Rock, Pixel, Scissors

Your SUPER-powered WP Engine Site

Robert Lodi

Keeping things current

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So last week I talked about having too much stuff.

This week – let’s talk about keeping your stuff updated.

There are three parts to keeping WordPress updated. WordPress core, any themes, and any plugins you are using. 

If these updates aren’t done regularly, you can easily get a few versions out of date – which can cause both security issues and functionality problems. 

For example, a friend updated a plugin and accidentally took his site down, because he waited so long between site launch and updating things, and the updated plugin no longer worked the same way. That’s really bad.

Another time, a site I inherited hadn’t been kept updated, and the theme was so out of date, that no edits could be made to the home page (or any other page) and we had to start over, in a last-minute crisis. Which is also bad.

These days, there are WordPress core updates often. Sometimes every month. And with each WordPress update comes a storm of plugin updates. 

And sometimes, there are extra plugin updates to address a potential issue. As many clients forwarded to me this week.

If you’ve had it with the notifications and red update alerts and need help keeping your site updated, safely, let me know. We’re here to fix your stuff. 

Don’t let your website be a hoarder

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Old themes, old plugins, giant images, even entire old site versions can all be taking up too much space on your website’s server, and that server can become a hoarder if you’re not careful.

And after a while, this can become a problem in a couple ways. 

First – sheer volume of files can put you over the space allocation your hosting company gives you. This can mean increased annual hosting costs, to store old or oversized things you don’t need.

More importantly – old themes and plugins can be a security risk. Even if they aren’t active – old files on the server can still provide entry points for hackers to add malicious code. 

How would you even know? When your site is hacked or you start getting billing alerts from your hosting company?

If you’re afraid your website might be a hoarder and you’d like a hand with a site cleanout – let me know. Maintenance is an important part of a fast, healthy website, and Rock Pixel Scissors is here to help.

Olympic Marathoner Wins Third Falmouth Road Race

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Frank Shorter, attorney from Boulder, Colorado, and Olympic marathon victor, came to Falmouth to run against Bill Rodgers, special education teacher from Boston and record-breaking Boston Marathon victor, in the third Falmouth road race on Sunday.

“Realistically,” said Shorter the evening before, “the race is a contest between him and me.”

Shorter and Rodgers ran the newly lengthened 7-mile, 708-yard course in 33:24 and 33:39 minutes. Third was Scott Graham of the Greater Boston Track Club, well back at 35:25, followed by the rest of the 752 finishers.

Rodgers’s winning time last year was 34:16.

Race day dawned gray and clammy. A slight drizzle continued into the afternoon. Conditions were less than favorable, a strong head wind hitting

runners along the Vineyard Sound shore.

At 10:30 Sunday morning, the Canty Recreation Building parking lot was congested with runners. In the building latecomers were registering.

There were runners of all ages, all sizes and both sexes. Runners with shorts and T-shirts bearing the name
of a track club, track clubs, sneaker manufacturers, track shoes of vibrant blue, red, yellow, some with sneakers. Some were jogging in the lot; others sat inside the building and waited.

Rented buses took the runners to Woods Hole in shifts. The officials went in the Falmouth Recreation Department van.

Minutes past noon the last busload arrived in Woods Hole.

Water Street looked like Rio at Carnival time or Paris on Bastille Day.

People lined the sidewalks. Spectators hung out of windows. A large group was seated atop the tower-like roof behind the Fishmonger Café.

The drawbridge was raised to allow sailboats to pass through the Eel Pond channel, and some runners were briefly stranded on the wrong side of the bridge.

Policemen Ahmed Mustafa and Michel Morgan were poised on their police motorcycles, ready to lead the race.

With 160 last-minute entries, starters filled Water Street in Woods Hole from the Eel Pond drawbridge toward the MBL. There were 810 who left the mark with the starting gun.

It was surprising how fast the runners took off at the gun, as if a spring had suddenly been released and the whole mass sent hurtling forward.

Nearly 100 Ran Race In Pouring Rain, Hard Wind

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David Duba of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, a 21-year-old senior at Central Michigan university, won the road race from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights in a drenching downpour Wednesday afternoon. He covered the 7.3-mile course in 39 minutes, 16 seconds.

Nearly 100 runners left the starting line on Water Street in Woods Hole at noon. Ninety-two crossed the finish line on Grand Avenue at the Heights.

David was 10 yards in front of the pack rounding Nobska Light. He never lost his lead. By the finish he was leading
by 30 yards. It was his first victory in distance running, and he was clearly elated to receive the 36-inch trophy, while Selectman John Demello Sr. placed a wreath of real laurel on his head.

Several women competed. The first woman to finish was Miss Jenny Taylor, placing 15th with a time of 47 minutes,