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Year: 2008
Today’s Technical Challenge
I like the semantic web. That means that when I create a website I use markup as its intended. We used to have to use tables to make elegant layouts. Browsers have matured and become more compliant to the HTML specification. Now tables can be used for tabular data; however, designers still have tools which cut and slice designs up into tables rather than using CSS. Tables have their place in HTML. Specifically, tables use be used for presenting tabular data but not for arranging graphics or chopped up pieces of images in the browser window.
Menus and navigation are lists semantically speaking. Of course, no one wants to see a menu with a bunch of dots beside it nor should ever menu be presented as a vertical list with indentions for submenus. Using CSS we can remove the bullets, turn the list horizontal, and make the submenus appear as submenus when the mouse rolls over the navigation. This works great in a browser and because of the semantic nature will present well in a pda, phone or other mobile device. However, the WYSIWYG editor in an email client wreaks havoc on the page. "Huh?" is the correct response because really web pages, particularly dynamic web pages, should not be sent by email. Instead a link to the web page should be sent. BUT Internet Explorer is kind enough to provide under its FILE menu (PAGE menu in IE7) an option to "Send Page by Email" which in theory will deliver an HTML email that is an exact representation of the web page.
In reality, in a specific case which has not been narrowed down yet, the CSS menu is rendered with conditional comments.
<!–[if !supportLists]–>o<!–[endif]–>
Obvious steps have been to make sure that IE is upgraded to IE7 and that the email client is updated. And to confirm that the email is being sent as HTML and not plain text. Aside from returning to a tabled design, what other options should be explored?
I work therefore I’m a cad
I know a vast number of people who think that because I work from home that I don’t really work. It can’t be real can it? That’s just not…normal! It is not normal. It is harder than normal!
I love my children and a benefit of working from home is that I can take short breaks and play with them or experience their special moments. But the children do not understand what I do. I have not role modeled traditional 8 to 5 work for them and they are going to be shocked when they enter the real world.
I just sent Evan, the three year old, sulking upstairs and feel horrible for it. All he wanted to do was spend some time with Dad. He came down here happily and sat in the chair beside me. But I was unable to concentrate when he started removing things from my desk (like my pocket knives), playing in the ash from my incense burner, and using the highlighters for horns. So I snapped. It was wrong and I feel awful. Being a Dad and a provider is tough.
Knoxville “The Couch”
The New York Times did a travel piece on Knoxville with some creative writing and declared that the locals refer to Knoxville as "The Couch."
KNOXVILLE is often called "the couch" by the people who live there. [Source, The New York Times-Travel, Allison Glock, 8-Jun-08, 36 Hours in Knoxville]
I came to Knoxville in the Fall of 1988 having never lived more than 4 ½ years in one place. Knoxville is comfortable and I settled in. But never have I heard anyone refer to Knoxville as The Couch! I’ve heard Big Orange Country, The Valley, K-Town, and Knoxvegas. Until the Knoxpatch blog came around I’d never heard that one. And by people who grew up here, Hell, but they leave and then usually come home in 2 to 4 years. The only couch reference I’ve ever noticed is the roadside dumping of couches which are often recycled by University of Tennessee students. There used to be a place in South Knoxville where couches go to die. I never took a picture but it was this huge cliff or old, grown over rock quarry and dozens of couches were haphazardly piled at the bottom as if when their time had come they’d run to the edge of the cliff then plummeted to the sacred couch burial ground. (Was near Ijams if anyone is curious).
Allison Glock wrote a very nice article about Knoxville! The couch reference is just befuddling and makes me wonder if some of her 36 hours wasn’t spent on one of the West’s old couches. Of course, maybe it was a red herring to get Knoxville media and blogs to link to the article. If so, it worked! Michael Silence, Byron Chesney, Bill Lyons, Katie Allison Granju, Michael Silence again, Glenn Reynolds, Katie Allison Granju again, Jack Lail, Michael Silence again, Say Uncle, Chris, KnoxInsider, and Randy Neil.
Update: Glenn Reynolds draws the same conclusion I did. (Glenn, who’s your source!) Jack Lail notes the point.
Update: The Reluctant Optimist, Michael Silence rounding up, and Ann Althouse.
Update 9Jun08: Michael Silence writes the NYT’s editor, Knox Blab discusses The Couch and Michael Silence sums up the Blab chat, and Katie Allison Granju announces Ken Schwall will address this on Channel 10 news at 6pm tonight.
Update 9Jun08: Casey Peters does a roundup, and Michael Silence does an update, and Michael Silence conjectures they meant "Swingtown" and then Michael Silence posts the solved mystery. The Couch continues to provide amusement to the newspaper staff, here and here.
Update: Michael Silence gets automated responses from the NYT. Michael Silence notes Liz Donovan jumps in.
Update 10Jun2008: Michael Solomon (letter seen on No Silence Here) complains and says Allison Glock is owed an apology and Barry wonders why a real issue is being ignored for "The Couch". Michael Silence gets a funny comment.
Update 11Jun08: Ken Schwall interviews people.
Update 12Jun08: Metropulse interviews Allison Glock and she isn’t happy with Knoxville bloggers. Katie Allison Granju agrees with me that bloggers were not outraged just confused at the authoritative way Alliison Glock claimed locals call Knoxville "The Couch." We appreciated her well written article and I think her statement "Next time I suppose I’ll just write about Pigeon Forge." is a poor response; instead, she would have made herself look better by thanking the community for the correction to her error. Chris at Rocky Top MBA draws an elegantly written conclusion to Couchgate. Well done Chris!
Michael Silence responds to Glock’s response. And notes other blogger’s responses.
Update 14Jun08: Michael Silence cites more comments (much to Cathy’s chagrin).
Its good to be a boy!
Tie those shoes!
Done
Mobile post sent by djuggler using Utterz. Replies.
Kung fu amy
Reality Me is all politics now!
I got quoted on Slate! Look out Glenn! Here I come.
Of Grasshoppers
Student: Oh the stuff I have to do!
Master: Gets in the way of the stuff you need to do.
Have you ever considered a fresh start?
When thieves take everything you own, you start over. Reading Zero Day made my stomach knot. How could one person do such a thing to another. I imagine that fire victims are very similar. Personally I have had about $500 worth of stuff stolen from the Jeep and none of it matter except for one thing, a journal I kept throughout my college years. The torment I felt for years after the theft was maddening but must be only a fraction of what it would feel like to lose absolutely everything.
From the mouths of babes
Evan, 3 years old: "Daddy, I wanna go bitchin’"
Dad, removing the pacifier from the child’s mouth: "What?"
Evan: "Daaa, I waaana go bitchin’"
Dad, sitting down to type From the mouths of babes.
Evan: "I WANNA go BIIIItchin’ Daa!"
Dad, continuing to type.
Evan: "Daddy. We need to go bitchin now."
Evan, soft, extra sweet voice: "Let me go bitchin."
One day my son will be married
WARNING! Some adult language.
From SuperDeluxe.
Hillary Clinton will not be vice president
As I listened to Barack Obama claim the democratic nomination (and forced my children to listen), I heard Barack Obama speak positively of Hillary Clinton. And I heard him say that she would be on his cabinet in charge of health. His words were "And you can rest assured that when we finally win the battle for universal health care in this country, she will be central to that victory." I personally think that one sentence clearly says that she will not be the vice president. Obama is very well spoken! I look forward to seeing him as the president of the United States!
See also: Power Line, Obama commands respect, Binside TV, HILLARY CLINTON GIVES DELUSIONAL SPEECH AFTER BARACK OBAMA CLINCHES THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION VIDEO, and Binside TV, BARACK OBAMA CLINCHES DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION | BARACK OBAMA DEMOCRACTIC NOMINATION VICTORY SPEECH. As a side note, spell checkers really need to add "Barack" and "Obama" as correctly spelled words!
Thanks to Hurley, I know about disposable panties!
If it wasn’t for my love of Lost I probably would not have found Jorge Garcia’s blog. Had I not found his blog, I would have never known about Oops! Disposable Panties!
Accidents Happen! Every woman and parent knows that a fresh change of undies can be a lifesaver. In one tiny capsule you’ll always have two comfortable undies in an instant. Only $1.99 In Assorted Colors. [Source]
Yes, it reads like a Saturday Night Live sketch but they’re real!
