WordPress How-To: Temporary iMP-Links fix

Well after working on it for a few hours this morning (and re-writing my template about 5 or 6 times, LOL!), I was finally able to re-do my Links page. I’ve disabled the iMP-Links plugin and am using a template that I wrote earlier today in its place. Perhaps if/when a newer version is released, I may use it — or just write my own. *shrugs* Anyways, for anyone who’s interested, this is what I did…

I’m sure there’s a more elegant solution to this, but I haven’t had time to sit down and decipher and update the old code. If you were using this plugin (or wanting a layout like on my links page), this will get you by until a newer version is available.

I acquired the original collapsible javascript code from About.com. I was able to implement it into iMP-Links pretty easily, so I’m sure once the plugin has been updated, adding these back in shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.

First, you’ll need to copy the following code into a new text file and name it something like clmenu.js:

// Source: http://javascript.about.com/library/blclmenu.htm

function toggleMenu(objID) {
     if (!document.getElementById) return;
     var ob = document.getElementById(objID).style;
     ob.display = (ob.display == 'block')?'none': 'block';
}

Call it from your theme’s header.php file:

<script src="clmenu.js" type="text/javascript"></script>

Be sure to adjust the path in the code above to match the file’s path on your server!

Add the following to the end of your theme’s stylesheet.css:

.mC {width:100px; margin:5px; float:right;}
.mH {color:#60c; cursor:pointer;  font-weight:bold; border-top:1px solid #300;}
.mL {display:none; margin-bottom:10px;}
.mO {margin-left:10px; display:block;}

Now add the iMP-Links specific code (copied directly from the old plugin files) to the end your theme’s stylesheet.css:

#imp-links {}
#imp-links:after { clear: both; content: ""; display: block; height: 0; }
#imp-links .clearfloat { clear: both; height: 0; overflow: hidden; }
.switchcontent{display:none;}
/* Clearing the list style from kubrick theme */
html>body #imp-links ul { text-indent: 0; padding: 0; }
html>body #imp-links li { margin: 0; }
#imp-links ul li:before { content: ""; }
/* Clearing the list style from kubrick theme finished */
#imp-links ul.cat_list { list-style: none; text-align: center; padding: 0; margin: 0 0 20px 0; }
#imp-links ul.cat_list li { display: inline; margin: 0 10px; }
#imp-links ul.cat_list li a, #imp-links ul.cat_list li a:visited { padding: 3px 0; }
#imp-links ul.cat_list li a:hover { text-decoration: underline; }
#imp-links .imp-links-list { width: 45%; margin: 0; }
#imp-links .imp-links-list-left { float: left; }
#imp-links .imp-links-list-right { float: right; }
#imp-links .imp-links-list h3 { font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: bold; text-transform: uppercase; color: #555555; }
#imp-links .imp-links-list ul { list-style: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 5px 0 0 0; }
#imp-links .imp-links-list ul li { border-bottom: 1px solid #dddddd; }
#imp-links .imp-links-list ul li a, #imp-links .imp-links-list ul li a:visited { display: inline-block; }
#imp-links .imp-links-list ul li a, #imp-links .imp-links-list ul li a:visited { display: block; padding: 4px 10px; }
#imp-links .imp-links-list ul li a:hover { background: #f5f5f5; }

You may need to adjust some of the values above based on your personal tastes and/or your theme’s layout and design.

If your theme has a links.php template pre-made, open it and add the red code below. If not, you can make a copy of your index.php and modify to something along the lines of the following code (don’t forget to delete the_loop!):

<?php
  /*
  Template Name: Links
  */
?>

<?php get_header(); ?>

<?php get_sidebar(); ?> 

<div id="content">

	<h2><?php the_title(); ?></h2>

	<div id="imp-links">
	  <div class="mC">

		<div class="imp-links-list mH imp-links-list-left"><?php $params = array( 'category' => '79',
		  'title_before'  => '<h3><a href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="toggleMenu(\'c79\')">',
		  'title_after' => '</a></h3><div id="c79" class="mL"><div class="mO">',
		  'category_before' => '',
		  'category_after' => '</div></div>',
		  'between' => '&nbsp;-&nbsp;',
		  'show_images' => 0,
		  'show_description' => 0 );
		  wp_list_bookmarks($params); ?></div>

