If you haven't tried "Google Analytics" yet you owe it to yourself to check it out right away.
If you have a web site and if you'd like to see who is visiting your site, when, from where (including country and city), how much time they spend on what page, etc. then you need Google Analytics -- which is FREE.
You register with Google and place your custom-generated HTML code inside the HEAD section of all the pages you'd like to track. The rest is taken care of by Google.
All reports can be mailed in 4 different formats both to yourself and to anybody else you like on earth.
You can track the traffic of multiple web sites from one single account.
There are some truly very smart people working out there in Google. They continue to amaze me on a weekly basis.
While Microsoft is trying to protect its hold on the IT sector through all kinds of marketing strategies but weak products, Google is letting their products do the talking.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Copy + Paste is not a simple operation with MacBook
MacBook is a visually stunning gorgeous piece of hardware which makes its software issues all the more so heartbreaking. It's the equivalent of a very beautiful girl belching aloud in public.
I've previously written here about the kind of problems the Mac-native browser Safari has with some Google functionalities that I use on a regular bases (like Google Documents, and Google Pages).
Yesterday I was dismayed to discover yet another MacBook dysfunction, this one much more serious than the Google incompatibility issue.
It is hard to believe but...
If you copy text from your word document, MacBook will NOT allow you to paste it into either your e-mail message or any Google Document file!
The only way you can send that text is to save it as a separate file and then ATTACH it to your e-mail, or just type the whole thing the good-old fashioned way. (I hope, unlike me, you are fast typist.)
I still find that hard to believe... such a glaring shortcoming, and yet, MacBooks are still selling like hotcakes.
I'm praying I'm wrong and that I just missed a very simple setting that will eventually set everything right.
But I tried it both with Safari and Firefox and both don't work. If you copy from a file on your machine, you cannot paste it into your e-mail window.
I have no idea what to make of that but if I cannot fix it one way or the other, I think I am returning my beautiful MacBook back to the store and order myself the new DELL UBUNTU lap top. At least I know most of the things that can go wrong on an UBUNTU system and copy-paste function is not one of them.
POST SCRIPT:
After talking with Mac people, it became apparent that the copy-paste does not woth with OPEN OFFICE but it does with MS Word.
I've previously written here about the kind of problems the Mac-native browser Safari has with some Google functionalities that I use on a regular bases (like Google Documents, and Google Pages).
Yesterday I was dismayed to discover yet another MacBook dysfunction, this one much more serious than the Google incompatibility issue.
It is hard to believe but...
If you copy text from your word document, MacBook will NOT allow you to paste it into either your e-mail message or any Google Document file!
The only way you can send that text is to save it as a separate file and then ATTACH it to your e-mail, or just type the whole thing the good-old fashioned way. (I hope, unlike me, you are fast typist.)
I still find that hard to believe... such a glaring shortcoming, and yet, MacBooks are still selling like hotcakes.
I'm praying I'm wrong and that I just missed a very simple setting that will eventually set everything right.
But I tried it both with Safari and Firefox and both don't work. If you copy from a file on your machine, you cannot paste it into your e-mail window.
I have no idea what to make of that but if I cannot fix it one way or the other, I think I am returning my beautiful MacBook back to the store and order myself the new DELL UBUNTU lap top. At least I know most of the things that can go wrong on an UBUNTU system and copy-paste function is not one of them.
POST SCRIPT:
After talking with Mac people, it became apparent that the copy-paste does not woth with OPEN OFFICE but it does with MS Word.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
MSN News versus Google News search functions
I find Google's news search functionality to be a lot more accurate and focused than MSN's news search.
Here is an unscientific comparison for a specific key phrase. You be the judge.
TOP 10 MSN News Search results for search key phrase “travel nurse”:
http://search.msn.com/news/results.aspx?q=travel+nurse&form=QBNR&go.x=13&go.y=6
TITLES of the returned articles:
TOP 10 Google News Search results for search key phrase “travel nurse”:
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=travel+nurse
TITLES of the returned articles:
Here is an unscientific comparison for a specific key phrase. You be the judge.
TOP 10 MSN News Search results for search key phrase “travel nurse”:
http://search.msn.com/news/results.aspx?q=travel+nurse&form=QBNR&go.x=13&go.y=6
TITLES of the returned articles:
She's always ready to go Retired nurse packs her bags at a moment's ...
For fliers, fares are still ascending
Summer nights: Rimini
You want screenwriting advice? Ask this writer
Couple creating a refuge for children
Free health screenings in Haines City
Make My Day
Letters: 'Our government needs a serious overhaul'
Transplant Rules to Let Children Stay Home
Missing, found, but in denial
TOP 10 Google News Search results for search key phrase “travel nurse”:
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=travel+nurse
TITLES of the returned articles:
Pack up your troubles
ATC Healthcare Revenue Increases 25% for the First Quarter of ...
