archshrk

News/Updates

• Fear me 29.06.09

  Took my LEED Exam v2.2 Friday and scored 186 (170-200 was passing). This is such a relief. No more tests – ever!
  I was feeling very confident during the first part (like I may get 200!) but then the next questions got a little harder so I thought maybe only 197…190…180…171? But the [...]

• In Passing 25.06.09

  David Carradine
  Farrah Fawcett
  Ed McMahon
  Michael Jackson
  Pop star Michael Jackson was pronounced dead by doctors this afternoon after arriving at a hospital in a deep coma, city and law enforcement sources told The Times.

• Wii Mingle 03.06.09

  SO after hooking up my Nintendo Wii, I added a couple Wii Friends and set my Mii characters to mingle. Unfortunately, no one’s been mingling. I’m not sure they set their Wii settings correctly so we’ll have to trouble shoot to find out why they aren’t mingling. If anyone else is having [...]

• Wii bonus 25.05.09

  So one of the benefits of working where I do is that they offer bonuses for certain accomplishments. Accomplishments like getting your architect’s license (done) and LEED AP accreditation (June 26?). But the current economic situation has been really hard on our industry. Many clients don’t have money for construction and those [...]

• Health plus Nuts equals Compact Impact 05.05.09

  This is actually a rehashing of an old post but it seems really relevant these days. Compact Impact sells (for around $10) playful versions of the paper breathing mask.
  The very sterile looking white gauze mask inspired us to make it more cheerful and funny while still serving its purpose. This new mask is [...]

• My friend, Wendy McLean 04.05.09

  It is with a very heavy heart that I share this. My friend Wendy McLean (aussiseeker71) passed away Sunday, May 3rd, 2009 at 3pm Australia time. She was unconscious and comfortable for the last 12 hours.
  I first ‘met‘ Wendy a few years back when she was a regular visitor to the Kaleo Forums. [...]

• archshrk is an Architect 28.04.09

  California Architects Board – License Verification

  It’s official, I am now a licensed Architect in the State of California. A licensed architect’s responsibilities are outlined in both the California Architect’s Practice Act and the Owner-Architect Agreement, AIA B101. The architect is charged with acting in accordance with the standard-of-care in preparation and administration (responsible control) [...]

• Make your own short URLs 14.04.09

  So here’s the deal – I don’t tweet (yet) but I hope to break into the tweet world with my posts. Not likely to happen but I can dream. Anyway, there is some discussion on using tiny URLs in newspapers rather than full links. We’re talking paper and ink, not online. [...]

• Everybody’s Green on Earth Day 09.04.09

  Earth Day 2009 is April 22, and Amazon is launching Earth Day Savings at amazon.com/earthday, where customers can save on organic groceries, home products, CFLs and more. Additionally, learn how to go Extreme Green, Ease Into Green, or be Eco-Chic.
  Amazon and ENERGY STAR will also host the Earth Day Sweepstakes. Five first-place winners will receive [...]

• Messing with Color 08.04.09

  Today, Google announced that you can use color filters on your image search results.
  Today, I’m happy to announce that you too can use our color filter in your own image searches. Just search for something the way you normally would, such as [tulips]. On the results page, click on the “All colors” drop down in [...]

• New Bloons Tower Defense 3 07.04.09

  A while back I placed (hacked/stole/bootlegged) Bloons Tower Defense 2 onto my site. It was an experiment that I just left running. It hasn’t been a huge traffic generating part of my site but it has brought a few people and once you start playing, you kind of need to finish on whatever [...]

• Past projects 22.03.09

  When I told some friends about passing the CSE (architectural license), one of them suggested I post pictures of what I get built. But the truth is, I’ve already gotten some things built. Take a look…
  Building for Success Program
  The Building for Success Program, authorized under the passage of Proposition U & C, includes [...]

• Dear mister postman 20.03.09

  I just got the letter and went to call my family to share the good news, only…none of them are home/answering the phone. So I’ll share with you guys.

  I PASSED! I just need to send in the application and my fee and then I will be a licensed architect (in California)
  You may start bowing now.
  To [...]

• Cleaning house 19.03.09

  You may have noticed the site has been undergoing some slight changes. Nothing drastic, just a little house cleaning. When you’ve been blogging for as long as I have (and I’m no great blog founder), you tend to acquire things. Plugins, links, clutter. You know – stuff. Stuff that makes [...]

• Where the web was born 19.03.09

  Tim Berners-Lee, a scientist at CERN, invented the World Wide Web (WWW) in 1990. The Web, as it is affectionately called, was originally conceived and developed to meet the demand for automatic information sharing between scientists working in different universities and institutes all over the world.
  CERN is not an isolated laboratory, but rather a focus [...]

• Size matters 09.03.09

  Is my site too hard to read? I’ve noticed some alarming differences between various browsers and I can only guess what you all see. So, do you find my site font too small? Do you have any advice as to what makes for good font sizing? Keep in mind that I am [...]

• Daylight Saving Time 05.03.09

  When do we change our clocks?
  Most of the United States begins Daylight Saving Time at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March and reverts to standard time on the first Sunday in November. In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time.
  A writer in 1947 noted, “I don’t really care how time [...]

• Mortgage Options 04.03.09

  “We must stem the spread of foreclosures and falling home values for all Americans, and do everything we can to help responsible homeowners stay in their homes,” the President said February 18th as he signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law. Below is some resources and basic information about what options are [...]

• Full disclosure 01.03.09

  One of the reasons I keep at this whole blogging thing is to keep people informed. Well, I’ve done that, I just haven’t kept them informed about me/us. For instance, not many of you know that my mother has been in the hospital twice in the past month regarding a blood clot in [...]

• More free stuff? 26.02.09

  Yes, more free stuff.
  You may recall that I casually mentioned my interest in the new ESV Study Bible, well now is your chance to Win a Calfskin Version of the ESV Study Bible! A Boomer in the Pew is giving away one Calfskin Version of the ESV Study Bible to celebrate his 1-year Blogiversary. [...]

