Thursday, November 30, 2006

The Way Children See Things

Thought you may enjoy these stories that were passed my way...

NUDITY

I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a Woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, "Mom! That lady isn't wearing a seat belt!

HONESTY

My son Zachary, 4, came screaming out of the bathroom to tell me he'd dropped his toothbrush in the toilet. So I fished it out and threw it in the garbage. Zachary stood there thinking for a moment, then ran to my bathroom and came out with my toothbrush.. He held it up and said with a charming little smile, "We better throw this one out too then, 'cause it fell in the toilet a few days ago.

KETCHUP

A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup to come out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. "It's the minister, Mommy," the child said to her mother. Then she added, "Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle."

MORE NUDITY

A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, "What's the matter haven't you ever seen a little boy before?"

ELDERLY

While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. The various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs, unfailingly intrigued her. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, "The tooth fairy will never believe this!"

DRESS-UP

A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, "Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit." "And why not, darling?" "You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning.."

SCHOOL

A little girl had just finished her first week of school. "I'm just wasting my time," she said to her mother. "I can't read, I can't write and they won't let me talk!"

BIBLE

A little boy opened the big family bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages. "Mama, look what I found", the boy called out." What have you got there, dear?" With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, "I think it's Adam's underwear"

Headline News 2006-11-30

From CBS News:
Military Jet Crashes Near U.S. Base
Ninth Circuit Court claims shoot-down

From CBS News:
Whale Injures Trainer At SeaWorld
Trying to get away from Spock

From CBS News:
Pope Prays At Turkish Mosque
Asks Lord to let him get out of country alive

From CBS News:
GOP Rep. Calls Miami 'Third World Country'
Doesn't like being compared to Georgia*

From CBS News:
Gator Attacks Naked Man On Crack
Vows to hike up pants next time

From CNN:
Ancient astronomical device thrills scholars
Doubles as a dildo

From CNN:
Clinton cuts costs for HIV/AIDS
Can be exposed for half-price until Christmas

From CNN:
Britney Spears exposes herself
Admits she has no talent

From CNN:
Mexican congressional standoff enters third day
News services delighted to actually call a Mexican Standoff a Mexican Standoff

From CNN:
Microsoft Vista goes on sale
Hackers get new software to exploit

Blogrolling 2006-11-30

Items of interest from the blogroll.

  • Chuck (Redneckin) says the sales pitch for new taxes never tell the whole story.

  • Richard Burkard (The Blog of Columbus GA) isn't impressed with the updated local TV new Websites.

  • Jo (Jo's Cafe) says we haven't made progress.

  • Wild Bill publishes Deborah Tainsh's latest column.

  • Redoubt (Sin City) isn't impressed with Newt's latest.

  • Public Eye (CBS) says it's not what Newt said, it's where he said it.

  • Public Eye (Bachman) finds the NFL could to outside the U.S.

  • Chrys (Pettifog) says all the evidence points to Clinton.

  • The Therapist says Michael Richards' targets are willing to meet...


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Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Cat Spam

Click for better viewThis showed up in my spam filter Tuesday. And I was shocked -- Shocked, I tell you!

No, not that I got spam. I get lots of spam. But read it carefully. Click on it for a larger version.

Yes, it says:
i am collect any idea of home business, if you have - please, add to my cat!

Checking the IP address (212.138.64.179) turns up a location in Saudi Arabia.

Yes, it seems that cats are being used as spammers in Saudi Arabia.

Does PETA know about this?

Or Ferdy? Or Laurence Simon's cats?

It's going to hit the fan now! I hope the spammers get everything that's coming to them.

Headline News 2006-11-29

From CNN:
Democrats eye rebirth of vetoed stem cell bill
As long as bill is only thing to complete a birth

From CNN:
Crosses for fallen soldiers stir debate
Only time left doesn't oppose a cross

From CNN:
'Grunts and squeaks' wins Bad Sex Award
Just ahead of 'being Ted Kennedy'

From CNN:
Obesity a big problem in Africa
Starvation a small problem

From CNN:
Brazil inmates stage mass escape
Didn't want to attend mass

From CNN:
Florida man pulled from gator's jaws
Chris Leak arrested for assault

From WLKY:
Coroner rules Taser shocks did not kill man
Police vow to try again

From CNN:
German recounts how CIA kidnapped, tortured him
Good times

From CNN:
Microsoft: Windows Vista is done
No further bugs to be added

From CNN:
For sale: Rare dinosaur fossil
Robert Byrd expected to draw large sum

Blogrolling 2006-11-29

Items of interest from the blogroll.

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Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Blazing Saddles as approved by Jesse Jackson


"He rode a Blazing Saddle, He wore a shining star, His job to offer battle ..."


*click*


*click*


"C'mon boys. The way you's lollygaggin' 'round here with them picks and them shovels ... you'd think it was a hunnert and twenny degrees..."


"Cain't be more'n a hunnert 'n fourteen!"


"Ohhh!"


"Dock that Asian-American a day's pay for nappin' on the job."


"How come I don't hear no singin'? When you wuz bein' oppressed during an error for which you should be entitled to reparations ... you sung like birds..."


"How 'bout a good ol' African-American work song."


"Ebony and Ivory, live together in perfect harmony, side by side on my piano keyboard, Oh! Lord! Why don't we..."