Jury consultant in nurse murder trial tells lawyers how to dress ...
She's always ready to go Retired nurse packs her bags at a ...
Take Care will contract with individual doctors to oversee nurse practitioners who staff
New Study of Nurses Reveal Sources of Injectable Medication Errors
“Surgery Robots” Mean More Education and Training for both Nurses ...
Hanover works to recruit nurses
Thanks for the miracle
Traveling man
Copy That Creates Questions
Good copy should answer questions, not create them.
From an air filter commercial:
Really?
If a product is NINE times better than the "leading brand," how come it trails behind? How come it's not the leading brand?
Either the consumers don't know what they're doing, or the copywriter...
Troubling questions that did not exist before the commercial.
From an air filter commercial:
"Nine times better than the leading brand..."
Really?
If a product is NINE times better than the "leading brand," how come it trails behind? How come it's not the leading brand?
Either the consumers don't know what they're doing, or the copywriter...
Troubling questions that did not exist before the commercial.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Firefox Works on Mac OS 10 Tiger, well, "sort of"
Firefox browser works better than Mac-native Safari as far as some Google functions are concerned.
For example, one can reach all Blogger controls when posting onto a blog from inside Firefox.
However, Google Page Creator still does not work. The Fox cannot catch Fire on that one item, unfortunately.
If you are planning to edit your Google Page Creator web site you need to use IE browser on a Windows machine.
Is this Google's problem? The problem of Mozilla/Firefox or Apple/OS X team? Or all of them?
It seems like someone does not like us to use Google Page Creator on any platform other than IE/Windows.
That's unfortunate because I really love the simplicity and versatility of Google Pages and have my official site built with it (www.writer111.com). It really works for me except I need to switch to my IE/Windows machine every time I need to edit it.
I'm lucky and I have access to a Windows machine as well. But what about those who are operating only on Linux or Mac systems?
For example, one can reach all Blogger controls when posting onto a blog from inside Firefox.
However, Google Page Creator still does not work. The Fox cannot catch Fire on that one item, unfortunately.
If you are planning to edit your Google Page Creator web site you need to use IE browser on a Windows machine.
Is this Google's problem? The problem of Mozilla/Firefox or Apple/OS X team? Or all of them?
It seems like someone does not like us to use Google Page Creator on any platform other than IE/Windows.
That's unfortunate because I really love the simplicity and versatility of Google Pages and have my official site built with it (www.writer111.com). It really works for me except I need to switch to my IE/Windows machine every time I need to edit it.
I'm lucky and I have access to a Windows machine as well. But what about those who are operating only on Linux or Mac systems?
The Gobbledygook Word of The Year: “Specificity”
Perhaps it’s still too early for the nominations but I hereby nominate the following monstrosity for the Gobbledygook Word of The Year:
“Specificity”, and even worse, “Specificities”, in its plural form.
Try saying it three times in a row and you’ll instantly forget what time it is or where you are.
Examples from world press:
“Specificity” has two main definitions. Its medical definition means something.
But its non-medical definition is a true abomination. It describes anything but a state of being “specific.” It’s just a vacuous place holder for an idea not quite formed in an ill-informed mind.
MEDICAL definition: “The ability of a test to detect that a condition is not present when it is, in fact, not present. The proportion of people free of a disease who have a negative test.”
NON-MEDICAL definition: “The quality of being specific rather than general; "add a desirable note of specificity to the discussion"; "the specificity of the symptoms of the disease.””
To refer to a group of items that are not clearly defined as “specificities” is as ridiculous an act as calling a group of dead people “existentiaries”.
There should be an article in the penal code against using such words of obfuscation that pollute public communication channels and thus undermine common good, peace and harmony.
“Specificity”, and even worse, “Specificities”, in its plural form.
Try saying it three times in a row and you’ll instantly forget what time it is or where you are.
Examples from world press:
“Angola: SADC Secretary Acknowledges Country's Specificities” (Angola Press Agency)
"This White Paper … enhances the visibility of sport in EU policy-making, raises awareness of the needs and specificities of the sport sector, and identifies appropriate further action at EU level." (Ján Figel, European Commissioner in charge of Education, Training, Culture & Youth, including Sport)
The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Action Plans, which were signed in November 2006, take into account the specificities of the South Caucasus countries.” (Ambassador Per Eklund, Head of Delegation of the European Commission to Georgia and Armenia)
“Specificity” has two main definitions. Its medical definition means something.
But its non-medical definition is a true abomination. It describes anything but a state of being “specific.” It’s just a vacuous place holder for an idea not quite formed in an ill-informed mind.
