As Flopping Aces approaches the 7 million reader mark I am working on redesigning the whole blog. This latest theme was designed over two years ago and it is showing its age, creating a slower and slower load time for the readers. My artist is already at work doing up a new header picture but this time it will be wider and less tall so more of the site will be visible in your browser window and many many new features will be added. Don’t worry, the old west look and feel will remain. That is the staple of Flopping Aces and I wouldn’t even think of changing that.
With that said I would welcome any suggestions for a new layout. The authors and I have discussed many new features but maybe there is something we missed so send in your ideas or put em’ in the comment section of this post.
Finally, the cost of this new site I estimate to be in the 800-1000 dollar range. The design should be around 300-400 dollars and transferring that design from the PSD to actual code will be in the 500 dollar range, a bit more expensive then the other updates I have done because I want this new design to be as professional as possible. I have put up a donation meter in the sidebar for those who would like to donate to the cause. It would be greatly appreciated.
UPDATE (02/21/10)
Goal reached in five days!
I am humbled and honored that the readers of Flopping Aces gave so freely of themselves to get us over the top. I’m in the process of interviewing different designers at the moment and will keep everyone updated as we move forward. As before, if you come up with some good ideas please jot em’ down in the comments or email me.
Thanks guys and gals!
UPDATE (03/12/10)
Just wanted to give everyone an update on where we are at. The new header art is done and now I am interviewing different designers. Pretty jazzed about the new artwork.
Thanks again to all who donated and now on to the new design.
UPDATE (04/07/10)
New update, designer is hired and will start work on the project soon.
UPDATE (06/10/10)
Been awhile since I updated so figured anyone who was interested deserved some new info. The designer has come up with a good layout, the other authors have seen the beta version of it and they like. Still some work to do on the design before it can go to the coders tho.
UPDATE (08/16/10)
Redesign is finished, now getting coded. Should go live in 4-6 weeks.
UPDATE (11/7/10)
Coding is still going on…the authors have gotten a look a almost finished site. The javascript and ajax code, which will make the site run much smoother, is whats causing the delay as well as some life issues going on with the coder.
UPDATE (12/4/10)
The coding is done! Finally. Now waiting for my server guru to upgrade us to WordPress 3.0 (ran into snafu’s trying to upgrade because of a corrupted database it appears) which should be done hopefully by the end of this weekend at which time we will install the new site, test it out, and it goes live. Anytime now!
UPDATE (12/20/10)
The database snafu is still around. Latest email from my server guru:
Yes, I was able to get to it on Friday, but every backup I tried of your DB failed. I am clearing some resources, and I am probably going to have to “maintenance mode” the site while the backup runs, which shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes or so. I plan on doing that late night. Once I get that DB backup successful, I can run the clean install and import the DB. Something tells me the import is going to give me an aneurysm too.
He’s hoping to get this done tonight or tomorrow night. Very frustrating since the design and code is done and ready to go.
The only request I have is that when the post is folded, it should be capable of being unfolded without loosing the main load. I often see posts with “read more” tags that I really want to read more of, but I don’t want to loose the main page so I delay going to the single post page until I’ve finished reviewing the whole main page. This means sometimes I forget to go back to read the whole article or have several articles I have to drill down and back up to read.
It’s a small complaint and a simple fix.
I like the content here too much to really let it bother me, but there you have it.
hi CURT i spend such good times here i feel that i am with good friends so i am in the group that support the blog give me info how to ,bye
@TSgt Ciz: I have the same complaint but usually address it by rightclicking on the “read more” and opening the full article in a new tab or new page.
@ilovebeeswarzone: Click the donate button on the top sidebar to contribute with Paypal.
MIKE i am still a apprentice on technology but i did it well okay bye.
Hey Curt, I’m currently broker than the Liberty Bell, or I’d drop in a couple of ducets, in a heartbeat. I’ll see what I can do in a couple of weeks.
