In addition to research databases and journal archives, I use Google Scholar quite a bit. One of the things I really like about Google Scholar is the ability of the service to dig up publications that are "floating around". Sometimes, when an article or manuscript is really hard to come by - maybe because it has not been officially digitized, or maybe because the local university library just does not subscribe to the publication that published the article - then Google Scholar is able to find is some version of the article. A big time saver, because I would otherwise have to request a hard copy of the work at the university library and wait for it to arrive.

I recently discovered a feature, which further improves the usefulness of Google Scholar, namely the ability to import citations directly from Google Scholar into my citation management software.
This feature surely beats entering citations manually, but it's also faster than logging on to a research database, finding the publication, publication volume and issue, and finally the publication itself, which usually the place from where a citation can be exported.

The citation import feature needs to be enabled in the Google Scholar preferences. The preferences are accessed from the link provided just next to the search field. On the preferences page, locate the 'Bibliography Manager' section, enable links to citation imports and choose a suitable import format.

After saving preferences, Google Scholar search results now include an option to import citation:

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I have just enabled a new theme at this site and it's something I have been meaning to do ever since moving to Wordpress. So far, I have been using the default Kubrick theme (in a slightly modified version, that displays the sidebar on all pages), which is a very nice theme albeit somewhat bland (or maybe that's just beacuse so many people use it?). I have been wanting to use a different theme that was my own and a little more feisty, in comparison to the Kubrick theme.

Now, the way it is with these itches, it is something where it's quite a leap to actually start doing something about it. I have done it by not starting from scratch and by working in small increments, which also is why it has taken me so long.

I started by finding a theme, that would lend itself to customization. After taking a look at a few very comprehensive and complex themes (one theme is described as a theme suite), I decided to use something simpler that would not require me to spend a lot of time learning the intricate details of the theme. This led me to the Modified Kubrick Full Sidebar Theme, which is based on the original Kubrick theme. I therefore knew the basic layout, CSS and so on, and I knew these to be pretty straight forward and clean cut.

The Modified Kubrick Full Sidebar Theme satisfied my requirement for Wordpress widget support, but I also wanted a theme that made use of the available horizontal space on the screen. The original Kubrick theme (and subsequently also the Modified Kubrick… Theme) is restricted to a width of 760 pixels, to cater to users with 800×600 pixel resolution. According to the statistics collected by Statcounter (it's free…) for this site, only about 1 percent of my visitors use a resolution of 800×600 pixels. To help me come up with a layout to satisfy this requirement, I found my way to this very useful guide to Wordpress themes.

Lastly, I had to come up with colors and shapes for the elements in the layout. I don't believe in engineers doing graphical design since the result is usually pretty horrible. So what I did was to shop around by looking at other themes, either copying or getting inspired by what I liked. The result may still be horrible, but be assured that I at least made a conscious effort to avoid it.

Please feel free to comment on the theme - especially if you come across errors (I'm aware of some IE issues, including custom bullet points and transparent .png's).

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Sofie shot this video of Anna sitting in a laundry basket

Video recorded on October 9., 2006.

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Every wednesday during the month of October, Skype will give away free SkypeOut credits equivalent of 20 minutes call time.

Get free credits here…

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I can only attribute the availability of these "snow jogger" boots at smartguy.dk to the fashion impact of Napoleon Dynamite.

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An ealier post described how to synchronize an iTunes playlist with a folder on my SE P910i memory stick. This approach uses a batch file and some javascript libraries, which sort of makes it belong in the *hack* category.

Today, while browsing the S60 blogs, I came across a post (look towards the end of the post) that links to a description of how the same thing can be achieved in a more streamlined fashion, using the open source tool iTunes Agent.

The iTunes Agent enables synchronization between an iTunes playlist (including smart playlists) and any USB "mass storage device".

ps. On the S60 blogs I also came across a link to a freeware DivX player for Symbian based devices (including S60 3rd Ed.)

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Now that I have the Asus WL-500g Premium hooked up and working, I have decided to do a little fine tuning of the wireless coverage. Because the wireless router is located in the basement, wireless coverage has always been a bit flaky in our upstairs office where we keep a desktop. I know it's a bad idea to place the router in the basement and that you're supposed to place your router high and in the center of the house. Unfortunately, with the telephone wiring in our old house, that's just not possible.

So, what to do to improve coverage on the first floor?

• I have decided not to mess with the radio output power on the WL-500gP. I don't want to boil the skin off another household member and besides, the default power setting on my WL-500gP appears to be at maximum (issuing the command 'wl txpwr1′ in the WL-500gP's hidden admin page reports 'TxPower is 127 qdbm, 31.75 dbm, 1496 mW Override is Off').
• I am going to check the different channels and see, if signal strength and noise varies between channels.
• I am looking into parabolic reflectors to use with router antennas. I have built a couple of DIY 6 inch reflectors, but I might also try the commercial Flatenna and a corner reflector.

The 6 inch DIY reflectors seem to work quite well. I have only tried them out in the basement between the main WL-500gP and my WRT54G wireless bridge, but I experience an improvement close to the "advertised" 9 dB gain. Before attaching the reflectors, the wireless bridge reported an RSSI between -66 and -72 dB and after attaching the reflectors RSSI went to between -55 and -64 dB. I have constructed the reflectors really fast and simple (printed reflector template on thick paper, to which I glued kitchen tin foil), but I might try to see if being more careful and using the foiled cardboard from a cut open Pringle's can yield further improvement.

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