Sparklewhore.com

Introducing Sparklewhore Elements with Freebies!

Lara — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:51:31 +0000

My hotlinking post was depressing lol, so I decided to go ahead and toss out a few freebies I had in the works and launch the new section to the site I’ve been tinkering with, Sparklewhore Elements. Not everyone wants a full out design, and I know many of you enjoy working on your listings yourselves, tweaking them and making them your own. For those that don’t want the whole package, but occasionally like to spice thing up, I will be offering both free and premium elements to spice up your pages. Elements are everything from backgrounds, buttons, picture accents, listing “sets”, and even pre-made headers or other imagery. As it grows I’m sure it will expand to things I haven’t even thought of yet, but to announce the launch I’ve done up a little starter flirt freebie elements set. The set contains header and coordinating buttons for a white background listing.

You can click on each element individually, or download the entire set HERE.

Important Notice: Hotlinking

Lara — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:41:37 +0000

Just a quick notice that unfortunately the time has come for me to implement some hotlinking measures. Over the years I’ve had issues here or there with girl’s not respecting the freebie rules and linking their freebies from the site instead of hosting them somewhere else. Up until now, it’s been a fairly minor issue, and one I’ve adressed personally, but the time has come when I need to implement other measures.

For anyone unaware, hotlinking is when you take a freebie and use the direct URL to it from my site on your wepage or listing, instead of downloading or saving the images and uploading them to host somewhere else. When you do this, your use of the image and page loads cost me bandwidth, which I pay for. I love doing freebies for you guys and will keep doing them, but all I do ask is that you host them somewhere on your own (your own server or a free image host like PSOHosting.com) and not cost me bandwidth to use them.

So if for any reason you are hotlinking freebies from here, please know that as of Sunday night, your images will no longer show. You are still welcome to use them, but you will need to download and host the images somewhere else, because your direct links will no longer work. I’m posting this and will wait until Sunday give anyone a chance to replace their links without having any broken images on their listings or sites.

Freebie Buttons 1-23-09

Lara — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:10:10 +0000

2 freebie button sets to celebrate the new year and new look and to thank you all for putting up with the changes around here and crazy posting.

So here they are, some pink and gray simplicity. They are a bit imperfect, but rather than scrap them, I thought they might get some good use as freebies.

Enjoy!

Wordpress 2.7 – All fluff or worth the fuss?

Lara — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:05:21 +0000

Wordpress 2.7 was released recently, and the developers seem to have made alot of major improvements. Everything from a sleek redesigned interface, to many new capabilities and features including one-click plugin installation, Sticky Posts, drag and drop Dashboard modules, and tons more.

The full features list from the official Wordpress website is as follows:

XMLRPC Comments API (Ticket 7446)
Keyboard shortcuts for comment moderation (Ticket 7643)
Sticky Posts (Ticket 7457)
Theme update api, like we do for plugins (Ticket 7519)
Dashboard and write box rearranging (write box in trunk)
One-click plugin installs (Ticket 6015)
Reply to comments from admin (Ticket 7435)
Core updating (Ticket 5560)
Frame-like method for moderating ping/trackbacks
Plugin browser embedded (Ticket 6015)
PHPXref hosted on WordPress.org
Separate Large and Full image sizes, related improvements (Ticket 7151)
Comment threading (Ticket 7635)
Comment paging
Batch and inline editing (Ticket 6815)
HTTPOnly cookies
Column hiding for all management pages
Post box hiding for all edit pages
Upgrades and install over SFTP
Template Tag wp_page_menu wrapper for wp_list_pages and support for Home page (Ticket 7698)

That may not look overly exciting as a list, however from the time you upgrade you will notice quite a few significant changes, starting with the redesigned admin interface and feature packed Dashboard panel. To best get a feel for the new look and features, check out the video released by the Wordpress team below.

While the new interface has taken quite a bit of getting used to for myself – a non-left menu oriented person – after some usage, I have found it to be quite functional, and overall, quite convenient.

The redesign is itself is easy on the eyes, and the Dashboard modules have made quick comment approval and other tasks a breeze. Likewise, the quick edit features for Category and Post sections save time for smaller tasks, such as small text changes or category selections.

I have to say however, my favorite feature has to be the one click plugin installation. You can easily browse the Wordpress plugin database from within blog, and install and activate your plugins without ever having to launch an FTP program. No more downloading and uploading, just to leave old verions of plugins sitting on your system to collect cyber dust.

There are many new features to the upgrade, and as always you should keep your installation current – if for no other reason to keep updated with security patches – but this upgrade is most definitely one to take some time and explore. In my opinion, if you can adjust to the new side menu layout (which may be optional in a future release), you’ll likely find the other improvements well worth the shift.

One click installs. One click upgrades. One click love.

The official Wordpress 2.7 page and documentation can be found HERE.

Blog Customization Services

Lara — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 06:01:27 +0000

Sparklewhore.com offers multiple services for creating and customizing your blog or blog-based website. Everything from installation or technical assistance, to full customization is available.

Blog themes can be customized to coordinate with existing Niteflirt listings or websites, or can be created uniquely to fit your style and character needs. There are hundreds of free themes available on the internet, but only one you.

Maintenance, technical assistance, plugin installation, coding services, tutoring, and more are available as well.

For information about blog packages, please see my Services page HERE. For services or needs not listed, please feel free to contact me at Sparklewhore@gmail.com for a quote.