• The Baby Britax Event is Back! 31.01.09

  It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s always a big hit. Starting tomorrow, February 1 through 15, 2009, Britax will be holding a sales event in the Baby Store with select Britax car seats marked down by as much as 20%. Most Britax car seats on Amazon will be included in the offer.

  When [...]

• Some Updates 30.01.09

  First, my exam went well. Got there on time and felt confident about my answers – already doing better than last time. But before I get into that, I wanted to share some other information.

  Its tax time! or at least time to start doing your taxes, if you have a refund coming (otherwise, [...]

• NEW Email Virus Warning… 23.01.09

  THERE IS AN EMAIL WITH SUBJECT LINE OBAMA ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FLOATING AROUND WITH A TROJAN HORSE ATTACHMENT. DO NOT OPEN FOR ANY REASON!!! DELETE IMMEDIATELY. THE TROJAN STEALS ALL PASSWORDS AND USER IDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD TO EVERYONE ON YOUR EMAIL LIST.
  http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/obamaspeech.asp
  The enclosed video links direct recipients to a malicious web site [...]

• Sharkitecture.NET 21.01.09

  As you may recall, my second attempt at the CSE (orals) is coming up and I’ve been studying like a mad man. I’ve compiled various study notes from numerous places and combined that with some very useful flash cards. Overall, I’m feeling even more prepared than last time. I even shelled out [...]

• Walnut Creek or bust – I choose option three 19.12.08

  You may recall from a few months ago that I took my CSE Oral Exam and it didn’t go well. If you forgot, here’s the highlight.
  Walnut Creek or bust
  So a few weeks back, I got my results and I missed it by that much. Sad, deflated and annoyed, I quickly signed up for the [...]

• Bad Function 18.12.08

  I’m always trying to improve my site’s functionality and usability. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t.

  Today I realized it didn’t. I found this article on Smashing Magazine that offered 10 useful rss hacks for wordpress . One tip/hack I tried was supposed to delay the FEED by x-number of minutes. [...]

• More Camera & Photo stuff 04.11.08

  Think Tank Rotation 360°, Two Section Convertable Photo Backpack.
  While reading Digital Photography School blog, I came across a couple of items I’d like to add to our toolbelt (as it were) One is very affordable, the other – not so much.
  The Think Tank Rotation 360° Backpack lets you access the gear inside of the [...]

• Gmail is too cute – no seriously 25.10.08

  At the risk of unleashing another firestorm of hate comments I have to say I’m not liking the emoticon feature of Gmail.
  Following the evolutionary path blazed by colored labels, we present, in all their technicolor glory, emoticons in your mail. – Official Gmail Blog: A picture is worth a thousand words
  Now let me begin this [...]

• Core Switches and WordPress 2.6.3 24.10.08

  So I woke up this morning to find my site working but also in need of an upgrade.

  A vulnerability in the Snoopy library was announced today. WordPress uses Snoopy to fetch the feeds shown in the Dashboard. Although this seems to be a low risk vulnerability for WordPress users, we wanted to [...]

• Heads up – Site down 23.10.08

  Just wanted to let you know of the impending doom, er – downtime.
  Dear archshrk (note that I don’t capitalize my name),
  We are pleased to inform you that we will be installing new hardware on the core switches that are used by the webserver that hosts your account. In order for these upgrades to be [...]

• Everyone loves stats 09.10.08

  I was reading/approving/editing some comments just now and realized I have received over 70,000 comments (based on current comment id#. Which made me all excited until I realized, most of that was spam comments (as was the case for comment #70,000). None-the-less, I thought I’d share with you some relevant stats about my site [...]

• Walnut Creek or bust 29.09.08

  I should have posted this last month when it happened but things just seemed to get away from me (as things often do – silly things). As you may recall, I’m working towards my Architectural License and had my California Supplemental Exam (CSE – aka my Orals) last month. What I didn’t [...]

• Google takes a stand – sort of 26.09.08

  digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/politics/Google_takes_a_stand_sort_of’;

  Official Google Blog: Our position on California’s No on 8 campaign

  Google has come out with an official company position regarding Proposition 8, which is fine to do but – when they do, they should actually explain their position.
  When Proposition 8 appeared on the California ballot, it was an unlikely question for Google [...]

• WordPress 2.5.1 25.04.08

  Version 2.5.1 of WordPress is now available. It includes a number of bug fixes, performance enhancements, and one very important security fix. We recommend everyone update immediately, particularly if your blog has open registration. 2.5.1 focuses on fixing the most annoying bugs and improving performance. Here are some highlights:

  * Performance [...]

• Corbin is too big 29.03.08

  So I’ve heard that most babies double their birth weight at around 6 months. Corbin did it at 3 months. While that sounds real impressive, and it is, there are a few drawbacks. First, he’s that much heavier so holding him gets harder each day. Second, he’s going through his clothes [...]

• Creative RSS Button – Could it Work? 28.03.08

  I was reading an interesting post over at SEOmoz and it got me thinking. The issue was increasing feed subscriptions by using creative feed icons instead of the traditional orange icon. While some were very creative, many looked too much like ads and would likely scare off readers new to feeds, and experienced [...]

• Easter was great 24.03.08

  This weekend was great. The weather was awesome, the bay wasn’t crowded and Easter lunch was fun. Friday night, our friend Angie came over (long overdue) and she made us dinner and we taught her how to play Settlers of Catan. I won both games but it was close.
  Saturday, we went down [...]

• It’s getting hot in here 23.03.08

  You may recall from last summer that our air conditioning doesn’t work. The price to fix it then was broken down into three options.

  Replacing the roof top unit only ~ $1950 (uses the old-style coolant)
  Replacing the rooftop and ceiling units ~ $4880 (uses the new generation coolant)
  Replacing both with a cooling/heating unit ~ $5650 [...]

