Aaron Donohoe (dot) com http://aarondonohoe.com Random Rants of No Particular Interest and/or Reason Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:20:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 en Look Twice! http://aarondonohoe.com/look-twice/ http://aarondonohoe.com/look-twice/#comments Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:20:38 +0000 Aaron http://aarondonohoe.com/?p=366 ShareThis

]]> This is the first time I’ve used the dated post thing - if it’s worked hurray!

Anyway. Came across this and had the share it…I had to look at it twice!

Now that’s better than any Spiderman!

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]]> http://aarondonohoe.com/look-twice/feed/ Wall-E meets Johnny Five http://aarondonohoe.com/wall-e/ http://aarondonohoe.com/wall-e/#comments Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:00:12 +0000 Aaron http://aarondonohoe.com/?p=370 ShareThis

]]> I went to see Wall-E the other day, and happened to noticed an uncanny similarity between Wall-E and Johnny 5 (from Short Circuit). Have a look for yourself:

Wall-E

Johnny Five

Am I the only one seeing this? Or can you see the laziness of Disney-Pixar’s animators? ;-)

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]]> http://aarondonohoe.com/wall-e/feed/ See you Soon! http://aarondonohoe.com/see-you-soon/ http://aarondonohoe.com/see-you-soon/#comments Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:54:16 +0000 Aaron http://aarondonohoe.com/?p=368 ShareThis

]]> Well tomorrow morning I will be jetsetting off to sunny Spain for a week of relaxation and getting the back burnt off me! Have been looking forward to this for ages as so much shite has been happening I really need to get away from it all and forget about everything back home in Ireland!

The dog has been enrolled in a kennel, the house and the goldfish will be looked after by my cousin, the rashers and sausages have been packed (as the Spanish stuff is crap!) and all I’ve to do is pack some clothes but save some room for the raid on duty free!

Great thing is the flight isn’t until 2pm tomorrow afternoon, although we’ve to check in at 12:00 - so I still get sort of a lie in! When we set down in Palma airport we’ve a hour and half coach journey ahead of us. But I’ve an iPod stacked full of my CD collection (and any other artists music I could ‘get’ from the net!)

So I’ll be seeing you all in a week, although I’ll be checking in every now and again to make sure the blog is still ticking over and to check my emails.

I’ve set a few posts to predefinded dates - so if I got it right it should post…but if I didn’t I suppose it won’t post!

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]]> http://aarondonohoe.com/see-you-soon/feed/ And the Results are Out! http://aarondonohoe.com/the-results-are-out-2/ http://aarondonohoe.com/the-results-are-out-2/#comments Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:04:24 +0000 Aaron http://aarondonohoe.com/?p=363 ShareThis

]]> Well after thousands of leaving cert students have been gnawing in anticipation at the bit in anticipation over getting their results all come to end this morning when the results were handed out. Some were ecstatic with their overly joyous outcome and I’m sure some slipped away quietly having not achieved what they wanted.

Although luckily everyone I know who patiently awaiting their results did exceptionally well. Some got way better results then they thought, especially Mark Walsh who got an astounding 510 points out of a maximum 600! Congrats Mark!

So I’ll expect to be invited into town this evening to share in the celebratory occasion - and rightly so, they should get absolutely ‘Gee-Eyed‘ (excuse the expression) as the stress in the run upto the exams as well as during them I’m sure is immense.

Unfortunately, I won’t be celebrating this year. I’ve to wait for another year before I can truly celebrate. Come September my epic journey to ‘The Leaving’ will begin - I’m not nervous, more eager. I kind of do and don’t want to leave school - I do want to get into college/work to start my life as I want, doing something I enjoy, I don’t want to leave so many friends (although remaining in contact and going for the obligatory pint in Doyles will suffice!), I like the childish, immature craic we have in class and I’ll really miss the teachers and tutors who have been great craic over the years - so come August 28th I’ll be savouring everything and anything!