I agree, the aesthetics of the site is really pleasant, many kudos to whomever designed it, and I can’t wait to see the evolution, FA mk II.
Redesigning because most of us have widescreen monitors now?
As a lesser beef, one that I deal with every couple of days, I don’t do cookies, and when I click off the checkbox for an email every time someone posts to a thread I’ve posted on, I still get the e-mails. Easy as pie to delete them all, but it is a waste of your bandwidth.
Are there a lot of people who really use this function, enough to make it a necessity? and like to be reminded by Email when someone responds? Twenty-five times? Maybe people with 3G gadgets…I could see that, I suppose.
I may sound exasperated but I’m not, not in the least. Amused? Sure!
And it really oughta be pay-per-view on some of Mata’s troll-beatdown posts. Just my opinion.
All great suggestions so far. The redesign isn’t because of widescreen monitors, more because the design is old and large which slows down load time. A byproduct of that is that it taxes the server and we go down if we get a large chunk of traffic in a short amount of time.
No one should feel obligated to send in a donation. Anything would help but I realize in the economy we are in there are much more important places to put that money. I will be doing the redesign if I get the whole amount in donations or if I don’t get any. This is my baby and I want the best product out there for those who have made it a success.
I’m going to have to look into the problem your having Taq….so, if you uncheck the box that asks if you want to be notified of new comments it still sends those emails? Also, try and unsubscribe from those emails using the link sent at the bottom of the email and let me know if that works.
CURT i kind of like it as it is but you know better i hope the redesign wont get to complicated to get in bye.
Curt, I’ll have to try it on the NEXT new post, because I’ve already got mails referencing this thread…which I’ll do. I suppose I could go and try to find an old thread that I’ve not posted on, but I’ll just wait for a new one.
I just wonder how many people use that thing. I suppose there could be some old, long-running debates where that could be quite useful.
Regarding the “unsubscribe” link in the mail – I once did, a few months back when I began posting again, but I think it re-subscribes me each time I forget to re-uncheck the boxes here, which my no-cookie-keepin’ butt would have to remember to do each time I post. Since I suffer from an advanced, chronic (though probably not terminal) case of CRS, that’s a rarity.
So, I’ll try again on FA’s next new post, and let you know – both the checkboxes here and the unsubscriber.
Another question regarding the feature: why are there two checkboxes…how else would it notify me if not by e-mail? Or, what is the difference between new comments and follow-up comments? By New Comments, maybe it means New FA Author or Guest Posts?
Just noticed, when I first come in, the first one (followup) defaults to NO check, while the second (new) defaults to checked.
CRS is no joke.
F.Y.I. Readers: Curt has been paying the entire expense of developing and running this blog out of his own pocket. Granted he works in Law enforcement in California and thus has a very nice public employee compensation package. But he’s out there risking his life in South Central L.A. He shouldn’t have to bear the full cost of keeping this page on the cutting edge of our ongoing political discussion.
He does a fantastic job of handling the technical aspects of keeping this blog alive and handling all the server issues that come up. Without his tireless work, not to mention his blogging perspective, this forum would not exist.
If you want to know more about Curt, I did a profile of him a few years back and posted it at the home planet:
http://mikesamerica.blogspot.com/2006/12/mikes-america-interviews-curt-at.html
You may also not know that one of his other passions is restoring a 1969 Dodge Charger:
http://www.starman417.com/restoration15.htm
@Taqiyyotomist: I use the comment follow up feature because the author notification feature is broken. I use that to keep an eye on the troll’s so I can sic Mata on them.
TAGIYYOTOMISTwould you beleive that i eat lots of blueberrys i have read many times it is marvelous for memory building or recovery it is worth to try bye.
Curt, I’ll throw some sheckels in the pot next week. Where else right wing Christian fanatic zealot be allowed to rant and rave like a Democrat on meth?