• WordPress 2.5 Sneak Peek 18.03.08

  Wordpress 2.5 is on the horizon and has been totally redesigned for improving the user experience. The dashboard will now have actual useful information. The tabs are better organized to be more intuitive and efficient. Overall, the work flow is improved by restructuring the backend navigation so that the most used items [...]

• Examination Dates 12.03.08

  I opened the mail to find my letter letting me know that my California Supplemental Examination (CSE) application and fee was received and that I am scheduled for the Northern California exam in July. They will send me a follow up letter with the exact date and time will be sent aproximately 30 days [...]

• I wish I knew you 07.03.08

  Friday night was the memorial service for my cousin Melissa (22). I wasn’t planning on going but my mom reminded me of how much we need our family (no matter how distant) around us during these tragic times. It’s not that I didn’t care, it’s just that I didn’t really know her. [...]

• When will I receive my next payment? 29.02.08

  You are scheduled to be sent a payment within 30 days of the end of this month, unless a payment hold exists or unless otherwise agreed to in writing (including electronic mail).
  Thanks to the various random visitors I receive looking for leopard images, bloons tower defense game and Corinthian leather, I have earned enough from [...]

• Upgrades a’comin 21.02.08

  Upgrades are coming for my webhost. No, I’m not moving hosting companies again. This time they are doing the moving. or rather, changing my hosting platform…
  It is essential that we upgrade our platform regularly in order to maintain a state-of-the-art infrastructure and provide you with the best hosting performance and security.
  Please be [...]

• Happy Valentine’s Day 14.02.08

  Three years ago today, we signed the papers for our first home. Two years ago on tax day (April 15th) we bought our Toyota Camry. This year, we bought a Honda Odyssey. It’s used but has a lot to offer. It’s a 2005 EX-L with Charcoal exterior and tan interior.

  Honda [...]

• What a difference a year makes 31.01.08

  Like many bloggers, I’m obsessed with my visitor traffic. And like many bloggers, I use Statcounter.com for free web traffic reporting. My traffic from yesterday vs. a year ago yesterday is very revealing.

  Tuesday, January 30th 2007
  51 Page Loads – 31 Unique Visitors
  Wednesday, January 30th 2008
  313 Page Loads – 227 Unique Visitors
  The real turning [...]

• archshrk featured on Slate.com 15.01.08

  Is high-octane gas bad for the environment? – By Brendan I. Koerner – Slate Magazine
  OK, so maybe not featured, but I am linked in the article (see soft Corinthian leather). I don’t know how much this will boost my readership but it has already given me a nice spike in visitors. Now the [...]

• Mormons are Christians? 12.01.08

  Joel Osteen Declares Romney’s Jesus is Our Jesus?

  Chris Wallace interviewed Pastor Joel Osteen on the Fox Television Network’s “Fox News Sunday” program December 23, 2007. Osteen pastors what is touted as the largest church in the United States (Lakewood Church of Houston, Texas). Here’s an interesting segment of the interview.

  Wallace: “Is a Mormon a [...]

• ICC Online | California Code Updates 09.01.08

  2007 California Building Code, Title 24 Part 2 – (order here)

  This is a fully integrated code based on the 2006 International Building Code. Part 2 now also includes Title 24, Part 8 (California Historical Building Code) and Title 24, Part 10 (California Existing Building Code). This code comes in a 2 volume set. Included is [...]

• Brother, can you spare a dime? 07.01.08

  I would like to ask for prayer. The archshrk household has been rocked yet again and are in need of much prayer. Many of you have already heard of the outrageous condo assessment that was just passed which requires us to pay a large amount of money ($3800) we don’t currently possess by the 15th [...]

• WordPress 2.3.2 29.12.07

  For those of you using Wordpress, there is an important update you should consider.
  WordPress 2.3.2 is an urgent security release that fixes a bug that can be used to expose your draft posts. 2.3.2 also suppresses some error messages that can give away information about your database table structure and limits and stops some information [...]

• Year in Review 27.12.07

  I did this last year and I wanted to see if it got any better. Becky68 suggested I list the first line from the first post for each month of last year, as a way to recap the year that was. Look for [my comments]
  January: The first line from the first post for [...]

• Merry Christmas 24.12.07

  As you know, this is a very special year for us. This will be Corbin’s first Christmas and while he won’t remember it much, we’ll be enjoying it on his behalf. Typically we have Christmas Eve dinner at Julia’s parents and spend Christmas day at her brother’s. But due to scheduling conflicts [...]

• Shop the Company Store 15.12.07

  It’s Christmas time so many of us are doing our holiday shopping. If you’re like me, you’ll do a lot of that shopping online. That’s why I created The Company Store. It’s a portal to the Amazon site but by following my link, I’ll get a referral fee for every purchase. [...]

• What a busy weekend 03.12.07

  This has been quite a busy weekend for us. Our son is due December 12th so we wanted to make sure we took care of things around the house now, before it got too busy. Friday was budget day. I reviewed the statements and receipts to see where we could cut back [...]

• Kindle Cares 29.11.07

  Amazon Kindle is a revolutionary portable reader that wirelessly downloads books, newspapers, magazines and blogs to a crisp, high-resolution electronic paper display that looks and reads like real paper, even in bright sunlight.
  Kindle customers, no matter where they are in the U.S., can wirelessly shop the Kindle Store and download new content — all without [...]

• EmergingTechs 26.11.07

  My good friend Casey has announced the launch of his new site (replacing his old site) which is geared towards you computer tech type people. He’s a great guy and pretty knowledgeable so check it out and be sure to bookmark it or add it to your RSS feed reader
  As many of you know, [...]