Have a drink from me guys ;-)

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]]> http://aarondonohoe.com/the-results-are-out-2/feed/ Blog Improvements http://aarondonohoe.com/blog-improvements/ http://aarondonohoe.com/blog-improvements/#comments Sat, 09 Aug 2008 18:11:09 +0000 Aaron http://aarondonohoe.com/?p=350 ShareThis

]]> Whilst I have been indoors due to the floodings in Dublin I have been improving the blog slightly:

  • Plugins - adding, removing, upgrading, ‘improving’ (breaking)
  • Style - I’ve modified the style slightly, fixing some errors and making more personal
  • Categories - I’ve laid down base categories and divided all categories into sub-categories. Makes everything more tidy!
  • Removals - I’ve removed any unused, or unnecessary plugins, themes, and files.
  • Updated About Me & Contact Me Pages

I’ve intentions on the following:

  • Re-upload the uploads folder *DONE*
  • Install:
    • Gravatars on Comments *DONE*
    • Various plugins to secure my ACP *DONE*
    • Writing various time delayed posts for when I’m away *DONE*
    • Related Posts *DONE*
    • XML Sitemaps *DONE*
    • Whatever else takes my fancy over at the Plugin Directory
  • New Background image *DONE*
  • Code Random Header Image Script to Variate Header Image

It’s better to be doing something productive whilst I can do feck all at home. Nothing on telly bar Top Gear repeats…that I’ve already seen!

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]]> http://aarondonohoe.com/blog-improvements/feed/ Some Problems… http://aarondonohoe.com/some-problems/ http://aarondonohoe.com/some-problems/#comments Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:42:26 +0000 Aaron http://aarondonohoe.com/?p=338 ShareThis

]]> The obervent amongst you would have noticed that the blog has been offline for the past few days - basically we were subject to a hack effort which resulted in the blog being taken offline by the Datacentre (and they never bothered to notify me neither!).

So basically the hacker proceeded to upload malicious files onto the server, mainly phishing related - I noticed this a few days prior to being taken offline on one of my other websites hosted on the server and brought it to the notification of the server administrators - I thought they might beef up security, ban some IP’s, or do something. No, that costs money, and all the administrator is interest in is profit - letting his clients go way down the list of his priorities isn’t going to get him far! Remember what the doormouse said - feed your head (whatever that means).

I’ve been too busy lately to be dealing with the middle men who haven’t a clue what’s going on - the server admin hires anyone any 12 year old with access to a computer and basic English as a Support Rep! I’ve sent around 15 emails to various support reps, the datacentre, as well as the server administrator - none of the above have responded! That’s charming isn’t it? I pay THEM to host my websites and for the apparent 24/7 live support and 99.5% guaranteed uptime. Hmm there are countless times when my websites have been offline and the ‘live support’ is set to BUSY.

I think I will be hosting on Irish soil from now on - afterall support is only a phonecall away, and you’re talking to someone who knows what they’re on about. It’s a little more expensive but I think from here on in it’s worth the investment. I’m presently on an emergency hosting account which I have on Hosting365 until I get around to sorting out some permanent hosting - will get onto a few sites to see what deals there are ;-)

Until then please bear with me whilst I get the backup online. I’m having difficulty uploading the database at the moment as my internet is patchy to say the least and has been for the past two days - will be moving to Digiweb soon *hopefully*. IBB is doing my head in, every so often it gets stroppy and refuses to connect or will suddenly crash. And the Vodafone Mobile B/B isn’t much better neither - so Digiweb seems like a good alternative (a neighbour moved to them recently and is happy with them).

To top it all my car has cost me a fortune on parts - have’nt time to fit them neither. Have to send the cylinder head off to a specialist to get it refaced and ported before refitting with a new head gasket, and manifold. Fitting an alarm system I got off eBay has been a nightmare as it’s not earthing properly meaning it won’t arm! And a few bits and pieces I bought off eBay (mainly tools) have yet to arrive despite being ordered from the UK 14 days ago - and my paying for premium postage!

Roll on August 19th - off to Spain for a week of relaxation…

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]]> http://aarondonohoe.com/some-problems/feed/ Suggest a Host… http://aarondonohoe.com/suggest-a-host/ http://aarondonohoe.com/suggest-a-host/#comments Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:19:37 +0000 Aaron http://aarondonohoe.com/?p=331 ShareThis

]]> I’m looking for a host for a few turnover development websites, probably hosting for around 10-15 websites, mostly blogs.

