“Life is short, eat dessert first!” — Jacques Torres

On occasion, my sweet tooth has led me astray (vegan chocolate cake?!?), but more often than not, it’s brought me to wonderfully delicious confections. In one other respect, it hasn’t failed me; without it, I might never have stumbled upon the Cupcake Bakeshop by Chockylit, perhaps the most delightful cupcake blog I’ve yet found on the Internet.

I admit that “cupcake” and “blog” are not two words that immediately run together, but in case you didn’t know it, food is huge on the Internet and the blogosphere. Whether you’re looking for a recipe, restaurant gossip/recommendations, or exotic ingredients, you’ll find plenty of message boards, mailing lists, and blogs devoted to the pursuit of culinary excellence.

Cupcakes, in particular, have been enjoying a resurgence recently, thanks to the likes of the TV series Sex and the City and Saturday Night Live, as well as a simple yearning for childhood pleasures. The Web has responded with dozens of outposts dedicated to the miniature cakes, but the Cupcake Bakeshop rises above the masses.

It’s said that you eat first with your eyes, and the same goes for surfing the Internet too. On both counts, the Cupcake Bakeshop satisfies; even if you have no plans to bake any of these recipes, you could easily spend all day poring over the radiant pictures. The beautifully lit and artfully cropped images will have you drooling in no time, but they serve another purpose; they also offer valuable guidance to anyone trying the recipes and the techniques. When the author works with an unusual ingredient or practice, she often includes a photo illustrating her method for following the recipe. Also, her snapshots depict original, attractive presentation options, and she uses clean, well-organized layouts for the recipes.

Venture beyond the frosting, however, and you’ll find another unique twist that keeps readers coming back to the Cupcake Bakeshop. The author is famous for her use of unusual ingredients and combinations, as any reader can tell by the list of exotic concoctions she’s dreamed up. But in the process of satisfying her sweet tooth, she’s also capitalized on one of the blogger tenets: specialization. It’s not only made her a better baker; it’s made her a better blogger as well. Need proof? Check out the litany of comments on any of her blog posts; many of us can only dream of so devoted a following.

Cupcakes sum up delightful visions of childhood birthday parties, colorful wrappers, and rich frosting. The Cupcake Bakeshop by Chockylit brings a touch of these memories back, with a clean, bright layout, enticing photographs, and luscious, original recipes. Indulge to your heart’s delight–but try not to lick your computer screen while doing so.

Weblog Tools Collection has announced another WordPress Plugin Competition, this time for the new WordPress 2.5 release, as many important plugins haven’t been updated for this new version.

Some important details for those looking at entering.

All code must be GPL and should be available for download through the Competition Blog and preferably through WordPress Extend. The plugins can be modified and tweaked till the last day of the competition or until the author sends us an email with the final version of the code. In essence, the Plugin Competition Blog is the preferred vehicle of communication for all contestants.

Some relevant details:

• Running time for competition = 2 months starting the 10th of May till the 10th of July.
• True Wordpress plugins only. No manual modifications can be required of users.
• You cannot submit plugins that have been released already. New code only please.
• Plugins can only be submitted via email. We will make that email address public later on in the competition.
• Plugins cannot have opt-out links back to the authors’ pages (from the main blog pages, admin pages are fine). If you have links or donation forms, please make them opt-in.
• All plugins require documentation as in the Wordpress Extend pages. Documentation will be one of the judging criteria.
• Preliminary support for the plugin has to be provided to the public.
• We are looking for innovation, documentation and elegant code.
• Any and all prizes/controversies/issues will be judged and decided at our sole discretion.

I think these competitions are a great way to show off what WordPress can do, so I am very hopeful that this competition will bring out a new group of “must have” plugins for WordPress 2.5.

PageRank Update

PageRank Update

PageRank อัพเดดแล้วครับพี่น้องเว็บ gootum.com จาก PageRank3 ขึ้นมา PageRank4 แล้วหลังจากเคยขึ้นมาครั้งนึงว่าจะเอาซัก6ซะหน่อยไม่ได้ซักที 555 วิธีเช็ค PageRank ทำได้หลายอย่างนะครับจะเช็ค PageRank ที่เว็บก็เข้าไปที่ SEO Toolsได้เลยครับหาลิ้งค์ที่เขียนว่า PageRank นั้นแหล่ะหรือจะเช็คจาก Toolsbar Google ก็ได้แต่ว่าเราต้องโหลดมาติดตั้งที่ตัว Browser ก่อนครับแต่ที่ผมนั้นจะใช้โปรแกรมเพราะว่า add domain ไว้เป็นร้อยเลยมันจะมี trend ด้วยว่าอัพเดดขึ้นลงเท่าไหร่วันที่อะไร ซึ่งหาดาวน์โหลดได้ที่นี่ครับฟรี PaRaMeter

และข่าวดีกว่านั้นคือเว็บไซตืที่ผมดูแลอยู่นั้น PageRank ขึ้นมา 6 ตั้ง 2 โดเมนและขึ้นมา 5 อีกหลายสิบโดเมนเลยครับ และได้ backlink เยอะกว่าเดิมจากหลักหมื่นเป็นหลักแสน ซึ่งตั้งแต่ทำมานั้นได้ blacklink ประมาณ 4 แสนกว่าๆก็มีครับบางโดเมนก็ 1-2 แสน ดีใจที่สุดเลย ซึ่งเราสามารถค้นหาได้จาก Google คำสั่ง link:gootu.com เป็นต้น ขอให้โชคดีได้ PageRank และ backlink เยอะกันถ้วนหน้านะครับ

“Contact Us”, “Learn More”, “Click Here”, “Free Money!”. OK that last one I made up, but we have all seen these calls that ask us to do something.

