make that clear. The key phrase here is "...make that clear." If you do not "make that clear," ratings of every kind and angle is what you will get. When one only wants ratings on a certain post, ratings based on website design will not be of much use. Communicate that rating should stay on the subject, not take off on a rabbit trail.

4. Dislike, Dislike...and Hate. Make sure that raters understand you want rating based on quality, not personal preferences. You might even want to include a line that sounds something like this: "If you do not like the subject this post is about, please do not rate." Keep in mind that its okay if readers do not agree with your viewpoint. But if they are rating your post "stinky" or one star because it is about horses or say math (and he or she doesn't like horses or math), then make it known that this behavior is not okay. Specification is the key.

Note: Sometimes a blog author really will post something on a topic that should not be discussed in 'all ages' company. If for example, a blogger posts some R or PG-13 or other offensive content, don't rate it, for such an action rarely yields anything other then basing from the author. Instead, report it to the hosting service of the blog.

5. Worthy Ratings. If you have one of those rating systems that allows for review as well as stars, then read on. Many reviewers will rate and write something like these: "I'm thrilled with this!" "Its ok." "Don't waste your time." and then nothing else. As a general rule, reviews that are less then ten words are not very useful. Why is the rater thrilled? Why is it only ok? What is the object in question a waste of time or money?" Tell your raters that you want constructive reviews with reasons behind them, not just some simple, three second "I like this :)" statement. Specification is the key.

Also make it a point to say that you prefer reviews that are in English (or any other language you can read and comprehend) that are typed with quality spelling and grammar. What good does a review do if you can't even read it?

6. The Rating Crowd. Most bloggers want everyone who crosses the path of his or her post to rate it. Others just want regular readers to. Make sure to tell your raters who is qualified to rate and who you consider to be unqualified.

7. Repeat Radings? Its Time to Hit the Stop Button. Most rating widgets only allow raters to vote once and no more. There are a few, however, that do not control this aspect, and one rater can vote as many times as they like. Only a one time vote for each individual rater is suggestible. Otherwise, ratings can be inflated with bogus extra votes and therefore inaccurate.

8. Truthful Ratings. Often times a raters will not vote truthfully because they do not want to upset feelings or offend anyone. Other raters will ignore what they truly think about the subject under rating and vote for whatever the majority has voted for. Again, both of these practices skew with the integrity of rating results. Even if your pride hates the idea, make sure raters know that they should vote up or down based on their own conclusions, not by the influence of outside factors.

9. Bots and Humans. Believe it or not, but not everyone who rates your blog, service, product or website is true human. Some of raters are bots (often spam bots). When bots rate it is only to benefit the owner of the bot. When bots rate, it equals trouble for you. So, in your "rating policy" make it a red text rule that only living, breathing and thinking humans can vote/rate. No bots!

10. The golden rule. State that your review section is only for review. It is not a place for enemies to fight, it is not an arena for free advertising and it not an area for people to vent their rage over something completely unrelated. It is not a forum to discuss the new and adorable baby or the latest gossip. It is an area for respectful and well written feedback that is of use.

11. Enough is Enough! Sometimes, you just have that one user who won't stop reviewing, rating, spamming or whatever crudely no matter how many warnings he or she is given. With such a user, it is best to block their IP address. Stating the fact that you will not tolerate spam ratings and will block IP's is such behavior gets out of hand will stop great number of spam ratings (what's the fun if you can only harass the blog owner a few times before a unavoidable ban?).

Closing Tip: Be polite when writing guidelines and don't make your raters feel as they are privates taking orders from a general. Nothing like these - "you will regret it if..." "I will be very mad (or angry) if..." "Don't write this, idiot." "FOLLOW THE RULES!!!! :P" - is appropriate or courteous. Try something more like the following, "Welcome and thank for you for rating our/my [name of website/service/product here]. Your participation is of great value to us! Before rating, please read the guidelines below. Thank you."

Thanks for reading this post!
Sincerely,

Just For Fun...

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 06:42:00 +0000

There is a new critter around...say hi to Tigris and feed her while your at it.

Yes I know this is a bit out of the ordinary from what is usually found on this blog, but this is just a treat and is not a sift in the type of content published. Normal articles will continue.

So- worries aside- enjoy the new tiger and mascot. She does not bite... or bark. :)

adopt your own virtual pet!

Trying Something New

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 07:43:00 +0000

Well for the sake of loading time, I decided to change my blog' s design a little bit. The changes are simple and are as follows.

I used to have a black background behind the main section of my blog, apart from the star background. This solid black was to make the "meat" (or vegetables for you vegetarians out there) of my blog stand out from the background. The disadvantage of this fixture was that it put an incredible weight on the loading time for Jewelled Ramblings.

So, to combat this, I removed the black background and in its place is the star one. I also added white borders to the sides. I hope this remodeling will change my blog's loading time for the better.

An important part to blog design is not just how the author feels about it, but the readers as well. Because of this, I would like to ask feedback from all readers of this blog. How are the recent changes benefiting or hindering you?

I appreciate all responses and I don't bite. :)

Thanks for reading this post!
Sincerely,

Gravatar: The Global Avatar

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:22:00 +0000

Before launching into Gravatar, I would like to point out the importance of having an avatar, or display picture. Many social websites (e.g Myspace, blogs, forums, Facebook, Entrecard etc.) have avatar capacity and for a good reason. Avatars are like signatures for the bearer. These personal representations (or pictures) help to distinguish one user from the next. If every user had the same default image, chaos could result and everyone would blend into a one color ocean.

Avatars can also dictate how many people will click on the avatar to visit a user's profile. The more attractive the avatar, the more visitors to the profile and (if the forum of whatever service allows one to post a a link to his or her website in the profile) and the more clicks on a website link if the user has one posted. Users with avatars are likely to make a stronger impression and have a greater chance of being remembered by their audiences. Default images are given to those without an avatar of their own uploading. This will not cut it if these users want to compete well with everyone else. Let me provide an example.

As some might recognize, both of these pictures are from Entrecard. The one to the left is custom. The one on the right is an Entrecard default. Now imagine that both of these are on the "new" page in the Campaign section of the site. Which is more likely to be clicked on? The one on the left because it is more distinct. The one on the right, being a standard hand out avatar, is not as distinct. There could be five or more of the same exact design on the front page! The same scenario can be seen on other websites as well.

