Archive for August, 2008
When your smiling… (a list of smileys for wordpress)
On August 31, 2008 in Uncategorized
Warning: Nerdy content to follow
uh oh.
This is like a toddler finding the secret stash of sweets!
Today I was file diving in wordpress (the software that powers this blog) looking for a way to fix something and I made a little discovery.
A list of smileys!
As anyone who follows this blog knows, I have a weakness for smileys. So, of course, I have to post them all now to get the excitement out of my system 
<– see what I mean?
Here they are (from the file wp-inludes/funtions.php):
                     |
| :mrgreen:’ => ‘icon_mrgreen’, ‘:neutral:’ => ‘icon_neutral’, ‘:twisted:’ => ‘icon_twisted’, ‘:arrow:’ => ‘icon_arrow’, ‘:shock:’ => ‘icon_eek’, ‘:smile:’ => ‘icon_smile’, ‘:???:’ => ‘icon_confused’, ‘:cool:’ => ‘icon_cool’, ‘:evil:’ => ‘icon_evil’, ‘:grin:’ => ‘icon_biggrin’, ‘:idea:’ => ‘icon_idea’, ‘:oops:’ => ‘icon_redface’, ‘:razz:’ => ‘icon_razz’, ‘:roll:’ => ‘icon_rolleyes’, ‘:wink:’ => ‘icon_wink’, ‘:cry:’ => ‘icon_cry’, ‘:eek:’ => ‘icon_surprised’, ‘:lol:’ => ‘icon_lol’, ‘:mad:’ => ‘icon_mad’, ‘:sad:’ => ‘icon_sad’, ‘8-)’ => ‘icon_cool’, ‘8-O’ => ‘icon_eek’, ‘:-(’ => ‘icon_sad’, ‘:-)’ => ‘icon_smile’, ‘:-?’ => ‘icon_confused’, ‘:-D’ => ‘icon_biggrin’, ‘:-P’ => ‘icon_razz’, ‘:-o’ => ‘icon_surprised’, ‘:-x’ => ‘icon_mad’, ‘:-|’ => ‘icon_neutral’, ‘;-)’ => ‘icon_wink’, ‘8)’ => ‘icon_cool’, ‘8O’ => ‘icon_eek’, ‘:(’ => ‘icon_sad’, ‘:)’ => ‘icon_smile’, ‘:?’ => ‘icon_confused’, ‘:D’ => ‘icon_biggrin’, ‘:P’ => ‘icon_razz’, ‘:o’ => ‘icon_surprised’, ‘:x’ => ‘icon_mad’, ‘:|’ => ‘icon_neutral’, ‘;)’ => ‘icon_wink’, ‘:!:’ => ‘icon_exclaim’, ‘:?:’ => ‘icon_question’, |
Working on a new face for Nipponster. Any ideas?
On August 30, 2008 in Suggestions Please
I am working on a new design for the Nipponster homepage and the old promotional page badges (they really need work!)
Here is the link to the current Nipponster promo badges (they are uggggggly).
Any ideas/advice on a new design?
I might post some samples of possible new badges in the future.
I am using inkscape and gimp (both free), on a pc running puppy linux, to do the new designs. Go Linux!
Is your J-blog on the twitter group?
On August 29, 2008 in Future of the J-web, Helping Japan Bloggers, On the J-web
Neil Duckett over at NeilDuckett.com is twittering and invites you to join in if you have a Japan-related blog.
He has created a Japan-blogger twitter group and you are welcome.
J-tweets…
What will we think up next?!
Fiery ipods
On August 28, 2008 in fun
ipod nano, now available in charcoal…
http://web.nipponster.com/ipod+nano+fire/
Have you heard of Lafcadio Hearn? Meet the foreigners who made modern Japan
On August 27, 2008 in JapanBlogMatsuri, On the J-web
Well, the Japan Blog Matsuri for August is up on Shane’s “The Tokyo Traveler.”
There are some really great posts!
Shane’s post was particularly interesting. It was about Lafcadio Hearn’s impressions of Tokyo (<–click to read her post). Hearn lived in Japan in the late 1800s but his thoughts on Japan still ring true today.