Headline News 2006-11-28

From ABC News:
Mom on Trial for Drowning Kids in San Francisco Bay
9th trimester abortions not yet legal in California

From ABC News:
Cops Crack Possible Nut-Nabber Syndicate
Tittie-twisters still at large

From ABC News:
Clark Wants to Avoid Late Campaign Start
Eager to get on November ballot

From ABC News:
Imams Stage Airport 'Pray-In' As Protest
Plan 'Fly-Plane-Into-Building-In' for December

From ABC News:
'Nativity' Booted From Ill. Holiday Fair
Don't want Christians horning in on Christmas festival

From ABC News:
Jordan Doesn't Want Palestinian Influx
Also opposed to Acid Reflux

From ABC News:
NBC Calls Iraq Conflict 'Civil War'
Bush: "At least they're being civil"

From ABC News:
Thinking tiny while playing it safe
Democrats release plan for next Congress

From ABC News:
Lauer's Wife Gives Birth to Third Child
Reportedly Osama's 25th child*

From ABC News:
Gentry Regrets Improperly Tagging Bear
Concedes bear wasn't "it"

Blogrolling 2006-11-28

Items of interest from the blogroll.

If you'd like to share an item via TrackBack, please feel free to do so, as long as your submission follows the TrackBack policy.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Picking A Blogging Platform: Other Free Services

We've looked at Blogger, WordPress.com, and Blogsome as possible free platforms for starting up a blog. All three have their good points and bad points.

But those aren't the only free services there are. But they are the only ones I like.

But that doesn't mean they are the only good ones. And I'd like to hear from you about others.

But first, hear from me.

Headline News 2006-11-27

From ABC News:
Men's Biological Clocks Start Ticking in Their 30s
Urge to mate occurs at 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30 ...

From ABC News:
South Korea Plans Mass Dog, Cat Slaughter
Large barbecue planned

From ABC News:
Man Shoots Doe With Well-Developed Rack
Porn star Jane Doe mourned

From ABC News:
19 Men Detained for Impersonating Monks
Tony Shalhoub sues

From ABC News:
Man Seeks Record for Arm Hair Length
Title currently held by French woman

From ABC News:
Thanksgiving Trekkers Find Few Headaches
None wore red shirts

From ABC News:
Al Jazeera English Debuts: Good Luck Finding It
Unless you click here.

From ABC News:
Controversy Surrounds U.S. Soldier's Murder
Hundreds of Democrats claim credit

From ABC News:
Troy Gentry Pleads Guilty to Bear Charge
Porridge was too hot

From ABC News:
Pamela Anderson, Kid Rock to divorce
Found out she wasn't a virgin

Blogrolling 2006-11-27

Items of interest from the blogroll.

If you'd like to share an item via TrackBack, please feel free to do so, as long as your submission follows the TrackBack policy.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

An American Soldier

Last week, the Wife and I were honored to be invited to a graduation. My daughter, the Little Princess, was dating a cadet at the United States Military Academy. Lots simply call it West Point.

He's no longer at West Point. He graduated. And, no, that's not the graduation we went to.

Her Soldier Boy went to Ft. Benning for training. And he's just completed the Infantry Basic Officer Leaders Course. And that's the graduation to which we were invited.

We got to meet his family. Nice folks. And we all went out to eat afterwards. And it was a wonderful experience.

But the graduation was wonderful, too. We go to witness the Little Princess' little lieutenant receive his blue cord, the symbol of the Infantry.

Then, afterwards, something happened that I didn't expect. They invited all soldiers ... and former soldiers ... to participate in reciting the Soldier's Creed. And, being a former soldier, I once again had the honor to stand and recite...
The Soldier's Creed

I am an American Soldier.

I am a Warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values.

I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier.

While I'm no longer wearing my country's uniform, there are some fine young men ... and women ... wearing it today.

The Little Princess' soldier boy is no longer a Cadet. He's no longer in training. He's an officer in the United States Army. I'm proud to know The Lieutenant ... and to have met many of the new lieutenants that are serving and leading in today's Army.

The country's in good hands.

WAR Rages On!

Wide Awakes Radio (WAR) has completed upgrades and returns to the air this morning!

At 8:00 AM ET (5:00 AM on the Left Coast) WAR will return to the airwaves with new material.

It's been a long, hard task that Kender and the group at WAR have taken on. And the hard work pays off today with the new equipment and processes that should make WAR an even better product.

You might recall that Wide Awakes Radio suffered early from too much success. The sheer volume of listeners overwhelmed the servers and equipment ... and shut it down. Couldn't handle the load.

So, upgrades were done quickly and WAR returned to the air. But the problems from being taken down that first day were difficult to overcome. Listenership hasn't reached those first day levels ... even though the equipment is capable of handling it.

Still, more upgrades were planned ... and now they've been executed. While WAR has been running reruns ... when it's been on the air ... work behind the scenes has continued.

Today, that work pays off with Wide Awakes Radio returning with live programming at 8:00 AM ET (5:00 AM PT).

The voice that goes with entity that sits behind the keyboard at this little blog will return Sunday at 3:00. But you should be listening at 8:00 this morning ... or as soon as you can.

WAR rages on.

Blogrolling 2006-11-26

Items of interest from the blogroll.

  • Harvey (Bad Example) doesn't have pictures of nude Olsen twins. Or Jamie Lynn Spears naked, for that matter. But he does have a pic of a (sorta) nude Lindsay Lohan.

  • Moogie (Moogie's World) listens to songs kids sing.

  • c.a. Marks (Alabama Improper) is going to Disney World.

  • Dragonlady (Dragon's Den) reviews The Living Dead.

  • aTypicalJoe says ask the question.

  • Quality Weenie is singing Christmas songs.

  • Public Eye has solved the case of the poisoned Russian spy.

  • Ogre says tax season is now year-round.

  • Richmond (One For The Road) isn't letting the weather stop her Christmas prep.


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Saturday, November 25, 2006

Blogrolling 2006-11-25

Items of interest from the blogroll.

If you'd like to share an item via TrackBack, please feel free to do so, as long as your submission follows the TrackBack policy.

Friday, November 24, 2006

Headline News 2006-11-24

From ABC News:
Gunman Surrenders in Miami Herald Standoff
Threat of reading Dave Barry's column was too much

From ABC News:
Hostage, Gunman Killed in Chicago Standoff
Dave Barry was busy

From ABC News:
DNA Tests Clear Ill. Inmate of 1992 Rape
Still not reliable enough to convict O.J.

