Good News

It's not very often that you see the News reporting on uplifting or good news. It's really a shame that the general public is so attracted to "bad news"; creating a television system where only "bad news" gets good ratings.

I did happen upon a couple great stories of good people doing things that only good people would do. There's this story of Unbelievable Sportsmanship as well a Boy Scout Doing his good turn.

Enjoy a little piece of goodness, and do the world a favor: turn off the "bad news."
-Ashton Sanders

1 year and 100+ posts!

Well it has been a year since my first post here on Website Design in a Flash, and this will be my 104th post!



This was my first blog that really got me started in the world of blogging, and I have learned a lot. I hope that I can continue to provide useful information for people working to tame the Internet. My posting frequency has slowed down over the last couple months, but I will try to pick it up again.

Here's to another year of Website Design Tips and Tricks!
-Ashton Sanders

Liberty Names of America

Liberty Names of America

is yet another great example of Jerks trying to get a lot of money for nothing.

My wife has a website for her horse business called TopPriorityTrakehners.com. (Trakehner is a breed of horse.) We have this domain registered with 1&1 for $7/year.

Today, I got a letter in the mail from Liberty Names of America saying that my domain was coming up for renewal, and by filling out this form and paying $29/year, I could renew my domain name with Liberty Names of America! what a great deal! I can also get the .org and .net variants of my domain for the same unbelievable price of $29/year!

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

What jerk thought this up? Emailing people and telling them to renew for ridiculous amounts of money. The worst part is that they make the letter look like just a friendly reminder to renew your domain... when actually they are trying to get you to transfer your domain to Liberty Names of America and pay four times the price of 1and1.

And of course they have to have the patriotic name "Liberty Names of America" because they are trying to fulfill the American dream by taking everyone else's money. It just makes me sick: all of the low-life jerks who try to come up with these schemes to trick people into giving them lots of money for literally nothing in exchange.

"Everybody's trying to get filthy rich off of someone else's money." -Big and Rich (Filthy Rich)

I hope this page comes up in Google for "Liberty Names of America" and no one every pays them a dime.
-Ashton Sanders

Funny Email Conversation

Today, I had a very funny email conversation that I felt obliged to share with you. The conversation was with a man named steve who was transferring four domains to me.

If you are not familiar with the process of transferring domains, I will elaborate. It really is a very simple process:

1. You ask your current registrar to unlock the domain, and to send you the authorization codes.
2. When you go to your new registrar and try to transfer the domain, it asks for your authorization codes. You type in the Authorization code, and the transfer begins.
3. Most Domain registrars require one final step, and that is a confirmation email. Your new registrar sends the admin contact for the domain an email saying: "Are you sure you want to transfer this domain?"

So to put it simply:

1. Get Authorization Code
2. Use Authorization Code and begin transfer.
3. Answer Confirmation Email saying that you would like to transfer your domain.

I've already transferred a number of domains from Steve last month, and about a week ago, he emailed me saying that I still had 8 domains to transfer.

I emailed him and asked for the authentication codes, and he sent them. Then I started the domain transfer, and my registrar emailed him the confirmation emails.

I emailed him after a couple of days and said:

Thank you for these authentication codes. I requested the transfer for these four. Did you receive the Four Confirmation email yet?

Apparently that was too complicated and he responded with:

I sent you what I got. Which 4 are you talking about?

... Was my email that complicated? Maybe it was, so I tried to make it as simple as possible:

Hi Steve,

Yes, you sent me the four authentication codes. Thank you for that.

I requested the four domains to be transferred. When I do that, it sends an email to the admin contact (you) to confirm the transfer. The email should be titled: "Transfer of *DOMAIN*.com" or whatever the name of the domain is. Have you received any emails that start with 'Transfer' in the last 2 weeks or so?

Thanks for your help,
Ashton Sanders

This is what I got back:

Okay, here you go... I hope these are the ones. I already sent them Friday at 8/31/2007 1:02 PM. Did you not get that email?

Steve
Attached: Four Domain Authentication Codes

Wow! It would make it much easier if you would read my emails. When I write something in an email, I write it so you can read it and have a better understanding of what I need. To make it as simple as possible, I contacted my domain registrar and had them send the confirmation email again. I withheld my aggravation as best I could, and emailed him back saying:

Hi Steve,

I just had my domain registrar send the confirmation email again.

