[bloggage] Hallo, EU! Cookies Ahoy!

3206.

Today, when logging in here, I was blessed with a small orange bugle horn next to the "Overview" tab of my Blogger dashboard. This does not happen often.

Going to the dashboard, I'm presented with a notice that according to laws in the European Union, Blogger blogs have to display a notice that cookies are being used and give the end-loader a chance to acknowledge this. Since you're not in the EU if you're in America (though some would probably suggest otherwise), and Blogger insists that it's your (that's you, Mr or Ms Blogger, of Anytown, USA) responsibility to ensure the banner shows, you have to pretend you're not from here to see it.

Gladly, this is not a hard thing to do. If you have a Blogger blog and you don't have a custom domain, your blog's url ends in blogspot.com. To view it like a tourist, just change the url ending to an appropriate form. Instead of zehnkatzen.blogspot.com, for instance, I tried zehnkatzen.blogspot.co.uk and zehnkatzen.blogspot.fr. Easy as that.

When I did this, I got this big banner:

Clicking the Got it button caused it to shrink, thusly:

… and clicking the Got it button again caused it to disappear entirely, revealing the search bar. Back to normal.

Anyone reading this and who has a Blogger blog probably has seen the notice on their dashboard and all the links you need to make sense of this are thereupon. But, in the spirit of community, heads up.

[bloggage] It's Good To Be Listed: I'm On The List At PDXBloggers.

3151.

As I've hinted, I'm now part of the most recent PDX master blog directory: PDXBloggers.com.

So check that shizz out, yo. And thanks to the PDXBloggers crew for adding me.

[blog] Email Notifications Enabled

3041.

At least a couple of you (may the Deity-as-appropriate bless) have mentioned they'd not find email updates to this blog amiss.

I'm flattered that people read this chronicle at all, actually, and finding out when I publish, as I'm still irregularly updating, is problematical unless you monitor Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, et alia. So, as of now, at the top of the sidebar, you'll find a place to enter your email address, and when I publish, Feedburner will let you know there's something new to look at.

Onward, ever upward, and all that.

[blog] A Most Unique Mea Culpa: Sorry CookingSchools.Net Is Sorry

2921.We receieved the most memorable, so far, in its way, of communiques here at Home Base today.

Some time ago, we linked to and shared, via this blog, a very witty and very true infographic we found, lord only remembers how at this point, extolling the virtues and benefits of Sriracha - the famous Rooster Sauce, that Thai/Viet style red sauce in the big plastic bottle.

It's an acquired taste. One should work on that. But I digress. The infographic is at this entry hyar.

Today I got an email from on Jack Pritt, saying he was writing on behalf of the site that (I understood) originally released the graphic: CookingSchools.net (I'll not link that right now; why anon). The missive read, in part, as thus:

My name is Jack, and I'm contacting you on behalf of CookingSchools.net today. That makes this seem like a spam email, but I promise it's not. We recently lost our ranking with Google because they changed their standards for webmasters. In the past, we, more or less, pushed links onto people, begging them to please link to us when we thought that their sites would add value to ours and vice versa. It is this pushing that got us into trouble. We behaved in such a way that even the links on good quality sites aren't what they should be. It is our fault entirely.

So, apparently, CookingSchools.Net is a bad actor, at least by the lights of  Google, who de-ranked them a bit because they were way too needy with people who linked to them.

For the record, I linked there because, well, they created that nifty graphic. Honest-to-Ra-truth. But, they've been shilling so much, I guess, that Google took a dim view, and they're doing damage control there.

Well, if that's really what's been going on, then good on them for being so sincere and owning it and all. It's so easy not to own what mistakes one makes on the 'net, and so easy to make them … so, as per Jack's request, I've delinked the entry to CookingSchools.Net from that blog posting. I have, however, left the credit in the narrative.

Because … well, they created it, not me. And it doesn't seem to be a spam site or anything like that, so cut'n'paste from the text here if yer curious.

And so it goes.