From ABC News:
No Survivors Found in Polish Mine Blast
Still don't know how many it takes

From ABC News:
Birthday Party Set, But Castro May Not Make It
Celebration set just in case

From ABC News:
Under fire, US marines hand off battered Fallujah
Battering finished, deep-frying next

From ABC News:
Creation vs. Darwin takes Muslim twist in Turkey
Darwin loses, Muslim Turks not yet evolved

From ABC News:
Israel developing anti-militant "bionic hornet"
Six Million Dollar Hornet flies in slow motion

From ABC News:
Being 'Scared to Death' Can Kill
Center for the Obvious releases latest report

From ABC News:
Men Seek Apology From Ex-'Seinfeld' Star
Apology sought in form of dead presidents

Blogrolling 2006-11-24

Items of interest from the blogroll.

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Thursday, November 23, 2006

Picking A Blogging Platform: Blogsome

We're looking at free blogging platforms. Last time, we looked at WordPress.com. Today we're looking at Blogsome.

Like WordPress.com, Blogsome is a free, WordPress MU site. That is, it runs the multi-user version of WordPress, called WordPress MU. But there's a critical difference. Or two. Or so.

Versions

First, Blogsome is using WordPress 1.5.1a ... an older version of WordPress. Some like it better. Others like the newer WordPress better. Personally, other than some slight differences in the interface, there's not a lot of end-user difference.

Blogsome is similar to WordPress.com. Actually, Blogsome has been around longer. It's a product of Browse The World, Ltd. in Ireland.

Templates/Themes

You can actually edit the templates in Blogsome. WordPress.com won't allow you to edit the templates at all ... other than adding custom CSS, which is a paid upgrade. This editing feature gives Blogsome extra flexibility that you don't get with WordPress.com.

WordPress.com offers more themes than Blogsome. A handful of them are the same, but the rest are quite different. WordPress.com's selections generally have a more "professional" appearance, but that doesn't mean a better appearance. Remember that "professional" can also looked "canned" or "cookie-cutter." To me, the main difference is that WordPress.com offers more themes.

Plugins

Blogsome has some plugins available for you to use if you wish. Not many, to be sure, but some. And while you can't add other plugins (you're limited to what they decide to offer), some is better than none. With WordPress.com, you don't have such an option. Features such as the Akismet spam filter are included in WordPress.com, but you can't turn them on or off (not that you'd ever want to).

The spam filter used by Blogsome, Spaminator, appears to no longer be in development. At least, the URL for the development site doesn't work. That doesn't mean Spaminator doesn't work. I've received reports that it catches most, but not all, spam. However, that's true for Akismet, Spam Karma, and other plugins.

Adding Scripts & Advertisements

You can add script to your pages, but there's a special way to do that, involving a custom tag. Still, it gives you functionality you don't get with WordPress.com.

Blogsome allows ads. Not unlimited ads, but some ads are okay. WordPress.com doesn't allow ads. This may not be important to you. In fact, there are many that prefer WordPress.com simply because they don't allow ads. However, WordPress.com is experimenting with inserting "unobtrusive" ads on sites, although the site owner can't add ads.

Summary

Blogsome offers some functionality that Blogger and WordPress.com don't have. But it's not as customizable as Blogger. And while it doesn't offer the full functional ability to modify your template code, it allows you to change almost anything and everything, which is functionality that WordPress.com doesn't have.

To me, Blogsome is well worth considering as a free blogging platform.

Next

Next time, we'll look at a few other free services, and tell you why we don't like them.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Thanksgiving 2006

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States. It's a day set aside for giving thanks for the many blessing we have received. Many families will gather together, many good times will be shared, and many meals will be consumed.

But there are people who don't have families with whom to gather together, who are suffering hardships and having trouble making ends meet, and are cold and hungry. Think about these people. While there are some people that you just can't help, there are many, many more you can. Find a way to help others as you recoginize all the blessings you have received.

And don't forget to give thanks for what you have. Don't worry about what you don't have. The Good Lord has been very kind and gracious to use, allowing us to reap the benefits of living in the United States of America. Let's don't lose sight of that fact.

Thank God for all the things He has placed on this world for us.
Thanksgiving Day, 2006

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

As Americans gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving Day, we give thanks for the many ways that our Nation and our people have been blessed.

The Thanksgiving tradition dates back to the earliest days of our society, celebrated in decisive moments in our history and in quiet times around family tables. Nearly four centuries have passed since early settlers gave thanks for their safe arrival and pilgrims enjoyed a harvest feast to thank God for allowing them to survive a harsh winter in the New World. General George Washington observed Thanksgiving during the Revolutionary War, and in his first proclamation after becoming President, he declared November 26, 1789, a national day of "thanksgiving and prayer." During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln revived the tradition of proclaiming a day of thanksgiving, reminding a divided Nation of its founding ideals.

At this time of great promise for America, we are grateful for the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and defended by our Armed Forces throughout the generations. Today, many of these courageous men and women are securing our peace in places far from home, and we pay tribute to them and to their families for their service, sacrifice, and strength. We also honor the families of the fallen and lift them up in our prayers.

Our citizens are privileged to live in the world's freest country, where the hope of the American dream is within the reach of every person. Americans share a desire to answer the universal call to serve something greater than ourselves, and we see this spirit every day in the millions of volunteers throughout our country who bring hope and healing to those in need. On this Thanksgiving Day, and throughout the year, let us show our gratitude for the blessings of freedom, family, and faith, and may God continue to bless America.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 23, 2006, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage all Americans to gather together in their homes and places of worship with family, friends, and loved ones to reinforce the ties that bind us and give thanks for the freedoms and many blessings we enjoy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

GEORGE W. BUSH


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Open Trackbacks 2006-11-23

If you'd like to share an item via TrackBack, please feel free to do so, as long as your submission follows the TrackBack policy. If your item is related to Thanksgiving Day, consider linking to this post instead.

