I finally finished my new layout. I'm actually thinking of submitting it. It is obviously borrow heavily from generator, but has quite a lot of changes and enhancements. It has all my tag clouds, the link category system, allows for semi-transparent .png layout element, and is fully customizable.

Semi-transparent .pngs are something I came up with a while ago for my myspace and wanted to bring over to LiveJournal. Doing that meant getting rid of the background colors and using images for every background. I'm very happy with the results.

It could still use a bit of optimization to reduce the number of time-outs (it's a complicated script, and LiveJournal limits how long code can). I'm not getting to many, and a quick refresh usually does the trick if it happens. I've seen system styles time out, so I'm not that worried — I just know I can do better.

Adblock:
http://lads.myspace.com/*

makes me happy.

You know it's huge LJ Drama when it garners its own post in news.

I don't really use my MySpace account, but I seem to get plenty of spam there. Livejournal does a very good job at policing spam, it is very rare that I get any spam comments here. I used to run a couple communities that were prone to spam, but moderating membership pretty much ended that. But, on MySpace simply having a profile seems enough to get spammed on a regular basis. What is more, you have to go to the site and log in to even see the spam. MySpace will not email the text of the messages to you. I've gone ahead an disabled emails from MySpace, and therefore will not see any actual comments or people attempting to add me until I deign to go to the site and check.

DOPA, or the "Deleting Online Predators Act" is one of the more horrifying and dangerous pieces of legislation in a long time. It would force libraries and schools to block access to "commercial Web sites that let users create web pages or profiles or offer communication with other users via forums, chat rooms, e-mail or instant messenging."

Essentially, DOPA would permit nothing that allows the user to publish or broadcast their views or tell stories. This bill does not target online predators, instead it censors those who are most likely to have negative views of the government. This bill would effectively silence large groups of disadvantaged children and adults whose only access to such online forums are schools and libraries.

The internet, especially blogging sites, threaten to break Marx's observation that "freedom of the press belongs to those who own one". The old monopoly on the press is being widdled away as more and more people are able to tell their stories. Those in power, while not acknowledging Marx's observation, have understood it to be true and have understood that it benefits them.

However, both Marx and the power brokers in Washington share the belief that information should be controlled. The only real difference between them was how this control is best administered. The internet offers a new world where information is controlled by no one. Where all are free to talk and tell our stories. We are still far from that world, but it is within our grasp.

The future is closer than we think, and what we do now will dramatically change what that future will be. We need to expand the press to everyone, not limit it to the few.

I finally set up a MySpace account. I am still not too fond of the way MySpace is set up, and really only got one because I have been told it is a good way to get back in touch with old friends. I found several friends I had lost touch with via my Friendster account and perhaps I can do the same on MySpace. Feel free to add me at either place.

I've looked at it and everything about it seems to annoy the hell out of me. Could somebody please tell me what the appeal of myspace is.