The hardest part of designing a new website is making sure it looks correct in all internet browsers. Not only that, but making sure it looks right in all versions of all internet browsers. It's a pain in the butt, but doable, with the exception of Internet Explorer.

Without alot of workaround nonsense it's not possible to have more than one version of IE on your computer at a time. The problem is that there is a huge difference in the appearance of websites between IE6, IE7 and IE8. They might as well all be considered as different browsers, since they share little in common other than a name and sloppy coding.

I have two incredible time savers and helpers for making any website look as good in IE as it does in Firefox. First, use Firefox to develop the design of the website. Most designers pick a browser to start with, create a design, and then view the site in other browsers. They make changes or add special files specific to each browser in order to make the look cross browser compatible. For the first fix, start with any browser other than IE to create the design. I use Firefox.

Once the design looks right add this code between the and tags of your template or webpage.

Here's a link to more information about the above code - http://code.google.com/p/ie7-js/.

This particular fix does miracles!! I no longer have to create separate CSS files for IE (or each version of IE), and the code above will even make transparent PNG images (with alpha transparency too!!) work correctly in IE! No more weird blue boxes in Internet Explorer where your cool transparent shadows and images used to be.

Now that you've created a great design and have added this handy code to make it look nice in IE too you need a way to make sure it looks nice in all versions of IE. How to do that? This website - IE Net Renderer - is FABULOUS for just that purpose.

It's free to use, and it's FAST. No waiting for a screenshot or an email file. It's as close to real time as I can think of. From their website:

IE NetRenderer allows you to check how a website is rendered by Internet Explorer 7, 6 or 5.5, as seen from a high speed datacenter located in Germany. Just type in a URL in the field above and try it out - it's free!

Unlike other screenshot services, we are able to process a large number of capturing jobs in parallel and in realtime, making it the fastest service that we know of.

Hope these help any other developers our there that have spent way too much time in the past just to play nice with IE!

This past month I've been working on a Joomla 1.0 component that does something I've yet been unable to find anywhere else (hence the reason I wrote such a program myself) - it's something akin to an online time clock and billing system. I've named it Trio Billing.

What does it do? At first it seems like many other support ticket or project management systems. I should know, I've spent a considerable amount of time over the past few years trying to find one that will do what Trio Billing now does. But there's one thing all other ticket systems lacked, be they open source or several hundred dollars to purchase - they didn't have a timer! Seriously! Oh sure, you could keep track of your time yourself and they might include a place for you to make a note of how long the task took you. But seriously, for those of us that charge for our time, we need precision! I wanted a time clock that manages those details for me!

I found in my searching Task Hopper for Joomla 1.0. It seemed pretty great, and its only downfall was that it had several bugs and was no longer supported or maintained by its writers. It also lacked a billing system. After several years of using this program, limping as it were through invoicing and bug problems, I finally decided to fix those bugs and add to Task Hopper. The result is Trio Billing. Wish I'd written the program years ago! What a great time saver!

So, if you're looking for a time card system where you or employees can "punch in, punch out" and then bill for the time spent, this might be the perfect thing for you too. I use it to manage my clients and their projects, and when they have a support issue both they or I can add a ticket, and Trio Billing manages the time and cost to the client.

You can learn more at my professional website Trio GrOTO (which was recently relaunched with a new look!).

Those of you with a less than stellar sense of humor can skip to the bottom...

The Project Valour-IT Fundraiser has experienced a thermometer'napping!
(~Done)

*Late at night, as the few members of the Coast Guard team sat in shock watching their donation thermometer barely move while the Army and Navy sailed by, they hatched an ingenius plan...

Typing wildy on their computers, cutting letters from magazines, and hijacking the other teams' fundraiser gauges (while on a strict diet of Hot Pockets and Diet Coke)... they planned their overthrow and coup! No longer will the world be able to ignore their valient efforts,
heroic actions on behalf of the country, and formidable mass of bloggers (ok, well we give on that last one).

With plan in motion and nothing left to do but hit the big red button, they counted down under their breath: three... two... one... *

And here we are! With our LIST OF DEMANDS:

1. Publicly admit the Coast Guard team is a formidable competitor (trackback to this post for proof)
2. Watch The Guardian (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0406816/)
3. Have 4 new donations to your team today (use links below), and encourage donations to the Coast Guard team for the rest of the day today.

When our demands have been met (as monitored by the Soldiers' Angels website team), your team's thermometer will be released.

Never underestimate the Coast Guard team! We may only have 3 members (so far...and what's up with that?!), but we can dominate! Want to be on the cool kids' team? Join the Coast Guard team today (we'll even accept team transfers - this IS a coup)! Want to help the Coast Guard team win this competition? Donate today on behalf of our team.

BOTTOM:

DONATE TO THE ARMY TEAM

DONATE TO THE NAVY TEAM

DONATE TO AIR FORCE TEAM

DONATE TO MARINE TEAM

The annual Project Valour-IT fundraiser started again this year on Veterans Day. It will continue throughout the next 2 weeks until Thanksgiving. In the past, I always joined the Marines Team, (well, lead the team - same thing) because they were the underdogs. Last year however, we almost won! In fact, for a short period of time we were in first place - the first time ever to be in first place (if even for only a day).