• More good stuff 25.11.07

  So we never made it to Sea World (sorry Wendy) but we did have a good day, none-the-less. After lounging around the house until the crack of noon, we headed out to run a couple errands and get out side. I had a gift card for Best Buy (which usually isn’t) so I [...]

• A good day 24.11.07

  I’m trying to limit my internet time this weekend so this will be brief (I hope). Anyway, we had a wonderful thanksgiving/birthday. And to paraphrase Wendy, a Happy B-Thanksday.
  We ended up using some birthday cash to buy the much desired Sea World passes we wanted so I hope to get them activated and [...]

• to be more outgoing 14.11.07

  One thing I’ve learned in my blogging experience is that to get more traffic to your blog, you have to be more outgoing. First, you have to write, write well and write often. I’m not saying you have to write a Pulitzer Prize winning blog, but write something that is worth reading. [...]

• He knows if you’ve been bad or good 13.11.07

  Have you been good this year? Is there anything you want to confess before the end of the year? You know you can’t hide. He’s watching your every move. Question is; who’s watching you?
  Turns out it’s just me.
  I use a site called statcounter.com to keep track of my visitor stats. [...]

• Help for Keerthana 11.11.07

  Below is a copy of an email that Thomas and Suzanne (Abandoned But Precious Ministries) received from their friend Joseph. It’s the story of what happened to one of the children they work with in India. At first read you may think this is one of those scam emails but I can assure [...]

• Sharkwater 04.11.07

  I am officially jealous. There’s a new movie out that sounds awesome and I so wish it had been me who made this film. Of course, If I had made it, it wouldn’t be worth watching. So I guess the world makes sense again.
  The animal we fear the most is the one we [...]

• Wholy4Christ 02.11.07

  As some of you know, I have more than one blog site that I manage. A couple were pretty inactive (Serving-SanDiego.com and the now defunct BurritoAndSocks.com) and others are for other people (PhotoJulia.com and IversonInteriors.com). I’ve also started work on a new blog but that one’s not ready for promotion just yet. [...]

• Like the sheep that I am 01.11.07

  National Blog Posting Month aka NaBloPoMo begins today and like the sheep that I am, I signed up. After all, I want to be a rebel just like everyone else.
  What is NaBloPoMo? That’s a darn good question. Have you noticed that good questions seldom have good answers? Anyway, the basic premis [...]

• The Golden Compass 30.10.07

  Not all fantasy/scifi movies are created equal.
  The Golden Compass, a fantasy film starring Nicole Kidman that is scheduled to be released into theaters on 7 December 2007, has been drawing fire from concerned Christians. The film is based on Northern Lights (released in the U.S. as The Golden Compass), the first offering in Philip Pullman’s [...]

• Reformation Day 30.10.07

  It’s been 490 years since “a monk with a mallet” nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. God used Martin Luther to start the greatest revival the world has seen. Though there were many benefits to the Protestant Reformation, the publishing of God’s Word in common languages was united to a [...]

• San Diego Fires on Google Maps 24.10.07

  Here’s an updated Google map of the San Diego fires (2007). You can see the extent of the fires, evacuation areas and additional information. Click here for larger map.
  See the latest maps from San Diego County Emergency website at Firemaps

  View Larger Map

  Major wildfires are burning throughout San Diego County. We’ll update this map [...]

• How time flies 23.10.07

  It’s been 3 years but it feels always. Like we’ve always been married and yet, like we’ve just begun.

  Today is kind of surreal due to the surrounding firestorm but other than bad air quality, things are relatively unchanged in our neighborhood. Businesses are open, people are working, things are getting done. [...]

• We’re fine 23.10.07

  Most of the fires are a good distance from us but the air quality is bad all over. Crest, where Julia’s mom and dad live, was evacuated due to the Harris Fire but they had already evacuated themselves before the official notice. They went to the river in Yuma (they have a trailer [...]

• Firestorm satellite images 22.10.07

  Here are a couple of satellite images from these fires and and the 2003 fires

  See the similarities?

• We’re OK – for now 22.10.07

  As many of you know, I live in the San Diego area. An area that is experiencing the worst fire storm since the 2003 Cedar Fire – maybe worse. Luckily for us, we are not in any immediate danger nor does it look like we will be at risk – but things change. [...]

• Inside AdSense – Video units 10.10.07

  AdSense isn’t just for ads anymore; it’s also a place to get video content for your site — and earn extra revenue at the same time. I’m not sure I’ll use this for my site but it may be just right for your site.
  We’re excited about the launch of video units — a new [...]

• Still got it 05.10.07

  So first thing’s first – I passed the ARE test I took a few weeks ago. That’s seven out of nine, done and done. Plus, I took number eight this morning and I’m feeling really good about it. It’s a 6-hour exam. Part one is 1-hour which I completely used up [...]

• Bloggers are people too 28.09.07

  I just met my first blog friend. Or rather, met a blog friend face-to-face – for the first time. In fact, she was a house guest of ours for the week. It was not what I expected but still a nice experience. Strange, I thought my first “blog meet” would be with a more [...]

• Official Gmail Blog: “M” is for…mute 28.09.07

  Official Gmail Blog: “M” is for…mute
  Found this very useful. Bill Kee from the Official Gmail Blog had this tip to share. I can think of more than one occasion where this would have been used me and the missus.
  I use the “m” shortcut key to mute the conversation and spare my inbox. As [...]

• Nursing Covers by Julia 28.09.07

  Recently, Julia started making Nursing Blankets (commonly known as “Hooter Hiders” which is also sold under the name Bebe au Lait). The name brand ones cost $45 or more and do come in cool patterns. But they still cost $45.

  Making them isn’t very difficult, it just takes some basic sewing skills and time. [...]

• Cadbury Dairy Milk Rocks 24.09.07

  Cadbury Dairy Milk – Glass and a Half Full Productions.
  I just wanted to share this with my primate-loving blog friends. It’s not everyday you see a primate in his prime.

