Pauls Rants & Revelations

For the 4 people on the planet who havent seen this, Lightbox JS is the absolute coolest image script ever. Normally you have a thumbnail image that links to a full size and either do some new window JS to display or or open a new broswer (with target=_blank), of, if lazy, just link to the image. This script will address everyone from beginner to JS expert.

Click Here to view the Lightbox JS site

To use it is simple. Include the files on your page, add the REL parameter to your thumbnail link, and you are off and running. Complete details are on the site as well as support.

I have used this on I dont know how many sites and has saved me probably hundred of hours when creating galleries for clients. Go check it out and start using it on your site. Your visitors will be impressed.

Cheers

This is actually trickier than I thought. The majority of plugins available for it are basically a “turn a post into a product” type deals. There was one I found that works really great for a shopping cart (im keeping the name out until they answer my emails) but I keep running into errors with it. My PHP install on the server (a Windows 2003 box) is fine but the plugin was only developed for linux/unix systems. Im pouring over the code to see how I can get it to run on a windows machine but my PHP isnt exactly “guru” level.

Does anyone even have an interest in such a thing as a wordpress powered ecommerce site? Does anyone need one?

I am super stoked that the weekend is finally here. This last week was a little stressful and I was almost sure I was going to get fired. But almost everything worked out and the big things got done or re-organized and the little things I pushed to other people (my helpers, which is what they are there for).

Strangley though I recieved a few calls and emails from friends asking for my help with their various projects. And they were willing to pay me. It’s strange that at the time when I have no time available, everyone asks for something. I didnt want to say no so I just told them to hit me up next week.

Anyways, Im just thankful I survived. I know my job isnt physically dangerous and I’m not doing brain surgery, but it’s still stressful.

Well, I probably have only one more all-nighter before I am somewhat caught up with work. Hopefully some of these projects can be finished so I can start getting back on track with everything else. At least I have work to do so I suppose I should be thankful for that.

Anyways, Im awaiting my thid published work to be approved of any day so maybe next week I can share my latest literary creation.

Cheers

For all of you going out or sitting alone at home,
For those of you with someone and those of you alone,
A poem, I have, for you to read on this lovers day,
Some words of wisdom I lay out so please, pay attention, OK?

If you have someone who you are in love,
If you are getting some remember to “wear a glove”.
If you dont have anyone whom to shine your lovers light,
Go out to the local pub and pick up someone tonight.

For on this lovers day of ours many words are said untrue,
In the hopes of getting some, almost anything people will do.
But try to keep to truthful words while courting your choosen love,
For false words will come to light, and you will recieve a hateful shove.

So now my friends, go out and play and have fun on this night,
But please, o please, for your own good sake, keep your inner-moron shut up tight.

Digg – Digg is blocked at thousands of schools across the nation – Stop it!

This is one of the more stupid things that I have come across in my internet experience. Not only is Digg a very popular news tool, but it is often more accurate than the major media outlets as users (usually) research arcticles they post.

$5 says that in a matter of days, probably less, a Digg ghost site will pop up to get around the blockages.

In the words of the famous band Metallicocks (yes its spelled right): “Blockages; baaaad!”

Why is it that whenever I get really busy with work, my productivity drops through the floor? I have about 10 projects that have to get done and none of them are moving at a sufficently expedient rate for me.

Is it because when we get so innundated we feel that it will never end and so become less productive due to some feeling of hopelessness? Or is it just that since stuff keeps coming in that we loose our concentration, or flow, and so have to start back in everytime our email client make a noise?

I certainly hope that Im not alone in this feeling. I know being busy means making money, but being late costs money, and that defeats the whole purpose of being busy.

TX House Member Ron Paul [R] and FL House Member Jeff Miller [R] proposed on Feb 7th “to abolishing personal income, estate, and gift taxes and prohibiting the United States Government from engaging in business in competition with its citizens.”

H. J. Res. 23: Proposing an amendment the Constitution of the United States relative to abolishing taxes

Since the income tax as we know it is only about a centiry old (the 16th amendment was proposed in 1909 ratified in 1913), this bill will basically be putting everyone back to the old (and I do mean old) tax system where Federal taxes are 2% of your income, regardless of dependants, student status, or income (the rich often get massive tax breaks). This would be really great since I really dont like paying half of my earnings to the government. Contact you local state rep so push this bill.

 Barack Obama officially threw his hat into the presidential ring in an announcement today. This is a huge deal as he is not only the most qualified (in my opinion) to lead us, but also because he has not been in Washington long enough to succumb to the political corruption that is plagueing this country. The link below is the full arcticle about his annoucement:

BBC NEWS | Americas | Obama launches presidential bid

If I were anywhere near Illinois I would have gone out there to see him personally. I guess Ill just have to wait until he stops in Oregon before I can see him talk in person.

I am trying to find a Nintendo Wii for my son or his birthday (in March). My son is into video games and I would rather see him moving around playing the Wii rather than just sitting there moving his tumbs. I checked on eBay of course and was a little disheartened by what I found. Most items were highly overpriced and those that were under $200 had a reserve on them of over $400. erg.

I know that its a fun system to use, but dam it, why is everyone charging more for the system than what I can buy it in the store for. The whole ebay purpose (at least my purpose for using eBay) is to find a deal. I would like to spend only $200 because I’m on a budget but I cant find one for less than $300. That, and I dont really trust the people who say “I only played it for a little bit” or “I just opened the box to make sure its all there”. Having bought a few things on eBay I know that this usually means “I broke the dam thing so Im going to rip you off to buy a new one”.

If anyone knows of a more reputable place to purchase a Wii, please let me know. And sometime before March.

Cheers