This software makes my life so much easier. Its side-by-side HTML/Code with design preview taught me HTML and CSS. I haven’t tried the new CSS features, but every enhancement they add is intuitive and easy to figure out, and generally propels the product forward. I love how it recognizes my ASP.net code and lets me arrange and edit, all while it figures out the best way to represent the design in code.

As if the design and code interfaces weren’t enough, I use it to manage the sites on all of my non ASP.net projects. With the push of a button, it publishes just the files that have changed to my FTP site. It has features that allow me to not accidentally publish backup and temp files. It now even includes Subversion integration. While I’m still using CS3, I can’t wait to upgrade to the new CS4 soon.

Whenever I create new folders and move images around between folders, or files around, it automatically updates all of my links. No search and replace required - it simply figures out the new location and updates all my anchor references correctly. All in all, this is one of the best thought out WYSIWYG web-design packages around.

OK, I have no real beefs with Excel, Powerpoint, or whatever-the-Hell-Livenote-is, but let’s talk a moment about Word. Now, I’ve been using word processors for a very very long time - text editors and word processors were probably my first real apps. Every time I start Word, I end up understanding it less and less. I want to move something *here* and not *there* - why won’t you move that table?

I want to change this font - why do you keep changing it back? Where is that feature I found last week? Why do I have to navigate all these terrible menus? Why did this change so much from Office 2003, which I was just getting used to?

WHY DID YOU CRASH ON ME????

Yeah. Word makes me hate life, but it’s the only thing that seems to understand that silly “docx” format. And for that matter, what was wrong with the old file format? Why change?

Word seems to be the worst example of software bloat. I remember when Word was revolutionary, combining the functionality of an expensive publishing package with the simplicity of a word processor. But every few years, Microsoft seems to add, change and move features at random that fairly much demand that you purchase some kind of how-to book that you have to have in one hand while you attempt to use the product in the other.

The only good thing about Word? The Home & Student bundle appear to be on sale for a fairly excellent price - around $70 as I write this, which is actually cheaper than trying to purchase Word outside of the bundle.

Some days, I wish I could just turn back the clock, go back to DOS, and just ahve something simple that works well. That thought occurs to me every time I start Word.

Yes, it’s time to have the (sometimes) annual 2008 TCFF Oscar Party at it’s new location, the newly renovated Traverse City State Theater.

The  State Theater has been showing Oscar nominated movies all month in preparation for the event.  The first ever “State Theater” Oscar Party will open the doors on Sunday, Feb 24th, 2008, at 7:30pm.  Party starts at 8.  There will be a direct feed from Hollywood showing the Oscars live - and if it’s anything like the first party at the Resort, it will be commercial free, with Jon Stewart practicing his lines.  Popcorn and pop is free - well, after the $20 admission fee.

Once again we’re doing the “Guess the Oscars” contest.  The person with the most right guesses  wins something cool - I’m pretty sure it was their own private island, or a date with Scarlett Johansson, or maybe some tickets to the Traverse City Film Festival, I forget.  Whichever it is, it’ll be a lot of fun.

Traverse City Film Festival folks can check here for the 2008 Guess the Winners contest.

For those a little farther south, WMFVA members can check here for WMFVA 2008 Oscar Winners.

See you Sunday!

- Tony

This person needs a job. This individual seeks an executive position.
He will be available in January 2009, and is willing to relocate.
(Please don’t skip the last section!)

RESUME

GEORGE W. BUSH

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, DC 20520

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Law Enforcement:
I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver’s license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been “lost” and is not available.

Military:
I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam.

College:
I graduated from Yale University with a low C average. I was a cheerleader.

PAST WORK EXPERIENCE:

I ran for U.S. Congress and lost.

I began my career in the oil business in Midland Texas , in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn’t find any oil in Texas. The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock.

I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money.

With the help of my father and our friends in the oil industry (including Enron CEO Ken Lay), I was elected governor of Texas.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS:

I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America.

I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money.

I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history.

With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida , and my father’s appointments to the Supreme Court, I became President of the United States, after losing by over 500,000 votes.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT:

I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record.

I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one billion dollars per week.

I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury.

I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history.

I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period.

I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period.

I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the U.S. stock market. In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues.

I’m proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My “poorest millionaire,” Condoleezza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her.

I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips by a U.S. President.

I am the all-time U.S. and world record -holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations.

My largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. history, Enron.

My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to assure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision.

I have protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or prosecution. More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate rip-offs in history. I presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed.

I presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S. history.

I changed the U.S. policy to allow convict ed criminals to be awarded government contracts.

I appointed more convicted criminals to my administration than any President in U.S. history.

I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the history of the United States Government.

I’ve broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history.

I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission.

I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law.

I refused to allow inspector’s access to U.S. “prisoners of war” detainees and thereby have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention.

I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 US election).

I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any President since the advent of television.

I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year period. After taking off the entire month of August, I presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history.

I garnered the most sympathy ever for the U.S. after the World Trade Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacy in world history.

I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind.

I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, pre-emptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. Citizens and the world community.

I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families in wartime.

In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends.

I am the first President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security.

I am supporting development of a nuclear “Tactical Bunker Buster,” a WMD.

I have so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice.

RECORDS AND REFERENCES:

All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father’s library, sealed and unavailable for public view.

All records of SEC investigations into my insider trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view.

All records or minutes from meetings that I, or my Vice-President, attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review. I specified that my sealed documents will not be available for 50 years.