  In other news, I just love this comic. Is that disturbing? Speaking of – real life blog friend Wendy is here visiting the [...]

• Quick Linker from Amazon 17.09.07

  Amazon has added a plethora of new widgets to add to your website. My favorite, is the Quick Linker Widget.
  After you install this widget to your blog or Web Page, you can quickly and easily link to relevant Amazon.com products as you write your blog posts or update your page content by including custom [...]

• Featured Site – PhotoJulia 15.09.07

  By now, my long time readers probably already know about my wife’s site but new visitors obviously don’t but either way, I wanted to call attention to her site as she has really started to take this blogging thing seriously. Her site, PhotoJulia.com, was little more than a photo gallery site wrapped in a [...]

• It’s quiet, too quiet 11.09.07

  I haven’t had much to say or have been too busy to say it but I thought a quick summary was in order.
  First, I’ve begun to read regularly to my son.

  I’ve heard that reading to your children before their birth is an effective way to bond with them. I feel closer to [...]

• Domain for Sale 07.09.07

  I’m always on the lookout for a good deal. Luckily, one of my regular readers, archway, told me about a killer deal in a recent comment…
  I saw this domain for sale, according to the appraisals, its worth over $5000.00 usd. It has just the perfect amount of keywords….
  Turns out the site they were telling [...]

• What Problem 29.08.07

  I’ve been experiencing a problem with Wordpress lately. It seems that any post on PhotoJulia.com that starts with the letter ‘W’ in the post slug returns a blank page when in single view.
  I’ve try different themes, deactivated plugins and optimized my database but no change. And when I say blank, I [...]

• Win a Wii for free 17.08.07

  Want to win a Nintendo Wii and lose weight like J.R. Cook? Now’s your chance.
  NetChick is celebrating 10 years of blogging. To celebrate, she’s giving away a free Nintendo Wii. Actually, she’s giving away a gift card from Best Buy or Future Shop equal to the price of a Nintendo Wii because that’s easier [...]

• It’s not me 10.08.07

  Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and [...]

• archshrk ranks #1 at technorati 04.08.07

  Thanks to the quick action of Shelly, I learned that archshrk.com has made it to the #1 space on Technorati. While this has been a surprise, you will be happy to learn that it is well earned. Please take a moment to visit Shelly and learn how you can boost your ranking at [...]

• Not so randumb 02.08.07

  Not too long ago, I added a feature to my site that linked to a random post on my site. Unlike the list of randomly selected post to the left (check them out) this link was truly random. If you clicked on the Suprise me! link, you would find yourself reading a completely [...]

• Pictures of the Grand Canyon Skywalk 11.07.07

  There are a lot of visitors to my site that may not be aware of the fact that I went to the Grand Canyon Skywalk when it first opened back in March of 2007. While it has gotten some bad reviews, you can still see pictures I took before the camera ban was in [...]

• I’ve shut the door on China 10.07.07

  I didn’t want to do it but let’s be honest…nothing good comes out of China these days.
  Actually, that’s not being very fair. The problem is that I’m getting a lot of spam comments and the URL for the commenter(s) is always something-random.something-with-car-name.cn (the domain for China). It wouldn’t bother me if it was [...]

• All is well sort of 29.06.07

  I’ve managed to transfer my entire site to the new server including all the posts, pages and comments. I’ve rebuilt the Gallery and got the URL rewrites to work and by now, all the web servers around the world should be looking to my new servers when people visit archshrk.com. I still need [...]

• Transfer Complete 28.06.07

  I’ve managed to move my site BACK to it’s original hosting company and while there are a few things [...]

• A blog rating we can understand 25.06.07

  I don’t know how useful this really is but who doesn’t like to gauge their site’s worth and value?

• Moving sites 20.06.07

  A friend of mine recently abandoned his old web host and moved his entire blog(s) to a new web host. He didn’t want to deal with his old host but needed to redirect people to his new site so he asked “any idea on how I can do a domain redirect from my old [...]

• When do I get paid? 13.06.07

  This website pays for itself (eventually)
  We’ll send your check or EFT payment within approximately 30 days of the end of the month in which your account balance reaches US$100, unless a payment hold exists or unless otherwise agreed to in writing (including electronic mail).
  For example, if you earn $40 in January and $70 in February, [...]

• Interview with J.R. Cook 25.05.07

  I was looking through my web stats and realized that there are some unanswered questions out there regarding the Wii Weight Loss Plan. Since JR and I are such good friends (it’s me, archshrk, from the intank forums. arch-shrk. a-r-c-h-…) Haha, I made a funny. Anyway, I thought it would be [...]

• Walk2Web 23.05.07

  I found this new site that shows sites and the relationships they have to other sites. Not really sure how it all works (or why) but it looks really cool. So go on over to Walk2Web and check it out. While you’re there, feel free to give my site a “thumbs up” [...]

• WordPress 2.2 16.05.07

  Well, it looks like WordPress 2.2 is out (just after I upgraded from 2.1.2 to 2.2.3) and has lots of new and improved features. Of course I won’t install it here ntil I verify which plugins work and don’t work with the new version but I may upgrade one of my other sites just [...]

• ESV bible on your iPod 11.05.07

  Tired of using your iPod for audio and video? Wish you could read the Bible on a 3-inch screen? Then podBible is for you. It has the complete ESV New Testament in a set of files browsable on your iPod—for free.
  Combine this with the Listener’s Bible-ESV (MP3) by Max McLean and the Reformation Study Bible [...]

• Feeding Frenzy 07.05.07

  Sorry to any of my feed subscribers who may be getting overwhelmed with feed updates. I was (still am) experimenting with my feeds and every time I do, the feed shows up as updated. I would suggest you disable the update notification on your feed reader until I get this straightened out.
  In case [...]