This year, for the first time, there are 5 teams instead of 4. The US Coast Guard is the newest team, and as the newest underdog I've switched loyalties to help the Coast Guard team ("help" being used loosely). And, other than the team leader, CG Blog, I'm the ONLY member! The Coast Guard team is also last place in donations, with only $225. You can view all team standings on the fundraiser page here:
http://soldiersangels.org/index.php?page=fundraiser

So...I'm putting out an alert! We need bloggers willing to join the newest Valour-IT fundraising team - the US Coast Guard! You can join the team here. It's quick and painless to join, and all you need to do as the newest teammate is blog about the fundraiser. Encourage your readers to visit the fundraising page and learn more about this wonderful program Project Valour-IT!

And, of course, you can add a donation button to your blog's post or sidebar to make it easy for readers to donate to the team you are supporting. I love a challenge, and it sure would be nice to recover from last place and give the other 4 teams a run for their money!

JOIN THE COAST GUARD TEAM!

Beautiful dark themed template with richly colored text, links and icon styling makes this Joomla! 1.5 Admin template a treat to use. Easy on the eyes, users may find this template lessens the eye strain in comparison to more traditional white or lightly colored templates.

Unlike many dark themed templates, Dark Trio is far from drab or dreary! It's also the only darkly styled Joomla 1.5 backend/admin template available!

DOWNLOAD

Features:

• All new custom icon set - Richly colored, jewel-toned "shiny" icons only available with this template!
• Compatible with Joomla 1.5 & Legacy mode
• Includes matching VirtueMart 1.1.X Administration template
• Colorful, aesthetically pleasing styles
• Delivers a fresh new administration look while retaining the traditional backend layout

More Information....

The Soldiers’ Angels warehouses in NC & CA are a wee bit like Mother Hubbard's cupboard.... E-M-P-T-Y!

Please be aware that both warehouses send out MUCH needed items to the soldiers (male & female), wounded service members and all those in need.

Everyone understands the financial tightness going on now....but please... search your hearts and do what you can.

'I'd love to help, but if I spend $10.00 - $20.00 on things, I can't afford to ship them'.

SOLUTION: Walmart or Target cards would be wonderful!! Send the cards, allowing those in charge of the NC/CA warehouses to buy things needed.

OR IF YOU CHOOSE TO SHIP:

Things that are needed are socks, panties, bras, t-shirts, powdered drink mixes (the individual packets are best because they can be added to a bottle of water), cookies, Chips, Pretzels, Tuna in a pouch, Beef or chicken or turkey jerky, Cheese spread (no aerosol cans please), Ramen Noodles, Snack Cakes, Gum, Nuts, Granola Bars, Pop Tarts, Dried Fruit, Trail Mix, Pistachios, Raisins , Red licorice twists, Tootsie Rolls (both the candy and lollipops), Peanut Butter, Triscuits, Wheat Thins, Canned Meats – No Pork Products, Hard Candy – Individually Wrapped Face Cleansing Pads, Moisturizers, Wet wipes, Eye Drops, Lip Balm, Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Soap, Body Wash, Shampoo and Conditioners, Deodorant, Sun Block, Foot powder, AA & AAA batteries, Craft kits, Scrap booking crafts, Books (mysteries, action, drama and science fiction are popular), Magazines – new or nearly new - (Sports, News, Entertainment, Travel, Nature), Decks of cards, Small hand held games, Crossword Puzzles, Baseballs, Baseball gloves, Soccer balls, Basket balls, Volley balls, Squirt guns, Frisbees, CD's, DVD's, Blank Cards, Stationary, Paper, Pens, Letters……..

Please keep in mind that all food items must be in the manufacturer’s original packaging. NO chocolate ~ 110 degree heat and chocolate do not mix well. M&M’s are fine.

We also need Ziploc bags for packing items; these are great not only to make sure that potentially leaky items don’t make a mess but also for the soldiers to keep sand out of their things while in the desert.

Please help OUR heroes with their needs.

Soldiers' Angels
112 Greenhill Road
Ramseur, NC 27316

or

Soldiers Angels
914 Tourmaline Dr
Newbury Park, CA 91104

Learn more or get the code to share this video on your website here:
Soldiers' Angels Traveling Museum

...and we are the actors. Or at least everyone at Barnacle's Resort in Lake Mille Lacs, MN are. I just love creativity and cleverness bundled together to defeat stupid ban laws. Like the smoking ban passed in Minnesota last fall. Even though I no longer smoke, I really resent the government telling people how they can behave on private property. Restaurants are private property, not public. If you don't want people to smoke - outlaw it. Not ban it.

Anyways, these ingenious business owners found a loophole in the law. The law allows actors and actresses to light up in theatrical performances. Therefore, all Saturday night customers at Barnacle's Resort are now official actors, with tags and all.

"You are looking at a stage. You are looking at a playhouse," said Mark Benjamin, a nonsmoking lawyer who worked the bar dressed in Shakespearian garb. "Those are not cigarettes -- those are props."

The 'production' includes programs and is called "Act Now!" LOL! The plot/theme of the production? Well, it's a period play obviously, displaying life as it was before the smoking ban.

BWAHHhaaaaahaaaaaaa!

And, for a little known fact you may not be aware of...

Last night after the President's speech an impromptu poll was held by text message, and it was determined that Ron Paul won the State of the Union by 40%.