PLEASE SEND THIS TO EVERY VOTER YOU KNOW!

___________________________________________________________



“Of course the people don’t want war. But after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.”

– Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

He hoped and prayed that there wasn’t an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction involved here and merely hoped that there wasn’t an afterlife.

Humans are not proud of their ancestors, and rarely invite them round to dinner.

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.

In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.

In those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were real men, women were real women and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri.

It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes.

It is no coincidence that in no known language does the phrase ‘As pretty as an Airport’ appear.

Life… is like a grapefruit. It’s orange and squishy, and has a few pips in it, and some folks have half a one for breakfast.

The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don’t.

There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened.

Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

You live and learn. At any rate, you live.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
 - “Last Chance to See”

The last time anybody made a list of the top hundred character attributes of New Yorkers, common sense snuck in at number 79.
 - “Mostly Harmless”

He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it.
 - “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”

Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws.
 - “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”

Ah, this is obviously some strange usage of the word ’safe’ that I wasn’t previously aware of.
 - Arthur Dent in “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy”

The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair.
 - Mostly Harmless

Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.
 - The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Space is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind- bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemist’s, but that’s just peanuts to space.
 - The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

,
Even he, to whom most things that most people would think were pretty smart were pretty dumb, thought it was pretty smart.
 - The Salmon of Doubt, p. 205

A woman called the Canon help desk with a problem with her printer.
The Tech asked her if she was “running it under Windows.” The woman responded,
“No, my desk is next to the door. But that’s a good point. The man sitting in the cubicle next
to me is under a window, and his is working fine.”

OK, I know I should write something more than jokes, but here’s another one that I really enjoyed…

There was only one problem: The captain’s parrot saw the shows every week and began to understand what the magician did in every trick. Once he understood that, he started shouting in the middle of the show.

“Look, it’s not the same hat!” “Look, he’s hiding the flowers under the table!” “Hey, why are all the cards the Ace of Spades?”

The magician was furious but couldn’t do anything, it was the captain’s parrot after all.

One day the ship had an accident and sank. The magician found himself on a piece of wood, in the middle of the ocean, and of course the parrot was by his side.

They stared at each other with hate, but did not utter a word. This went on for several days.

After a week the parrot finally said, “Okay, I give up. What’d you do with the boat?”

One of the best jokes I’ve ever heard…

 Sitting on a bed with a tv remote in hand, the dog looks up and says, “Hey, how you doing?”

The guy is flabbergasted, “You’re really a talking dog! What heck are you doing here in Florida?”

“Well,” the dog says, “let me tell you.”

“I was at Ground Zero on 9/11 and helped save people who were buried in the debris. Then I was in the Gulf War for a while bringing medicine to injured soldiers. Then I helped sniff for terrorist bombs at the JFK. Then I was on Broadway in Riverdance. Then I helped patrol the border and sniff out drug runners before my partner got shot. It all just got to be too much.  So I retired down here.”

The guy goes out into the other room and says, “This is amazing. How can you sell a dog like that for only twenty dollars?”

The owner replies loud enough for the dog in the other room to hear, “Cause he’s a BIG LIAR!”

– heard on “Bob and Tom” show by comedian Rob Haney

Thanks to Letterman for inventing the “Top 10″ List all those years ago…

Top 10 things said in the movie “Star Wars” that sound dirty, but really aren’t…

10. “She may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts, kid.”
9.  “Curse my metal body, I wasn’t fast enough!”
8.  “Look at the size of that thing!”
7.  “Sorry about the mess…”
6.  “You came in that thing? You’re braver than I thought.”
5.  “Aren’t you a little short for a storm trooper?”
4.  “You’ve got something jammed in here real good.”
3.  “Put that thing away before you get us all killed!”
2.  “Luke, at that speed do you think you’ll be able to pull out in time?”

And the #1 thing said in the movie “Star Wars” that sounds dirty, but really isn’t…

1. “Get in there you big furry oaf, I don’t care *what* you smell!”

A bit of humor from my sister - taken from the pages of the blogs of our pets…

Diary Excerpts 

The Dog’s Diary 

 8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing! 

 9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing! 

 9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing! 

 10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!

 12:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing! 

  1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing! 

  3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing! 

  5:00 pm - Dinner! My favorite thing! 

  7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing! 

  8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing! 

  11:00  pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing! 

 The Cat’s Diary 

  Day 983 of my captivity. 

  My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. 

  They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat   something in order to keep up my strength.  

 The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.  

 In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. 

  Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a “good little hunter” I am. Bastards! 

  There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of “allergies.” I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage. 

  Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs. I am convinced t!
hat the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. 

  The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released, and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.  

 The bird must be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move.  

 My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe.  For now…

They say that the first time you try something, because you eventually get better and better at it, that first time is the worst that it’ll ever be. 

 Let’s hope they’re right - welcome to the worst (first!) incarnation of my blog, and the worst (first!) post. 

 Eventually I’ll tune and tweak and change and upgrade and try to make it a bit nicer.  Honest.

 At the moment, I’m working on a game review site.  I’ve been sitting on this domain for a long time and I really wanted to do something fun and useful for it.  If you go to http://www.gamefury.com you can check it out.

 The software for the game review site was very cool, very easy to figure out so far, written by a very helpful guy by the name of Tim Mousel.  Here’s a link to Tim’s review software, if you’d like to do something similar I recommend checking his stuff out: http://www.review-script.com .