• Feedburner takes over WordPress feedburner 04.05.07

  Feedburner has taken over Steve Smiths WordPress plugin for feedburner and renamed it FeedSmith. If this sounds very confusing – good. I meant it that way. Basically, Steve wrote a plugin that would let feedburner manage your website’s RSS feeds. Feedburner has officially adopted this plugin as their own and renamed [...]

• Amazon sells cell phones 04.05.07

  Why shop for Amazon Cell Phones and Service? Amazon offers the hottest phones, 30-day returns, an easy comparison shopping experience, and some of the most competitive cell phone pricing on the Web. Not only can you save money by clicking on the banner above, but you will help support this site as amazon.com is one [...]

• archshrk – new and improved 27.04.07

  I have total redesigned my web page and hope you like what you see.
  OK, so it’s not a redesign and, in fact, you may not even notice the change. But it is important to note what changed. archshrk.com is now more user friendly for those viewing this site with vision impairments. I didn’t [...]

• archshrk gets interviewed – sort of 24.04.07

  R. Sherman posted an invitation to be interviewed and I accepted. What was I thinking!? Here are the 5 questions I was asked…
  1. You live in San Diego. It’s 80 degrees and breezy every day. You could
  take a bottle of wine, a loaf of bread and your sweetie and just hang out at
  Point Loma [...]

• Test Results x2 19.04.07

  If you’ve been following along, I’m waiting for the results of my latest 2 ARE exams (to become a licensed Architect). It’s a simple Pass/Fail scenario. So I wait for a letter showing a big “P” next to the corresponding test and then jump up and down with unbridled glee (jumping optional). There [...]

• New Favorite Site 14.04.07

  Stobist has become one of my favorite sites. Mostly because I have no idea how to use our new flash. If you’re interested to learn more about flash photography, check them out.
  At Strobist, our goal is to promote more effective use of small, shoe-mount flashes. To teach you to use your small strobe [...]

• More Power 11.04.07

  With the addition of the Speedlite 580EX it occured to me that we needed more power to unleash the full potential of our new toy, I mean tool.

  The new external Compact Battery Pack CP-E3 improves flash recycle times significantly and increases the number of firings before batteries need to be replaced.
  The pack takes optional rapid-change [...]

• Competitive Ad Filter 10.04.07

  I’m experimenting with my Sponsor’s Competitive Ad Filter. A while back, I had added a huge list of domains to “blacklist” from my Google Adsense account. This is typically used to block you competitors from advertising on your site. Some people within the industry have suggested using this to increase your revenue [...]

• Gallery2 – now with eCards 28.03.07

  One of the features now available to my visitors is the ability to send gallery images as eCards. To do this, simply visit the gallery and select “Send as eCard” from the pull-down menu under the picture. Note: you must be in “Detail mode” to see the menu. This is a new [...]

• Gallery 2.2 (Double Double) Released! 18.03.07

  Gallery2 – the part of this website that makes the photo album – has just been upgraded. I will not be upgrading right away because I use a plugin that integrates the Gallery into my blog but they are working a new release too. But if you’re not using WPG2, you should consider [...]

• Going to Kauai 06.02.07

  * WPG2 CANNOT LOCATE GALLERY2 ITEM ID 895 *
  Back in December, my wife and I received a very wonderful gift. Her parents gave us one week in their timeshare plus airfare. So that means we will be vacationing in Kauai at the end of February. Now I’m not bragging but rather asking [...]

• Year in review 09.01.07

  The first line from the first post for each month of last year, as suggested by Becky68
  January: Thanks to RaJ for this one. You scored as Neo, the “One”.
  Feburary: I saw this movie last Friday (1-27-06) after having my first San Diego Tommy’s burger. And I must say that this a [...]

• Iverson Interiors 05.12.06

  * WPG2 CANNOT LOCATE GALLERY2 ITEM ID 853 *
  I recently launched a new site for Iverson Interiors. It was going to be one of thos fancy Flash-based sites but I quickly realized that the I didn’t want to buy the software needed nor invest the time necessary to learn Flash and develope a cool [...]

• Blogger and Trackbacks 30.09.06

  Blogger does not currently support Trackback. If you’re interested in this feature, though, you might want to check out backlinks.
  However, HALOSCAN does, so if you use blogger and want to see who’s linking back to your articles, install Haloscan for comments. or better yet, switch to Wordpress.
  I wrote a little introduction to trackbacks early on [...]

• Big Fish in the Cyber Ocean 12.09.06

  Certified Backlinks.Site Class:Are you a Big Fish?

  I spend way too much time doing quizes. I’m really trying to cut back but some are just more interesting than others. Take this ranking quiz. You enter your site’s address and it ranks you based on backlinks to your site. The more links, the [...]

• Unaltered Star Wars Available NOW! 01.09.06

  * WPG2 CANNOT LOCATE GALLERY2 ITEM ID 82 *
  I was just at Costco and picked up all three of the original, unaltered Star Wars (episodes IV, V and VI). Each has two discs and includes the original theatrical release (1977, 1980 and 1983) along with the Digital Remastered Version (who cares). Now the [...]

• Dell Notebook Battery Recall 15.08.06

  Dell has identified a potential issue associated with certain batteries sold with Dell LatitudeTM , InspironTM , XPSTM and Dell Precision Mobile WorkstationTM notebook computers. In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and other regulatory agencies, Dell is voluntarily recalling certain Dell-branded batteries with cells manufactured by Sony and offering free [...]

• Third Time’s a Charm? 11.08.06

  * WPG2 CANNOT LOCATE GALLERY2 ITEM ID 19 *I will be upgrading my Site to the latest version of Wordpress and Gallery2 (and WPG2) this weekend so don’t be surprised if you see some weird stuff over the next few days. It shouldn’t take long to get it up and running but given my track [...]

• CrabApple.cc 14.07.06

  Update: Crabapple.cc is no more.

