In this article, we will show you how to import your Google Calendar into your WordPress Blog. In  the previous article, you copied data from the settings page of your Google Calendar into a document file. You will now use that data to create the Calendar Page and/or Widget for your blog.

The process involves using a PlugIn to WordPress. The “AmR iCal Events List” plugin does the magic. So, here are the steps to use it:

1. The first thing is to install & activate the AmR iCal plugin
2. Visit the Settings page for the plugin & add any needed info. The only item that normally needs to be changed is the “date localization” – I recommend the “none” option. Press “Update” to save any changes.
3. Visit the Appearance / Widgets page & drag the AmR iCal Widget to the desired sidebar of your theme.
4. Add a Title for the Widget and then SAVE.
5. Visit the home page of your site and assure that the sample events are displayed properly.
6. Revisit the Widget’s Settings & erase the link in the URL field then PASTE the “ICS Address” into the field (The address is found in the document that you saved at the previous article – or from the  Google Calendar Settings.) Be sure to SAVE the widget settings.
7. Return to the home page for your site and assure that YOUR calendar’s events are displayed.
8. You may also add a second calendar by placing it’s ICS address (url) in the field after your own calendar’s url. (Suggestion: include the calendar of your host community.)

That will complete the widget’s function! Enjoy. You can edit the manner that the events are displayed by making slight changes to the configuration. Visit the plugin homepage for instructions.

You may wish to include a PAGE on your site to provide a bigger and more complete display of your events.

1. Visit your site’s dashboard & click on Pages / Add New
2. In the Title field, enter your name for the page. E.g, “Events”
3. In the window, type the open square bracket character and the letters “iCal” followed by a space and the “ICS address” used in the widget above. Add another space and the text, “days=100 events=10" and the close square bracket.
4. The final text entered in the window will look something like:

[ iCal http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/btlcog@gmail.com/public/basic.ics days=100 events=10 ]

(Delete the space after the open bracket and before the close bracket. This is the data for the BLCOG calendar.)

1. Continue from step 4 above, you must revisit the settings for the AmR Widget (Appearance / Widgets) and enter the name of your page (from step 2 above) into the “Calendar Page URL” field. NOTE: only enter the name of the page (e.g., “Events”) and not the entire URL.
2. Save the widget and close
3. Visit your home page and your new “Events” page should be available. Click on it to assure that it works.

As with the Widget, you can edit the manner that the events are displayed by making slight changes to the configuration. Visit the plugin homepage for instructions.

Finally, we can create another page on your blog that displays the calendar much the same as the online Google Calendar page. Here are the steps to do that.

(NOTICE: With the newest version of WordPress, this function does not seem to work. Whenever you press “Save Draft” or “Publish” button, the code disappears and the page will not be displayed. I will return to this article when I find a resolution to the problem. In the mean time, if it works for you, enjoy. If not, just delete the page.)

1. Sign in to the dashboard of your blog & click on PAGE / Create New
2. Enter the Title for the page… e.g.,  Calendar
3. In the editor, click on the HTML tab
4. Copy the “Imbed Code” from the saved document & paste it into the window
5. Click on the VISUAL tab & you should see your Google Calendar in the window
6. Click “Publish” and you are finished.

You should see the page listed when you visit the home page of your site. Click on the Calendar page and it should display.

The next step is to share your calendar with the people who need to know about the events. Here are the steps to sharing your calendar:

1. Sign in to your calendar.
2. Click on the “Settings” link in the upper right of the page
3. Click on the “Calendars” tab
4. Under the “Sharing” heading, click on the “Share This Calendar“
5. Click on “Make This Calendar Public” and press SAVE  (I told you to get a Gmail account specifically for your organization)
6. Answer YES to the query about “Are you sure?”
7. Under the “Calendar” tab again, click on the email address for your calendar
8. Open a blank text document to paste info into.
9. Copy the address in the “Calendar Name” field and paste it into the document and save the document.
10. Under the “Calendar Details” enter your calendar’s information into the fields if you wish to change anything.
11. In the “Embed This Calender” block, copy the code from the field at the right side and paste it into the document and save again. This code can be included in the HTML code of a web page to display the current calendar.
12. In the “Calendar Address” block, Click on the “ICAL” button and copy the address that is displayed then paste it into your document and save once again.
13. Press the “SAVE” button at the bottom of the page to save any changes made to the page.
14. You may now sign out of your calendar.