(Avatars have a bonus: if you are one of those people that loves to personalize and show off your style, a carefully selected or edited avatar can do just that. Avatars can also be used to promote a site of your choosing.)

Gravatar Time

Gravatar. G stands for global. R is for recognized and avatar is for avatar (not hard). Gravatar is what is says it is- a service that allows you to have the same avatar everywhere automatically (or at least on sites that have it installed). No more uploading to all those different social sites.

Advantages for users.

A) Gravatar the Service. Gravatar has made it extremely easy to manage and work with avatars that are uploaded to it. With simple design, large and clear text and good navigation, Gravatar is a pleasure to work on.

It all starts when you sign up for a free account (and yes you do have to give a working email address). Once you account is set up, you can upload your first avatar. Avatars can be uploaded from a hard drive, web address and even a webcam device. Once your avatar is uploaded, you will be asked to crop it (gravatar's cropping tool is very flexible and easy to use) so it will look nice. After cropping and clicking on the "crop and finish!" button, a "select avatar rating" page will be shown. There you will be required to rate the avatar as one of the following: G (suitable for viewing by all audiences), PG (13+), R (adult content) or X (now that's pushing it- extreme adult content). I suggest choosing a G rated avatar so that it can be shown on all Gravatar enabled sites (and it will be better reputation wise).

You can upload several avatars. So when you get tired of one, just go back to Gravatar and select another from the menu on your account's main page. That change of avatar will be updated on all areas around the web where your selected gravatar appears (no logging into twenty different sites and uploading the same avatar twenty times).

B) You comment stands out (and the website link attached to the comment).

Look at the bottom image from above. The snapshot was taken from a blog (Time Recursion) using the Sezwho comment system. This system does include avatar function but the avatars are so small they easily missed or skipped by the average blog participant (especially if the avatar is roughly the same color as the blog's background).

Now look at the top image above the other. In this one, the gravatar (that large avatar off on the left) is present. See how the comment stands out more with that gravatar beside it? More people are inclined to notice and read the comment and maybe even click on the link.

The avatar's appearance there was completely automatic. It did not have to be uploaded. No special button was pushed. No effort at all (except the writing of the actual comment).

Advantages of Installing Gravatar for Website Owners.

A) Make you comment section more appealing. A comment section with just text or small logos is not visually attractive. But with nicely sized, positioned and strategically placed gravatars, you comment section can be made more attention grabbing to the human eye. And if it is more eye-grabbing, more people will notice your comment section and therefore post more comments.

B) Commenters who possess a gravatar will appreciate it. People sign up for the Gravatar service for a reason- to use it. And if you allow them to use it, they will be more content.

Happy/Content commenters= more comments

Discontent commenters= less comments

C) You have a measure of control over what avatars can be displayed. There are avatar ratings: G, PG, R and X. You can chose what level of avatars are allowed to have showing privileges on your blog (e.g. if you only want non-explicit avatars shown, then select G).

Gravatar is a free service. Why not give it a trial run and see how it goes for you? While I do not have it installed here on Jewelled Ramblings, I do use the avatar part of the service and have found it to be excellent on the main points: speed, ease of use, design and functionality.

Credits:
I would like to thank the great author over at the Time Recursion for the use of the blog as an example in this post. If you want to see writing with an unusual twist just click here. Time Recursion in a blog I recommend.

Thanks for reading this post!
Sincerely,

A Christmas Post: The History of Sleigh Bells

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:24:00 +0000

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh..." Who can think of Christmas without carols? Who can think of carols without the carol, "Jingle Bells?" Who can think of "Jingle Bells" without thinking of sleigh bells (click here to hear real sleigh bells)?

As Christmas day approaches, many will hang sleigh bells as ornaments around the house. The more adventurous will get out their antique cutters complete with bells and go for a cherry drive. While sleigh bells are a wide spread Christmas tradition, few know of the bells' origins and history. Most people know of the fact that sleighs and sleigh bells were a notable part of the 19th century winter season. Yet bells can be found in history long before the 1800's.

The oldest sleigh bells are thought to have come out of the Roman world (in particular the area that would become England), where first usage occurred. Back then, single bells- lavishly crafted out of gold and silver-where a novelty that the rich attached to their war horses as a decoration and as a wealth symbol. This tradition carried on into the Middle Ages.

During the Middle Ages, bells became more then just a symbol of the riches of the owner. The metal ringers were thought to be good luck and to protect the possessor from the undesirable (sickness and evil). Bells were also thought to bring around the desirable (wealth).

As time marched on, more people wanted to get into the act. Why should something as delightful as "crotals" (Medieval term for bells) be restricted to war horses only? Soon, wagons, sleighs, horses and other road travelers/vehicles were applying bells freely to their wagons and horses (the exact date of the beginning of this trend is presently unknown). Not only were these decorations used for beauty but it is believed that they served a practical purpose as well.

In ancient times, roads tended to be narrow and the even of a foggy night could not be avoided (there was no weather channel in ancient times). Sleighs could be difficult to stop in an emergency. Horse drawn transportation and pedestrians both used the dangerous roads. Bells were a way to warn pedestrians and other vehicles to watch out. Without bells, it could be hard to tell when a couch for example was coming up the road, leaving other wagons unprepared. One can just imagine what this unawareness could lead to (e.g. accidents). Bells helped to make other road users aware. Having bells on one's vehicle became law in many places. Even today, some Canadian areas still have such a law buried in the law books.

It was not until the 19th century that bells become popular in America. The bells were (and still are) adored by all. Sleighing was a joyful pastime of winter. Courting couples frequently sleighed. Races in town streets were popular.

Also during this time, numerous songs involving sleigh bells were authored. Among these is the famous "Jingle Bells," written in the 1850's.

Sleigh bells have a rich history, a history that goes well beyond their humble placing as a Christmas tree ornament.

Sources:
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-History-of-Sleigh-Bells&id=1396474
by Steven Beckerman.
http://sleigh-bells.org/sleigh-bells

Photo Credits:
Original picture by Zephyris.
http://www.homeclick.com/web/catalog/product_detail.aspx?pid=305550

Thanks for reading this post!
Sincerely,

The troll in the forum (Not under a bridge)

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:50:00 +0000

For the web user who frequents forums on a regular basis (any forum), they have most likely have seen or clashed with the rather annoying but populous species on the internet: the Internet Troll.

