Possibly Related Posts on WordPress Blogs

I looked at one of my posts today and What the hell is this? There was a link at the bottom of my post for “possibly related” content. It was a link to a photo site of Red Hook Ballfields.

Yo, I control my blog. Links on my website are JO approved only. I would never put up spam for my readers. This completely ruins my integrity.

Luckily, there is a solution to take off this feature:

From your main page, click on DESIGN -> EXTRAS
Check: Hide related links on this blog, which means this blog won’t show up on other’s blogs or get traffic that way
Update

Part of me says ‘maybe this is good, it might give me some link love’ but I just cannot sacrifice my integrity like this. I am not particularly a fan of all the new wordpress changes.

thanks Lorelle

Remove the message - This publisher could not be verified

This publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run this software?

This happens when you are trying to run a program which is unfamiliar to your system.

If you do not have the option to uncheck the ‘Always ask before opening this file’ option, there is another way:

You can turn off all of these messages by doing as follows:
Open up internet Explorer
Tools -> Internet options
Click on Security tab
Click on custom level button
Under “Launching applications and unsafe files” click enable

Our problem may have been that the program we were running was located on a network and the computer treated it like a program over the internet. Basically, it didnt like it.

This is just one way to solve this problem on some HP systems. There are probably a hundred ways, but most will be basically the same idea.

Hope this helps.

Endorsement: Email Notifications - POP Peeper

We had a problem at a company I’ve started working as a tech consultant…

They were having trouble setting email alerts in the Goldmine CRM program, they wanted each computer to get notifications if emails were sent to a multiple email accounts. Because goldmine didnt have a notification system that worked cleanly, I thought about a third party software…

Pop Peeper was my solution. This program is very simple, it runs in the background, and doesnt seem to intrude. You can use it to retrieve email, but what I am using it for is the notification window that pops up on the bottom left corner of the screen when you have a new message. From there, you can choose to access it through your own email client (goldmine, hotmail, outlook, etc), access through POP Peeker, or just ignore it.

Another fun option is the ability to have the scroll lock LED blink on your keyboard when you have a new message - cool right?? It is called “Flash scroll lock” - It’s about time they put that key to work.

I chose to have an icon visible next to the clock so the employees would have peace of mind that it is running and working. It is very important for people to have reassurance that everything is working.

What is also impressive is the fluidity of the website. The FAQs are straightforward and easy to navigate. The entire site is very functional, clean, but still has some fun ways of navigating.

I do not endorse much, when I do, you can bet it is a great, no hassle, functional program. I hereby endorse POP Peeper.

Check it out if you think it can help you. Send your problems my way - I’ll find you solutions.

Links:
Official Site
Cnet Download - See user reviews

Phishing Real Estate Message - starting at CL

I had a run-in with a phishing scam recently, I think people should know about it…
First they had a listing on Craigslist for an apartment in Jackson Heights for $550 (what a steal right??). Well, me being naive, I wasted 10 minutes of my life explaining how I would be a great tenant to “Melanie Becker” of melanie.becker11@gmail.com

Heres the message I received a couple of days later:
“Hello,
Thank you for your interest. I have available the apartment but now I’m in London, United Kingdom with my job , I will stay here for 3 years. So this is the reason that I want to rent the apartment. I can rent you the apt for max 3 years because I have a contract here for this period. I’m the owner of the apt and its like in the pics. The rent for 1 month is $550.00 including all utilities (water,electricity,internet,cable, parking). You can move in the apt in the same day when you receive the keys.I must inform you that the keys from my apartment are with me and hope that we will find a compromise.
Thanks.”
—————————————
I knew it was a phishing scam of course because
A) they use no names in the email
B) this person is out of town and of course it will lead to some wiring of some sort
C) unfortunately, $550 in JH is too good to be true ( I hate that phrase )
D) I googled the first line of the email and found another person who got this message, wrote back, and received another message from the phisher
SOOOO, I copied THAT message and wrote it back to the phisher….
—————————-
From: me To: the phisher
“Obviously we need a way to complete this deal that will allow us to make sure we receive what we are after. I have found a way for us to complete the deal safely and fast, and in this way you will receive the Keys in less than 2 days, if you move fast as well. The solution is provided by a company called TNT which is similar to Fedex, DHL orUPS, which will handle the payment and delivery of the Keys.I have found a procedure that will allow you to pay for the rent of the apt only after you will receive the keys it and through this way you will see it and decide if you will stay in the apt or not before I receive my payment.Please click on the link bellow to the TNTwebsite to see how we can complete the deal safely and fast directly from the website of the company where the procedure is explained:http://www.tnt.com/country/en_generic/services/special_services/timecritical.html Let me know if you are interested please because I really need to take care of this matter by the end of the next week.Regards, “
——————————————–
Now, I thought this was a real smart alec thing to do. Maybe the person would find it funny or come clean. I hoped I would get some sort of human response.
I was naive again, Here is the next message:
———————————————-
From: “melanie becker” To: Me

