This time, they removed the tags that size and position uploaded photos. Google’s target IQ is around 97, so now all photos are big, to the left, and non-floating. Non-floating means the text can be above or below the picture, not beside it like you see here.This means I have to custom code each photo to preserve the format we are used to, and this is about the fourth time I’ve had to do that because of the retards at Google. Until I learn to get it perfect, some pictures will appear stretched or squashed in the middle. Up yours, Google. Make your idiot changes, but have the decency to include a revert button.
Not that Google has any monopoly on stupidity. Have you seen these on-line lists of famous people that are arranged alphabetically? Um, the idea of “famous” doesn’t seem to penetrate thick skulls. For a lark, I pulled up a list of famous televangelists. As far as I know there were only three. But the list started off with such household names as Andreas Huebner and Apollo C. Quiboloy. For those who spotted it, yes, they even got the alphabetization wrong—by using first names. Strange how Americans invent the computer and it gets used to dumb down the majority.
Did I tell you about my after-medical fun y’day? No caffeine, which is purgatory for coffee-lovers like me. I’m not even allowed decaf on medical days, so it was overnight and all day until I got out of Broward General, something over 18 hours. After hanging around there I only had two dollars cash left. Yes, but I know where there is a tiny Columbian shop and I bee-lined it for their coffee window. A buck eighty, I had a big smile as I sat down on the park bench. This, I waited all day for. I leaned back to thumb open my paperback. Not, my friends, even one sip. A gust of wind blew my coffee off the table into the grass.
Karaoke is in the news because of a void left when Wanda passed away last week. I know things are tough out there, but some of the gossip I’ve heard is uncomfortable. Thus, I go completely hands-off until they all settle down. But I will comment on some of the sheer stupidity going on, careful not to mention names. One party wants to buy the setup and start “singing lessons” next week. A couple audience members say they want to “do Karaoke” and the most outlandish was hearing that some guy I never heard of is planning to buy the gear and lease it to me! Is that so?
May I say to these and others of a similar mindset that Karaoke is a ferociously competitive business. All the local shows have been going downhill slowly for years. The market is saturated, even if you know the trade—and most of you do not. The newest Karaoke is all software and most of the people doing the talking have never even owned a computer. Complete modern sets of disks and equipment can be bought on eBay for a few hundred dollars.
I had considered making an offer on the disks, but not now. Let them sell it to each other. Then if I eventually get it, the price will be ten cents on the dollar. My alternative is to pay the estate $50 to let me copy the disks. Trust me, they do not understand the CD+G technology that was discussed here, what, over five years ago. For that matter, who even uses disks any more? For now, we simply wait this out. In fact, I think I have a Karaoke edit program I hacked years ago, let me look for it.
This hacking is important. There is a technology involved in getting the Karaoke words to scroll with the music and change color to the beat. Most of the commercial disks out there have their anti-copyright code in this area, not in the music. These display a characteristic background or some type of ownership logo that can’t be changed without the technical know-how. I’ve heard of CAVS people walking in on a show and putting the screws to the DJ. This could only be done if the DJ did not take care to change the graphics. That’s the G in CD+G.
