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	Joy Gems Newsletter
	Articles about web design which focus on web design standards and best practices of web site design and development. © 2005
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tags: budblog code joy part site web 

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Getting "Embed" With YouTube

One of the great benefits of using YouTube is that it is easy to embed any video into any web page one is working on. Here's how and its fun too.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST

The War Against "Click Here"

What's a sure fire way to know that someone doesn't know how to write for the web? Every see the words "click here?"

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST

The Blind Spot In (X)HTML Validation

Validating pages to remove errors in coding is a great idea for many reasons. But it doesn't answer the question about how good - how well formed - is your document.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST

Writng For The Web And Some Other Ideas

Article that has a few blurbs to a few pages that will make your web site better - especially if your focus is the user.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sun, 14 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EST

Kill The CAPCHAs

CAPTCHAs are designed to ensure that people - not computers - enter data into forms. They act as a barrier on the web. And that's the beginnning of the problem.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST

You're Smarter Than Dreamweaver

Dreamweaver as a CSS authoring tool leaves much to be desired. It does not understand things like cascade and inheritance which only humans can.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST

Lessons Learned: The Making Of A Sustainable Web Site Part 2 of 2

In transforming an old site to one that adheres to web design standards two lessons stand out: 1. Set Your Design Priorities At The Start and 2. Build A Perfect Page Template

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST

Lessons Learned: The Making Of A Sustainable Web Site Part 1 of 2

In transforming an old site to one that adheres to web design standards two lessons stand out: 1. Set Your Design Priorities At The Start and 2. Build A Perfect Page Template

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EST

A Short Guide To Writing Style Rules

While there is no one way to write cascading style rule properties here's a convention I use that's simple to follow.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 29 May 2008 08:00:00 EST

Don't Call Them Coders

My plea to not denigrate those who transform ideas into web pages by the commonly used description of "coders."

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 15 May 2008 08:00:00 EST

Useful Comments

XHTML has a very handy snipet of code that allows web authors to hide content from web visitors. It's call the comment tag.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 01 May 2008 08:00:00 EST

The Purpose Of (X)HTML

There really is only one purpose that XHTML and HTML bring to the web. They give us the formatting scheme by which we organize content into meaning.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST

Open Borders

Many web designers forget that most browsers will still render a blue border around an image used as a link. This article reminds designers how to remove that unsightly border.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST

The Future of (X)HTML

XHTML and HTML, Internet technologies being developed by the World Wide Web Consortium, are undergoing changes for the future. This article reviews some of the tags that we might get to use to help web authors with more semantically correct mark up.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST

The FONTain Of Youth

Calibri, corbel, constantia, cambria and consolas are relatively new fonts developed by Microsoft some of which are pretty good for the web.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 07 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST

PDFs Are Web Pollution

A rant that rails against the use of PDFs as web pages. There are good reasons to use PDFs but not as a substitute of HTML.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST

2007 Year In Review - The Best Of Joy Gems

My annual look back at what I thought were my best newsletters of 2007.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST

Google Earth Live

What if Google Earth went live? What if Google Earth was in real time? The implications are enormous and certainly worth ponderment.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 27 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST

The Mother Of All Good Web Sites - A Web Page Template

We're in the Web Page Template Era and we're not likely to come out of it for a long time. Good web sites start from page one and that is the development of a perfect template, a typical page of your site from which all other pages will spring forth.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST

What Are They Looking At?

The web is a cruel place. Users give site owners but a second or two to make their pitch. So just what do users see when they look at a web page?

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 29 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST

Writing Design Specs For A New Web Site

The essentials of what to include in a web design specification document must include the front end (what the user sees) and back end (server side programmatic elements).

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 15 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST

Good Lookin' Email: Which Way To Go

Some of the things to consider when creating formatted (web-based designed) email campaigns.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 01 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST

The New And Improved Joy Gems Newsletter

Re-making the design of my Joy Gems Newsletter, a twice monthly email newsletter for people new to web design and for those moving beyond that stage.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 18 Oct 2007 08:00:00 EST

The Code To Content Ratio

Less code and more content is one of the underlying principles in superior web page design. Web page coding is about how much you can use but how little you really need.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:00:00 EST

Google Analytics

Google's web tracking service is free and good. Want to know where your visitors are, what inbound links they used to get to your site and much more? Just a little code in your page is all that it takes.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 20 Sep 2007 08:00:00 EST

What's To Learn?

When learning how to make web pages should you learn how to use Dreamweaver? I submit to my readers what is there to learn?

