November 2004
This month: Night Watch . . . and . . . the heartland speaks . . .
-
Trying Something New posted: 11-29-04
Background images
Well, its time to expand my skill set a little. I see background images on web pages all the time - and - though I felt they were somehow beneath me, or at the least a "gimmick" I didn't have to resort to . . . . Well, here I am - reconsidering.
This process seems pretty nifty. All of the information (ex. image file location, behavior and positioning; container information, etc) are placed in the cascading style sheet.
background-color: #000000
background-image: url(stars.gif)
background-repeat: repeat-x (also: no-repeat, )
background-attachment: scroll (also: fixed)
background-position: top left (also: top center, top right, center left, center center, center right, bottom left, bottom center, bottom right; also %'s or x-pos y-pos)
Or, you can use short-hand to declare from one to five background properties:
background: #00FF00 url(stars.gif) no-repeat fixed top
List in this order:
background-color
background-image
background-repeat
background-attachment
background-position
Great Resource: www.w3schools.com/css
background photos by me
Thanksgiving posted: 11-25-04
Thanks for what ?
I woke a little after 6 this morning to blue sky peeking thru the window. The sunrise was prettier than usual - and to my surprise - I was inspired to rise from this "sleep-in" bed and try to catch the sky on film.
I knew there was little time; the sun was rising just below the horizon (Okay, the sun wasn't rising. The earth was rotating as it revolved around the sun.). So, I hurried as best I could. I fumbled with my camera (Olympus C-5060)- wishing again I had more time to learn how to take advantage of its many features.
I really do love my camera; this in-animate bit of techno.
"Increased processing speed lets you work at the pace you want while enjoying the vast landscapes and elaborate scenes you can conveniently frame with a multi-position LCD and capture with the 4x optical wide-angle lens and 5.1 megapixel CCD." - Olympus - www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_digital_cseries.asp
This camera is full of so many features. I had actually hoped to take about a week off this summer - camping and teaching myself how to use it. But, home repair emergencies took precedence.
I guess I purchased it about a year ago, after much - much research. I guess I paid a little under $1000 for it. Now its going for about 600. And its replacement ... well . . . I don't even want to know how much more advanced it is. The two major drawbacks: doesn't do well in low light and - because it is not an slr - you don't have that advantage to view thru the lens - except via lcd.
Andrzej Wrotniak - a very talented individual - has written extensively on this camera and lots of info can be found here: wrotniak.net/photo/c5050/index.html
This morning I ended up just "shooting from the hip" I took 3 point-and-shoot shots. The finer shades of rose and blue had since vanished, but there were still nice shapes and colors.
I've placed one of those shots at the end of this post. Its really nothing special, but I think its kind of pretty and pleasant to the eye. That quick photo shoot this morning has led me down a trail to experimentation with images and web-design. I decided to try to place this image in a paragraph below as a background-image: implementing CSS. I've avoided this in the past, because of my belief that such use is "frivolous" and wasteful (a by-product of my dull boorish personality). But, here I am experimenting - and running into problems getting this usage to validate as 1.0 strict. So, I'm submitting this page to my favorite web-design forum - www.sitepoint.com/ for help.
Giving Thanks
The fact is - I have a lot to give thanks for - in fact, more than I have the energy to write about this evening. Even though I may feel my life is hard - in many ways - - I take the time to at least acknowledge - that a lot of blessings have come my way - and I'm grateful. I can see, at least today, that the glass is at least half full.
Happy Thanksgiving
Jeepers posted: 11-21-04
Veepers
I found this fun internet tool on Sarah Lane's blog; she's on my blog roll . . . and yes, I have a crush on her.
http://ecard.veepers.com/service/Start
I composed a card - dedicated to my painting of the month for October. The e-card resides on veepers server - and I doubt it will be available for long - but, here it is: http://ecard.veepers.com/card
My Guy Won ! posted: 11-03-04
Oh! What a relief ! !
Election results:
Election result maps show that the president was re-elected by the heart land of the United States:
www.presidentelect.org
www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004
Kerry offers congratulations -
"Earlier today, I spoke to President Bush, and I offered him and Laura our congratulations on their victory. We had a good conversation and we talked about the danger of division in our country and the need - the desperate need - for unity, for finding the common ground, coming together. Today, I hope that we can begin the healing.
. . . "
www.johnkerry.com
The official Bush for president website:
www.georgewbush.com
The president's re-election acceptance speech -
" . . . We will help the emerging democracies of Iraq and Afghanistan -- -- so they can grow in strength and defend their freedom. And then our servicemen and women will come home with the honor they have earned. With good allies at our side, we will fight this war on terror with every resource of our national power so our children can live in freedom and in peace.
Reaching these goals will require the broad support of Americans. So today I want to speak to every person who voted for my opponent: To make this nation stronger and better I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust. A new term is a new opportunity to reach out to the whole nation. We have one country, one Constitution and one future that binds us. And when we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America.
. . . "
www.georgewbush.com/News/Read.aspx?ID=4186
gremlins slink away under flying snow posted: 11-01-04
How I spent Halloween
I watched a History Channel special on the "Amityville Horror" - truth,
hoax?? As you may know its based on real events, but lots of controversy
too.