• Wordpress Plugins 29.06.06

  After several failed attempts to update Wordpress and Gallery2 and my failed attempt to migrate my site to new servers, I decided to be a little more meticulous about the whole process and carefully review all my settings and plugins and stuff to ensure a smooth transition before attempting any more major changes. One [...]

• Migration Problems 26.06.06

  Looking at the results of my migration attempt this weekend, I was suprised to see this message:
  Attempt scheduled for 6/24/2006 01:00:00 AM
  Attempt finished on 6/24/2006 at 3:40 AM
  We attempted to complete the migration of your site and encountered a quality issue. Our migration team is currently reviewing your site to attempt to correct the [...]

• Google Video – Haunted Car Commercial 13.06.06

  If you look and listen very closely, you will see what the filmmakers saw in the final editing of this car commercial; a fine, white mist that follows the car. They could not explain it except that the stunt driver had recently lost a loved one and he believed that the spirit of his departed [...]

• Coming Down From A StatCounter High 13.06.06

  Well, the party’s over. On Memorial Day, PhotoJulia was the Official Photographer of our friends’ wedding. Earlier last week, she put the photos online for everyone to see (lots of out-of-town guests) She sent out the email letting everyone know they were ready for viewing and BAM! they descended like locus. [...]

• Upgrade Attempt – Part 2 12.06.06

  Later this week (or over the weekend) I will try to upgrade my Wordpress and Gallery2 installs (again). I tell you this because as you may recall, I had trouble doing this last time and it took quite a bit of effort to restore the site to it’s former glory. In the event [...]

• The Seeker’s Journey 23.05.06

  I thought I’d invite you to visit another one of my blog friends today. Wendy is not only a fun read, she is very rooted in Christ and offers some profound insights into our own struggles of self-doubt, personal conflict and worldly attacks – all while staying grounded in scripture. Admittedly she doesn’t [...]

• Original Unaltered Star Wars Trilogy on DVD 05.05.06

  * WPG2 CANNOT LOCATE GALLERY2 ITEM BY *My prayers have been answered:
  Fans can look forward to a September filled with classic Star Wars nostalgia, led by the premiere of LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy video game and the long-awaited DVD release of the original theatrical incarnations of the classic Star Wars trilogy. [...]

• 1and1 and then some 04.05.06

  Looks like I may be moving this site again after all. I started with 1and1 web hosting back in the beginning and was very happy with them. I still use them for all my domain registration needs and other sites but my primary site (that’s what you’re reading now) needed more storage and [...]

• And A Brand New Car 27.04.06

  *Here it is, our new car. It’s a 2007 Toyota Camry LE. Not the top of the line but well within our needs and budget. The Automatic, 4-cylinder LE gets 24/33 MPG and seats 5 adults rather comfortably. Most importantly, it doesn’t feel like I’m driving a clown car.
  In comparison to [...]

• Bloglines and FavIcon 21.04.06

  I’m slowly taking over the world. Very slowly. Not long ago I started using FavIcons for my site (that little icon that shows up on the address bar or next to the bookmark (sorry, IE does not support this properly) Well, I also started using Bloglines to keep up on all my [...]

• Changes at PowWeb 18.04.06

  There are changes ahead for me. This site’s hosting company has been ‘acquired’ which means I can expect some glitches and frustration. But I believe the transition will be a benefit. The new company will be improving the server loads and back-end management which should hopefully prove to be to your benefit. [...]

• My Creature-Nemesis 17.04.06

  You’re probably getting pretty bored with my quiz fetish right about now but this is just to keep you entertained until I have time to tell you about my weekend (need to upload some pictures first). Anyway, I thought I’d check out this fun quiz to see what I’d learn about myself. Turns [...]

• Just a Quickie 12.04.06

  So I’ve been noticeably silent on my blog lately and not very talkative on other people’s blogs either. Part of that has to do with my busy schedule lately and bigger issues to deal with. One, Photo Julia (and friend) was in a car accident last week and while no one was injured, [...]

• Upgrading – Not So Much 28.03.06

  So you may have noticed that the site was a little funky these past 24 hours. Not sure why but the gallery2 upgrade did not go so well. Eventually I had to do a fresh install of gallery2 2.0.3 (not 2.1.0 as expected). And since I did not upgrade to 2.1.0 as [...]

• WPG2 2.0, Finally! 26.03.06

  ‘The latest version of WPG2 plugin is now available. You may be asking yourself “why do I care” but just so you know, WPG2 is the plugin that I use to embed my Gallery pages into my Wordpress pages. Still, you ask “so what”. With the new release of the plugin, I [...]

• The Proposal 15.03.06

  This is from the archives…

  Our church meets at 11:30am, so every Sunday before church, the two of us regularly meet in a park near our apartments to study the bible together.
  On this particular Sunday, I decided it would be good to go over some scripture that was related to marriage. We’ve been openly talking [...]

• Exotic Flowers 09.03.06

  * WPG2 CANNOT LOCATE GALLERY2 ITEM BY * Since I’ve been a little lax in posting recently, I thought I’d take the easy way out. And by easy way out, I mean I’m going to share a Featured Album. This week it’s Exotic Flowers so click on the image and check [...]

• CaptCha! is back 27.02.06

  Imagine my excitement to open my inbox and see 16 new comments to several different post made by several different people. WOW, I’m finally somebody – or so I thought. If you haven’t guessed by now, 15 of those comments were spam – and they weren’t all that creative. Just a bunch [...]

• California E-Waste 10.02.06

  A new state law in California will go into effect on February 9, requiring that all consumer electronics be recycled instead of being thrown away. An attempt to reduce the polluting effects of lead, mercury, and copper on environments surrounding landfills and beyond, the law will encourage electronics users to dispose of everything from iPods [...]

• Making Money 14.12.05

  When I started this site, I wanted to take advantage of the advertising opportunities that go with having a website. Sadly, not many people are interested in advertising on my site (I know, go figure) but luckly, there was money to be had. First, Google Adsense (the ads typically seen in the right [...]