Hearn was one of the Oyatoi Gaikokujin, foreigners hired by the Meiji government to modernise Japan. He is largely to thank for the preservation of countless “mukashibanashi” (folk tales of Japan).
http://nipponstercom-swicki.eurekster.com/Lafcadio+Hearn/
http://nipponstercom-swicki.eurekster.com/O-yatoi+gaikokujin/
Mysterious Underwater Pyramids
On August 26, 2008 in On the J-web, fun
For some it is old news, but whether old or new I thought it might be interesting.
Underwater pyramids were discovered near Yonaguni, Japan.
(from the morien-institute.org)
Some believe that they might be the fabled land of Mu (an Asian Atlantis).
What do you think?
http://web.nipponster.com/mysterious+underwater+pyramid+structure+at+Yonaguni/
Navigation for the navigationally challenged wordpress themes
On August 25, 2008 in Blog Improvements, Helping Japan Bloggers
It is good that certain things irk some more than others.
Nick over at LongCountdown had been bothering me for awhile about not having good navigation.
As the editor I know where everything is so not having great navigation doesn’t bother me (which is not good). I don’t think about it as much as I should, so it is nice to have someone who reminds me of how things are from the reader’s perspective. Thanks Nick.
So how about you, Japan-blogger? Is your navigation lacking?
If you use wordpress (self-hosted) and need navigation, today is your day.
Here is the code you will need to enter to help readers navigate to next and previous posts:
Instant navigation in Wordpress. First find single.php,(that's YOURSITE.COM/YOURBLOG/wp-content/themes/YOURTHEME/single.php)In single.php in your theme, find: <?php if (have_posts()) : while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?> and right below it, paste: <!--navigation--> <table style="width: 100%; text-align: center; border:0px; margin-bottom: 6px;"> <tr><td class="text" style="text-align: left; font-size: 8pt;"> <?php previous_post_link(); ?> </td> <td class="text" style="text-align: right; font-size: 8pt;"> <?php next_post_link(); ?> </td></tr></table>
Next I want to make my category list expandable/collapsible and make sub-categories under “interviews” for each of the sites interviewed. That way you readers can more easily find and read specific interviews. If I find it, I plan to let you know about it so you can use it for your sites too.
Have a great day,
DailyJ
Chemist, where are the interviews?
On August 24, 2008 in Announcements
To my shame, I still have interviews from before my 4 month disappearing act.
Barring another disappearance or unforeseen occurrence, they should be posted soon.
But no promises.
(Also I am still doing interviews, but at a leisurely pace. If you’re interested contact me)
Stealing “Borrowing” ideas from the non-Japan-related web
On August 23, 2008 in JapanLabs
TED.com has to be one of the most interesting sites of the web (at least to me it is).
43things.com (connecting with people who are trying to do the same thing as you).
What if we did something similar for the Japan-related Web?
These are the types of projects we might be able to collaborate on at the JapanLabs
Can you think of other sites with features that would be cool to have on the J-web?
I’m sure we will come up with completely original ideas too.
Let the Mad Science Experiments Begin, Muhahahaha!
On August 22, 2008 in Community building, Future of the J-web, JapanLabs, On the J-web
Announcing….
“The Mad Science Laboratory of the Japan-related Web!”
I promise you nothing. But I am VERY excited.
JapanLabs is a place where people interested in the “J-web 2.0″ can brainstorm new Japan-related projects and experiment.
It is built on an excellent Social Networking Platform that makes collaboration simple.
Benefits To You:
- Get feedback about your website from people who know J-websites
- Find people to help with that new project
- Interact with like-minded people and stimulate your creative juices!
How those benefits are delivered:
- Groups - start a group for your project or interest. Then you and other interested people can discuss it in the group forum.
- MyPages - see what your lab-mates are up to, their latest comments/contributions.
- Events - share and stay aware of important dates on the J-web (like the JapanBlogMatsuri deadline)
- MainPage - keep up with the latest activity of the JapanLab community.
- Forums - forums focused just on J-web development and brainstorming! A first as far as I know.
Well I’ve hyped it up too much already,
