Behind the Screen

The opinions, views, and insights stated within this Monologue are my own. The facts, fallacies, and errors, however, belong to someone else (see disclaimer).

Friday, October 31, 2003

 

A friend of mine from Indianapolis years, Merritt Olsen, is running in the NY Marathon this weekend. Though she we caught up in Toronto two weekends ago, I might make it down to see her this weekend. Here are her words about the race.

The New York Marathon will be held on Sunday, November 2nd. There's an incredible website for your entertainment (really, I could spend hours on it because there's so much to look at and read about). And on race day they will have live coverage of the lead runners and hopefully finishing times on "normal" runners like me. Go to the site and look me up, my bib number is: #37748.

Good luck Merritt.

10:19:44 AM  | 

Thursday, October 30, 2003

 

I was seeking an answer to a CSS problem today and came across this great site that explains why CSS is so much better than TABLEs.

Why tables for layout is stupid: problems defined, solutions offered

Tables existed in HTML for one reason: To display tabular data. But then border="0" made it possible for designers to have a grid upon which to lay out images and text. Still the most dominant means of designing visually rich Web sites, the use of tables is now actually interfering with building a better, more accessible, flexible, and functional Web. Find out where the problems stem from, and learn solutions to create transitional or completely table-less layout.

If you are a web developer and are having difficulties persuading execs or clients to switch to a tableless layout, this site would be a good place to send them. Of course, these sites would also be great, for they are all built using CSS and not TABLEs:

3:38:35 PM  | 

Tuesday, October 28, 2003

 

Parts two and three of the Peace Corps series on saftey have been published. I've read several so far, they are pretty powerful.

PART TWO

Missing without a trace
Peace Corps answers few questions in disappearance

Roadside robbery leaves victim angry
Volunteer fears community she was helping to rebuild

Life of intrigue leads of murder of volunteer
Woman drawn into dangerous lifestyle during service

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PART THREE

Danger in the highlands
Volunteers on edge in scenic African country

Searching for success despite risks
Two local volunteers see impact of efforts during missions in Africa

Volunteer believes lack of support cost her right eye
Beth Heyward says her pleas to go home for medical treatment were ignored

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

10:20:42 PM  | 

Sunday, October 26, 2003

 

Part 1 of a series of Peace Corps stories on safety appeared in today's Dayton Daily News. Though I was interviewed for this series, I do not expect to have my story or comments included. This seven-part series explores how Peace Corps volunteers face injury and death in foreign lands. As many of you know, my Peace Corps story of early termination deals much more so with freedom of speech than safety and security.

Regardless if I'm quoted in an upcoming story or not, there is a lot of good content here. I hope that some of you choose to follow this issue. Here are links to Sunday's articles.

PART ONE

Mission of Sacrifice
Peace Corps volunteers face injury, death in foreign lands

Ohio leaders recall defining moments in Corps
Tony Hall: 'You've got to go in . . . with your eyes open'

Volunteer decides to return home
Englewood native left Africa after bouts with illness

Not every crime victim counts in tracking system
Three rapes and two assaults count as one 'incident' to Corps

Corps unwilling to release information on crime
'Daily News' fights legal battle against agency to access records

EDITORIAL

Peace Corps' policies don't honor promise
The Peace Corps' good intentions and its public image as an army of ambassadors doing good around the world shouldn't exempt the agency from accountability

PEACE CORPS RESPONSE

A letter from the Peace Corps
We have concerns about 'inaccuracies and misleading information'

EDITOR'S COMMENTARY

Perils faced by volunteers need to be reported
Peace Corps has proven to be more dangerous and disturbing than is generally perceived. By Jeff Bruce

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

MESSAGE BOARD

10:34:49 PM  | 

 

A List Apart Magazine is back with a new design and some great articles. One absolutely amazing article on using CSS to layer background images, Sliding Doors of CSS will soon make its way into my code and future Web site designs. I really can't wait to take advantage of the ideas presented in this article.

In ALA's six to nine-month absence, I've been taking tips from css.maxdesign.com.au and css Zen Garden. Both are useful, but I'm so glad to see ALA back.

