scrollIntoView() DemoThis is a simple demo page from Avoiding Hash URLs with ScrollIntoView()
Thanks to a small script at the bottom of this file, the page opens with the highlighted div at the very top, even though it's not at the top of the HTML content.
This is similar to using a hash URL, except that you normally can't use that when loading the page directly (unless you manually type the hash extension when you enter the URL in the browser's address bar. (Normally, a visitor wouldn't know to do that.)
Here are some silly jokes to fill in the space between the top of the page and the #special section below.
There was a toadstool who had lots of friends and was always throwing parties. He was a real fungi.
A piece of string goes into a bar and asks for a drink. The bartender says—"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't serve pieces of string."
The disappointed piece of string finds another bar, but upon ordering a drink, is again told—"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't serve pieces of string here."
Quite upset, the piece of string goes into a laneway, where he proceeds to tie himself in knots, and then to roughen himself up until he appears quite buffed and hairy.
He then goes into another bar and orders a drink. The suspicious bartender looks him up and down with narrowed eyes, and asks—"Are you a piece of string?"
The piece of string replies curtly—"I'm a frayed knot!"
A bear goes into a bar and orders a drink. The bartender says—"I'm sorry, but we don't serve drug addicts here."
The bear is shocked and offended. "I'm NOT a drug addict!" he replies.
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not!"
"Yes you are."
Exasperated and enraged, the bear flies into a tantrum, knocking over chairs, upturning tables and finally lunging at the bar and biting a large chunk out of it.
Then, with tears in his eyes, he again declares—"I AM NOT A DRUG ADDICT!"
The bartender coolly replies—"O yeah? What about that bar bit you ate?"
This page features a sample of Beowulf, retold for children aged 8 and above by Books for Learning.
Night fell slowly over the city. King Hrothgar and all his host1 began to withdraw from the hall. The king was the last to go. ‘Brave young man, I fear you do not understand the danger you are facing. Good fortune be with you.’
Beowulf smiled. ‘Great Hrothgar, people say that I have the strength of thirty men. This I will prove to you tonight.’
Beowulf and his men were soon alone. They locked the doors, even though they knew that locks would not keep Grendel out. Every movement echoed through the hall. Night had fallen, and they waited in darkness, swords ready for battle. Only a faint moonlight allowed them to see at all.
Beowulf put down his sword, for he knew it would be useless now. This monster could not be killed with swords. It was strength and courage alone that Beowulf must rely on.
As his companions went to sleep, Beowulf waited, listening. If Grendel came, he hoped there would be time to wake the Geats. Hour after hour passed. Even Beowulf himself came close to sleep.
Then, a noise. Doors crashed open. In the dark, something moved. A scream ripped through the silence—a man was taken! Grendel had already grasped one of Beowulf’s soldiers and ripped him in half! The Geats leapt to their feet, fumbled for swords, looked madly about trying to see in the dark.
Grendel’s green, angry eyes glowed in the darkness. As he reached for another man, suddenly he felt an iron grip lock around his arm. Whatever grasped him had the strength of many men, and for once he himself felt fear.
Beowulf had Grendel by the arm, and the monster howled like a trapped animal. He wanted to escape and madly pulled against the grip of Beowulf. The hero tightened his hold with all his might, and the two foes staggered about the hall, smashing chairs and tables in a mighty struggle. The monster snarled and shrieked, and Beowulf kept a stony silence, save for his panting breaths.
The other Geats stayed still, not daring to swing their swords in the darkness lest they2 hit their leader. Whenever they got a glimpse3 of Grendel, one would swing his sword, but it only bounced off the thick hide of the monster. Outside, the Danes listened in horror to the crashing and groaning within, having been woken from their beds.
Finally, in terror and despair, the monster made one last effort to break free from Beowulf’s hold. And he did free himself, but with a terrible cry, for his arm had ripped off at the shoulder. Through the door he ran, screaming into the night, and Beowulf fell to the floor, exhausted, holding the bleeding arm.
