freshpub

Hope someone here will take pity on poor, little, programming-challenged, old me...I have managed to install Oscommerce (easy enough with Fantastico - many thanks to its creators) and the STS module (quite a feat for me!). I have even managed to find a very good set of HTML/CSS pages to use as templates.But this is where I'm stuck. I have been trawling - and still am - the Internet for help to transform my HTML pages so that they become templates. But all the explanations I have found are too complicated for me, because they all assume that I know PHP. I don't Would there be someone very nice here at Xisto who would take me by the hand and give a step by step how-to in plain English? Or could you point me somewhere on the Internet where the information is available, preferably for free?Thanks you all so much

Congratulations!!!I hope you will be able to see your new darling daughter very soon. In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers will hopefully keep her and your wife safe.Now you can look forward to teething problems, running around and bumping into things, teenage rebellion, and unsuitable boyfriends... I bet your job sounds a lot easier now All my love and wishes of happinness to you and your family!

I don't think making tobacco illegal would do much good.Many people like to be contratry, and if tobacco was to be made illegal, it would only lead to more people, and teenagers in particular, getting hold of some and smoking it just to be cool.I agree that it's very bad for your own health and for that of those who live and work close to you... So I think the UK have got it right to a point. Smoking - smoking anything for that matter - has been banned from public places. You can smoke in your own home, and out in the open, but not in enclosed places where people meet such as bars and restaurants.There has been much grumbling by the smokers when this law came into action a few years back. But people seem to have adapted pretty well to it. The only solution is to have rooms for smokers and rooms for non-smokers, but it might stretch some businesses...So, sorry Laos, but you won't get my signature to make tobacco illegal.

The survival of the human race will ultimately depend on us colonising space in one way or the other...The dinosaur were wiped out and so could we. Whether it was diseases, asteroid strikes or another catastrophe, what killed them could and probably would kill us too. On top of natural disaster, there is the fact that the human race can't seem to be able to stop fighting among itself. If Nature doesn't get rid of us, we would surely do the job for Her...Space, and the possibilities that are out there, is the only way mankind will survive.Then again, I'm not convinced that mankind should survive...

The government can try to cut off people from the Internet, but nearly every town has a library with computers to access the net. And usually it's free to sign up! The threat might stop some people, like those who prefer to stay on the right side of the law or who might not even realise they're doing wrong. But like you pointed out, those who really want their videos, music tracks or ebooks will find a way to get what they want. I think the ISP's may report the very worst offenders, but as you said, they stand to lose a lot.And if you're right with your statistics, the government can't really do anything anyway. I seems to recall the Prime Minister saying he wanted everyone in Britain to have access to the net by 2012. If have of us get banned, that target won't be met, will it?I think the government should stay out of it, really. It's a matter for the courts. I'm a publisher, and my industry has been working hard to put books online without risking the kind of piracy like the music industry has experienced with mp3. I think that this is really the way to go. The businesses offering stuff online must make sure themselves that their stuff doesn't get stolen. They have security systems for their offices and warehouses rights? They need the equivalent online!And then if someone steal, ban them from the store and sue them like you would do an offline thief. That's what the laws are for! Sure it might be more difficult, but the ISP's would definitely be more willing to help track down thieves rather than loose customers altogether.Just my point of view...

I agree with kleong, to a point. Formula one is now more interesting, because Ferrari has lost their death grip on the top spot of the podium. Michael was an excellent driver, and got the best out of the car. And Formula 1 was boring when he could win with a lap on nearly everyone else.Now that they have started to change the rules, the sport is more interesting - to a fan like me anyway. Although I do think that some of the changes planned for next year are ridiculous...In response to Simpleton, the races really aren't that long. The time limit for a race is 2 hours, just over the length of a football match. What makes it appear so long is the time that the tv channels spend talking about it beforehand. You don't need a whole hour to tell everyone who is where on the starting grid I agree that drivers have to be lucky to have a good car underneat them if they want to win. They also have to be lucky not to crash, or be caught up in another driver's crash. Luck is an important part of any sport. But talent is just as important. And so is strategy.Even starting near enough last, a driver with talent can weave his way into the points - first to eighth get points. Michael could do it. Hamilton can do it. So can Barichello, Massa and Fisichella if they have a good car underneath them. The more points you earn during one season, the better your chances the following one, either in your current team as they will be having more money from sponsors; or at a different team who will have recognised your talent.I think it all comes down to being truly hooked. I love it. Can't stop shouting at the tv screen when the stewarts make a poor decision. can't help but yell when my favourite wins. My partner's the same with football, though I can't see the point of 22 men running after a ball when they all earn enough to buy their own. It's called being a fan i suppose, and if you can't stop watching, Simpleton, maybe you're getting there yourself

