Change Blogger Header To Show An Image

Here's a quick guide on how to change the blogger header to show an image instead of the usual Title text.

1. Go to your template and locate the part for the header :

   

2. Now change the part of the template shown above to the following lines :

   

   Note: Fill out the information for the URL of your blog and also the image location. You can either upload it to your own webspace or create a post in blogger and upload your image file, then save it as a draft. "View Html" should give away the file location.

3. Try to preview it first before saving the changes.

Free Directory Assistance : 1-800-FREE-411

1-800-FREE-411

The service offers free phone directory assistance, and while you wait for the query, a recorded ad is played. Their site also has a directory search page, so that you can search for numbers while on the Internet.

Great altenative, ad-based (I cannot take away the idea that this was Google-inspired.)

Site link: http://www.free411.com/index.htm

Sidelights : Notable materials from Project Gutenberg

I was just looking for some reading materials, and happened to remember the Project Gutenberg site. Spent a few minutes and ended up downloading the following :

1. The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci — Complete by Leonardo da Vinci
   (size : 1.36 MB)
2. Relativity : the Special and General Theory by Albert Einstein {size : 201 KB (unzipped)}
3. Art of War by Sun Tzu {size: 331 KB (no compression)}
4. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle {size : 7.01 MB (mp3 file)}
5. Amusements in Mathematics by Henry Ernest Dudeney {size: 5.95 MB (Zip)}

Files noted above are not in .pdf (the one about Sherlock Holmes is an Audio book), so if you're looking for books that are in a different format that fits to whatever reader you may have, try another site Manybooks.net , which has the same collection as that of Project Gutenberg but has converted the eBooks to different file formats (pdf , iPod notes, etc.)

Scaled Composites : Pioneering the Future of Travel

Scaled Composites , "an aerospace and specialty composites development company located in Mojave, California" is pushing forward the boundaries of commercial aviation, led by Burt Rutan (described by many as an "aeronautical legend" for his radical yet efficient designs). Two are most notable for making news this year.

Around the World in 67 hours with the Global Flyer.

The Global Flyer is a single-pilot craft made entirely of composite material which makes it strong yet light, and is powered by a single turbo fan engine. This aircraft was able to circumnavigate the world without stopping or refuelling , leaving Kansas (Salina) and landing on the same spot after 67 hours on March 3, 2005. The plane was piloted by Steve Fossett, who has over the years played with world records for both distance and time using hot-air balloons, gliders, etc.(also awarded the Gold Medal of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale in 2002 ).

To the borders of space : SpaceShipOne, the first private manned (and funded) spacecraft to exceed an altitude of 328,000 feet (it was able to accomplish this twice over a period of 14 days which also proves one of the main points of the craft : reusability), won the Ansari-X prize, which equates to 10 million dollars plus prestige and honor (of course). The craft was piloted by Brian Binnie.

Commentary : Commercial "Space Flight" is just around the corner, as there is funding already for a technology that has been proven and tested. The concern for cost? This business endeavor may just be a window for a whole new future of "sub-orbital" adventures, not only for travel but for other areas of commerce, and the figures may just add up for more people to come forward and take a second look at what Scaled Composites has accomplished and what it means to the common people.

Playing Around With Paper

1. Always wanted to test all the iPod color variations available, or just want to see how an iMac would look in your desk? Well...if you have a printer, scissors and some glue...you're all set. Get the pdf from PaperMac and cut your way to having a Macintosh Classic II.
2. If you have an empty space on your desk, or just a fan of Star Wars....you might want to make a Yoda replica (model, cut-out, etc...) from just 5 pieces of paper! (Click here to open pdf )
3. Now let me introduce a branch of the popular Japanese art of Origami : Aerogomi ! which deals with aerodynamic paper models....if you want a quick look at it , try making an OmniWing which is a glider of some sort....
   After getting acquianted with the principles of aerodynamics......you get this crazy idea....how long could a paper plane stay in flight ?????

The answer is ultimately with you.....just follow Ken Blackburn's (who holds the Guinness record for time aloft for paper airplanes...update me if this is incorrect) guide on making the record setting paper airplane......which by the way was " in flight " for 27.6 seconds.
4. Just burned an Audio CD but cannot find a case or plastic sleeve anywhere.....drop by www.papercdcase.com and create yourself a nice looking paper case
.
5. Everybody needs to be reminded sometimes, regarding activities, scheds or just daily tasks....if you need to but do not want to spend on a PDA....just create yourself a Personal Organizer.
6. If you do not have an available piece of paper ( or if you do but do not want to "waste it" ), maybe you can give the experience of paper-folding a try first....with money origami all you need is a dollar bill and you're fine.
7. One of the most useful forms of paper is the toilet paper and its history is as rich as any. Here's an excerpt :
   "What did people use before toilet paper was invented?
   • Newsprint, paper catalogue pages in early US
   • Hayballs, Scraper/gompf stick kept in container by the privy in the Middle Ages
   • Discarded sheep's wool in the Viking Age, England
   • Frayed end of an old anchor cable was used by sailing crews from Spain and Portugal *Medieval Europe- Straw, hay, grass, gompf stick
   • Corn cobs, Sears Roebuck catalog, mussel shell, newspaper, leaves, sand- United States
   • Water and your left hand, India
   • Pages from a book, British Lords
   • Coconut shells in early Hawaii
   • Lace was used by French Royalty
   • Public Restrooms in Ancient Rome- A sponge soaked in salt water, on the end of a stick
   • The Wealthy in Ancient Rome-Wool and Rosewater
   • French Royalty-lace, hemp
   • Hemp & wool were used by the elite citizens of the world
   • Defecating in the river was very common internationally
   • Snow and Tundra Moss were used by early Eskimos

   Full article.

Adding a Google Search Bar to your Blog

Copied code from : http://www.google.com/searchcode.html

Edited it. (Why? I took out the code for the Google logo and also edited the target tag to show the results page into a new page. If you do not want the changes I made then refer to the Google source above.)

Result:
<!-- Search Google --> <center> <FORM method=GET action="http://www.google.com/search" target="_blank"> <input type=hidden name=ie value=UTF-8> <input type=hidden name=oe value=UTF-8> <TABLE bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><tr><td> <INPUT TYPE=text name=q size=25 maxlength=255 value=""> <INPUT type=submit name=btnG VALUE="Google Search"> </td> <!-- Search Google -->

Now all you need to do is insert the code to your page.

Postscript: Working sample found on the sidebar.Suggestions on how to hack the code? All shared knowledge and/or opinion accepted.

The quest begins....

Why. The question for the purpose of existence is always hard to answer....we do lots of things not because we're aware of the prize or as if we're aiming for a goal....most of the time we're just floating on the stream....enjoying and getting the most out of the journey that is life.