Don't Back Down

I've been working on a new site design for a while now, and finally seem to be getting things to come together. Over the next few days, you should start seeing some new layouts on the pages as you browse the blog. Of course, if you're reading via RSS, you likely won't notice a thing.

The first piece of the site to get the new layout is the search result form. This wasn't entirely intentional, but I started using it in conjunction with the test layouts, and I wanted them to look the same. Rather than hacking at it to allow a test search result form, I just decided to take the plunge.

One of the things you'll notice is that there are a lot more XML buttons around. I've finally finished working on the search.pm module, so I can provide dynamic feeds of each individual entry. This is useful as it allows you to subscribe to a single entry in order to keep up on the comments for that entry and only that entry.

Too many times, I've found myself wanting to keep up on stories, but have been unable to find the time to keep visiting the site. Hopefully this will help that and allow conversations to flourish because everyone can keep up. The links to these feeds are somewhat sporadic for now, but you'll see them popping up as I continue to rollout the new design. In the meantime, if you are looking to subscribe to a particular entry so you can monitor its progress, let me know and I'll get you the URL.

In addition, I've added some options to the search. The basic search is still the same, but when you get to the search results page, you'll see a few checkboxes to control your next search. You are able to search on partial words (default is full words only), to match the case (default is case-insensitive), submit regular expressions in the search (good luck) and even have your results returned to you in an RSS 2.0 layout so that you can subscribe to the results.

Enjoy, and please let me know if you run into any problems!

Tony has put together a nice list of blogs from the Old North State. If you were born in, live in, have lived in or would like to live in North Carolina, and you're not ashamed of that fact, you might want to check out the North State Blogs. There are some other minor rules, but there aren't many and most of them just make good sense.

While there are other groups in the state, notably the Carolina Bloggers and the Tar Heel Bloggers, this seems to far and away be the most vibrant of the communities.

The Way means inducing the people to have the same aim as leadership, so that they will share death and share life, without fear of danger.

Last night on NPR, I heard an editorial piece about the use of designer steroids. Specifically, how the Olympics have spent $25 million on testing for steroids this year, and how that amount is only likely to rise in the years to come. For years, America has been fighting a war on drugs in general.

The problem with these "wars"? They aren't particularly successful. The reason? Because for the most part, the people don't agree with the leadership. Just as the public is allowed to poison their body with cigarettes or alcohol, surely they should be allowed to do the same with their drug of choice.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that everything should be legalized and kindergarten students should have easier access to heroin. But if you are of consenting age (whatever age that is determined to be) and choose to pursue this pastime without causing harm to anyone else, why should it be a crime?

There really is little downside. Increased addiction? Sure, it's possible. But in a world where you are responsible for your own choices, why should it be up to the government to protect you from the results of those choices?

Oh, the quote? That's from Master Sun in The Art of War.