I’m looking for hosting with the following specs:

  • cPanel (reseller account with WHM preferred)
  • Around 4GB space, and a suggestible amount of Bandwidth
  • Decent Uptime, and Server Specs
  • A Reasonable Monthly fee, I have few intentions of paying annually anymore as I’ve been burnt too many times with those ‘Fly by Night‘ hosts who take your annual fee and run after a month!
  • Unlimited Databases and Email Aliases/Forwarding
  • If Shared Hosting, Unlimited Addon Domains or atlease 15 addon domains
  • Support not essential - I’ve enough experience with cPanel and WHM to be able to sort myself out unless it’s a server or backend problem

Can you suggest any hosts? I’m looking for personal experiences with such hosts, but bear in mind these websites will be turned over at a fast rate so I don’t want to be paying the earth for the monthly fees. Just simple shared (although reseller preferred) hosting with cPanel a must!

Any suggestions welcome :thumbsup:

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]]> http://aarondonohoe.com/suggest-a-host/feed/ Ditching FireStats http://aarondonohoe.com/ditching-firestats/ http://aarondonohoe.com/ditching-firestats/#comments Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:00:10 +0000 Aaron http://aarondonohoe.com/?p=326 ShareThis

]]> I’d just like to point out, that this post is my personal opinion and experience and doesn’t reflect whatsoever on FireStats - just a disclaimer so the nice people at FireStats don’t go taking my house for my bad mouthing of them :roll:

Anyway, I’ve taken the decision to uninstall FireStats from my blogs, I’ve taken this decision after encountering numerous problems with the plugin, mainly with the load it puts on my database and subsequently my website.

Other errors included fatal errors resulting in having to reinstall the plugin - my idea of a stats plugin is it records information over a long period and emits graphs etc… However, it isn’t that effective when you’ve to often reinstall the bloody thing!

It also doesn’t record some visits, I’ve checked this out by logging on to the blog on a friends computer and upon returning home it hadn’t logged the visit - where it logs most actions from my IP and certainly others, it often fails to record some.

I’ve decided to resort back to the ol’ reliable Google Analytics - I’ve found over the time period it has performed well, as I’ve kept it active as I have with FireStats.

Don’t go flaming me saying I should have installed the latest version etc…, well infact I have tried the latest version as well as the BETA version and found them both to have the same problems. Don’t get me wrong, FireStats is a great concept, just needs to fix those bugs, and until then I’ll be sticking with Google Analytics!

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]]> http://aarondonohoe.com/ditching-firestats/feed/ Applied for my Driving Test http://aarondonohoe.com/applied-for-my-driving-test/ http://aarondonohoe.com/applied-for-my-driving-test/#comments Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:57:20 +0000 Aaron http://aarondonohoe.com/?p=323 ShareThis

]]> Yes with some luck, I’ll be ditching those wretched L-plates with my pending application for my driving test. I’ve been told the waiting list has been reduced to less than 6 weeks with contractors been brought in to reduce the application congestion - I’m hoping to get either Clonshaugh or Swords as my test centre (both ran by SGS), but I didn’t have the option on the booking form.

My sudden motivation to apply for the test came recently with an announced ‘blitz’ held by the Gardaí - nationwide. They’re pulling cars at random and checking for everything, especially unaccompanied Learner Drivers, following the new legislation in Ireland in the past month which prohibits any Provisional License holder to drive unaccompanied. So those of you reading who have driven unaccompanied and continue to do so I’d recommend you find some fully licensed driver to sit beside you - as I believe the penalties include a heafty fine and the impounding of the car! You have been warned!

And on a final note, congrats to Mr. Roche (dont’ know if he reads this or not) for passing his Bus Driving Test yesterday. You’re not a bread van driver anymore! :thumbsup:

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]]> http://aarondonohoe.com/applied-for-my-driving-test/feed/ Firefox As Gaeilge http://aarondonohoe.com/firefox-as-gaeilge/ http://aarondonohoe.com/firefox-as-gaeilge/#comments Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:10:35 +0000 Aaron http://aarondonohoe.com/?p=318 ShareThis

]]> Whilst downloading the latest instalment from the Mozilla family in the form of Firefox 3.0 (yes I’m only downloading it now!) I came across Firefox As Gaeilge which I thought was pretty cool - I don’t know why, but Irish is never on a list of preferred languages for software installations.

I honestly can’t think of anyone who could use this version of Firefox though - a lot of friends and family can speak some Irish…but none would want to surf the net As Gaeilge… :drunk:

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