MEDICAL definition: “The ability of a test to detect that a condition is not present when it is, in fact, not present. The proportion of people free of a disease who have a negative test.”
NON-MEDICAL definition: “The quality of being specific rather than general; "add a desirable note of specificity to the discussion"; "the specificity of the symptoms of the disease.””
To refer to a group of items that are not clearly defined as “specificities” is as ridiculous an act as calling a group of dead people “existentiaries”.
There should be an article in the penal code against using such words of obfuscation that pollute public communication channels and thus undermine common good, peace and harmony.
What you definitely do NOT need to WRITE a good screenplay?
You definitely, absolutely, positively do NOT need any of the following to START and FINISH writing a good screenplay:
An encyclopedic knowledge of every movie ever written.
Watching ten movies a week.
An intimate knowledgeable of the “lingo” used in Hollywood shoptalk.
Subscriptions to all Hollywood related magazine and newsletters.
Spending thousands of dollars on famous screenwriting workshops.
A Hollywood agent, manager and/or publicist.
An intimate knowledgeable of the way Los Angeles and Hollywood works.
An English, Film Studies or Screenwriting degree from a well-known college.
A college degree of any kind, including a Master’s or a P-h-D.
An intimate knowledgeable of Shakespeare.
Any drug habit.
Smoking cigarettes and/or drinking alcohol.
To be a Christian, Moslem, Jew, Hindu, Scientologist, Atheist or to belong (or not to belong) to any other religion or belief system.
An intimate knowledgeable of the underworld and the seedy side of life.
An intimate knowledgeable of police and court procedurals.
An intimate knowledgeable of doctors and hospitals.
Lots of cash in the bank.
To be homeless and at the edge of absolute poverty.
Lots of free idle time.
An “Oscar material” subject matter.
An idea that has never been written before.
A film that A-List Hollywood actors would die to star in.
To be under 25 or 30.
To be over 40 or 50.
To be any given specific age.
To be a male or female.
To be straight, gay, or of any other sexual orientation.
To be white, black, Hispanic, Indian, Oriental or belong to any of the thousands of ethnic/racial groups.
To have a child or not to have a child.
To come from a large or a small family.
To have been born in the United States or abroad.
A top-notch professional screen writing software.
A Mac brand or any other brand computer.
A blog and/or web site visited by thousands of people a day.
A house in any neighborhood of any city on earth.
The latest cell phone or Blackberry with all the bells and whistles.
A great looking sports car or any given brand of vehicle.
Visiting Europe for your vacations or any other country or spot on earth for any occasion.
An encyclopedic knowledge of every movie ever written.
Watching ten movies a week.
An intimate knowledgeable of the “lingo” used in Hollywood shoptalk.
Subscriptions to all Hollywood related magazine and newsletters.
Spending thousands of dollars on famous screenwriting workshops.
A Hollywood agent, manager and/or publicist.
An intimate knowledgeable of the way Los Angeles and Hollywood works.
An English, Film Studies or Screenwriting degree from a well-known college.
A college degree of any kind, including a Master’s or a P-h-D.
An intimate knowledgeable of Shakespeare.
Any drug habit.
Smoking cigarettes and/or drinking alcohol.
To be a Christian, Moslem, Jew, Hindu, Scientologist, Atheist or to belong (or not to belong) to any other religion or belief system.
An intimate knowledgeable of the underworld and the seedy side of life.
An intimate knowledgeable of police and court procedurals.
An intimate knowledgeable of doctors and hospitals.
Lots of cash in the bank.
To be homeless and at the edge of absolute poverty.
Lots of free idle time.
An “Oscar material” subject matter.
An idea that has never been written before.
A film that A-List Hollywood actors would die to star in.
To be under 25 or 30.
To be over 40 or 50.
To be any given specific age.
To be a male or female.
To be straight, gay, or of any other sexual orientation.
To be white, black, Hispanic, Indian, Oriental or belong to any of the thousands of ethnic/racial groups.
To have a child or not to have a child.
To come from a large or a small family.
To have been born in the United States or abroad.
A top-notch professional screen writing software.
A Mac brand or any other brand computer.
A blog and/or web site visited by thousands of people a day.
A house in any neighborhood of any city on earth.
The latest cell phone or Blackberry with all the bells and whistles.
A great looking sports car or any given brand of vehicle.
Visiting Europe for your vacations or any other country or spot on earth for any occasion.
Safari - A Handsome Browser with Google Limitations
Mac's SAFARI browser is a great, sleek browsing machine until you want it to accomplish some specific Google-related chores that you could do easily with Firefox and IE.
One great disappointment, for example, is the way Safari cannot display most of the Google Blogger posting controls. You cannot bold or italic your text, cannot spellcheck, etc.