10:19:53 PM  | 

Saturday, October 25, 2003

 

Several months ago, a reporter from the Dayton Daily News interviewed me over the phone regarding Peace Corps safety and security. I'm not sure that my unfortunate Peace Corps experience was of much use for their story or not It looks like I might be included in this story after all since I received this email from the reporter. We'll see.

From: Meiling Hopgood
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2003 14:30:33 -0400

As many of you may know, the Dayton Daily News will publish its series on safety and security issues and Peace Corps starting Sunday, Oct. 26-Nov. 1.

You can read the series entirely at daytondailynews.com. Thank you for sharing your stories and frank thoughts with us.

Mei-Ling Hopgood

3:53:07 PM  | 

Wednesday, October 22, 2003

 

It looks like I missed the excitement at Niagra Falls by just a few days, for on Sunday, a man went over the falls and survied. Here's the story.

VOANews.com: Canadian authorities say a man has plunged over Niagara Falls without any protective gear and emerged apparently unharmed.

Witnesses say the man seemed calm Monday as he jumped into the water and was carried down the Niagara River toward the 54 meter waterfall.

After the drop, he swam to shore and climbed onto a rock at the base of Horseshoe Falls.

Police say the unidentified man was taken to a hospital, where he was in stable condition.

He is reportedly the first person to survive the plunge down the Canadian side of Niagara Falls without any kind of equipment. In 1960, a seven-year-old boy wearing a life preserver survived the fall, after a boating accident.

More than a dozen daredevils have used barrels or other devices to go over the falls in the past 100 years, and several have lost their lives.

No one has survived a trip down the rockier American side of the falls.

9:18:17 AM  | 

Monday, October 20, 2003

 

My weekend in Toronto was a lot of fun. Indianapolis friends Cameron Jeffreys and Michelle Blackwell are now married.

I began the weekend early on Friday morning (3:45am), drove to Hartford to catch my flight, and arrived in Toronto by 9:30. Once there, the whole Indianapolis gang picked me up at the airport: Ansley Jentz, Carol McLaughlin, Merritt Olsen and a new friend Amy. We piled into the car and headed to Niagra Falls.

Though I've seen the falls twice before, the trip was great. None of the ladies had seen the falls, so it was fun enjoying their first-time reactions. We had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the falls and headed back to Toronto.

Carol and Ansley attended the rehearsal dinner that night while Merritt, Amy, and I set off to find dinner. We found a neat Italian restaurant that had a live tree growing partially inside. Dinner was great. Following dinner, we went up the CN Tower for a night view of the city.

At a height of 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches), the CN Tower is the World's Tallest Building. At 342 m (1,122 ft) there is a Glass Floor and Outdoor Observation Deck, which is quite cool. And at 447 m (1,465 ft.), you'll reach the Sky Pod, the World's Highest Public Observation Deck is located at a dizzying 447 m (1,465 ft.). To give you an idea, that's about 145 stories tall.

I've been up the CN Tower two times prior, but never at night. It was cool to see the city a lit up. It was also easy to spot the horizon thanks to street lights.

After the Tower, we headed back to the hotel just in time to catch Ansley and Carol returning from the Rehearsal Dinner. I jumped in the car and we took off to Carol's hotel for a few drinks. Her hotel was attached to the Sky Dome. We found the Windows Lounge and Bar, which overlooks the field. There, we had a few drinks and watched the grounds crew disassemble the field after a CFL game.

On Saturday, Ansley's husband Brian joined us. The ladies decided we should eat in China Town. But after seeing all of the chickens, ducks, and other animals hanging in the restaurant windows, they changed their minds. We eventually found Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant, where we could enjoy hamburgers and some US college football.

It was now time for the wedding. Held at The Hunt Club, their wedding was great. Following the wedding, I played the role of emcee. So I introduced the wedding party as they entered, I introduced the toast, and announced the cutting of the cake; things like that. It all went well. And thanks to a new drink I discovered, the Canadian Caesar, we all had a good time.

