Trouble with dynamic resize, and background image... HELP!

I am having two problems with my website (in sig) and I was hoping someone could lend some assistance...

1) My page dynamically resizes my text area beautifully. But the page looks bad (the blue bar at the bottom) on any resolution higher than 1024... and even on 1024 there are problems... this page is a good example, it looks ok in IE, but bad in firefox.
Also, I only want there to be only one scroll bar on the page (that scrolls the text), but now there are 2 scroll bars. How can I fix this?

2) The menu on the left side of the page is supposed to be an image map. But since it is also a background image, it's gotten way too complicated....

This is the area with the image in it.

<style type="text/css">
.left {
position: absolute;
left: 0;
width: 180px;
height: 338px;
background-image: url(/pictures/menu2.gif);
</style>

I created the map (coordinates and all) and named it map1.

I tried doing this :

.left {
position: absolute;
left: 0;
width: 180px;
height: 338px;
background-image: url(/pictures/menu2.gif USEMAP="#map1");

but that didn't work.

someone gave me this link frankmanno.com/ideas/css-imagemap/ but the solution provided here is way over my head, and far more complex than I was looking for...

Basically I'm wondering how else I can achieve the desired effect?

Thanks for your help,
The site i'm referring to is in my sig.

 

did i post this is the wrong forum, or are the problems really as difficult as I thought ?

 

I see no compelling reason to have a fixed position header and nav, so didn't choose to look at your problem, there. Too, I consider image map navigation to be inaccessible and of poor utility. A simple list would do the job better, so again no interest on my part.

But, since you've got on your knees begging, and having kowtowed three times to the, um, …

I'll offer this suggestion. Do with it what you will.

body {
    margin: 0;
    padding:0;
    font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif;
    background: white url(/pictures/background3.jpg) fixed;
    }

.top {
    background-color: #06C;
    color: #fff;
    font-size: 36px;
    padding: 1px 10px;
    }

.conteneur {}

.left {
    float: left;
    width: 180px;
    height: 338px;
    background-image: url(/pictures/menu2.gif);
    }

.middle {
    margin-left: 180px;
    font-size: 14px;
    }

Code (markup):

Now, if you'll just fix the menu, all will be well.

In re the TABC bar raids, ain't that a b*tch! They've even busted folks in hotel bars where the bustees are registered. Not much chance of a DUI there. Good story. Sad, but good.

cheers,

gary