A troll is a trouble maker who delights in causing strife and outrage among forum participants. Trolls may do trolling activities for various reasons but in the end it boils down to one common goal: to destroy and leave the community in conflicting pieces while gaining attention through devious means. To read more about trolls, see this excellent article. Keep in mind that trolls frequent other sites besides obvious forums (e.g. Craiglist, Blogspot, Live QnA, Yahoo Answers, Blog Catalog etc.). However, forums are the most common hunting grounds for trolls. Unfortunately, trolls are very common "breed" on the internet and thrive, because people tend to handle them in the wrong fashion.

Common Ways Trolls are Wrongly Handled By the well Meaning Forum User:

1) Fighting Back.
Imagine for a moment that you are in your favorite forum (or community/social site), searching the discussions, posting your opinions and having a great time, when all of sudden a new message on of one of the discussion boards catches your attention: "ALL OF U R IDIOTS & YOU ALL SMELL BAD." Unfortunately, the admin is out to dinner and the moderators are having a staff party. There is no one to handle the typing beast but you and your forum buddies. What is your first attack and destroy strategy?

For many people, the answer is simple:
Fight back! I say, fight back! An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth and a [insert swear word here] for a swear and an insult for an insult and a type for a type and a hotheaded post for a hot headed post!!! CHARGE!!!

The revenge policy is a common one. Just look at a forum forest where trolls abound. Their spam posts will often have more replies then anything else in the forum. Every crude post has people ranting and shouting in caps. Most think that if the troll is attacked enough they will have no choice but to retreat. Not true. Most trolls out there want attention, and what are they getting when two hundred or so hot-headed and impulsive replies appear on their spams? Yup, that's right, you got it. They are getting attention, which is exactly what they want. Such trolls will keep coming back on a regular schedule to get more of this attention, because it is what they feast upon. A return troll can lead to a long term pest problem that can last for months.
The lesson here: don't feed the trolls. Just fill out the report form and leave. Resist the temptation to lash out back troll style at the troll for reasons explained above.

2) Reported!!! Kind of like number one, but with a different response type. Instead of posting something like "OH YEAH? WELL I BET YOU DON"T USE THE [insert foul language here] SHOWER!!!!!!" the forum poster will report the troll's post and then go back and post a message that says something like "reported" to let the troll know they have been reported. This is another not so great idea of taking care of trolls.

By posting 'reported' messages, one is exposing oneself to direct attack from the troll. Since the post was made, the troll knows who to attack for vengeance purposes. Being the object of a troll's scorn is very the opposite of bliss and can ruin the internet experience, leaving a bad taste that can last for quite some time.

This "knight in shining armor" attempt might be mistaken by fellow forum members as an attempt at gain glory and admiration on the reporter's part.

3. The Ignore and do Nothing Policy. A class of forum members will just scroll right on past a troll's post and pretend its not there. This may seem wise, but there are a few flaws: as a contributing member of a forum it is part of a member's responsibility to contribute in all ways: with content and making the forum a better place. Ignoring the trouble is NOT making the forum a better place. But simply reporting and moving on without posting and without gossiping is.

Finally, the Recommended way to Handle the Internet Troll.

Click on the post and hit the report button, but whatever happens, do not post anything. Don't slash out or let the troll know who it was the reported him/her. RAMO (report and move on). This gives the troll little attention nourishment and shows self control on your part. And finally, forget it. Don't let the instance get you down. :)

Thanks for reading this post!
Sincerely,

Why Recommend on Entrecard and and beyond?

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:26:00 +0000

As most Entrecard users know there is a "recommend this site" link on all Entrecard blog profiles to the left:

While many know of this link, few have ever clicked on it and even fewer have actually finished the process of submitting a recommendation. Some Entrecard users never think of it, others intend to go through with it for the sake of his/her favorite blog but forget. Some people will just dismiss "recommending" blogs as

a labor intensive chore or a waste of time. Still others do not feel they no of any blog worth a positive suggestion. No matter what the reason, recommendations are few and far in between, especially for small time blogs that make up the bulk of Entrecard and other "promote you blog" sites (e.g. blog directories).

It is interesting how beneficial recommending blogs can be and yet how few do it.

Reasons and Benefits of Recommending Worthy Blogs or Any Website

1) Postive Morale and Satisfaction. What a shining recommendation does for a blog author: in most cases the author will be greatly encouraged to keep going forward with his/her/its blog and post more frequently. It is no secret how far a real smile or a kind word in the non-cyberworld will go. In a way, a recommendation is like that the smile or delightful feedback.

(Lets go back to the second line of that last paragraph for a moment: "....to keep going forward with his/her/its blog and post frequently." Who doesn't want to see their favorite blog post more often? Recommendations can encourage that.)

Whats in it for you? I can say from experience that the object of your recommendations will most likely send a warm thank you message, which can be a mood booster on a bad day. Why the author of might even return the favor and recommend your blog.

2) Recommending or reviewing is a small but helpful step toward removal of spam websites and blogs. Think about it- do affiliate pages with ads, ads, ads and more ads get good reviews or for that matter do the profiles for these types of sites in directories have any reviews at all? Most likely not, unless foul play was active in the background or a lunatic found his way to the directory. This is purely commons sense: why would anyone with no incentives waste the time to cheer on spammers and their domains in the comment section of a website directory? If you want low grade sites to disappear, don't review or visit them. Five star reviews and loads of misled traffic only serves as fuel for these spam sites with not content. Such "fuel" helps websites of the above genre live long and healthy lives.

There is another side to this as well: it is necessary to comment or review on the quality of websites you find interesting, legit and helpful. This helps the "good guys" rise above the bad and succeed, leaving spammers to choke on the dust and die. Do your part to clean up the pollution and make cyberspace a safer and more enjoyable place.

3) Recommendations effect (both + and -) your reputation online. Recommendations can be useful tools for building your online reputation in the following ways:

A. You have a sense of fair play. Recommending promotes and the object (website) of the recommendation, and whether they are aware of it or not, helps "guide" users toward the decision to click on the link and visit. By recommending, you are showing appreciation, respect and a willingness to see others succeed. It also shows a unselfishness which encourages people to work with you (a.k.a. partner sites, advertisers and others). When selfishness or, shall we we say, a love mania for your site and yours alone shows up all over your profile and even your recommendations (i.e. "this is a great site, but let's talk about mine for a minute"), it will turn possible "advantage" people off. Who wants to work with a difficult snob?

