I went to the grocery store the other day, and bought the same ole Half Gallon of Orange Juice.

I'm almost embarrassed to tell you it costs almost $5.00, but that's another story.  But you can image how amazed I was when I saw that a half gallon is now only 59 ounces!!

So not only has the food business stuck it to us with their increasing prices, now they are giving us less product AND increasing prices.  When is it going to end?

How?  Well, we all know credit bureaus must allow us to dispute our credit profiles.  Well, they have all embraced the online world and allowed for online disputes.  While I would never recommend performing a dispute online, for reasons way to many to go into on this post, you can still use the tool to get your Free Credit Reports.  Below are the links to each credit bureau dispute process page.  All you gotta do is start a dispute, "review" your credit profile, and dispute anything incorrect.  Well, there you go, there's your report, up to the minute. Just please don't dispute things online, for your own sake, manually write a letter and send it to them.  I will explain that later, but if you want to learn why, search around for e-oscar, then you will know why.

As promised, here are the links:

Transunion

Equifax

Experian

NOTE:  These links I provide are direct to each bureau, but please double check your browser, and before you enter your personal information on any page on the internet, make sure you are at a secure site.  Your browser will display a lock or some symbol telling you it is safe and secure.

Click here to help build your credit

It is pretty easy to disable the autosave.  If you have a plugin you are writing, you can include it in the plugin, or if not, you can add it to your themes functions.php file.

function myDisableAutosave() {
    wp_deregister_script('autosave');
}
add_action('admin_footer','myDisableAutosave');

• Even though the attached file is in WordPress plugin format, I did not release this as a plugin.
• I did not include stuff like validation, sanitation, etc. on user input fields, only because I wanted to show the new features and save on the time to write this.  Always validate and sanitize your inputs.
• As with everything, there is usually more than 1 way to go about it.  The methods I list below WORK FOR ME in a custom blog I am about to launch and follow the WordPress functions documentation.  Don't flame me if you don't like the way I did it, please stay constructive.
• I did not include code comment on the source code, since, I more than did the job here in this article.
• I did not add any localization.
• I apologize in advance if the source highlighter looks funky, please download the zip file for a nicely formatted PHP code file

So on we go..............

So I am breaking this up into the following logical steps of using these features, and of course, you can download the complete source below.  To make this flow easy, let's talk English for a minute.  Imagine the scenario:  we have a WordPress 3.0 self hosted installation and we want to have HTML email templates that we can add, edit, and display using the admin and the front public pages.  For the sake of the techies, these templates get read by a custom function, the scope outside of this article.  So how do we do it?  It's EASY!!!!!

Step by step:

1. Create a plugin that will do all the stuff we need
2. Create a container to hold our HTML email templates
3. We need the ability to attach specific custom data to the templates
4. We need to assign taxonomies to the templates (aka assign some type of categorization)
5. We need to save our custom fields that are in our custom meta boxes
6. We need the ability to display them on the public user pages

Before we get into it, I prefer to do this stuff in the plugin system.  You can certainly do it in your theme functions.php file, if you want to.  Also, I like the PHP class structure instead of a bunch of plugins, which is how I wrote this.  Again, if you want to use simple functions, go for it.

Step 1: Create the plugin file.  So, I just created a folder called demo under /wp-content/plugins, and created a PHP file called demo.php inside it.  Then I start building the class, so here's how it looks.

<?php
/*
Plugin Name: WP 3.0 Advanced Features Demo
Plugin URI: http://passavanti.name/blogarticle
Description: This is a demo of new WordPress 3.0 features, like custom post types, custom taxonomies, easier options save settings, and more.
Version: 1.0
Author: Brian
Author URI: http://passavanti.name
*/

class wp30demo {

Step 2: Create a Custom Post Type which will also give us automatically the left hand menu page and navigation in admin.  See the snippet below and the WordPress codex link to register_post_type().