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sun, 09 Sep 2007 08:00:00 EST

Where To Go For Web Mastering Help When You Get Stuck

A short list of very good online services to rely on when you get stuck and have to ask for help.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST

What Is It? A Link Or An Underline?

The practice of underlying text should be avoided in web design. You don't want to make a user feel foolish by taking a chance that they will click on an underline mistaking it for a link.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 12 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST

Turning Users Into People

We forget who uses web sites when we call them "users." They're not drug addicts, the're people. Different kinds of people too and not just one big clump.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EST

Dreamweaver Revisited

Upgrading to CSS 3 Dreamweaver I had to wonder if and how DW now helps - or hinders - the development of web pages for those following web page design standards. Would DW be the breakthrough tool to allow designer and content creators the ability to use standards without becoming a code warrior like me? We've always heard that DW is the gentlest one when it comes to generating least offensive page code. Would the program continue in that direction?

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 14 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EST

Just The Opposite Is True

The path to design which is elegant, beautiful and sustainable is through using web page design standards. Rules are good thing in web design. They don't hinder creativity. They allow you to express it.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 03 May 2007 08:00:00 EST

It's The Navigation. Stupid

Web page "Content is King" but what is it that aids - big time - in keeping your web visitors on your site? It's the navigation, stupid. Here are a few questions asked and answered concerning how your visitors will move about in your information space.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 03 May 2007 08:00:00 EST

That Bright Line - Part 1 of 2

The more one works with web page design standards the easier it becomes to see the difference between web document structure and style. That separation is the bright line and is very much like the separation of church and state.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 03 May 2007 08:00:00 EST

That Bright Line - Part 2 of 2

One of my students affirms her understanding of the separation of web page document structure (using XHTML) from style (using CSS) and why that is useful.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 03 May 2007 08:00:00 EST

What Means Work?

In the Digital Age just how does one define what a billable hour is? What about the time you're out shopping in the mall thinking of solutions to help a client? Isn't that work? How is that compensated?

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 22 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST

Font Tester

Review of a handy online tool that allows one to easily select and test fonts for various purposes.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 08 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST

Serving All The Masters - Part 1 of 2

Using web design standards allows you to accomplish many things at the same time. You serve the user, search engine optimization and the browser all at the same time. Part 1 of 2

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Tue, 06 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EST

Serving All The Masters - Part 2 of 2

Using web design standards allows you to accomplish many things at the same time. You serve the user, search engine optimization and the browser all at the same time. Part 2 of 2

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Tue, 06 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EST

What It's All About

Like design of any kind, web page design involves making decisions, many of which fall into the either/or category. My article discusses the importance of making an informed choice.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Tue, 23 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EST

2006 Year In Review - The Best Of Joy Gems

I picked my favorite articles I wrote in 2006 about web design and development for new comers and thos with some experience.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sun, 29 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EST

A Little Of This, A Little Of That

A very short list of resources (with short descriptions) generally focused on web page design standards.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Tue, 12 Dec 2006 08:00:00 EST

Buy These Books

Here are 10 excellent web page design books on XHTML, CSS and related topics, all chosen by The Friendly Web Design Instructor, Bud Kraus. Some of these are how-to books and others on a more philosophical nature.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sun, 26 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EST

White Open Spaces

Many web page designers and developers forget - or are not aware of - the significance of white space in web page design. White space is more than areas on a page for our eyes to take a break.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sun, 12 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EST

A Useful Microsoft Tool (really) Hidden From View (naturally)

Most Windows users do not realize that a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) program is built right into the operating system. This comes in handy when you need to move files from one's computer to a server. This article explains the simple steps needed to set it up.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sat, 21 Oct 2006 08:00:00 EST

The Great Cascade: Just Where Are The Style Sheets In A Web Browser?

The influence of three styling forces - the Browser Style Sheet, User Style Sheet and Designer Style Sheet - come together to produce what users see on every web page. This sis one of the fundamental differences over print design and designers who do not understand this are likely to create an inferior user interface.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sat, 21 Oct 2006 08:00:00 EST

Tools Of The Trade

After years of producing and designing web sites I've settle on a few "Best Of The Breed" applications that make creating web content effectively and efficiently. Dreamweaver, Top Style, WS_FTP, Photoshop and WS_FTP are my main stays.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sun, 24 Sep 2006 08:00:00 EST

Think Before You Code

Too often web sites are started without asking basic questions and without having some coherent strategy by which the site will be developed, designed and produced. Whether you're working solo, as part of a team and especially if you're a Production Manager you'd better think of these issues - and others - before any page is ever coded.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Mon, 18 Sep 2006 08:00:00 EST