B. Your credibility can grow. Example: You publish a recommendation for so and so blog. So and so visitor notices you "thumbs up" and clicks on the blog link. They arrive at the site and find that you were right and telling the truth- its a pretty good website. This plants a seed in that visitor's mind that is to your favor. If that same visitor ever visits your blog, they are more inclined to receive your content well because of the little display of "truth" earlier. In a way, you won that reader's trust by way of a simple two minute recommendation.

C. Weight is added to your Authority. When an author gives honest and well formed recommendations, it shows that the author knows what he/she is talking about and is not some board second grader in computer class who is out for some fun. People are more likely to listen to what you have to say. You writing will also have more impact and not be so easily brushed aside as false hype.

When insightful and observant points on site design, content, navigation etc. are presented in a recommendation, it shows that he/she has useful knowledge on the subject and put some time and effort into the the recommendation. Such recommendations also hint at intelligence.

D. You are involved online. Some bloggers just sit there at home base from day to day, never going beyond their email inbox. The only blog this type reads is his/her own. They have no clue what's going on in the blogosphere and have no idea what's out there because of their lack of exploration. In some cases, such bloggers do not even know what is happening over at their neighbor;s blog. This ignorant or clueless image is a terrible one for any blogger to possess. This blogger's because, of their non=exposure to happenings and new ideas, often write about the same thing over and over again. The posts by this author are boring and never fresh.

Recommending can help a blogger avoid this discouraging image. Why? Well, recommending shows that the endorser (yes recommending is endorsing to a great extent) does not sit their in home territory, but on the contrary has been on the move and has had exposure to other people and websites (in order to write a recommendation, one has to at least visit the blog), which means exposure to new ideas for more interesting blog posts. One who never "expends" past the well known boundaries online is not likely to get fresh post. The same old same old ideas are likely to lead to the same old same old style posts. Who wants to waste time reading repeat posts and reiterating ideas?

4. Link Value. This is probably going to be the motivator to start recommending for most readers out there. On directory websites and Entrecard (this is a bit different, but that will be covered in a bit) there is (in most cases) a link to the site of your choice when the recommendation is approved and published. On some sites this link leads back to the reviewer's profile, but this works out most of time, for there is usually a link to that reviewer's blog/website (this is the case with Entrecard). The more you recommend the more links to your website. In Entrecard this link will appear like so (where the arrow is pointing there is the link):

On Entrecard, of course, your blog's name is the link. The link leads to your profile, not your actual blog. On other sites that offer the recommendation feature (this "feature" has different names such as, "rate this," "review this," "comment on this," "whats your opinion/experience with this," "feedback," etc) the link will lead directory to your blog.

By now, some of you may be wondering why links are important. There are several reasons but here are two key ones:

-Exposure for you website: a now brainer. Its a simple as this: "link=clicks and visitors. No link=no clicks and no visitors." The more links the more visitors.

-Search engine ranking: Links to your website are one of the main factors of you search engine placement. The more links the better.

The Flip Side: Beware of These Factors

1. There's that reputation again. Just a recommendations can build you "rep" up, they can also terror it down.
Here are some "do nots."

A. Sidetracking to your website other then the one you are recommending. While it is tempting to use the "free advertising" opportunity to promote your own website, don't do it. You are there to recommend that website, not yours. Besides, using the recommend space for your own advertisements where you can get away with it leaves a generally sour impression on potential visitors who might have clicked on you link at the end of the recommendation (see upper section, number four).

These self-promotion recommendations are spam and will most likely be deleted, anyway.

B. A Taste of You. A recommendation gives a window to the author's writing style and carefulness while typing (e.g. spelling, grammar, complete thoughts in sentences etc.). The better the thoughtfulness the better the posts. As unrealistic as it seems, some people are turned off or on based on first sight, and that first sight verdict can hard to changed, if negative. So watch the recommendation and put your best finger forward while typing.

C. Recommendation races are a black bet. Some Entrecard users drop three-hundred cards per day (how this is humanly possible, I have no idea), and some attempt to recommend three hundred times a day. Recommending three hundred times a day or more is a terrible habit and can become a hard one to break. If foll yourself into thinking that you have to recommend as many times a day as possible, you are likely to get stressed and then the quality, length and meaningfulness of your suggestions are likely to go down hill at a horrific rate. Only do a few a day at maximun. Only recommend when you trully feel good about the website and its qulaity. Recommending should be an extra thing, not a daily chore. A "recommendable" recommendation should not be a quick affair.

I got a recommdation! Now what?

1. That's Great! But don't approve it with a blind eye. Remember to check out the website that is linked to the recommender. You don't want a recommendation with a dirty (i.e. adult content) link (in most cases) on your blogs/websites profile. Reviewing recommendations and not accepting them "bot style" shows prudence and even patients and discretion.

Thanks for reading this post!
Sincerely,

Spread the Stupidity

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 02:16:00 +0000

Here is a rather interesting email forward that questions why so and so subject is named this or that. I found it rather amusing. :)

Ever wonder........

-Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?
-Why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed?
-Why you don't ever see the headline, 'Psychic Winds Lottery'?
-Why is 'abbreviated' such a long word?
-Why is it that doctors call what they do 'practice'?
-Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dish washing
liquid is made with real lemons?
-Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
-Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
-Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
-Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?
-Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
-You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes?
Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!
-Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
-Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
-If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
-If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

High Definition (and we are not talking TV) Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:48:00 +0000

Have you ever got frustrated with the lack of quality wallpapers? Of course there are a few websites out there that have a good assortment of desktop backgrounds, but hunting for the good ones can take a great portion of valuable internet time away.

In rare cases, fantastic wallpaper websites (withe the majority of desktop backgrounds being ones of quality) can be found amidst the clutter. Once such gem is HD Wallpapers.net. This site features what they term High Definition (HD) wallpapers, which are of excellent quality. Their refreshing but small selection the opposite of chaotic and "hunting for the good ones" is not necessary on this website (most of the wallpapers are unbelievable).

HD wallpapers on top of having a slick, eye catching design also loads fast and does a nice job with navigation and display of wallpapers (all of which are free). The only element that leaves much to be desired is the websites search function which is to broad when scouting out results. Also when downloading backgrounds the "official" (i.e. going the the wallpapers home page and clicking on the download button instead of "save as..." and all that) way, files can only be downloaded in zipped files. Because of this, a free unzipping program like these will be needed. Still, this website is still worth a try, you just might find that perfect wallpaper.

