Picasa

Just got the promo email announcing the upgrade to Picasa so thought I'd take a look and see what is new. The layout has changed but the main thing I can see is that it has this cool collage thing. I'm not actually sure it has any real use but it's a great gimmick. These shots are from a story the kids created over their Christmas/ Summer holidays. Poor Barbie, at the end they married her off.

Sideswipe

Sideswipe is a column in our national paper for those funny little things that happen. Right now we have a christian church led by the worst type of evangelical, money grabbing, slick haired creep called Destiny Church and it's associated political party who aspire to be running the country by 2015. Yeah right!

Well, we've just passed a law allowing Civil Unions, a watered down version of gay marriage. Shame we didn't have the guts to just allow the full thing but there you go.

Destiny meanwhile see Civil Unions being the end of any honest marriage and are campaigning heavily. Most people, however, couldn't give a damn.

So then this happens...

Not neighbourly #1. Kate Simpson writes: "I live in Mt Albert with my partner, very happily. I am a lesbian and have so far not suffered any grief from other people, until now. I woke up this morning to find a huge sign plastered in the neighbours' kitchen, aimed directly at us (see photo above). I thought these people, our neighbours, were nice people. We are always friendly to them ... However, they obviously see us as 'sinners' and they wanted to make that known. I do not display my affection to my partner in public, nor in my home where anyone can see. We are quiet and friendly people. What gives these people the right to do this? Every morning now when we wake up or sit in our lounge to watch TV, we have to look at that sign ... I won't let this get to us, but I thought it important to let others be aware of the depth of brainwashing that is out there from this Destiny cult. Perhaps I should buy a huge rainbow flag?"

Apart from the fact that her dimwitted neighbours can't even spell the name of the Church they are blindly following they are allowing it to sway their opinion of real people they actually know. I can understand (while not endorsing) blind fear of something unknown, but this isn't. These are real people that they know. Everytime they go into their own kitchen their own bigotry is reinforced.

So, spleen vented, I hope these neighbours are duly shamed by their exposure. And I hope Kate Simpson is reassured that her neighbours are in an absolute minority.

Hidden Meat

A Hidden Meat example - a few years ago I read a brilliant article about site design which coined the phrase hidden meat. A search on Google shows the phrase is popular among:

• Vegans and vegetarians trying to stay pure (just don't eat at my Mum's place, I had a classic incident of pulling out chicken gristle from a soup she'd made herself "so she knew it was ok", zero respect for the lifestyles of others)
  
• Gays, no brainer that one
  
• Seinfeld fans for "a meat hidden in the sofa then eaten by dogs" episode
  

But the meaning I'm after is the one to do with web design and I can no longer find that site. Take a look at the site for bottled water. Where is the menu? Nowhere! until you put your mouse over the bubbles in the water and they magically appear. I wonder how many people they lose because they have no alternate menu in the footer.

One site I know where it does work is for the Weber Bros Circus with a slow loading but great fun site. The difference being that a circus is about fun, and noise and while I found the site a bit naff my children (the target market) thought it was great.