		<div class="imp-links-list mH imp-links-list-left"><?php $params = array( 'category' => '80',
		  'title_before'  => '<h3><a href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="toggleMenu(\'c80\')">',
		  'title_after' => '</a></h3><div id="c80" class="mL"><div class="mO">',
		  'category_before' => '',
		  'category_after' => '</div></div>',
		  'between' => '&nbsp;-&nbsp;',
		  'show_images' => 0,
		  'show_description' => 0 );
		  wp_list_bookmarks($params); ?></div>

    </div>
  </div>

</div>
<?php get_footer(); ?>

Now that’s a small snippet of what I used on my Links page template. If you’ll notice, in the first link code snippet I’ve highlighted the two instances of c79 and 79. ‘79′ is the first link category that I wanted displayed, ‘c79′ is a reference id so the script knows which one to show/hide.

I had to use ‘c79′ instead of ‘79′ because ID attributes have to start with a letter, so use whatever you want, just make sure to keep them labeled the same for each instance, as it makes for easier troubleshooting should you have a problem.

If you’ll also notice, I did the same with the next category, whose category id number happened to be 80.

You’ll need to do this for each of the link categories you want displayed on your Links page. Like I said before, I’m sure there’s a more elegant solution out there, I’m just looking for a quick fix until either a newer version of the iMP-Links plugin is released — or I get time to sit down and debug the old one (no telling when THAT will be). To find your category id numbers, go to Blogroll, Categories in your WP-Admin.

If something’s unclear or needs further explanation, please let me know via the comments form below and I’ll try my best to answer any questions.

* TIP: If you did not previously have a links.php and created one using this tutorial as a guide, don’t forget to go into WP Admin and edit your Links page (Manage, Pages). Under Page Template, choose Links (or whatever you named the template in the ‘Template Name’ bit) from the dropdown list. If you do not see your template there, make sure you have named it (’Template Name’) in the file as shown above and have uploaded it to your theme’s directory on your server.

New Helio Fanlisting

I recently submitted a petition to TheFanlistings.org to start a fanlisting for Helio. It’s called Helio’s Ocean of Fans — the same as the blogroll.

It’s not “official” yet, but several people have already hopped on board (with mucho kudos to the Heliocity forum residents), so if you’re a fellow Helion and are so inclined please feel free… :mrgreen:

URI: http://www.nitallica.org/helio/

New WordPress theme released: Blood Orchid

Hopefully this will soon be uploaded to Wordpress.net.

Details

Blood Orchid is a theme for WordPress 2.1+ (works best for 2.3+) and features an Amazonian orchid (taken by kertis, via StockXpert). Overall theme design inspired by and based on Artica, by iFrame..

Download

Please read the enclosed readme.txt for troubleshooting, licensing, and other important topics!

Distribution

I have a problem over the past year or so with so-called “free theme” sites offering my themes among their downloads. The majority of these I’ve seen have added paid advertising scripts to my code.

There are only two places where my themes are available:

1. This website.
2. The WordPress Theme Viewer site: http://themes.wordpress.net/

Any other sites that are distributing my themes are doing so WITHOUT my expressed permission and may be edited or changed from the original code. I will not support my themes downloaded from other sources than those named above, sorry.

New WordPress theme released: So Blue without You

Hopefully this will soon be uploaded to Wordpress.net.

Details

So Blue without You is a theme for WordPress 2.1+ (works best for 2.3+). (It’s a bit minimal as far as images go, and very blue! )

Download

Please read the enclosed readme.txt for troubleshooting, licensing, and other important topics!

Distribution

I have a problem over the past year or so with so-called “free theme” sites offering my themes among their downloads. The majority of these I’ve seen have added paid advertising scripts to my code.

