Spy Journal 3.0 Filtering the web for you

Today I am focussed on clearing out my browser from all the interesting things sitting there. No real organisation to this post – its just a link dump.

• Smashing Magazine useful web design information
• Feeling “Blogged Out?” [10 Pro Bloggers Share Their Advice on What to Do]
• David Willersdorf’s blog
• Australian Institute of Professional Photography
• Judith wrote up the story of last weekend’s DirtFest Adventure on her blog
• My photos from the Salomon Tre-X Triathlon – I was the official photographer for the day
• Results from the DirtFest and Triathlon on the in2adventure website. I got 24th from 32 entrants in my class and 43rd overall.
• Internet Explorer 9 is coming and you can test drive it. It might even be standards compliant!
• Australian students rejoice – you can get Office 2007 with a free upgrade to Office 2010 for only $75.
• Likewise any purchases of Office 2007 now are available with a free upgrade to Office 2010.
• Judith’s team is entered in the Oxfam Trailwalker Sydney – a 100km endurance walk challenge.
• Taking photos with motion blur
• Importing text files in Excel 2007

And I will leave you with some of my best photos from the Triathlon.

I have been having some trouble with comment spam lately. We use Mollom, a great ser vice that works well with Drupal and stops most spam. However some spammers are getting more clever – and at the same time very stupid. They are putting more realistic comments in and getting past the text analysis – but as there are  no links allowed they are kind of stupid. The comment doesn't gain them anything – just fills my comments with rubbish.

So now all anonymous comments require approval – and I can bulk delete the time wasters spam. If you have a legitimate comment to make – and you are encouraged to do so – either log in to make it, or realise that it will go into my approval queue for checking.

So to all my legitimate readers and commenters – thanks for participating. And to all the spammers  go away – there's nothing for you here!

Thanks for reading.

We have the GGB survey of Jenine Beekhuyzen for you…

Name: Jenine Beekhuyzen
Screen Name: jeninebeek - or a word for a Mayan serpent god, Kukulcan
Personal Blog: http://techgirlsarechic.blogspot.com/
Social Networks: Facebook mostly, I am trying to finish my PhD so my online free time is limited at the moment. Am interested to check out twitter but realise it will take up more time than I know I have! :)
Current Employment: Full time PhD student at Griffith University. Lecture at the Qld Institute of Business & Technology. Run my own business in which I do software training in Nvivo software and I also make jewellery and mosaics for sale (completely 'un-tech' which I love)
Location/country: Brisbane, Australia

What is your reason/motivation for blogging?

I blog to promote my book 'Tech girls are chic, not just geek' www.techgirlsarechic.org - which is a not for profit project aimed at smashing the geek stereotype and encourage school girls to consider a career in Information Technology. The book is distributed free to school girls across Australia, with 8000 distributed in Australia and overseas since March 2008. I use the blog as a way to communicate the various activities that involve the book (such as careers events and expos where it is distributed for free). I dont know how many people read it but at least it is a way for me to keep track of everything that happens.

We have a new Geek Girl Blogger survey/profile to feature for you…
Natalie may not be as involved with IT as most Geek Girl Blogger’s we feature but here’s how we tend to draw the line….

1. Be a girl – check

2. Blog – check

3. Vaguely have something to do with IT – see 2.

  =)    hope you enjoy reading her survey/profile, please take the time to read her blog also – it really is very enjoyable. Thanks Natalie!

Name: Natalie Bochenski
Screen Name: Girl Clumsy