Posted by Leigh on July 24, 2008
Thanks to the help of some wonderful Wordpress plugins it’s easy to remove the “No Follow” attribute from all comments and trackbacks.
Most blog platforms have a built in default for the ‘NoFollow’ code. Wherever there is a link in a comment, search engines will not follow the link as they are crawling the internet, thus not providing backlinks and trackbacks. Its intended purpose was to help stop comment spam, but it doesn’t work. What it does do is remove some of the incentive for readers to contribute to your site by commenting on your posts.
Read the whole article at: Life in the Fast Lane.
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Posted by Leigh on May 6, 2008
Instant messengers…. A love/hate relationship…
In my case yahoo… I’ve used yahoo for years to keep in touch with distant friends and business associates and I’ve always loved it… Quick, easy and instant (if both parties are online) it’s the best way for me to talk to people… As I’m really not much of a phone person…
Enter social networking sites… You chat with someone for just a few minutes using the site and then they ask for your IM… After ten minutes, you decide the person is a total idiot… Unfortunately, they’ve already added you to their friends list….
Now for me, my friends list is kept to a minimal… Only the people I talk to often, or the ones I’d like to talk to often (Bryon, this means you!), my clients and a few family members… But it seems to me that some people must have lists of thousands… Because as soon as I show available, I’ve got people I haven’t talked to in years, or don’t even remember popping up annoying me….
So you switch to invisible status, hiding from everyone, or showing available to only the people on your list… Then people learn that you’re in hiding, usually if you’re logged into another site that shows you as online… Next thing you know, annoying messages are popping up all over your screen and you get nothing that you were trying to accomplish done, even if you’re just shutting the boxes for the people you don’t wish to talk to…. IT’S THE MOST ANNOYING THING TO ME!
Now add the fact that you can use your cell phone to chat over IMs. I accidentally left myself logged in on my Blackjack the first night after I figured it out, but I was invisible, so it shouldn’t have been a problem. Imagine my surprise and anger at being awakened at 3am by my phone, some one was sending messages to his whole list (me included)… Needless to say, that person is now on my ignore list. Which in my case is thousands of people, while my friends list is just 4, one of those being Russ.
RULES OF IM - ACCORDING TO ME (The way I wish things were)
1. People give you a few minutes after you log on before messaging you.
2. If you don’t appear to be online, people don’t try to start a conversation. They may leave you a message asking you to get back to them when you get on… But none of the BS messages like: Waz Up? Or Hey, you there? Obviously, if someone isn’t showing online, then they don’t want to chat…. Duh…
3. People don’t send messages to their entire list. This is another one of my pet peeves, receiving messages that were clearly not sent to you, but to the persons whole list. Stuff like: Hey, is anyone on? If you can’t take the time to write to me personally, don’t write to me at all! This also refers back to #2, if someone’s not showing online, they don’t want to be bothered.
4. If you haven’t talked to someone recently, you remove them from your list. Or email then to see if they want to chat with you still. You do not IM and ask them WHO they are. It’s alright to ask someone who they are, if you were not the one to initiate the conversation.
5. If someone shows online, but busy, with a status message of ‘working’ or something similar, you do not IM them and start asking for pictures, etc… Respect others time as you wish them to respect yours!
6. Don’t immediately add people tp your list when you get their ID. Wait until you’ve talked to them for a while, to see if you’re ever going to want to chat with them again.
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Posted by Leigh on April 21, 2008
This site will be undergoing maintenance this afternoon for a while. So if it’s unavailable, please be patient, it shouldn’t take more than an hour or so to upgrade the scripts.
FAQ -
I’m often asked why I prefer my own domain/site to using MySpace or one of the other free blog sites…
To answer this simply: I dislike being governed by other people’s rules.
To go into more depth:
MySpace, this was a good idea when the site came out, but then they sold out and started placing way too many ads on the free blogs. If I’m going to use ads on my sites, I fully intend to reap the profits myself rather than make money for someone else. The rules on the site also affect my decision, I just want to be able to do my own thing, without worrying about getting my blog banned.
Wordpress.com: Although I love the Wordpress script, and use it on a lot of sites, from my own personal blog to my professional blog, to a number of client site, my decision to host my sites on my own server once again comes back to censorship.
Hosting my blog myself frees me from any rules and or regulations placed upon free blog users. I can do what I want without any interference.
Can this be done on any server? NO! Before signing up for hosting service, check the provider’s terms of service for the types of content allowed on their servers. I searched far and wide to find a hosting company that has the least amount of restrictions, and I got my own server from them. 99% of the sites I run/own/manage reside on this server. If you want more info on the company, or would like to host your own blog on my server, contact me to make arrangements, I do sell hosting on it to sites other than my clients. But I am very picky about who I sell too, because I like my server to be problem free!