There are only two places where my themes are available:

1. This website.
2. The WordPress Theme Viewer site: http://themes.wordpress.net/

Any other sites that are distributing my themes are doing so WITHOUT my expressed permission and may be edited or changed from the original code. I will not support my themes downloaded from other sources than those named above, sorry.

New WordPress theme released: Everything Zen

Hopefully this will soon be uploaded to Wordpress.net.

Details

Everything Zen is an Asian-inspired theme for WordPress 2.1+ (works best for 2.3+) named after one of my favorite Bush songs. Shanghai Shaolin icons courtesy of Brian Brasher (via Icon Buffet). Background pattern courtesy of SquidFingers.

Download

Please read the enclosed readme.txt for troubleshooting, licensing, and other important topics!

Distribution

I have a problem over the past year or so with so-called “free theme” sites offering my themes among their downloads. The majority of these I’ve seen have added paid advertising scripts to my code.

There are only two places where my themes are available:

1. This website.
2. The WordPress Theme Viewer site: http://themes.wordpress.net/

Any other sites that are distributing my themes are doing so WITHOUT my expressed permission and may be edited or changed from the original code. I will not support my themes downloaded from other sources than those named above, sorry.

New WordPress theme released: Who Needs the Mall?

Hopefully this will soon be uploaded to Wordpress.net.

Details

Who Needs the Mall? Who needs the mall when you can easily shop online, right? This fun theme for WordPress 2.1+ (works best for 2.3+) was inspired by my love of online shopping (with the help of Velusariot’s illustration for the header). Tower Grove Studio and Marseilles Cafe icons courtesy of John Marstall (via Icon Buffet). Background pattern courtesy of SquidFingers..

Download

Please read the enclosed readme.txt for troubleshooting, licensing, and other important topics!

Distribution

I have a problem over the past year or so with so-called “free theme” sites offering my themes among their downloads. The majority of these I’ve seen have added paid advertising scripts to my code.

There are only two places where my themes are available:

1. This website.
2. The WordPress Theme Viewer site: http://themes.wordpress.net/

Any other sites that are distributing my themes are doing so WITHOUT my expressed permission and may be edited or changed from the original code. I will not support my themes downloaded from other sources than those named above, sorry.

Where are our role models?

I have to admit, I wasn’t surprised to hear that Britney Spears’ younger sister, Jamie Lynn, announced that she was pregnant. However, what DID surprise me was that Jessie was aware of it, and seemed unphased by it. The young Spears is the leading actress in one of the shows Jessie watches on Nickelodeon, “Zoey 101.”

Why is anyone else really surprised by this?

We’ve already had the discussion several times with Jessie, explaining the difference between fantasy and real life. She’s never been big on Britney Spears and made the comment once that she was “a bad girl who made bad choices.” But now I feel a little sorry for Jessie because I know she liked Jamie Lynn Spears because of the show … and she’s now lost (what she considered) a role model.

Honestly, I don’t like her looking up to most anyone in Hollywood. There are of course a few exceptional people who I think would make good role models, but obviously they aren’t starring in the latest kid shows and movies.

Where are our role models?

I’ve always thought that the best role models aren’t someone that you see in the movies, or on TV. They should be everyday people. I was wandering around The Terminal this morning and ran across a post from a couple months back about a Birmingham native who was a fine example of what I thought a role model should be: Willie J. Perry.

Each night during the early 1980s, a pimped-out, maroon and white 1971 Ford Thunderbird with six antennas and fluorescent neon lights that illuminated over-sized tailfins cruised the streets of Birmingham. The contraption was customized to resemble the Batmobile, complete with the Caped Crusader’s bat-shaped logo. A sign on each door read: “Rescue Ship . . . Will Help Anyone In Distress.”

…The driver of this vehicle was Willie Perry, a Good Samaritan who proudly cast himself as “Batman.” Perry spent evenings and weekends (by day he was general manager of window distributor J.F. Day & Co.) cruising streets and highways for stranded motorists in need of roadside assistance. Perry would also pick up drunks and whisk them straight home (or to other bars) without accepting so much as a dollar in compensation.