Guys, I like the notification feature while working because I can keep up on ideas by using my blackberry; sadly, I can’t comment with the blackberry. I don’t know whether that is a shortcoming of the blackberry or the website. I’d jump in more often if I had that option.
Here is a suggestion: In Canada and Europe, I have yet to meet someone who has been on the site. Conservatism will be an attractive if not imperative option in the future for both Europe and Canada. One of you smart ones might think of a small corner or page concerning issues in those places. Alberta, a Conservative Province is in the black and a prosperous place to live. People in Canada and Europe are curious about Conservative philosophy.
Business cards with the FA web address and logo might be useful in directing more traffic this way for those of us that travel. I love to talk about the site when I am on the road, but many people will ask the name of the site once or twice after I give them the name. A card might help the memory.
@Skookum: The business cards is a great idea. Maybe we can make up a template and get a printer to offer them for customized printing.
Great idea’s Skookum. While I’m at it I will look into designing a business card that draws attention. While we get the most visits from the US, then Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany but its a steep drop off of visits after the US. Good suggestion and something I’ll look into improving.
Mike’s interview of Curt was informative and enlightening, thank you. I had no idea how difficult it is to publish a blog nor how much Curt devotes from his life for the rest of us to have a platform to relieve our journalistic dreams and frustrations, again thanks!
Colors are perfect on this site, please do not mess with perfection in that area.
Apple iTunes is giving a a $10,000 prize to its ten-billionth customer.
Will you be giving a $7 prize to your seven-millionth customer?
http://www.loopinsight.com/2010/02/15/predicting-when-apple-will-hit-its-10-billionth-song/
hi CURT will we be able to go back to review these last posts or will they be lost ?
I, too, use the email notification to keep on on topics from my phone.
Curt, having just moved, my bank account is still pending a change of address, making it difficult to making online purchases. Is there somewhere I could send a modest check? Otherwise, I’ll wait until things have cleared. Perhaps you could keep the donation link up even after you reach your goal, in order to help with running costs.
Just made a paypal donation. Have been trying to learn the origin of “Flopping Aces”, please help.
Thanks, and love this site!!!
@Light Dawns: Curt has gone to bed so he can get up early and bust bad guys so I’ll answer it for you. The Aces refer to the big cards in the deck of most wanted terrorists and Saddam Hussein.
It’s based on the deck of cards that were handed out in the Iraq war as we rounded up the bad guys (I have a deck):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most-wanted_Iraqi_playing_cards
And they are “Flopping” as we slam them down on the table.
Maybe El Curtbo can add more when he’s done Flopping the perp cards in L.A.
Having trouble with the “donate thermometer.”
I’m good to go with whatever design you choose–I’m not a computer person per se, so don’t have much to offer on that topic. As long as you keep the western theme, as you said you will, I’m fine!
I’m getting anxious to see us break the $500 mark! Who wants to have the honor?
I bought a couple FA shirts from Ranger Up. Does that count?
@John Cooper: ‘Fraid not. Unless it moves the counter on the main page.
Wow! This is going great!
Curt, just wondering. How many pieces did you have left over when you put that Charger back together? You could glue them all together and have a unique conversation piece for your desk.
Just kidding. Hubby did the same thing to a, what he said was a perfect 82 Scrambler, he didn’t have to do a thing with it, it only had 37,000 miles on it and he could drive it forever.
Went on a vacation with my daughter, came back and the thing was in a gazillion pieces all over the garage. He then painted the carriage with special paint, put it back together, had it repainted, designed a special lift thing, put a lot of extra stuff he also designed on it(mufflers, bumpers). Then had the guy that did the pace car for the Packers for the Super Bowl do decals. He put it in the barn for storage, drove it once or twice a year and now decided he wants to sell it because our son that was born in 82 isn’t interested in it. Sad.
But, we have containers of stuff that came off that thing in the barn loft. I know it runs, he used to make me go for rides in it, but there still is all that stuff up there, I could put it altogether and make a lawn ornament, but he’d kill me, everything is soooo valuable.
Heck, I don’t know if it works or not this time. I just cleaned out about 150 Emails from FA.
—
About the only aesthetic beef I have with the site: this BRob thing I keep seeing. It hurts my eyes, somehow, whenever they alight on its posts. Very painful.
Taq… here’s the trick.
The first time you respond in a thread, choose either the option to receive the comment in your ebox, or the option that alerts you there has a comment that has been made.
Do not leave both boxes checked.
The second time you comment in the thread, make sure the remaining single box is *not* checked. THen you receive only the original.
If you forget, make yourself a filter in your email system that busts out one or the other.
As Mike says, the flaw for when we author a post is different. We have no idea anyone has responded until we comment ourselves. Then we get both “a new comment” plus the “comment” post. It’s a double or nothing scene for us….
… probably appropriate since it’s a wild west/poker theme, eh?
Curt, how about an email address so we can paypal you a little gelt.
Disturber
@Disturber: Sure thing Disturber. If you look under the thermometer you can find a donate button, click that and it will lead you directly to the account you need to go it.
will the new flopping aces shirt (as advertized above) soon be the old flopping aces shirt and double the price?
Since it’s going to take a while amassing the cost of a Barret 98B .338 Lapua mag this seems like a more worthy cause!
Tom
we are almost up there check that
Flopping Aces is a great site and I love dropping by here to check out your collection of Sunday Funnies. Brilliant feature!
I’ll have to lurk here less. Ya’ll look like you have a lot of fun.
Anyway, great job and hope the new upgrade goes well!
Wow! It looks like we might reach the goal any hour now! I know some folks are going to feel left out if they don’t get to put their two bits in in time but no worry, I’m sure Curt will accept any late contributions.
@TexMex: We like lurkers but feel free to jump into the comments anytime!
MIKE i had snow storm for all week would you like me to share it with you?
@ilovebeeswarzone: Do you have any photos you can drop a link to?
hi MIKE no i don’t and i would not know how to do it except from google reader pictures of funny animals bye i am quite dum still with computer knowledge
Thanks to everyone who dropped some coin in the box. And if you didn’t have a chance to contribute, I’m sure we can prevail upon Curt to accept late contributions
This outpouring of support shows us how much you appreciate the hard work that goes to making this blog a great place to be. When the readers put their money where their mouth is it inspires me to work even harder for you. I’m sure my fellow contributors feel the same.
@ilovebeeswarzone: You can get a free photobucket or FLICKR account and upload photos easily then drop the links in comments so everyone can see.
than you for the bucket and the flickr i’ll try,bye
This was great and, fast, can’t wait to see the results of what’s swirling around in Curt’s head right now.
It would be neat to have a Flopping Aces Museum page for all the past, present, and the stuff that didn’t make the cut of FA art. Might even be able to find a spot for the thong there.
MISSY i was trying to get in a archive military post yesterday and it fold as ihit it i did it before and i don’t know why i could not have it again was it somthing i did wrong ?there is some good one in there to review ,bye
@ilovebeeswarzone:
Sometimes I get error pages, but then I wait awhile and go back and it comes up. Sometimes things happen when I have too much in the tool bar on the bottom of the screen or if I leave my computer on all day, then I have to restart my computer and everything works again.
I’m the last one that should give advice, still waiting for when my granddaughter can show me more stuff. Trouble is by the time I have her undivided attention I’ve forgotten what I want her to help me with.
thank you and i love the funny remark and it happen to me to if i don’t bring my list at the food market bye good advices
@Missy: Don’t bring up that THONG again!
Someone mentioned the FA Thong?
Thanks AC, I could have easily lived another 60 years without that one! Good Grief!
Curt, sometimes we, at least this occasional author, go to work and follow things with the black berry; but if I don’t know my story or article is up, i will be missing comments until late that night. Is it possible to dial the author in when his piece is published, so that he (I) can follow the damnation. Maybe it is simple, I have no idea.
Levin has a pet page that is enduring him to a lot of people, and Savage gets a lot of traction with his poodle. We have a bit of pet mails going on, there might be some room for a pet feature. I personally love to look at other peoples funny dogs and cats.
What about a joke page once a week? The cartoons get a lot of traction. Some people might be intimidated with writing an article, but might try for a joke or funny story.
A physician in the group? encourage a weekly article from someone in the trenches who can keep us in the forefront of advances and legislation.
The stocks, bonds, and commodities markets, do we have someone who can let us know how investments are doing, even real estate.
I think you are going to need to be flexible and dynamic, the tv news is nearly dead. Adjustments and redesign might need to be done every six months. If and when the economy improves, the donations will be easy.
Just my thoughts.
Did someone say snow storm?
http://www.photoblog.com/Jannie/2010/03/10/just-when-you-think-its-time-to-start-planting.html
Hey Curt, thank you for what you and your partners in crime, so to speak, do! Awesome blog site! I LOVE the Wild Wild West theme. The e-mail notification thing has been making me crazy too. Make them stop! Thanks, MataH for the explanation.
Missy, you crack me up!!
@PatriotGirl:
Loved the photoblog! I love looking at pictures, loved the snow, the tree, the trains were fascinating, nice work!
I see nothing that screams “Change me”, but I would offer this one suggestion: When using embedded words to illustrate a point, instead of having “this website changing to that one”, have this site remain and have clicking the embedded word open another one. This system is used by more and more bloggers (like Right Wing News, for example) for two very good reasons. A) You’re doing this as a passion, but you need revenue, so opening a new window while maintaining yours as open increases your viewership time. And B), MOST IMPORTANTLY, often a viewer will not return to your site if they get switched to another because they get caught up in “surfing” from that second site over to another, and you just lost them. Therefore, so too did your sponsors of banners. I find myself often just bookmarking the embed site to “read up on the facts of your statement” at a later time if you offer me an embed site. Not many others probably do that. If you switch me over to Pop Science, you might lose me for a while, time runs short, and I’ll catch’ya later, if you get my drift. But if your site is still there, I tend to close the other window and BEHOLD, you’re still there! And folks, CLICK ON THE BANNERS. It helps the website administrator pay the bills! I have my own blog, so I know how it works.
NOSTRADAMUS nice name,for new almost ingnorant of the language of the blog world …what is the BANNER?where is it?,bye
[When using embedded words to illustrate a point, instead of having “this website changing to that one”, have this site remain and have clicking the embedded word open another one.]
This is a point I agree on with Nostradamus. I almost mentioned it, but wondered if it was too great a cost somehow to do this feature not knowing about costs, etc. It would be very helpful to me as well, and I think the point of some folks being distracted away from FA after clicking on the embed is a good one. I come back, but some people may not. Also, it would help with comparing the content of the thread to the article that’s referenced.
This can be done if we authors want to add the proper HTML of target=”_blank” to every link. I generally put my hotlinks in by hand, but retyping that in every URL can get on one’s nerves. I guess Curt would have to ask the new designer if that option can be put into the shortcut hotlink editing tools with the posts.
@Skookum: All good ideas Skook. Not sure about the physician and stock thing tho since this is mainly a political board. I could sure encourage a physician or stock person to submit a reader post but not sure how successful that will be.
@Nostradamus, @SoCal Chris & @MataHarley: Yeah, that is a definite addition I will be requesting from the coders once we get to that point.
ilovebeeswarzone: Banners are the ads you see, like on this site for the books and Child Fund International. Those who pay for those ads are entitled to see the number of “hits” they get. The more they get, the more the website owner can dicker to charge. So if you like a website like this one you should always click on their ad banners then just go back. The website administrators will thank you.
NOSTRADAMUS,very gracious of you to answer to my ignorance,i did not know that and i surely will click in those for now on thank you.
@SoCal Chris: I just wanted to give you another option as a user on links that I constantly do…. hold your mouse over the link and “right click” to get the menu options. Select either “open in a new tab” or “open in a new window” and you don’t lose your original source.
@Nostradamus: Mighty kind of you to note that fact. Every little bit helps especially with these redesigns.
Whats the address for your blog btw?
@Curt:
Thanks, Curt! That will be great.
@MataHarley:
Thank you, Mata!! Voila! That works very well, wish I’d known all this time (oy vay)…always glad to learn something helpful!
I write for Blackfive under Tag names (Like MCQ) and do Admin work for Strategypage. Three of us also run the Military News Network: http://www.militarynewsnetwork.com/ (I’m STILL TRYING to GET THE OTHERS to do the embedding correctly there!) I also write essays for any sites affiliated with PJM (Pajamas Media). Bill Whittle is an American hero, you should look at his work there and also with PJTV. I make a FORTUNE! Heh! If I put a boatload of research into one, I get 25-bucks if I’m lucky. Most I just submit for free. Anything to help a fellow Vet. I got screwed by “The Mainstream Media” and a handful of liberal politicians years ago while on a combat mission and made it my life’s mission to expose those traitors for the propagandists they really are. We got set up and a civilian massacre was blamed on my squad (75th Regiment, 3rd Battalion) , even though we were already back onboard the Saipan and halfway across the Atlantic heading toward Lebanon when the incident took place. We were all eventually exonerated with the help of a friendly CIA officer/former Congressman who is now running for Senator. Belgian -(NATO MEMBER at the time)- .225 shell casings, not G.I. issue for my P-troop Squad in that jump. (Op Urgent Fury, Oct. ’83). I love your site though, and the style of your commentary, the issues you see as real and relevant, and the patriotism that just oozes from this site. It’s one of the first websites I read every morning and every night.
I can’t believe I just found you…but I LOVE your blog design! It’s packed with info, but very easy to read and well-designed. I wouldn’t change too much if I were you! I love the size of the videos!
Hey,
I’ll make you a WordPress theme $250.00. I created the following themes
http://gallasforcongress.com
http://paliberty.com
http://classicsondisc.us
and my biz site at http://revolutiondesigns.us
Plus, many, many others. $250.00 FLAT fee. Plus, I’ll monetize it for you and SEO optimization. You have my permission to email me direct.
Thanks!
Caleb
CURT: hi, 15th june, please updated the pink thermometer,i just came out of pp. bye. i love this bog.
So… Any news?
Just updated the post…taking a lot longer than I had hoped but getting there.
CURT: hi, thank you for what you are giving us, TOP NOTCH QUALITY BLOGGING.
bye
CURT, HI, DEC 16 2010.
, I’m still with you all, and this is my favorite place, and since the first time I arrive,
I feel more heavy on my head, with all the smart groups here, you sure can grow a brain,
thank you for that, and thank’s for putting up with me, to all my friends
you sure are the best
Congratulations Curt! Your blog tied with Malkin for second place in the Best Design category. Lost first place to Hot Air by a vote in the 9th Annual Right Wing News Conservative Blog Awards.
I don’t care for either of those blogs, what are people thinking? This place is the best!
[Mata note: I added the link to the results, Missy. Thanks for the heads up]
CURT hourra for FA FA FA FA HERE WE GO
@Missy: Very cool! Wait till the see the new design. Just taking forever to get the server problems squared away.
CURT, IT’S like everything else in life, we propose and GOD DISPOSE, BYE
Anxiously anticipating…. like a fat girl with her face pressed against the bakery store window.
@JoeDanMedia:
Your site looks fabulous! and always nice to have you visit.
Will be going to Missouri this week end for a few days, looking forward to listening to Darla, please tell me they won’t cut to a high school basketball game in the middle of her show.