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Day: 9 January 2003

Poll: Are you a Nerd?

January 9, 2003
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[Dilbert at a computer]According to the category description at the ODP,are “Geeks and Nerds, those misfits of society. Whatever your interest, be it coding, books, Role Playing or online gaming, there are sites out there to promote the geek lifestyle and reassure you that you aren’t alone, and you might just be cool too.“. Personally, I tend to think of Geeks and Nerds being people who really enjoying (and spend a lot of time) at computers out of choice.

Anyway, I picked a test at random out of the Geeks and Nerds Tests category – and now we’ll see if I am a Nerd via the Archie McPhee Nerd Test.

1: Own website+own domain name- yes, several times. 2: Have you ever taken Latin – no, because that option hasn’t been available to me, but I do like the Latin language and I’ve learnt a little bit of it and occasionally use it in conversation (especially on IRC). 3: In the UK, exchange ‘Radio Shack’ for Tandy (as that is it’s UK trading name) – or Maplins. 5: Do you use a computer for 4 hours or more everyday and has your computer time ever been ‘rationed’ – yep and yep.

My score? 529 (after losing 25 points as I did the test via a Windows machine) – my Nerd rating is 113.28%. So I’m more of a Nerd than Bill Gates and George W. Bush – but not as much as a Nerd as Dilbert.

Joke: No Crayons

January 9, 2003
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[Crayons]The infant class had settled down to its colouring books. Katherine went up to the teacher’s desk and said, “Miss Richmond, I ain’t got no crayons.”

“Katherine,” Miss Richmond said, “you mean, “I don’t have any crayons.’ You don’t have any crayons. We don’t have any crayons. They don’t have any crayons. Do you see what I’m getting at?”

“Not really,” Katherine said, “What happened to all them crayons?”

(Incidentally, were you aware that in the UK quite a large number of primary school teachers actually buy ‘extra supplies’ such as drawing paper, glue sticks and crayons for their pupils out of their own wages?)

Game: Pocketful of Stars

January 9, 2003
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[Pocketful Of Stars]In this cute little Flash game, Pocketful of Stars, you use your mouse to control a little girl who likes collecting stars. Just click on her, hold the mouse button down to increase her jumping power and then release it (all whilst keeping the mouse pointer over her) and then help guide her reflection to collect the stars.

You get extra points for collecting several stars in a jump and more points for a moving shooting star. The noises the little girl makes as she jumps are quite sweet – but it is difficult sometimes to keep the mouse pointer on her to make her jump.

My highest score so far has been 1418 (82 stars) – it shouldn’t be that difficult to break…

Search: SEO as Editors

January 9, 2003
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[ODP Search Engine Optimisation]One question, which I’m sure a few people will ask (and, in fact, I was asked at the interview), is how will me being employed as a SEO (search engine optimiser/optimizer) affect my editorship at the Open Directory?

Basically, it won’t. Many other editors work in the Search Engine Optimisation field and as long as we don’t give “our clients” preferential treatment then everything is ok.

Admittedly, our editing logs may be investigated closer than a “standard editor” (as history has taught us quite a few editor SEO just abuse their position as editors and that sort of thing needs to be monitored) but as long as we follow the guidelines then everything is alright.

Continue ReadingSearch: SEO as Editors

Personal: New Job!

January 9, 2003
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[Tigger and Zebedee]After several months of being unemployed, I’ve now been offered a job and I start on Monday! Yipee! (bouncy bouncy Richy).

I’m going to be working for a local web design and SEO (search engine optimisation) company doing a whole variety of work – and by looks of things I’m going to really enjoy working for them. I’m getting paid 3/4 of what I was previously on, but as this new place is less than 2 miles away I won’t be spending a quarter of my wages on transport – hence it all nicely works out. So, I’m doing what I love doing for a local (financial stable and growing) company for a decent wage – just perfect. And it came at “just the right time” as well, my bank balance is currently, erm, “running on fumes” and whilst I did receive a payment this morning from my “other web activities” which just pushed my bank balance back into the black – I couldn’t survive much longer. Now, at the end of last year, I was unemployed, Ciaran was unemployed, my GESF and her flatmate were unemployed – and now, 9 days into the New Year, and we’ve all got jobs. Things are looking up! 🙂

Continue ReadingPersonal: New Job!