Calls to action in interactive media are usually buttons or links that begin a process. Making these important calls stand out requires some designing further than, and in addition to, the underlined hyper link.

The text and words used in calls to action are topics of another discussion. For this tutorial I am focusing on the design elements of a graphical button and specifically simple gradients with a 1 to 2 pixel gap from the border created in Photoshop. This tutorial is similar to the previous one on creating cool graphical text, but changing a few things and applying it to buttons.

Step 1.
Create your call to action text on its own layer. I like to use a bold typeface. Sometimes the text will look better if it is in ALL CAPS other times all lower or Initial Caps. This is a matter of design taste and should mesh with the other elements to some degree.

Step 2.
Now that the text size is set we will create a shape on a new layer below the text. The shape I am using is the Rounded Rectangle tool. Make the shape go passed the edges of the text but not so much that the text is lost inside the shape.

Step 3.
Now that the shape is centered underneath the text we need to make a selection of the shape and create a new layer for the gradient.

Go to the shapes layer in the Palette window and click on it, then create a new layer just above it. Now Control or Open Apple click on the shape layer thumbnail in the layer palette window to make a selection of the outline of the shape. Now go to the top menu for Select then Modify/Contract and enter a value of 1 or 2.

Step 4.
With the selection still showing and the new layer selected click on the gradient tool. Select a gradient that is a color in full opacity, white or black, that goes to transparent. Now click on the top and go vertically to the bottom just above and below the selection outline of the shape. That is our gradient layer. I also like to cut the gradient, using the rectangle selection tool, through the middle horizontally.

Step 5.
Making the image, button, obvious that it is something to be clicked is the main goal. Contrast in color plays an important role in this by establishing precedence. If I create a light tan background and then a button on top that is white with gray text, it will most likely be lost into the background. High contrast lights on darks or vice versa are best.

Size is another factor. Making a tiny button with your call to action on it may work for most users that are savvy and looking for it, but don’t eliminate users. Making the calls large enough not to be swallowed by the other elements will ensure it is not missed.

Arrows are design elements that guide a users eye in a particular direction. Using arrows before or after calls to action can help with calls that are not contained within an image.

Additional imagery can help push the idea of the call to action. Imagery can also help with branding and theme of a design. The main purpose would be to keep the button simple and obvious, but including an extra element such as a product can work and make the graphic more appealing.

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There’s no denying that we live in a celebrity-saturated culture, and the blogosphere isn’t immune from this fixation. Not only are there whole blogs devoted to celebrity gossip — who they’re dating, what they’re wearing, where they’re hanging out — but the stars (and the wannabes) themselves are, for better or worse, taking to the keyboards to expound on all manner of topics.

I mentioned one of my favorite celebrity bloggers, as well as other notable names, in last week’s Blog Spotlight, but there are scores more lining the blogosphere. Though many of these celebrity blogs are PR exercises that won’t get updated unless a paycheck or an awards show is involved, some become viable outlets that not only provide informative content, but also create a community and a dialogue with the fans. That’s not to say they all do, but I have to admit that some celebs, including ones I don’t particularly care for, defy expectations and do a decent job on their blogs.

The blogosphere, though far-reaching, is a notoriously competitive space, and it seems almost unfair the advantage that these celebrity bloggers enjoy, considering they have a built-in audience interested in their thoughts and travails. Add to that the promise that they’ll deliver news directly from the source (i.e., themselves) without the interference of agents, PR firms, managers, and whatnot, and they’re practically guarantee a blockbuster readership. There’s no doubt that a celebrity blogger will, almost by definition, enjoy the sort of traffic that Joe or Jane Blogger can only dream about, but that shouldn’t discourage you from blogging. In fact, you can look at it in another light.

For one thing, it’s particularly telling that a celebrity would feel the need to blog at all. These are people who frequently have the support of managers, agents, and other advisers–that is, people who paid to keep their profile prominent. Yet, they know that a blog is one of the most direct ways to reach other people interested in similar topics or issues, and that’s true whether you two, two hundred, or two million people know your name. I’m not saying that the blogosphere needs celebrities to justify its importance, but it’s heartening to know that the average blogger can take advantage of some of the same tools available to the rich and famous.

In addition, it’s no secret that the blogosphere has generated a number of its own stars who started out with little more than a computer, some free time, and refreshingly novel ideas. The most famous example may be the Julie/Julia Project, which started out as a blog, then became a book, and is now on its way to the silver screen. Publishers haven’t stopped signing more blog-to-book deals, either.