[bloggage] Confirmation That I Kick Ass: ZehnKatzen Enters The Alltop Zone

2670.Apparently, as Aretha once sang, we been livin' right:

As of now, the feed of this blog has been added to the aggregator Alltop, which is the niftiest thing that's happened of late. I'm in the Graphic Design topic, aber naturlich, which can be peeped here:

http://graphic-design.alltop.com/

Now it's time to really up my game. And this is quite an inspiration to do so.

That badge - and the newsfeed from the Alltop aggregator - will henceforth be found in the Connections section of the sidebar, up immediately to the right of the topmost posting.

Thank you, Guy Kawasaki!

[bloggage] Blogger On The New Blogger Interface

2682.Blogger Product Manager, Chang Kim, on the new Blogger interface …

It’s been a few years since we made major updates to Blogger’s look and feel, and there’s a lot more to these changes than just shiny new graphics. We’ve rewritten the entire editing and management experience from scratch so it’s faster and more efficient for you—and easier for us to update and improve over time.

That pretty much nails it. The new Blogger interface has a ton of good mojo working through it. As I earlier mentioned, I'd used a number of other offline-blog posting software, some stand-alone, some browser based, with a variety of experiences.

Why? Because the old Blogger interface was tired and non-intuitive. When they rebuilt this thing from the ground up, my friends, they did it right. Photos are now easy-peasy-lemon-crushy to place. Text formatting is now very word-processor-like, with the familiar CMD-I for italic, CMD-B for bold, CMD-U for underline. I don't have to go looking for things, and everything is where I need it … even labels are quick and easy.

This Blogger gives the new interface an enthusiastic thumbs-up, and I'd encourage every other blogger to at least give them a try. They did them up right.

[bloggage] Coming Home To The Blogger Interface (For Now, Anyway)

2666.As surprising as it seem, I'm not using ScribeFire or any browser extension to post this message. I'm using Blogger's web interface to do this.

I've used a handful of off-line blogging tools for a while, liking the word-processor-like functionality and such. First was Adobe Contribute, which was very good for a while, but just irritates me anymore. It takes too long to load posts. I can't depend on if it works this time, it'll work next time. I've tried Qumana, and used ScribeFire for a very long time. I even tried using the Flock browser (you remember the Flock browser, don't you?).

Each time I used each of the alternatives I was looking for something that the Blogger interface did not provide. Functionality, user experience, looks, ease of locating things I've wanted to have and use. And, so, I've not used the Blogger interface for a very long time.

But now I'm back, at least for now. You know how it was, when you were a kid, and that member of the opposite sex you particularly liked to torment because (boys are icky/girls are gross) and never got tired of making them suffer? And then you take a look at them one day after you age into double-digits and … hey, baby, you're looking good!


It's kind of that way now. Blogger's web interface has really grown and matures. It puts everything I need at hand and it's easy and has become very intuitive. Everything has became very easy, really, including and especially image uploading and formatting.

So for now, I'll be webbing in to post these missives. Because it's a good thing, and Blogger's like VISA … everywhere I want to be.

[bloggage] Do You Want Your Blog to Look Like Google+?

2643.Well, here's a template for you then.

[bloggage] A Note In Passing About Blog Design

2642.Those of you who do come here might wonder what's up with this. Peforce, an explanation.

A couple of people I referred here couldn't make the blog load. When I surf this from the library computers, I just get a black screen. I have used the template that I used (Minima Black) for many many many years. Mount Hood was just called Hill Hood, is how long I'd been using that. 

It had occurred to me that some cruft had obviously crept into the workins. So, what the hell … saved the old header image (it is pretty sweet) and retired some gadgets that were slowing down my loading. And in Chrome, it pops right back up. Nice and swiftee.

I'm going to be experimenting with the possibilities that the Blogger Template Designer affords. I like Blogger. It makes things very easy to do and it's pretty well connected. I know this sandbox and I like playing in it. 

So I'm going to monkeying around a bit. 

Just so you all know.

 

[bloggage] ScribeFire Image Uploading Down, Again. Waah.