The only domain we actually need is:
*DOMAIN*.org

You should be getting that email soon,
Thanks,
Ashton Sanders

I guess that was too complicated... as he never responded.

-HaHaHaHa!
-Ashton Sanders

Good People - A Rarity

Isn't is strange how just a simple act of kindness can make such a huge impact on you? After so many days of being surrounded by negativeness, it's so refreshing when someone comes out of nowhere and helps you out for no reason. Isn't it amazing that you get long holds and crappy service from companies that you have paid hundreds to thousands of dollars to?

I recently stumbled upon a thread where a man I admire sincerely for his selflessness and steadfast morals was smeared with as many lies as there were words on the page. It was actually quite disturbing to read... Why do people have to drag down good people?

Then without warning, some random guy you've never met or seen pops out of nowhere and spends an hour to help you out. He doesn't get paid by a company, he doesn't get anything out of it, and then when you ask him what you could do in exchange, he practically refuses it. It's straight out of the Boy Scout Handbook, and is an amazing experience.

I've recently had a huge problem with an extremely complex flash movie that I was making. I was getting near the end, but this problem would force me to completely recreate it... I was sick with dread. I called Adobe's customer support yesterday, and after an hour on hold, I reached a support representative with a very thick accent. He was very knowledgeable in the subject I was having trouble with, but I don't think he actually duplicated my problem. Anyway... I learned nothing from him (except another way to pronounce "schema").

So as a last ditch effort, I posted a request for help at the Flash Kit Board. I got a reply from this guy named Chris Seahorn from krazyaboutpizza.co.uk. To make a medium story short, Chris downloaded my file, found out what was wrong and let me know that I had a simple publishing setting set incorrectly.

Sure, it probably wasn't that hard for him to figure it out, but maybe it was. And he just saved me endless hours of turmoil and reprogramming. To say the least, I was happy. I put up some links to his site, and asked if I could do anything for him. He practically refused anything and the links.

The world needs more people like Chris Seahorn.

Click Here To View the Thread

-Here's to all the people working to make this world a better place!
-Ashton Sanders

Internet Scams

Why do people have to be jerks? Why do people feel it is okay to rip of their neighbors? Why do people have to be so stupid?

Those are some philosophic questions that won't necessarily be answered in this blog post... but I might get around to it. =)

About a week ago, I started working with a new client. (Lets say her name was Jan.) We got together, and talked about pricing and domain names, etc. We found and bought a domain name, but my client decided that it would be best to wait 1 week before we actually would start putting together her website design.

(NOTE: There was nothing on her website. Nothing, Zilch, Nada, ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY NOTHING!)

Before the week is up, Jan calls to tell me that she received an offer from "Google" to place her site on the top of the search engines for a cheap monthly fee. She had agreed and "Google" faxed her a contract to sign and send back. Luckily for her, she called me. Here is what the contract said:

Terms & Conditions

Guarantees
Your site will be found as promised (on the first page for: real estate agent polson, properties for sale polson, real estate for sale polson, home for sale polson, mls listings polson) within 3-5 business days upon account verification. In the event that you are not found on the first page, we will correct the placement within 2 business days and provide a pro-rated credit to compensate you for the time your site was not found as promised. *Company Name* reserves the right to modify search terms at any time to enhance overall campaign performances.

Credit Card / Checking Authorization
I understand that this contract is for a minimum period of 12 months and that *Company Name* is authorized to debit my credit card or checking account monthly during the term for the price of $119.00. After 12 months, the authorization will continue on a month by month basis, unless the customer noted above sends a cancellation by fax to *Company Name* International at 1-866-***-****.

Cancellation Policy
All fees paid prior to cancellation are non-refundable.

If you wish to discuss your account with a *Company Name* Representative, peease contact *Company Name* at 1-866-***-****. the event of default of this contract (10 days past due), I will be responsible for the full amount of this agreement.

Wow! They can get my site so good that it will appear on the first page? No... It's called Google Adwords, and the price per click for those keywords are like 5 cents! And NOBODY searches those keywords.

