1:30 PM
"This is a guest post by Rob Rammuny. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.“I’m at a point in my blogging career where I just don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”Every blogger reaches a point in time where they find themselves struggling, it’s normal. However, the challenging part of that struggle is finding out what exactly are you doing wrong and how can you correct it. I’ve watched as thousands of bloggers throw away their blogging career, just because they were unable to answer this kind of question. After being in the blogging industry for about 19 months, I’ve studied blogs and bloggers as well as the points where they go wrong. In my 19 months of being in the industry, I’ve gathered 8 critical questions bloggers forgot to ask themselves.1. Are you blogging...
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Poll: Do You Have Email Spam Problems?
Poll: Do You Have Email Spam Problems?: "Yesterday I was listening to a talk show in the radio, and one guy was talking about Facebook Messages, their new email/messaging system. At one point the show host said something like this:Let’s hope this new system will solve the spam problem. I believe that over 90% of the email messages people receive right now are spam, right?And the “tech expert” went like this:Oh yeah spam is a big problem, and yes filtering through all the spam we receive is one of the biggest challenges right now.When I heard that I thought to myself: “You gotta be kidding!”.I agree with the person with the fact that 90% of the email messages flowing around are spam, but filtering them is not a challenge anymore, as Gmail and other clients solved it years ago.I am not sure...
Best Firefox Add-ons: LastPass Password Manager
Best Firefox Add-ons: LastPass Password Manager: "If you are a web geek you certainly have dozens of passwords from different services and websites. Gmail, WordPress, Twitter, Facebook, cPanel, GoDaddy, you name it. On top of that you also need to make sure that each password is unique, and preferably long and complex, else they would become a security risk.How do you manage all that without going crazy? With a password manager, obviously. Password managers are programs that will store your passwords securely (i.e., with encryption), and you just need to remember the master password. There are many desktop based managers, but there is also a...
Best Firefox Add-ons: PrintPDF
"Sooner or later we all need to save web pages locally. Maybe it’s a page with a tutorial for something you’ll need to do in the future, maybe it’s the sales page that you think has great copywriting and are not sure for how long it will stay online.Regardless of the reason, saving the page as an HTML file is not an effective solution. That is because you’ll need to save both page and the respective files (which usually go in a separate folder), and because when trying to open it again it might be displayed incorrectly on your browser.A better solution is to use a Firefox extension called PrintPDF. Once installed you’ll be able to save web pages...
S. Korea spy chief expects new attacks
S. Korea spy chief expects new attacks:"As South Korea and the United States wrapped up joint military exercises on the Yellow Sea on Wednesday, South Korea is reportedly planning artillery firing drills next week amid brewing tensions with North Kore...
Snoring may signal heart risk
Snoring may signal heart risk: "People who snore loudly, have difficulty falling asleep, or often wake up feeling tired may have more to worry about than dozing off at work. A new study suggests they may also be at increased risk of developing heart disease and other health problems down the roa...
WikiLeaks founder on most-wanted list
WikiLeaks founder on most-wanted list:"Interpol has added WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to its most-wanted list at the request of a Swedish court looking into alleged sex crimes from this yea...
Yahoo's most-searched term in '10 is ...
Yahoo's most-searched term in '10 is ...:"The oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico was the most searched term on Yahoo in 2010, the search engine said Wednesda...
'Cyber Monday' was biggest ever
'Cyber Monday' was biggest ever:"Yes, Virginia, there is a Cyber Monda...
Obama bans eastern Gulf drilling 7 years
Obama bans eastern Gulf drilling 7 years:"President Barack Obama will not be allowing new drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico for at least seven years, according to a senior administration officia...
$3 million bail for missing boys' dad
$3 million bail for missing boys' dad: "The father of three missing Michigan boys, held on $3 million bail and facing parental kidnapping charges, is fighting his extradition from Ohio, authorities said Wednesda...
How My Dad's a Birdman took flight
How My Dad's a Birdman took flight: "My new children's play began in the depths of a warm South Pacific lagoon and ended up in Newcastle's icy river TyneIt was 2003, and I was on a book tour in Australia with my family. My stage version of my novel Skellig was to be that year's Christmas show at London's Young Vic theatre. I sat at the window of our Sydney hotel, checking emails. One came from the theatre's artistic director, David Lan: how, he wrote, would I like to write another play, for younger children, to run in the smaller studio theatre, while Skellig played in the main house? I looked across the city. The sun poured down on the bridge,...