Pretty interesting - here are some links:
www.warrens.net/amityvill.htm
www.crimelibrary.com/classics3/amityville
www.amityvillemurders.com
www.prairieghosts.com/amityville.html
www.amityvillehorrortruth.com
www.prsne.com/amityville.htm
Link to the movie:
us.imdb.com/title/tt0078767
I spent part of Halloween day trying to finish my underground wiring project to my garage. The electricity is back on in garage and now I'm trying to fish
coax, cat5 and cat3 between attic and garage thru another conduit.
(Ran into more problems on the 31st - so today I bought a $25 fish tape.).
Before Halloween eve - I ran to the store and bought a couple flood lamp
bulbs to keep the gremlins out of my backyard and garage.
I also bought a small bag of mini-candy bars - just in case (but didn't need
them). As night fell - I turned out all the lights - and worked at my computer
while watching my small TV - at the back of the house.
As predicted - and as is traditional - a light rain turned into a light but increasing snow (no tricksters for me).
Woke up to couple inches of snow today.
a Favorite Quote
"A 'just war' is hospitable to every self-deception on the part of those waging it, none more than the certainty of virtue, under whose shelter every abomination can be committed with a clear conscience."
- Alexander Cockburn
(b. 1941), Anglo-Irish journalist. New Statesman and Society (London, Feb. 8, 1991).
Humor
"You know the world is going crazy when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest guy in the NBA is Chinese, the Swiss hold the America's cup, France is accusing the U.S. of arrogance, Germany doesn't want to go to war, and the three most powerful men in America are named 'Bush", 'Dick', and 'Colon'.
- Need I say more?"
-- Chris Rock
http://www.amusingquotes.com
Painting
Night Watch
Harmenszoon van Rijn Rembrandt , - 1642 - Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
". . . it is not surprising to see how the military volunteers represented on Rembrandt's Night Watch look self confident and proud of themselves. It is clear that they are cocksure that victory over the enemy is a fait accompli. These are free citizens. Not soldiers, that is to say mercenaries (national service did not exist before the end of the 18th century). These men are militiamen taking care of the security of their home town. Rembrandt was asked to make a collective picture, a group's portrait. The names of the people who paid to be portrayed are mentioned on a shield hanging against the wall. The painting was attached in the room where the members of the company used to meet, for exercise, deliberations or just being together.
What a diversity of people! The captain, Banning Cocq, whose stretched out hand gives the order to start marching, is a man of importance his black costume and nice white collar shows that he is a well to do citizen and will certainly play an important political role in the free and prosperous city of Amsterdam. The black color symbolizes wisdom, while the exuberant yellow and gold color of lieutenant Van Ruytenburch, signifies the right to show worldly wealth. On the right side another man in black is seriously discussing, some theological subject maybe, but another pokes fun at him, holding his lance with a tiny red flag above his hat. Irony and debunking are still now favourite occupations of the people of Amsterdam. Another joker wears, very unmilitarily, a high hat Amsterdam people have very little sense of uniforms and serious behavior. Nevertheless, a buoyant standard bearer holds up the flag of the city of Amsterdam.
And professional military men, musketeers, show how to handle fire-arms. A young boy runs around with a helmet covered with oak leaves -not just for fun, but because the oak leaves symbolize protection of the citizens.
Most intriguing is the presence of two little girls. Rembrandt's clair-obscur has arranged that the one in yellow dress is very visible, while the other one, in light green, is very much hidden behind her. These girls also have a symbolic function. Green is the color that symbolizes gaudia, joy, while yellow means victoria, victory. The victory girl bears on her girdle something that, more than anything else, shows how sure these men are that their war is won. It is a dead chicken, the defeated enemy.
Dutch militia people of these days had traditionally group's portraits made by one of the famous painters of their days, specialized in the this genre. Many of these paintings can be seen in Amsterdam, for instance in the Museum of Amsterdam History. We see men sitting or standing together in a row, immobilized, seriously looking at us. Nowadays world leaders, ministers in new governments, have their pictures still made the same way. Thinking of these exhibitions of stiffened beings, we realize how original Rembrandt has been in his unique creation.
One may ask why the Night watch is called Night watch. Captain Banning Cocq's men posed in daylight, just as they had the habit of marching in the city streets by daylight.
There is no objective reason to give the painting the title Night watch. The habit of giving titles to paintings did not exist in Rembrandt's time. When the varnish applied for protection darkened the painting, the idea was born that Rembrandt painted a night watch; the painting was given that name. The error subsisted until the day, in the 19th century, that the dark varnish was taken away and the scene appeared in its real splendor. But it was too late to change the title it subsisted until now. "
- The site I found this on is in another language, so I'm not certain, but I think the author - Aart van Zoest? - is Dutch?
www.newmoon.nl/ergosum/kunst/rembrandt.php
(Best viewed with browser "view" set to "full".
You may also be able to use your browser to enlarge this image - to view details.)
a Favorite Film
Primary Colors
http://imdb.com/title/tt0119942/
Kathy Bates shines.
Bill Clinton is pitied.
On the eve of the biggest election in decades - sometimes its helpful to look back.
In 1988 Anne Richards brought down the house when as Democratic keynoter she said of George H.W. Bush, "Poor George. He just can't help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.".
In 1994, the son beat the woman (Richards), who so publicly ridiculed his father.
The son beat the man (Clinton) who beat his father.
The son went to war, defeated and captured the man (Saddam) who tried to assassinate his father.