Headline News 2006-11-22

From ABC News:
Scientists Compose Sketch of Jack the Ripper
Police search cemetaries

From ABC News:
Bigamist 'Butt' Busted by Wife No. 4
Feels like an ass

From ABC News:
Smuggled Orangutans Arrive in Indonesia
Indonesian Underground Railroad slow to catch on

From ABC News:
Indiana Police Search for Tipping Robber
No longer waiting for him to fall over

From ABC News:
Artist Takes Portrait on Urinal Tour
Galleries pissed

From ABC News:
Penile Plot Prompts Prison Punishment
Man said doctor was being "a dick"

From ABC News:
Fla. Woman Accused Faking Own Abduction
Judge orders next kidnapping to be real

From Reuters:
Group scraps attempt to smoke biggest joint
Forgot what plan was

From Reuters:
U.S. shoppers hopping mad over frog dissection kit
French not happy either

From Reuters:
Mao's home province puts sex on the Internet
Not sure if it will catch on

Blogrolling 2006-11-22

Items of interest from the blogroll.

If you'd like to share an item via TrackBack, please feel free to do so, as long as your submission follows the TrackBack policy.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Picking A Blogging Platform: WordPress.com

We're looking at free blogging platforms. Last time, we looked at Blogger. Today, we're going to look at WordPress.com.

WordPress.com is not WordPress

First, let's consider the thing that confuses lots of people. WordPress.com is not the same as WordPress.

Here's the difference. WordPress is a blogging software application. If you have WordPress, you still need a Web host.

WordPress.com is a service of Automattic. It's a free blogging service that runs a version of the WordPress software called WordPress MU.

Yes, WordPress is a platform. So is WordPress.com. WordPress software is free. But it doesn't include hosting. WordPress.com is a free blogging service that includes hosting, but has limitations. Today, we're going to talk about using WordPress.com as your blogging platform.

What You Get

WordPress.com is an easy-to-use platform. It supports categories -- nested categories ... for example, sports, then football under sports, then college football under football, pro football under football, and so on.

WordPress.com also has native support for TrackBacks. If you don't know about TrackBacks, we'll talk in detail later.

Spam filtering is also included. Automattic's Akismet filter works very well. It's not perfect, but it's darn good.

You can schedule posts. While classic blogging doesn't include the concept of scheduled posts, some bloggers like to schedule stuff to appear at a date or time in the future.

Extended posts are also possible. That is, a post having an intro or tease, followed by "Read the rest..." kind of thing. Not used by a lot of bloggers, but it's nice to have when you want to use it.

WordPress.com also offers a good selection of templates. Most look really good.

Widgets are also included in WordPress.com blogs. Well, in most templates, anyway.

What You Don't Get

WordPress.com will not let you edit your templates, like you can with Blogger. Widgets to offer the ability to include HTML (text, links, images, etc.) in the sidebar, you can't include JavaScript. Which means no standard SiteMeter -- though you can use the limited stats version.

No JavaScript also means no Blogrolling.com blog rolls. However, WordPress.com does support multiple blog roll, albeit in a slightly confusing maner involving categories and tags.

WordPress.com doesn't allow you include ads on your site. Well, actually, the Terms Of Service (TOS) don't explicitly forbid it, and there are ways of including ads using standard HTML. However, the FAQ says ads are a no-no. So, no ads.

Domain Names

You can't have your own domain name for free. That is, your blog's domain name will include wordpress.com as part of the URL. Just like Blogger.

With Blogger, you can use your own domain name if you host it elsewhere (for a fee paid to your host), and still use Blogger for creating your blog.

With WordPress.com, you can use your own domain name for a $15/year fee ($10/year, if you already own your domain name) and have WordPress.com still host it.

Bottom line on domain names: Just like everywhere, you can't get your own domain name for free. It costs extra. But it's really cheap with WordPress.com.

The Verdict

WordPress.com offers some stuff Blogger doesn't. Blogger offers some stuff WordPress.com doesn't.

I have free blogs running on each platform. Either is an excellent choice, depending on which features appeal to you the most.

Next Up

Next time, we'll look at another free WordPress hosting service: Blogsome.

Blogrolling 2006-11-21

Yes, Blogrolling appears to be having problems today. Still, I managed to get a quick view. Long enough to find a few items of interest from the blogroll.

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Monday, November 20, 2006

Lines

The other day I was listening to a radio program call-in show and the subject was “Things you have stood in line for.”

I thought the topic was rather appropriate, as the Day after Thanksgiving madness is fast approaching and the infamous Play Station 3 has been in the headlines recently because of the massive lines of people waiting hours and hours to procure it.

I thought of all the things that I have heard people standing in line for, taking up hours and many times days: video game systems, Care Bears, Cabbage Patch Kids, Tickle-me Elmos, cheap TVs and DVD players, Star Wars movie tickets, concert tickets, to get their picture taken with Sponge Bob Square Pants in the mall ….the list could go on for about as long as the PS3 line.

This in turn got me thinking about how the items in this list might be different if this same topic was broached in, say, Burundi for example: clean water, food, vaccines….

This Thanksgiving, let’s be thankful that we live in a country where, for most of us, our biggest worry is whether our children will be the first on the block with a PS3 or whatever this year’s hot holiday item happens to be.

We don’t stand in line for food for our children – we just stand in line to pay for it.