Will I build you a free blog?
Free - yes and no (read on)
I will build you a site for free and charge you a few dollars per month for hosting, usually for a low traffic blog I can do it for $1-$2 per month. The more bandwidth you use, the more it’s going to cost! Sorry, that’s how the world works. Ironically enough, this site is one of the bandwidth hogs on my server. (Hmm, could it be because 90% of the bandwidth used here is those of you looking at my private pictures… lol)
This also depends on a few factors, mainly being how busy I am at the time asked.
The second factor is whether or not it is a commercial site or a personal site. If you want a commercial site, contact me, I’ll give you an estimate. If it’s a personal/not for profit site - I’d love to if I have time, the most I will require is a link back to the site of my choice, whether it be this blog, my professional blog or my business site. If your site gains popularity, and thus builds traffic using more bandwidth, I will help you monetize it so that it will pay for itself (hosting fees).
If you’re looking for a site for a charity/non-profit organization, I will do the site for free, and possibly even host it for free depending on the organization.
I will not host any sites on any domain names registered to me. You must get your own domain name.
I am all for Net Neutrality! I do not work with any companies that are against it. This is my way of contributing to keeping the internet unbiased! (Or at least my little section of it.)
Interested in the topics I talked about, then you might find these interesting:
Broadband Carriers Blow Off Net Neutrality Meeting
WordPress com Banned Again: Why Aren’t You Concerned?
Save the Internet: More on Net Neutrality This is something everyone needs to understand, as those of you using Comcast as your internet service provider are already being greatly affected by it!
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Posted by Leigh on April 15, 2008
Okay, I’ve had many requests to post more about myself.
About Me:
I’m honest, straight forward, and sometimes just blunt. I don’t do bullshit - so I don’t expect to hear it. I don’t do online drama either, so don’t try to get me involved!
I’m a night person – not a morning person. Unfortunately, I have to get the kids up for school in the morning, so I don’t get to sleep in anymore.
I work from home - so there’s usually no need for me to get ready. I just throw on some comfy clothes and head to my desk to work (or play on here..LOL). Some days I don’t even bother combing my hair till about noon but most I just grab a pony to get it out of my eyes.
House keeping, I hate this chore and do as little as possible until someone calls and says they are coming out. I work best under pressure. LOL
I hate to sit down for meals – it seems a big waste of time - But I do sit down meals for supper most nights for my kids. Other than that I usually eat while I’m working or doing something else. And it’s usually finger foods, peanut butter is my favorite - I spread it on everything from graham crackers to apples and bananas.
But I do love to cook, when I get the urge to that is. Usually something like crab or scallops or something I found in a magazine. I can’t make a lot of normal dishes like meatloaf and stuff, but that’s probably because I don’t eat much red meat.
I’m addicted to diet pepsi. Almost always have a bottle handy.
I’m not a big fan of talking on the phone. First off I’m very hard of hearing and feel like I’m always asking people to repeat themselves. I try to deal with most of my business associates by email or conference room (I have a private chat room that I use). If forced to, I will use the phone.
I know people think I look good, but that’s not really how I see myself. To me I’m just Mom, usually in jeans and t-shirts with sticky little fingerprints on me, smudged make-up and messy hair. I’m not a clothes horse, and I don’t get dressed up that often. But I do like to show off my body because I do work hard to keep it that way! lol
So that’s a little about me! Any questions? 
This was a post I made quite sometime ago on a certain social networking site that I quickly bored with because all anyone there is looking for is free porn…
The next one is my most used profile from other sites:
We can all be only who we are and no one else…
So why try to be?
I’m cynical, yet a dreamer. To have no dreams… is to have nothing to live for…
I’m serious, yet I think laughter is the most important thing…
I’m honest and straightforward… sometimes blunt… But I never aim to hurt…
I’m a smart ass, a tease and outgoing… I have nothing to hide…
I like intriguing conversations, good debates, and with friends can be persuaded to play…
I will listen to your problems, be a shoulder to cry, or vent on… And do what I can to put a smile on your face…
I’m many things … but most of all I’m real. If you’re looking to make a friend, I do that well…
If I sound like someone you would like to get to know… You know how to reach me…
I’m not single - I’m looking only for friends…
Okay - By popular demand:
Height: I’m 5′5″ Barefoot
Weight: Well let’s just say that it’s under 120 lbs
Eyes: Green/Grey Color
Hair: That is my natural hair color
Somethings to think about:
It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
Happiness is within reach, if we only believe and act upon it!
Live your life the way YOU want to - to hell with the rest of the world! (As it will be you who looks back with regret if you do not - not the rest of the world!)
The world’s a tough place - most of us won’t come out of it alive…..
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