Author: deuts

The Challenge that Failed Me

The Math Challenge Plugin I used to employ to combat comment spams generated by spam robots failed me. And that is the reason why I’m dumping it.

I’m not exactly sure whether the comment spams that entered my akismet filter were posted by individuals, because there were so many of them, or the plugin must have just been defective. Nevertheless, I’m removing it and instead, have spam karma 2 purge those spam after 2 hours. Yeah you read it right, 2 hours. I may not even have the time to review those comments whether there are valid ones erroneously filtered by the two comment spam plugins.

Now, then, I would like to request my commentators who may find their comments not able to come through in the article they are commenting on to notify me via the contact page. This is very important and I want you to know that I value your comments very much that I don’t want them lost.

Moreover, I can now re-activate other javascript plugins like post-ratings, etc., that I once deactivated to give way to this inutile plugin.

A Professional

Here’s a story I read somewhere I forgot where reflecting at how a professional is separated from a common worker.

A printing company calls in an engineer because their press is printing out of register. The engineer duly arrives, but instead of looking at the machinery, he looks at the print output.

Mmmm says the engineer. I know just what’s wrong here. He rushes out to his van to fetch a hammer.

Taking the hammer in one hand, the engineer strikes the press hard on the side, and the next piece of paper to emerge is perfect. That’s great says the printer, How much do I owe you?

That will be £500 replies the engineer.

What? asks the printer, You’ve only been here for five minutes!

Yes I know says the engineer. It’s £5 for the hire of the hammer…

… and £495 for knowing where to hit with it.

New Office Accounting Software

I have had small clients before that utilizes spreadsheets like mirosoft excel (or even worse, manual journals) to record accounting transactions, out of which they prepare financial reports.

Why not yet automated? There can be three possible reasons:

  1. Their transactions can be very simple and volume of transactions very low that it renders more efficient to use spreadsheets rather than use any simple software (like a GL system) available in the market, to process those transactions;
  2. They don’t have enough fund to invest in a fully licensed GL system; or
  3. A conservative accountant who’s not willing to adopt the latest technology.

Sad to note, though, that the last reason is often the case for these companies, or maybe a combination of any or all of the three, but that the third is oftentimes present.

For companies that cannot afford a system, especially for those that are on the start-up phase yet, Microsoft has the latest (announced just this week!) special offer:

Continue reading New Office Accounting Software

Of Jollibee, of McDo

Many of you might have already seen the youtube video regarding Jolibee mascots doing naugthy things in front of a camera. I don’t want to post the video here anymore. Enough for that crap. You can search it though if you want.

Such video circulated through emails, and especially blogs. Jollibee Food Corp. (JFC), on the other hand, made a response through email:

Dear Parents,

We regret to inform you that a video depicting our well-loved Jollibee mascots in a distasteful situation is now circulating online. The material is obviously no more than someone’s idea of a senseless amusement. Yet we cannot ignore the equally obvious risk of its effect on our children.

Jollibee created the mascot for kids, their wholesome fun and carefree innocence. We’ve worked hard and unceasingly for the mascot to earn your kids’ trust and love. It would be so sad to have all this swept away by one mindless prank.

We will not let this pass, neither will we let it happen again. Be assured we are taking all necessary steps to bring the culprits into account. One thing we know we can count on is your support in countering this threat.

Continue reading Of Jollibee, of McDo

GAAP and the Standards

Reviewing the prior year working papers, I found myself reading this documentation (and I’m quoting it verbatim):

At present time the client accounting department have no in place processes to identify significant changes in generally accepted accounting principles promulgated by relevant authoritative bodies , the client alternatively is to consult with the auditors regarding that and to consult with the group.

Relevant authoritative bodies like the IASB do not promulgate generally accepted accounting principles. Instead, they promulgate accounting standards based on accounting principles that will yield comparable results and reports among companies especially in the same industries.

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are the principles developed and adopted through norms and thus generally accepted, while accounting starndards like the IFRS are a means to formalize and document such general principles.

Look, Who’s Blogging!

Randel used to say,

I hate blogs! I’m not interested in reading other people’s diaries.

Well, blogs in the earlier years were associated with online diaries, yes. Blog was a compression of the words ‘web log’, thus blog. In the early days of the internet, they were put up to create online diaries, especially for those who are fond of writing.

However, blogs and blogging evolved to provide not only personal journals or records of individual experiences. It involved commentaries on political issues, news, and technological developments. Some used blogging as media to showcase one’s passion for photography (photoblogs), painting, etc.

In the Philippine blogosphere alone, Bong Austero, the author of the celebrated “Open Letter to Our Leaders” last February made his way to being a columnist in Manila Standard Today through blogging.

Bloggers in the international arena who especially captured a niche in the technology world are earning five or maybe even six digits US dollars a month (e.g., problogger.net) through google adsense and other various ads.

And of course, there are the celebrities who are also into blogging. KC Conception blogs her way through Paris. Jim Paredes of the Apo Hiking Society talks about life and his music.

Continue reading Look, Who’s Blogging!

New Theme

With the employment of this new theme (Tech-o-Crunch), I’m really worried whether my challenge plugin will work fine.

I’m encouraging everyone to do drop me a line in the comments (after answering the math quiz, of course) so I can better test the functionality of the challenge plugin, and whether it is effective in capturing preventing spam comments.

Please, I need your help. My blog is flooded with spams!

A Math Challenge Plugin

Spam comments has always been a problem in the blogosphere. Akismet and Spam Karma 2 are two of the most common spam protection plugins for wordpress blogs. What these plugins do, however, is simply catch spam comments and put them in queue for the administrator’s moderation.

Spam in blogs (also called simply blog spam or comment spam) is a form of spamdexing. It is done by automatically posting random comments, promoting commercial services, to blogs, wikis, guestbooks, or other publicly-accessible online discussion boards. Any web application that accepts and displays hyperlinks submitted by visitors may be a target.

Adding links that point to the spammer’s web site artificially increases the site’s search engine ranking. An increased ranking often results in the spammer’s commercial site being listed ahead of other sites for certain searches, increasing the number of potential visitors and paying customers.

Source: wikipedia

Spam comments are usually done through a program and/or machines. They are normally automatic once they’ve bookmarked your site. Now, although Akismet and Spam Karma 2 catch those spams and prevent them from being posted directly to your comments, they do not prevent them from reaching your comments (worse, they don’t cook them for breakfast! hehe). They help keep spam from being published, but not from reaching your comments.

As a result, you’ll need to check your admin panel regularly and browse through the captured spam comments for any erroneous catch. This is surely irritating, especially if you’re encountering an average of 10 to 20 spams per day (much worse is the case for other more popular sites).

Continue reading A Math Challenge Plugin