Jack White defends flipping fightback
Jack White defends flipping fightback: "Singer dismisses complaints of fan exploitation, saying his decision to sell limited-edition vinyl to the highest bidder cuts out opportunists who profit from secondary salesThere is a rebellion brewing among fans of Jack White's label, Third Man Records, over the company's decision to auction limited-edition releases to the highest bidder. After admitting that Third Man was inspired by profiteers who 'flipped' the label's releases on eBay, White has waded into the debate, telling critics to 'stop all of the whining'. 'We didn't do anything to you but give you what you want,' he wrote. 'Don't want them...
Erin Brockovich town's second battle
Erin Brockovich town's second battle: "Residents of Hinkley, made famous by Julia Roberts film, fight to stop history repeating itself over contaminated water supplyTen years ago the small town of Hinkley shot to international attention with the release of Erin Brockovich – the movie starring Julia Roberts that dramatised the town's battle over its contaminated water supply. Now the community of fewer than 2,000 people in California's Mojave Desert is fighting again to try to stop history repeating itself.Tempers among residents are set to run high tonight at a meeting with water board officials, representatives of California's largest utility...
Tate Britain's rehang is a terrible idea
Tate Britain's rehang is a terrible idea: "By relegating most of its pre-20th century art to the storerooms, the gallery shows a scandalous lack of regard for national treasures – and British historyTate Britain has been suffering an identity crisis for a decade, and is embarking on yet another round of therapy. The latest rehang of the collection is being billed as the beginning of an entirely new approach, scheduled to culminate in 2013 when a building programme gives it expanded gallery space and the entire collection will be displayed in chronological order. Yet if that sounds like a cure, the immediate arrangement pulls the patient to the...
US soldier accused of killing prisoner
US soldier accused of killing prisoner: "Private David Lawrence, 20, shot Taliban detainee because he wanted to 'kill the bad guys', court toldA US soldier was so eager to 'kill the bad guys' in Afghanistan that he shot dead a Taliban member who was sleeping in a cell, according to military prosecutors.The accusation came during a court hearing to determine whether Private First Class David Lawrence, 20, should be court-martialed for murder.Lawrence's lawyer, James Culp, says his client is not mentally fit to stand trial because he is taking medication for schizophrenia and depression.Culp objected to holding the hearing before the completion...
Portugal's borrowing costs jump
Portugal's borrowing costs jump: "Buyers at today's auction of government debt demanded a much higher rate of return – 5.3% from 4.8% two weeks agoPortugal saw its cost of borrowing jump significantly this morning as it paid the price for the ongoing eurozone debt crisis.Although there was relief that Portugal found buyers for the €500m (£418m) of 12-month bonds on the table, buyers at this morning's auction demanded a much higher rate of return. The debt was sold at an average yield – or effective interest rate – of 5.281%, up from 4.813% at a similar auction two weeks ago.The auction was held just hours after Standard & Poor's ratcheted...
Call for WikiLeaks culprit to be executed
Call for WikiLeaks culprit to be executed: "Republican presidential hopeful wants the person responsible for the WikiLeaks cables to face capital punishment for treasonThe Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee has called for whoever leaked the 250,000 US diplomatic cables to be executed.Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination at the last election but is one of the favourites for 2012, joined a growing number of people demanding the severest punishment possible for those behind the leak, which has prompted a global diplomatic crisis.His fellow potential Republican nominee Sarah Palin had already called for WikiLeaks...
Cancún climate talks 'vital to UK'
Cancún climate talks 'vital to UK': "Caroline Spelman, the UK's environment secretary, says we are already feeling the effects of climate change and must adapt fast• Cameron: UK is prepared to act on its own over climate changeAs representatives from almost 200 countries meet in Cancún, Mexico, this week to discuss a global deal on reducing emissions, last month's floods in Cornwall reminded us at home why this is such an important goal.Visiting Cornwall I saw for myself the devastating damage the flooding caused to homes and businesses alike. I saw too that, despite the valiant efforts of communities themselves, the Environment Agency and many...
Manics on Strictly: out of step?
Manics on Strictly: out of step?: "The one-time Generation Terrorists performing on prime-time TV could be a riot. But I fear they are putting record sales before their reputationThe announcement yesterday that Manic Street Preachers will follow the likes of Robbie Williams, James Blunt and Pandre by appearing on Strictly Come Dancing's results show was met not with a gulp of disbelief but a sigh of exasperation.The Manics are a band who demand unerring loyalty from fans. Those old enough to have followed them since their early days have found themselves having to grit their teeth through a series of highs and lows that would test the mettle...