*Examples of my blog customization work are not currently available on the protfolio – which will be upgraded soon – for examples, feel free to email me and I would be happy to share.

Niteflirt Services

Lara — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:52:32 +0000

Sparklewhore.com offers a number of Niteflirt Services, including full custom listing design. Standard packages are available, as well as customized services can be quoted based on you and your character’s specific needs.

Being a PSO myself, I know how competitive the NF market can be, and having a listing that not only stands out, but represents your character correctly can be so very vital. Each listing or service is done with the character’s style and personality in mind, as well as what will likely appeal to your target callers.

If you would like to discuss a listing design, or need any kind of assistance or services for your listings, feel free to contact me at Sparklewhore@Gmail. com

For more on some basic Niteflirt Packages, see my Services Page HERE.

For some examples of Niteflirt Listings, feel free to check out my portfolio HERE.

A new design for the new year…

Lara — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:13:57 +0000

Just a quick note about a few changes to the site for the new year. As you can see, the site has a sleek new look to start things off. There is also a new Tips & Tutorials section, that will hopefully be filling up soon. Some more changes may be coming along as well, so bear with me if things go out of whack a bit.

Hope you all are having a great year so far, and stay tuned for more changes and freebies in the works!

Important Subscription changes! Please Read!

Lara — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:56:11 +0000

Hey girlies!

Just a quick note to let you all know that I have switched over all of my subscription services to Feedburner. In the past I was using Subscribe2, which served me well for the most part, but had a few quirks I didn’t care for and lacked some options I desire.

If you were a current subscriber, you will receive this post, as well as an email to confirm you’d like to receive the new subscription. This will be the last post you will receive on the old service, so make sure you click the link in the subscription email so you don’t miss out on news and freebies!!!

With the new service, you will receive only 1 email in the evening, no matter how many posts are made, and only on days where new content is added. So we won’t be cluttering your inbox.

If you haven’t subscribed, and would like to be notified when new freebies are released (a nice batch is currently in the works), new services are added, specials are offered, or other news or articles are posted, just enter your email in the box to the right and get your free cookie…I mean subscription. =P

Okay…we’ll throw in cookies…but only cuz we luvs ya. *giggles*

..and now for something completely different…a new geek speaks!

Steve — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:22:17 +0000

I wanted to drop a quick line and get some information up on new articles that will be forthcoming to the site. Lara has asked me to start writing articles related to computer security and little tips for her clients. This is a good idea in my opinion as from what she has explained to me – using word for word quotes and examples – some of you (her PSO clients) are getting very bad ideas and help.

So exactly who the hell am I? Well I am an IT contractor who focuses on network design and engineering as well as security. I am in the process of completing my CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) certification, and ultimately I want to be a CISSP. I am Microsoft Certified in various topics, along with Cisco and Linux. What does this mean to you? Nothing, all that you need to remember is that “Oh! Steve is that geek who writes on Sparklewhore.”

Computers and security in general scare the hell out of people. Not everyone is a computer expert. While some of you know quite a bit, others know only how to read email, post on a few forums, and access NF. The truth is, security and computers can be complex, but only if you allow them to be. The best advice I can offer you right now with regard to security is this, patch now, patch often, and update constantly. In better terms, what I mean is that if a program you use on the computer has a “check for updates” option. You should use it. Windows has “Windows Update” and “Microsoft Update” you NEED to use them monthly at the least, and always enable the automatic update options.

There are lots of so called experts what will scare the hell out of you with news and stories of updates gone wrong. For example, lots of news sites and forums reported on some of the issues with Vista and Service Pack 1 when it was released. There was a lot of advice given to people to avoid updating. The same advice is given on Patch Tuesday (The day Microsoft releases monthly security patches for Windows), where people are told to disable auto updates and not to install them.

What is missing from this advice is that almost all updates can be un-installed if the break something, and as was the case with Vista and Service Pack 1, most of the reported issues will never affect the entire populous rather only a small few will experience problems. Most of the attacks online, and Malware (Malware is defined as being a Virus, Trojan, or downloader that installs or causes malicious activity on your computer.) take aim at systems that are not fully patched. So when you got that Virus, it could very likely be because you disabled Automatic updates, and missed a critical patch for Internet Explorer that would have protected you.

I can cover as many or as few topics as you want. However, I will make sure to cover what you ask me too. I am a geek who is here to help you, not ramble aimlessly to see my writings appear online. If you have a question; Internet related, security related, or computer related, then ask me. You can use the comments to do so or email Lara.

I look forward to seeing what you have to say.
-Steve

ZOMG!!! It’s Steve!….Wait…who?

Lara — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:13:57 +0000

Steve of course! *giggles*

Hey girlies! I know there hasn’t been a lot added to the site lately (bad Lara, bad bad!), but all that is about to change here soon. Part of that change involves me introducing you to one of the absolutely coolest people I know, Steve.

Steve has been a very close friend of mine for a long time, and is without a doubt, a geek god lol. His tech knowledge and experience constantly impresses me, and has been invaluable to me in the time that I have known him. During that time, he has not only shown the utmost respect for PSO’s and the business, he has also taken an active interest in what kinds of resources are available to us as PSO’s and the issues we often face with having to seek “adult friendly” assistance.

As most of you know, I tend to offer my clients more than just designs, coding, advice, tutoring, etc. Steve’s experience and knowledge in tech and more will bring a whole new level to Sparklewhore, and I couldn’t be more pleased that he has come on board with me.

Now I’m gonna get the hell outta his way and let him introduce himself lol.