Topographic page layout bookmarklets

Via Paul, check out these excellent topographic page layout bookmarklets. They show the "height" of the elements on a web page by shading the more deeply-nested elements with a lighter background color. It's much better in some ways than border-based bookmarklets that do similar things. It's easier on the eyes, and it preserves the page layout exactly (adding borders changes the size of elements, and therefore changes the layout).

Try it on my site! (refresh to get things back to normal)

Permalink | Comments? | id 4834

13:14 (utc-4)

 

Learning to use a Mac

Some computer labs at my school are filled with classes today, so there aren't that many (Wintel) computers available (and all the ones that are are taken). However, there are always tons of Macs free, so I'm on a Mac now. I've figured out how to change the keyboard to Dvorak and learned about Fugu, but to be comfortable I really need to learn the Mac's keyboard shortcuts (I also need a good editor to use).

Here's a big list of keyboard shortcuts from Apple, and here's another resource that keeps track of these things.

Annoyances:

1. The home and end keys don't move to the beginning and end of a line, you have to push control or... WTF is that key with the apple and the infinity symbol called? and one of the arrow keys.

Oops, looks like one of the labs opened up... saves me from finding a Macintosh text editor or learning emacs (though, it's neat that Mac OS X has that included). And man, Safari sucks.

Update (later): Funny semi-related story. When I went back to a PC, the mouse was messed up and the left button seemed under-sensitive. I had to push it harder than normal to get it to click, and it would often double click without me intending. So, I grabbed the mouse by its tail, throttled it (loudly) against the desk in the computer lab, garnering the attention of most of the people around me (but I didn't care), and tried it again. That fixed it! It was fun to have that work

Permalink | 9 Comments | id 4833

11:53 (utc-4)
edited: 12:26 (utc-4)

 

Testing my de-assholification

Testing

Permalink | 9 Comments | Tags: This website | id 4832

03:53 (utc-4)

 

Lynchings and mobs in American history

Donald Sensing makes a surprising statement, but then backs it up with history: "The real question is not why some Fallujans committed the atrocities. It is why we no longer commit them ourselves."

As atrocious as the mob in Fallujah was, we'd best recognize that the line between civilization and mob is thin. If honest, we must admit that the mutilation of the security guards' bodies there and the public spectacle made of them was not very different from literally decades of such deeds done here in America by Christian people.

To ask why some Fallujans committed the atrocity is to ask the wrong question. Better to ask of ourselves why we no longer do, for it is our restraint from such cruelty for several decades that is historically unusual. Mob lynchings here did not instantly cease, but they did cease fairly suddenly. What suppressed the mob in America? That's one thing of many we need to teach Iraq.

Permalink | Comments? | Tags: Opinions/Politics | id 4831

02:49 (utc-4)

 

Don't "feel"... think!

I've asked this before, but it seems not enough people listened to me

Next time you find yourself writing "I feel that...", step back for a minute and think about whether you'd argue for the point you're about to make. Because if it's an intellectual position you want to argue for, make it based on reasoning, not sentiment.

On the other hand, if you really are conveying your emotions about something, or simply describing a gut feeling you have about something, be my guest and go right ahead and use the word "feel". There, it's appropriate. But if you're presenting something you think has any objective information content to it, please use the word "think". We'll all be better off.

Note: What spurred me to make this plea just now was the first comment on this post. Ironically, the commenter's name was Aristotle! Also, did you know that imploration is a word?

Permalink | Comments? | id 4830

02:32 (utc-4)
edited: 02:35 (utc-4)

 

*Lots* of stuff about the Sadr "uprising"

Glenn Reynolds rounds up tons of stuff about the recent Sadr uprising. Looks like it's probably nowhere near as bad as it first appeared. Basically, this group is just an unpopular fringe group that has no chance of effecting a coup or starting a civil war. We just need to clean out some more trash.

To quote Eric Hall:

Let me back into this for you: We invaded and occupied Iraq with a loss of American life roughly equivalent to the city of Chicago's annual murder count. That is far too low considering the accomplishment. It has been so low precisely because we deferred some of the major combat. We are now having to engage in that combat, and that is unfortunate, but it is far better that we do so now than allow it to happen later.

Instead of killing them as we were expecting (and as we probably should have), we allowed them to go home to see if they would adapt to the new reality. They have since expressed that they have chosen not to adapt, so now they will be made to adapt, and it is far better that we do so while we have well-armed and well-armored marines on the ground.

Like Bush has warned lately, violence will increase over the next few months as holdouts stage last-ditch efforts to prevent the transfer of sovereignty to Iraqis. This is all part of the process. I'm still not sure June 30 isn't too soon, but this may be like what happens to students when you give them papers to write. No matter how long you give them, they'll invariably leave the work until the last minute. So, things will play out before we transfer sovereignty whether we do it when we planned or whether we postpone it a bit longer.

Update: Also, Wretchard echoes the sentiment of many of the InstaPundit readers who view this as an opportunity, not a crisis.

Permalink | Comments? | Tags: Opinions/Politics | id 4829

01:19 (utc-4)
edited: 01:24 (utc-4)