mzwebfreak

I made this lil graphic of my friend Alanna with some help from my boyfriend: What do ya'll think?

Well, mainly what I've had work for me is Silkscreen pixel font in about 6 or 7 pt type sharp.

I am sure this will not be the only reply I post to this topic, but lemme explain how I was brought up as a child versus how I believe now. I was brought up in a very religiously Christian household. That is to say that we took what the Bible said and actually tried to apply it to our daily lives. I had no problem with that...it brought a sense of order to my child's life. However, when I went to a Christian college down here and had all my so called "friends" decide to ignore and abandon me because of a personal choice I had decided to make, I decided I had had it up to HERE with organized religion. That's not to say that I don't believe in a God or Supreme Being or whatever you want to call it, but that I didn't like the way some people wanted to read the owner's manual, as it were. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I think that most religions have a litlle bit to offer to the overall owner's manual of life. I mean, there's already some similarities in some of religious texts. But, I also agree with no9t9 in that religion should not run our lives, per se, but should be part of the things we take into consideration in how we live our day to day lives. That is to say that religion is necessary for helping showcase one or more viewpoints on a subject, so that one can take all sides into consideration before making a decision.

I used to be a diehard PSP fan until a friend of mine gave me a copy of Photoshop...7, I believe. Well, for the most part, I was hooked, though I did miss the easy ability to make borders from PSP and the tubes that someone had mentioned earlier. But, I think it's made up for in all the effects you can do, as well as the optimizing thing they have now with CS. It makes life so much easier, plus the graphics I upload end up downloading so much faster when they're smaller in KB.

The biggest problem I have is the difference in people from where I grew up near Washington DC and where I live now in Tampa Florida. Where I grew up, I was the white minority and I learned how to be color blind and not judge people simply because they happened to be darker than me. Well, I move down here (initially for school) and, though at college everybody was treated equally, I really have a problem with one of the girls I work with now. I mean, I understand you may not like blacks, but there was this one time where this black guy had tipped her good on stage and she went, thanked him, and then walked over and started talking to this other kid. Well, I wasn't sure if she was finished talking to him, so I went over and asked if she was going to get a dance from the guy, and she sits there and tells me "Oh, I don't dance for them." WTF?!? I'm sorry, but up to that point, I'd thought she was a nice girl. Guess not. But, to return to the original topic at hand, I agree that those people who feel that sterotyping people is okay are either ignorant or stupid, or have some reason why they "can't" like those kind of people.

Well, the main problem is that calling people names really isn't going to get us anywhere. There's one of two ways to look at this. First off, you can look at it at face value and see it as someone complaining because his girlfriend/wife/maid isn't doing what he wants her to do. Or, it could be that this is an issue about something that was really important to him and that she just blew him off about it even though she knew how important it was. And maybe she needed to follow directions about this because to do otherwise would really foul up whatever it was that was so important. I think that what we have here is a man who is so frustrated about something in his life that maybe he doesn't always choose the right words to get his point across. I mean, this IS the Vent. When was the last time that you were really angry and were yelling about your grievances to someone and you made total sense all the time? I think the reason why we're not fully understanding his point of view is that we don't know him. No offense, but how can you truly know anyone on these boards in cyberspace. So, though I would not agree with his viewpoint if the first way of looking at it is accurate, I still think we should cut him some slack, because I'm sure all of us have been there with our significant others from time to time where we're so frustrated with them we can barely speak.All I'm saying is explore all the angles before you condemn him.

