Must-have SEO tools
I just wrote a review of two great tools I’ve only recently come across, that are invaluable time-savers for any practicing SEO. Check out my review of Advanced Link Manager and Advanced Web Rankings 
Author Archive
Losing my faith in Joomla?
I’m a big fan of open-source software, and more recently of open-source frameworks running on open-source software. CMS of the month for me has been Joomla, but I have to admit that the shine is wearing off.
One of the big pluses of Joomla is the countless numbers of extensions, modules, and plugins available. Wonderful…if only they were long-lasting. I’ve seen so many launch strongly, then fade away - either due to lack of funds, or due to the developer’s success leading him/her to pastures new.
sh404SEF is a case in point - recently they have had huge problem with pagination in sh404SEF, and it’s been lasting long-enough to cause a lot of problems. An SEO plugin that doesn’t work consistently is a huge no-no.
Maybe it’s time I moved to WordPress…
Being a parent - a job description
JOB DESCRIPTION :
- Long-term team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment.
- Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
- Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
- Travel expenses not reimbursed.
- Extensive courier duties also required.
RESPONSIBILITIES :
- The rest of your life.
- Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs a fiver.
- Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
- Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
- Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.
- Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
- Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
- Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
- Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
- Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
- Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.
- Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.
POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :
- None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :
- None required unfortunately..
- On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
WAGES AND COMPENSATION :
- Get this - You pay them, offering frequent raises and bonuses.
- A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent.
- When you die, you give them whatever is left.
- The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.
BENEFITS :
- While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.
Remember, even when it’s a disaster, you’re still the best person for the job because they are yours and they love you…
Does your USB thumbdrive/flashdrive have slow transfer speeds?
I recently bought a 16GB USB Flash drive, with the intention of running my desktop from it. I moved all my files over, set up my Thunderbird profile, etc etc etc…and then found it almost unusable as the data transfer speed was appallingly slow 
Following all these steps did the trick under Windows XP:
- Right click on the USB drive and select properties
- Select the Hardware tab
- Under All Disk Drives, highlight your USB drive and select Properties
- Select the Policies tab and select Optimize for performance.
- Press OK twice, and your transfer speeds should increase dramatically
Note that when your drive is optimized for performance you’ll need to use the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the taskbar to eject the drive - otherwise you’ll risk corrupting your data by just removing the drive from the port.
I now happily unplug my thumbdrive from one laptop and into another
Hmm, perhaps I should write a post on running your desktop from a flash drive. Most important point is of course to back up that flash drive every single day…
The joys of getting older
Three old codgers comparing notes:
The 60-year-old says, “I’m fine except I have a problem with the waterworks, I keep having to get up in the night and go for a pee but there’s nothing there, and ten minutes later I need to go again, and still nothing there.”
The 70-year-old says, “Well I don’t have that problem, but I’m a martyr to Number Two, have to keep going and straining away and can’t get anything to come.”
The 80-year-old says, “Well that ain’t my problem, seven o’clock in the morning regular as clockwork, I piss like a carthorse, shit like an elephant, and that’s it for the day.”
The others ask, “So, you ain’t got any problems then? That’s good!” The old guy replies, “Sure I got a problem. I don’t wake up till eight!”
Testing your broadband speed
You know those moments when the web seems to struggle along at a slow pace? I use Test de Velocidad, a Latin American site, to test my broadband speed. It’s super-intuitive to use, and tells you both your download and upload speeds - so you can get on the phone to your ISP if your connection is not up to speed!
What lights your fire?
Try out the fun quizes over at Youniverse - discover what your choice of images says about you, and find people like you!
Ideas for Link-Building
Just added a post about unusual link-building ideas over at Barcelona Internet Marketing.
MyLifeOrganised - the new crackberry?
I’ve been using a Windows program called “My Life Organised” to keep track of all my tasks, and, well, generally keep my life organised. However, I’m starting to suspect that I spend more time organising than I do actually getting things done…