Going incognito doesn’t affect the behavior of other people, servers, or software. Be wary of:

• Websites that collect or share information about you
• Internet service providers or employers that track the pages you visit
• Malicious software that tracks your keystrokes in exchange for free smileys
• Surveillance by secret agents
• People standing behind you

Be an Incognito using this Wallpaper and disclose your Incognito identity to people hiding behind you!
Happy secret surfing!

Google Chrome Incognito Mode Wallpaper Download here!

Solution 1 - Excerpt length in “wp-includes”

PROS: Fast and easy.
CONS: This will be applied to every category and archive, incluiding the blog homepage.
Source: It’s Called Web Design

Go into “wp-includes/formatting.php”, line 1333 (line 853 for version prior to 2.7).
Change “55″ according to your needs.

Solution 2 - Excerpt length using Filters in “functions.php”

PROS: You can freely change the excerpt length in each category, archive or in your blog homepage.
CONS: A basic skill in WP and PHP is required.
Source: Wordpress Codex

STEP 1. You can change the excerpt length using excerpt_length filter. Just add the following code into the “wp-content/themes/THEME_NAME/functions.php” file:
<?php
function new_excerpt_length($length) {
return 20;
}
add_filter('excerpt_length', 'new_excerpt_length');
?>

STEP 2. Add the following code into the entry/post div (”index.php“, “archive.php“)
<?php the_content_limit(200, "Read more →") ?>instead of
<?php the_content(); ?>You can write whatever you want insted of “200″ and “Read more →”. Eg. (120, “Want to know more about it?”).

Solution 3 - Excerpt length using the “Excerpt Plugin”

PROS: Easy to use.
CONS: A basic skill in WP and PHP is required.
Source: Download from guff.szub.net

Set the excerpt length using the Excerpt Reloaded plugin. Simple theme editing is required.

Parameters:

• excerpt_length (integer) - Number of words to display. Default is 120.
• allowedtags (string) - Defines HTML tags. Default is ‘<a>’.
• filter_type (string) - Defines how WP should filter the content. Options are based on tags: ‘content’, ‘content_rss’, ‘excerpt’, ‘excerpt_rss’. Set to ‘none’ to display raw content. Default is ‘excerpt’.
• use_more_link (boolean) - Display the “more” link (TRUE) or (FALSE). Defaults to TRUE.
• more_link_text (string) - Define the text used for the link. Default is ‘(more…)’.
• Other functions: force_more_link (boolean) - fakeit (integer) - fix_tags (boolean).

Happy coding! :)

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin ars, art-; see ar- in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: art1, craft, expertise, knack, know-how, technique
These nouns denote skill in doing or performing that is attained by study, practice, or observation: the art of rhetoric; pottery that reveals an artist’s craft; political expertise; a knack for teaching; mechanical know-how; a precise diving technique.

According to thefreedictionary.com, I think that the skill in study, practice or oberve something has an imply meaning: be concious of what you are doing and be able to say thanks to everybody around you.

Each person and his/her point of view (right or wrong) is an input. Any kind of input is IMPORTANT for you an for you art. While you are working on your art, if there is a hitch, you will fall back on the input you received. That’s why you have to say THANKS to everybody.

Art, as life, is good enough when you are able to say THANKS.

Doubts, excessive conscientiousness, are all factors of real communication, then real art. Designers may know what I mean. But, who really cares about are the ones able to discern communication (money) from real communication (art). Read my topic Art, Marketing & Art of Marketing. Being evergreen.

History, as you know, teaches us how to move nowadays. That’s why I will tell you a story:

In 1513 c.a. Michelangelo Buonarroti was called by Pope Julius II to create a marble sculpture including the Biblical figure of Moses. Michelangelo started working on the project and, few years later, Pope Julius II interrupted the commission for unexplained reasons.
After the Pope’s death, Michelangelo was called back by the della Rovere family in 1542 to bring the work of art to an end. They changed the original project (7 figures instead of 40) and decide to place the sculpure in the minor church of San Pietro in Vincoli instead of the St. Peter’s Basilica.
Michelangelo, peeved for the bad treatment, decide to complete the work but with some “little changes”. The Moses, which probably embody Julius II, has been “decorated” with a pair of horns and some “shaped gashes” under the inferior lip. (There are 2 different school of thought about. The ones who think horns are because of a mistranslation of Exodus; the ones who STRONGLY UNDERSTAND the artist hobson’s choice).