2463.

Well, I do complain a little. But it's hard to run a blog that fancies itself fixated on visual issues if the uploading of pics becomes a pain.

I still adore ScribeFire, and will still use ScribeFire (remembering the debacle with Flock the last time this happened, irritating thing) but I wish the developer would get ahead of this somehow. It repeats, this "Unable to acquire authorization token" thing. Makes me cry and die inside.

I'll have to upload pics some other way, I guess.

Technorati Tags: bloggage, scribefire

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[net liff] How To Be A Very Popular Blogger In Several Steps, Or Die Trying

2438.

I have declared it to be sarcasm day on this blog, and this next post is written with that accord.

Having been blogging since 2004, and now having almost 2500 posts under my belt and up to one (sometimes two) regular readers, I find that people on the street ask me "Sam, to what do you attribute your success?"

I then answer in slow, complete sentences while calling for help on my cell phone (TracFone, yo, it's the future).

One day, after watching one of my admirers being led away under sedation, I asked myself, "Self," (I asked myself), "just how is it your blog can reach the heights of popularity, attracting sometimes tens of readers a day and a loyal following of at least several square blocks?".

And then I reminded myself, my name's Sam, not Self.

But still, it's a good question. Being so cool people don't know I'm cool takes three things: finesse, strategy, and a third thing I forget. But it also takes a blog! And if you want to know how to be uberpopular, like me, there are a few things you must, absolutely, in order and in toto do. Now, I'll be honest here: you have to do them all, preferably simultaneously, and in a public place if possible. If you leave out just one step ... and I can't emphasize this strongly enough ... they'll come and take away your blogging card, and you'll die alone and neglected. However, if you're reading something like this, then you're already alone and neglected, so no change there really.

Ready? Too bad. Here we go.

1. Be Yourself.

You, my friend, are a special and unique flower, and a child of the universe, and everyone is special to everyone else. And, sure, you're going to look like a bunch of characters on a backlit screen to someone, but your specialness will shine through the 1's and 0's.

2. Be All Things To All People

The average internet user doesn't like too many surprises and too much diversity. Broadening your appeal is the surest way to appeal to as many people as you can. So what if you're not a 14 year-old girl who loves Miley Cyrus and plays Yu-Gi-Oh cards? If you come off like someone who might be, you've won the battle right there.

3. Write Narrowly on a Subject You're Expert In

Let's face it, people respect experts. Doesn't matter what it is, they adore passion and love a learned person. You know everything worth knowing about Tuvan throat-singers? Blog away! Before you know it, links will flock in from all over and Google AdSense will be your beeyotch.

4. Write Broadly On Things Of General Interest

Experts are fine, but sometimes they can be real elite snobs. Who needs to be reading that all day. If your interests are a mile wide and a molecule deep, speak on whatever trips your light fantastic! Your readers need to understand that you won't let a lack of knowledge stay your courage to tackle amazingly abstruse concepts! Just read up on Wikipedia, and blog away!

5. Be Safe and Comfortable To Others

They used to have a saying: "Nobody ever went broke by buying IBM". Similarly, nobody ever lost out by riding with the herd - you hear about thinking outside the box all the time, how do they know they're outside that box? By all us conventional thinkers inside the box! Remember, the last word in conventional wisdom is wisdom.

6. Be Iconoclastic and Daring - Break Boundaries!

There's a lot of safety in numbers, true, but sometimes it takes a real rebel ... like, say, Carrot Top and comedy ... to move us all forward. Follow the herd if you wish, but don't be afraid of a little intellectual off-roading! Unless you don't have an intellectual 4-wheel drive!

There you have it. Your cut-and-dried, easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy, guide to guaranteed wealth and fawining fans on the intartuebz. Follow all them, and you'll be as one with the Universe ... leave just one out, and you will be damned to a 2400 baud connection in the afterlife. And do them all in order! Unless you're an iconoclast, in which case maybe not!

GUARANTEED TO WORK. Unless they don't of course.

This post will self-destruct in five seconds.

