Brainshrub.com - Technical

Coming soon: Brainshrub.com v3.0

Paul -V- — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 15:11:02 -0400

Okay - I just put in the order with my hosting company. (Open Source Host) This site switches to Joomla by the end of the day.

Joomla - here I come.

Brainshrub v3.0.

FYI: This blog is on a repair schedule

Paul -V- — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:02:01 -0400

Just so you know - I found some money, and I've hired a professional to move this site out of Drupal and into Joomla.

It will may take a few weeks, but when the switch happens, most of the comments lost when this site was hacked will be returned. Also, the redesign will have the following features:

* Users will be able to create their own blogs. (A la DailyKos.)

* A forum integration into the site. (A la DemocraticUnderground.)

* Enough Spam filtering features to discourage the most die-hard Viagra marketer.

Brainshrub.com will become a community-blog. Where it goes from there will be entirely up to you.

Blog meltdown

Paul -V- — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 13:59:00 -0400

No matter what I do on the back end - the spamming doesn't stop. The spam-bots have figured out how to register, and are posting like crazy.

Therefore, I'm going to require all comments - even from registered users, to be approved until I can fix the problem.

This blog will be dumping Drupal CMS soon, and the problems should end.

Sorry for the inconvience.

I hate Drupal

Paul -V- — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 10:06:00 -0400

For some reason -over a years worth of comments have just been deleted.

This site was getting slammed by spam, so I made all comments need approval. This morning, as I was deleting the spams - when I noticed the comments has disappeared.

This is the last straw.

This past year I've had nothing but drama with this CMS. It's no longer fun to maintain this site when all I do is delete spam and install patches.

I'm gonna switch to Joomla. Screw the traffic loss.

Technical difficulties

Paul -V- — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 12:38:03 -0500

I know there are a lot of bloggers are particularly looking forward to this weeks "Tips for Political Bloggers" show - due to the recent blog controversy.

I've been having problems uploading it to Odeo, the service that hosts and podcasts the program.

Many apologises for the delay. I hope to have it up within the hour - at the latest tomorrow morning.

Blog Cotillion

Paul -V- — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome to the blogosphere's first-ever Blog Cotillion. Tonight's debutante is Brainshrub.com, who is being escorted by Paul -V-. Please have your invitations ready at the door.

Allow me to explain what's going on.

A Cotillion is a formal presentation of young ladies to polite society - usually done in the southern parts of the United States. This is also known in the English-speaking world as a "debutante ball" or "coming out" party. Originally, it meant the young woman was eligible for marriage, and part of the purpose was to display her to eligible bachelors and their families within a select upper class circle.

In case you haven't caught on yet, I'm trying to get Brainshrub.com hitched. On the blogosphere, this means joining a blog network.

A blog network is a collection of weblogs which are organized and run loosely by a centralized management team. Many weblog networks resemble magazine publishing houses. The benefits of joining a blog network include financial gain, technical support, and increased traffic.

The reason for this move is that I feel like I've hit a creative ceiling; there are projects I'd like to implement for this site, but I'm limited by the amount of time and resources I can dedicate while maintaining a full-time job. By joining a blog network, I'm hoping to turn Brainshrub.com from a labor of love - into a career.

But how to go about joining a good network? Which ones should I apply to? Which ones would be interested? Who is willing to offer what services, and what do I have to do in return?

There are so many choices that my head hurts just thinking about it.

Furthermore, this site is my baby. She is almost a full-grown blog, and like any parent, I don't want her to get into a long-term relationship without first looking at all the options available.

So to find an appropriate suitor, I'm doing what rich white people here in the South used to do to help find their daughters suitable husbands: I'm throwing a cotillion.

Brainshrub.com is ready to join a blog network or other formal blog organization. If you are an agent, blog network or are simply looking to hire an experienced blogger for your staff, please take a number and let's dance.

Some facts about this blog that you will find as attractive as a Southern Belle:

Brainshrub.com is an established, respected blog with a solid audience of at least 1,000 unique visitors a day. It currently averages 45,000 unique visitors a month according to SiteMeter.
Brainshrub.com has been updated with new content practically every weekday since November of 2003, it has a page-rank of "6", and, is usually in the top 10 list at BlogTopSites.
Brainshrub.com features several popular series, including the Brainshrub Bus Project and Tips for Political Bloggers.
Brainshrub.com has a weekly radio show / podcast.

Most importantly, I eat, breathe and think about blogging constantly. This style of writing is what I was put on earth to do - and whoever backs this blog, or uses my services, is going to acquire the most enthusiastic, qualified and creative blogger ever.

Welcome to the cotillion. Use the contact form at the top of the page to get in touch with me.

Tags: blog - cotillion - blog network

Special Thanks

Paul -V- — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 11:01:17 -0400

I would like to thank the following people, organizations, bloggers and mammals for saving the Brainshrub project this past month while I didn't have reliable internet access:

Leo Lincourt of the blog Neural Gourmet - Who took over as the admin of this site. He deleted the spam, upgraded the modules and wrote content. I'll also add that his personal life is an inspiration to bloggers and truth-seekers everywhere.

Richard Harlos of the consulting firm HarlosGroup - who provided me with a new source of income so I can continue blogging.

BlueGal of the blog Blue Gal - whose constant IM's reminded me how much fun blogging is.

Scooter the Cat - For being an orange fuzzy cat. Never underestimate the power of a cat to help you write.

Googlebot - For continuing to direct traffic here.

Readers of Brainshrub - I've been blown away by the number of inquiries to my health have arrived via email. I'm was surprised at how the site-traffic has remained strong despite my absence!

Thanks for your support and concern.

The following company does not get any thanks:

Charter Communications: Charter.net is the only way to get reliable high-speed internet access where I live, but their customer service blows chunks.

I would have re-started writing a month ago if it wasn't for their lack-luster ability to accomplish the simplest of tasks. Damn you Charter!

This site is having technical difficulties

Paul -V- — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 10:35:32 -0400

This site is having technical difficulties and will be regularly updated again by the end of the week.

Welcome StumbleUpon users

Paul -V- — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 20:15:48 -0400

I try to update this blog every day. This morning I was unable to to so, so when I checked the site-stats this evening, I was surprised to notice that literally thousands of Stumblers hit Brainshrub.com over the last 48 hours.

Usually I get between 750 - 800 unique visitors a day. Yesterday was about 2500, and today it's about 3000.

Wow.

I'm honored by your visits.

The comments Stumblers have left were very astute, and y'all are welcome back anytime.

Next week I'll have the 3rd, and final, installment of the "crib notes" version of the I/P conflict.

Just so you know, Brainshrub.com is a political blog with counterpoints for critical thinkers, and, a journal for my own activism. The goal of this site is to see if a blog can be more than a just place to rant at strangers or an ATM for political candidates.

Brainshrub.com is an experiment to see how to much social change one person, armed only with a blog, can accomplish.

Sorry for the extended vacation.

Paul -V- — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 08:03:40 -0400

Sorry about the extended vacation. I was going to resume this week, but the new Unofficial Shuler Forum got hacked and that put my writing schedule out of whack.

The break was just what the doctor ordered. It's good to be back.

Thank you for your patience.