Secure the text document that you created. You will use that information to share you calendar.

Google’s online calendar application is free, full-featured and it allows a lot of flexibility in scheduling. You can schedule a 5-minute event if you want. You can schedule recurring events (annual, monthly, weekly and even odd recurrences. You can create an event that occurs monthly, on the same day of the month or, on the same day of the week each month!

Google also allows you to invite others to an event and notes when they RSVP (or don’t). It will send alerts to your email or send a text to your cellphone.

The calendar is also in a format that allows it to be shared with others (you can select whether an event is to be private or shared). You can combine your calendar with other calendars (such as national holidays or another worker or organization). You can even allow others to create or edit events on your calendar if you want. It also syncs with most newer smartphones. This allows you to add or change events even when you are away from your computer.

That is a great combination for a church or business that has a problem with maintaining a central calendar and avoiding scheduling conflicts. It is especially valuable to organizations who want to publish their upcoming events on their web site.

So, how do I create a Google Calendar? If you do not already have a Google account SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUR CHURCH OR ORGANIZATION, then visit Google and get started… HERE. Note, you can sign up for a Google account using your existing (non-gmail) email address but I STRONGLY urge you to sign up for a GMAIL account in the name of your organization. It will provide many additional services.

After you have created an account, sign in at google.com/calendar and the site will walk you through the basics. Be sure to visit the SETTINGS link (upper right corner of the page) and review all of the options available to you.

Then go to the next article in this series…

One of the really cool features of some sites is that they have an events list in their sidebar. Such as the one at the BeyondLimitsCOG.com site.

How do you do it?  Is it hard to create or maintain? Good questions! Read on…

Actually, it is pretty easy. And, once set up, you or someone you trust, will only need to add an event on your online (Google) calendar. Then the system will AUTOMATICALLY update your website and display the appropriate events as they come due. Recurring events that you have created (birthdays, anniversaries, etc) will automatically appear at the appropriate time– without any intervention from anyone! And, you can add additional calendars from others to combine with your calendar.

If you have a self-hosted (single or multi-user) WordPress website, then let me tell you how to do it.

1. Create a Google Calendar
2. Share the Calendar with ics
3. Import the Calendar into your WP Blog

Each of these functions is a little complicated so I will create a SERIES of posts (this is the first) to explain how to accomplish each step. As I create each step, I will link the article to the points above.

I hope you find the new site inviting and easy to use. Please leave a comment and tell me what you think.

• I like/dislike the colors & balance on the site
• I like/dislike the functions of the site
• I find  the site easy/difficult to use
• Now, I cannot __________________
• I liked the old site better/worse
• Or any other comments

I am also concerned about any problems that I may have introduced in the conversion.

• Dead or misdirected links (cannot find what you asked for)
• Missing  functions (something that  you could do previously but not now)
• Articles that are no longer applicable (talking about something that is no longer correct on the site – maybe a step-by-step instruction concerning the {now changed} menu system)
• Anything that is just incorrect now (probably was thought to be accurate when written but is clearly wrong now)

If you find any of these errors, please post a comment and tell me the Title of the article and what is wrong.

Windows Vista Home Premium
AMD Phenom 9850 Quad Core Processor 2.50 GHz
8.00 GB RAM

Hope that’s enough info

I know the Bishop probably dislikes the Facebook games; however, I enjoy them. My question is this: When I play the games (farmville, cafe world) my processor will become louder and you can hear it running. This really frustrates my husband and he thinks it is a problem with my computer.

I need to know is this normal? Or should I call for service.