Also, if you are using Google's great online web builder and free hosting service "Google Pages," Safari does not work AT ALL. Period. Google is aware of the pesky issue and a message page recommends the user to download Firefox. Thanks, really.
But I have to note that, if you are using Firefox on a Linux distribution like Ubuntu, the editing function of Google Pages still does not work. You still need IE on a Windows machine to edit your Google Pages. Consumer beware!
What excuse Apple has to let Safari lag so many steps behind in functionality compared to Firefox and IE? For a company that markets itself as "on the cutting edge," it is unbecoming to rely on a browser that is not totally Google-compatible.
Great looks are great but we need full Google compatibility as well.
One great disappointment, for example, is the way Safari cannot display most of the Google Blogger posting controls. You cannot bold or italic your text, cannot spellcheck, etc.
Also, if you are using Google's great online web builder and free hosting service "Google Pages," Safari does not work AT ALL. Period. Google is aware of the pesky issue and a message page recommends the user to download Firefox. Thanks, really.
But I have to note that, if you are using Firefox on a Linux distribution like Ubuntu, the editing function of Google Pages still does not work. You still need IE on a Windows machine to edit your Google Pages. Consumer beware!
What excuse Apple has to let Safari lag so many steps behind in functionality compared to Firefox and IE? For a company that markets itself as "on the cutting edge," it is unbecoming to rely on a browser that is not totally Google-compatible.
Great looks are great but we need full Google compatibility as well.
10th Year - Happy Blogging!
I did not realize this is the 10th anniversary of the invention of blog.
Wall Street Journal observed the moment with a great piece: Happy Blogiversary.
"The spell check on Microsoft Word has yet to awaken to the concept of the blog. Type in "blogging," for instance, and you will promptly earn a disapproving underscore in red, with the suggestion that "bogging," "clogging," "flogging" or "slogging" (unappetizing alternatives all) might, in truth, be the word you seek."
Here are some famous folks and the blogs they read:
Harold Evans
Editor at large, the Week
Former editor, the Times of London
Favorite blogs: AndrewSullivan.com (political pundit for the Atlantic Monthly); MichaelTotten.com (Mideast affairs blogger); HeadButler.com (news and culture roundup)
Mia Farrow
The Editor in Chief: Me
Actress
Favorite blogs: BoingBoing.net (Tracks nooks and crannies of the Web); GPSMagazine.com (Everything about global positioning systems)
Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner
'Milblogging' the War
Spokesman for Multi-National Force, in Iraq
Favorite blogs: "Around here, folks like to read Small Wars Journal (http://smallwarsjournal.com/index.php), Blackfive (http://www.blackfive.net/) and The Mudville Gazette (http://www.mudvillegazette.com/)."
Newt Gingrich
Former House speaker
Favorite blogs: RedState.com (Republican news and notes); Corner.NationalReview.com (conservative magazine's politics blog); PowerlineBlog.com (covers law and right-leaning politics)
Jim Buckmaster
CEO, Craigslist
Favorite blogs: Slashdot.org (one of the first tech blogs); Metafilter.com (community blog anyone can edit); Valleywag.com (tech gossip site); TechDirt.com (popular tech news site)
Wall Street Journal observed the moment with a great piece: Happy Blogiversary.
"The spell check on Microsoft Word has yet to awaken to the concept of the blog. Type in "blogging," for instance, and you will promptly earn a disapproving underscore in red, with the suggestion that "bogging," "clogging," "flogging" or "slogging" (unappetizing alternatives all) might, in truth, be the word you seek."
Here are some famous folks and the blogs they read:
Harold Evans
Editor at large, the Week
Former editor, the Times of London
Favorite blogs: AndrewSullivan.com (political pundit for the Atlantic Monthly); MichaelTotten.com (Mideast affairs blogger); HeadButler.com (news and culture roundup)
Mia Farrow
The Editor in Chief: Me
Actress
Favorite blogs: BoingBoing.net (Tracks nooks and crannies of the Web); GPSMagazine.com (Everything about global positioning systems)
Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner
'Milblogging' the War
Spokesman for Multi-National Force, in Iraq
Favorite blogs: "Around here, folks like to read Small Wars Journal (http://smallwarsjournal.com/index.php), Blackfive (http://www.blackfive.net/) and The Mudville Gazette (http://www.mudvillegazette.com/)."
Newt Gingrich
Former House speaker
Favorite blogs: RedState.com (Republican news and notes); Corner.NationalReview.com (conservative magazine's politics blog); PowerlineBlog.com (covers law and right-leaning politics)
Jim Buckmaster
CEO, Craigslist
Favorite blogs: Slashdot.org (one of the first tech blogs); Metafilter.com (community blog anyone can edit); Valleywag.com (tech gossip site); TechDirt.com (popular tech news site)
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