(quote courtesy of Ed Reynolds’ article in Black & White)

I’ve read several things about Mr. Perry over the last few years, and he’s always stood out in my mind as “one of the good guys,” someone you would WANT your children to look up to, the kind of person that would make you want to be a better person yourself. That’s the kind of person I want my child to look up to.

So where are our role models? If you ask me, most people need open their eyes and take a good look around. Chances are, you have a superhero in your midst already.

Resources and Credits

• “Take a Moment: Remembering the original Batman of Birmingham“, The Terminal
• Willie Perry entry in the BhamWiki
• “The Batman of Birmingham” (Parts one and two), Lou Anders
• “Runaway Bridegroom,” Black & White
• Photos of the Batmobile, So It Goes Photography
• “Sad Days for Batmobile,” “Birmingham’s Batman Helped Those in Need; His ‘Rescue Ship’ Still Survives,” The Birmingham News

Reflections on Christmas

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas. Mine was pretty good.

I worked Christmas Eve and left around lunchtime. I had just enough time to run home and change to go see my parents that afternoon. We had a lovely early supper and hung out a bit with my folks and my brother and his family. Things are slowly getting better with Dad. He and I talked for a little bit. I know he really enjoyed having Jessie over last weekend and for Christmas Eve. (I know he was driving Mother up the wall!) Mother kept pressing the “children” issue again. (not gonna happen) Between her and my aunt Sharon, I don’t know who’s worse. ;P

I know they mean well, but it’s my decision — I just wish they would accept it and stop badgering me already!

Jessie scored big with some cute outfits and a TON of new earrings (much to her delight!). Jim and I scored gift cards. (YAY, shopping!!!) We left around dark. Jessie had to leave shortly after to go to her mother’s house. She spent the night there and came back the next day around lunch. Unfortunately I was way too wiped out Christmas Eve night to finish wrapping the “Santa” gifts and put it off until the next morning. Jessie showed up just as I was finishing up wrapping. Luckily Jim came to my rescue and met Jess at the door and suggested they leave to “pick up breakfast” — which is parent-secret-code for “Nicki’s not done yet and needs someone to buy her some time.” LOL!

Waffle House provided a very lovely brunch of scattered/smothered hashbrowns, toast, and bacon. YUM! (they’re the only place around town open on Christmas Day, and it’s becoming a tradition with us to get breakfast Christmas morning there!)

We had Christmas at our house and Jessie racked up on goodies, a nice jewelry box (for all her newly acquired earrings, LOL!), and several toys and art sets. She gave Jim a DBZ video that he didn’t already have in his collection. She gave me a HUGE bath gift set — lavender, my favorite scent. She had also given one to her mother the night before, but it was only a quarter of the size of mine.

I told a friend about that yesterday morning and he said, “Congratulations! You’ve moved up from stepmom to super mom!” :lol: I dunno about all that just yet, but it was very nice to know that she’s thoughtful enough to know my favorite scent and picked out such a nice gift on her own.

We left to head to Jim’s mom’s house that afternoon and spent most of the day there with her and his brother’s family. Jess spent the night over there last night while I worked on Jim’s website. (His WordPress was WAY outdated and his plugins folder was an absolute MESS!)

I’ve also posted some old family recipes over at my recipe site: Pineapple Cookies, Peanut Butter Balls, Butter Cookies, Sand Tarts, No-Bake Cookies, and Cherry Glaze.

I spent most of last weekend helping my mom make some of those and took the opportunity to snag some snapshots of her recipes with my Helio Ocean. :mrgreen:

I’m finishing up on my newest WordPress themes and will most likely release them all four of them tomorrow. (Yes, I got FOUR done this last week and a half! GO ME! LOL) I haven’t decided yet which one(s) to enter in the LunarPages contest, if any, so I guess I’ll do that this weekend.

Next week marks one year since Hobie passed away. I’ve been thinking about her a lot lately. While I was wrapping some gifts last week, I ran across one of her old toys (a felt mouse) in my supply box and started crying. It hardly seems like it’s been a year already. Late at night I still find myself listening, wanting to hear her feet on the kitchen floor or running up and down the stairs. Honestly that cat sounded like a pack of elephants sometimes, LOL!