“Like I said, I will pay for a 2 days delivery so you will receive the Keys and the contract signed by me right away.I will explain to you step by step how this will work .
1) First you will have to send me your full name and address. I will need them for the shipping.
2) I go to the TNT store and leave the Keys and the contract onto your name as the intended receiver.
3) TNT will check the envelope to see if everything is OK with it and also the legal papers that will come along with the Keys.
4) TNT will send you a delivery notification to let you know they have the Keys and the papers in their custody, in which you will be told that they have the Keys and that they checked it.
5) At this point you will have to go to a Western Union Agent
Location and make a money deposit on the TNT payment agent name for the amount we agreed .
6) After you make the deposit you will have to send the info about the money deposit to TNT (MTCN, sender’s name and address)
7) TNT will verify the payment informations and if everything is in order they will deliver the Keys and the contract to you . After you receive the package , You will go and check the apt and in 2 days you must contact them and tell them if you keep the apt or not, if all is in order you will instruct TNT to send me the informations about the money deposit and I will be able to receive the funds . If you don`t like the apt they will send your money back to you and you will send them
the keys and the contract to them.
I will pay TNT for the shipping and you will pay Western Union for the Money Transfer fee .
Let me know if we can do this.
Thank you, “
———————————————-
So this person didnt get the fact that I sent them their own spam message back to them, and just proceeded to send the next in the string of messages to me.

Soooo, what do I do now? I don’t think anyone has gone beyond this point in the scam. I am playing with my favorite email address now, and I don’t want to taint that.
ahh, the person probably doesnt even speak english, there’s no use in dealing with them.
END.

I said NO to smoking - oops, lesson learned

I have been getting promotional items in the mail from cigarette companies since college. It’s worked out pretty well, I have this fireproof pouch, and zippo, and this cool key chain and other things.

Yesterday I got a letter telling me I can get a free beach towel if I filled out info on a website, custombeachtowel.com — Now, don’t go to the site just yet, you will need some information….

On the site, they ask for a few numbers that are supposed to be located on the mailer. One number I didnt see anywhere. So I called up customer service. They asked me my information, then Margaret from CS asked me if I am a smoker

“No.” I said in a ‘whatcha gonna do bout it’ fashion.
“Okay Mr. Orlick, because you said you are not a smoker, I will be taking your name off our promotional mailing list. Our promotional items are only available to people who ARE smokers”
“No wait! I was, off and on.”
“You are not a smoker.”
“Well, I can be convinced!”
“Sorry, Mr. O…” Click.

I cannot tell a lie. Maybe I should learn.

Links:
CustomBeachTowel.com
smokersignup.com

My Last Conversation Starters List

Friday is my last day, here is my list of conversation starters.

Have you ever defended someone’s honor? When was the last time you should have? Was it against someone you know or not?

If your significant other said it was okay, would you cheat on them?

What was the reason you went to the doctor last?

Talk in an accent you’d like to have.

Whats your favorite combination of soft drinks?

What was the last time someone called at an inappropriate time? What happened? did you answer? Delete one person from your phone’s address book right now. Who’s gone? Do you wish you hadn’t? Is there anyone in your phone book that you know they don’t have your number?
What do you want more of?

Links:
I get inspiration from a few websites for conversation starters
http://wis.dm/
Cosmo
Yelp talk boards

I usually start from things I’ve heard or conversations I’ve read and let my mind wander off. What would people argue about? What are people proud of? What would create the most emotions out of a person, good or bad.

This was probably the best part of my job at flix55.com. I hope I’ve helped some people have a bit of fun in the past year.

News Related Conversation Starters

After my company decided not to use any of my conversation starters, I realized they were using ones related to news articles lately. Here are my Conversation starters related to news articles.

Harvard University has banned men from one of its gyms for a few hours a week to accommodate Muslim women who say it offends their sense of modesty to exercise in front of the opposite sex.
Do you feel uncomfortable exercising in front of the opposite sex? What do you think of girls who wear makeup to the gym? Do you wear makeup to the gym? Is there anything that you refuse to do at the gym? Guys, do you shower at the gym? Do you ever peek?
Is there anything in particular you feel uncomfortable doing in front of the opposite sex?

