I think a change'll do you good
Admin note: This blog is now running the new Scripty Goddess Comment Queue Script/MT Hack. All comments made on this site will now be pre-approved by moi before being made public. My blog. My rules. Quite frankly, I'm sick of the trolls... So don't panic if your comment doesn't show up immediately. I'll get them all added in just as soon as I can! Just file this one under "it's about damn time".
posted at 06:32 AM | link-

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Smack my bitch up
Just a quick reminder as the "not as big as they claimed small-name-site hackfest" has kicked off...back up those sites! Because legit-threat or not this time around, it could be you the next... (Reminders via Venomous Kate and suburban blight.)
posted at 03:28 PM | link-

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Keep it simple
Just seen over at Kevin's...Simpletracks, a universal TrackBack client...

Allows you to manually ping (send a TrackBack) to any weblog or service that accepts TrackBacks. Simply tell it the TrackBack URL you want to ping and fill in your URL, the entry name, and an excerpt.

Read more about Simpletracks at Kalsey Consulting Group.

UPDATE: Here's another similar option to file for future reference courtesy of another Kevin -- StandAlone TrackBack Form.
posted at 10:06 PM | link-

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Iff'n it's free, it's for me
Here's a series of "quick tips for new bloggers" that you don't gotta pay for. Eleven of 'em. Go crazy, kids. (Link swiped from Venomous Kate.)
posted at 06:17 PM | link-

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You're pre-approved!
Here's a wonderful new MT hack from the Scripty Goddesses -- comment pending queue. If you've been plagued by comment-trolls, or just want more control over your comments, this script allows your comments to be pending rather than instantly published. You can login, view, edit, delete and approve comments before they're made public. Go here for more information.
posted at 04:36 PM | link-

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Skin so soft
Here's a comment that should also go on the main page -- a site skinning tutorial using javascript rather than php.
posted at 01:28 PM | link-

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Slip me some skin
Looking for an easy way to skin your site? The domesticat.net tutorial giving you fits? Well here's a quick and easy version to try instead*, courtesy of empty pages. (Recommended by the passionate ailurophile.)

*requires CSS/php and all content must remain the same - only swaps stylesheets
posted at 05:01 PM | link-

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One more time...
Attention! There's no need to e-mail me and tell me the site is broken. (I've fielded several such e-mails today so this message is not directed at anyone in particular.) I deleted several of my skins yesterday in a fit of late-spring cleaning.

If you're getting "warning" messages at the top of the page, follow the link to skin the site at the top of the page. Select a new skin. Proceed to the main page. And voilà. All should be fixed!

What's happening is that your browser cookie is trying to pull a file that no longer exists, so you have to pick a new one first.

Thanks!
-Robyn
posted at 10:32 PM | link-

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Ctrl + Alt + Oh shit
Time for another reminder to back those MT blogs up. In case you missed it, Jason got hacked this week, and all of his blogs were deleted and the archives were destroyed. He's having to start over from scratch...

From an earlier reminder of mine: Go to your "import/export" tab in the left menu and do an export of your blog. The directions are at the very bottom of the page. This will help you save a file of your blog entries, and all of its comments, through the time of export. If you have to install a new copy of MT from scratch after a database crash, you can run the export file you've just made through the import feature, and regain all of your past contents and comments (up to the date saved in export) immediately.

There's also an easy way to back up all of your templates for safe-keeping from "the girlie matters". Better to be safe than sorry!
posted at 02:05 PM | link-

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Wiki Waki
I've been seeing the term "Wiki" everywhere lately, and Kristine has a new project helping launch one for the MT world. Welcome MT Wiki:

A Wiki is a set of pages that let visitors share their knowledge in a collaborative format. This Wiki is dedicated to helping users of MovableType, a content management system.

This is a place to add tips, tricks, instructions, and definitions. Topics are editable so everyone can add to them. [link]

Best of wishes to the new Virtual Venus gang!

