Posted: 2023-09-23 At: 3:35 am:  





Initiate The Search Of External Websites From The Web Guide

The first new feature gives visitors the option to initiate the search of an external website from a search box within the Web Guide.

The image above shows some of the search results for the search term "eCommerce" with search boxes next to each of the results.

Lets say a shopper is looking for a specific item at the lowest price. The external search is designed to save users the time of putting together a list of websites usually stocking the item, visiting each website, then, inputting the search term into each of the websites search box individually.

eCommerce is a broad search term. 138 results were provided, showing stores with the broadest range of items at the top of the results. If desired, visitors can also sort the results alphabetically via title.

Within the results, each store/website has a search box (if available), along with their known social media websites and a link to an additional details webpage.

Most websites get their search term from the URL in the address bar after it's submitted from their search box. I visit each website, get the necessary URL, then input it as the URL to forward users to when an external search is executed.

I only recently began adding the search boxes. Chances are, if a website doesn't have a search box, I just haven't gotten to them yet. Otherwise, they might not provide a way to forward users to their search results webpage or simply don't provide a search.

Using the search box is fairly simple. Simply input a search term into the search box of the website you want to search. Then press submit. The search results open in a new tab and are displayed via the website you chose to search. Most likely you'll get forwarded to the new tab at the same time.

Click back on the Web Guide's browser tab, input the same term into the next website's search box you want to search and press submit. When you've input the search term within the search boxes of all the websites you want to search, the items are available to view within each of the open tabs.

The benefit of having multiple eCommerce options allows shoppers to compare the variety of items each store provides, the quality, availability, and prices, along with any additional options such as shipping, in store pickup, payment options and layaway, among others.

The Web Guide provides the same external search boxes for numerous types of websites, including search engines. Web Guide visitors who visit the "Search Engine's" category box webpage can initiate searches of numerous search engines through the Web Guide. The same with magazines.

The search boxes should provide those doing research or simply just desiring to surf the web, additional ways to obtain accurate results quicker.




View XML Feeds Via The Web Guide

The second feature gives users the option to view XML feeds through the Web Guide via a "View Feed" link shown below specific website URLs.

The addition of the link is a subtle addition, yet an addition I think many can benefit from.

I haven't added all the possible feeds. Much like the search box URL's, I visit each website to get the feeds. The feature is still new. I haven't visited all the websites yet.

Plus, some websites either don't have feeds, have feeds incompatible with the new feature, or don't update their website enough to justify adding the feed. A few have a feed webpage listing numerous feeds. In some instances, I link to their feeds webpage instead of a specific feed.

When a user clicks the "View Feed" link, the title and a short description of the websites latest posts and news stories are viewable.


Additional Notes About The Web Guide:

• All search results are available for every search input. The fact the Web Guide doesn't restrict the number of results visitors can view may sound arbitrary to many. To others, being able to view all the results from a specific search is a substantial benefit.

To view all the websites through the search box, type "All Websites" without the quotes into the search box and press submit.

• Search results are available via the Web Guide's ranking system and available alphabetically, sorted via title.

• The Web Guide's ranking system isn't a complicated computer generated ranking system. All the websites aren't ranked. After the ranked websites end, the remaining websites are listed alphabetically via title.

• Each of the category box result webpages (the webpages found through the category boxes), have a second search box, allowing users to search just the websites within the category box webpage.

• Some of the category box result webpages are listed alphabetically. Others are listed via the WGR. Until recently, most of the category box result webpages didn't have enough results to justify listing them both via the WGR and alphabetically. I'm hoping to eventually add alphabetic results to the category boxes.

• The Web Guide doesn't have any advertising and doesn't use affiliate links. I usually don't add websites with affiliate links or extensive advertising either.

• All website URL's within the Web Guide are DoFollow.

• I input all websites manually. Sometimes I make mistakes. If you notice a mistakes or have a suggestion to improve the Web Guide, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Posted: 2022-12-22 At: 5:30 am:  




I posted the latest book I wrote, "Light Throughout The Night" for free as blog posts.

Light Throughout The Night is a complete story with many twists and turns. The only way to feel the essence of the story is to read it from beginning to end. If you begin reading the book, I encourage you to read all the chapters.

Even though I posted the book as blog posts, the eBook is still available for sale. As a result, please don't post the book elsewhere.

If you like the book and want to purchase the eBook version to have as your own, please visit the Light Throughout The Night store webpage.

I don't have any plans to take down “Light Throughout The Night” at a later date. However, I haven't sold as many copies as I would have liked. I'm not great at marketing. If a representative of an incorporated publishing company, a literary agent, or anyone else who reads the books via the blog posts, likes what they see and contacts me in regards to publishing, chances are I'll take down the blog posts in favor of professional publication.


For those who aren't familiar with Light Throughout The Night, below is a brief description:

To learn more about Light Throughout The Night, please visit the About Light Throughout The Night Webpage.