If you type in "real estate agent polson" (the first keyword they mentioned) into the Overture Keyword Selector Tool it will tell you that it "doesn't have any suggestions for those keywords." In other words, so few people search that term, it doesn't have statistics on it.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

You pay $120 bucks a month to hire a company to start a Google Adwords campaign at 5 cents a click on keywords that nobody searches...

There is only one word for businesses like that: Assholes.

You are not providing any sort of service; you're just pretending to provide a service. You are a teenage prick who thinks that taking advantage of ignorant people is an honest means of making a living...

-Grow Up
-Ashton Sanders

The Laptop Arrives

A normal brown cardboard box arrived at my house. Thankfully, it was much more than a normal brown cardboard box, for inside this box was a beautiful and expensive piece of machinery: My HP 17" wide screen laptop computer!

It has arrived!!

Websites in a Flash now has four beautiful computers in it's computer fleet, three of which are laptop computers. I use three of them, and my Executive Assistant uses the fourth.

Here is my ever-expanding Computer Fleet:


Websites in a Flash Fleet Description:

My Brand New HP Laptop (right):
This HP laptop will become my primary processing machine as soon as I get a laptop bag for it, and have some time to transfer over my programs and files. This is the most powerful machine in my fleet.


Stats:
17" Wide Screen
Whole Keypad (including number pad)
1.6 Dual AMD Turion Processors,
1 Gig of Ram
100 Gig Hard Drive
DVD RW Dual Layer LightScribe
Built in Mic/Webcam
256MB Radion Card
Windows XP Media Center

My Desktop (center):
This is a custom built computer that I built for Websites in a Flash. I just got this 19 inch flat-panel monitor. (I usually have it hooked up to my other 19 inch monitor, but I couldn't fit it into the picture.) This computer was built in December of 2004, and it's one smooth, reliable computer. I never have a problem with it, and it never lags when I have 20+ programs open.

Stats:
Dual 19" Monitors
3200+ AMD 64
1 Gig of Ram
128MB Radion Video Card
XP Pro
CD R/W
DVD R/W
Logitech Wireless Keyboard/Mouse MX3200 (547169 Key presses in 30 days)
Logitech Headset


My Old HP Laptop (left):
This computer has never let me down. It's been there for the highs and lows, and I've never had a problem with it. (Don't tell anyone, but it's at least 5 years old.) You can tell from it's stats that it's been a while since it was top of the line, but it's still pulling it's fair share.

Stats:
14 inch screen
2200+ AMD
XP Home
512 Ram
CD R/W DVD R
64 Shared

You may think that I am a big HP guy... but I'm not. It just so happens that the fourth computer I have (also a laptop) is a Compaq. (=] If you didn't know, HP owns Compaq.) But seriously, I was planning on getting a Dell, until I found this screaming deal for a 17 inch HP. I'm one to never pass up a really good deal. =]

"Computers are Life"
-Ashton Sanders

Psychiatrists Diagnosing Normal Children...

To begin this post, I have a questions:
1) Why doesn't everyone know about this?

In my searching the web today, I found this article:

Leading Psychiatrist Admits Normal Children Are Diagnosed With Mental Disorders
Statement Adds to Controversy over Drugs Prescribed for Questionable Psychiatric Diagnoses

With increasing international concern about the large number of children labeled with so-called psychiatric disorders and prescribed mind-altering drugs, even the pioneer of psychiatry’s billing bible and “godfather of ADHD," Dr. Robert Spitzer, has now admitted that normal children are being labeled. Spitzer, a Columbia University psychiatrist, told BBC2 that children experiencing perfectly normal signs of being happy and sad are being labeled as mentally ill. While admitting this, he stopped short of informing BBC viewers that there is no scientific evidence that any of the millions of children so diagnosed have any physical abnormality that justifies the diagnosis. Nor that because of this, psychiatrists cannot agree on who is sick and who is well. Yet despite this fallible "science," worldwide sales of psychotropic drugs prescribed to treat "mental disorders," including stimulants antipsychotics and antidepressants, now exceed $80 billion annually.

