Michael Janzen

Twitter Updates for 2009-07-11

Michael Janzen — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 10:00:00 +0000

The real reason we all need our own garden http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/ #
RT @TaosJohn: Why does FB have a "Poke [so-and-so]" option? Didn't these guys watch/read Lonesome Dove? Verb has a *special* meaning… LOL! #
RT @inhabitat: Dumpster diving has never been cooler. Who knew they could be reused as pools. http://bit.ly/16IH5f #
random thought… If it's not organic then shouldn't it be labeled PRODUCED WITH PESTICIDES??? #
new blog bookmark: Examples of farming on city and suburban streets http://bit.ly/B9tRU #

Share and Enjoy:

Twitter Updates for 2009-07-10

Michael Janzen — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:00:00 +0000

RT @kentgriswold: Tiny house eliminates commute, reduces carbon footprint, and cost only $3000. http://bit.ly/DbDSX #
RT @GreenestDollar: 5 Cool Ways To Reuse Your Six-Pack: Awesome pics! http://tinyurl.com/lx2kpt #
RT @Technomadia: RT @TravelEditor: 10 reasons to take a career break and travel: http://bit.ly/1JP7tX (We're not on a break tho) #
RT @shedworking: Shedworking book: the cover: Here's what it's probably going to look like… http://tinyurl.com/nw5ez5 #
RT @greentweet: Clean out the lint filter every time you use the dryer: #green …vac out the exit tube too. you'll be amazed what you find #
RT @home_power: Contemporary Architecture: 10 Contemporary Homes of the Future http://bit.ly/ejTv1 #
RT @Ecosaveology: Average person uses 57 squares of tissue/toilet paper opt 4 recycled TP – yikes! #
RT @JuliaJanzen: An interesting story RT @QueenofSpain Alaska lawyers pre-paid? Palin's reasons for quit'n sketchy http://tinyurl.com/ntmkkf #
RT @shedworking: Vote for your favourite shed blog or web site http://bit.ly/126OJg #
RT @thegoodhuman: Illinois ! WOW… you're making good time. Long days eh? #
RT @chelseagreen: RT @jerryjamesstone: 9 Things to Know About Small Wind Power: http://digg.com/d1wDyM?t #
Tiny House Design is now available on Amazon Kindle: http://bit.ly/2fRYi How to submit your blog: http://bit.ly/VqlIt #
RT @home_power: Chinese startup based in Eugene wants to sell inexpensive solar … http://bit.ly/1A69D #

Share and Enjoy:

How to publish your blog on the Amazon Kindle

Michael Janzen — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:22:22 +0000

I just finished submitting two of my busiest blogs to be published on the Amazon Kindle. It was really easy to do but there is no guarantee they will approve it. I’ll post here again and report back later on whether my blogs were approved or rejected. But in the mean time let me explain why and how to publish your blog(s) on Kindle.

Overview

What’s a Kindle? Amazon has developed a electronic tablet for reading electronic books.

A blog on Kindle? Amazon has opened Kindle up for reading blogs just like you would read an electronic book. Subscribers pay a monthly subscription fee to Amazon.

Why is there a subscription fee? There is no option to deliver the blog free on Kindle at this time. I guess Amazon is thinking that a small subscription fee is worth the convenience of reading blogs on Kindle.

Do I get paid? Blog publishers get 30% of the monthly subscription fee. The subscription rate pricing is determined by Amazon.

How To

Step 1. Create an Account: (Create your Kindle Publishing Account) You’ll need to provide your tax identification number (like Social Security Number), address, and answers to security questions like your mother’s maiden name, and other information just like you would for any affiliate account. This is not the same as your Amazon Associates account.

Step 2. Add a Blog: You’ll need to prepare the following graphic images and information before you’ll be able to complete their submission form:

Screenshot: This image must be 800×600 pixels or smaller and less than 1.0 MB. You must use GIF, JPEG, TIFF, or BMP.

Masthead: This image must be 430×50 pixels or smaller and less than 1.0 MB. You must use GIF, JPEG, TIFF, or BMP.