Climate aid must be loans, says EU
Climate aid must be loans, says EU: "Cancún climate change summit campaigners say negotiations are a 'complete mess'• Caroline Spelman: Cancún climate talks are vital to the UK Europe was accused of taking unfair advantage of poor countries last night when senior officials said that it was better to make them pay for loans to reduce climate emissions rather than give them grants.Aid campaigners and developing nations have also condemned as a 'complete mess' the differences between rich countries in how they account for aid pledges. They say donors are double-counting climate aid and using 'creative accounting' to make climate pledges look more...
N Korea will attack again, says South
N Korea will attack again, says South: "South Korea's intelligence chief tells MPs that attacks are a 'high possibility' as China's foreign minister calls for restraintNorth Korea is highly likely to attack again, South Korea's intelligence chief has told MPs, according to Seoul-based media.His remarks come a week after an artillery bombardment killed two civilians and two soldiers on Yeonpyeong island – and hours after the South announced fresh military manoeuvres.Won Sei-hoon, director of the National Intelligence Service, warned: 'There is a high possibility that the North will make another attack.'He said the shelling had come amid domestic...
Ask Tom: going Dutch
Ask Tom: going Dutch: "Lonely Planet's expert Tom Hall answers this week's questions about restrictions on Amsterdam's coffee shops, travel in and around Johannesburg and group accommodation in CubaAmsterdam has long been one of my favoured travel destinations and I've heard rumours that 'coffee' shops are due to be prevented from selling 'coffee' to non-Dutch nationals. Could you confirm the truth of this ugly rumour please? Also, as I have one child (well an adult now) born in Zaandam to a Surinamese lass holding Dutch nationality might I have a get-out clause, so to speak?CellarmanBoth this question and the one below were asked during last...
What it's like to 'win' Bad Sex prize
What it's like to 'win' Bad Sex prize: "I can't say I was thrilled to get this travesty of a literary award, but at least it's working hard to publicise my novelLast Monday I was in Paris when the Literary Review emailed me with the irritating news that I was the favourite to 'win' the 2010 Bad Sex award. 'Quel honneur' I quipped , relieved there was an international frontier, a channel of water, and 950 years of bad blood between me and this unwelcome dishonour. Emails of increasing desperation followed, culminating in the news that I was in fact the … er ... winner. How annoying, I thought. Here was my novel The Shape of Her, highly commended...
London bike hire opens to tourists
London bike hire opens to tourists: "'Boris bikes' have been a huge success, with more than 1.8m journeys in four months. But will there be enough to go round?• Bike podcast: London's cycle hire scheme• Interactive: Where to hire bikes in LondonOn a warm summer morning four months ago, Boris Johnson stood in the shadow of the London Eye and unveiled the flashiest project of his mayoralty: a £140m public bike hire scheme that would, he said, provide 6,000 bicycles for rent across the capital. It was, he conceded cheerfully, a 'deeply communist' idea, and what larks that it had taken a Tory politician to make it happen. Never mind that it was Ken...
Activist on trial for World Cup blasts
Activist on trial for World Cup blasts: "Al-Amin Kimathi, who exposed secret renditions, is among 17 standing trial for World Cup bombingsA Kenyan human rights activist who exposed a secret renditions operation involving African governments and the US is to stand trial in Uganda for alleged involvement in the July suicide bombings that killed 76 people.Al-Amin Kimathi, head of the Muslim Human Rights Forum in Kenya, was among 17 co-defendants whose cases were sent to a high court in Kampala yesterday. They have been charged with murder and terrorism related to the twin bombings in July that targeted football supporters watching the World Cup...
Twitter denies silencing students
Twitter denies silencing students: "• Social networking site rejects interference claims as 'absurd'• Twitter users say accounts were unavailable during protestsTwitter has rejected as 'absurd' the notion it suppressed or interfered with the accounts of student protesters or co-operated with the police in monitoring tweets about demonstrations.Much of the organising of the marches and occupations at universities and colleges over recent weeks has been organised through social networking sites, particularly Twitter and Facebook, something which has hampered police efforts to keep abreast of protesters' plans.In recent days several Twitter users...
Wildlife plan for Tamil stronghold
Wildlife plan for Tamil stronghold: "Scene of heavy fighting in civil war to be cleared of hundreds of thousands of landmines and used to help protect elephantsSri Lanka is to create a wildlife sanctuary in a swath of heavily mined jungle that was once the stronghold of the Tamil Tigers separatists, an official said today, a year and a half after the country's 25-year civil war ended.More than 100,000 acres (40,000 hectares) in the northern Mullaitivu district will be used to conserve wildlife, including elephants.The densely jungled area, which was the setting for key rebel bases during the civil war, is however an unlikely site for a nature...