Headline News 2006-11-20

From ABC News:
89-Year-Old Driver Who Killed 10 Gets Probation
Would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those meddling kids

From ABC News:
Dropout Generation: Nearly 1 in 3 Won't Graduate
Still get to vote

From ABC News:
Seinfeld's 'Kramer' Spews Racial Slurs
Audience outraged that outrageous comic is outrageous

From ABC News:
Baldwin Brother Makes 'Gnarly' Trip to Jesus
Wanted to get grass cut, found religion instead

From ABC News:
Pope to Make Ist Visit to Muslim Nation
Balks at wearing requested "Shoot Me" sign

From ABC News:
Lawyer Disputes Claims of Sex on Plane
Expelled from Mile High Club, joins Mile Lie Club

From ABC News:
Aspen's 'Canary Initiative' Fights Global Warming
Scientists decry plan as "for the birds"

From ABC News:
Ohio Lottery Picks Match Ohio Game Score
Schembechler yet to claim winning prize

From ABC News:
Calif. Couple Calls for Orgasm for Peace
Still learning to spell

From ABC News:
Thai Gov't Censors Opera on 'Bad Omen'
Damien resents description

Blogrolling 2006-11-20

Items of interest from the blogroll.

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Sunday, November 19, 2006

Picking A Blogging Platform: Blogger

Now that you've decided to blog ... you need a place to blog from. You need a host. And a blogging platform.

Here's the thing: you can get both from the same place. Not all the time, of course, but lots of times.

And there are two ways to go: free and paid.

What's the difference? Well, more than money.

Let's talk about free services. I'm going to limit it to two services: Blogger and WordPress.com.

First, be aware that not all WordPress blogs are WordPress.com blogs. But we'll talk about that later. Right now, let's talk about Blogger.

The Blogger Platform

Blogger is a free blogging platform that started in 1999 by three friends in San Francisco who ran Pyra Labs. It took off. And Google bought Blogger in 2002.

It's still a free platform, and it's quite customizable. You can do just about anything with its template ... if you know HTML.

Blogger supports posting of images and of YouTube and similar videos. It also allows comments, along with word verification (for reducing spam) and comment moderation (also for reducing spam and trolls) features you can enable.

Blogger also offers 31 standard templates ... all of which can be modified in just about any way you like. If you know HTML. And you can modify the templates to include add-ons, such as a TrackBack service or alternate commenting services.

The Down Side

Some people don't like Blogger because it's owned by Google. And some people don't like Google. If you're someone who's passionate about Google ... in the negative sense ... then the Google ownership is a minus.

Blogger doesn't offer native TrackBack support. Yes, you can add code from HaloScan, but unless you want to use HaloScan for both comments and TrackBacks, then you have to manually add the HaloScan code ... and that can be a little bit frustrating.

You can't have your own domain name with Blogger ... for free. Now, to be fair, that's true of any free blogging platform. Yes, WordPress.com offers domain names, but not for free. And we're not talking WordPress.com yet. The point is, your URL will be yourblogname.blogspot.com. Some think of this as a minus.

Clarification: You can have your own domain name with blogger, but it would be hosted elsewhere, and there are fees involved: domain name ownership ... and hosting fees. Without paying out money, your Blogger blog will have a blogspot.com domain name.
Of the top ten blogs in TTLB's Ecosystem, 1-9 have their own domain name. Hugh Hewitt has a townhall.com URL. Of numbers 11-30, all but 2 have their own domain name. Only Eschaton has a Blogger (blogspot.com) address and Andrew Sullivan has a TypePad (blogs.com) site via Time. So, having a Blogger domain doesn't mean you can't succeed. But there is that feeling that many have.

Other issues that some have with Blogger include:
  • It's annoying to have to republish the entire blog for small edits
  • Not supporting categories
  • Not offering extended entry functionality ("More..." or "Click to continue...")
  • Unhappy with the general appearance of Templates. That is, a Blogger blog looks like a Blogger blog.
  • Fixed width Templates
  • 300-post limit on the edit page
  • Inability to schedule posts for future publishing
  • Difficulty for beginners to edit the Templates
  • Service disruptions
  • No window-esque, drop-and-drag interface to use when creating a blog
Just so you know, some of these are being address in Blogger's new version ... that's not yet been released. It's still in beta. But it's coming. Not all these issues are addressed, but some are. Particularly the "Blogger look" and the drag-and-drop interface.

The Up Side

It's free. And, despite the occasional outage, it's usually up. About as much as any other host. The reason Blogger outages get so much attention is because so many people use it. If Blogger is down for 20 minutes, millions and millions are affected, and the total blogs downtime is huge: 20 minutes times millions. Not sure how many years that is. So, Blogger outages are actually rate. They just affect lots of folks when they do happen. Did I mention it's free?

New features are being added. In the last couple of years, comment moderation, open comments (not requiring logging in to comment), photo/video publishing, new templates, Backlinks (not quite the same as TrackBacks, but a good idea that will become great when they get all the bugs out), and more have been added.

Blogger is a good choice for starting your first blog. But it's not the only choice.

Next time: WordPress.com as a blogging platform

Operation Christmas Child III

Photobucket - Video and Image HostingOperation Christmas Child ends Monday. Well, not really. But the collection period ends Monday.

The grandchildren took their boxes to the Church this morning, the deadline at the Church, so they can get the boxes to the regional collection point on Monday.

They had a great time picking out the items for the shoe boxes. And were delighted to take them into Sunday School this morning. As you can see by the picture, others dropped theirs off today, too. And this is just a part of the total brought in today. More came in before services started.
This is the first year the grandchildren participate in Operation Christmas Child. It won't be the last.

If you're not familiar with Operation Christmas Child, look into it. It's a program of Samaritan's Purse:
Samaritan's Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan's Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God's love through His Son, Jesus Christ.

The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Samaritan's Purse is run by Rev. Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham. And Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan's Purse. It's to "share the joy of Christmas and the love of Jesus Christ with suffering children around the world."

Operation Christmas Child delivers shoe boxes to children in need. And it was heartwarming to see the grandchildren taking part.