Thank you!

Yes, I do [believe that is the problem] and since it only happens when the games have a lot of activity, I figured that was why.

It has happened sometimes when the anti-virus is running an in-depth scan.  Phil is worried it is going to blow up.  I have protection with the geek squad where they come to your house, so I am going to call them just to make sure.

I really don’t play any other online games and don’t want to because of viruses, so I am not going to try that.

Thanks for your help.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established NEW rules: You must stop using wireless microphones operating in the UHF band of frequencies between 698 and 806 MHz no later than June 12th, 2010!

I personally own an AKG model SR-40 microphone that operates at 734.xxx MHz. I don’t  know if the company will offer some way to convert the device or some reimbursement — but I doubt it. I am probably out the cost of the device (retailed for nearly $1000).

Is YOUR mike included? Look on the back or bottom of the receiver and it SHOULD tell you the frequency on which it operates. If it operates on a frequency between 698 and 806 MHz, then you MUST STOP USING IT by June 12th of this year!

This is a BIG deal for me. I suspect that it will be a problem for a lot of churches and others who have public address systems. You need to be aware of this and make arrangements prior to the cut-off time.

The FCC web site has a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list here. Be sure to check it out and be ready to comply with the new rule. Otherwise, you open yourself up for legal penalties!

That is a GOOD QUESTION! When I bought the unit, that was my original intention. But, as Bob stated, there is very little info about this. That is understandable since Ooma probably wants you NOT to use it that way. Let me explain…

The Ooma Hub “normally” will be set up as a supplement to your normal fixed phone line.  This is how it is described in their documentation (page 2 of the user guide):

By using the ooma system with a landline, you increase the reliability of your phone service and retain traditional 911 services. This allows you to make and receive phone calls, including 911 calls, even if your Internet service is down or your power is out….

The benefits of setting up the Ooma system this way:

• The standard setup is simple and quick and does not require any rewiring of the home.
• If you use this setup, then all of Ooma’s documentation works correctly.
• The standard setup is REQUIRED if you want to use the Ooma Scout. The Scout allows you to have a second Ooma “private” phone number and provides an “extension” phone connection elsewhere in your home.
• Even if you disconnect your fixed phone line, everything will still work as described

The downside of the “normal” setup:

• You ONLY have Ooma phone service on whatever phone(s) are connected directly to the Ooma Hub (or optionally, the Scout).
• The placement of the Hub (near your Internet Modem) may not be a convenient location to place the ONLY Ooma phone.
• If you do set up the Ooma as secondary, then the answer to Bob’s question is “No. You cannot use the Ooma for “whole house phone service.”

So to offset some of these problems, Ooma offers the Ooma Scout as an alternative. The Scout allows you to have a second Ooma phone line and a “private” number plus other benefits. (Note: The use of the Ooma Scout requires you to pay for their “Premier service.)

My solution: (The order of these steps is important. It may take a couple weeks or more for the phone company to complete all of the actions). If your ISP is Cable or Fiber, you can skip to item #4.

