Click your own Adsense AD units and Google won't even mind!

Do you use Google Adsense to make money online? Have you installed Google Adsense on your blog to start making money from your blog?

The Prohibited Uses clause of the Online Standard Terms and Conditionsmentions that any type of repeated manual clicks will lead to an immediate suspension or termination of your Google Adsense account. The Google AdSense Program Policies as mentioned in the “Google Adsense Program Policies Help Center” mentions it even more clearly:

Invalid Clicks and Impressions

Clicks on Google ads must result from genuine user interest. Any method that artificially generates clicks or impressions on your Google ads is strictly prohibited. These prohibited methods include but are not limited to repeated manual clicks or impressions, using robots, automated click and impression generating tools, third-party services that generate clicks or impressions such as paid-to-click, paid-to-surf, autosurf, and click-exchange programs, or any deceptive software. Please note that clicking on your own ads for any reason is prohibited. Failure to comply with this policy may lead to your account being disabled.

Take my words, as an advice! Never take this stuff by Google lightly… In your quest for making money online, don’t overlook the Terms & Conditions or you’ll even lose all the money you ever made from Adsense. Remember, Google can get to you sooner than you think you can “hit and run.”

But then, sometimes you can face problems like this one that I faced. When I made a post, a few days back, a link in the post was on the extreme left of the content container, almost into the Adsense Ad unit in left sidebar that bulges a little into the content container. I had to check by clicking on the left-edge of the hyper-link to make sure it didn’t make a click on the Ad. This is because, when readers realize that they clicked on an ad when they wanted to click on that link, they’ll either hit the back button or reload the page very soon. That could be risky, for such clicks can be thought of as clicks under influence or anything of that sort. And while trying to check if clicking anywhere near the link doesn’t click the ad unit, what if I myself click the ad unit! This can get me in sacks, and I must tell you, I am really Google-fearing.

But at the same time, I wanted to test by clicking that space on my real estate. At the point I was doing this stuff, I was reminded of a post about test-driving Google Adsense, that I had made on my previous blog.

Click your own Ads & Google won’t even mind!

So,here’s a simple solution to this problem. All you have to do is add “google_adtest = ‘on’;” to your ad code using the following syntax:google_ad_client = “pub-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx";google_ad_width = 468;google_ad_height = 60;google_ad_format = “468×60_as”;google_ad_type = “text”;google_ad_channel =””;google_adtest = ‘on’;

; where xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx is your Publisher ID.

Now any impressions or clicks on that particular modified Adsense ad unit will be ignored and so you can test the adsense on your website/blog without any hassles.

Coming back to the Adsense ToS again…

The document clearly says:

Any AdSense ad code, search box code, or referral code must be pasted directly into Web pages without modification. AdSense participants are not allowed to alter any portion of the ad code or change the layout, behavior, targeting, or delivery of ads for any reason.

But I think this is just as harmless as changing the #RRGGBB colors after generating the ad-unit code, directly. Just in case you are uncertain about the whole thing, please contact Adsense Support Team.

Also, remember to remove google_adtest = “on”; once you are done or you won’t make any money!

Technology News:The irresistible iPad 2

What is more cool than the iPad? The iPad2 of course.

The lines are back and the impatient waiting to be among the first to lay hands on the device have returned with a vengeance as the iPad gets unceremoniously and unjustifiably dumped into the trade-in and ignore section of the mind and stores.

Is the madness justified?

Well, if a colleague who took an iPad2 out to a recent election rally and ended up becoming news in the Straits Times alongside the Prime Minister's speech, it pretty much sums up just how much attention is focused on the new device. 

At the same time, it can't be denied that the iPad2 is as intelligent as it is irresistible.

Skeptical by nature and by calling, anything new and improved is hardly ever quickly embraced, being a firm believer in the home truth of my American friends who would say "if it ain't broke, why fix it?" 

But of course the Americans at Cupertino probably don't subscribe to that dictum a hundred per cent, and thank goodness for that!

The iPad2 is now very much lighter and slimmer. 

"It can fit into my handbag!" my colleague gleefully declared as she trotted off to her first PAP rally with instructions to snap photos and videos with the new device which now comes with two cameras. 