UPDATE: Also from Kristine, word of two new desktop clients made specifically with MT in mind. Kristine recommends Zempt, and in her comments Doc suggests SharpMT.
posted at 06:28 PM | link-

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PSA
I now officially have more server space than God, and no caps on bandwidth. And there was much rejoicing. In case I haven't mentioned lately what an awesome site and blog host that Hosting Matters is, please be informed.

If Annette also owned my ISP, I'd probably never have to leave the house...
posted at 07:13 PM | link-

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Feed me, Seymour!
By popular demand...you can now add a newsfeed to my site with comments. The link to it is in my sidebar (default Mae skin). For more information, visit Christine's and Jennifer's.

UPDATE: Yet another option at Brad's I might have to toy around with when I have time...
posted at 02:01 PM | link-

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Unce, tice, fee times a comment
A new MT hack passed along by goddess Kristine.....prevent commenters from multi-submitting the same exact comment by hitting your post-button repeatedly while waiting for the comment to publish.

This hack modifies MovableType to simply ignore the same comment being entered multiple times for an entry. Two comments are considered the same if the comment text and the name, email address and url of the comment author are exactly the same. [link]

I've just implemented and tested it, and it works. When trying to submit the same comment more than once, it merely refreshes to the comment page -- showing the first, original comment as already-published. Wonderful tweak for me after this week's license plate fiasco. Thanks again, Kristine! (Read more at the Movable Type forums.)
posted at 06:05 PM | link-

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She has many guises - she'll do what you want her to
I passed this along earlier today, but thought I should post it here as well...yet another good pinup site. It's not in English, but what are you doing trying to read there anyway? (You can find more sites like this in the Yahoo pinup index.)
posted at 04:57 PM | link-

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If it's free, it's for me!

Statia has a bitchin' new patriotic design, which reminded me of an old template I used to have on my blog after 9/11. She suggested I recycle it and put it up as shareware -- so after a few tweaks, it's now ready to go. You can see it in action over at Kitty's blog on a temp page. Please note that it was designed to work with Movable Type (it's ready to go as your index.html file) -- but it can be modified for other blog software at your own discretion.

If you decide you want it and just can't live without it, right-click here to download the zip file with the images, HTML, and instructions.

Leave me a ping or a note if you use it so I can go see! Thanks!

UPDATE (9:25 PM EDT): I changed one line of code for the comment pop-ups in MT on "template_code.txt". If you've previously downloaded the above .zip file this evening (since updated), you can get the updated version of "template_code.txt" here.
posted at 08:31 PM | link-

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Who can it be now?
This weekend I had a couple of people ask me how they pinged my site when they didn't link to any of my individual entries. If you're running MT with auto-TrackBack enabled, I have a hack running to send me a ping any time tampatantrum.com itself is linked. You can find out more about this at Scripty Goddess.
posted at 11:26 PM | link-

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Secret, secret - I've got a secret
Have HTML source code you really don't want the rest of the world to see? This isn't 100% fool-proof, but it's one of the best (and free) methods I've found out there. Just type your code into the second box (under the example) -- hit the "encrypt HTML Source code" button below it -- and voilà! A bunch of gobbelty-gook you can copy, paste and upload that most people won't be able to decipher when snooping through your page-source. Just don't forget to save your original! For more information visit the "Source Code Protection Generator".
posted at 02:54 AM | link-

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A Yankee Doodle, do or die

Time for another image grab bag -- if you want a patriotic design, snag one!
posted at 10:54 PM | link-

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Ex-zip-it B
I'm gziped now -- are you? (Link via Christine and Scripty Goddess.)
posted at 10:17 PM | link-

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How much would you pay?
Just seen over at Michele's....."how to use Movable Type's trackback to show what's playing on your WinAmp playlist". ~~Yet another toy to add to my million-mile long to-do list!~~

UPDATE: Actually this one went rather quickly. It's already added to the default Mae skin and its scaled-down version (1024x768+ or 800x600).
posted at 04:48 PM | link-

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Potpourri for $200, Alex
And there was much rejoicing... I have just successfully transferred the one domain I had left with Network Solutions (back when I was stupid enough to pay them for two years in advance) to another registrar. Hurrah!