1. Request that the phone company move the DSL connection from your home phone number to a “dry line.” Tell them that you will – at a later time – “port” your home phone number to another provider and you want to retain DSL service WITHOUT attached phone service. This will change the DSL’s phone number to another number and the installer will place the (new) DSL line on a separate connection at the phone company’s box on your home. This MUST be completed prior to starting item #4.
2. Connect your DSL modem to the NEW DSL connection and assure that you can connect to the Internet. Your fixed phone line and all existing phones will still be connected to the original phone connection and still will work correctly until you decide to turn off the land line / fixed phone service.
3. After the installed has moved the DSL connection, you can remove all of the DSL filters from your phone lines. They will no longer be needed whether you use an Ooma device or not.
4. Activate your Ooma Hub and request a SEPARATE Ooma phone number. You can port your home phone number later.
5. Connect the Ooma Hub to your Modem (DSL Cable or Fiber) according to the instructions included with the Ooma device.
6. Forward all calls from your phone company number to the new Ooma phone number. (This service may require an additional expense but you will only need  it until your number is ported and then it will become your Ooma phone number.
7. Disconnect the telephone company’s line from your home phone system. This can be done by simply unplugging the plug in the box where the telephone service enters your home.
8. THIS IS THE SOLUTION AND IS IMPORTANT! – DO NOT connect the Ooma “Wall” jack to the phone jack on the wall as they show in the documentation. Instead, connect the Ooma “Phone” jack to the standard phone jack.
9. At this point, all of your phones will be active on the Ooma line & Ooma phone number. All calls made either to your old home phone number OR to the new Ooma phone number will ring all the phones in your house. All outgoing calls will be made via the Ooma hub and all US calls will be free. Note that anyone you call will see your CallerID number as the Ooma number so this may be confusing but it will only be for a short time.
10. When you are satisfied with the call quality and service that the Ooma device provides, begin the process ofporting your old home phone number to the Ooma. Ooma currently charges #39.99 for this service but your phone company should not charge you anything for their part.
11. You should be notified when your home number has been ported over to the Ooma. This is the time that you  should  call your phone company and assure that they have stopped billing you.

You are now set up with Ooma to make and receive calls without any long distance charges or monthly fees! All phones connected to your existing home phone wiring should work properly and you can use any normal phone or device at any jack.

DISCLAIMER: This and all guides & How-To’s on this site are given as general information only. You are entirely responsible for your own actions. I will not be held liable for any damage done as a result of your attempts to follow these guides. USE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK!

If you have tips for other Twitter users, tell us about it in the COMMENTS below.

Recently, I had the opportunity to use the facility for the first time. I hope I do not have that “opportunity” again for a while.

If you  are not  familiar with  Facebook, Twitter and social media sites, I have written a bit of a tutorial on my other blog that describes how I use these services.  You can  read the article here: http://chiefshepherd.com/2010/01/friend-unfriend/

For Christmas this year, I bought a Samsung 40″ flatscreen TV. It is not the very best but it was all I felt that I needed/wanted/could afford. It supports the full 1080p and has resolutions up to 1920 x 1080i. It also has a VGA input connection.

Since my old Dell e-1505 laptop also has a VGA connection (what a concept!), I was FORCED to  connect them. As  soon as I did, both the TV and the computer recognized each other and  started to display. However, the default is to  MIRROR the  laptop’s display. It was a few simple clicks to get separated displays: System – Preferences – Display and then just UNclick “mirror screens” & set the desired resolutions and we are off to the races!

I  like the portability of sending tweets from my ATT Tilt phone but the AWESOME view of Seesmic (my choice of Twitter/Facebook client) on a 40″ screen will just about blow you away!

BTW, the current version of Ubuntu (9.10) includes a version of Wine which WILL run my favorite Bible program (OnlineBible)! So I don’t need to run Windows at all anymore!!!

Check the short video that shows both screens in  action:

Updated Dec 23, 2009

This is pretty amazing, considering that the site was first put online August 11, 09! We have had over 1500 visitors in the two months and here is what the Website Grader has to say about us…

HubSpot’s Website Grader
Report for raywaldo.com
Dec 23, 2009 at 11:49 PM

A website grade of 92/100 for raywaldo.com means that of the hundreds of thousands of websites that have previously been evaluated, our algorithm has calculated that this site scores higher than 92% of them in terms of its marketing effectiveness. The algorithm uses a proprietary blend of over 50 different variables, including search engine data , website structure, approximate traffic, site performance, and others.

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The Editors at Blogged rated us “Very Good”

Click on the badge (above) to offer YOUR rating of this site.

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Technorati Blog Ranking : Top 2.29 %

Technorati is a popular blog directory service. It measures the popularity of a given blog as compared to all other sites that have been submitted to its system. This blog currently has a Technorati rank of 1,603,173, which puts it in the top 2.29% of blogs tracked by Technorati.

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