	public function createCustomPostType()
	{
		// labels gives us the options to label headings, pages, etc. to match what we are adding
		$labels = array('add_new_item'=>'Add New Template',
                        'edit_item'=>'Edit Template',
                        'new_item'=>'New Template',
                        'view_item'=>'View Template',
                        'search_items'=>'Search Template'
		);
		register_post_type('mailtemplate', array( // the mailtemplate is the ID, the glue of all of this
            'label' => 'Templates',
            'labels' => $labels,
            'singular_label' => 'Template',
            'public' => true, // so that it can be displayed
            'show_ui' => true, // UI in admin panel
            '_builtin' => false, // It's a custom post type, not built in!
            '_edit_link' => 'post.php?post=%d',
            'capability_type' => 'page', // or 'post'
            'hierarchical' => false,
            'register_meta_box_cb' => array(&$this, 'registerMetaBoxes'), // to add your own meta boxes, register the callback
            'rewrite' => array('slug' => 'template'), // for the front side URL
            'supports' => array('title','editor') // remove standard meta boxes
		));
	}

Step 3: Attaching custom data via Custom Taxonomies and Custom Meta Boxes is just as easy. Reference WordPress codex for add_meta_box().

	public function registerMetaBoxes() // this the callback from above
	{
        //add_meta_box('uniqueName','description','function to create','post type id','display on side or in middle','priority');
		add_meta_box( 'emailtemplateMetaBox1', 'Some Meta Info', array(&$this, 'simpleMetaBox'), 'mailtemplate', 'side', 'high' );
        add_meta_box( 'emailtemplateMetaBox2', 'Text Version', array(&$this, 'bigMetaBox'), 'mailtemplate', 'normal', 'high' );
	}

    public function simpleMetaBox() // here we draw a simple box with a couple form fields (Custom Fields)
    {
        global $post;
        $custom = get_post_custom($post->ID);
        $emailCheckBox1 = $custom['emailCheckBox1'][0];
        $emailTextBox = $custom['emailTextBox'][0];
        // you only need once nonce per form, so we can skip that on this box
        ?>
        <input type="checkbox" id="emailCheckBox1" name="emailCheckBox1" value="1" <?php echo ($emailCheckBox1 == '1') ? 'checked="checked"':''; ?>/> <label for="emailCheckBox1">Checkbox</label><br />
        <p><label for="emailTextBox">Text Box</label><br /><input type="text" id="emailTextBox" name="emailTextBox" value="<?php echo $emailTextBox; ?>" /></p>
        <?php
    }

	public function bigMetaBox() // here we draw a big textarea box for simple raw text
	{
        global $post;
        $custom = get_post_custom($post->ID);
        $textVersion = $custom['text_version'][0];
        ?>
        <input type="hidden" name="demo_noncename" id="demo_noncename" value="<?php echo wp_create_nonce( plugin_basename(__FILE__) ); ?>" /><br />
        <textarea name="text_version" style="width:100%;height:200px;"><?php echo $textVersion; ?></textarea>
        <?php
	}

Step 4: Again, a single function to take care of it all, use register_taxonomy().

    public function createCustomTaxonomy() // add a categorization to our custom post type
    {
        $labels = array('name' => 'Departments',
                        'singular_name' => 'Department',
                        'search_items' => 'Search Departments',
                        'all_items' => 'All Departments',
                        'parent_item' => 'Parent Department',
                        'parent_item_colon' => 'Parent Department:',
                        'edit_item' => 'Edit Department',
                        'update_item' => 'Update Department',
                        'add_new_item' => 'Add New Department',
                        'new_item_name' => 'New Department Name'
        );
        register_taxonomy('department',array('mailtemplate'), array(
                          'hierarchical' => true,
                          'labels' => $labels,
                          'show_ui' => true,
                          'query_var' => true,
                          'rewrite' => array( 'slug' => 'department' )
        ));
    }

Step 5: Hook into the save_post hook with a real quick easy function to read the $_POST and save data.  This is where you would validate and sanitize.

