Just a couple of years ago some scientists feared we were due for another 'little ice age' because of the prolonged minimum of sunspots. This goes to show you how little we really understand about this.
Maybe it (the Little Ice Age) was the result of a 'perfect storm' of volcanic activity + sunspot minimum, although these researches apparently "set solar radiation at a constant level in the climate models."
Sometimes learning how to do something well means you need to learn how it's done poorly. Pay attention to things that "don't work" to your eye and avoid repeating those mistakes when you design.
IMHO good web design is simple, accessible, and looks (and works) the same across multiple browsers/platforms.
As the author notes, "If you decide to follow these you may not achieve Internet success, but these tips will surely help you start out on the right foot."