Posted: 2022-09-14 At: 5:30 am:  




As with last year, I spent most of the year writing and programing, trying to stay busy, being creative.

In contrast, I didn't continue writing the two books I began writing last year. They're just about the same as they were in 2021. They have a beginning middle and end, about 25K words each, yet, plenty of words still need writing.

I did write many blog posts throughout the year, about twenty for Dusty Loft, eight at GeorgeFarina.net and two at Medium.

Keeping with the same system I used last year, I kept them unpublished until today. I find many more errors, make the posts much better if I edit them over a longer period of time.

The posts at George Farina.net are listed below. Four are excerpts from chapters of Far From Perfect:


Two are posts created from images within the previous GeorgeFarina.net gallery. I combined the websites gallery with the blog gallery, then turned the images from the websites gallery into blog posts:


The blog posts at Medium are titled:


I also posted numerous blog posts at the Dusty Loft blog, to many to list individually, blog posts including fictional stories, episode reviews, creatively written blog posts, song lyrics, among others.

I began writing two new books in 2022, both fiction. One of them I got much further with than the other, a book I began writing as a comic book series, having written a few issues during previous years.

I included past issues as part of the book, then added to them, turning the issues into much longer stories within the book.

The other book is written somewhat similarly, not in the sense of a fictional comic character, in the sense, it began as different thoughts, stories I wrote, than combined to form a book.

I spent many hours programing as well, working with the Web Guide, updating my personal website.

Two new category boxes have been added to the Web Guide. A category box showing all the URL's with just the URL and title in a dual format layout. And a category box showing the dates websites were added to the Web Guide.


I also added a grey template to the Web Guide. To choose between the Default Template and the Grey Template, click on "More" via the upper menu after visiting the Web Guide.

Posted: 2022-09-14 At: 5:30 am:  


While attending Manchester Community College, then, Middlesex Community College I took two courses I remember more vividly than any other courses I took at the time, Business Management 101 and College Writing 101.

Before I wrote this chapter, I looked at my old college transcripts to help jog my memory. There are courses on my transcripts I can't remember at all. I can't remember the teacher, students, what was taught or even attending the class. With these two courses, I remember the teachers, some of the students, where I sat and even much of what was taught.

I think the reason the business and writing courses stand out in my mind is because of a combination of timing and good teaching. I took the writing course when I was between jobs, allowing me to focus more on the material. I’d imagine the fact I had access to a computer and enjoy writing also helped.

The teacher for the Business Management course was excellent. He taught lessons I categorize as real-world knowledge. I was working third shift at a supermarket while taking the course. He used a supermarket as the subject of two lessons. Like many supermarkets, the supermarket he spoke about placed handheld baskets at the entrance of the store to give customers an additional option to carry groceries. The owners of the supermarket decided to place a stack of baskets at each corner of the store.

The placement of baskets throughout the store was great for customers who only planned to shop for a few items, items they could carry without a basket, customers who didn't grab a basket at the entrance. If, while shopping, these customers decided to purchase more items then they could carry, they could simply grab a basket from any of the additional much closer locations.

He said, as a result, the stores sales greatly improved the following year. In the past, most customers who walked in without a basket only purchased the items they originally intended to purchase. If the customer saw additional items on the shelf they wanted, they probably wouldn't have walked to the front of the store for a basket. The idea makes sense. I'm surprised other supermarkets don't add baskets throughout the store.

The same supermarket also owned a field next door. They turned the field into a dairy farm, where they kept cows, allowing them to sell their milk. With a dairy farm next to the store, the supermarket could sell fresh milk at a lower cost due to the closer location.

I can’t remember the name of the supermarket. From what I remember, the supermarket was one of the largest individual supermarkets in the country. They implemented many unique innovative ideas, with many of their ideas becoming standards in the industry.

The teacher of the course gave another example using a supermarket within his teachings. However, his next example was an example of what not to do in business. He said the owner of a supermarket took a half cent from every dollar the store earned.

Due to the fractional amount, the missing money wasn't easily noticed. Even if noticed, most would overlook the fractional amount. However, over the course of a year, the half cents added up to a substantial amount. Then, the owner tried to hide the money from the IRS to save on taxes. The IRS did catch the owner. As a result, he spent time in jail.

The teacher of the business management was very knowledgeable. He really enjoy teaching. He kept the class entertaining. The subject matter taught was interesting. He was young. He seemed to be a bit fun loving.

I remember at the end of a class he addressed the ladies in the class. He said something similar to, “I'm single. I drive a Porsche”. He said it in serious, yet, joking tone. Most students in the class laughed. I thought it took courage on his part. Nevertheless, I don't know if he ended up with a date.

The other course I have fond memories of was a college writing course. Before taking the writing course, I doubt I wrote more than a few essays in my entire life. To be completely honest, I only remember writing one essay, an essay about Salt Lake City in Utah, while in grade school.