• Fuel Tanker Bursts Into Flames 07.12.05

  SAN DIEGO – A fuel tanker overturned near Qualcomm Stadium Wednesday, spilling thousands of gallons of fuel, which caught fire and sent a huge plume of black smoke into the sky.
  The fire started at about 9 a.m. as a tanker truck was leaving a fuel tank farm near Interstate 15 and Friars Road. The truck [...]

• DVD Library 05.12.05

  I’ve put together a list of all the movies in my DVD collection and have added them here for your convenience. Originally compiled as a list of movies to loan to my friends, it now makes it easier to find great movies to add to your own library. This assumes you have similar [...]

• Blog Archives for WordPress 30.11.05

  Sharing more conversations from the inbox…
  Have you considered using an archive feature on your site? I’ve attached narchives.php and with a little tweeking you can easily make an archive page like mine. It’s user-friendly and makes it easier for Search Engine Spiders to crawl your site. The install is really simple. Just copy [...]

• Radioactive Jam 16.11.05

  So I have a new friend (maybe friend is too a strong a word – associate?) Anyways, through my connections on the Wordpress and WPG2 forums I have had the chance to see some interesting blogs/galleries and just had to add this one to my Google Reader list. Radioactive Jam is a skilled [...]

• Translation Available 04.10.05

  I’ve added a new plugin that allows visitors to read this site in different languages. I don’t speak or read other languages, but my visitors might. I have to believe it works but if you find it to trnaslate poorly, let me know. See sidebar for languages. Visit Simple Thoughts [...]

• Amazon Media Manager 02.10.05

  This plugin makes it easier to add links of your favorite items (books, dvds, etc) to amazon.com’s website.

• Anybody Home? 01.10.05

  You may have noticed that our site was down for a good portion of the day today.
  Our Network Appliance filer is going through a file check and will be back online once that is completed. We are working with Netapp to investigate the problem so it does not happen again. We apologize for the inconvenience [...]

• gVisit and Stat Counter 19.09.05

  Here is another free tool to help you track visitors. OK, it’s more fun then helpful but check it out none-the-less. gVisit (not affiliated with google) It tracks your latest visitors by location and displays it in a google maps format

  A better free tracking tool is Stat Counter. Highly detailed information that [...]

• New plug-in AMM 10.09.05

  I’m testing yet another plug in for this site. Ideally, this will make it easier for me to link to items on Amazon within my posts. Let me know what you think and if it works.

• Gallery 2 Integrated and Embedded 27.08.05

  After some user errors and database failures I’ve succesfully integrated Gallery 2 into my Wordpress pages. Thanks to the very well designed WPG2 plugin. Seemless integration was a snap with the use of these great programs and the wonderful support forums found at each site.

• Imbedded Gallery 17.08.05

  I’m testing out a new plugin. If I can get this right, the gallery will be integrated withIN wordpress. Expect lots of trial and error.
  I can add various types of random images in the sidebar and add pictures to my posts directly, either by image path or image-id. I can also control [...]

• There and Back Again 01.06.05

  I finally have been able to get my web site moved to the new hosting plan. The problems were mostly user error but seem to be behind me now. I still need to set up the gallery but one step at a time, right? Right! So if you’re wondering, I moved [...]

• I’m moving again 25.05.05

  My storage and bandwdth needs have exceeded my capacity with my current web hosting company. Therefore, in an effort to improve my site(s) I will be moving to another web host. What this means is there will be a short blackout period until the transfer is complete and the new site is established. [...]

• Hello world! 04.05.05

  Welcome to archshrk.com. I’ve moved my web hosting from a basic pakage to a more robust plan (still 1and1.com) that allows me to use database tools like Wordpress and Gallery. Check out both of these free webtools and get a proper website going. If you need help they both offer decent support forums [...]

• Pardon our dust 12.04.05

  Welcome to the new home of the Burrito and Socks Ministry. I’m learning to work with WordPress but so far I’m really impressed. One thing it offers is the ability to create entire websites using databases which means future upgrades/updates will maintain the content but allow for changes in layout and appearance. [...]

• Serving San Diego 20.01.05

  First, let me introduce my new web site. Serving-SanDiego.com. It will be a site were people in the San Diego area who are involved in homeless ministries can get local information, links to resources and have productive discussions (via Forum.Serving-SanDiego.com) I just started the site so it needs a lot of work [...]

• Mozilla Firefox now supported! 17.12.04

  After finding out that Mozilla users could not see my blog (source code only) I contacted blogger.com help and worked out some solutions.The problem was that I named my blog file BSM instead of BSM.html The result was that any links to www.archshrk.com/bsm would not work if renamed to bsm.html and the internal links to [...]

• Mozilla Fix 14.12.04

  I found out that people using Mozilla could not see my blogs correctly. After sending a short email to www.blogger.com, I learned that a file extension would fix the problem. What this means though, is that the old link may not be updating and so you’re not seeing the latest posts.UPDATE: Still working on [...]

• Check these babies out 24.07.04

  This is a random blog so if you found your way here you may be looking for something to actually read.  Try Burrito/Sock Ministry or Serving San Diego (my two legitimate blogs)

• Hosting my own blog 15.07.04

  If this post works then I am successfully hosting my own blog. I may move my blogs to my site if this works so that I can have greater control over ads.

• There I Find Delight 12.07.04

  There I Find Delight is a blog by a wonderful friend of mine who’s writing skills are far better than what you find here. I hope you visit and bookmark her site, it’s well worth it. I plan on making it part of my regular routine and look forward to reading more.

• Now I can phone it in… 18.05.04

  Well, maybe not exactly ‘phone it in’ but now I can email new posts to the Burrito and Sock Ministry BLOG. This is mostly useful when I want to post an update without having to login (like when I’m away from my own computer) Of, course this is only true if it works. [...]