If you see something acting funky with any of my secondary pages (like category archives), try resetting your skin. For some reason that seems to fix it. Please let me know if not...

Finally, in my quest to make it "Solonor Friday" around here and also bump up my minion status...the provider of my tiara has blogged about w.bloggar:

w.bloggar is a free application from Marcelo Cabral that tries to make writing blog posts as easy (or as hard) as using Microsoft Word.

The application sits between you and your blog publishing software. It provides a Word-like interface with all the little toolbar buttons for formating text and even has a spell-checker. w.bloggar is compatible with Blogger, b2, Nucleus, BigBlogTool, Blogworks XML, Blogalia, Drupal, and, of course, Movable Type.

So if you hate the Blogger interface...or just want to be a lazy American with any of the other software...there you go. UPDATE: Bushtit Dot Com has a great w.bloggar review!
posted at 12:50 PM | link-

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No extraneous comments. No questions. No compliments.
A comment Tara made the other day inspired me to actually make a real '403 error page' right quick. So just in case you're ever lucky enough to get your IP blocked, here's what you'll see. (See here for more info on IP banning.)
posted at 09:22 PM | link-

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The one that makes me scream, she said
A few site tips and tricks of note...some new, some not...

Individual link "click tracker" script
Oldie but a goodie...how to prevent your site from being Googled
Combined form for MT and Bloglet subscriptions
Kristine's wonderful MT Plugin Directory
How to ban IPs from viewing your site
Too many good tips to list here -- just visit Mandarin Design Daily for enough goodies to keep you occupied for days
Put Trackback on your main blog page as well (if they're using auto-discovery)

Don't worry. The above tips and tricks will not be on the final exam.
posted at 12:44 PM | link-

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Beta (writer's) blocker
Just a quick heads-up -- Textpattern Beta 1 is now available for download. (This software was created by the same person who brought us the supah fly Textism referrer script.) This software is a content management system alternative to Movable Type (version 2.62. just released!), Greymatter, pMachine, etc. Check it out if you are so inclined.
posted at 04:12 PM | link-

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My funny Valentine
Well it looks like it's that time of year again -- the Valentine's skins are starting to roll out. I don't have time to make one here right now, but I do have four pinup images up for grabs from my stash if you want to use one -or more- at your own sites!

[image 1, image 2, image 3, image 4]

Be careful opening those first two at work, mmmk?
posted at 03:31 AM | link-

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Play it safe
Just a quick reminder for those of you using Movable Type...

I know of two blogs that had their databases corrupted this week. It can, and just might happen to you. Be on the safe side. If you're sitting at home bored this weekend, take the time to make backups of each of your blog templates if you haven't already. (Thanks for the link, Donna!) I have a copy of every main index and archive template for my own blog saved in individual text files. Next, go to your "import/export" tab in the left menu and do an export of your blog. The directions are at the very bottom of the page. This will help you save a file of your blog entries, and all of its comments, through the time of export. Instead of losing a lot, you'll only lose a little. Regular exports are VERY important. If you have to install a new copy of MT from scratch after a database crash, you can run the export file you've just made through the import feature, and regain all of your past contents and comments immediately.

Hopefully you'll never have to deal with any of this but it's much easier to prevent than cure!
posted at 06:39 PM | link-

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The downward spiral
Well that sucked.
posted at 03:11 PM | link-

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You spin me right 'round, baby
Kristine has found a much easier image rollover code and it looks like a winner to me!

It only requires placing a class into the image and a script in the head, but no onMouseover’s or onload statements to deal with. And plus, you don’t actually have to list out the images in the rollover.js file...