The boxes they filled were overflowing. So much so that, Saturday night, the Wife and I were running from store to store trying to find rubber bands big enough to hold the boxes closed. We never found any (didn't want to drive all the way into town, so we tried to hit the stores outside town) so we ended up using hair bands ... I think that's what they're called. They're elastic and are for fixing hair. But they're big. About the size of a Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizza. Anyway, that's what we finally had to get to hold the boxes closed.

If you'd still like to participate in Operation Christmas Child, get a shoebox, fill it with items from the suggested list, and get it to one of the collection centers. If you don't have time to make it this year (Monday's the deadline for 2006), but would like to help, you can donate to Samaritan's Purse.

While it's nice to think about the pleasure the gifts will give the children on the receiving end, it was great watching the pleasure with which the grandchildren picked out the gifts for their shoeboxes. Christmas is indeed the season of giving.

Open Trackbacks 2006-11-19

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How American Quiz

Smoke Eater and Ogre both had this quiz. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see how I measured up to those Great Americans.

I must say, I didn't do too bad.







You Are 85% American
You're as American as red meat and shooting ranges.
Tough and independent, you think big.
You love everything about the US, wrong or right.
And anyone who criticizes your home better not do it in front of you!

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Blogrolling 2006-11-18

Items of interest from the blogroll.

  • Jo finds she is cute and playful.

  • Redoubt (Sin City) says the Big Game doesn't involve Buckeys or Wolverines.

  • Chuck (Redneckin) picks the winner.

  • Wild Bill offers the TV Nazi a tip.

  • Richard Burkard (The Blog of Columbus GA) says the new phone books are in, the new phone books are in...

  • Chris Sweigart (SwagTV Blog) has had about a sackfull of Burger King's coffee policy.

  • Brock (East Alabama Ramblings) tells the PS3 crowd that impatience costs.


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Friday, November 17, 2006

Headline News 2006-11-17

From ABC News:
57,000 Troops Ordered for '07 Iraq Deployments
Democrats redefine "pullout"

From ABC News:
Barbara Walters' Biggest Bloopers
New Playtex bra not working as expected

From ABC News:
Why Cooler Weather Doesn't Negate Global Warming
Not letting facts get in way of good story

From ABC News:
Weird Science: Can a 'Sunshade' Save the Planet?
Timbuk 3 was right

From ABC News:
Ban on Silicone Breast Implants Lifted
Breasts to be lifted, too

From ABC News:
Prof Named Best Jefferson Impersonator
Seeks Weezie, Bentley impersonators

From ABC News:
Man in Mail Threat Case Released on Bond
Daniel Craig threatens to sue

From ABC News:
Pee Wee Sports: When Parents Attack
Paul Reubens runs for cover

From ABC News:
Man Beaten by LAPD Speaks Out
Full text: "Ouch! Ow! Ooof! Ouch!!"

From ABC News:
A year later, one Baghdad family rebuilds and returns
Vows to never vacation in New Orleans again

Blogrolling 2006-11-17

Items of interest from the blogroll.

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Thursday, November 16, 2006

Operation Christmas Child II

On Monday, we mentioned the grandchildren were packing Operation Christmas Child boxes. Last night, we got the rest of the items they wanted to put into the boxes.

As you can see, we may have more stuff than will fit in three boxes. So, not only do the grandchildren get to deliver boxes, there will be an extra box ... or two ... being dropped off.

If you haven't looked into Operation Christmas Child, check it out. It's pretty simple. Just use an empty, standard size shoe box or a small plastic container. If you wrap it, wrap the box & lid separately.

Decide if the gift is to be for a boy or a girl, and what age: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. You can print out a label here. Fill out the label and tape it to the top of your box.

Put your gift items in the box. Here are suggestions for items to put in the box.

The grandchildren are excited about. We are too. But most of all, we hope there's some joy that'll be experienced by a needy child somewhere.

Headline News 2006-11-16

From ABC News:
Trash Man Convicted in Cape Cod Writer's Death
Unsuccessful superhero runs afoul of the law

From ABC News:
'Grape Guy' Catches 116 Grapes in Mouth
New superhero in training

From ABC News:
Serial Rapist Sought in Calif. for 15 Years of Attacks
Kobe Bryant applies for job

From ABC News:
Voodoo Practitioner Tries to Jinx Bush
Trying to stop a third term

From ABC News:
Bush to make first visit to Vietnam
Wants to see what all the fuss was about

From ABC News:
Turkey Fears New Homegrown Terror Threat
Threat level increases every third week of November

From ABC News:
'Sexus Politicus' Grips France
Citizens screwed again

From ABC News:
Arrest of Sunni Leader Sought in Iraq
Bush laments, "I shouldn't have sent troops, should have called police after Saddam"

From ABC News:
Vatican Reaffirms Celibacy for Priests
Celibacy redefined to include sex with young boys

From ABC News:
U.S.: One Percent of Web Content is Porn
Other 99 percent has no content

Blogrolling 2006-11-16

Items of interest from the blogroll.

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Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Starting Your Blog, Part 1

Ever since the Alliance went inactive, I've not done much in the way of Blog Tips. Of course, I hadn't done much lately before that. Just lazy, I guess.

But, I've still encountered things that have made me think, "I ought to do a blog tips post on that..." before remembering there was no active Alliance where I'd post it.

Well, I'm going to post them anyway. Here.

So, let's start at the beginning. That is, starting up your blog.

Okay, we won't start there. We'll start with why I think I'm qualified to write such a thing.

Well, I'm a blogger. I started a blog.

I can hear some of you now: "I started a blog, too! Why does Basil think he's so special?"

Well, I don't. You're perfectly welcome to post your own tips, too.

On your own darn blog.

But ... you can certainly link to it here.

Provided proper blogging etiquette is followed. And we'll cover that, soon. Or, you can comment about what I write, of course. Just stay on topic. Oh, wait. I said I'd cover etiquette later.

So, no, I don't think I'm someone special who knows everything about blogging. But I'm going to blog about blogging today. Cause it's my blog, you know.

