Cody Beckner

Just a quick note for those of you who like to use Master pages in ASP.Net.

Have you ever had something on the Master page that you wished you could change from the child page? Well, for those of you who have actually done this, one way is to get the Master page from the Page object on the backend, search it for a control that you are after, cast that control to the right type, and … you get the point. Long and tedius.

Try this instead: Create a property on the master page that reflects the thing you want to be able to change. On the child page, at the top add this directive:

<%@ MasterType VirtualPath="~/Default.master" %>

where Default.Master is the full path to the master page that the page is using. Then in the child’s code behind, you can do something like:

Master.PropertyName = PropertyValue;

Should save a lot of time. Hope this is useful to someone.

I was discussing Flags of our Fathers with John B. recently and during the conversation, I recieved an email from Darrin K. asking for something we are grateful for in light of Independance day tomorrow.

Already being in that mindset, I replied to Darrin with this:

I am grateful that there are people in this world that are willing to not only fight for an idea, but lay down their life for that idea if needs be. Not because they are not afraid of dying, or are itching for a fight, but because they believe with all their heart that it is right.

I am not the type of person that would willingly go pick up a gun and head to war. I did come close to joining the marines in college and I have several family members who have served, but I ultimately chose a different route. I have to respect the people who do choose that life though.

I am not foolish enough to think that all the people who join the military do so from an idealistic cause, but I do believe in my heart that many of them are doing what they do out of a sense of patriotism and pride. Pride that they are Americans.

And they are fighting for it.

And they are dying for it.

It doesn’t matter what the circumstance that they fight or die. They are representing our nation. For better or for worse. They are out there because they believe. Look back over the course of our history. Sure there have been wars and battles that perhaps should not have been fought. However, there are a great many battles that were fought for all the right reasons. Wars that freed people. Wars that made people equals. So, I am grateful that over the 200+ years that this country has been in existence, and the several years before it was that there were people who believed in an idea so much, that they lay down their life so that I could sit here today and type this without having to worry about what I am saying, without having to worry about who is going to be reading it. So that I can walk the streets without having to fear for my life, and so that I can enjoy the multitude of freedoms that I am able to enjoy today.

Thank you.

Don Herbert, who as television’s “Mr. Wizard” introduced generations of young viewers to the joys of science, died Tuesday. He was 89. Herbert, who had bone cancer, died at his suburban Bell Canyon home, said his son-in-law, Tom Nikosey.

Good-bye Mr. Wizard.

Thanks for all the memories.

So, while enjoying a quiet evening at home last night, I noticed my cat start franticly running from room to room. She does this occasionally, so I didn’t think much of it at the time. I had become aware shortly afterward of some pretty high winds outside and it started to rain.

Then came the lightning and thunder and I figured that is why the cat was running around, even though she typically is ok during storms. Then, it sounded like kids were throwing gravel at the front window of the house. Followed by the sensation of being in a wooden box as a Caterpillar 994f dropped a bucket of gravel on you.

So, my wife and I stood in the breakfast nook and prayed that the windows would hold up to the pelting they were receiving and watched buckets of hail fall for a good 10-15 minutes last night. I had been through hail storms before, but I can never recall one that lasted this long.

If I hadn’t been so nervous about the big window that comprises one wall of my dining room, I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more than I did. In the end though, everything is in good shape (except for the plants), and hopefully the melting ice will allow some of the water that came down last night to actually soak into the ground vs running off and help out with our “drought” situation. Pictures for your enjoyment

“Before, thickness didn’t matter,[Now] thickness does come into play. If it gets too thick you create a new shape.” -Postal Service spokesman Dave Partenheimer

…seriously… I grant, this was actually in reference to the new postal rates that went into effect today, but did Dave even stop to consider what that statement would make people think?