Module development and code questions

I have modified XTemplate to produce a new fixed-width layout,
and all works fine but locale module which is stretching the layout.

Not on it's first page, but after search when it populates the table with
locale terms.

Looking at the HTML output I can see where the problem starts, but I just can't
find the solution, tried everything I could think of for the past 2 days. Now I am really getting desperate.

HTML Output looks like this:

<div id="help">The locale module handles translations into new
languages. It also enables you to add jargon,
slang or other special language as fits the web site.
For each language you want to support, a line needs to
be added to your configuration file.<br>
&lt;/div&gt;

This part is still OK, and now the problem follows:

<!- begin content ->

<table >

<tr><th>string</th><th>languages'</th><th colspan="2">operations</th> </tr>

<tr class="dark"><td><br /><small><i>/beautymag/admin/system/modules</i></small>
</td>
<td
align="center"><strike>hr</strike> <strike>en</strike> </td><td
nowrap="nowrap"><a href="admin/locale/edit/399">edit
locale</a></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><a href="admin/locale/delete/399">
delete
locale</a></td> </tr>

I have run into problems applying patches, as follows:

node.module:

patch < node.module.patch
patching file node.module
Hunk #1 FAILED at 1245.
1 out of 1 hunk FAILED -- saving rejects to file node.module.rej

node_image.module:

patch < imaged_nodes.patch
patching file node_image.module
Hunk #1 FAILED at 184.
Hunk #2 FAILED at 582.
2 out of 2 hunks FAILED -- saving rejects to file node_image.module.rej

xtemplate.theme:

In my module settings how do i create a dropdown that selects a different taxonomy vocab?

Thanks

Hi i'm a complete noobie when it comes to module development.
I was wondering how do I make the form_checkbox function output the value of the ceckboxes to the body of the node?
thanks :)

I can't find this problem in the forum or bugs so here it is.

My temp directory path is specified as:
files/temp/ and both are CHMOD 777

My Drupal db tables use a prefix drupal_

I get this warning:

Does anyone have any interest in doing a "rate this story" module that would allow a simple 1-10 rating at the bottom of stories and would show the average?

Or does anyone know of an easy way to write up such a module?

I don't know php otherwise I would do it myself. But I'd be happy to get a book and try and hash it out with someone if anyone else is interested.