Your portfolio will be a very important tool. But you need something to show before you can build it.Look around for a charity, an event, anything that you think might do with a good new website, or a redesign of their old one. Then approach them and offer to do the work for free, or at costs if they want some very specific stock pictures. And here is the first project to put in your portfolio...But two things that you should do afterwards:1-Ask whoever agreed to you doing with the website if they were happy with the way you did it. Ask for suggestions on how to improve your customer service. And if they were desperately happy with it all, ask for a testimonial, a short quote to put on your own website, in promotional literature and/or to use in a press release...2-Get the local news involved. If the charity/event you've just finished working for is already planning to appear in the local paper, radio, tv news, ask if you can be mentioned as a sponsor, a volunteer or whatever they want to call you. Ask that they mentioned exactly what you did for them and that they are happy with your service. Create your own press release as well. Ask someone you know that is good with words if you can't do it yourself. Then sent the release to everyone you can think of and post it on your website and with press release agencies online.Mailing the businesses in your area repeatedly could do you some harm as well as good. Many people don't read flyers, and if they do, they might get annoyed to see your name crop up again and again. Unsolicited direct mailings are good, but only if you don't do it too often...Try getting in at business events. Doesn't have to be related with designing at all. Over here in the UK, we have networking events, specifically hosted to meet new business contacts. But almost every business owners I know are using free business courses and events about accounting, marketing, tax, purchasing... as a networking event, to make new business contacts.Just a few ideas...

I think all people with high salaries should take a good, long, hard look at themselves. I put bankers, politicians, rich businessmen all in the same basket here.Over here, in the UK, some politicians have been found to claim expenses for ridiculous things such as changing the toilet seats in their home. Many have been ordered to repay this, and some are now moaning that they don't have enough to live on. ?64,766 a year, allowances for two homes and travel back and forth to London... I think that's far too much when I struggle on just under ?12,000.If your President Obama has started the ball rolling by forcing pay cuts on high earners who make bad decisions, very good. Hopefully, our politicians will now see sense and realise they're just the same!

I don't think that McDonald should take all the blame here. Yes, some of their stuff is not that healthy, but no one is forcing parents to go and eat there. And nowadays - at least in the UK, McDonalds actually offers one portion of fruit or vegetable with their kids' meals. The fact remains that, going to McDonalds once or twice a month, like I do with my kids, won't do them a lot of harm. If they have an actively lifestyle and otherwise eat healthy enough, one greasy burger every other week is not going to make them obese.I must admit that we don't eat particularly healthy in my home. We only have 2 or 3 of the 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day doctors keep on saying we should all eat. The kids have chocolate cereals for breakfast. We love our potatoes - whether mashed, roasted or in the form of chips or wedges. And there's always sweets and sugary stuff for the kids to eat...But then again, we walk everywhere. The kids have been taught that they only get sweets if they behave and eat the rest of their food first. They are involved in lots of activities and sports. The food I cook is always prepared without any oil. I only buy 100% beef burgers, so that you don't get all the crap that cheaper brand add to theirs.It's all a question of balancing food and an active lifestyle...

I think McDonalds does relatively decent food for what you pay. I know my kids are always asking to go, probably because of the sugar content. And I do let them sometimes, because it's cheap. I kind of like too, once in a while. Sure it doesn't taste as good as a nice mome-made burger and fries, but it could be a lot worse. McDonalds will stay top because their one of the cheapest. I do prefer to pay a bit more and get better food, but not everyone can nowadays. And they have the budget to keep advertising and stay in the mind of the public. As for those who say that it's not healthy, my answer is: go and have a run around the park. A greasy burger will only drop on your thighs if you keep them still.