Technorati Tags: blogging, sacrastic how-to

[design] Escape From Illustration Island

2405.Here's a great site I just stumbled on to.

Local illustrator Thomas James is one of those creative professionals that I think our chosen professions would die out without, because without such people we'd all feel completely isolated and alone. They don't believe the illustration or design world is a pie with only a limited amount of pieces to give out, but that you increase what's out there by sharing what you know.

His omnibus site is Escape From Illustration Island. It's the sort of site where he encourages community and shares what he knows about what's cool and what helps you go 'round to get 'round. He helps you fuel your passion.

I'm still getting to know and going round the site, but it sure looks good. It's quite inspiring and even though this might not be the most read blog around, if you stumble this way, I recommend it.

The amount of stuff requires more of a review than I have time to give it. The quality, however, is a high standard, and if nothing else, the sentiment is a winning one: No illustrator is an island, and he wants to help you build a bridge off yours.

How can you not accept a hand like that?

Also, these go into my links basket.

Technorati Tags: illustration, how-to, illustration resoruces, Escape From Illustration Island, Thomas James

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[blogging] Is Blogger Image Upload working yet? YES!

2392.This star says something simple but happy …

Which is that ScribeFire, thank you Christopher Finke, with version 3.5.2, is working again on the image upload thing there, which makes my entire day already.

Thank you cfinke!

Firefox users – continue to download ScribeFire. You won't be sorry!

• For spiffy blog editing embedded within your Firefox experience, dial up http://www.scribefire.com.

Technorati Tags: scribefire, blogging, blog editors

[bloggage] Developing A Blog Posting Plan B

2391.

Since I have pretentions to a blog mostly concentrating on the visual world, uploading pictures is close to a deal-breaker. And if I can't find a blog editor that will upload pictures on a dependable basis, I cry inside.

Scribefire has been working for a very long time now. But, over the last two weeks, it has been very confused in the matter of picture uploading. This post is being assembled in the Flock browser's blog post editor, which is nifty in the general and will upload multiple accounts but is undependable in the way that sometimes I will have the function and sometimes I will not and I still don't have too much of a line on how it will behave. Here, for example, is the test pattern – uploaded again, and there are ways to go to the Picasa account to hopefull make it so's I don't have to reupload the picture over and over … but Flock has a lot of different ways to do a lot of different things in the social.



This is that test pattern.

So, I have a plan be until ScribeFire gets its act together. I found (refound actually) two bookmarklets (one for Delicious and the other for generating Technorati tags) and can use them … so until SF is back, I'll use Flock (the interface is kind of nifty) and fight with it occasionally I guess.

Sadly, I'm compelled to blog. I've tried stopping, and I can't. Too bad I'm not famous for doing it but c'est la guerre, mon frere.
 
GAAAAH Update: No, Flock won't work it either. I can't resize an image that it doesn't turn all pixelled. Ptttth!

This is an attempt to see if I can't press Contribute CS3 into service again.

Technorati Tags: ScribeFire, Flock, Blogging, Bloggage

[design] A Happy Flowchart – How Designers Fail

2350.

A person I follow on Twitter – who's just started following me (thanks, guy!), Jason Tselentis (or @JasonTselentis, if you want to follow him, and you should) referred me to a flowchart he designed to be on a postcard heralding the talk How Designers Fail. It's got warmth, wisdom, and a little self-referential Designer humor, and it made me smile a bit, and that's why I want to share it here – not only because it's rather appropriately designed: not too much, not too little, just right:

Clicky to embiggen, of course. It looks like the sort of talk I'd like to attend, if AIGA Portland would ever bring Jason out here.

Until that time, you can peep Jason's stuff here:

• Visit: Jason Tselentis's website at http://www.morsa.com/

Technorati Tags: art, design, graphic design, Jason Tselentis, AIGA, Flowchart Design

[bloggage] Blogger Template Designer – Template Design for You, Me, and Everyone We Know At Last?

2344.

Well, that's what I certainly hope.