Some examples of what is offered (for free):

A Once only chance (directory wise) Continued

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:12:00 +0000

For those of you who read my first post of a similiar title, you will know what this is all about. Here is another new directory to register with (see the "whys" and details in my first post), http://www.a-free-directory.info/. This is a good blog directory to register with while numbers are still small.

Sparkle Fever: One Interesting Project

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:41:00 +0000

If you are the type that likes dramatic lights/sparkles try this project from Instructables.com: http://www.instructables.com/id/no_melt_Sparkleball/. It looks fairly easy to do and very entertaining.

Drowning in all that the money making mush...

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:36:00 +0000

"Make money!" "Make --->TONS<--- of money!" "Makes trillions of MONIESSSSS!" "MoNeY mAkInG oLiNe tIpS!!!" These headlines and related are becoming more common on the internet everyday. Blog platforms are drowning from the waves of money making blogs. Hardly a day goes by without "real money making tips" or "corner the market" popping up somewhere in the ginormous* world of blogs.

All of this "money making" brings a question to mind: "If there are so many ways to make money, then why are we not all rich or why is there not piles of cash floating around?" A simple answer: the majority of "make moniesss" websites/blogs are s.c.a.m.s.

....or methods that take twenty years or longer to show notable profit.

Unfortunately, several readers will believe everything they see from only a glace at the summery (in blog terms). For example, I saw an entry about selling used box tops on your home street. The author claims that, if done right, it is possible to make a "support yourself" income. Sadly, some people out there will probably go and try selling those "gold mine" box tops their next available Saturday. This is only one example of fraud. There are thousands more out there, especially where blogs are concerned. Below are some tips for properly distinguishing between frauds and the honest bloggers who really are interested in helping you earn some extra cash.

1. The Strongest Indicator: Your Gut Feeling. Sometimes when visiting a web page, that foreboding feeling slithers in; that "leave now" feeling. A good many times this bad feeling is accurate. It might be a good idea to not ignore that black "get out of here, before the trouble starts" feeling.

2. The Design Factor. What does the blog look like? Is the design cluttered, uncreative? Does it sting your eyes?

If the blog has a default blogger template with no customizations what so ever, the blog owner is probably not very committed to their money making blog. Since at least the Blogspot platform comes with several WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) editor like features so the "they don't know how to make blog edits" excuse can not be used. The committed and genuine Make Money Blogger will most likely have a more distinct design (e.g. The default blogger template is no where in sight or they at least have a custom header image at bare minimum) because they will know that one important part of e-commerce is having an eye appealing website that stands out. A blank blogger template shows two things: a) the author really doesn't know what they are doing and/or b) he or she could care less about making their blog one of quality.

3. "But they have pictures!" There is a picture of a check, money order etc. presented on the "make money blog" as proof of payment or whatever. This is all fine and dandy until the word, "Photoshop" comes to mind. Keep in mind that wonders can be worked with Photoshop*, see below for one outrageous example:

"It's a two legged horse!!!" Well, yes, it is, but with Photoshop written all over it. If I was to point to this image and say "that's living proof that two legged horses exist," would you believe me? Probably not. The concept behind this example can be applied to "proof of payment" pictures as well. Next time you see an image of a check, don't drop you jaw and "ooh...ah". Do research before drawing the "this is a genuine way to make money" conclusion. And don't base that conclusion solely on pictures!

4. One Funky Domain Name. When on a "make money" blog or website, look at the address bar at the top of your browser. There you will see the website's domain name (i.e. the address). Look at the name closely. It should have something to do with making money or the blog's topic. The the address for a money making tips blog should not be something like this: www.i-am-so-hot-look-at-my-blog-please-oh-pretty-please.com. Such awkward addresses signify that the blogger is perhaps only out for attention or that the blog is full of junk. Such addresses are NOT professional and this can be a sign of a low quality blog, money or non-money.

5. A Biography. Does the author include any information about themselves and their experience with making money through various means? If the author does not include information relating to their experience in the money field, then the author could be a false authority on the money stage themselves and nothing more then a novice. Do you really want to take money making lessons from a beginner? Most likely not. If the author does not include any information at all, then that particular author could be hiding something they don't want you to know about. No information usually signifies an author who decided to start blogging and could not think of anything else to blog about (in this case, quality is often absent).

6. Is it a baby blog or a senior? If you can, take a look at the blog's age. If it is less then two weeks old, there is a good chance that the author just decided to start a blog about a subject he knew nothing about on impulse. (Keep in mind that this is not always the case. Apply the other tips as well to get a better picture.) A longer lived blog will usually include more information. An older blog also signifies trustworthiness because it has survived longer. An online money blogger will gain more practice as they go and his/her methods will likely improve as well. This improvement will be more evident in senior blogs then baby ones.

7. Popularity. Can you do a Google search with the blog's name as your term and come up with the blog? Do other people blog about how good it is? Is the site "buried" on Digg or is it cool? Do outside sources -such as reviews- recommend the blog? If so, the blog is probably a valid source for advice on money making. If the blog is practically unknown, think twice about using it.

8. Those pathetic Testimonials. Some money making blogs will offer brilliant testimonials on the homepage. There are however a few problems: negative feedback is often left out, the testimonials could be fakes or the giver of the testimonial(s) could have been given incentives or even be strongly biased. If a name is given in a testimonial, see if it is a real person. Don't rely on testimonials for website reliability.

9. Advertising and Content. What if the blog has ads, ads, ads, ads, ads....did I mention advertisements?....and maybe a sentence of content? This is a no brainer. The "author" is out for profit only. You won't get anywhere on this type of "blog" (a more appropriate name would be affiliate page).

10. Dreaded Contact. It is a darkening sign when no contact information is presented for readers of the blog. It means generally one or the other of these: a) the author doesn't care about their readers or their readers' impression of the blog and don't want to be bothered or b) the author is hiding something. Maybe contact information is posted, but the author never responds to reader's query. It is pointless and rude to post contact options and then not respond. Such behavior is also unprofessional. And if questions or a need for help arise on the reader's part then "to bad!"

