Feb 25th, 2010
by Christopher.
I've been hacking an install of phpns to make it work a little more neatly with my company's web site (which is a real Frankensite and in BAD need of a rip-and-replace).
Anyway, if you use phpns - or any CMS which uses TinyMCE for WYSIWYG text entry / editing - you'll find that if you embed code like YouTube links in code view, switch back to WYSIWYG view, then switch back to code view again... All your lovely embed codes are gone!
This was really annoying me, so I decided to have a hunt about for a quick 'n dirty solution. After lots of forum reading, a few things were clear:
- TinyMCE won't let you easily disable its code cleaning / HTML verification, which sucks
- Even the TinyMCE devs aren't quite sure how to efficiently stop this from happening
- Trying to fully disable its HTML verification / cleanup routines is nigh-on impossible, the codebase is a spider's web of PHP
- and by default, it hates all <object> and <embed> tags, even if you have the TinyMCE Flash plugin installed.
This can royally screw with your meticulously-entered YouTube embeds. However, on his blog, Akbar neatly demonstrates a simple but effective method to stop TinyMCE eating your embed code - and all you need to do is add the object and embed tags and possible variables... There's a full demo, with borrowable code, on his web site.
Posted in: Guides and Tutorials, Quick Tips.
Tagged: codehack
Feb 24th, 2010
by Christopher.
Having been lucky enough to drive over a nail this week, and my front tyres having worn down a lot anyway, I bit the bullet and ordered two new tyres today. However, I thought I'd be shafted at Kwik Fit - so I decided to harness the power of the Internet and get some new tyres online. Such novelty!
After looking in all the nooks and crannies, I found a few useful sites: Continue reading →
Posted in: Miscellaneous Whatnots.
Tagged: online ecommerce tyres car maintenance moneysaving
Feb 5th, 2010
by Christopher.
I had an email correspondence with someone at BCC recently... Because of course, should I receive an email destined for someone else, I'm absolutely going to ring up some random person - the number is for the Capita-run 'Service Birmingham service desk' - and tell them about it (an almost guaranteed way to show yourself for the crazy person you are!)
Once again, corporate email policy results in signatures longer than the emails (and this time, with the mailserver tacking another copy on to each reply). (Linebreaks added for legibility)
***********************************************************************
The information contained within this e-mail (and any attachment) sent
by Birmingham City Council is confidential and may be legally privileged.
It is intended only for the named recipient or entity to whom it is
addressed. If you are not the intended recipient please accept our
apologies and notify the sender immediately, or telephone +(44)(0)121
464 4444. Unauthorised access, use, disclosure, storage or copying is
not permitted and may be unlawful. Any e-mail including its content may
be monitored and used by Birmingham City Council for reasons of security
and for monitoring internal compliance with the office policy on staff
use. E-mail blocking software may also be used. Any views or opinions
presented are solely those of the originator and do not necessarily
represent those of Birmingham City Council. We cannot guarantee that
this message or any attachment is virus free or has not been intercepted
and amended.
***********************************************************************
Posted in: Corporate Nonsense, Miscellaneous Whatnots, Stupid Email Disclaimers.
Jan 31st, 2010
by Christopher.
In the spirit of Jeff Goldmark's Stupid Email Disclaimers, I thought I'd independently continue the series whenever I stumble upon a corporate email disclaimer largely composed of bullshit.
The reasons for why corporate email disclaimers are usually worth less than the electrons they're sent with is explained on Jeff's web site... To get us started, here's the email disclaimer from Scottish Widows (a part of Lloyds Banking Group, as they helpfully tell us) with linebreaks added for readability:
*******************************************************************************
As part of the Lloyds Banking Group, Scottish Widows is proud to be
an Official Provider of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
www.scottishwidows.co.uk/london2012
This E-Mail is confidential. Unauthorised recipients must notify the sender
immediately on 0131-655-6789 and must delete the original E-Mail without
taking a copy. We virus scan and monitor all e-mails but are not responsible
for any damage caused by a virus or alteration or our email by a third
party after transmission. The E-Mail is not intended nor should it be taken
to create any legal relations, contractual or otherwise.
The following companies are part of the Scottish Widows Group and,
with the exception of Scottish Widows Services Limited, are authorised
and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. They are all registered
in the United Kingdom:
Scottish Widows plc, Co No. 199549/FSA Register No. 191517;
Scottish Widows Annuities Limited, Co No.199550/FSA Register No. 191518;
Scottish Widows Services Limited, Co No.189975; Scottish Widows Unit
Funds Limited, Co No. 74809/FSA Register No. 202648; all having their
Registered Office at 69 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8YF.
Scottish Widows Bank plc, Co No. 154554/FSA Register No. 201601.
Registered Office at 67 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8YJ.
Scottish Widows Unit Trust Managers Limited, Co No. 1629925/FSA
Register Co No. 122129, Registered Office at Charlton Place,
Andover, Hampshire SP10 1RE.
Scottish Widows Investment Partnership Limited, Co No. 794936/FSA
Register Co No. 193707; SWIP Fund Management Limited,
Co No. 406604/FSA Register No. 122135 and SWIP Multi-Manager
Funds Limited, Co No. 5582499/FSA Register No. 455821; all having
their Registered Office at 33 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1HZ.
Scottish Widows Fund Management Limited, Co No. 74517/FSA Register
No. 119359; Pensions Management (SWF) Limited, Co No. 45361/FSA
Register No. 110422; all having their Registered Office at
15 Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh, EH16 5BU.
Lloyds TSB Investments Limited, Co No. 106723/FSA Register No. 122130,
Registered Office at 60 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8BE.
Scottish Widows Administration Services Limited, Co No. 1132760/FSA
Register No. 139398, Registered Office at 25 Gresham
Street, London, EC2V 7HN.
All of the above companies are part of the Lloyds Banking Group.
*******************************************************************************
In this case, the email disclaimer was over 5x longer than the content of the email - if I was feeling grumpier, I would've classified this message as spam.
More coming as/when I get them.
Posted in: Corporate Nonsense, Oddities, Stupid Email Disclaimers.
Jan 28th, 2010
by Christopher.
Once upon a time (way back in 2007!), I was walking home and noticed the door on my road's Telewest distbox was hanging open (the lock had been forced). Having always wondered what was in one of those unassuming grey (or green) street cabs, I decided to have a quick look... And take some pictures. (And yes, I did let Telewest know the box had been broken into afterwards) Continue reading →
Posted in: Inside The Box, Oddities, Photography.