It’s weird but sometimes I feel like she’s still here. Sometimes out of the corner of my eye, I’ll think I see her prancing down the hall, or sitting and watching me. She always loved Christmas (or rather, loved Christmas trees since they were fun for her to play with!), and it still feels weird not having her around.

Maybe by next Christmas (or the next at the very latest), we’ll be in a new house and may have another furry friend to share the warmth and joy of the holidays.

Merry Christmas, Merry Yule, Happy Hanukkah, et. al.

Well it’s almost here. I will be busy as a bee finishing up wrapping presents and preparing for the trips tomorrow and Christmas Day. I have to work tomorrow, but luckily will be off after lunch and plan to ride out to see my folks tomorrow afternoon. Jessie will be spending Christmas Eve night with her mother, and we’ll all go to Jim’s mother’s sometime Christmas Day.

While reading my feeds, I ran across this quote (courtesy of the lovely squiggle biscuit) that pretty much sums up how I feel about other religions’ holidays that fall around those of mine:

“I’ve never understood what there is to get offended about. I’m not Jewish, but I’m certainly not going to get offended if someone wishes me Happy Hanukkah. Quite the opposite, I’m going to be delighted that they thought of me. Their intention is nothing but to spread good wishes.” — A comment in response to a post about Christmas greetings, as seen by a pagan

To that I say: Amen!

I don’t care what you celebrate (or if at all), but if you’re so inclined to send me good wishes I’m very happy that you thought to include me. To you, I say God Bless You!

Have a happy and safe holiday. I look forward to lots of good food, family, and good times. Also, I’ll most likely be releasing my two newest WordPress themes next weekend (in between shopping trips, LOL!), so keep an eye out for that if you’re looking for something new to plop onto your WordPress install!

Here’s a couple of things I wanted to share with y’all:

Courtesy of Captain Fantastic:

IF YOU SEE A FAT MAN

Who’s jolly and cute,

Wearing a beard and a red flannel suit,

And if he is chuckling and laughing away,

While flying around in a miniature sleigh,
With eight tiny reindeer to pull him along,

Then let’s face it…

Your eggnog’s too strong!

Merry Christmas and a Happy 2008!

And this one, courtesy of Cookie:

Here’s a ‘today’ Yule story that occurred 3 weeks ago ~ AND NOW, in time for the holidays, I bring you the best Christmas story you never heard. (Edit: Actually, this happened a couple years ago, but the underlying message has stayed the same.)

It started last Christmas, when Bennett and Vivian Levin were overwhelmed by sadness while listening to radio reports of injured American troops. “We have to let them know we care,” Vivian told Bennett. So they organized a trip to bring soldiers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital to the annual Army-Navy football game in Philly, on Dec. 3.

The cool part is, they created their own train line to do it. Yes, there are people in this country who actually own real trains. Bennett Levin - native Philly guy, self-made millionaire and irascible former L&I commish - is one of them.

He has three luxury rail cars. Think mahogany paneling, plush seating and white-linen dining areas. He also has two locomotives, which he stores at his Juniata Park train yard. One car, the elegant Pennsylvania, carried John F. Kennedy to the Army-Navy game in 1961 and ‘62. Later, it carried his brother Bobby’s body to D. C. for burial. “That’s a lot of history for one car,” says Bennett.

He and Vivian wanted to revive a tradition that endured from 1936 to 1975, during which trains carried Army-Navy spectators from around the country directly to the stadium where the annual game is played. The Levins could think of no better passengers to reinstate the ceremonial ride than the wounded men and women recovering at Walter Reed in D. C. and Bethesda, in Maryland. “We wanted to give them a first-class experience,” says Bennett. “Gourmet meals on board, private transportation from the train to the stadium, perfect seats - real hero treatment.”