I hear ya there. I mean, the way I see it, we're both agnostics- we're not atheists because we still believe in God, but we don't prescribe to any one religion. The reason I became this way was because, back when I was younger, I used to be very religious, and even decided to go to a Christian college. But, when the faculty and students at the college started telling me I was evil and wrong and going to hell because of the fact I was dating someone who wasn't going to the school (and wasn't a member of that denomination) and that I had decided, of my own free will, how our relationship would progress, they basically kicked me out and tried to send me back home with my parents, regardless of the fact I was 20 years old and a legal adult. Needless to say, after all those so called "friends" turned their backs on me, I had no need whatsoever for organized religion anymore. Not only that, but my opinion is that expressing your differing viewpoint once is okay, as it is stating your opinion in a matter. However, when one tries to browbeat and/or harrass someone of an opposing viewpoint SIMPLY because the other person's viewpoint conflicts with theirs, I believe that's nothing better than trying to shove your beliefs down other peoples' throats. And this is not a solely religious issue either. I've seen examples when both the Right and Left have both tried to push their views on everyone, to no avail. Look, people, state your piece ONE TIME and then SHUT UP!!

Well, I think that anything in moderation can be a good thing if used correctly. Little baby dolls for kids is a good thing, because it helps to nurture the mothering instinct of little girls. However, I do not believe that children under the age of 7 or so should be allowed to play with ANY kind of makeup (kiddie or regular) without constant supervision. Otherwise, you end up with kiddie nail polish all over the family cat! lol Anything of a normally neutral nature (i.e. dolls) may be used to affect a mind for good or bad, all depending on outside influence (i.e. parents, tv ads, etc). Personally, I don't think that young children should be deprived of little baby dolls to play with. I do believe, however, that these little Bratz dolls, and their ilk, are nothing more that commercialism propaganda to buy more stuff to go with the dolls you've bought. Not cool. Now, some may say that Barbies fall in the same category, but I still play with my Mom's Barbie with my little cousins and stuff. Barbies, I think, are the quintessencial doll for anyone. I personally still collect some of the ethnic varieties and the like for display purposes. So, basically, what I'm trying to say is that dolls can be helpful or they can be hurtful, depending on how the little child is taught what they are for.

The problem is that even the Academy of Arts and Sciences couldn't pick just one great movie of all time- they've had the 100 best comedies, dramas, musicals, cartoons, even music. I don't think that there's any way to pick just one particular movie, but I'd hazard a guess that Wizard of Oz and Hook are in there somewhere, cuz to me, I a top movie has to be able to appeal to both adults and the kid inside, that may or may not be able to come out and play as much as they would like to.

My faves are Jamoca Almond Fudge (Baskin Robbins), Triple Chocolate (Edy's), and just plain ol' mint chocolate chip....sometimes I have a craving for bubble gum, but I do have a tendency to stick to the plain vanilla/normal choices. Go figure.

No, because verdana IS sans-serif...Sans serif is fonts like Verdana, Arial, and Tahoma, and Times New Roman or Geneva are serif-fonts. Here's what a serif font looks like: This is Serif This is sans-serif Serif means the little tags on the end of the letters, while sans-serif doesn't have them. That's what sans means- without. Hope that helps.

Thanks for the suggestions, but, like I said, I was trying to gear this for the uber newbie who may not want to start out that big...plus, I really don't know much about javascript myself, beyond how to make the lil popup navigation and stuff, cuz I mostly use php, which I think is a little more highend than a newbie should try to deal with from the beginning.

First, let me start this off by saying I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, but trying to see things your way. You say that you cannot take my profession seriously...so does that mean that me having to deal with guys who think I will have sex with them, or meet them after work, or think that just for the price of a dance they can do whatever they please, is not sometimes very hard, if not physically, at least emotionally? I accepted that when I am at work, and dressed the way I am there, that I can expect this to happen with about 95% of the guys...I understand that. What I don't understand, and what was the point of this whole discussion in the first place, is why I should feel that it is acceptable for it to happen at a place that I have never before or since mentioned the fact that I work in the adult industry at all. In fact, all the conversation at the table had been about was one of the table mates' problems with an ex boss. Therefore, where in the world did my boyfriend get off telling me I should have said thank you to the guy who asked if I and my (married) friend were there alone, since we were both sitting next to our respective significant others? You were, IMHO, being insulting in the sense (now) that there is nothing about my job for you to take seriously. I work very hard at my job to make the money I do, normally putting in 40-45 hours a week in high heels to try and convince a guy that he can have fun without getting out of hand, as it were. Also, I was venting at the fact that a girl, regardless of what she may do for a living, will get hit on by a nonobservant guy who can't seem to understand that the probability is low that at a table of three girls but two guys, that any of them might be available. That is my last word on the subject, and baloney like this is why I'm leaving Xisto.