    // this is how we save our custom fields (in the meta boxes)
    public function savePostData( $post_id ) {

        if ( !wp_verify_nonce( $_POST['demo_noncename'], plugin_basename(__FILE__) )) {
            return $post_id;
        }

        if ( defined('DOING_AUTOSAVE') && DOING_AUTOSAVE )
            return $post_id;

        // Check permissions
        if ( 'mailtemplate' == $_POST['post_type'] ) {
            if ( !current_user_can( 'edit_post', $post_id ) )
                return $post_id;
        } else {
            return $post_id;
        }

        $fields = array('emailCheckBox1','emailTextBox','text_version');
        foreach ($fields as $field) {
            if (!update_post_meta($post_id, $field, $_POST[$field])) {
                add_post_meta($post_id, $field, $_POST[$field], true);
            }
        }
    }

Step 6: You can customize the columns and data displayed on the edit page by hooking into the action manage_posts_custom_column and using a custom filter manage_edit-{custom_post_id}_columns, in my example the filter is manage_edit-mailtemplate_columns.  The easiest way I think to create a custom display on the public pages, I have attached a functions.php theme file for your theme.  The snippet registers a custom template, which then you can do what you want to display the email template on your public blog.

    // these two functions change the display fields and data on the edit page (the list of all templates)
    function editColumns($columns)
    {
        $columns = array(
            "cb" => "<input type=\"checkbox\" />",
            "title" => "Email Template",
            "p_textbox" => "Text Box",
            "p_checkbox" => "Check Box",
            "p_author" => "Author"
        );

        return $columns;
    }

    function customColumns($column)
    {
        global $post;
    	$custom = get_post_custom($post->ID);
    	switch ($column)
        {
            case "p_textbox":
                echo $custom["emailTextBox"][0];
            break;
            case "p_checkbox":
                echo $custom["emailCheckBox1"][0];
            break;
            case "p_author":
                echo get_author_name($post->post_author);
            break;
        }
    }
}

And now to instantiate the class, and add in all the actions.

// Run Plugin
$demoPlugin = new wp30demo();
add_action('init',array(&$demoPlugin,'createCustomPostType'));
add_action('init',array(&$demoPlugin,'createCustomTaxonomy'));
add_action('save_post', array(&$demoPlugin,'savePostData'));
add_filter('manage_edit-mailtemplate_columns', array(&$demoPlugin,'editColumns'));
add_action('manage_posts_custom_column', array(&$demoPlugin,'customColumns'));

And the functions.php file.

<?php
add_action("template_redirect", 'mailtemplate_redirect');

// Template selection
function mailtemplate_redirect()
{
    global $wp;
    global $wp_query;
    if ($wp->query_vars["post_type"] == "mailtemplate")
    {
        // Let's look for the mailtemplate.php template file in the current theme
        if (have_posts())
        {
            include(TEMPLATEPATH . '/mailtemplate.php');
            die();
        }
        else
        {
            $wp_query->is_404 = true;
        }
    }
}

wordpress 3 demo files

Now this one is going to kill you.  In 2008, EDD paid out 8.1 BILLION aka 8 billion 100 million aka ($8,100,000,000.00) dollars to unemployed Californians setting a state record.  But...... in 2009, EDD set yet another record when it paid out, you ready for this, 20.2 BILLION aka 20 billion 200 million aka ($20,200,000,000.00) dollars to unemployed Californians.  That works out to about $80 million dollars A DAY for the year.  California has 1.4 million people out of work in Nov 2009.

I don't know a lot about economics and how to run a government, or how to report the news, but clearly, we need to start being told the truth on a much larger scale.

Sources of information: State of California, EDD website

Here's an example of how to use it, once it is installed and activated.

function plugin_function() {
    $channel = new Zend_Feed_Rss('http://rss.example.com/channelName');
    echo $channel->title();
    echo  $channel->category['domain'];
    foreach ($channel as $item) {
        echo $item->title() . "\n";
    }
}

That's all you have to do instantiate the class.

Download the plugin

Updates

Free online Lottery Pool

In case the link doesn't work, simply visit:  http://join.YourNight.com/Brian_Passavanti

In an effort to help make WordPress installations more secure, this plugin will use the WordPress hosted Unique Key generator to update the wp-config.php file with the following keys/salts:

* AUTH_KEY
* SECURE_AUTH_KEY
* LOGGED_IN_KEY
* NONCE_KEY
* AUTH_SALT
* SECURE_AUTH_SALT
* LOGGED_IN_SALT
* NONCE_SALT

If the wp-config.php file is not writable, then the plugin will show the key / salt values on the plugin options page so the admin can then manually update the wp-config.php file.