The Holy Grail Of Web Page Design: Look Ma, No Tables

Without much doubt the biggest issue in web page design today - and for the forseable future - is the use of table markup for the purpose of laying out page content. Adherents to web page design standards will tell you to abandon this practice but that's not always easy or practical. There's a pretty steep learning curve to use CSS positioning properties and even after you do there's the big issue of browser compatibility and implementation of CSS specifications.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Mon, 04 Sep 2006 08:00:00 EST

MySpace Is Not My Space

MySpace is unwittingly teaching teens ideas about web design that is not good for the future of a better web. Its online publishing tools do not allow for the creation of content which supports web design standards.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:00:00 EST

The Funer Side Of Web Design

A review of a few sites that, usually in good spirit, take apart some well chosen web pages for their poor design. Learn from the slip up of others and you won't make the same mistakes.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:00:00 EST

Where's The Cascade In Cascading Style Sheets? (Part 1 of 2)

First of two short articles on how the Browser Style Sheet, User Style Sheet and Designer Style Sheet blend together to influence web design. Anyone working with Cascading Style Sheets needs to understand how this works.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Tue, 23 May 2006 08:00:00 EST

Where's The Cascade In Cascading Style Sheets? (Part 2 of 2)

Second of two short articles on how the Browser Style Sheet, User Style Sheet and Designer Style Sheet blend together to influence web design. Anyone working with Cascading Style Sheets needs to understand how this works.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Tue, 23 May 2006 08:00:00 EST

Are We Ever Going To See IE 7.0?

What is the likely launch of Microsoft's new browser and what are we likely to see as key new features?

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Mon, 01 May 2006 08:00:00 EST

What Style Is Your Parachute?

How does one go about developing a style they can take from one web site project to another?

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Tue, 11 Apr 2006 08:00:00 EST

A Writer's Medium

MEMO: To all graphic artists, illustrators, animators and other multi-media artists. After you strip away all the fluff of a web page you are left with the naked truth. The web is a writer's medium.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sun, 02 Apr 2006 08:00:00 EST

Sometimes You Have To Hide

Some strategies are offered to keep out people and search engine spiders from accessing pages of your sites not ready for public consumption.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sun, 19 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EST

Why BotherTo Learn XHTML?

The case is made for why people should continue to learn web page markup in the face of content and publishing management systems.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 03 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EST

Fonts Fonts Fonts

An quick overview by a Fontophile of a subject frequently overlooked.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sun, 05 Feb 2006 08:00:00 EST

Navigation Tips - Moving About In Infospace

Here are a few things to keep in mind when designing and building small to mid-sized web sites. The key is to never forget the visitor!!

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Mon, 30 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EST

2005 Year In Review - The Best Of Joy Gems

I picked my favorite articles I wrote in 2005 about web design and development for new comers and thos with some experience.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 13 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EST

Web Accessibility Toolbar - A Good Friend For Webmasters

Article which describes the purposes of a browser toolbar being developed by Vision Australia. It allows the user to test a page for conformance to XHTML, CSS, accessibility standards and many other things any web designer or content creator should be interested in.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sun, 11 Dec 2005 08:00:00 EST

Beginners' Guides To Cascading Style Sheets

Learning Cascading Style Sheets can be rather overwhelming for someone who is completely new to the idea of using CSS to style their web pages. Here are a few guides to help beginners - and those that are moving into intermediate knowledge of CSS.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 18 Nov 2005 08:00:00 EST

The Other Side Of CSS And Web Standards

Strict adherence to web standards has some very serious, practical disadvantages, Here are links to two pages which intelligently discuss that purity and adherence to web standards might not be such a good idea.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Mon, 07 Nov 2005 08:00:00 EST

Color My World With Great Online Tools

Article highlighting seven online color resources tools that help web designers, developers and content creators.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Mon, 24 Oct 2005 08:00:00 EST

So, You Want To Know About HTML Goodies, Huh?

Article briefly reviewing the HTML Goodies site. It still has valuable information even though newer design techniques using XHTML and CSS are now preferred. The Goodies site also contains information on CSS, Javascript and other scripting languages.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 07 Oct 2005 08:00:00 EST

A Well Formed Document Is A Beautful Thing

Creating a well formed document is critical to creating web pages and sites which follow industry standards. If you're not sure what a well formed document is this article discusses print examples, specifically giving the example of a newspaper.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 22 Sep 2005 08:00:00 EST

The Electronic Canvas: Designer Beware!!