The main camera on the back of the device shoots HD (720p) videos and offers a 5x digital zoom lens that produces sharp photos. 

The other which is a subtle VGA pinhole on the front of the device, serves for FaceTime connections via WiFi or 3G.

Would you be taking your iPad2 with you wherever you go even if you are not a slave to fads? In short, yes.

What Apple does, and does well, is in the ergonomics of its products. 

While the iPad had no major shortcomings in its original design, there was no doubt that it would serve users better if it were lighter and thinner. 

That's seen in the 2011 version which is 8.8mm thick and 601 grams (607 grams for the WiFi and 3G version) in weight, making it 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter compared to the original iPad.

What the numbers work out to is a handheld that is way easier to handle for reading, carrying and general handling and use. After all, what is the point of a device that only looks pretty?

The design and function of the iPad2 also puts it at the top of its class in terms of handheld devices, along with the little smart 'extras' from Apple, such as the Smart Cover which lives up to its name in every way.

Not always the one who was top of my class, and being one who reads instructions only as a last option, the Smart Cover had me puzzled when it fell out its protective bag. 

Before my mutterings of pretty but useless accessories could form into a logical sentence, the moment of puzzlement lifted as the Smart Cover which was hovering near the iPad2 snapped into place thanks to the strategically placed magnets. 

The cover which comes in leather so thin and pliable it feels like strong paper, has been designed to not just protect the iPad2 but also serve as a stand. 

If you are not sure about folding it and don't usually read instructions, you can safely try folding it in the way you think it should go and find that the Smart Cover will take over and fold itself into a triangle that will fit neatly as a stand to read off the iPad or type, as I am doing for this feature.

The iPad2 types way better than on a Mac or MacBook with the on-screen keyboard being well spaced and responsive for quick, accurate typing whether with one finger or with both hands. 

The auto suggest is both handy and annoying, but easy to get used to. 

It is not impossible to do serious work on this device that could easily and mistakenly pass off as a frivolous up-size of an iPhone.

The iTunes app store offers downloads that makes it possible to work on a document, as I am with this piece, with free apps such as Evernote or the paid, but still affordable Pages app. 

The default Notes also does the job as you can email your jottings.

Those who want to do number crunching can use Numbers, while Keynote will take care of presentations.

While working, it's easy to appreciate the robustness of the iPad2 as it doesn't run out of battery life quickly and neither does it heat up easily. 

The device has also been designed in such a way that when the Smart Cover snaps shut, the device hibernates but will instantaneously launch itself when then cover is lifted. 

In fact, the iPad will continue clicking under the Smart Cover as you carry it around as if to annoy you into turning it back on, soon.

As the test set came with a set of HDMI cables and a Digital output connector, it was hard not to put the iPad2 through the paces.

It was a no-brainer getting the device linked to a LED TV and though a video shot on the iPad was slightly grainy and pixelated when played on the large screen, HD videos on YouTube were rather flawless in playback and picture quality.

This is due largely to the improved processor, a 1GHz dual-core Apple A5 chip that was custom-designed to offer high-performance as well as multi-tasking while consuming less power, so that the device doesn't heat up and the 10 hour battery lasts.

Like the earlier version, the basic starts at 16GB and there is the WiFi and 3G version as well as the plain WiFi model which can be linked to an iPhone that can used as a modem should the need for connectivity suddenly arise.

The iPad2 comes in two colours and the white, makes it strikingly attractive - just don't drink wine and eat pizza around it.

Business News: US hits debt ceiling, begins pullback

WASHINGTON: The US Treasury warned of economic catastrophe on Monday as it ran into its $14.29 trillion ceiling on borrowings and began short-term measures to delay breaching the limit.

In a letter to US Senate leader Harry Reid, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the country had reached the statutory debt limit as of Monday and was initiating a "debt issuance suspension period" to keep from going over it.

Geithner urged Congress to raise the ceiling "in order to protect the full faith and credit of the United States and avoid catastrophic consequences for citizens."

To avoid topping the ceiling, the government would halt the automatic cycling of civil service pension funds into US Treasury debt, the way they are traditionally stored, he said.

The move will give the Treasury about $224 billion dollars of headroom as it meets an estimated $120 billion a month in net new borrowing needs to cover the government's mounting budget deficit.

However, by August 2, according to Treasury projections, spending requirements will exhaust the temporary measures and the government will have to either slash spending on existing obligations or possibly default on its debts.

In a letter to another senator on Friday, Geithner warned that failure to increase the debt limit "would force the United States to default on the obligations, such as payments to our service members, citizens, investors, and businesses."

"Default would not only increase borrowing costs for the federal government, but also for families, businesses, and local governments - reducing investment and job creation throughout the economy," he told Senator Michael Bennet.

Lifestyle news:World's oldest panda, 34, dies in China

BEIJING - Ming Ming, the world's oldest panda, has died of old age, Chinese state media reported Tuesday. She was 34.

Ming Ming was rescued in Pingwu country in the southwest province Sichuan in 1977 and had resided in Xiangjiang Wild Animal World, a safari park in southern Guangdong province since 1998, the Global Times reported.

She had lived much longer than most pandas. Wild pandas normally only live for 15 years and those in captivity live for 22 years on average, the report said.

The China Panda Protection Centre in Sichuan confirmed in a statement that Ming Ming died on May 7, but the death was only reported by media on Tuesday.

Blood was found in Ming Ming's urine on May 2 and medical experts determined her kidney had failed due to old age, the report said.

Giant pandas are among the world's most endangered species, with about 1,600 living in the wild and over 300 bred in captivity at zoos.

Technology&IT:Click your own Adsense AD units and Google won't even mind!

Do you use Google Adsense to make money online? Have you installed Google Adsense on your blog to start making money from your blog?

The Prohibited Uses clause of the Online Standard Terms and Conditionsmentions that any type of repeated manual clicks will lead to an immediate suspension or termination of your Google Adsense account. The Google AdSense Program Policies as mentioned in the “Google Adsense Program Policies Help Center” mentions it even more clearly:

Invalid Clicks and Impressions

Clicks on Google ads must result from genuine user interest. Any method that artificially generates clicks or impressions on your Google ads is strictly prohibited. These prohibited methods include but are not limited to repeated manual clicks or impressions, using robots, automated click and impression generating tools, third-party services that generate clicks or impressions such as paid-to-click, paid-to-surf, autosurf, and click-exchange programs, or any deceptive software. Please note that clicking on your own ads for any reason is prohibited. Failure to comply with this policy may lead to your account being disabled.

Take my words, as an advice! Never take this stuff by Google lightly… In your quest for making money online, don’t overlook the Terms & Conditions or you’ll even lose all the money you ever made from Adsense. Remember, Google can get to you sooner than you think you can “hit and run.”

But then, sometimes you can face problems like this one that I faced. When I made a post, a few days back, a link in the post was on the extreme left of the content container, almost into the Adsense Ad unit in left sidebar that bulges a little into the content container. I had to check by clicking on the left-edge of the hyper-link to make sure it didn’t make a click on the Ad. This is because, when readers realize that they clicked on an ad when they wanted to click on that link, they’ll either hit the back button or reload the page very soon. That could be risky, for such clicks can be thought of as clicks under influence or anything of that sort. And while trying to check if clicking anywhere near the link doesn’t click the ad unit, what if I myself click the ad unit! This can get me in sacks, and I must tell you, I am really Google-fearing.

But at the same time, I wanted to test by clicking that space on my real estate. At the point I was doing this stuff, I was reminded of a post about test-driving Google Adsense, that I had made on my previous blog.

Click your own Ads & Google won’t even mind!

So,here’s a simple solution to this problem. All you have to do is add “google_adtest = ‘on’;” to your ad code using the following syntax:google_ad_client = “pub-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx";google_ad_width = 468;google_ad_height = 60;google_ad_format = “468×60_as”;google_ad_type = “text”;google_ad_channel =””;google_adtest = ‘on’;

; where xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx is your Publisher ID.

Now any impressions or clicks on that particular modified Adsense ad unit will be ignored and so you can test the adsense on your website/blog without any hassles.

Coming back to the Adsense ToS again…

The document clearly says:

Any AdSense ad code, search box code, or referral code must be pasted directly into Web pages without modification. AdSense participants are not allowed to alter any portion of the ad code or change the layout, behavior, targeting, or delivery of ads for any reason.

But I think this is just as harmless as changing the #RRGGBB colors after generating the ad-unit code, directly. Just in case you are uncertain about the whole thing, please contact Adsense Support Team.

Also, remember to remove google_adtest = “on”; once you are done or you won’t make any money!

Football: West Ham relegated as Wigan grab lifeline

LONDON: West Ham were relegated from the English Premier League after squandering a 2-0 lead in a 3-2 defeat away to fellow strugglers Wigan on Sunday.

Senegal striker Demba Ba's first half double gave West Ham hope in a match they had to win to set up a chance of a last day reprieve against Sunderland next weekend.

But Wigan, who stayed second bottom, hit back through Charles N'Zogbia's blistering 57th minute free-kick before substitute Conor Sammon drew the hosts level at the DW Stadium 11 minutes later.

N'Zogbia then sealed Wigan's remarkable recovery in stoppage time when he slid a shot under the body of England goalkeeper Robert Green, who had previously made several fine saves.

Defeat left the Hammers on 33 points, meaning a win against Sunderland would not be enough for the London club to climb out of the relegation zone.

Wigan though could yet avoid the drop if they get a draw or better against Stoke and other results go their way.

In all, five clubs were left within a point of each other as they faced a frantic finale to stay in the top flight.

Wigan and Blackpool were in the relegation zone on 39 points. Birmingham, beaten 2-0 by Fulham on Sunday, also had 39 points but were above the bottom three on goal difference alone.

Meanwhile Blackburn and Wolves, on 40 points apiece, were still not assured of avoiding relegation ahead of their meeting at Molineux.

Birmingham's survival prospects were dealt a blow when Brede Hangeland headed in from a fifth minute corner before the central defender doubled Fulham's lead in the 49th minute.

At the top of the table, Arsenal's hopes of a second-place finish ended with a match to spare following a 2-1 home loss to Aston Villa as England striker Darren Bent scored twice early in the first half before Robin Van Persie pulled a goal back in the 89th minute.

Defeat left the Gunners four points adrift of second-placed Chelsea, who earlier on Sunday gave their London rivals hope by conceding a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Newcastle.

Arsenal could now miss out on the top three finish needed to guarantee a Champions League group stage spot and avoid the qualifying round, with fourth-placed Manchester City just two points behind with a game in hand.

FA Cup winners City play Stoke at Eastlands on Tuesday in a repeat of Saturday's Wembley final.

Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur moved into pole position for a place in the Europa League after a 2-0 win away to Liverpool, playing their first match since Kenny Dalglish was named as their permanent manger, moved them a point in front of their rivals for a spot in the second-tier tournament.

Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart fired Tottenham into a ninth minute lead with a fierce shot into the top corner from the edge of the box.

World Cup final referee Howard Webb then angered the Anfield faithful by awarding a penalty after what seemed like a shoulder charge between Liverpool's John Flanagan and Spurs' Steven Pienaar.

Luka Modric then struck the 56th minute spot-kick down the middle to double Tottenham's lead.

Chelsea had seen their slim hopes of retaining the title ended by champions United's 1-1 draw away to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

But they responded by going ahead as early as the second minute through defender Branislav Ivanovic at Stamford Bridge.

However, Newcastle equalised eight minutes later through Argentina midfielder Jonas Gutierrez.

Chelsea though regained the lead seven minutes from time when a mistake by Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul, who misjudged a Frank Lampard free-kick, allowed Brazilian defender Alex to head in at the far post.

But Newcastle defender Steven Taylor headed in from close range shortly before the final whistle.
English Premier League results:

Arsenal 1 Aston Villa 2
Birmingham 0 Fulham 2
Chelsea 2 Newcastle 2
Liverpool 0 Tottenham 2
Wigan 3 West Ham 2

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