Read the rest of the article

It's a shame...
-Ashton Sanders

Good Blogs and Sites

I thought I would share with you some of the blogs that I read for humor and education:

• Jere Matlock's Blog - SEO Master
• Desi's Two Cents
• IAS Freedom Medal Winners
• Ignatius Piazza and Front Sight Blog
  

Websites I use for business:

• Websites in a Flash.com (Of Course!)
• Ashton Sanders
• Phoenix Development

-That should tie you over,
-Ashton Sanders

Rascal Flatts Vs. Garth Brooks

Disclaimer: I am a huge country music fan, and I love both of these artists. I have bough all of the CD's from both of them and I recommend both.

I just went to my first live concert, and I went to see Rascal Flatts in Washington. I got to stand right in front of the stage!!! (See Rascal Flatts Concert!) The next day, I start watching the Garth Brooks Live DVD (one from 1995 or sometime very long ago), and being the analytical guy I am, I started analyzing all the differences. Here's what I came up with:

1. How they perform:

***** Garth Brooks is really there performing and giving all he's got to make his performance entertaining. He's always running around and acting out the songs that he sings. He got down on his knees multiple times. After the third song, he was sweating up a storm.

*     Rascal Flatts doesn't even compare. I think one guy ran once the entire show. Gary kept taking breaks and going backstage, leaving his other band members to perform. He acted link he was sick. (maybe he was...) Overall, there wasn't a lot of excitement from the band members in comparison.

2. Why They Perform:

***** Garth Brooks is on stage to entertain his guests. Everyone in the audience paid good money to come and see him, and hes going to give them their money's worth. Hes always very exciting to watch, cause you never know what hes going to do next.

**    Rascal Flatts seemed to be performing, because the had to. They barely ever look at any particular fans, or give it their all. They were fun to watch, but not when compared to Garth.

3. Stage Presence:

***** Garth Brooks has very good stage presence. Also his entire band had very good stage presence. They were comfortable on stage, and because of that, we're very entertaining to watch.

****  Rascal Flatts had great stage presence. The three of them were very comfortable on stage, but they did have one young kid for a guitarist who had no stage presence. I don't know how he got on the stage, but he never smiled, and they had him do a guitar solo, and he looked awkward as nuts. He was a good musician though.

4. Talking during the Concert:

***** Garth Brooks almost never talked, and when he did, he said what he had to say as fast as possible. After one song, he said like two sentences in 10 seconds and then said: "You didn't wait all this time to hear me talk, lets get back to the music."

**    Each member of Rascal Flatts had like 3 minute soliloquies....

Environment

***** Garth Brooks (10 years ago) Had the stage surrounded by fire, rain, thunder and Lightning in the show I watched. Very entertaining. And on the encore, he was lifted up into the air and flew around the football stadium on wires!

***** Rascal Flatts had some amazing affects! Besides making a globe out of digital screens around them and having parts of their music videos playing while they sang, they had a stage that fanned out into the audience, which was a cool idea. And the coolest thing they did was they all got on one part of their stage, and then they were lifted up into the air and moved to the other end of the arena. They were set down, they played a couple songs, and then came back. It was awesome!

Overall:

Garth wins. =]

-Enjoy
-Ashton Sanders

Rascal Flatts Concert!

My fiance and I went to see Rascal Flatts in Concert in Spokane Washington for our two-year Anniversary. Jason Aldean Opened.

It's a three hour drive to get there.

Unfortunately, we were like 8 rows from the top of the colusium. =( We were sitting next two these two girls from Coeur D’Alene. We were talking when they saw two of their friends walking on the ground floor. (I have no idea how they saw them... they were specks.) We followed the specks as they moved towards the stage.

The closer they got to the stage, the more hyped those two girls got. "What are they doing?" "How'd they get down there?" "Where are they going?"

The two specks just kep walking. They walked around the side of the stage, into a small hole between the stage "board walks."

To make a long story short, for $20/each we joined the Rascal Flatts Fan Club, and got to go into the "Dog Pound." Where we stood right infront of the stage, with walkways all around us, so almost no matter where the band members went, we were right next to them. It was great! The bands also did a very good job.

*Picture Coming soon*

Oh yea, and another small note, this was the first concert I've ever been to. What a computer nerd I am.

-Good times
-Ashton Sanders