Blogging

Thoughts on blogging with a sprinkling of Tips.

“Like and Share” Buttons: I solved my problem.

~ Ron Walker ~ 7 Comments

First, let me say that I am self-hosted. I use Jetpack for additional options such as the like and share buttons. The problem I was having, was the like and sharing buttons were not showing on my first page, or any single type page. They were showing properly on every post. I tried everything I could think of, to solve why the share and like buttons were missing. I read dozens of Google search leads. Checked every setting I could find over and over again. Different themes, I even set up a fresh test site.

My solution

I assumed, and we all know what that action can do, that Jetpack overrode all settings of my WordPress installation and provided the like and share buttons. It turns out, that in the WordPress controls, under Settings, there are options that control the like and share buttons. Either I had changed them recently, or something else threw a monkey wrench in. Below you will see the options I chose. My problem was I found the top box ” Front Page, Archive Pages, and Search Results ” unchecked. Checking that box, set everything right with the world. I hope this helps someone else with the same problem.

Comments always welcome,

Maybe it’s time for a new look, for the Blog.

~ Ron Walker ~ 13 Comments

The last couple of weeks, I have thinking of searching for a new theme for my blog. Turns out, it is harder than I would have imagined, to find a new theme that still looks like a blog. 90% of what I looked at, and I mean there were a lot of them, looked more like businesses with huge introductory pictures as the first thing on the blog. I like a picture along the top, it gives a flavor of the blog your visiting. I just don’t like the in your face, full screen pictures that look more like wallpaper.

The only good ones you find now, are limited versions

They were either too plain, or too full of gadgets. It seems the only good ones you find now, are limited versions having to purchase the upgrade to get the nice things. I’m used to this trend though. Like forums, when I started there were probably 100+ free themes that had nice features, then the realization of making money for themes took over, and now you’re lucky to find 1-5 free themes on the forum support site.

I like a few features, like being able to change the color to better suit your blog subject. Maybe the ability to adjust the text size, so those with poorer eyesight have an easier time reading.

Generate curiosity for the older posts.

I have found one that I am going to try. It is standard, but it has a nice feature for the top or bottom. While I am not a fan of the large sliding images on business sites, this one caught my eye as being small and can be adjusted to randomly select past posts. Some visitors may be more prone to click on one that comes up in the slider which looks interesting. You can set the time interval, so it stays long enough to generate curiosity for the older posts.

So for the next few days, if you visit here, you may see something come and go from time to time as I adjust it. If you have things that you like, items you use that work for you, feel free to share them with everyone. I’m always looking for improvements to help visitors.

Comments always welcome,

New Blogging Year begins

~ Ron Walker ~ 23 Comments

Detoxed from the electronic fog

I have been gone awhile, and have missed all of you. There was no Internet connection for the last six days. While the Internet was down, It felt calmer. Like when the power goes out, it is so peaceful without the humming of electric motors and the myriad of other devices. I’m elated that the connection is back, but it seems to have recharged me in some way. Detoxed from the electronic fog maybe?

The Doctor has told me to slow down or else. So blogging, and watching over my forum, will be my two basic activities. No more really strenuous or stressful activities. Light exercise, and walking to keep away atrophy is okay. I have to realize, that ripping up floors and replacing them is a thing of the past. Simple low impact projects, will be my style now.

My phone is answered by me now, when I want to. I am cutting out Facebook, It is a toxic wasteland that I never became used to anyway. No more “Please send the kid with only a burlap bag body, money for arms and legs”, If family or friends want to find me, they can do searches for my Blog, email or text. My relaxation will be blogging on trailer park life as it occurs, along with various tutorials or projects. Maybe some photography and blogging of every day life.

I hope all of you had a nice Christmas, and a great start to the new year. I’m looking forward to visiting all of you.

Ron

Comments always welcome,

Keep your Blog updated, avoid problems. PSA

~ Ron Walker ~ 8 Comments

One of the worst things for your Blog, is not updating. While I really don’t care for auto-updating on some things, (that is just an opinion of mine) it is a good practice on sites that are not is use much. If you’ve tired of blogging, taking a long break, or have just stopped. Take a moment now and again to visit the old site. Put it in maintenance mode, or take it offline. 

You are the best defense

There are those on keyboards, that for whatever reason get a perverse pleasure out of destroying others work, just to show you they can. Some do it for profit, some just do it out of meanness. You are the best defense against these things. All the security in the world is worthless, if it’s not in use. Not keeping your plugins, or sites core updated, is a recipe for disaster. 

If posts are very old,

Seldom used sites, are targeted by those wishing to hone their hacking skills. The same way a burglar looks for homes newspapers strewn on the porch. If posts are very old, then there is a good chance that the site owner hasn’t been around, or kept crucial components up to date. I believe WordPress hosting (someone correct me if I’m wrong) auto updates blog sites to the latest version, along with any plugins they allow you to use. “If” you host your site (self-hosted) on another host, it may fall on you to be sure your blog is updated. I’m self-hosted. I must make sure the site and plugins are up to date.

The hackers, may have been just practicing, or

This post was prompted by a slew of emails I received this morning. A very nice couple in another country I had followed at one time. It appears like someone managed to hack into their blog since September this year, and for some odd reason went back to categories of 2017 and edited many, many posts to contain a long spilling ramble about using advertising. But no link to the advertising they left. Weird. Followers receive emails, that just lead to the junk posted. The hackers, may have been just practicing, or they may have left a program running silently for later.

This is not to say, that the blogger/s are to blame or lax in updating. You have to remember, that nothing is truly safe, from those with the skills and tools. As I tell others, it’s not if you get hacked in your lifetime, but how bad.

So take that moment, even if you don’t feel like blogging or reading. Visit your site on a semi-regular basis, make sure it doesn’t need attention, place it in maintenance if need be.  Please, don’t leave low hanging fruit for cretins. 

Comments, questions, always welcomed.