Why the new theme? I wanted to make it as easy as possible for myself and anyone else with writing privileges to ad a quick post to this site. I like the Twitter-like ease of use with this theme.
UPDATE: I dumped the P2. The added functionality (posting from the front page of the blog) wasn’t worth the otherwise sucky navigation and user unfriendliness.
So I am using Black Letterhead now. It’s based on tried-and-true Kubrick. The only adaptation is to add some ads on the right. No doubt Vaspers the Grate will appreciate my dumping the rotating header.
Hat tip to Cameron for harshing my mellow.
UPDATE 2: Apparently, my theme usage is subject to much scrutiny.
UPDATE 3: As Polly Peoria used to say, I just can’t stop playing with my thingy. I’ve lightened to text color throughout to increase the contrast, making it more readable. I changed the header font to Goudy Stout, which long-time readers will remember I used for a long time. I followed Vaspers’ advice and added a headshot, although not in the header. No place to add a banner image of Peoria, so I’ll skip that for now.
Tags: WordPress
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
I hate reverse type. At the risk of being labeled a reactionary, there is a reason books, magazines and newspapers have been printed with black type on a white background for hundreds of years: IT’S EASIER TO READ.
I don’t know where to post this, but I was just at the Mission Mart on Sterling, donating 5 bags of books and I saw a huge genuine oil scenic painting with a vintage light over it that they were throwing away and a whole bin of baseball cards and perfectly good baskets. I started to take the stuff out of the bins to give them to take inside, and they dropped the lids on the dumpsters so I couldn’t give them anymore that would sell. I had heard previously that they were throwing away fantastic items, but I saw it with my own eyes today. Vintage baseball cards – oil paintings!!! Go over and look right now and do not give them your stuff!
Why the new theme? Because it’s Saturday, silly.
The black background hurts my eye’s.
I don’t like it either.
I too dislike the reverse print. Some of the type is gray instead of white and it is extremely difficult to read. Please, please go back to black on white.
I like the simplicity of this design template. While the overall impression is dark, yet that can be classy and professional looking. Can you include a bright, light image of Peoria under the header text?
P.S. I also like the two column layout and the streamlined appearance. No more clutter and jostling of multiple elements. Easier to consume the info.
Put your face in the header, plus a Peoria scene.
It’s your website, but since you put up a post about it, reverse type is hard on the eyes. And the orange type gives it a Halloween flavor that I don’t think you want. Just my two cents. Trick or treat!
Look at the bottom of the sidebar — you can pick the color.
This is all I ask…room to bitch
Would have been OK for Halloween, but otherwise….
I “preferenced” blue and it’s nice.
This is just plain ugly. Try a kind of yellowed paper look with edgy black type instead, just my opinion…