The Geats lit torches and rushed to Beowulf’s side, looking in wonder at the limb. They took it from him and held it up. ‘No one, not even a monster, could survive a wound like this,’ they cried. ‘He has run away, but he will die soon. Grendel is no more!’
Lorem Ipsum, anyone? No thanks. How about some real Latin? Yeah! Take it out, Cicero!
Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? quam diu etiam furor iste tuus nos eludet? quem ad finem sese effrenata iactabit audacia? Nihilne te nocturnum praesidium Palati, nihil urbis vigiliae, nihil timor populi, nihil concursus bonorum omnium, nihil hic munitissimus habendi senatus locus, nihil horum ora voltusque moverunt?
Patere tua consilia non sentis, constrictam iam horum omnium scientia teneri coniurationem tuam non vides? Quid proxima, quid superiore nocte egeris, ubi fueris, quos convocaveris, quid consilii ceperis, quem nostrum ignorare arbitraris?
O tempora, o mores! Senatus haec intellegit. consul videt; hic tamen vivit. Vivit? immo vero etiam in senatum venit, fit publici consilii particeps, notat et designat oculis ad caedem unum quemque nostrum. Nos autem fortes viri satis facere rei publicae videmur, si istius furorem ac tela vitemus. Ad mortem te, Catilina, duci iussu consulis iam pridem oportebat, in te conferri pestem, quam tu in nos omnes iam diu machinaris.
An vero vir amplissumus, P. Scipio, pontifex maximus, Ti. Gracchum mediocriter labefactantem statum rei publicae privatus interfecit; Catilinam orbem terrae caede atque incendiis vastare cupientem nos consules perferemus? Nam illa nimis antiqua praetereo, quod C. Servilius Ahala Sp. Maelium novis rebus studentem manu sua occidit.
Fuit, fuit ista quondam in hac re publica virtus, ut viri fortes acrioribus suppliciis civem perniciosum quam acerbissimum hostem coercerent.
Habemus senatus consultum in te, Catilina, vehemens et grave, non deest rei publicae consilium neque auctoritas huius ordinis; nos, nos, dico aperte, consules desumus.
Decrevit quondam senatus, ut L. Opimius consul videret, ne quid res publica detrimenti caperet; nox nulla intercessit; interfectus est propter quasdam seditionum suspiciones C. Gracchus, clarissimo patre, avo, maioribus, occisus est cum liberis M. Fulvius consularis.
Simili senatus consulto C. Mario et L. Valerio consulibus est permissa res publica; num unum diem postea L. Saturninum tribunum pl. et C. Servilium praetorem mors ac rei publicae poena remorata est? At vero nos vicesimum iam diem patimur hebescere aciem horum auctoritatis.
Habemus enim huiusce modi senatus consultum, verum inclusum in tabulis tamquam in vagina reconditum, quo ex senatus consulto confestim te interfectum esse, Catilina, convenit.
Vivis, et vivis non ad deponendam, sed ad confirmandam audaciam. Cupio, patres conscripti, me esse clementem, cupio in tantis rei publicae periculis me non dissolutum videri, sed iam me ipse inertiae nequitiaeque condemno.
Castra sunt in Italia contra populum Romanum in Etruriae faucibus conlocata, crescit in dies singulos hostium numerus; eorum autem castrorum imperatorem ducemque hostium intra moenia atque adeo in senatu videmus intestinam aliquam cotidie perniciem rei publicae molientem.
Si te iam, Catilina, comprehendi, si interfici iussero, credo, erit verendum mihi, ne non potius hoc omnes boni serius a me quam quisquam crudelius factum esse dicat. Verum ego hoc, quod iam pridem factum esse oportuit, certa de causa nondum adducor ut faciam.
Tum denique interficiere, cum iam nemo tam inprobus, tam perditus, tam tui similis inveniri poterit, qui id non iure factum esse fateatur.
Quamdiu quisquam erit, qui te defendere audeat, vives, et vives ita, ut nunc vivis. multis meis et firmis praesidiis obsessus, ne commovere te contra rem publicam possis. Multorum te etiam oculi et aures non sentientem, sicut adhuc fecerunt, speculabuntur atque custodient.