I bet that the inventor of the Internet, Al Gore, made the recommendation that Google change their style sheet.

This actually freaked me out, I thought my browser got hacked.

Either way it's ugly as all heck.

Update: The new beta will be labeled Semiologic 5.5.

Open up the plugins folder located /wp-content/plugins/sem-bookmark-me/, scroll down to about line 220 and find the array for newsvine, just beneath it add

'onlywire' => array(

'name' => 'Onlywire',

'url' => 'http://www.onlywire.com/submit?t=%title%&u=%url%'

 ),

You will also need to download this image and add it to the plugins image folder @ /wp-content/plugins/sem-bookmark-me/img/ (do not change the name of the image) .

Your done. 

First, you will need to go to Dapper and create a new account. Once your account is created navigate to the Dapper home page and click on the option to create a new Dapp.

Now choose the option in the tab menu to use content from an existing feed, enter the url of your feeds location, and as your format select Dapp XML. If you are using a feed redirection plugin turn it off. Note:  This will only work if the feeds url is part of your blog.

At this point you should be on Step Two, Preview and Name. This step is pretty self explanatory, I unchecked the publication date. Make sure everything looks good, then click next step to be taken to Step Three.

Step Three, saving your Dapp. Go over and make sure your Dapp Name, Description, and Tags are filled in ( when filling in your tags try to use LSI keywords). You will notice an input when saving your Dapp.

This is the reason the feed you use must be a part of your blog and not located somewhere else, aka feedburner. All your love will go to the domain hosting your feed.

Now to complete Step Three and Save your Dapp. You will then be taken to your Dapps page. Bookmark this page.

Use your newly created Dapp.

You will notice in the drop down menu that there are quite a few options, but for this demo we are going to create a Google Gadget. Select Google Gadget from the drop down menu and hit Go .

Fill in your gadgets name and description.  In the "Fields to Display" uncheck two fields "Item link" and "Show labels", play around with the advanced options and see what you like, click the Update Input button.

Scroll down and display the option "Get a nice short URL" in the field "What do you want your service to be called?" and give your gadget a nice name and save the service.

We are just about done. Time to submit the gadget to Google. Make sure you are signed in to your Google account.

Scroll back up and find the submit to google section.

First add the gadget to your iGoogle page. Then click on the publish in the iGoogle directory (a new window will open up), and accept the terms. You should now be viewing your congratulations notice.

Thats it your done, you have turned your blog into a Google gadget.

But the blog directory I own has done pretty well.  Blogoozle.com has been online for a little more than a year and has consistantly been on page 2-3 for the term blog directory.   But 'G' has been nice this update and moved it up to page one.  Not sure how it happened, but I'm not going to complain.

Best of luck

Thanks to the Semiologic plugin Version Checker, which notified my blog that the plugin needed to be updated.

Learn how to install WordPress.

Upon joining, you are given a widget to place on your blog that allows other bloggers to drop their card. Every time a card is dropped, or you drop your business card, you earn advertising credits that can be used to place your ad on as many blogs as you choose.

In the few days that I have been a member of EntreCard the traffic I have received has been quite impressive The problem I see is that it's not targeted traffic and the bounce rate is thru the roof, everyone stops by and drops a card and leaves.

EntreCard does seem to be a much alternative better than anything else out there, so I will stick with them a little longer before making a final judgment.

Sign up with EntreCard.

Blog Engage is a fairly new community, the owner is a very dedicated and hard working webmaster and I'm positive that Blog Engage will become a serious force in the blogosphere, thats why it was also included in the post 8 ways to Promote your Blog in 2008.

Promoting your blog should always be a ongoing and evolving process.  With the New Year upon us, I would like to share some simple yet very effective ways to help promote your blog.

BlogoWogo - Community where audience members rate blog entries.

Blog TopList - The blogospheres best toplist.  Home page has a Page Rank of 7.

Bloggers Choice Awards - Have a friend nominate your blog for a Blogger Choice Award.  Traffic and exposure is great.

EatonWeb Blog Directory - One of the Internets oldest and strongest blog directories.  Home page has a page rank of 7, the category pages are a PR5.

Blog Pulse - Blog search engine with a complete suite of blog conversion and tracking tools.

Blog Flux - A great all in one solution to put your blog promotion in overdrive.

Bloggeries - Blog resource directory providing in depth blog reviews and a high traffic revenue sharing blog forum.

Blog Engage - A new community where bloggers submit their posts and allow other members to vote on their favorites.

Good luck with your blog promotion in 2008.