I'm all over that -- thanks Kristine! Read more about it here...
posted at 06:40 PM | link-

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Size does matter
File this under "well, duh": Just spotted over in -e-'s comments (courtesy of kat)... Rather than going into "Properties:Settings" in Windows to change your monitor resolution when checking out a design's browser-size compatibility, just type this - and only this - into the IE address bar on any given site. For example, to check this site in 800x600, paste the following over my entire URL (you can change 800,600 for whatever resolution you wish to check):

javascript:%20resizeTo(800,600)

You will see there is a slight scroll for the default Mae skin if you tried it there. That's because if you want the 800x600 version you've gotta go here. Regardless, that will shave just a few minutes off each day when checking on other designs. Thanks, kat!
posted at 03:38 PM | link-

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Potpourri for $400, Alex
Just a couple of site updates to report before we head off to bed...I added in that code (I blogged about last week) over in the sidebar that will show you entries that have just scrolled off the main page. It's under the recent comments section. I also updated the 2003 archives page to keep it separate from the 2002 ones. It's bland as hell, but if nothing else, it's worth a mention courtesy of another good pic of Shirley.

Not running MT but still want to make clickable thumbnail image groupings? Mandarin Design has a good newbie-style tutorial up.

Last but not least, here's another great tip from Scripty Goddess -- a hack of the LGF referer script to show the last 50 search keywords to your site. More details here.
posted at 04:49 AM | link-

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I still haven't found what I'm looking for
Haven't listed search engine words coming into my site lately...so here goes...recent top 10:

wearing adult diapers for convenience only
mike piazza because he gets to cash checks like these
how do you say thank you to everyone after someone has died please tell what to write in the thank letters
milk in my boobies .com
taping back foreskin
rivers cuomo with gun photo
skanky ho
wooden spoon spankings
chris simms lingerie
sweaty man ass yankee candle

posted at 04:44 PM | link-

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The girlie really does matter
Here's another great MT tip from the girlie matters. Having links to a blog's ten most recent entries in a sidebar has never made much sense to me. If you're scrolling through the sidebar, you're scrolling through the site...where the entries already are. Well with this tip you can display recent entries that have just scrolled off the main page. For example, I think I'm running the 40 most recent entries on my main page right now. If I wanted to link my most recent entries #41-50 (the ten that have just left the main page) in my sidebar, I'd just follow the directions here. Brilliant!

UPDATE: Here's another really good tip and trick site from Crazy Tracy -- Mandarin Design. "...Nifty tips and tricks for blogs that none of us should be without, like form cheats, instructions for borders and boxes, quick image cheats, CSS and html cheats and more..."
posted at 03:25 AM | link-

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And you hip hop, and you don't stop
Can I just ask those of you with Blogsnob ads a quick favor? Put freakin' s p a c e s in the text. 45-character long ads, with no spaces and no real words (for the simple sake of making your ad longer horizontally than anyone else's) will throw off my sidebars and designs -- and it also pretty much guarantees that I will never, ever visit your sites. That is all.
posted at 07:23 PM | link-

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The world has turned and left me here
I have a couple of site changes to note. Last year my categories were a mess, so I never bothered making a listing of them. This year, however, I'm vowing to do better from the start. So you can find the 2003 entries by category in the sidebar. It's a bit empty right now, but give me time. I've also switched the OU stats section from football to basketball. left 'til kickoff 2003. Ouch.

And a couple of sites have taken advantage of my "red tag sale" from last week -- Unix Gal and Neurotic Fishbowl. If anyone else decides to use the images, just give me a yell and I'll link you as well! (Christine just tipped me off that she's using a version of it, too! And now so is Susan.)

UPDATE: I also won an award for the site tonight -- completely unexpected. It's thefiveaward from thehayden.org -- the criteria are functionality, design, content, originality, & professionalism. So thanks to Hayden A. James!
posted at 12:29 AM | link-

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