02.23.08
Posted in Blogs at 4:45 am by Alice Pretchet
So I’ve been considering a theme update here for a long time. I have tried a couple over the years, and browsing through the general wordpress theme database, seeing how many people have downloaded the various themes there makes me want to find something at least a little bit different. It makes me chuckle when I see the same standard theme on a ton of blogs. I know i am guilty as charged with the current theme here, but my perfectionism has led to indecision, which leaves here today.
Anyway, doing some looking around I have found another place to find a wordpress theme. I am considering this iridium theme with a slight change in the photo that’s at the bottom. There are a few other good choices as well. More indecision. Perhaps I will look into what it takes to put a theme changer on the site and let users try different looks. This was I could do a poll and see which theme you all like on the screen best.
There is another theme that I have to consider there as well, the Esthwaite theme has a cool photo of an oriental boat with a great color scheme. Perhaps this one will make my wordpress blog shine. i’m a big fan of blues and greys, and I love a love for most things from the orient, so this theme is my favorite so far. I love the theme technology of wordpess, it makes it so much easier to experiment with various looks, all without having to do a lot of changes to my site.
What do you think I should go with?
Permalink
02.16.08
Posted in Blogs, News at 3:44 pm by Alice Pretchet
I still remember my first post on this blog and how awkward it was to write for the first time for everyone to see online, it was almost scary. So when I read Mrs Ursters very first post on her new blog it brought back memories of my first blog post. Even more I was excited to see that she started a blog so everyone including me could read her great ideas. If you get a chance go check out this great blog that covers topics like technology, science and other categories related to education and understanding.
Permalink
02.08.08
Posted in Misc Tech, Software at 1:43 am by Alice Pretchet
I’m sure my friends are tired of hearing tell them about TrueCrypt, but now I have another excuse to remind everyone about this free encryption software, there’s a new version with new features! For those of you living under a rock, TrueCrypt is one of the programs that will hide your valuable data from prying eyes, it not only makes files of your choice hidden behind a password, but it also encrypts, or in layman’s terms. shreds the file behind a bunch of random characters, so if your boss, spouse, ex, or anyone tries to use some geeky method to find your hidden files, all they will find is some random data which makes no sense, without your password.
I know Danny has been using truecrypt to hide adults only pics and videos from his family (good safeguard Danny, I’m glad you are being a responsible adult surfer), Jerry has been keeping his medical reports under lock and key with it when he takes work home. I use it to secure all the docs and photos on my USB thumb drive. I also keep a backup copy of all my pictures from college encrypted. It’s a great way to store financial information for emergencies as well.
I’m a big fan of TrueCrypt and PGP, I’ve been using Handybits Easycrypto for a while as well, but the truecrypt is what I use on my USB thumb drives and my main system now. There are cool new features that allow mac users to use it, and linux users get a better GUI, and some other goodies added in as well. Download the program and go through the tutorial for using it. It takes a few minutes the first time, after that you are all set and you can use this great data safeguard anywhere.
A few people have had some issues with it working in some scenarios with a mac - check out the truecrypt 5 discussion at digg for some of that info.
Permalink
02.07.08
Posted in Friends at 6:37 pm by Alice Pretchet
I have watched several close friends go through the addictions to pills the past few years. Really great people who started with a prescription to pain pills like hydrocodone, and end up addicted to pain killers, some even moving up to oxycontin. It’s horrible to see these girls try to stop taking the pills only to be in more pain with detox. It’s made me sick to think there isn’t much I can do for them. 
Today I was reading about a new drug and treatment program that blocks the drugs from working, making detox easier.
Certainly this has to be a better option than the methadone replacement therapy which simply replaces one opiate addiction with another. There are several suboxone treatment centers using this suboxone therapy now.
Opiate painkillers are serious business. There is a lot of money being made with loratabs, vicotins, and OCs or oxy. Hydrocodone is the most prescribed drug in all of Tennessee and West Virginia from what I read in the news recently. I think it is great that we have drugs that can stop pain when it is serious, however these drugs tend to cause much more pain with the detox, and torn 
families and relationships than they are worth. I think we need to find alternative pain relievers, acupuncture or something. IT is horrible that the cure for pain often causes much more in the long run. I have one girlfriend who has turned into a whore because of her addiction to pain meds, and another who has turned into a pin cushion, with horrible sores all over her face and arms, yet she still continues to shoot up. We need changes, perhaps this suboxone detox is a step in the right direction.
Permalink
Posted in Friends, Misc Tech, Mobile Devices at 6:12 pm by Alice Pretchet
I have spoken with two friend in the past week that are starting new podcasts. I found that quite odd, as podcasting was a big buzz word two years ago, I had thought that there were a couple of popular podcasts out there, but for the most part rss text was still king. Perhaps since I still do not have an ipod, or similar device in my tech arsenal, then I am not as aware of the video and audio podcasts that may get listened to or watched everyday. I still use the DVR and streaming video, I do occasionally hear an audio cast withing my netvibes feed reader, perhaps if I had a portable mp3 player I would find some good webcasts to listen to.
This week I also see a story in one of my rss feeds (via netvibes) talking about podcasting picking up steam and advertisers are looking to step up advertising in this arena as well. I certainly hope Steve and Glen’s podcasts take off. I know Glen is looking to do a video podcast, I just hope there are easier ways to subscribe to them, currently Itunes will not let me preview podcasts without having iTunes installed on my machine, which means I can’t listen in at work, no iTunes will be installed on this system.
I think there was a movement for some time to rebrand podcasts as webcasts or something, since audio and video files put into an rss feed can be listened to on other portable devices, no need for an ipod to listen in. Perhaps there will be mix of this webcasting with you tube channels and such, perhaps there already is a way to auto-download video channels online without itunes, is anyone doing this already?
Permalink
« Previous entries · Next entries »