Beautifying MySpace profile with simple CSS

I abhor MySpace because of lack of taste of people who customize it with horrible color schemes and because of how even the default profile page looks cluttered with ugly advertisements.

But sometimes when you are doing prank website for fun, they provide needed webspace and unique url that I can link. So I was there on MySpace page, registering with shivering hands and trying not to think about how I was in the middle of trash dumps of internet. Their user interface is such a hack job and everything is just thrown in together last minute without the sense of any cohesiveness. How can people use this junk? I was tempted but I didn't flee in a hope to play prank on my coworker. There are worse people than who uses Myspace. That's the people who uses MySpace to play prank on others.

In my attempt to beautify MySpace default page to suite my taste (they don't even provide separate CSS only textarea, you have to enter your CSS in about me textarea. ). I came up with simple CSS that EVERY PROFILE page should include!

Before: with ugly ads and disclaimer on the bottom

Now Add below CSS on top of your about me textarea in edit profile view:


<style type="text/css">
table.navigationBar, table.navigationBar table {
display: block !important;
}
div table {
display: none;
}
table.userProfileURL div
{
display: block !important;
}
table div {
display: none;
}
</style>


After: without ugly ads and disclaimers but still ugly...

Now you have somewhat ordinary looking site you can further customize. :)

Although you have to repeat above step for different sections ... argh.. what happened to global CSS include!

ELLEGARDEN : Riot on the grill

I always loved korean pop music (k-pop in short) regardless of how "manufactured" they are. I mostly listen to music while I am driving and they make a good driving music. However, I always thought one genre was lacking in k-pop: a rock/punk. Most of the k-pops nowadays are either R&B or Hip Hop (or really really sad ballad that makes you cry). From the breadth of musics I listen to (which is pretty small selection), Seo Taiji is only korean rock/punk artist who I like and succeeded playing rock/punk genre.

On the other hands, Japan seems to have an abundance of rock/punk bands. There are plenty of people who likes J-rock bands and some are really getting noticed even at overseas market. One of them is ELLEGARDEN and I got their CD "Riot on the Grill" last week and hasn't stopped listening to it since.

It is truly impressive compilation of songs that features both English and Japanese lyrics but honestly I wouldn't have cared if it was sang in Martian. I liked the song "Missing" before I bought this CD and it is still my favorite. But there are many other songs that surpassed my expectations and provide very upbeat punk sound. For some reason, my head feels clearer and I gain concentration when I listen to busy background music and shouting. It might be because their music is very bright and youthful too. Anyway, I highly recommend their CD to anyone who are curious on what rock/punk sounds like in the hands of Japanese musician.

I hope more artists from Korea would experiment with rock/punk instead of playing "manufactured" music.

School's in session

Fall semester started today here in central florida. This is the first back to school monday that I don't have any school to worry about. :) All my hard work going through masters program has yet to prove its benefits but I am relieved that I won't have to worry about turning in programming assignment by deadline.

I will be still learning a lot of things even though I am not in school anymore but the difference is I will be learning what I like to learn not just to finish what I started. So here is fall courses that I will be teaching myself :):

• RIA 5049: Rich internet application using Flex 2 (3 credit hours)
• ACS 5020: Actionscript 3 and database fundamentals (3 credit hours)
  
• GRV 6012: Alternate Java language: Groovy (3 credit hours)
• PRF 6080: Professional career development (1 credit hours)
• WOW 3038: Warcraft and its beyond years (3 credit hours)
  

I think that's the most load I can handle without burning myself while working full time. Too bad there is no classmates to complain about the course with. I will always miss that.