11. Maturity of Wording. Trying to read a blog entry like this:

"HeLLO today!!!!!!!!!! I's has LoTS of MOOOOONEY makkking tiips for u 2day!!!!!!!!!!!! FIRst u will need a guiney PIG an a StIck NoW jus' TAKE the piggy oUt-side!!!!!!!! OK????? NOW FROM BEHIND IT Nudge the StIcky an make the PIGGY dance!!!!! NOw w/ yr garnd paps hAt CoLcttet thet red HOT bucks!!!!!!!!!! ANOTHER monEy making tip by DJ SIMPSON. PLESE subscrible to my RSS fede and ViSiT me wonderful sponsers!!!!!!!!!!!! HEE HEE!!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

can be quite difficult. Not only do these type of blog posts hint at immaturity but they also are disruptive and show bad taste. Readers who are trying to glean something like a helpful tip from the post will be extremely hindered. Quality is not an attribute of this posts and neither is sanity. Finding clear instruction in there is like looking for bees in the Amazon. Working with such an author can be difficult. When the kindergartner posts show up, its best to leave class for the next blog.

12. Drop that Attitude. When on the blog, does the design inspire a feeling of welcoming and pleasantness or a different attitude and presence? What is the atmosphere of the website like? The mood and tone? If it is unbecoming or even aggressive, stop and think. The posts are likely to mirror the website design in some way and the both will mirror the author. If the design and posts reflect something undesirable to a large degree, reconsider interacting with such an author.

13. Outside Research and Credits. With a money making blog, there will be a time when the author must do some outside research. Part of using outside research is to credit the helping sources. If the material is plagiarized and credits are not given, then honesty and reliability of the blog come into question.

14. The Outside and Beyond. The is rather strange tip, but it can be helpful. If the author of the blog gives an identifiable name, then do a search or look online. Do they have articles on other websites- mainstream and side stream (e.g. about.com)? Or even a few books for sale on Amazon? If so, then this is a great indicator of reliability. Mainstream sites and publishers have tighter standards for works and just not any mumble jumbo can be published like on a blog.

Note: Do not take this tip to drastically, It is just an extra helper. Money Blog authors can still be good but only write on their blogs.

15. Blame those Claims. "Make a $100 dollars an hour by just selling used soda cans!" This is a very unrealistic claim and disturbingly these hypes can be found all over, online and off. When blogs start making fairy tail claims about "money making procedures and projects" and don't give an explanation, its a rotten apple for sure. If the author will lie about the profits, what will keep them from "lairing it" on any and all parts of the blog as well? Reliability (getting sick of this phrase yet?) comes into question.

16. Imitation, Recapitulation, reiteration and.....Invention? There are trillions of post the subject of Adsense. There are trillions of posts on the subject of optimizing blogs for ads. There are trillions of post on the subject of ads. There are trillions of posts on the subject of falling in love with ads. There are trillions of posts on.....etc. Money blogs can be frustrating to read because many of them say the same thing in almost the exact same way. When you see repeat posts, just leave. Otherwise you will be wasting your time with other repeat posts. Good money making blogs are original.

17. Badmouthing the Rivals. So and so small company badmouths so and so much larger rival company. So and so much larger rival company sinks its teeth into the small company and starts badmouthing back and because the second company is so large and has more spread and influence, it hits the small company hard. When the small money making blog with the standard white template starts slandering "www.example.com" blog with over ten thousand readers, the "big boy" blog posts about how terrible service is over at the small new money blog and no one bothers with the small player. When your favorite small time money blog starts bashing the big boys weekly, then you can expect that that blog will probably do poorly and eventually shut down.

Immature bashing also gives a poor blog image. Its rare to catch a quality money blogger slandering their much larger rivals in an obvious way. Also, bashing in every post is annoying to readers and is a waste of reading time. Bashing serves to lower content rating as well.

18. Comments. Comments can be a helpful tool when trying to determine credibility. If there are lots of "wow this works" comments, then go ahead and try the advice. On the other hand if there are numerable "this stinks and is a fake" comments, think twice before acting.

What if there are no comments?
Well, it could be 1) The blog is not yet popular or 2) the author does not have a very responsive audience or 3) the author is receiving undesirable bad feedback and doesn't want others to see it. In other words, the author can not take critiques or "this is good, but you could improve here.." comments.

19. Blog Directories. If the money making blog you are investigating is enrolled in blog directories like http://www.blogged.com/, then check out that blog's profile and see the rating and reviews.

20. The Rude, Crude and Shrewd. Just like in all areas of life, character is essential. Honesty and yes, even cheerfulness are species in this genus, along with others. Having good character works well for everyone in the long/short run:

-Satisfied Readers are more likely to become regulars to any blog. This kind of readers is also more likely to participate in discussions and give "up" ratings on blog directories and the blog itself.

-Dealings are processed faster and more efficiently. When blogger and reader are quick in response, clear and do so with a good attitude, more gets done, because neither party is to busy hitting each other on the head with insults and the like.

Those who are "rude, crude and shrewd" are not likely to have a lasting blog.
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*For purists who are fuming at my use of "improper English": ginormous is a real word.
*Adobe Photoshop is an advanced image editing/creation program.

A once only Chance (directory wise).

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:49:00 +0000

Blog directories can bring great benefits to bloggers, and this is no small secret. Almost all quality blogs in the blogoshpere have been submitted to at least one directory. But there is one small problem...what if you are the millionth-whatever person to submit your blog? Even if your blog link gets approved, it will be buried under hundreds if not thousands of other blogs that submitted earlier in time. This is why it is so important to keep an eye out for new directories and submit your blog first so that it will be at the top of the listings later on in time.

One such new blog directory is BrowseBlogs.com. This blog guider is so new, in fact that out of its thirty-one categories only twelve contain approved links. Of those twelve "filled" categories, most only have one or two blogs in them.This is a good time for submissions. Why? Well there is not a wide array of blogs to chose from so the odds of your link being clicked are superior. And once this directory gets on its feet (and it strike's me as one that will become a sizable directory) your link will already be there at the top new submissions. A golden opportunity, indeed.

However, if things fall through and this directory doesn't make it, all you lose is the thirty seconds it took to fill out the submission form. This is a no fee directory, in other words, there are no charges for bloggers to submit their blogs. No charge submission...Woohoo!