Blog Description: Write a concise description of your blog that surfaces the most popular features of your blog. I always refer to my Google Analytics account when trying to understand the most popular content on my blogs.

Keywords/Tags: They allow 128 characters worth of keywords/tags. Be sure to choose wisely because these are used when people search for Kindle content.

RSS Feed URL: I submitted my original WordPress generated RSS URL. I didn’t want my Kindle account to rely on my Feedburner RSS URL. If you don’t know what your RSS URL is just view source and look for a line of code that looks like this:

The RSS URL in this example is: http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/feed/

Submission Form: Here is a screenshot of their submission form. Just click the thumbnail to see the full size image.

Step 3. Wait for Approval: It takes up to 72 hours for Amazon to approve or reject your submission.

Conclusion

This seems like a really interesting way to monetize and promote a blog. I think it’s still too early to know if Kindle will be a big hit like the iPhone but it does make sense to jump in early and get your blog on Kindle. It takes little time and costs no money and has great potential.

The newest Kindle seems like a really nifty device. I like it mostly because it would make it easy to downsize the bulk of a library and reduce the number of possessions we own. As a simple living advocate and anti-consumerist it’s a little ironic that I’d actually see value in any consumer product but this one would actually reduce the books your have to store.

Create your Kindle Publishing Account

Update! Both blogs I submitted were approved and are now available on Amazon Kindle. Take a look:

Tiny House Design
Tiny House Living

Share and Enjoy:

Twitter Updates for 2009-07-09

Michael Janzen — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:00:00 +0000

RT @GreenestDollar: How To Make Your Own Vermicompost Bin: Easy Instructions! http://tinyurl.com/m5wmd3 #
RT @thegoodhuman: Jeez. …about MJ… Seriously,guys? Do U still call yourself journalists? – Yes until WE choose to turn off the TV #
Tiny House Living – National Shed Week 2009 http://tinyurl.com/mtrejz #
RT @unclewilco Shed of the Year 2009 and the winner is …. The Kite Cabin http://bit.ly/Cl3I1 #
@thistinyhouse RE: tiny house guru… Yeah @unclewilco is a pretty funny guy huh? in reply to thistinyhouse #
RT @kentgriswold: New blog post: Tortoise Shell Camping Cube Delivery http://bit.ly/6mnD5 #
RT @inhabitat: Suburbia sucks – help us redesign it in the REBURBIA competition! http://bit.ly/reburbia #
RT @RowdyKittens: New blog post: Downsizing our bed? http://bit.ly/D52mO …ok is that going too far? LOL #
http://lnkr.us/4iVX Check out: Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond Vol. 1 via @chelseagreen #book #green #
RT @ann_monroe: But this one http://bit.ly/Wsioa makes for easier harvesting. #
RT @NikkiJade: Canada WORSE in 2009 G8 ranking on climate change initiatives. USA second to last!!! – http://tinyurl.com/n8bzu7 #
Today Is The Last Day To Spend A Buck For Charity. http://bit.ly/J1t67 #
humor: The Top 10 Things Every Green Blogger Must Do (Parody) http://bit.ly/15dzuK #
RT @PeakOilNews: The Oil Drum: The Chicken Coop Refuge: Or How I Became a Bug Farmer http://tinyurl.com/l7p7od #
RT @TwilightEarth: RT @GreenChamberIE: The World According to Monsanto, Full Documentary http://bit.ly/QmZ10 #
new blog bookmark: Holy Lamb Organics – Organic Bedding Maker http://bit.ly/12PEjz #

Share and Enjoy:

WP Super Cache Lowers My Hosting Cost

Michael Janzen — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:02:59 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I began re-testing a popular WordPress plugin called WP Super Cache. I had tried it before but had installed it incorrectly and crashed my biggest blog. This time I installed it right and it works great. It works by making flat HTML files of your blog’s web pages and moves the traffic load to Apache (the web server software) and off MySQL (the database software).

The benefit of this is that Apache can take the load and MySQL burns up the servers processor, relatively speaking. My host, Media Temple, charges more money when you use more than your fair share of your shared server’s processor. This seems fair and I like Media Temple because their system can auto scale-up to take huge traffic days, and I’ve had several on Tiny House Design.

