SIRI is a BUY BUY BUY

I don't see Sirius going bankrupt without somebody else buying them. At $.61 a share, it's a viable stock if you have some expendible cash.

iPhone post

I don't know everybody does this, but if just seems appropriate when you're 3Gizzin.

CSS Horizontal Menu with Submenu

I was playing with some CSS code over the weekend. My goal was to make a cross-browser compatible horizontally tabbed menu using HTML's unordered list tag. This concept has been beaten into the ground pretty well on the web, but none of the solutions I found fit my needs.

• CSS menu file: menu.css

The code here has been successfully testing in Internet Explorer 6.0 and Mozilla Firefox 2.0. Notice I did not need to use CSS conditionals for IE compatibility. I though that was a nice touch :)

CSS Code:

#menu ul {
border-bottom: solid 1px #336699;
font: normal normal bold 14px verdana;
margin: 0;
margin-top: .1em;
padding: 4px 0; /* This typically corresponds to the padding-top value in '#menu li a' */
text-align: left;
}
#menu li {
list-style: none;
display: inline;
margin: 0;
}
#menu li a {
background: #EFEFEF;
border: solid 1px #336699;
border-bottom: none;
color: #336699;
margin-right: 0em;
padding: 4px 6px;
text-decoration: none;
}
#menu li a:hover {
background: #FFF;
}
#menu li a.last {
border-right: solid 1px #336699;
}
#menu li a.selected {
background: #FFF;
border-bottom: solid 1px #FFF;
}
#submenu ul {
height: 1em;
list-style: none;
padding: 3px 0;
margin: 0;
border-bottom: solid 1px #336699;
}
#submenu li {
display: inline;
}
#submenu li a {
float: left;
padding: 3px 7px;
margin: 0;
font: normal normal bold 10px verdana;
border-right: solid 1px #EEE;
color: #336699;
text-decoration: none;
}
#submenu li a:hover {
text-decoration: underline;
}
#submenu li a.last {
border-right: none;
}

HTML Code:

<div id="menu">
<ul>
<li><a href="#">Home</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Client</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Download</a></li>
<li><a href="#" class="selected">Support</a></li>
<li><a href="#" class="last">Forum</a></li> </ul>
</div>
<div id="submenu">
<ul>
<li><a href="#">Live Chat</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Phone</a></li>
<li><a href="#" class="last">Email</a></li>
</ul>
</div>

Consider this the base code. You can easily manipulate the functionality with PHP, C#, and JavaScript.

Web-based Chat, AMPchat 2.0!

I created a web-based chat utilizing Web 2.0 technologies. It's the latest incarnation of the highly successful AMPchat platform which started over 7 years ago with it's initial release, AMPchat 1.0. Initially we used lots of Javascript and Javascript Remote Scripting to create a refresh-less web-based chat. Using .NET 2.0 technologies we were able to create a more robust, responsive, and reliable application. What's more, there is a .NET 3.5 version utilizing features like Linq and SQL Server 2005. Unfortunately, .NET 3.5 is still a bit too "green" for us to trust its security, hence the 2.0 version... for now ;)

If you would like to try AMPchat 2.0 while in BETA for free. Please leave a comment and we'll get back to you.

Video Sharing Application

PugClips.com is a video sharing application developed using PHP5/MySQL. It is intended to act as a YouTube clone and utilizes opensource technologies like Smarty, mencoder and ffdencode. It also uses the excellent JW FLV Media Player 3.14 located at jeroenwijering.com.

Some of the features include "bumping" videos (a rating system), leaving comments, creating user profiles, sharing videos with friends, and more.

Leave a comment if you would like to beta test the application for free, of course.

Changing environments from VS.NET 2005 to Visual Web Developer 2005 Express

I have a project I have been messing around with on a USB key. At home I use Visual Studio .NET 2005 (VS.NET), but since I don't have a licensed copy of VS.NET on my work laptop, I have to use Visual Web Developer 2005 Express (VWD) there. I found that once I save my project at home I am unable to open it at work. When VS.NET 2005 saves a solution file (.sln), it will save it in 10.0 format. When VWD attempts to open the solution you get a message saying something like "...this is a solution file, but it was created using a newer version of Visual Studio." While this is true, it doesn't mean I can't fix it. VWD only parses the first line of the solution file to determine its version. By editing the file, I can get it to work in VWD. Just change "Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 10.00" to "Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 9.00" All will be once again be aligned in the universe.

What makes a great gaming store?

I was thinking what would make a good game store. Corporations have diluted the personal touch you used to get at games stores of old. The local GameStop of EB Games (now the same company) tend to have the usual, low paid, teens at the counter. They usually know some games, but don't know much about the more obscure games.

Most of the stores make their living off of trade-ins. The trade-in value is extremely low becuase they know you are at their mercy. Markup is usually 100% or more on consoles, and I believe games are close to that. Take the GameCube for example. The trade-in value is currently 10 bucks, but if you go to buy one it's usually around $75. Not that anybody wants one anymore, but parents looking for a less costly alternative to the more popular systems find these prices quite attractive while purchasing them. I wonder if they feel ripped on when trading them in? What's more, who is setting the values for trade-ins? Is there a blue book for them?

I think 3 things are key to a game store:

1. Knowledgeable staff. They still exist! Gaming is so mainstream now, most don't smell. The customers experience must be that the people know what they are talking about, and are excited about it.
2. Selection. Games, consoles, accessories... you better have them.
3. Demos. Being able to try out games before you buy them is ciritical. Everytime I read a good review still always wonder who wrote the review and if they like the sames things I do about games. Being able to try a console is another great way to help make your decision. I hear many people tell me they don't like what they ordered online. Well, don't be lazy and go try one out before you drop four or five hundred.

What else would make a game store better?

16Mb Blast from Laptop Wireless-G

A Prostate Cancer Revolution? - Newsweek Health - MSNBC.com

A Prostate Cancer Revolution? - Newsweek Health - MSNBC.com