A Non-Traditional Wordpress Tuning Guide - Part I
July 19, 2008
Welcome to my own non-traditional Wordpress tuning guide. It is my hope to share my personal experiences and insights with the rest of world regarding how to squeeze the most speed from the blogging software, Wordpress.
Before getting into the details, let’s talk about hosting. The reason why we’re talking about hosting first is because the physical hosting environment will set forth the limitations of the blogging platform. In other words, your blog is only to be as fast as the hardware that it is running on & the network that it is connected to. If you’re hoping to create a popular blog by running it from an old computer inside your closet using your dial-up connection, you’re going to be disappointed… not because the content is bad, but because the blog will only be as responsive as its slowest hardware component.
There are several levels of web hosting
- Free web hosting service: is free, (sometimes) advertisement-supported web hosting, and is often limited when compared to paid hosting.
- Shared web hosting service: one’s Web site is placed on the same server as many other sites, ranging from a few to hundreds or thousands. Typically, all domains may share a common pool of server resources, such as RAM and the CPU. A shared website may be hosted with a reseller.
- Virtual Dedicated Server: dividing a server into virtual servers, where each user feels like they’re on their own dedicated server, but they’re actually sharing a server with many other users. The users may have root access to their own virtual space. This is also known as a virtual private server or VPS.
- Dedicated hosting service: the user gets his or her own Web server and gains full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows); however, the user typically does not own the server. Another type of Dedicated hosting is Self-Managed or Unmanaged. This is usually the least expensive for Dedicated plans. The user has full administrative access to the box, which means the client is responsible for the security and maintenance of his own dedicated box.
The kind of web hosting that is chosen depends upon several factors including cost, hard disk space, and bandwidth. Most novices, unsure or unaware of how to make money with their blog, will begin with the most cost effective solution. (Take a look at Thinkhost @ $7.95/month.) However, some people want dedicated hosting. (Take a look at DedicatedBox. The owner regularly updates his hosting thread on the Simple Machines Forum website.)
There are those, on the other hand, who have little to no familiarity with the Wordpress blogging platform. I would recommend that these people create a free account on the Wordpress site. In this manner, you can perform experiments and get a general idea about the world of blogging without any financial obligation. The downside to this free alternative is that the degree of personal customization is severely restricted. For example, the name of your blog will be restricted to an available subdomain on the wordpress domain, and you will not be able to install plugins or take advantage of affiliate programs such as Google’s Adsense.
Organic Tonics for Lawncare, Gardening, and Pest Control
July 12, 2008
Jerry Baker has written numerous books about using organic methods for lawn & garden enhancement. The most important tool for content delivery is the hose end sprayer. This sprayer allows all of the liquid organic compounds to mix with the water from the water hose at a pre-determined rate. Jerry recommends using a 20 gallon hose-end sprayer. (See more of Jerry Baker’s Gardening Books & Gardening Dvds)
Product Description
Gilmore Gardening Innovation Professional Hose-End Sprayer No Pre-Mixing Needed Brass Mixing Head - 16 mixing ratios. Sprays up to 100 gallons. - Heavy duty zinc handle. - Built-in anti-siphon prevents back-flow. - 3 easy steps. Fill bottle. Set Dial. Spray. - Mixes from 1 teaspoon to 10 tablespoons per gallon. - Unused chemical can be returned to original container. - Operates on water pressure 40 to 60 PSI. **Note, Orders of 10 or more for this item require Special Accommodations requiring additional days to ship and are not refundable.
Now before you go off and spray everything into oblivion, I would recommend that you check out Jerry’s Blog and a few of his books. For example, Jerry talked about the importance of using the right dish washing liquid:
I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: Whenever you’re shopping for dishwashing liquid to use in your yard or garden, make sure you choose a brand that’s made with pure, mild soap. Avoid any product that contains detergents or degreasing agents. They can harm your grass (or any other plants that they touch). And whatever you do, avoid all products that boast their antibacterial prowess. Not only will they damage your greenery, but they’ll also kill off good bacteria along with the bad – and that can cause big trouble.
There is one exception to this rule, and that is when the soapy solution will not come in contact with valuable plants. If you’re aiming to destroy weeds, clean inanimate objects, or kill pests that you’ve removed from your plants, feel free to use any kind of soap or detergent you have on hand – and make the “medicine” as strong as you like.
Organic Recipes
All-Season Green-Up Tonic
1 can of beer
1 cup of ammonia
1/2 cup of dish washing liquid
1/2 cup of liquid lawn food
1/2 cup molasses or corn syrup
Instructions: Mix all of the ingredients in a bucket, and pour into your 20 gallon hose-end sprayer. Apply to everything in your yard to the point or run-off every 3 weeks, in the morning, throughout the growing season.
All-Season Clean-Up Tonic
1 cup of dishwashing liquid,
1 cup of antiseptic mouthwash, and
1 cup of tobacco tea*
* Tobacco Tea :: To make tobacco tea, place half a handful of chewing tobacco in an old nylon stocking, and soak it in a gallon of hot water until the mixture is dark brown.
Instructions :: Mix all of the ingredients in your 20 gallon hose-end sprayer, filling the balance of the sprayer jar with warm water. Apply to your entire yard to the point of run-off every 2 weeks, in the evening, to discourage insects and prevent disease.
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