My testing has shown that WP Super Cache does reduce my cost because it lightens the load on MySQL. It also speeds up my page loads because Apache is incredibly efficient at serving up flat HTML pages and images.

So I highly recommend WP Super Cache but will also warn you to be sure to read all the installation documentation and learn how to back it out if you experience a crash.

Here are screenshots from my GPU usage (processor use) at Media Temple and Google Analytics during the same time period. As you can see traffic was flat and GPU usage remained low.

Above: Control panel on Media Temple that shows low GPU usage.
Below: Report on Google Analytics.

Share and Enjoy:

Twitter Updates for 2009-07-08

Michael Janzen — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:00:00 +0000

RT @juliajanzen Vigil for Laura Ling and Euna Lee http://tinyurl.com/ktmnmd #
RT @unclewilco Shed Week 2009 interviews: Michael Janzen | shedblog.co.uk – We love sheds http://bit.ly/vuDXU #
RT @juliajanzen Want to see facebook censor something? Post this title and link: Vigil for Laura Ling and Euna Lee http://tinyurl.com/ktmnmd #
It seems that facebook is censoring stories and links on Laura Ling and Euna Lee's imprisonment in North Korea. Weird. #
@thegoodhuman RE: tweet from the middle of the country as I go…as if anyone gives a sh*t …..I give a sh*t David in reply to thegoodhuman #
Watching : An Introduction to the Field Lab http://bit.ly/U8RFa #

Share and Enjoy:

Twitter Updates for 2009-07-08

Michael Janzen — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:00:00 +0000

RT @juliajanzen Vigil for Laura Ling and Euna Lee http://tinyurl.com/ktmnmd #
RT @unclewilco Shed Week 2009 interviews: Michael Janzen | shedblog.co.uk – We love sheds http://bit.ly/vuDXU #
RT @juliajanzen Want to see facebook censor something? Post this title and link: Vigil for Laura Ling and Euna Lee http://tinyurl.com/ktmnmd #
It seems that facebook is censoring stories and links on Laura Ling and Euna Lee's imprisonment in North Korea. Weird. #
@thegoodhuman RE: tweet from the middle of the country as I go…as if anyone gives a sh*t …..I give a sh*t David in reply to thegoodhuman #
Watching : An Introduction to the Field Lab http://bit.ly/U8RFa #

Share and Enjoy:

Twitter Updates for 2009-07-07

Michael Janzen — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:00:00 +0000

watching: Life Inc. Dispatch 07: Less Is More http://bit.ly/17jPKJ #
RT @juliajanzen Julia Janzen » The Look, The Feel, The Danger of Non-Organic Cotton? http://tinyurl.com/mrwoz3 #

Share and Enjoy:

Twitter Updates for 2009-07-06

Michael Janzen — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Ahhhh another beautiful Sunday morning listening to Breakfast with the Beatles on KOZT @TheCoastKOZT #beatles #
RT @unclewilco: You know "national shed week" rings true when councils tell people to lock up sheds for it http://bit.ly/shed-ucation #
RT @thegoodhuman: New blog post: Is Clean Coal Really Clean? Not Really… http://bit.ly/xDhmC #
A blog post from the past: Tiny Chicken Houses http://tinyurl.com/bg7ocm #
from @RowdyKittens – The Draw of Consumerism: Amish Folks Living it Up http://bit.ly/frA53 #
RT @thegoodhuman: Fears for the World’s Poor Countries as the Rich Grab Land to Grow Food http://is.gd/1o4NE #
I should redraw this older post in 3D via Google SketchUp… Tiny House with Moving Walls http://tinyurl.com/l596bq #

Share and Enjoy:

Twitter Updates for 2009-07-05

Michael Janzen — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 10:00:00 +0000

RT @thegoodhuman: love it!! RT @Rickbischoff: http://twitpic.com/9bhwj View From Placitas, NM – The Sky in NM is SO big. I miss that. #

Share and Enjoy: