blogging

Change is a’ coming to WordPress.

~ Ron Walker ~ 16 Comments

If you haven’t heard, WordPress is getting a new editor called “Gutenberg”. It will be in the WordPress 5, whenever they roll it out.

Many of us dislike change. Especially when it’s not asked for, but thrust upon us without much input. Windows 10  was that way, and I fought it, and won. At least in my mind I won.

This change, while very different, is fresh, and needed. WordPress has had the same editor for ages. While I don’t need a full suite of fancy tools to make a post, I do hate when you try to do something nice, and you have to spend your time untangling the mess made by the current editor. Such as the “center” option wanting to center everything close to the area you’re working in, and you have to find out where it went wrong. Wrestling with photo plugins so you can do an album display.

I have tried the new Editor. I hate change, but I actually found myself liking this. It is almost as if you’re using a WYSIWYG web page editor. Drag and drop, one click options, photo gallery using just drag and drop. I’m sure many of us will dislike it, many will love it, either way it’s coming down the pipe.

Over the years, blogs have gone from our personal, interactive sharing sites, to commercialization, with huge splashy pictures that take up the entire monitor screen, greeting you. Business, and websites are shifting to Blogs, even forums. For good or bad, change is a’ coming. Only problem? No one seems to know when.

This is but one link, of many that you can check out for more information.
https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/

Comments welcome,

A brand new year for blogging.

~ Ron Walker ~ 16 Comments

I was greeted by a beautiful sight today. Looking out of  the window there was a rainbow beginning to appear. It was quite brilliant where it was close to the ground. That has to be a good sign.

I started off this year busy, but I am back on track and ready to spend time with fellow bloggers, and enjoy mine. Finally, I have acquired a nice tablet that I can carry with me now. It is just too hard to type on my smart phone.

I plan on blogging about whatever comes to mind, that I think may be of interest to others, or give them a smile or positive outlook. I’m not worried about numbers, other than you can somewhat gauge your content by the interest others show. A blog should reflect the person behind it. No illusion, no fake persona, just the blogger. Of course that is just my opinion.

No plans on settling into any one niche, but remain general and loose. I may share technical tidbits, Poems, or other re-blogged posts, from the many wonderful blogs I follow. I don’t plan on going crazy generating posts, that wouldn’t be fun. Spontaneity is something I have always loved.

Thank you all for the friendship, support, and assistance you have given. I can’t wait for tomorrow, it will be cold and crisp, and I can sit here inside, with a hot cup of beverage and visit with all the wonderful people I have met in the blogging world.

Here’s to 2018, and meeting and making many more friends. -Ron

Making my way back, one smile at the time.

~ Ron Walker ~ 32 Comments

It’s been a month since I have been active, several have asked about me and I appreciate it. I’ve just been a tad off balance. Medications they changed dropped me into a depression of some sort. Blood work shows nothing out of whack, unless the lab that does it, is themselves out-of-whack. Wouldn’t surprise me in the least.

I enjoy everyone, and I love blogging with all of you. It was just a fog of some sort, terribly tired and each time I sat down wanting to blog, I just drew a blank. Nothing seemed humorous or interesting enough to write about. I have even been quiet on my forum which is unusual. I think the fog is slowly lifting, as I am seeing more humor lately. Johnny Reb (our resident hooligan) is being moved to the back of the park.

I’ve never had severe depression/Anxiety. I didn’t even know you could be both at the same time. The wonders of modern pharmaceuticals, they are supposed to make you feel better, not crazy in the head. I wouldn’t wish my last month on anyone, not even Johnny Reb. I worked for 8 years around people with severe depression, and never imagined  a time that I would be touched by it myself. Luckily, I can dig out of it, some are not so fortunate. But enough darkness from me, looking forward to getting back into doing everything, that I have enjoyed before!

I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone, and sharing tales from the park.

Thanks,

Spammers on your Blog.

~ Ron Walker ~ 14 Comments

Spammers, the bane of the Internet. Spam helps spread malware and viruses. It is said that the first spam mail was sent in 1978. Gary Thuerk, an employee of Digital Equipment Corporation, figured out a way to send mass emails, and fired off a mass email to 398 others, to notify them of a product demonstration. From there it mutated into the monster of today.

I thought I would share a few tips that I have used or learned for those of you that are not sure what Spam mail really is. Spam mail is, in a word, unstoppable. You can slow it down, you can stop the majority, some will still make it through. The filters that our ISP’s and even WordPress use just serves to slow it down some. Sometimes the filters even catch our subscribers to our blogs.

Most Spammers are automated, and just firing off an ugly response to one just goes back to a robot/computer that lists you as “alive” and then they share your email address among every spammer in the world. Most of the spammers get paid for every time they post a link for someone. That is why you get a nonsensical email or blog post in your spam folder. Among all the gibberish will be one or more links to a product. There are times that spammers just grab a chunk of test out of an e-book for filler.

There are two golden rules you should follow regarding Spam.

  • Never EVER click a link contained in spam email.
  • Never respond to spam in any way.

Spammers come from everywhere. Sometimes they hide behind faked IP addresses, to make them appear legit. Should you ever get curious, and not already know how to look up information on spammers etc. Here are a couple of sites that I use.

  • Stop Forum Spam: A free service that allows you to search by name, email, or IP.
  • CIPB (or Country IP Blocks): Free service to look up an IP and see what country it originates from.

Since this past March when I reset my spam counter, I have blocked 4,859 spam posts. I still get a few every couple of days.

This is how I feel, about spammers…

Comments welcome,