Adsense for Blogger Beta has disappeared

I just noticed that when I upgraded my template after signing up to the new blogger beta service that it dropped adsense from my dashboard options. I have had to manually re-insert the code for adsense back into my page. It was annoying to have to do but was a task which was made significantly easier by the new template interface.

I just highlighted the insert page element - chose 3rd party HTML and copy and paste the code from the adsense code generator from the main adsense site.

I still find this a bit of an irritation. I accept that it is now more customisable - but its not as quick and simple to use. It almost seems like a step backwards - a strange thing to see from google.

I wonder if it happened because when I moved to the beta i associated my account with my gmail and adsense account - whereas I had been using another log in for blogger.com.

Has anyone else had trouble with adsense on the new blogger beta? I couldn't find this problem listed in the known issues section - and the beta help instructions says I should have an extra tab on my template page - but it just isnt there. Any thoughts anyone?

O2 Phone Insurance

My mobile phones are forever breaking, I believe it is down in part to my inherently clumsy nature and part down to the fact that I am always having the latest and greatest PDA brick phone that is going. In the past I have had a nokia communicator - however, for the last two years I have been using the xda by o2. My current model is the xda 3g exec.

Click here for my full review of the phone.

When I got it there was the tiniest of defects in the top left hand corner of the screen. Like a hair almost sat underneath the screen. It was so minor I went on my way and thought nothing more about it.

After a couple of weeks I noticed the line was starting to spread - this wasnt a scratch - it was a crack. I phoned O2 who said to me that I had to make an insurance claim, that had a £25 excess on it. I argued that the product had been faulty since I got it - and should have been repaired under waranty - they told me to go my nearest O2 store where I could get it replaced. I had been there about 15 minutes and was soon aware that they were not happy about replacing a phone I had been sent as an upgrade. They said to me that I should have brought it to the attention of O2 immediatley. OK fair enough, I can see why that is - although its not really what I wanted to hear - and surely O2 could have told me that on the phone and saved me a trip.

I returned home and phoned O2. I was told to lodge a claim for my phone - which I immediatley did. That was two weeks ago - and due to a stock shortage they haven't been able to deliver me a new one. Instead offering me the option of a permenant downgrade. I have been without a usable screen for two weeks now.

I think its time to ask for some free phone calls.

I'll let you know how I got on.

The Death of Steve Irwin

Like many people around the world this monday morning I awoke to the sad news that Steve Irwin (44), world famous Crocodile Hunter and conservationist is dead.

Apparently he died in a freak accident involving a sting ray. He was stung in the chest after swimming with the fish - and was pronouced dead on arrival at hospital.

He was filming underwater in Australia with a Stingray when he was stung. It is vary rare that these fish actually kill people although their barb does contain a venom and the barb is sharp like a bayonet. If this punctured any of his major organs he would have stood little chance. Some conspiracy theorists have already come forward and said it doesn't add up - people just don't die in these circumstances. Stingrays are sometimes called the "pussycats of the sea" because of their gentle non aggressive nature. The largest ones can grow up to 13ft long and their tail is often twice the length of their body. I feel if anyone was going to push the limits of just how close you can get to these animals it would be Steve - and occassionally these things do happen.

I was a huge fan of Irwin. What you saw was what you got with him. A man with an unrivalled passion for nature - and a seemingly reckless streak - that got him in trouble with various animals and the law on more than one occassion.

Steve has a wife, Terri and two children.

The Prime Minister of Autrallia has led tributes to the naturalist. I personally will miss him he has always been a great source of entertainment and put Australia back on the map for a lot of people who had long forgotten about it since Crocodile Dundee hung up his boots. Lets hope that they can find some fitting tribute Steve - any suggestions anyone.

I personally would like to think that wherever he has gone - he is probably in the same place as the Dodo and a wonderful range of other creatures who have had the dubious pleasure of becoming extinct. Probably annoying the hell out of them.

The power of blog

I never considered when i first published my blog about exiteit that it could reflect on someone negatively. The company treated me badly and I felt the world should know. From the posts I received it seems that my rant was justified. However, one person made the point that that satisfied customers rarely rave on the net about their purchases. I suppose that is also true.

Will my blog be here in iternity? Will this always reflect badly upon them. Maybe so. Do they take down dead peoples blogs? It's not nice to have a black mark against your name permenantly. Hopefully it will fade into significance when they stop behaving badly.

Its made me realise this blog is only a little bit about me and a whole lot more about who responds to it - and will impact on other people if I mention them on here. As long as Im honest I don't see this really being a problem.