I already posted my thoughts about Mambo/Joomla CMS compared to Wordpress. I think the picture will not be full if I’ll not tell a story of how I came to blogging. So, let me share the background of my blogging.

One friend of mine two years ago offered me to join his business and work on a project of web presence for his company. We both graduated elite physics institute in Moscow. He thinks that if you graduated this institute then you should be able to do anything in just one click. All his “assumptions” always luck one thing - time required for such “clicks”. I explained him that never set up a single web site or a page. He insisted: “Common, you can do this, I’ve heard about one software application - DreamWeaver, - you do not have to know web or php - it’s like using word processing software - type and click and all content automatically goes to the web server.” (more…)

There is a discussion on the web of importance of original content on your blog pages vs. syndication (small excerpts from other site posts with link, there is also problem of reprinting material.) I think to understand what is what here first we should divide niche blogging into two categories based on what particular blog offer to visitors: 1.Opinions and thoughts on some Subject(s). 2. focusing on Products like cameras, cars, software etc. Here I assume that either subjects not invented or products not produced by blogger. (It is evident that problem of original content doesn’t arise if blogger is himself producing products he talking about) Main assumption I make here is that you want to attract audience. (more…)

Gaining some site design experience, I can say that one of the most important things I learnt when working on my sites, is the fact that it’s very difficult (if possible?) to find a balance between coolness of the design and accessibility of web pages. Whether it is a personal blog or corporate portal, accessibility is important. It’s widely accepted that Accessibility in virtual spaces refers to making your place on the Web accessible to a wide audience. For example, many visitors have less-than-perfect vision etc. (more…)

With this article I start a new topic covering blogging issues. Walking around on the net I found some publications on blogging issues. I think any blogger - whether he is running small site for expressing himself on the net or publisher whose goal is to develop business is interested in what is better for increasing audience. One of the topics covering blogging issues focus on this. And question is: what is better - to have one blog covering several topics or divide it and have a portfolio of blogs and focuse each blog on one topic (niche blogging)? (more…)

One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Clavin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm. Here’s how it went:

Well ya see, Norm, it’s like this… A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first.

This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first.

In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.

That’s why you always feel smarter after a few beers.”

The following is from the US Government Peace Corps Manual for its volunteers who work in the Amazon Jungle. It tells what to do in case you are attacked by an anaconda. Now an anaconda is the largest snake in the world. It is a relative of the boa constrictor, it grows to thirty-five feet in length and weighs between three and four hundred pounds at the maximum. This is what the manual said: (more…)

History began some 12,000 years ago. (Actually, it was 40,000 years ago.) Humans existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunter/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in winter.

The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundations of modern civilization and, together, were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups: Liberals and Conservatives. (more…)

A thermodynamics professor had written a take home exam for his graduate students. It had one question:

“Is hell exothermic or endothermic? Support your answer with a proof.”

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle’s Law or some variant. One student, however wrote the following: (more…)