If I had a million pound, I would buy a nice, four or five bedrooms house (not a too expensive one, say ?500k max), a couple of cheap flats to refurbish and then rent, and use some of what's left to furiously promote my publishing business.I think that leaves me with thereabouts of ?200,000... Let's see - keep half to give an extremely wonderful Christmas to my children and my family, and give the other half to charity, maybe Cancer Research UK or the Red Cross.

I've got three children. The first two, my lazy boys, only started talking properly around 2, because they were happy to talk baby-talk between themselves, didn't go much to play groups, and knew perfectly well that Mum and Dad could understand them.My third one, my little girl, has said her first words aged 10 months, and by 1, her vocabulary contained mama, dada, bottle, milk and tickle.All children are different, but if you're still worried, do try to get in touch with a speech therapist, like rayzoredge suggested. It worked wonders with my boys!

Do you like how that person in your dream changed? Do you think that they changed for the better? Because if not, your subconcious might be trying to pinpoint when/where/what went wrong in that person's life, for you to then fix it.I often have dreams the way you describe it, and as Baniboy said, I often take control of these dreams because they are very useful creative tool for me. Although it took me a little while to learn, I can now rewind, pause, zoom in, fast-forward... all sorts of useful things for a writer/editor trying to make a story better.However, if you really do not want the dreams, here is a little tip. It was taught me by a friend and, although not totally foolproof, it works often enough for me. When you go to bed, take a glass of water. Drink that very slowly in your bed, and consciously slow your breathing. Then lay down and close your eyes, still trying to keep your breathing nice, even and slow. When you start drifting off, think very clearly to yourself that you do not want to dream this night. Try and make this the very last conscious thought you have. Although your subconscious takes over at night, I found that often sleep quietly through the night with that technique!Hope this helps!

I don't get to choose lately, because I'm forced to use the computers at my local library. And, of course, they use Windows and IE.But otherwise, Firefox, all the way. I also like Google Chrome.I think the only reason IE is used so much IS because it is bundled with windows. None of my web developers use it for anything but checking their sites work with it, and they keep on telling me it's a nightmare to get the sites to behave the way they should with IE...

It might look very nice and shiny now, but give it to my kids for just five minutes, and you'll see the finger marks and scratches appear!!!I think it's not worth it. Just give me a nice black phone that can easily make calls and go on the Internet. That's all I need.

I think that every good ideas has its opportunities.I think the real secret to business success is research. If you have an idea, and you research your market carefully enough, you will definitely spot opportunities within it. Some of these will be no good for you, maybe because you're in the wrong place, or don't have the money you might need. Doesn't mean that the idea was bad, just not good enough for you.So if you have a good idea, research your market carefully. You might come up with a slightly different business that you had thought up first, but it will probably be better for the change. That might give you the competitive edge you need to make your business a real success.

If you are going to start designing websites for a living, I suggest you first decide exactly the layout of the site. If you are working for someone else, sit down with them and talk, make sure you know what they'd like, and what would work. Try http://www.dynamicdrive.com/, where you'll find very simple layouts to build from. They also have loads of css code snippets for you to have a look at and/or use for your sites. Colour is also very important. You must choose colours that goes well together (Your triangle theory is actually a good one), and these colours must be 'related' to the subject of the site. Psychology plays a big part in that. Have a look at Wikipedia for some common colour associations. Also remember that these associations can change depending who looks at the design: in the Western world, death is associated with black, while it's associated with white in Eastern cultures. You can have a look at http://www.2createawebsite.com/, under web design. There's an article on colour use in web design. Finally, you must make sure your site is easily readable and accessible by those with disabilities. Have a look at the accessibility guidelines by the W3C. As many have already noted, look aroud at what others have done to find inspirations. Hope this helps...

thanks serverph! I'll check out the websites you've suggested.I actually live on the Isle of Wight, England. We do have a big chain supermarket not too far, but their selection is small and I don't think it tastes like the real thing... I haven't found any specialist store here. Mind you, I can't even found a take away that does Japanese, so I don't think there's a good chance a finding somewhere that offer the food stuff needed!