Well, many designers may know what I’m talking about.
In fact, you have to change your original idea approximately on each project, because of your creative director or your agency marketing department or, all the worse, your client.

They are going to twist, change, distort your so perfect and artistic idea. And there is no way, if you want your money, you have to do it.

BUT, here is what I want to say:
If Michelangelo’s Moses was pure and perfect as he wanted in the original project, the story was different. Instead, thanks to the changes, Michelangelo was able to obtain both the payment and the personal satisfaction. Furthermore, his work is famous for its horns that create debate and attention.

Similarly, thanks to your creative director / marketing / etc. your work of art can be used as a incisive communication. In that way the product became a selling product.

That’s the reason why to be a good designer you must be able to discern art and communication. Be grateful to the ones who gives you inputs. Prefer self-criticism to regret.

Here is a “gnammy” italian recipe: Squid Stuffed with Zucchini!

INGREDIENTS (2 persons):

• 4 Big Squids
• 2 Zucchini
• Grated Parmigiano (Parmesan) - a half cup
• Breadcrumbs - 3/4 tablespoonful
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Ground black pepper

PREPARATION:
Wash the squids and remove the tentacles. Wash the zucchini and slice them into rounds. Put the zucchini in a hot-oiled pan till they are half-cooked (slightly coloured). Blend them with the Parmigiano, Breadcrumbs & a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Stuff 3/4 of each squid with the mixture and close them with a toothpick. Put the stuffed squids in a oiled pan and observe them while the mixture inside starts ooze. Put them immediately on a plate. Have a good meal! (Buon appetito!).

And… before you eat, just have a look on this video! :P
I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

While surfing on youtube, I hit on a video by Corey Vidal*: “Blend Your Own Adventure! (INTERACTIVE)”. IMHO he’s the first one who used the youtube’s “link to another video” feature in a creative way. How? You can “play” with his videos and create different adventures. This is something like the Role-Playing Books of the 90s, in which everyone choose his own way to reach the finale.

Have a look on it!

I loved it. OK, now… Thanks to Corey, I can easily explain why Cooking is Art.
Art means: to try, to mix and to play until you are satisfied. Sure, in the video the result is always nauseating (but funny!!!). Now, let’s go behind and try to keep your concentration into the word RESULT. While you are in the Kitchen your result, to be a successful result, has to be a TASTY RESULT. That’s the key.

Mix, play and try every kind of ingredient until you find the taste you like. Use some recipe as basis, never as a RULE. Get creative and share your own experience.
Just try, and let me know your own experiment.
Leave a comment with your winning food combination!

*he’s the cool-handsome boy who is having a lot of followers thanks to his video “Star Wars ( John Williams Is The Man) - an a cappella tribute“.

It Don’t Matter If You’re
Black Or White

Michael Jackson Tribute Wallpaper Download it!

Well, relax. You are always right! The case I’m talking about is the answer to the point 2! Let’s make it easy.

• Your husband/wife/mummy/flatmate ask you to buy some juice. You go to the supermarket and, while looking to the juice shelf, you decide to buy Coop-Orange juice (the one in a plastic bottle). You go back home and put the brand-new Coop-Orange juice in the fridge. 10 minutes later (while you are laying on the sofa) your husband/wife/mummy/flatmate tells you: “What is it?”. You kindly answer back: “The Orange juice you asked for…!”. -”Coop? What’s wrong with you? Coop it’s a cheap brand”. You say: “Ok, sorry. But next time tell me you hate Coop”.
• 1 WEEK LATER. Your husband/wife/mummy/flatmate ask you to buy a Yoga juice. You go to the supermarket and, while looking to the juice shelf, you decide to buy Yoga-Orange juice in a plastic bottle. At home, some minutes later… “What is it?”. You kindly answer back: “The Orange juice you asked for…!”. -”Orange juice? What’s wrong with you? I prefer RED Orange juice”. You say: “Uhm. Ok, but this is a Yoga-Orange juice in a plastic bottle!” - “It doesn’t matter. I asked for a Red Orange juice”.
• 2 WEEKS LATER. Your husband/wife/mummy/flatmate ask you to buy a Yoga-RED Orangejuice. You go to the supermarket and, sure of your choice, you buy a Yoga-Red Orange juice in a plastic bottle. “What is it?”. - “The Orange juice you asked for…!”. -”Ok. I think we are not able to communicate. I’m depressed since yesterday, I need some alcohol and ABOVE ALL I hate plastic bottle”. Here’s your face: -.-°

The story so far: You spent 9$ for 3 different orange juices, you spent 5 minutes talking with your husband/wife/etc. (+5 minutes in the supermarket) and YOU ARE FRUSTRATED.