Now that we have that out of the way, let's talk about starting up your own blog.

Starting Your Blog, Step 1

Why do you want to blog? What do you plan to do with it?

You may wonder just how important this step is. I think most people think it's most important of all. Me? Not so sure.

Let me explain.When you get right down to it, here's why you're blogging: Because you want to.

Seriously, I really think that's why you're blogging. Or are about to start blogging.

Okay, sure. You might have that one thing. That gimmick. That difference. That ... special something ... that no one else has.

There are a ton of Instapunit-wannabes out there. Heck, this little blog has regular posts that link to other posts. So count me into the Instapundit-wannabes.

Maybe you want to be funny. But do we need another Frank J.? Or another Scott Ott? Or Iowahawk? Odds are, you won't be as funny. Count me in this group, too. As another wannabe.

There are lots of blogs that do news. Or humor. Or satire. Or vitriol. Or celebrity watching. Or ... well, you get the point. It's probably already being done. And much better.

So, why should you blog?

We're back to my answer: Because you want to.

And, to me, that's most important.

If you are as good as those others, you'll have to want to blog for it to show. If you're as good as the others, and you don't really want to blog ... it'll never come out.

If you're not as good as those others ... so what? If you're blogging because you want to, you're doing what you want ... and that's got to be satisfying.

So, why are you blogging? Or why are you about to start blogging?

Whatever your reasons are ... if "because I want to" isn't part of it, you won't be successful.

Wanting to does not guarantee success. But not wanting to guarantees failure.

Coming up in Part 2

Picking a platform.

Blogrolling 2006-11-15

Items of interest from the blogroll.

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Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Fancy Eatin' Ain't for Me

The other day, I went out to this fancy eating place near the college in waycross. When you gets a chance to make it to a big city like Waycross, you make the most of it.

So anywaya, i wnet to this fancy eating place. I had to wait to sit down, and some guy in a monkey suit made me wait a bit before he sat me down next to the kitchen.

After a little while, this other fellow, wearing a white coat, come up and wanted to take my drink rder. They didn't have no Mickalob Michel Miccha regular beer, so thry brought the house wine.

When I wasked for a menu, this guy rattled off what they had to eat. Now, I don't know if it was because he was from Vietnam, Korea, or some other Chinese place, but it was hard to understand what he said. One sounded interesting and I asxed him to tellme more about it. He said it was grilled chicken tongue with a spicy sauce and sour vegetable.

I couldn't believe what he told me. Chicken tongue?

"Sorry, boss," I told him, "but I aint eating nothing that come out of a chicken's mouth. Just bring me the scrambled eggs breakfast."

Headline News 2006-11-14

From ABC News:
Democrats to Stress Environmental Issues
Will tone down rhetoric, reduce hot air emissions

From ABC News:
Anna Nicole Rips Up Bahamas Like a Hurricane
It's confirmed: Anna Nicole blows

From ABC News:
Reid elected leader of Senate Democratic majority
Handbasket getting full, Hell next stop

From ABC News:
Cruise Spotted Leaving Hotel in Rome
Severe rash blamed

From ABC News:
Bill legalizes gay marriage
Hillary, girlfriend excited

From CNN:
Democrats' priority: 'Get rid of' Rumsfeld
Haven't read the news lately

From CNN:
U.S. House rejects Vietnam trade
Wants player to be named later

From CNN:
Hacker claims to have cracked iPod
Wants it fixed

From CBS News:
Blair Pushes For Broad Mideast Strategy
Broad agrees to provide strategy

From Reuters:
Microsoft warns of 5 "critical" security holes
Identified as Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, & Internet Explorer

Blogrolling 2006-11-14

Items of interest from the blogroll.

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Monday, November 13, 2006

Helping Holly

I'm sure you know all about Holly Aho and the work she does for Soldiers' Angel. If you don't, well, she's a huge supporter of our military. She's also an artist.

Holly's running a promotion over at her blog. She's opened up an online store, and has asked for some help with it.

Naturally, I'm hoping her promotion goes well. Since she supports the military, as a former soldier, I appreciate what she does ... and want to support her.

Her contest will reward bloggers that go to her store from their respective blogs (including this one). But here's the thing. If enough visitors go to her store from here, we'll get gift certificates for the store.

Only here's the switch. I'm going to ask Holly to take any of the winnings this little blog gets and use them to give something to a soldier.

Okay, a soldier or a Marine or a sailor or an airman or ... well, you get the idea. One of our service men. Or women.

If we don't generate enough visits to qualify for gift certificates, it's okay. Because all purchases there help Holly. And that's fine with me. Because Holly supports the soldiers. And helping her will help them.

Or, better yet, if you buy something from her store, and you use it as a gift for a soldier ... everybody wins!

Check out Holly's art. Or her jewelry. It's good stuff.

And Holly's good people.

Headline News 2006-11-13

From ABC News:
Man Accused of Mailing Threats to Pelosi, Jon Stewart, Letterman and Others Due in Court
Rumsfeld indicted

From ABC News:
Pet Deer Attacks, Kills His Owner
Bambi indicted

From ABC News:
Man Attacked by Shark Off Maui Beach
Greg Norman indicted

From ABC News:
MLK Dream Comes to Fruition
"Free at last" was actually code for "Al Sharpton-Jesse Jackson photo op"

From ABC News:
Al Qaeda's Great Escape: Too Good to Be True?
Election results certified

From ABC News:
Indonesian Students Protest Bush Visit
Tree visit okay

From ABC News:
Christian, Muslim Britons say leave Christmas alone
Pelosi, Reid agree to reconsider

From ABC News:
Admit It, You Want a $1,200 Bang & Olufsen Phone
Olufsen phone optional

From ABC News:
Dairy Farmers Get More Milk Money
Melanie Griffith films sequel

From ABC News:
Anna Nicole Smith Is House-Hunting
Hugh Laurie in hiding

Blogrolling 2006-11-13

Items of interest from the blogroll.