It just might be a good idea to submit your blog link here. Make sure to link to them from your blog. Its polite and (if you think "long-term-effect" wise) it will help everyone -including you- in the end.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bonus (since we are on the topic of directories...): Here is a well established directory that you can try if it so desired. This directory is tough and if your link is accepted, you can be certain that you have one fantastic blog. Be sure to read the terms before submitting. Right up front there will be the "pay for entry into our blog directory" page, and this option may be wise to chose if you want a speedy check and featured status. Here is the free submission area, if you are interested, but there is no time guarantee for free submissions. Good luck.

Lingo2Word

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:07:00 +0000

In most cases savvy "texters" who text continuously (on any electronic communication device) or are addicted to instant messaging are experts at translating these: OMG, lol, F2F, JK, :),BR, R U, WTG and others. But for the novice (that eight year old who just got his first cell phone) or the parent attempting to moderate phone conversations, translating can be a bit of a challenge. Thankfully, there is help: Lingo2Word.

Lingo2Word is a translator with a twist: you won't find German, Chinese etc. on this one, but what you will find is a chat, emoticon, acronym and slang translator. Try entering A.L.O.T.B.S.O.L. in the search bar to see how this free online tool works. A trouble free definition should appear. Or if you have more time on your hands look at the top left of the page, in the black bar. This is the section where popular lists can be found. At the time of writing the popular lists are as follows: Emoticons and Smileys, Acronyms, ICQ & Chat and Texting & SMS slang lists. For something unusual, try the Emoticons and Smileys list.

The top right of the black bar is devoted to text messages. Feel free to explore this section.

So next time ya run into one of those (e.g "What does BTW mean?!") during an elctonic chat, Lingo2Word can help you figure it out.

A quick tip for those "social forgetfuls"...

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:19:00 +0000

If you are social (i.e. you frequent social networks and check you email daily) and are forgetful, there is a simple solution: just email yourself reminders.

Just type your own email address into the address bar and in the body area, type a list of what you need to do the next day. Or send yourself a message with the same to do list on Myspace. If you check your inbox(s) daily, you are sure to see that self sent email with the reminders.

And there you have it, that email is the key reminder and will be there amidst the fun of your friends' forwards. Unlike the dreaded tradition planner which can be left behind or buried, this "email reminder" is hard to look over or avoided if it is glaring from amidst your "fun" mails.

This tip may sound silly, but hey, what is there to lose? Try it.

Meet Dr. Pic

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:53:00 +0000

For free online photo editors, there are several choices. Some are fantastic while some are plain blah. As for the effective category one photo site in particular stands out: Dr. Pic.

So what is so great about it? Well, for starters, Dr. Pic is free service (no hidden or open charges), online (no lost space on your hard drive and no viruses) and comes with plentiful options, fifteen to be exact:

Let's take a test drive....

(Note: Before you begin to use the service seriously, upload a sample picture to the site and play with the options described below. Its good to get a feel for Dr. Pic. before you do anything "real" with it.)

Stop #1: That large clear button on the top: "Load a Picture."

Just click on this button, and open your selected file.

Stop #2: The "Resize" button.

Clicking this will give you options for resizing your picture. A little "window" will pop up over your image. This window will present simple options: 25%, 50% and 75% smaller. You will also see a custom resize option near the bottom, where it is possible to enter custom percentages. Hit "apply" after reaching the desired picture size.

Stop #3: A "rotate" option.

Similar to the Resize button, a window will appear over your picture. The pic can be turned 90 degrees, 180 degrees etc. You get the picture....

Stop #4: "Brightness/Contrast"

On the scale bar, pull the center piece with your mouse to the right (toward the sun icon) to make your photo brighter or to the left (aim for the moon icon) to make it darker. Or just head down to the bottom of the contrast window and experiment with contrast by "points." Make sure to hit "apply" to insure that your changes make it to the image.

Stop #5: "Auto Fix"

The least complex option. Just click on this to get an entire automatic fix of your photo. While this may be an easier shortcut then going through the entire "full-button" process, I would not recommend it since results either hardly differ from the original picture or are not satisfactory in 90% of the cases (data from when I experimented with this feature).

Stop #6: "Brush"

If you have ever used GIMP or Adobe Photoshop, you will be familiar with brushes. The Dr. Pic brush is similar to the basic, default brush in each program, only simpler. The tool allows one to select a wanted color and then to draw or make marks on the picture.

A slight warning with this tool: if you are experienced with a brush, go for it. If you are a newbie (i.e. you have only used brush like tools less then ten times or are not very skilled with them), then I would pass this one up. When confused beginners use a brush, the end result reminds me off a kindergartner coloring party.

Stop #7: "Text"

Chose the preferred font style (and size) and start writing!

Stop #8: "Guassian Blur"

A simple name for a simple blur tool. Chose to blur (i.e. the opposite of sharpen, to take the picture out of focus) the whole image or just a selected area.

Stop #9: "Sharpen"

The name of this tool says it all. Use this little goody to make points (e.g. lines or edges) on your image more clear and defined.

Warning: To much sharpening can a give a picture a harsh or awkward appearance. Harsh it not appealing to the average web surfer.

Stop #10: "Raise."

This option will raise the center portion of image (according to the degree you set) and give it a 3D"ish" look.

Stop #11: "Raised Frame."

This adds a 3D frame of the color black to your picture. The option to chose frame width is included.

Stop #12: "Polariod."

A rather interesting tool, polariod with give your picture the following effects: Tilt to the Left, Stack Effect (i.e. it looks like there are more pictures stacked under your main one) and Tilt to the Right.

Stop #13: "Oil Paint."

This is one of the funnest "fixes" offered on Dr. Pic. With one click (two if you count the "apply") you can make your picture look like an oil painting.

NO, this is not a replacement for a real oil painting. I can tell ya right now, a Dr. Pic "Oil Painting" won't fly with serious patrons (Hint: there is still hope; such a "replica" might sell on eBay...")

Stop #14: "Spread."

This gives your image an "opaque (frosted) cutting board" effect. Its like looking through a neatly frosted window at your image.

Stop #15: "Greyscale."

Turn a colorful photo into a black and white masterpiece.

"I'm Done!"

Once you have brought your image to perfection, its time to "take it home."

1. Select the format you want your image to be saved in. Offered formats are: JPG, BMP, GIF and PNG.

2. Save it to your computer's hard drive OR....

3....Save it to the web. This option is a disadvantage if you already have a specific image hosting service. Number 2 is recommended.