Actually, one of the main reasons to stick to either Times, Arial, Verdana, or Tahoma is that almost all computers have these as standard fonts. If you start using fancy fonts like, say, Carpenter CG, which is this really fancy script-type font, if the person's computer doesn't have it, their browser's gonna automatically shift to auto font, which for most is Times, which could potentially mess up the design of your site. So, whenever possible (with the exception of graphics), use one of those because it's mostly well used for almost all platforms and web browsers.

I had originally had this posted on my domain at nevernormal.com, and thought that you guys could use it here as well. Granted, this is geared to the uber newbie, so don't razz me if I don't suggest the most advanced in web design. lol So, you want to make a website? 1. First, think about what you want your site to be about. There are fanfic sites, like Drastic Measures and fanfiction.net; cliques or clubs, like the BtVS Writers' Guild; or, if you want, you could have a general site, whether it be about a show/movie you like, or even just about yourself and your life. 2. Next, if you don't already have one, you probably need to find a web development program. Now, for beginners, if you have at least Windows '95, search for a program called Frontpage or Frontpage Express on your computer. It's not much, but it gets you on your way. Another good one, good for most levels of web developers, is something called WebPage 2.0, available at any computer store for about $40. (Trust me; it's worth it.) Or, if you have MS Word '00, you can just use that, and save the pages in HTML format. It's in a WYSIWYG formula, which is W.hat Y.ou S.ee I.s W.hat Y.ou G.et. Whatever you use, stick with it, until you know more about web designing to be able to use the more advanced programs like Dreamweaver 3. Now, once you've picked the HTML program you're going to use, you need to also need to find a nice little graphics program, because a website with only text and no graphics is something boring to the typical web browsing person. Now, you can go low end, and get something like Pain Shop Pro (retail about $129 USD for Version 9), or you can go slightly more high end, and get something like Adobe Photoshop (retail about $649 USD for CS1 and $599 for CS2 preorder) 4. Now, you want to create some content for your site. Now, depending on the type of site you're doing will depend on the type of content you want. Now, the foremost thing you need to know is ease of navigation. When you're starting out, I wouldn't suggest more than two or three levels of navigation. What I mean by that is that you have the main, first level navigation (using my fanfiction site Drastic Measures for example) you have links to the top that read Awards, Fanfic Archive, Linkage, Site Stuff, and Home. Now, mine are in what is known as an image map, but, for beginners, just use text links. But, that's just the first level. If you clicked on, say, Fanfic Archive, then you get the second level of links, which read Crossovers, Fic Helpers, Main Story Index, Stories by Author, Stories by Title, Series, and Home Notice that I always make it easy to be able to find your way back to the home page, should you ever need to. Finally, for information on the third level of linking, if you click on Fic Helpers, you get another list that reads Book Jackets, Character Pix, Character Summaries, Fanfic Fanatics, and Prophecy Times You'll also note that, not only do I have a link back to the first level, but I also have a link back to Fanfic (the second level). This makes it easier for the person navigating to have a choice to either go back one or two menus/levels, as he pleases. 5. Now, once you've got a few pages together, you need to find a web provider. One that's nice, along with no popups, is web1000.com. It gives sites out for free, with unlimited bandwidth and 50mg space. However, only people in the USA and Canada can view sites on that server, so think about your major client base. Or, you could be smart and choose either Xisto or Xisto. Also, if your URL is kinda long, get a shorter, redirectional one at cjb.net, which also redirects your email. 6. Now, if you would rather go with a paid server with no popups and extra features, I recommend either netrillium.net or computinghost.com for the server and godaddy.com for registering your domain name. 7. Now, if you've used one of the HTML programs I've mentioned in #2, somewhere in the tool bar is something along the lines of 'view HTML'. Now all you have to do is cut 'n paste. If not, I know that angelfire and geocities/yahoo, at least, have both basic editor, where you really don't need to know HTML, or advanced editor, where you use pure HTML, or, like me, CAP (cut and paste). TA DA! You've got yerself a website! Now, go tell your friends. Do's and Don'ts of Web Sites * First, and most importantly, DON'T COPY! It's also known as stealing. People have worked for HOURS on these sites, and, you should take the time to make yours unique. * DO use good sites, or sites similar to yours, as models. Then, ask yourself what it is about that site that you want to emulate (copy)? Is it the design? The graphics? (If so, ask the webmaster/mistress how they do them. Trust me, it's a humungous compliment!) Figure out what they are, then do something similar. (Not exactly the same, though. Goes back to the 'don't steal' bit.) * Along the same lines as the not stealing bit is the no direct linking. For example, say that you're joining a fansite on the anti-drug campaign and you want to put one of their buttons on your site. The proper thing to do is to right click on the graphic, and click "save picture as", then upload the saved picture to your website. The reason for that is that direct linking, or "hot linking", to that graphic causes a strain on the bandwidth of the person holding that image. * DO link to other sites. Along with the previous one, if you like a site, LINK TO IT! That shows people you admire what that site's about, or what they're doing. * DON'T forget ALT tags and text-equivalent menus. There are some people who turn off graphics to make things go faster and, if you have graphics but no alt tags, then they don't know what graphix were links and which were just pix. Here's how you put in an ALT tag: <img src="example.jpg" alt="Example"> * As you get more experience, DO use more graphics and multimedia, but DON'T go overboard. If your site takes too long to load, then people won't be prone to going to your site. One good way to avoid doing that is, if you have something like a pix gallery, use a graphics tool to make a smaller version of the pic, called a thumbnail, and link it to the larger pic. Example: <a href="pix.com/example.jpg;<img src="pix.com/smallexample.jpg&%2334; alt="Example"> * DON'T abuse netiquette. This could cause your web provider to delete your site without telling you, which, with some providers, they can legally do. To learn more about netiquette, go albion.com/netiquette/ * Don't forget to test your pages on the 'net. Make sure they work the way you want them to, and check and double check all links. * DON'T forget the basics: your email address, a site map (a list of all the internal links to your site, if the site is rather large, say, at least 10-15 pgs.), give credit where it's due, and be willing to redo things that people advise you about (ie. broken links, pix not showing up, etc.). * DO ask for feedback, i.e. put up a guestbook, and ask ppl to sign it. (But, don't expect too much.) * DON'T be afraid to ask for help. Understand that there are always going to be people smarter than you, but, also, that there are people who aren't as smart as you that you can help. If you know someone who can help you with your site, ASK THEM. If they have the time, they'll probably be glad to set aside some time to help you out. * DO publicize your site, by signing up for banner exchanges, and getting people to put your banners on their sites. Tips & Tools of the Trade * Start small. Don't expect to be able to do something of the caliber of some of the bigger sites if you're just starting out. Also, don't have a ton of pages with nothing but 'coming soon' on them. People don't like that. Just put up the links to the pages you have, and add the links as you create the pages. (NOTE: I've been doing this for eight years now, and, believe me, I'm still learning new tricks every day!) * If you want to make your website look more spectacular, invest in a graphics program like Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop (what I use). That way, you can design your own graphics the way you want them, not how other people may design them for you. * Try, try, try. If someone suggests something that they've done, and you like it, do something similar for your site. If you don't like how it turns out, fine. Go on to something else. * Keep the color scheme of your entire site the same, and yet, easy to read. Don't pair fuschia and neon green. One of the best ways to do it is to have a dark background, like dark gray, and a light text/link color, like white or pink. Make the titles big, but not too big. (Having title size of no more than 14 pt type is just fine.) Conversely, make the regular text smaller than the titles, but still be able to read it. (NOTE: One way to check that is to check each page as you work on it in your browser window to see how the browser reads it. If it works, great. If not, back to the drawing board.) * Read, read, read. As you can, get books on HTML and websites. You'll find lots of neat tips in them to help make your site better. (And, if you're lucky, it'll have a CD in it with shareware and stuff like that!) A couple of good ones I've read are Creating Web Pages For Dummies by Bud Smith & Arthur Bebak and Creating Cool HTML 4 Web Pages by Dave Taylor. * If you sign up for a lot of webrings, put them on a separate page, not the main page (but let the webring masters/mistresses know.), since the graphics many webrings use tie up download time. * Before you start your site, lay out what you want on the page/site, and where you want it, etc. Don't just go in and start throwing HTML tags around willy-nilly. Take a little time out to plan out your site, and it will come out MUCH better. Cool HTML Tricks These are things I've picked up from different sites. If you like the idea, go ahead and try it. (What you add is in this color.) * If you want your background to stay in one place, you add this to your <body> tag: <body background="img.jpg" bgcolor="#??????" text="#??????" link="#??????" vlink="#??????" bgproperties="fixed">It's the "bgproperties='fixed' " part that keeps the background in one spot. * If you want your links to have a lil line above them, do this in the <style> tags: <style><!-- /* Style Definitions */ a:hover {color:#??????; text-decoration:overline; } --!></style>It's the "a:hover" tag that makes it possible. In the "color" section, you add a color, usually something like white or black, Now, if you want both a top AND bottom line, you just add "underline" to the text decoration area, like this: a:hover {color:#??????; text-decoration:overline underline;}</style> * If you want your links to have a background color, you add this to your <style> tag: <style><!-- /* Style Definitions */ a:hover {color:#??????; bg:#??????; text-decoration:overline; }--!></style>A good hint is that, whatever your link color is, you put that in the "bg" tag. Well, hope these have helped you out at least a little. Good luck with your site!

