[zeroality]

I took this MOD:
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=97403

And turned it into this:
Attachment 51318

I did it without any real prior knowledge of php or mySQL so I'm sure my code is very inefficient. I pieced it together from what was already in the MOD and got the rest from trial & error.

Here's the plugin code. Any feedback is appreciated, thank you.

Original Code:

// ### LATEST NEWS BY TANTAWI ############################################
		$latesta = $db->query_first('SELECT title,threadid,views,replycount FROM ' . TABLE_PREFIX . 'thread WHERE 1 AND forumid = 28 ORDER BY dateline DESC  LIMIT 1');
		$lns_show = "<a href=\"showthread.php?"  . $vbulletin->session->vars['sessionurl'] . "t=$latesta[threadid]\">$latesta[title]</a>";

My Code:

// ### LATEST NEWS BY TANTAWI ############################################
		$latesta = $db->query_first('SELECT title,threadid,views,replycount,postusername,dateline FROM ' . TABLE_PREFIX . 'thread WHERE 1 AND forumid = 28 ORDER BY dateline DESC  LIMIT 0 , 1');
		$lns_show = "<a href=\"showthread.php?"  . $vbulletin->session->vars['sessionurl'] . "t=$latesta[threadid]\">$latesta[title]</a>";
		$lnsurl_show = "<a href=\"showthread.php?"  . $vbulletin->session->vars['sessionurl'] . "t=$latesta[threadid]\">[Read More]</a>";
		$lns2_show = "<b>Replies:</b> $latesta[replycount] <b>Views:</b> $latesta[views]";
		$lns3_show = "<a href=\"http://pokerealm.net/forums/member.php?do=getinfo&username=$latesta[postusername]\">$latesta[postusername]</a>";

		$latgetpost = $db->query_first('SELECT pagetext FROM ' . TABLE_PREFIX . 'post WHERE 1 AND threadid = ' . $latesta[threadid]. ' ORDER BY dateline ASC  LIMIT 0 , 1');
		$lat_show = "$latgetpost[pagetext]";
		$postchars = 250;
		$cuttedpost = substr($latgetpost[pagetext],$postchars,1);
		if($cuttedpost !=" "){
		while($cuttedpost !=" "){
		$i=1;
		$postchars=$postchars+$i;
		$cuttedpost = substr($latgetpost[pagetext],$postchars,1);
		}
		}
		$cuttedpost = substr($latgetpost[pagetext],0,$postchars);

		$authshow = vbdate($vbulletin->options['dateformat'], $latesta['dateline']);
		$authshow2 = vbdate($vbulletin->options['timeformat'], $latesta['dateline']);

		$amtans = $db->query_first('SELECT threadcount FROM ' . TABLE_PREFIX . 'forum WHERE 1 AND forumid = 28 ORDER BY forumid DESC  LIMIT 0 , 1');
		$amt_show = "$amtans[threadcount]";