Understanding the nature of The Electronic Canvas is essential in the development, design and production of web sites which yield the highest values and best experiences to users and clients. Ignorance is just no excuse as it can lead to devastating consequences for all.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Accessibility Unplugged: Some Practical Advice About Making Web Content Work For Everyone, Everywhere

The benefits of making content accessible to the widest possible audience is not just about serving the needsof a growing group of disabled users. It's about reaping the benefits of best practices in web design and working with - not against - the properties of the electronic canvas.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

5 Web Design Principles To Live By

After years of project, teaching and lecturing experience in web design I offer a few principles that will go along way towards making pages that are accessible, usable and rank high in search engine queries before they are launched. It's not everything you need to know about best practices but it's a good start.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Old World, New World

The difference between designing for print, a fixed medium and the screen, a liquid canvas cannot be overstated. Miss these differences and you will miss the opportunities to leverage the values of electronic publishing.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

SearchDay Is A Daily Email Newsletter That Tackles One Hot Search Topic

An article discussing SearchEngineWatch and the kind of information published by email newsletter every weekday.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Sun, 31 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Helpful Hints When Writing For The Web

Ideas about writing for the web which is unlike any other media. Keep it short, use blurbs and bullets. Learn to "write in hypertext" which means, for example, never to use "click here."

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Thu, 25 Aug 2005 08:00:00 EST

SEO: Giving Your Site A Chance To Be Found

An article discussing Search Engine Optimization, how using XHTML/HTML correctly is essential to getting found online and noting the work of Jill Whalen, a leading SEO authority.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Speed Thrills: A Way To Optimize Your Pages So They'll Download Faster

Web pages that contain needless and sloppy markup result in pages that take longer than necessary to download. Mention of Andy King's (an authority on page optimization) Web Page Analyzer.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Check It Out - W3C's HTML And CSS Validators (Part 1 of 2)

It's the process by which we check files - html, css and other things - to see if they comply with industry standards. Fortunately we have computers to go thru our code, line by line, to make sure all is copacetic. And if it's not we get a report to tell us where the errors are in our files. Reasons given why validation is important.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Check It Out - W3C's HTML And CSS Validators (Part 2 of 2)

A description of the w3C HTML and CSS free validation services.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Image Depots - Where To License Royalty Free Images

Review of two online services where royalty free images can be purchased - Getty and Corbis.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Top Style- An Awesome Tool To Help You Make Cascading Style Sheets

An authoring tool that's considered the best of the breed for creating Cascading Style Sheets for web pages is called Top Style. This article is an overview of the application.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

A Few Thoughts From The Past And Present On Site Development

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Color Help - Two Tools That Check For Color Blindness And Contrast Issues

Online tools to use to check against color blindness and color contrast issues raised by incorrect use of color in web pages.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

A Method Of Building A Small Web Site (Part 1 of 2)

Moving an idea from your head and onto the web can be a daunting task, especially if you've never done it before. Here is a process of how to create a small to mid sized site from the beginning,

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

A Method Of Building A Small Web Site (Part 2 of 2)

Moving an idea from your head and onto the web can be a daunting task, especially if you've never done it before. Here is a process of how to create a small to mid sized site from the beginning,

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Listamatic - The Magic Of Working With Lists And Links

Discussion of Listamatic, a web resource showing how to create nav bars with HTML lists and Cascading Style Sheets.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Tidy GUI: Fixing Up Code And Converting To XHTML

Use TidyGUI to help you convert old html files to xhtml.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

CSS Zen Garden - The Power Of CSS

The CSS Zen Garden was a project that demonstrated how one htmlfile could be styled in many different ways by different web designers using Cascading Style Sheets.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Bobby And Cynthia - Two Tools To Test Your Pages For Accessibility

WebXACT (formerly Bobby) and Cynthia Says are online tools to help uncover accessibility issues.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

The History Of The Web

Discussion of how far the web has come over the last ten years and a link to a resource demonstrating browser development.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

The Granddaddy Of Browser Archives

The evolt.org browser archive is the place to find and download every browser ever made.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Things I Hate About The Web (Part 1 of 2)

Pop-up windows, underlined text, poor multimedia controls, splash pages and graphical text are some of the things many people hate about the web.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

Things I Hate About The Web (Part 2 of 2)

Bad navigation, pages under construction, timeouts and frames are some of the things many people hate about the web.

bud@joyofcode.com (Bud Kraus)   Fri, 15 Jul 2005 08:00:00 EST

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