While most of my friends and the cool kids find themselves blogging on WordPress and suchlike, with all thier awesome cusomizability, I've stayed with Blogger because it's comfortable, forgiving, and familiar. I customize the front page of this blog to the limit I feel comfortable doing so.

The problem with taking it to the next level with Blogger is the template code. I've programmed in Pascal, Euphoria, even Lisp, but this is what I call abstruse! No insult intended to the Blogger developers, of course, it works and I don't have to fret about it and that's what I want. But what I also wanted is a way to take my customization even further, to bring this to some level where it's completely different.

Well, Blogger in Draft (which I've made my dashboard home in order so as not to keep missing the nifty as it happens) has a new thing – Blogger Template Designer, which looks like it will abstract the Blogger template design process to a new, more friendly level. Right up my street, I'd say:

We’ve added a fair bit to Blogger over the years, but one thing that’s been constant for some time has been our collection of templates. While a number of talented designers around the web have offered their own fresh and interesting designs that you can apply to your Blogger blog, our stock set has grown a bit stale, and you’ve noticed. You let us know — in the forums, on Twitter, sitting next to us on airplanes, even from across the counter at a Harvard Square stationary store, and we’ve been listening.

Today we’re taking a big first step in improving not just our template designs, but all the ways that you can customize the look and layout of your blog.

So a lot of us, myself included, are going to be poking around in Template Designer over the near term and seeing what we can come up with. The possiblities certainly seem exciting, and an amazing, visually exciting browserscape just might happen.

Or maybe everything will start to look like MySpace. I sure hope not, that!

Oh, I'm just woolgatherthing – this is some pretty nifty stuff, and I'm going in there with the big crayon to be sure.

One other thing: if you create a new template, tweet about it with the hashtag #newbloggertemplate, and Blogger might feature yours some time.

• Visit: http://bloggerindraft.blogspot.com/2010/03/blogger-template-designer.html at the Blogger in Draft blog to get the whole rundown and skinny and slim shady and all that thing there.

Technorati Tags: blogger, blogspot, blogger in draft, blog design, web design

[art] Nihilism To Go: Destroy Something Every Single Day

2284An act of creative destruction, Destroy Something Every Single Day (http://destroysomething.everysingleday.org/) can inspire your own interior creative commentary on modern times, of which this says something about it, somehow or other.

What they do is what they say. Destroy Something Every Single Day. With a handful of common tools. This is what they did to something called a "skinny cap":

They're just getting started over there as of the 1st, apparently; the only other thing destroyed is a bit of 35mm film (for those of you just getting started, film is what cameras used to store images before we had flash cards).

As long as they don't escalate the destruction to the world and I don't have to clean it up, I'm down with it.

Technorati Tags: art, modern art, design, modern design, blogs

[bloggage] An Award?

2279.Not (despite my best efforts) being one of the most highly-trafficked blogs out there means that when someone give me a pat on the back, it means quite a lot, even if it's kind of an unexpected one.

About two days ago, I received a nod from a web resource I'd never heard of before, called Home Office Furniture Depot, http://homefurnituredepot.net, bestowing a generic "Blog Award" for, apparently, being interesting.

See, I told you all! I'm interesting!

Anyway, they apparently stumbled on my blog on the way to somewheres else, and I like it when anyone says that my stuff is worth a little wastage of time.  So, thanks, Home Office Furniture Depot. Much obliged.

Technorati Tags: bloggage

The One Hundred Thousandth Vistor Has Arrived

2158.It happened today, at last, at 17:22:43 – a surver from Pittsburgh who, crazily, apparently got a search result on the article immediately before this one:

I feel like an adult now.

Technorati Tags: The ZehnKatzen Times, ZehnKatzen, Samuel John Klein

The One Hundred Thousandth Visitor

2157.At this writing, I have 155 more visitors to go.

And at the rate I've been racking them up lately, it should happen sometime between 2 PM and 6 PM local.

Technorati Tags: The ZehnKatzen Times, ZehnKatzen, Samuel John Klein