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Category: Just Saying …

No Spam for You!

I finished up the new version of the anti-spam-bot program I’ve built over the years. Version 7 is available on my FormSpammerTrap site.

It is quite clever, if I say so myself. It blocks any attempt by spambots to automatically fill out contact forms on web sites. It is very effective, and free, although I ask for donations (haven’t gotten any yet).

The new version allows for easier customization of the form, and has new docs. I use it on the site, and others. Wherever I put it, the contact form spam just stops. Rather pleased with that.

Preps for a trip tomorrow. Might get some weather through the bottom of OR and top of CA. Snowstorm scheduled to go through there tonight into tomorrow morning, but I’m hoping that by the time I get there in the late afternoon it will have moved on and the roads are clear. But have 4SD and snow chains, just in case. Although I really don’t want to mess with the chains.

Eagles and Crows

Nice blue sky out there – warming up – has managed to get about 50F today. Shirtsleeve weather!

Noticed the crows are flying about today. Just a few of them, but they sometimes perch at the very top of the pine trees I can see outside my east-facing window. And saw an eagle floating around – which, according to the local native-tribes’ folklore, is an indication of good luck.

Although the sighting of the crows or ravens might offset that. A bunch of crows is a ‘murder’, and six of them are a ‘conspiracy’.

Which brings me to the continued work on the Light Blink Book Two. I think I am getting closer to figuring out the end story of Book Two. Ravens and crows will play a big part in that.

And We’re Back – Again

Blue skies today – but cold-ish, with temps in mid-40’s. Great visibility – I can see all the way to Mt Baker to the northeast – about 100 miles or more. Blue sky = blue water on the Puget Sound.

The “Light Blink – Book 1” book has a few sales, and three good reviews. But the process of promoting a self-published book is just as hard as writing one. I’ve got the web site (http://bit.ly/2IH9RdS ) and the Facebook page, and promote it via FB posts. Also tried a weekend ‘countdown’ promotion on Amazon, but no sales there.  Will have to try other techniques.

“Light Blink – Book 2” is still in progress. At about 40K words, heading towards the ‘big climatic finish’, but unsure of what that exactly is. Some ideas, but nothing concrete yet.

I was getting a big of automated spam from the Contact page here, so added my FormSpammerTrap contact form. In WordPress, that just means to make a Child Theme (quick and easy with the “Child Theme Generator” plugin), copy over the ‘page’ template from the parent theme, and then add four code lines to it. Upload, and the change the Contact page to include the FormSpammerTrap shortcode. That process took only 5 minutes, and works really well to block Contact form bots.

More work on Book 2 today.

NovemberCatchUp

Let’s see:

  • Helped a friend pack up a big truck to move to another state
  • Big storm – wind and rain – caused several power outages all around my house. Luckily, we only got a couple of ‘blinks’ of the lights here. Although I’m ready: generator, bypass switch installed, and lots of flashlights.
  • Filled up a bunch of little bottles (144) with olive oil.
  • Haircut and trips to Wally World for drug refills.

Nicer weather today; we’re between storm systems. Partly to mostly cloudy, temps around 48F, some rain this morning, more coming tomorrow. Locals around here call it “Rainbow Weather” – short rain showers with ‘sun breaks’ to bring out the rainbows. Quite enjoyable to watch from my living room.

NovemberMovingCompany

Nice day today. Mostly clear skies, temps reached up to about 47F. Good day to help out a friend pack up for a move.

With the help of several other people, we filled up a 28′ semi travel to the brim. I stayed in the truck, directing traffic and solving the Tetris puzzle of getting things packed efficiently.

Worked out well, overall; about 4 hours of effort. More physical activity than I am used to, so relaxed the rest of the day. Might go over there tomorrow to button up the trailer.

NovemberSuccess

A cloudy start again, with some light rain showers during the day. Temps in the mid-40”s. All typical for this time of year around here.

Progress was made on the programming project that I’ve been working on the past few days. Looks like all parts of the program are working well. I still need to do some minor testing, and some code cleanup. But we’re getting close.

Tomorrow is moving day for a friend; I and several others will be going to his house in the morning to help them load up the moving truck.

NovemberTripWander

Today started out partly cloudy, then rainy since the afternoon; temps in the 40-45F range.

Early road trip to Port Angeles (about an hour) for a doctor appointment for Pam. A shopping stop for Pam, then back to Sequim for a small Costco run (and gas), then the Highway 101 Diner for lunch, then back to Poulsbo to visit Wally World for some drugs and food. Left at about 9am, got back about 430pm.

Made some good progress on my programming project. Some tweaks to make it more efficient in progress.