Other helpful tools you should be aware off:

Use this button to undo an edit on your picture.

Use this button to redo an edit.

If you have made several changes to your image and your experiment crashed, use this button to start over fresh with your original image.

Use this button to select your entire image. If you only want to select a certain part, center your mouse over the part you want selected. Then left click and drag. Release when the desired area is fully covered.

Use this button to deselect your entire or partial selection.

One more thing...

On the left side of the screen, when making a selection, you will see something like this:

This tells you how the size of your selection in pixels. The other statistic to the left of it will reveal you mouse's position, or coordinates, on your image when making a selection.

Issue(s) you should know about:

When applying a change, Dr. Pic may lose your photo (not the original file, but the copy it made when you loaded your photo onto the site) and give you an image symbol for "broken link" or "disconnected file" (i.e. a little square with a paper torn in two at the center of it). This rarely happens, however. And from my experience with other troublesome photo services, using Dr. Pic. is worth it despite this minor risk.

----------------------------

Questions? More info? Contact Dr. Pic. or me (look for contact section in the right sidebar).

Want updates about Dr. Pic's progress? Check out their Development blog.

Masterpeice Videos.

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:38:00 +0000

Below are my all time Youtube (and Viddler) favorites. Enjoy!

Note: Viddler does not work in all web browsers.

If you like Dinosaurs....

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 02:14:00 +0000

then this is for you. The video if about a female dinosaur, Whitetip, whose pack gets killed. She finds herself alone and facing starvation. Her species hunts in a pack, so hunting alone is difficult. Will she survive?

A screen shot from the video:

All this hunt talk reminds me of one thing: dinner should be done by now...

Sign it or not...

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:45:00 +0000

I tripped over a rather engaging aticle on adding signatures to comments....

...And while I am tempted to give the my own tiger's mouth full on this, I'm interested in what you think.
How to do feel about signatures on comments? Do you agree or clash with this article? Post a comment to share what you think. :)

WARNING: If you are a strong "I-always-put-a-personalized-signature-on-all-of-my-comments-when-I-do-comment" person and are easily offended, you might want to pass this one up.

Google Flu Trends

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:43:00 +0000

Google Flu Trends is not a fashion service on how stylish Flu is this year, but rather a service that can tell you how drastic flu is in your area.When going the the service website- http://www.google.org/flutrends/- you will be presented with a graph and map. The graph will tell you on what months flu is nothing to worry about and the months when you may want a flue shot (Sometimes those shots don't work but that's another post for another time...). For people who forget to was their hands, "minimal" months are a good thing. As for "intense" months, that is self explanatory.

Trends also comes complete with a map that shows the areas with highest flu peak. Right now, in November, for example flu is not in the "epidemic" category, so most states are in the "low" or "moderate" range. Just mouse over your area- there is not need to click- and a bubble will appear that will tell you what category your state falls in.

It is also possible to download raw data (just click on the "raw data" link- left side of the screen). Which is a nice feature. Keep in mind, that results are based off of search terms, so people without internet are excluded from the results.

Jewelled or Jeweled? Which is the correct spelling?

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:17:00 +0000

I have recived some interesting "blog name is spelled wrong" emails. And this post is to clear up the confusion.
As it turns out, Jewelled can be spelled both ways, even thought "jeweled" is the generally the preferred version (especially in the USA). I just use "jewelled" because it looks more balanced to my eye.

Still unconvinced? Check out the links below:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/jewel
http://www.yourdictionary.com/jeweled
http://dictionary.die.net/jeweled
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/jeweled&
http://www.aolsvc.merriam-webster.aol.com/dictionary/jeweled
http://www.webster-dictionary.org/definition/jeweled
http://onlinedictionary.datasegment.com/word/jeweled
http://au.encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1481582297/jeweled.html
http://wordnet-online.com/jeweled.shtml
http://www.onpedia.com/dictionary/jeweled
http://www.lexic.us/definition-of/jewelled
http://www.verbosed.com/jeweled.html

RSS Feed and Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:59:00 +0000

On Youtube, there is a fantastic video on how to add RSS feed to Blogger Blogs. So if you are in a whirl of confusion on this subject why not give the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gDIeG5S7jI) a try? 'Nothing to lost except maybe five well spent minutes. The instruction is clear and precise. So (yes, around the merry-go-round goes once more) if you are lost on the "RSS thing" just try this video. I'm not sure more precise and easy instruction then this little tidbit exits anywhere.

Need free abstracts? Photos maybe?

noreply@blogger.com (Jade) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:58:00 +0000

....well creativity103.com may have something just for you. This website is filled with a large selection (over 6GB) of mainly abstract pieces and some photography as well. Abstract styles include: fractals, geometric, random, repeating backgrounds, asymmetry and symmetry patterns, light glow, "fireworks," and borders for images etc. Photography topics include: abstract photos, urban, storms, nature, gothic (as in medieval design, not the modern Gothic) sky, trees, and industry. At the bottoms of the gallery design page, there is a latest additions and random photos section. On the front or homepage, search bar is provided in the top right hand corner if you already have a specific subject in mind. The best part is, its free!

A preview of the homepage:

To get started, click on the second orange button in the top menu: image index. Or click here.

Now look over the page and select a category. Browse for something you like. When you find that perfect picture, click on it. You will then be taken to the file's information page and a larger preview of it. Click on this larger preview for the full size of the image. When the full image is done loading, right click and select "save as..." or "save image as..." to download the image to your hard drive.

For sneak peaks at Abstract offered and what the categories and subcategories contain, see below:

(For previews of the photos offered, scroll below)

Category: Fractals

Category: Geometric

Category: Random

Category: General

Category: Asymmetry

Category: Frames

Category: Lightning

Category: Glowing

For sneak peaks at Photography offered and what the categories and subcategories contain, see below:

Category: Urban

Category: Trees

Category: Skies

Category: General

If you are the explorer type here is another section of the website you might want to try: the Archive Vault. This is where the old or outdated images are retired. Here, they are not part of the main galleries, but are still available for public view. There are some quality pictures, but you may have to do some "dumpster diving" to find them.

To learn more about creativity103.com, go here.
With any questions or concerns about the website, contact them here.
To see the site's great links to other picture websites, go here.
If you use the art (for either personal or commercial) you must link back to the website. Redistrubing for stock usage is barred.

Feel free to comment.
This is a creative commons compatible article.