The course was English 101, with a focus on writing. The teacher was extremely tough and let the students know the first day of class. She said every semester a few students walk out of the class crying. The year I took her course was no different.

After taking the course, I understood why students got upset. The assignments weren't easy. Students needed to spend many hours writing the type of essays required. The teacher was very straight forward with her comments. She didn't pull any punches.

After putting in a lot of work just to complete a paper, reading her comments was very difficult. However, her style was also why she was a great teacher. By the time I finished the course, I was a much better writer. At the same time, I was well behind the curve before the course began, I still had a long way to go. Regardless, the course was a good start.

The English 101 course didn't only improve my writing, the course also improved my overall knowledge. I wrote a paper titled “The Complications of Stress”. While doing research, I learnt the severe effects of stress.

I wrote a paper about the Tragedies of Prison. I learnt about rehabilitation in prisons and in many cases the lack of rehabilitation. I wrote several papers in her class, providing me with additional knowledge about a variety of subjects.

The course was extremely difficult, nevertheless I stuck with it. During the course, I began realizing how much I enjoyed writing. Even though the course was tough and at times very harsh, I greatly respected the teacher. She provided a great deal of knowledge to her students. I found her direct approach admirable.

Below are excerpts, with a few adjustments, from one of the papers I wrote in her class. I didn't get a great grade on the original version.

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Complications of Stress, by George Farina

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, stress is a mentally or emotionally disruptive or disquieting influence. Stress is a condition affecting the way a person thinks, acts and feels. It is not uncommon to suffer from unconditional amounts of stress in the 1990's. Since today's society is extremely fast paced, people from bankers to janitors have high stress levels, causing them to suffer from symptoms of stress.

Some people take their jobs too seriously. They put too much pressure on themselves to strive at work. Supervisors can also make the work place more stressful, by issuing unobtainable deadlines and by yelling at employees.

In addition, with the downsizing of companies, many people have to put in overtime hours or have to bring work home. As far as females are concerned, many don’t just have full time jobs, many are responsible for taking care of their homes and families. Furthermore, plenty of people, both male and female are working at places where they don’t enjoy the job they’re responsible to complete.

In today's economy, it is difficult to support a family on one paycheck. Certain individuals such as young couples paying college tuition's can’t get ahead in life. Young couples, just out of college often work two jobs and still struggle to survive.

Negative stimuli are not the only causes of stress. Changes in a person's personal life can also create stress. For example, the death of a loved one, divorce, and personal injury can cause high levels of stress. Causes for lower stress levels include vacations, minor violations of the law and holidays.

A person's personality also contributes to stress levels. High-strung people are known to have higher stress levels. Laid back people usually have lower stress levels. When a person suffers from stress over a long period of time, the extended periods of stress can lead to fatigue and a feeling of inadequacy.

Experts have linked stress to major diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, insomnia, anorexia nervosa and eating disorders. Migraine headaches, lung disease and skin diseases are also thought to have a relation to stress.

Some experts also believe chronic stress may lead to cancer. In addition, experts believe stress is the number one cause of infertility in both men and woman (Compton's Encyclopedia online).

In contrast, some people thrive in certain types of situations others consider stressful. These people use certain stressful situations as a source of energy. For example, Michael Jordan always wants the basketball when the pressure of the game is at its highest level. Many Airforce pilots relish the challenge of taking jets to their limits.

People deal with stress in different ways. Some people deal with stress by using drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. The may feel the drugs, alcohol, and tobacco help put them at ease.

Other effects of stress are exhaustion and anger. Sometimes a persons' anger is taken out on the wrong person.

Fortunately, there are remedies to help reduce high stress levels. Some people practice Yoga to help their circulation and in turn reduce stress levels. For example, Bob (last name removed) is currently practicing Yoga. He says, “Yoga promotes blood flow, loosens joints and in turn relaxes tenseness.” With the practice of yoga, Bob also said, “He has more energy and gets up in the morning without feeling the need to press the snooze button on his alarm.”

Other stress-reducers include exercising properly, participating in sports, taking stress-reducing pills, and laughing.

There are many more remedies for stress depending on a person’s situation and symptoms. However, the above remedies are the most commonly used with positive results.

Stress is a complicated problem, affecting most of us in this day and age because of the pace of our lives. Each of us needs to understand what stress is, how we can combat it, and how we can reduce stress in our daily lives.

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English 101 was the last college course I took for the next ten years. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I didn't know the different careers available and I didn't properly research the different courses available.

I went to the school, signed up and simply took the classes I was told to take. I know some of them were necessary, though, I'm sure there were a few I took just because I was told to take the course.

I didn't have a specific direction I was heading. And without a direction, I didn't see a light at the end of the tunnel.

After I took the writing class I got a full-time job during the day, often working Saturdays. I decided to put school aside, From there, I didn't have the opportunity or know how to go back to school until I was much older.