I like painting and drawing, but I often end up retouching my work with GIMP.But for somthing totally computer unrelated, I swim and dance.Sadly, I always end up back in front of my screen, well with work and all that...

Never took a typing lesson in all my life, and I type at around 25-30 wpm when thinking up fiction. I tend to be just a little bit quicker with non-fiction for some reason. I use QWERTY now, but I started with AZERTY and used to be quite a bit quicker. Even the little changes make a big difference.My left hand usually sits above SDF, and my right hand actually hovers HJK just like you rob86. But the rigfht definetely does most of the work as I prefer to use the numeric pad to type numbers, and I use the arrows keys a lot...I do what comes naturally and I have no intention of learning to type faster, that's what Dragon Naturally Speaking is for !

I love Japanese food. It's healthy, nice to look at, and even better to eat !My problem is that, although I can make the basics that everyone know about, like sushis, sashimis, a mean chicken teriyaki, and a few other dishes, I find myself unable to find any other recipes to try. I'm not a fussy eater and will try pretty much anything so long as it's not too spicy, or at least can be cooked with less spice than indicated and still retain the flavours.Has anyone got a few recipes to share, or know of a resource site on the web for me to have a look at (in English please, as I've never been able to learn more than a few little words of Japanese)? Also if anyone knows where I could buy Japanese food stuff to be delivered at my home... I don't mean take-aways but the basics food stuff such as rice, sake, a decent soy sauce... Thanks a lot!

Actually I quite agree with you. Money is a bad thing that has become nearly as necessary as air to survive in the 'civilised' world.But if you go to one of the 'poor' countries on the other side of the world, you will fing that many people are quite happy to live without much money. They are just happy with their lot, so long as they manage to get enough food for their families, by working for ir or growng it themselves.If we were to revert to the barter system, we would still have greedy people trying to get their hands on more of what they want without paying much for it. But everyone would hopefully gain much in spirituality and peace of mind...I don't know how that change would happen either - because the greedy people are happy right now with money, and sadly enough they are the one in power - but I suppose it would be a nice goal to work towards

If you've got the time and the resources, go with a subscription site.Basically, you find a niche subject, fill your site with lots of content, have a newsletter or blog that you write once or twice a week, and then get loads of people to subscribe to your site. Google Adsense and affiliate links are then added to your content to create residual income.If your content is unique enough, you may even be able to charge a fee for subscribing. Although many people now refuse to pay for something that they may find elsewhere for free, if you have info that nobody can get anywhere else you may get away with it If/when your site become popular, you can then start selling advertising space on there.

Someone corrects the poor French girl if she's wrong, and helps her understand it all...Currently in the US, you have to have health insurance if you want to visit a doctor or the hospital to find out what is wrong with you, yes? So if you don't have insurance, you don't get diagnosed? Or you have to pay upfront for the doctor?What about medicines? From what I see in movies, everyone pays for those, whether you have insurance or not. Do you get reimbursed or something?Because if that's the case, then I would recommend the NHS format. Sure that will means higher taxes. But inform ne on this one: do people on no or low income pay taxes in the US? Because in the UK, they don't. Might be unfair to those who are working and earning a lot, but I think it could be far worse...Just answer me these question, without shouting and preaching, and let me make my mind up.

Actually both Spudd and Erdemir are right to a point here.The Bible, as in the founding book of Christianity, is a collection of diaries and essays that was put together by those who believed in God and believed that Christ was His son. It does have an original language, hebrew, as it was largely dervided from the Torah, the sacred book of Judaism. It only get multi-lingual at a later date as followers from different countries started to write their own accounts of their relationship with God and/or Christ.However, there is now nearly as many Bibles as branches of Christianity, each edited to follow their own principles. The Catholic Bible was heavily edited by Rome, for example by throwing out what are now known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Some new churches are including these in their own Bible to show Christ as more human than god.As for converting by force, there is no moral high ground for anyone. Everyone has always been at fault, using religion as an excuse for political reasons of going to war. I would just wish everyone would let the past be past and remember that ultimately, whether we follow Islam, Christianity or Judaism, we all believe in the same God, simply in our own different ways...