On Sunday, many of us met for breakfast to say goodbye. Carol and I had later flights so we set off on foot to explore some more. After a little shopping, we found a neat restaurant that was like an open-air market. Following lunch, we visited the Hockey Hall of Fame Museum. I've been here before but they have a lot of fun things to see and do. It was worth a second visit.

After Carol departed for her flight, I left the HHOFM and found World Press Photo 03, an annual exhibition that contains 200 photographs that feature the best in press photography in the past year. Naturally, the images were quite moving as they serve as a historical document for the world's main events of 2002.

Following this powerful exhibit, I grabbed my bags, caught a taxi, and headed out to the suburbs to see Cam and Michelle's new home. They have a two-story home in a great neighborhood. Cam's parents, in fact, live about five blocks away. I can tell they will both be happy here.

It was now time to return home. Cam drove me to the airport and I was back in Norwalk by midnight on Sunday. It was a great trip. Cam and Michelle, I'm quite happy for you both.

9:58:46 AM  | 

Thursday, October 16, 2003

 

Last week, I ordered myself an iPod. Naturally, it will arrive exactly one day later than I was hoping.

Scheduled to arrive tomorrow, I'll already be in Toronto celebrating the wedding of Michelle and Cameron Jeffreys, two good friends from my Indianapolis years. I'm looking forward to the wedding for I'll get to see old friends, explore a town that I love, and see some friends get hitched. Should be a good time.

The bad news is that I have a 6:30am flight out of Hartford, which is about an hour-and-a-half away. It's going to be an early morning tomorrow and a long day.

The plan is for the old gang to pick my up at the Toronto Airport. From there, we will head straight to Niagra Falls, which is only two hours away. On Saturday, we attending the wedding. And on Sunday, I spend the day exploring more of Toronto, for my flight home is not until 8pm.

See you next week, eh.

1:48:44 PM  | 

Monday, October 13, 2003

 

The folks came to town this weekend. They arrived Saturday night and were off Sunday night for a quick, 24-hour visit.

Basically, they just wanted to see where I lived, worked, ate, slept, and what-not. I gave the a tour of Norwalk, SoNo, the Norwalk Aquarium, and neighbooring towns.

It was a good trip. Thanks for the visit mom and dad.

2:29:42 PM  | 

Thursday, October 09, 2003

 

I love the title of this story. Clever, very clever.

Wired News: Crack Team to Move Liberty Bell: "Crack Team to Move Liberty Bell

By Michelle Delio

02:00 AM Oct. 09, 2003 PT
When the Liberty Bell was removed from Independence Hall on June 3, 1904, it was placed in a cart padded with straw and paraded through the streets of Philadelphia in celebration of the city's founding fathers.

The 2,080-pound bell will be on the move once again on Thursday. This time it will be fitted with wireless motion sensors and placed in a specially constructed pneumatic cart to make the 963-foot journey to its home in the newly constructed Liberty Bell Center. "

12:47:36 PM  | 

Tuesday, October 07, 2003

 

I contacted A List Apart last week regarding a few ideas I had for upcoming articles. ALA is a great website that offers tips on improving Web design and layout. I've learned a lot from the site and thought it might be time to contribute.

I sent an e-mail or two off to its editors. Within a few days, they wrote back saying that my ideas have potential and I should submit an article or two for consideration. I will.

Lately, I've taken an interest in using CSS and PHP to create navigational lists that also indicate the current page. Kind of tough to explain it all in a single sentence, but you can get a general idea by visiting Daniel Rubin's site. Though Daniel accomplishes the same idea in a slightly different way.

9:34:57 AM  | 

 

I have new neighbors. Well, they actually live down the street a few blocks, but they are new neighbors none the less.

This weekend, roommate Scott and I spent most of the day Sunday helping Leslie and Jessica move from Norwalk to East Norwalk. We know Leslie because she shares a desk at work with our other roommate Adam. Adam, however, wasn't around this weekend to help her move, so Scott and I served as his replacement.

Though you wouldn't think moving would be much fun, it actually was a good day. Met some new folks, enjoyed a few drinks, and benefited from a good workout. Welcome to the neighborhood.

9:24:57 AM  |