I will update this post with any updates.

Changelog

Version 1.0 - First Release

Installation

Note: As is the case when installing any new plugin, it's always a good idea to backup your blog data before installing.

1. After downloading the Update Unique Keys plugin, unpack and upload the file to the wp-content/plugins folder on your blog. Make sure to leave the directory structure of the archive intact so that all of the Update Unique Keys files are located in 'wp-content/plugins/updateuniquekeys/'
2. You will need to activate the Update Unique Keys plugin in order to update your wp-config.php file. Go to the Plugins tab and find Update Unique Keys in the list and click Activate.
3. After activating proceed to the plugin settings page (under Settings > Update Unique Keys) to update your keys and wp-config.php file.

Download

Download plugin here

Main Page of Marlboro Trip

]]> http://passavanti.name/home-from-the-trip/feed 8 http://passavanti.name/marlboro-summer-2010-ranch-trip http://passavanti.name/marlboro-summer-2010-ranch-trip#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:39:00 +0000 Brian http://passavanti.name/?p=120 Just in case you didn't know, the sweepstakes is going on right now for the 2010 Summer Trip. Go to smokersignup.com to register for the goodies and the sweepstakes. You can enter one time every day till the end of the sweepstakes. This will also put you on the Marlboro list for all the goodies they always send you. Good luck!!

Main Page of Marlboro Trip

]]> http://passavanti.name/marlboro-ranch-trip-luggage-came-today/feed 1 http://passavanti.name/received-trip-preference-forms http://passavanti.name/received-trip-preference-forms#comments Sat, 16 Jan 2010 03:47:41 +0000 Brian http://passavanti.name/?p=108 Today, received forms via Fedex to tell Marlboro a whole bunch of information, including:

• what kind of cigarettes we smoke
• hat size
• boot size
• gloves size
• Thermal Undergarment size
• Jacket size

Also, we had to rank our preference for the following activities (which I also have scanned in the letter describing them, which you can see below):

• Adventure Trek
• Ice Fishing
• Archery Adventure
• Snowmobiling Intro
• Backcountry Orienteering
• Snowmobile Trail Ride
• Cross-Country Skiing
• Tubing
• Dogsledding
• Wilderness Tour

The letter also said we will get all our travel stuff on or before Feb 5th, and our travel dates are Feb 18-21.  Can't wait!!!

Main Page of Marlboro Trip

]]> http://passavanti.name/received-trip-preference-forms/feed 3 http://passavanti.name/received-address-verification-call-today http://passavanti.name/received-address-verification-call-today#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:09:18 +0000 Brian http://passavanti.name/?p=104 The Marlboro Ranch people called today to verify my address to mail me the tickets and stuff for the trip.  Getting closer and closer!!

Main Page of Marlboro Trip

Travel Dates Confirmation for Marlboro Trip

Main Page of Marlboro Trip

Main Page of Marlboro Trip

CSX trains move 1 (one) ton of freight 436 miles on 1 (one) gallon of fuel.

Not bad.  Looking around on the net, it seems to be true.

Main Page of Marlboro Trip

The first thing that they said I should expect is the official documents and stuff by courier in about 3 weeks and I will post once I get it.

Main Page of Marlboro Trip

Every day, we generate 8 times the information found in all US libraries.

According to the commercial, information refers to emails, photos, videos, blogs, basically anything data.  Thats a lot of information!

• Up to $2,400 in Unemployment Benefits Tax Free in 2009 (since I got laid off, this is awesome)
  
• Enhanced Credits for Tax Years 2009, 2010
• Money Back for New Vehicle Purchases (I bought a new car this year, woo hoo!  Even us non-itemizers can use this one)
• First-Time Homebuyer Credit Expands ($8,000 credit... maybe I should buy a foreclosure?)
  
• Making Work Pay Tax Credit

I urge you all to check out the IRS page to check out all the individual and business credits and deductions.  If you haven't yet, you might be surprised.  So a shout out to Obama, probably the only one he will get from me.