So the buzz around the web development world is all about IE7’s automatic release this month. I don’t know what day exactly it’s going to happen, but this massive update to the IE platform is going to fubar a lot of websites. Mostly because every IE user is going to be automatically forced to update into IE7 (pending user approval of course), and IE7 renders websites a lot different than IE6 or it’s previous versions.

A lot of people using CSS for the skeletal structure on their websites, especially those who have used IE hacks, are going to suffer the most since IE7 does not support the IE * html hack anymore. Some have attempted to bypass this issue by using Firefox body > html hacks instead, which is fine I guess. But I prefer the method of using a separate IE specific stylesheet:


<!–[if IE]>
<link rel=”stylesheet” type=”text/css” href=”ie.css”>
< ![endif]–>

Regardless, it’d be a good idea for all web designers/developers to go ahead and get rid of your IE hacks before the Y2K (laf) of the web world goes into effect. Whether you decide to upgrade to IE7 or not, the majority of your users that use IE most likely will.

How distorted is beauty?

I got to work late on Friday due to the pilot light going out on the water heater, and me having to wait for water to warm up before I could shower. We burned the woodstove most of the weekend due to the weather, and boy did it feel toasty, so we didn’t really notice the fuel. I was also able to take a shower this morning before we realized we had just run out of gas -again-. Suburban Propane was supposed to keep us on a more frequent delivery schedule due to this being now the 4th time this year that this has happened, but I guess they didn’t.

I also found out my dad was behind on the bill by like $200 (which he never tells me these things because he wants to take care of it himself). It really irks me that their customer service sucks this bad, because I’ve been in that position, and I know what it’s like to be on both ends of the spectrum.

And I noticed it really upsets my father when he feels he isn’t the provider in the family. To him, it’s just not right. I took care of the $200 back payment this morning, and I know that bothers him. He’s thinking about getting a part-time job in addition to his disability because he hasn’t been able to bring in much money with concrete lately. I don’t mind taking on more of the bills than I already do, but even I am stretched thin right now. I’m not in debt save for my car payment, but it’s still hard trying to keep up with everything. You’d think making $10k more a year than I did in May would help, but it hasn’t yet.

Regardless I am trying to remain optimistic. I intend to scrimp more than I already do (though I seriously need some new work clothes, it’s just getting more ridiculous to repair the same holes over and over again), sell off a few things, maybe get another job myself, I don’t know.

I do intend to work the christmas tree farm again this year and give my dad whatever I earn from that.

It’s just really frustrating. I should be saving for retirement right now, not breaking even.

On another note, I’ve mentioned before how Thanksgivings of old were really big in my family. And the past few years, probably the last 8 years or so, we’ve all kinda gone our separate ways for the holidays. No more big feast, no get-togethers, nothing.

None of us grandchildren really know why. When our uncles/aunts/parents had whatever falling outs they did, we weren’t old enough to be told why. We just knew that the holiday dinners had stopped, as well as the cookouts.

Apparently this year, 6 of the 7 brothers and sisters on my fathers side are getting together to have the first family thanksgiving in many many years. The 7th brother is not invited, since apparently he has been the core of the problems all these years. The rest of the family has since forgiven each other or worked out their problems.

So it should be interesting, and I’m actually very excited to see some of my family that I haven’t seen since I was 8 years old.

I don’t expect this to happen on my mothers side of the family for a very long time

History of Hacking. Retro-style!

Funny Advertisements. Some are pretty cute.

Who killed the electric car?

Well, not really autumn pictures, because the leaves aren’t turning so much around my house yet. But pictures none the less!

I also took two videos of Bastian: Bastian and my dad playing, Bastian following me around the tripod

The hyperbaric chamber is doing wonders for my dads leg. The ulcer is almost healed, and I suspect will be healed by November. After a year of an open festering ulcer on my dads leg (and not the first time), we’ll finally have it healed.

Wish they would have thought of this before they made us do the surgery last spring, which we’re still paying off.

Hopefully soon, no more daily doctor visits and bandage changes. Hopefully soon. We’ll still have to be careful, but at least this hurdle will finally be cleared.

My dads friend that gave us the 83 bronco is now giving us an 85 monte carlo for free. It works, and hopefully will be better on gas mileage than the 83 bronco or 79 F-150 he drives now, otherwise we’ll just sell it. If it’s better with gas, this will be one more prayer that has been answered.