A wallet misplaced during a romantic embrace has been returned to its forgetful owner after 55 years. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6634215.stm
Did you ever lose something while making out with someone? Has a significant other ever stolen anything from you? Have you ever left anything at an ex’s place and realized later that you really want it back?
George W Bush backs John McCain, who has sealed the Republican nomination to run for US president.
When’s the last time a friend blew up your spot? Who’s your best wingman, what’s he do to help you? When’s the last time you’ve said ‘thanks, but no thanks’ to something? What does a family member make that you absolutely hate to eat?
House price growth across Europe slowed sharply in the second half of 2007, according to a report. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7277588.stm
How much do you pay in rent? Do you think it’s worth it? Which of your friends has the best shit in their apartment? Do you feel bad for the people getting your apartment next year? What surprises will they find? Did you find any surprises with your current abode?

Body-conscious teenagers may believe cutting out breakfast will help them lose weight, but the opposite appears to be the case, US research suggests. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7275554.stm
When’s the last time you ate?

In a recent survey of more than 4,000 college students across the country, a sociology professor at Stanford University found that women in college orgasm less than half as often as college males during hook-ups. http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2007/11/14/News/O.Gap.College.Women.Orgasm.Less.Than.Men-3099397.shtml
Do you care if you partner has an orgasm? Do you feel guilty if they don’t? When’s the last time you really Conquered in bed? Is there anything in your bedroom you would be embarrassed if a potential suitor saw? What is it? Where do you hide it? What do you hide when your parents come to visit? Have you ever hooked up with someone who reminded you a little too much of a member of your family?

Food Blog Help

Ang,
Here are some links to sites that can help us with our food blogs.
I havent used them all yet, but they have some good info and resources
http://pingomatic.com/
http://www.benjaminchristie.com/article/260/food-blog-aggregators-and-content-syndication
http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2006/11/more_blogging_a.html
http://www.benjaminchristie.com/article/265/food-blog-secrets-and-how-to-make-yours-successful
http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2007/10/how_to_make_you.html
http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2005/08/my_1000th_post_.html

hope these help
for anyone else reading, feel free to post your own tips and websites

Sex/Relationship Related Conversation Starters

These questions are my submission for my job at Flix55.com. Here is a link to where students answer the questions: Curbsides

What is one thing you would like to teach opposite sex?
Which race would you like to add to your lineage?
What is one thing you cannot do, that you want to be able to do?

What is one question you would like to ask the opposite sex?
If a woman is wearing a shirt with a lot of cleavage showing, is it wrong to look?
For girls, you have 1 cubic foot of hair to put on a guy, where will you put it?
Where would you prefer to have your guy shaved?

Girls, would you rather have a guy who is an accountant or punches one out?

When have you gotten a gift to make up for something someone did wrong?
What works better? Foreplay or choreplay?
When was the last time you were hit on? What happened? were you into it? What would it have taken for you to have been?

When should I not talk to you?
What should I do when you go crazy?

Whats one thing you kept from your ex that you can say now?
What is one thing that is a turn on for you that for most people would be a turn OFF?
Do you have any friends you want out of the “friends zone”?
You are having a threesome with any of your significant other’s friends, who will it be?
What characteristics of the other sex do you have?

Too hot for work:
girls, would you rather lose 10 pairs of shoes or an inch from your guy?
why are girls hesitant when a guy wants to give her oral sex?

What’s the Difference Between Categories and Tags?

I made the mistake originally with this blog of giving categories to all the related items with each blog post. Now I have the massive job of converting the categories to tags and figuring out which categories I want to have set here.

Tags and categories are used for search engines to be able to find which webpages are the most relevant to the words being searched. The SE will take into consideration website names, post titles, text sizes, categories, tags, links, and other factors.

Your list of categories could be used as a sidebar or widget on your blog. You can use this as a way for onlookers to navigate your site and find your posts related to that topic.

Categories can be used for people who are already on your site. Tags are for people to find it.

Tags are all words related to your post. You can just go off on this and type a million tags - you will only clutter that post. If you are spamming though, the more tags the less weight the tags hold though, but if you are an honest blogger you shouldn’t have to worry about this.

You want to put as tags specific words or phrases that people may search for to find your post. Put yourself in the person’s keyboard who might want to find you. What would they google search?

You can have multiple categories for a post.

There is much more to categories vs tagging, but this is just a start.