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Sunday, November 12, 2006

Operation Christmas Child

This is drop-off week for Operation Christmas Child.

If you're not familiar with Operation Christmas Child, look into it. It's a program of Samaritan's Purse:
Samaritan's Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan's Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God's love through His Son, Jesus Christ.

The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Samaritan's Purse is run by Rev. Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham. And Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan's Purse. It's to "share the joy of Christmas and the love of Jesus Christ with suffering children around the world."

Operation Christmas Child delivers shoe boxes to children in need. And you can help.

Use an empty, standard size shoe box or a small plastic container. If you wrap it, wrap the box & lid separately.

Decide if the gift is to be for a boy or a girl, and what age: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. You can print out a label here. Fill out the label and tape it to the top of your box.

Put your gift items in the box. Here's their suggestions:


  • TOYS
    small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch®, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky®, etc.

  • SCHOOL SUPPLIES
    pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.

  • HYGIENE ITEMS
    toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, etc.

  • OTHER
    Hard candy and lollipops (please double bag all candy), mints, gum, T-shirts, socks, ball caps; sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)

  • A PERSONAL NOTE
    In a separate envelope, you may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family. (If you include your name and address, the child may write back.)

  • Do Not Include:
    Used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snowglobes or glass containers; aerosol cans



Then, include $7 to cover shipping and project costs.

Finally, take the box to a drop-off location. You can find a location near you here.

We've worked with the grandchildren about getting boxes together. And we're delivering them to the local drop-off this week.

I'm asking you to look at Operation Christmas Child and consider if it's worthy of your support.

Blogrolling 2006-11-12

Items of interest from the blogroll.

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Saturday, November 11, 2006

Blogrolling 2006-11-11

Items of interest from the blogroll.

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Friday, November 10, 2006

Headline News 2006-11-10

From ABC News:
New Face of Congress: Fewer White Christian Men
Satan, wife pleased

From ABC News:
Ford to Become Oldest Living President
Carter remains most useless

From ABC News:
Man Who Fled Fatal Traffic Accident for 5 Years Returned to U.S.
Ted Kennedy to stand trial

From ABC News:
Courtney Confirms She'll Go Nude in Magazine
December issue of Crack Whore magazine goes on sale Thanksgiving

From ABC News:
Leaving the Religious Right
Dems team up with Religious Wrong

From ABC News:
Dead N.C. Candidate Easily Wins Election
Only safe Democrat elected Tuesday

From ABC News:
Teen Who Skipped Tab Made to Wash Dishes
Prefers Diet Coke

From ABC News:
Man Uses Bug Story to Get Women Undressed
Next plan, "snake in my pants" story

From ABC News:
Bipartisanship Ho?
Pelosi vows to work with Bush

From ABC News:
Republicans look to Reagan era for inspiration
Bush to give Alzheimer's a try

Blogrolling 2006-11-10

Items of interest from the blogroll.

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Thursday, November 9, 2006

Bad Behavior

Bad BehaviorI've had my fill of spam. No, not the fine meat product by Hormel. That's SPAM® -- and that's good.

I'm talking about unsolicited comment and TrackBack spam. Like blogs get. Including this little blog.

I'm using Akismet, which comes with WordPress. And it works pretty good. I also use SpamKarma 2, and it does some good, but I can't tell that it picks up anything that Akismet misses.

To me, one's as good as another. Akismet is free for small blogs like this little blog. Big blogs can get a Commercial edition. Spam Karma is free, too. But Dr. Dave does accept tips. And no, I haven't donated. But I should. I really should.

But, Akismet and SpamKarma both let some stuff through. Not much, but some. And I'm happy with them. It's the spammers I'm not happy with. And I'm not happy with checking the moderation queue.

You see, Akismet and SpamKarma do catch a lot, and send that stuff to the moderation queue. Which means I need to check the queue. And most of the time, it's spam. Every now and then, something gets queued that is okay. So I do have to check the queue.

But, like I said, most of it is nothing but spam.

And that's where Bad Behavior comes in. Bad Behavior is a WordPress plug-in that helps with spam:
Bad Behavior was designed and built by watching actual spambots which harvested email addresses, posted comment spam, and used fake referrers. By logging their entire HTTP requests and comparing them to HTTP requests of legitimate users, it is possible to detect most spambots. Bad Behavior blocks spambots with a short error message. It also has three configurable User-Agent lists for spambots and other malicious bots which actually identify themselves. Bad Behavior can use string matching or regular expression matching against a User-Agent.

So, what's all that mean? It means that lots of these spammings are not from some guy in his underwear hitting your site and typing crap into the comment box. Rather, it's an application and/or scripts that the guy in his underwear is running that automatically try to leave comments and TrackBacks. And they basically all have similar characteristics. And Bad Behavior is supposed to be pretty good at recognizing them and blocking them.

Beth over at MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy tried Bad Behavior once before. And didn't like it. But it's been re-written. So, I'm going to try it out.

I enabled it Thursday. And within 7 hours, it says it blocked 367 hits. SiteMeter stats do not show a drop ... at least, not that I've noticed. So, I'd figure they're spammers being blocked.

But they may not be. If I get reports about legitimate visitors being turned away, I'll check to see if I've done something wrong, or if it's just not for me. As was the case with Beth.

Of course, if it's blocking you, you aren't reading this, so you don't know what's going on. So I may never know there's a problem. Beth found out because people contacted her. Because her blog rocks.

I'll find out if one of my sisters gets blocked.

Now, I'm not planning on dropping Akismet or SpamKarma. I'm just adding another level of protection. All three do different things. And I'm hoping there'll be enough spam protection in place to prevent me from having to check the 100 or so items that are moderated every day.

After running for a few days, we'll see if this was a good idea ... or bad behavior on my part.