Make VigLink Work with AdBlock Plus and Other Ad Blocking Software

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Andrew

Most ad blocking software like AdBlock Plus rely on blacklists to decide what to filter out. Big ad providers get blocked explicitly and others by common URL patterns. This all relies on the URL of the resources being retrieved by the browser. To get around the blocking you just have to switch the URL to something that would not normally be blocked. A lot of sites serve ads off their own domains to help avoid getting blocked and with VigLink it is just a matter of linking to a local copy of the JavaScript include.

The process goes something like this:

  1. Create PHP or any server-side script that pulls the JavaScript file from VigLink and writes the contents to a .js file
  2. Create cronjob to run that script every night in case VigLink pushes out an update
  3. Remove the part of the original VigLink snippet that writes out the <script> include, leaving the API URL and key values
  4. Add a <script> tag with the src pointing at the .js file created in step 1

Browsers with AdBlock Plus will now happily pull the JavaScript file from your server because you aren’t on the blacklist (if you are then good luck with that). I’ve left out details because there are so many variables. If you want some help implementing this on your site then send a donation my way or buy something at Amazon (you should see VigLink’s tag as a test of this workaround) and then contact me.

Posted in Geek Stuff | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Finished F. A. Hayek’s “The Road to Serfdom”

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Andrew

I started reading The Road to Serfdom last year and finally finished it last week. It initially didn’t seem to have much relevance to today as it was written almost 70 years ago and published right after WWII, but it really is a pivotal piece about politics and economics in the first half of the 20th century. Hayek examines the rise of socialism in Europe and the eventual path to totalitarianism. He goes into great depth on how transferring economic power to the government diminishes the freedom of individuals and the eventual consequences which is still very relevant today.

I’d probably have to read the book again and keep notes to really talk intelligently about what Hayek is saying. Even after a casual read I feel that I gained a better understanding about the reasoning behind my economic and political philosophy. It seems the best way to get smarter is by reading what really smart people have to say. I would only recommend reading the book if you have a preexisting interest in economics and politics. If you have heard about John Maynard Keynes and Keynesian economics and always wondered if there was an opposite view then this is your book.

Even if you don’t have enough interest to read a book like The Road to Serfdom I highly recommend the following two videos. You don’t have to be an economics nerd to recognize the opposing views and decide which approach is predominately used in government today. The next question to ask is whether that approach is working and what effect it has on the individual. This isn’t really a moral debate so you can’t really say one is wrong or right, but there are definitely different consequences.

Keynes vs Hayek Round 1

Keynes vs Hayek Round 2

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Amazon Closed My Associates Account, Now What? Help for Affiliates in California

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Andrew

Californians can use VigLink to keep participating in Amazon Associates

Gov. Brown signed the Internet Sales tax law and Amazon promptly dropped tens of thousands of Associates in a heartbeat. The state still doesn’t get their sales tax and now are missing out on the combined loss of income taxes from affiliates and their reduced spending. The state loses and so do we. We knew this was coming and I had briefly looked into creating an LLC in another state, but it would be a hassle and there was a question of California charging a $800 out of state business fee. Jumping through hoops wasn’t really my idea of fun so I looked around for another solution. My first thought was auctioning off my affiliate links to the highest bidder. I could probably get a little buzz going about that, but didn’t want to mess with that arrangement with some stranger. I did a little more research and found some discussion about VigLink.

VigLink essentially rewrites your links with JavaScript to be routed through their system. Any earnings are tracked back to your ID and then they pay you after taking a commission. For those of us in states that are now locked out of Amazon Associates this is better than nothing. I signed up the other day and will have to see how things go. The commission takes a little bit off the top, but since VigLink funnels clicks through their own accounts they get to the higher tiers which could help make up for it. If your Amazon links are producing $0 then try VigLink at least until you can get something else going.

An additional minus point is that users of AdBlock Plus will probably not have their click-throughs converted. One more plus though is that you aren’t stuck just with Amazon. If you wanted to post to other sites or do a price comparison between different sites then you can still participate in other programs easily. I think VigLink has over 12,000 sites they cover.

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Nikon D5100 DSLR – What’s New and Impressions

Posted on April 8, 2011 by Andrew

Nikon announced the D5100 and the stereo ME-1 microphone this week. So far I like what I’m seeing. In my previous comparison of the D3100 and D5000 I found it hard to recommend the D5000. The D5100 ups the ante just enough to help differentiate it from the D3100 while increasing the price point for a better fit between the D3100 and D7000.

Price Comparison as of 08/06/11 from reputable dealers:

Rundown of the key changes from the D5000:

  • 16.2 MP sensor (vs 12.3 MP)
  • 1080p video at 24/25/30 fps (vs 720p24)
  • H.264/AVC codec (vs Motion JPEG, big improvement)
  • 3″ 921k pixel LCD (vs 2.7″ 230k pixel)
  • LCD hinge on left of body (vs bottom edge)
  • 14-bit processing (vs 12-bit)
  • Default to ISO 100 (vs ISO 200)
  • Autofocus during video
  • Stereo microphone input
  • Dual IR sensors (no reaching around to the front)
  • Live view switch and record button moved to top
  • Slightly smaller and lighter

The improvements to video and the higher resolution LCD are nice upgrades. The sensor is likely the same or very close to that of the D7000 which means it will produce very nice images with great high ISO performance.

If your budget for a camera is under $1000 then the main deciding factor between the D5100 and D3100 will be the video. If you aren’t going to use video then the D5100 might not be worth the extra $300.

The D5100 is competitively priced at Amazon:

Posted in Photo Stuff | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Humans vs Aliens vs Zombies

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Andrew

Had a vivid dream this week that went something like this:

Earth is at war with an alien planet on the far side of the galaxy. Neither of us have the technology to actually transport living troops to each others planet so the war is waged by lobbing stuff across the vast emptiness of space. Besides kinetic projectiles we are both attempting to infect each other with disease.

One biological attack from the aliens is particularly effective and spreads unchecked across the globe; zombie apocalypse becomes reality. Humanity breaks down and is reduced to ragged bands of survivors. I am part of a well armed group whose sole purpose is to help those who have succumbed to the disease. We do not know what condition the infection leaves the human mind in, but we won’t allow fellow humans to persist in that irreversible state.

I am armed with a M1 Garand rifle chambered in the stout .30-06 cartridge. My team members handle nearby zombies with ease, but I am more selective with my targets. I increase the challenge of our job by dispatching zombies two at a time. I take the old sharpshooter “one shot, one kill” adage and kick it up a notch: “one shot, two kills”.

From a well supported position I silently peer through my iron sights at a group of zombies down the road. Their meandering movement is slow and random when they are unaware of living flesh, but becomes frantic once they lock onto our sweet scent. As the group shuffles about I mentally calculate their trajectories and wait for that moment where one zombie head passes behind another. I notice two infected on opposite sides of the street moving towards the center turn lane. Experience and instinct direct my aim to an empty spot between them.

A minute passes while the zombies steadily approach each other. In my peripheral vision I see the zombies disappear behind the rear aperture of my sight. I know in the next moment they will reappear inside the aperture and I will have the briefest moment to deliver my shot. The zombies emerge inside the aperture and their bodies become obscured by the front post. I slowly release my breath as one starts to pass behind the other and the next instant I squeeze the trigger. My round passes through both zombies’ skulls, releasing whatever is left of their imprisoned and tormented minds.

At about this time alien landing pods containing small combat robots start landing around us, but I woke up so that’s all you get. I blame this dream on science fiction books, Left 4 Dead, Monster Hunter International, sniper books and recently shooting my M1.

Posted in Geek Stuff | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments