My adsense account had been approved!!! Thank you GOOGLE

Finally, after four times applying to google adsense for this blog, my application got accepted. That was on the 3rd google account. Pheww.

First thing first, I logged on to adsense dashboard and then I realized that it is really messy to log in and log out and log in again from blogger to adsense account as I'm using different google account for both.

The solution? I log in to my primary blogger account and invite my other self on the other e-mail address that was approved for google adsense as an author. Next I log in to the other e-mail address and accept the invitation. Then I log out and log in again as the primary blogger account and set the other me as an admin to the blog.

Then log out again and log in again as the adsense approved google account and then, NO more mess.

Unluckily, the google adsense ads section is still blank not showing anything. Why? Why? Why? I asked myself and checked if something went wrong, cross check the publisher ID in adsense dashboard and in blogger layout. It were the same ID. Then I tried to manually insert the ads code into blogger HTML/JavaScript gadget. Still, no avail. What is going on here?

I had highlighted the problem to google adsense team using the feedback form provided in adsense dashboard and do some googling. It seems that the problem is due to my previous previous previously disapproved adsense account linked to the blog. Google will take some time to clear out the other accounts before ads start showing up. I will just wait till then.

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Link Exchange Segment

I'm searching for 100 blog addresses to be included into this permalink list.

1. Like Read This Got This Page (bottom left)

2. Follow me on G+ (left)

3. Put Read This Got This link ( http://learningtoolcheap.blogspot.com) in your linklist/bloglist

4. Put your link in the comment section to be incuded in this list (updated daily)

Format:

Name :
Blog Address:
Blog Title:

This links list will also be copied to Read This Got This Bloglist (after 100 links collected)

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List update 27/09/2015

1. Radio Senyap

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Terengganu Beaches, the Origin of Ulek Mayang

Kelulut beach, located in the district of Marang, Terengganu, Malaysia is a popular beach among the locals and tourists. From this beach, visitors could see Kapas Island separated by the sea. This beach is located Read More >>>>

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Ketupat Sotong, yummy stuffed squid.

Image credit : http://yummyliciousthepurpleheartsway.blogspot.my/

Ketupat sotong, in English term the most appropriate word is stuffed squid. It is a traditional Malay foods commonly found in coastal area of Malaysia, famously known in Terengganu and Kelantan. 

Glutinous rices are stuffed in cleaned squids and secured by attaching a piece of skewer then cooked in the sauce which is made using Read More >>>

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Add Home Button to Blog Header and Customize Blog Labels

To increase SEO (Search Engine Optimization) score for your blog, it is a very wise idea to use label for all your blog post. Default label given by simple template in Blogger.com is too simple and not so much attractive. I start using label after realizing a lot of blog tycoon are using labels in their blog. In this post, I will share on how to:

1. Create label on post
2. Display labels in your blog header area
3. Use CSS to customize labels look
4. Add a home button inline with labels (by default no home button provided except for the post footer)

1. Create label on post

After completing your new post, under the Publish button there is an area for Labels, Schedule, Permalink, Location, Search Description and Options. Click on Labels area and  fill in your post label. Then click on Done

2. Display labels on your blog header area

Go back to your blog dashboard then click on Layout. Click on add-gadget in cross column section and choose Labels. 

In title box, fill in your label list title, modify all the other options as you wish. In Display area, choose either List or Cloud. Untick Show number of posts per label to hide post count for every label. Those numbers are usually hard to customize but it's up to you.

Label Display Cloud

Label Display List

Your blog labels look different than the picture above?Don't worry, read on

3. Use CSS to customize labels look

This part includes blog template HTML code editing. Backup your template before modifying any HTML code

From your blogger dashboard , click on Template-Customize-Advanced-Add CSS

Insert codes below in the Add CSS section. You can modify Font style, Font Color, mouse hover color and other styles. Click Apply to Blog to save this changes

.label-size{

margin:0 2px 6px 0;

padding: 3px;

text-transform: uppercase;

border: solid 1px #C6C6C6;

border-radius: 3px;

float:left;

text-decoration:none;

font-size:10px;

color:#666;

}

.cloud-label-widget-content{

text-align:center

}

.label-size {

background:#ffffff;

display:block;

float:left;

margin:0 3px 3px 0;

color:#ffffff;

font-size:11px;

text-transform:uppercase;

}

.label-size a,.label-size span{

display:inline-block;

color:#2E2E2E !important;

padding:6px 8px;

font-weight:bold;

}

.label-size:hover {

background:#E2E2E2;

}

.label-count {

white-space:nowrap;

padding-right:3px;

margin-left:-3px;

background:#ffffff;

color:#fff !important;

}

.label-size {

line-height:1.2

}

4. Add a home button inline with labels (by default no home button provided except for the post footer)

Your Labels now show all labels tagged in your blog posts but there is no Home button to return to your blog homepage. To insert this Home button, also needs you to modify your blog template HTML codes. Backup your template before making any changes for your own safety.

From your blogger dashboard, click on template-Edit HTML then click on Jump to Widget and choose label1 or any names given in add gadget step. Then expand the codes for label1 and codes for main by clicking on small arrow beside the line number of those 2 codes.

Insert the codes below right after first <ul>  label1 scope. These codes are for list display type labels.

<!--add home to label type list-->

<li><a class='home-link' expr:href='data:blog.homepageUrl'>Home</a></li>

<!--add home to label type list-->

Insert the codes below right after first <b:else/> after last </ul>. These codes are for cloud display type labels.

<!--add home to label type cloud-->

 <span expr:class='&quot;label-size label-size-&quot; + data:label.cssSize'><a class='home-link' expr:href='data:blog.homepageUrl'>Home</a></span>

<!--add home to label type cloud-->

Click on Save Template button to you save your blog's modified HTML codes and cick on View Blog to view the results

Good Luck

Read This Got This : $25K for solving a riddle

Read This Got This : 4 ways to eat keropok lekor

Read This Got This : Google analytics for blogger

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Decrypt these codes for USD25,000.00

An anonymous team had organized a decryption challenge with an award of RM100,000.00 (approx. USD25,000.00) to decrypt three set of codes. This challenge had been highlighted in Lowyat.net website, the biggest I.T community in Malaysia.

These codes had been encrypted using AES-256 military grade encryption method. Yup, 256bit and 14 hashes. That will take a very loooooooong time to bruteforce. You must have the secret keys to decipher the codes.

The encrypted codes are :

Code 1

 –##–eyJHMDkwMjQwQiI6IlVFMFFJZG5ERFl2K1wvdkUrY20wT2JnbHhGR1wvYkJhcGlrRmlaWmtSWFwvVktIM1dKc20zTlVDVjJXWDB4YTRUVFJpVEJvVDN5NFZGNHNmNllmanVKWGdZSmlOcExKZVZOajUycGtYNURXbUZ5RGxZVkhXRWRVQ0JOTVVhYm1SSWhuXC9tWVY0a1ZqME5oUnJJQlwvM1ZNTEhzY1JvYXl1WDhhWnkzQ1pOOUNSSGtvPSJ9–##–XMthlftLS6A62CLoaRG9I6lRCmmktQ1ZF8rkfIYZmOMI/oS26IXrm2dHgTmLsVFi5kK0EYvlSjzOkn14uMOGJCIkYpghmGm3FSsRGfRrRUGKetvAsokQi+Sra3RmxoxXCWwBuVwdNt9pMadvItMzdFYinyhNmw+OBbYuPgmIiQwwtOydHJ46y9U8kJYlNzEfjH4hnc3GsD+xfwZQutQXYi1C+PxOGpIcvwjIoTccGL4Wp673JFHjs/EjREtCz9Lq–##–

Code 2

–##–eyJHMDkwNjQ3MiI6IkRZbjg1NUpKVnJOajRuV055akNnUGlwdllBSjVXUDJPeHRxdDBzeVltNlN5ZUlkbXNwNnFRMzNQdVZQT1wvQ2tLVzNLUURsK2ZkajZLK2I3bytDNTlYMGdia3hIcHlyUmtwbUFBRUUzZEhSXC9RcUU3QTlOUGFWcGk3NjhleVA0ZFdLR0orYjZTQVZGVGF4amV4Y1A3THVBdVFCcHpCemlxcXpiSjNjZDFINjhBPSJ9–##–K1JCm+R+1MEZhcOtN8bLNui4ulpKbPaDqB2pzq5gSB2M4k77oxb4PTkFaEt1z3YZxJ8OVMQyCSFcfQePwbwjxLqbq00+kVmNdw4j30Cd/459RBCfDsRodayJdoACk91mn+PLCor2bjJa4ZOJn6D3kvJS0HV85mVnxe1bgWFqrW+rzyQZGjKO/i53MH3vdCSEmjpxLHmziRq2xHoDGKDm7Y5KLto949aAZVOZNkD83pSNOjja2nNuQZuetjCzR2tn1uDZ3iHHxzpdkBeJ6I8pj7YifljZ9bMqSKk8c2LhPGO06gJvCfgetnkjh0CC28rk–##–

Code 3

–##–eyJHMDkwNkIyRCI6Ik81ck5DcG1Tb0VyZUFUNGVxSFk0c2RGRW9Fc0F2ZHJSQ21aenBRUktqMHNoYnNlY2ozak9uYkt1c2drajJaUjZrMHlzMHVaSUZ3ckMyRmpWbmVOaWdPc2Vud3hoTkNzZWIzUDRkK2syM1dNdUFRYVNJNTAzWHdDcGcyWnVaYnhtbWpOQnFPd2E3cFhFczRGajJaUENvcG4zRDJCQ1hpaFRCeXNlUndhQnU1QT0ifQ==–##–Rnk1a0AO/xWjkTbJ08r0abZ12Bz+edMuOWXrAk9BfoB3vrXS4zaZsNwIYIsGwieo/OR/BzRBOnmRFW0dsieLYXKr1cBswqtKgnS+xhjjDmlfPFwemZzoIOe2X4FWmuwgluKSMkk+vPxpa9LwkAx3tqiUYsYY2tKjR5HP5D3T2N/1JqdJaKcXw4cQwnwmvqmma+Dzb76Q01Pk8+n6MzoTJ1wG21h2HgM1g2ZelELcgXu+jBdO4jtPpqgWy3w1FnNBlFLoVp7ey5QiaDkLEJvJksfbBooEDLc+4Cmf7U5QNrg8uNY7XXfSAo7PPTaVOoDT–##–

The organizer had set up a set of rules and regulations :

1. This challenge is open to all Malaysians and Singaporeans to participate
2. Participant must decipher ALL the 3 encrypted messages correctly to be considered as a winner
3. Participant will need to provide their email address and contact number upon submission
4. Participant will need to submit ALL answers latest by 17th Sept 2015 at 12.00pm. Any late submissions will not be entertained
5. Participant to email the answers to hackchallenge@yahoo.com
6. Organizers will only contact participants with the correct answers
7. Participants who successfully deciphered the messages will be requested to do a demonstration to the organizers on the way the messages were deciphered
8. Submissions from participants who are related directly or indirectly to the organizer and the rest of the team will be disqualified.

Well, it is a bad news for peoples from outside of Malaysia and Singapore as this challenge is opens only to Malaysian and Singaporean but if you can decipher the code, you surely know how to beat the rules.

The organizer had set up a website for this challenge with some introductions to AES256 encryption and some hidden secret keys. Go to their website here and start digging. Good luck. 

Read This Got This : Customize blog labels and add home button to your blog header area
Read This Got This : Safeguard your WIFI network
Read This Got This : Facebook authorship for blogger.com users 

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4 ways to eat keropok lekor

Terengganu is located in the shoreline of Malaysia, rich and famous with its white sand beaches and handfull set of islands. Whoever come to Terengganu must be delighted with it's people, it's nature, heritage and mind relaxing atmosphere.

Among other things popular in Terengganu, of course it's famous keropok lekor. Made of fish fillet and cornstarch mixed together and Read More >>>

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i'm stuck here and I don't know what I'm doing

I have been working for the same corporate company in my hometown here in Malaysia for almost seven years now. Yet i'm still holding the same position as i entered this company on 2008. Some of my co-workers had been migrating to the other company to get better position and pay but I'm still here. Some of my friends and clients had been wondering why I'm still here. Why I'm still an engineer. Why don't I migrate to other company despite my experiences and knowledge. No, I'm not loyal and no, i didn't refuse to attend any interview invitations.

One of my client called me a moron because I once had turned down an offer to replace my former boss but referred a co-worker to take up the position and now, I am his subordinate. Well, I have my own reason.

Among all interviews attended, there was an interview that I remember most , an interview for a project engineer position with a tank maintenance contractor. At the first segment, I was being interviewed by the GM of the company. It went very well, not so much technical questions asked. I answered every questions asked confidently. The atmosphere changed when his project manager entered the room. He asked set of a very technical question which I got to answer all of them. Then he asked some management related questions. He asked for specific words of every project management tasks. I failed to give him the words. I had been doing project management for 7 years but still can't give the words he wanted. I have been working day and night without knowing what i am doing.

I am a Computer Engineering Graduate from University of Technology Malaysia. I started off my career as a system engineer for a year before enrolling in Welding Inspection Course certified by BINDT. Then I started working in a very different field. The project manager told me that I won't go further in this field as a project engineer because my computer engineering degree won't be of any help in tender bidding exercise. Certain clients are very strict in technical background assessment. Then I realize why I'm stuck. After the interview, I stop applying for project engineer position and start applying for marketing position. I got zero interview invitation.

For some people that are still asking on why I didn't take up the offer to replace my ex-boss, my answer is I don't want to be alone. There is a saying that says the higher your position, the loner you become. You will be surrounded by the people that only want something in return instead of true friends. I could see the thing happened to my current boss which is my ex-co worker back then. He is lonely, subordinate feel uneasy and feel like being forced to accompany him at the cafe. I don't want that thing.

For now, I'm waiting for me and my family 571 visa approval following my wife to pursue her study in Australia. We will be there for 2 years beginning next February. This is the real reason actually why I'm stuk here. God knows what best for me. Maybe this is the turning point for me to start a new life, a new field of work after those 2 years. Thank you God.

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Preventing unauthorized access to WIFI network

WiFi has become a standard network for every household in the world. Almost every house in the world that subscribed to Internet uses WiFi for networking system. Do you know WIFI network could easily breaked over by intruders? Do you know counter measures on preventing unauthorized access to WIFI network? There are 3 common types of WiFi in the world:

1. Open WiFi

2. WEP protected WiFi

3. WPA/WPA2 protected

Open WiFi commonly used in public WiFi hotspot and hotel along with a user control gateway portal. Everyone can connect to the network but only users with valid username and password could access the Internet. There is also some users that use open WiFi for their private network risking unauthorized access to the network

WEP protected network is the oldest and weaker type of protection. Attacker could use tools such as Xiaopan or Kali Linux and perform ARP poisioning attack to gain access to the network. 

WPA/WPA2 so far is the strongest type of protection against penetration attack. It is possible to hack WPA but will take much longer time assisted with a set of guessed password list. There is a tool named reaver to shorten the time needed to hack WPA password. Some older devices doesn't support WPA type network. If this is the case, use other means of protection such as MAC fitering.

How to prevent unauthorized access

1. Disable WPS Pin Code.

WPS is WiFi protected Setup designed to ease the process on registering new devices to a wireless network. There are 2 types of WPS, Pin Code and Push Button. Push button is more secure to attack
because it needs physical access to the router push button compared to PIN code which  is very unsecured. Xiaopan and Kali LINUX users can take less than 5 minutes to crack the PIN code using Reaver

2. Use WPA/WPA2
WPA/WPA2 is more advanced and more secure than WEP authentication. Refer to your modem's manual on how to change the encryption type. Cracked WEP key could also be used to crack encrypted data travelling through your network risking leak of sensitive information. Use WPA/WPA2 instead of WEP

3. MAC filtering
This is for me the safest method to protect your network against unauthorized access unless the intruders have physical access to your devices and spoof their MAC with your MAC address. Using this method, only allowed MAC address given access to the network. Xiaopan or Kali Linux would never get any chance to crack your network.

4. Use wireless access gateway
This system is used for Internet access in hotels and paid hotspot scattered around the globe. Username and passwords are created in random and could only be used once. Hotel's or restaurant owner should use this system to protect their network.

Some people take a light attention to network security. They think of "Nothing loss, only some speed reduced". However there are so many possibilities that could be done by the intruders once they got access to your network listed but not limited to below:

1. Read your ISP's username and password.
Routers' configuration embedded web server usually doesn't use HTTPS. The password field is masked but could be easily unmasked using inspect element function. They could use your login info on their DSL line.

2. Change your router configuration admin username and password
Many users use default supplied router admin username and password which is attainable with a click on google. They could login to you router and change the username and password preventing you to change the WIFI password

3. Read sensitive data.
Cracked wireless key means your encrypted data could also be decrypted using the same key. Your phone number, sosial number, corporate email or your banking details could be read by the intruders.

Remember, our network is our network. Protected network means protected data and sensitive information. If your network suddenly becomes slower and your routers LEDs are blinking heavily, out of usual. Check your wireless network client. Your network could be attacked by someone. Take action and use counter measures to prevent unauthorized access to your precious WIFI network.

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Mahkota Dewa : A fruit of god?

 "Mahkota Dewa" scientifically named Phaleria Macrocarpa translated into English as "the god's crown" . This fruit origins from New Guinea Indonesia and famously known in Indonesia and Malaysia as a fruit with many benefits from stems, shell and leaves.

These pictures were taken in my parent's backyard in Terengganu, Malaysia. They planted and process these miracle fruit for their own consumption. No wonder they have a great health and still look young despite of their age.











Scientific studies had been performed and proved certain medical benefits of "Mahkota Dewa" namely Read More >>>

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Google analytics for Blogger

Imagine that you are a supermarket owner with plenty of sections placing various type of products. Which do you prefer, a potential buyer that have various interests and browse through many sections or 100 potential buyer with 100 different interest go directly to their interest section?

In a world of blogging and online market, those 2 types of scenario actually present and greatly influence the performance of a blog or website. Now we need to understand the basics in measuring your site's popularity

Pageview

Pageview counts how many time your page is viewed. for example, a visitor land on your main page, that counts 1 pageview. Then he click on another post link , counts 2 pageview. If your site have 10 pages and he goes to all 10 pages, that counts 10 pageview.

Visit/Unique Visitor

Unique visitor counts every different person that goes to your website identified by their IP address. Ip address is unique. This is the most essential numbers to measure your site popularity

For blogger platform users, there is a blog stat function that shows how many pageview counts by day, week, month and all time but is it accurate? Didn't you realize that the pageview counts also add up when you refresh your page? Also listed in stat function are post view counts, traffic source counts and audience counts. Still the data is not sufficient to determine WHO are the visitor to your site, what type of person they are, what are their interests, how much time they stay on your site, how they come to your site and how they get out. Those are set of parameters that are very important to improve your site content and ad targeting. We need to use google analytics to access those set of parameters. Trained webmasters are very familiar with Google analytics but as a blogger or blogger to be lacking the webmaster's skills, do you know how to use analytics with Blogger.com? Read on guys. It is easy as a pie.

First thing first, head on to google analytics portal here and sign in to google analytics. Use the same account as in blogger.com

After logged in, for first time user, you will be presented with some introductions on google analytics. Either follow the instructions or you can skip it.

Now go to admin tab, on account section(the leftmost). click on the dropdown list and select create new account.

Fill in the name of this new account, your blog url i.e http://learningtoolcheap.blogspot.com , industry category and reporting time zone.

Leave all those check marks checked and after finished with the form, click get tracking ID. Copy the tracking ID and paste it in notepad

At this point, analytics account setup had been finished, now head on to you blogger account, log in and go to your blog dashboard. Click on setting-other. In Google analytics section, paste tracking ID supplied in previous step in Analytics web property ID text box.

Now your blog have been integrated with google analytics. Google crawler will take some time to reach your blog. After an hour or two or in some cases 24 hour, the data will start showing in google anlytics. After logging in, you will see your account overview with some summaries of the data collected. Now click on your account to see its detail

 You will be shown the site audience overview with its Sessions, Users and Pageview.

Click on audience-geo-location. Your audience location count will be shown here. In this example, the audience are mostly come from Malaysia

Click on audience-mobile-overview, you can see how many users use desktop, mobile and tablet to access your site. In this example, majority of them use mobile.

Let's dig deeper, click on audience-mobile-devices. You will see counts of each mobile brand your audience use to access your site.

This one is my favourite feature of google analytics. In-Page analytics. Click on behaviour-in-page analytics. Some chrome users will experience error in opening this item. Just click on load in full view

This feature will show how your audience behave in your site, how long they stay in your site, how many users are viewing your site in real time and what do they click on. This is very important in planning your ads and link placement. It also could give rough ads click count.

For this special function, google had developed a chrome extension that could show your site in-page analytics without going to google analytics portal. Get the extension here and install it.

Go to your site and click on the analytics button to show in-page analytics.

Click the button again to turn it off.

In the example above, majority of the audience are using mobile device to access the page. It is essential to make sure the page performs well in mobile device browser. Do you need to buy all mobile device or let say borrow it from your friend to test the page? Absolutely no, don't have to do that. Just install mobile browser emulator chrome extension. Get it here . 

To emulate the mobile device browser, go to your site and then click on the 'm' button and select which device you would like to emulate. A new window will open will an emulation to your site in selected mobile device. 

With those set of tools, you can customize your site and plan your content to cater every aspects of your audience behaviors and properties. Keep working on and use Google analytics for Blogger to grow your blog. Good luck

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