I had originally had this posted on my domain at nevernormal.com, and thought that you guys could use it here as well. Granted, this is geared to the uber newbie, so don't razz me if I don't suggest the most advanced in web design. lol

Well, the thing is is that you're only considered a guest by this system until you log in, at which point you can post in the shoutbox all you want, though I do believe doing it this way into the forum at large has a better chance of getting you help. Alas, my coding skills are slim to none, so I cannot, as yet, help you with the coding for the shoutbox.

What sci-fi movies do you like the best/most? Even though I'm a big Star Trek fan, the only ones I really liked was Star Trek IV, about the whales, and Generations. For more of the "mainstream" sci-fi, I like stuff like Blade Runner, Star Wars, and Imposter...If I think of more, I'll add, but for now, what's everybody else like?

God knows I'm gonna really show my geeky side with this, but I'd have to say I love Labyrinth, Legend, The Last Unicorn and fantasy stuff like that, though the Star Trek Movies and Back to the Future Trilogy were both really good series. Oh, yeah, and the Karate Kid ones...geez, remembering all these old movies I still have copies of somewhere.

Man, this seems to be the time for well known personages, whether local or worldwide, to be leaving this world. The latest is Prince Rainier of Monaco. He was the longest European ruler, having reigned in Monaco for 56 years. You may remember him for marrying the American actress Grace Kelly, with whom he had three children before her untimely death in 1982. He was 85.I personally was interested in this because I always loved the fairy tale type story of how he met, wooed and married Grace Kelly, even though their kids, from what press reports I've read, seem to vacillate between behaving like royalty and royal pains.

Okay, here's my two cents on the subject. One person mentioned earlier that he was more of a political figure than a religious one. The position of Pope means that this man has to constantly be straddling the line between politics and religion in just about every matter that comes before him. I am not Catholic, but I admire the fact that he was, as is evidenced by some of the comments of this thread, able to reach all parts of the world to try and bring either the message or the encouragement that his visit brought. I feel that his life was one very well spent in doing the Lord's work.

Almost nude pictures?? I think they cleaned up on that because I have yet to find a nude pic in any of the many profiles of my friends. I think the admin for the site now approve any and all pics put into profiles. Messy and hard to use??? As far as I can tell, it's pretty easy to navigate the links all at the top on every page...maybe they've changed since you were there last. As for spammers and fakes, well, you deal with them with any situation where profiles are involved, i.e. yahoo. I mean, there's this one yahoo profile that's using a very well known pic from me and my boyfriend's profile- but it's not OUR profile, if you get my meaning. It happens, life sucks, but I still think you can meet some pretty cool people on there. Okay, done with my two cents.

Well, thanks to all the intelligent people who wrote in to comment on this. Yes, I do believe Wyllt has a point about how I may have gone a little overboard, due to the fact I'd gotten off of work about an hour before, and may have still been in "he's nothing but an annoying perv" mode. I dunno...it's been about three weeks or so now. I do apologize to NilsC, however, for allowing an opening for clagnol to walk right into, but, then again, he's a newbie (though that's no excuse at all, since we have the rules listed numerous places, but I digress). Anyways, my final word on the subject is that though I may have overreacted about whether or not he was too agressive or whether he noticed who was sitting with whom, the main reason I'm venting is that I thought I was due some support from my other half.

Sorry, darlin, but I do believe that your comment was out of line. No matter what I chose to wear, whether or not they may be revealing or not, does not negate the fact that it was insulting that he could sit there and say that just because of my business, not my dress, I should be used to this. This is the same rationale that girls who get raped ask for it because of how they dress! Both are nothing but an utter crock of...well, you get the drift.

It's because, in parents' minds today, heaven FORBID you actually use some corporal punishment on a child when they obviously deserve it (i.e. throwing a temper tantrum in Kmart because they didn't get the new toy they've been asking for). I'm sorry, but if my kid were misbehaving, I would take him outside and whollop his *bottom* something good. Nothing evil or hard or immense, but a couple of good smack to the meaty part of the behind works wonders on shocking a kid back to behavior...I know it did for me and my little brother! And, if that didn't work, my dad would get out the big wiffle ball bat. Now, nothing too harmful for the kid, since the thing's made out of plastic, but BOY did it get the point across pain wise. No bruises or nothing, but you sure didn't wanna try and sit down for a while. What I mean by this little tangent is that parents feel that coddling their children so that they don't harm their little psyches is ridiculous! I think that psychologists today get off on saying that the child's needs should come before the parent. I'm sorry, but if it's getting food on the table vs. letting Johnny have the latest new toy so he won't throw a tantrum, sorry Johnny, you'll just have to wait. Not only that, but another side note about these parents letting their kids get whatever they want whenever they want is producing a generation of people who are used to the easy road in life and get a rude awakening when they find out that, in the real world, you don't get everything on a silver platter, and certainly not exactly when you want it. I mean, these parents are raising the kind of kids who seem to think that they can walk outside with their high school diplomas in hand and expect to recieve top dollar per hour at the store they choose. And, when they get told no, oh, well, it's the store's fault for not seeing their potential! What a crock. My parents, when I was growing up, taught me the value of a dollar. If there was something I wanted that they didn't think was worth spending money on, if I wanted it hard enough, I was told to earn enough money babysitting to be able to pay for it. Kids today need to be taught the great time honored tradition of being able to be accountable for themselves and what they do.