Through the Army War College Foundation, of which he is a trustee, Bennett met with Walter Reed’s commanding general, who loved the idea. But Bennett had some ground rules first, all designed to keep the focus on the troops alone:

No press on the trip, lest the soldiers’ day of pampering devolve into a media circus.

No politicians either, because, says Bennett, “I didn’t want some idiot making this trip into a campaign photo op.”

And no Pentagon suits on board, otherwise the soldiers would be too busy saluting superiors to relax.

The general agreed to the conditions, and Bennett realized he had a problem on his hands. “I had to actually make this thing happen,” he laughs.

Over the next months, he recruited owners of 15 other sumptuous rail cars from around the country - these people tend to know each other - into lending their vehicles for the day. The name of their temporary train? The Liberty Limited.

Amtrak volunteered to transport the cars to D. C. - where they’d be coupled together for the round-trip ride to Philly - then back to their owners later.

Conrail offered to service the Liberty while it was in Philly. And SEPTA drivers would bus the disabled soldiers 200 yards from the train to Lincoln Financial Field, for the game.

A benefactor from the War College ponied up 100 seats to the game - on the 50-yard line - and lunch in a hospitality suite.

And corporate donors filled, for free and without asking for publicity, goodie bags for attendees:

From Woolrich, stadium blankets. From Wal-Mart, digital cameras. From Nikon, field glasses. From GEAR, down jackets.

There was booty not just for the soldiers, but for their guests, too, since each was allowed to bring a friend or family member.

The Marines, though, declined the offer. “They voted not to take guests with them, so they could take more Marines,” says Levin, choking up at the memory.

Bennett’s an emotional guy, so he was worried about how he’d react to meeting the 88 troops and guests at D. C.’s Union Station, where the trip originated. Some GIs were missing limbs. Others were wheelchair-bound or accompanied by medical personnel for the day. “They made it easy to be with them,” he says. “They were all smiles on the ride to Philly. Not an ounce of self-pity from any of them. They’re so full of life and determination.”

At the stadium, the troops reveled in the game, recalls Bennett. Not even Army’s lopsided loss to Navy could deflate the group’s rollicking mood.

Afterward, it was back to the train and yet another gourmet meal - heroes get hungry, says Levin - before returning to Walter Reed and Bethesda. “The day was spectacular,” says Levin. “It was all about these kids. It was awesome to be part of it.”

The most poignant moment for the Levins was when 11 Marines hugged them goodbye, then sang them the Marine Hymn on the platform at Union Station.

“One of the guys was blind, but he said, ‘I can’t see you, but man, you must be f—ing beautiful!’ ” says Bennett. “I got a lump so big in my throat, I couldn’t even answer him.”

It’s been three weeks, but the Levins and their guests are still feeling the day’s love. “My Christmas came early,” says Levin, who is Jewish and who loves the Christmas season. “I can’t describe the feeling in the air.” Maybe it was hope.

As one guest wrote in a thank-you note to Bennett and Vivian, “The fond memories generated last Saturday will sustain us all - whatever the future may bring.”

God bless the Levins. And bless the troops, every one.

All you need is just a little patience …

… and GoDaddy’s Back-order domain service …

It took a while, but I finally got my old domain back. The kid who sniped it from me a few years back emailed me about this time last year wanting to know if I was still interested in buying it. At the time I wasn’t (planning a wedding, don’t you know … every penny went towards that!). However, this past summer I was kind of curious if I could use GoDaddy’s Back-order service to snag it. I’ve had several friends who used the service and were able to successfully do a little sniping of their own, so I figured what the hell…

I was notified sometime last month that the domain FINALLY was set for deletion. A week later I received an email from GoDaddy that they were not able to snag the domain — a squatter company had it. So I thought oh well, I’m only out a few bucks, and didn’t really give it any more thought. Then an hour ago I received an email from GoDaddy that they had “successfully captured” the domain and that I needed to login and set up the DNS, etc. :shock:

Happy Christmas to me! :mrgreen:

So www.nitallica.com belongs to me again. Believe it or not, I still have business cards with that domain on it — I can use them again, yay! :lol:

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