Now, what about your job?
Yoga or Coop brand means WRONG TARGET; Orange juice or Red Orange juice means WRONG PRODUCT; plastic bottle means WRONG SALES CHANNEL. Alcohol instead of Orange juice means WRONG COMMUNICATION btw your client and you.
Husband/wife/mummy/flatmate means a client already in your portfolio.

If you are in a similar circumstance with a brand-new client it’s YOUR FAULT. You have to ask more in the first meeting.
If not, it’s your client fault. This usually happens when:

• Too many persons are part of a meeting (too many points of view);
• Your client change the brief during the project.

What to do:

1. Stop the project immediately and cross the client out from your contact list. (YOU’VE LOST JUST 9$+10MINUTES).
2. Freeze the project and wait for a new brief. After that, estimate a new budget for the job (including the work you already done). (YOU’LL BE FRUSTRATED CUZ YOU WILL BE UNDERPAID).
3. Freeze the project for a while, have a new meeting and buy him a bottle of alcohol!!! (YOU ARE LOOSING A LOT OF MONEY, TIME AND GOOD CLIENTS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR YOU).

One of my favorite songs, one of my favorite games. Great video… “Suddenly I understood that thinking is for stupid people, while brains use the inspiration” (Alex in “A clockwork orange”).

BRB (I hope).

I read the briefing and realized that they want you to create a background for the minispace website.
The main topic is “CREATIVE USE OF SPACE” and according to it the brief says: <<think creatively, but also logically [...]. Keep in mind that the left side of each uploaded background will always be covered up by MINI Space content. Think about how your design can work with the format of the site and fit with the content that is already there. We want your designs to be seen clearly by all our users>>.

After that, looking the backgrounds already submitted from other users, I break out: “Are they able to understand what covered up by mini content means?”.
In addition I pick up on the background: (repeat-x:none, background-color:#000). I guess 80% of them didn’t know what a wide-screen monitor is.

Ok, let’s have some fun! I signed up.
I opened up Photoshop, Firefox and IE7. Left click on Firebug and a quick look at the source code and here we go.

Too many restrictions to be creative in a “always open” way. That’s not minispace.com web-designers’ fault. Of course they made a great job. BUT… to be creative in that kind of space, you must understand the layout and the way your background will be visible to other users.

Here it comes my joke about it. (Roll-over)

(click here to see the full size wallpaper)

IN SUMMARY: Most designs of that contest are cool. ON PAPER. Let webdesigner design the web. Or if you are a “PAPER-DESIGNER” learn mark-up basis and usability basics! I’m sick of unnavigable websites.

Suppose that you want to show everybody that beauty doesn’t mean perfection but means harmony.
What are you going to do to promote your thought?

1. You publish a video/illustration/photo/photomanipulation in which you show that beauty is an harmonious person. YOU ARE DOING WRONG. Why? Because nobody knows you, what you are able to do and, above all, nobody will find you. (It feels familiar to you? Please have a look on my article Art without Marketing)
2. As first step, you publish a video/illustration/photo/photomanipulation in which you show that Photoshop is used to turn ugly people into pretty. You use as subject of your work a VIP.
   As second step, once your previous video/videos (or whatever) gives you an audience, you publish a video as in point 1 of this list. YOU LEAD. YOU REACH A CATCHMENT AREA.
   How? Keywords and thumbnails. Let’s say again SEO, SEO, SEO. Keywords as “tutorial” or (eg.) “Christina Aguilera” are victorious.

This screenshot of Google AdWords surely explain better than words the keyword’s trends.
I also have a shot at doing my test on youtube.

These videos have been added in the same week. The first one called “Christina Aguilera Photoshop Makeover (wallpaper)” has been visited 200 times in 4 days. Instead, the one called “Blond girl - Extreme Photoshop Makeover (Natural skin)” has been visited 20 times in 4 days.
What’s interesting? 15 of 20 visits come from the link “Other videos of the same author” from Christina Aguilera’s video page.
What about the feedback?Christina Aguilera’s video has been commented 4 times. 2 negative, 2 positive comments. I don’t mind about the negatives. I’m happy that it has been commented. It means audience.
The “Virtuos Video” has been commented 3 times. 3 positive comments. That’s my real feedback. I care about it.

IN SUMMARY:A good idea/product/service MUST corner the market just before the REAL REALEASE of it self.