#left-menu
{
    width: 178px; /* this width value is also effected by the padding we will later set on the links. */
}
#left-menu ul
{
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    list-style-type: none;
}
#left-menu li
{
    margin: 2px 0 0;
}
#left-menu a
{
    display: block;
    width: 178px;
    padding: 2px 2px 2px 10px;
    border: 1px solid #000000;
    background: #9999ff;
    text-decoration: none; /*lets remove the link underlines*/
}
#left-menu a:link, #left-menu a:active, #left-menu a:visited
{
    color: #000000;
}

#left-menu a:hover
{
    border: 1px solid #000000;
    background: #660000;
    color: #ffffff;
}