Though you may not reach the same point of success, the playing field is, at least, relatively level. I always say that you shouldn’t start a blog with the expectation of becoming rich and famous. Also, last time I checked, there was no such thing as an American Idol for bloggers. But on the other hand, if you tend your blog and nurture it with a singular point of view, you could very well garner a nice chunk of the spotlight for yourself.

รายการบันทึกโลก ตอน Google

เจอ VDO มาเลยเอามาฝากครับเป็น story ของ Google และยังสอนเรื่องการทำ SEO ดูแล้วมีความรู้ดีครับลองไปชม VDO กันเลยนะครับ จะขาดแต่ตอนแรกหาไม่ได้เหมือนกันใครมีก็ส่งลิ้งค์มาหน่อยนะครับ

รายการบันทึกโลก ตอน Google ช่วงที่2

รายการบันทึกโลก ตอน Google ช่วงที่3

รายการบันทึกโลก ตอน Google ช่วงที่4

For security reasons, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is already monitoring Internet traffic in federal/government networks. Now, FBI director Robert Mueller wants the bureau to monitor private sector traffic as well for added security.

The controversial proposal is specific about the monitoring of all Internet traffic using filters that are intended to nip illegal activity at the bud. Arguments about the new proposed law involve discussions on rights to privacy; the definition of what’s “illegal,” and laws on warrants necessary for enforcers to seize communication exchanges.

Polititians appear to be divided by the proposal. Rep. Darrel Issa of California, a Republican and supporter of the proposal, made a reference to threats to access national-security information and even data from private companies. A popular topic is the Bush administration’s cybercrime initiative revolving around a classified project codenamed Einstein. There are concerns that it may be infringing on the privacy rights of citizens.

Those who oppose the new law cite the Fourth Amendment guarantee of freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures - with an emphasis on the word unreasonable.

ดาวน์โหลดคู่มือกล้องดิจิตอล

คู่มือภาษาไทยแฟลช CANON 580EX
คู่มือภาษาไทยโปรแกรม NIKON Capture NX (ฉบับย่อ)
คู่มือภาษาไทยแฟลช NIKON SB-800 (รูปแบบการใช้งาน)
คู่มือภาษาไทยแฟลช NIKON SB-800
คู่มือภาษาไทยแฟลช NIKON SB-600
คู่มือภาษาไทยแฟลช NIKON SB-400
คู่มือภาษาไทย NIKON D3 (ฉบับย่อ)
คู่มือภาษาไทย NIKON D60
เมนูการใช้งาน NIKON D300 (ภาษาไทย)
คู่มือภาษาไทย NIKON F80
คู่มือภาษาไทย NIKON D80
คู่มือภาษาไทย NIKON D70s
คู่มือภาษาไทย NIKON D50
คู่มือภาษาไทย NIKON D40
คู่มือภาษาไทย NIKON D300
คู่มือภาษาไทย NIKON D200
คู่มือภาษาไทย Canon EOS400D
คู่มือภาษาไทย Canon EOS350D

ดาวน์โหลดคู่มือกล้องดิจิตอลทั้งหมดที่นี่

The Webware (a CNET site) poll results for the 100 best applications on the Web are finally out. Taken from a total of 1.9 million votes from site readers and Internet users from around the globe, the poll gives a snapshot of what Internet applications people are interested in using.

The usual blog publishing platforms, like Wordpress and Blogger, were there, and expected social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook also popped up. Of course, who wouldn’t vote for YouTube? Internet radio stations like Live365 were a bit of a surprise, but wouldn’t have been unlikely. The same goes for instant messaging sites like Meebo.

The top picks anyone can guess would be included are Amazon, Ebay, Yahoo!, and of course, Google, which took 10% of the total picked. You can’t miss them in the array of logos from Webware!

Project Keepmarket.com

โปรเจคเทพ Keepmarket.com หลังจากคุยกันไว้อย่างยาวนานจะทำให้เสร็จไวๆแต่เกิดปัญหาขึ้นมาก่อนหลายประการซึ่งมีการรู้จุดแข็งของคู่แข่งว่าจะทำอะไรซึ่งฟังแล้วน่ากลัวทีเดียวก็เลยพักไปไม่มีกำหนดทำต่อแต่พอรู้แล้วว่าอะไรคือจุดอ่อนของคู่แข่งเลยเอามาทำต่อครับ วันนี้ไปคุยงานก่ะเพื่อนสนิทเรื่องเว็บว่าจะทำอะไรต่อไป คุยเรื่องปรับ SEO เรื่อง URI ต่างๆที่ทำ SEO แล้วได้ผลและทำเรื่องระบบที User ใช้งานง่ายคุยกันเกือบทั้งวัน ว่างแล้วผมก็ออกไปถ่ายรูปบริเวณบ้านเพื่อนมันซึ่งบรรยากาศดีมากๆมีวิวให้ถ่ายเพียบเลยครับ รูปไม่มีการตัดต่อเพิ่มสีแต่อย่างใดเดิมๆจาก memory ไปดูรูปกันดีกว่า
http://blog.gootum.com/blog-gallery/270408-blog-gootum-flower