Category: internet

blog – WordPress 2.0 not yet ready

On By Rick McIn blogs, internetLeave a comment

This blog uses WordPress 1.5x

I was looking forward to upgrading to 2.0x which should allow easier posting of video clips and other important improvements.

Unfortunately 2.0, so far, seems to be a bit of a disaster.

Reasons to not upgrade to WordPress 2.0 from 1.5.2

Oops, perhaps I blogged too soon. Seems WordPress 2.0.2 is already out and I will attempt the upgrade … soonish. WordPress called it a “Security Update” but several bugfixes were of more value to me.

NOTE – I finally did update. No major problems. The new widgets feature won me over.

website – Newsvine.com

On By Rick McIn good news, internetLeave a comment

Peter and Joyce Long have a great set-up for keeping up with the “news”. They have satellite radio at home and in their vehicle set to BBC, the best mainstream news source in my opinion.

They have TIVO set to record BBC world service TV.

Excellent.

Yet I feel this traditional news reporting format will continue to decline. Fewer and fewer media competitors will spend less money covering even fewer stories.

American news coverage is particularly dismal.

newsvine logoWhat will replace it?

Interactive news services where readers vote, comment and even write the news. My service will include much more gymnastics and hiking content than most. It will be individualized to my interests.

The best known of these upstart news sources is Digg.com

But the best (though it includes mostly American content so far) is NewsVine.

Newsvine – Get Smarter Here

Google ads

On By Rick McIn economics, internetLeave a comment

Google over the past four years collected $11.2 billion from advertisers. Then made payments to advertising partners (i.e. ME) of more than $3.9 billion.

Actually, I’m one of the lowest paid Google coolies, earning about US$3 a day from my thousands of web pages.

When you click on those inoffensive Google ads you are supporting the website hosting them — even if you do not buy anything.

travel – Mollie’s blog

On By Rick McIn internet, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

I travelled with Mollie from Toronto from Belize through Guatemala. She’s a camp girl who can handle the challenges of the 3rd World, even surviving a rough ride on the roof of a mini-bus on a 5AM jungle departure.

In one of those common travel coincidences, Mollie bumped into Ron at a hostel in Tulum. They both work in the TV and Film industry in Toronto. The three of us hooked up for some days.

Check Mollie’s travel blog for a far more elequent and accurate version of events than my own.

It’s a work in progress. Photos will be added when she gets time on a fast enough computer.

More travellers are posting travel blogs. Or at least their photos on sites like Flick.com

Next travelogue on this trip >> Cobán, Guatemala

new website – ConvertibleTrailers.com

On By Rick McIn internet, product endorsementsLeave a comment

My dream job is to manage my own websites from any WiFi coffee shop in the world.

It’s getting closer. I write from the Bagel Barn in Antigua, Guatemala. (toasted cinnamon raisin) AND I just posted a new website:

ConvertibleTrailers.com

I like the website. But I like the product even better. Bill Pawluk has built and patented a vehicle hauling trailer which easily converts to a flatbed. This way the trucker can haul vehicles in one direction, and anything else on the return trip. Brilliant.

automobile truck trailer

Digg.com

On By Rick McIn internetLeave a comment


… the true media mogul of the age is … not someone named Murdoch, Hearst, or Newhouse. He is Kevin Rose, the scruffy geek behind Digg.com, a site where users edit the news. In him, we see the media industry of the future.

I’m agree. I check Digg.com every day.

Guardian | Technology | Can you Digg what is happening to journalism?

new website for Kate Zimmerman

On By Rick McIn food, internetLeave a comment

Kate ZimmermanMy secret lover Kate Zimmerman has an attractive new website.

She is a North Shore Vancouver basement based journalist who writes on everything a loving stay-at-home wife should know nothing about: fine dining, fine drinking, famous people, travel and humour.

She has one book under her real name & features in the National Post, Vancouver North Shore News and even some non-right wing publications.

Check it out at KateZimmerman.ca

do not steal my laptop

On By Rick McIn good news, internetLeave a comment

Interesting story out of Australia.

An owner of a stolen laptop posted it on Ebay (in advance of the thieves) asking people not to purchase a Powerbook with Apple serial number W8506001SQ5.

Computer savvy, the owner also got the home IP & modem address of the thieves when they connected the stolen computer to the internet using their home wireless connection.

It’s not a good idea to steal something which has a tracking device built-in … unless you know what you are doing.

Jobs vs. Gates: Who’s the Star?

On By Rick McIn economics, internetLeave a comment

billionaires on a unicycleIt’s not often you find a pundit who thinks Bill Gates is doing more for the world than Steve Jobs. Check this controversial article:

Wired News: Jobs vs. Gates: Who’s the Star?

His one valid point is that mega-Billionaire Jobs has not publicly given away a nickel to charity.

I assume Steve is too busy changing the world, much stagnated by Microsoft.

I assume (charitably) that Steve will one day give away billion$ in the way that Gates is already doing.

The future?

Steve Jobs will soon sit on the Disney Board of Directors. Some say Disney paid too much for the merger with Steve Jobs’ Pixar. I disagree. Animated movies have the greatest earning potential in the future. Pixar is the best. This is a good move for Disney.

podcast – Barbecue Secrets – Ron Shewchuk

On By Rick McIn audiocasts, barbecue, food, internetLeave a comment

Rockin’ Ronnie has done it. Posted his first audio podcast: interviews with barbecue experts, answers to listener questions, great recipes and useful tips and tricks.

You can find it in the Podcasts section of the iTunes music store. It’s free. You can subscribe to get future episodes.
Rockin' Ronnie - Barbecue Secrets - Barbecue Secrets

Ron Shewchuk on iTunes

But first check out his Barbecue Secrets podcast homepage. OPEN icon