June 30, 2008

My Dad Died!
As I write this, it's been a few weeks since the funeral, and it's still hard to accept his death. We all knew it was coming, we all prayed that it wouldn't be a long drawn out period of suffering and grief. Dad had a living will, so there weren't any extraordinary measures taken to extend his life. His demise (on the 24th of June 2008) was marked by what was most likely a heart attack in his home of Pound, Wisconsin. His death was brought about by many years of emphysema (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). His lung capacity and physical condition had been declining continuously over the last several years. It all started when he began smoking. Dad started smoking in his teens, and didn't stop until severe chest pains brought him to the hospital in his mid 60's. The doctor said it was a heart attack, but Dad couldn't bring himself to believe it. Nonetheless, Dad stopped smoking and drinking (though the drinking wasn't really a problem). Contributing to his health problems was the fact that he worked in a paper mill for more than thirty years. I have no doubt that this probably contributed to his emphysema. With chlorine, dioxides, sulfur, extremely fine particulate matter in the air, and exposure to numerous other chemicals, the mill didn't mandate the use of masks or respirators until it was too late for my Dad. Unfortunately, no one has enough money to prove that kind of connection. Especially when a person was smoking at the same time. One side blames the other, and they both claim that dad was responsible for his own health. A double whammy ended my father's life much earlier than it should have. My grandfather (his father) lived to be 93. So a death at 75 years of age is a bit premature for my dad. He was so looking forward to his retirement, watching the grandchildren grow up, and enjoying evenings outside by the campfire. Unfortunately for Dad, his golden years weren't golden at all. He was confined to the house, lost his breath walking to the bathroom, and couldn't lay down for fear of lung collapse. His last few years were fairly miserable. Thankfully, dad is breathing freely now. He's sitting around God's campfire, calling to the whippoorwills as the sun sets on another glorious day in Heaven. I loved my Dad, I miss him sorely.

Kim and I flew home to Wisconsin (from 26 - 30 June) for the services, and helped our mother (as best we could) with arrangements. I'm very grateful to my sisters - who still live in Wisconsin; as they covered the expenses that mother couldn't bear. Kim and I would like to thank everyone who helped us with well wishes and their sympathetic offerings. It's been a difficult month for the two of us, but Mother is the one who'll suffer most. Her life mate (of 50 years) is gone - and no one can replace the man who meant so much to all of us. In time we'll heal, but we'll never forget the man we all knew as Dick, Motor mouth, Richard, Tricky Dick, Big Dick - Dad. A kind man with a big heart and loving nature. We miss you dad.

Eventually I'll update my posted genealogy information; right now I can't bear to think about it.
<https://www.robsworld.org/genealogy/vaessen_family/index.html>

Neighborhood Watch:
My odd-ball schedule actually works in my favor for some things. One of those is a community support activity which I enjoy - I'm a volunteer with our local neighborhood watch. Like many of the people in my community. I own some nice things, and I want to keep it that way. Volunteering for the neighborhood watch doesn't require a lot of dedication, but it does require some attention to detail and a keen sense of your surroundings.

Just before Kim and I left for Dad's funeral - I was able to post some additional updates to the Welcome, Events and Info pages recently. I posted some info about the an upcoming HOA meeting, rearranged the Welcome/Front page (due to clutter), updated the announcement banners on the front page and events page.

If you are a resident of 'Tollgate Crossing' in Aurora, Colorado, you might want to check out the new website. If you're a fan of "Rob's World!" you'll want to check out the web page, just to see what can be done with Apple's iWeb software. The web page turned out very nicely, and I hope it serves our community well. If you're a resident of Tollgate Crossing, and you're concerned about the safety and security of our community, you might want to join or mailing list to receive periodic alerts, updates and information. For additional information see the Neighborhood Watch web page.
<http://www.tollgatecrossing.org/Welcome.html>
<http://www.tollgatecrossing.org/Events.html>

Books:
I finally finished reading a book. A Science Fiction novel by David Brin. First book of the 'Uplift" series. Something a friend recommended. I started reading this book in August of 2006, and I just finished it. Man that was a tough read. The book was so heavy on character development that I had a hard time finishing it. I finally read the final few chapters on an airplane. A very slow read, it didn't get really good until the last quarter of the book. I won't be reading the rest of this series. So what am I reading now?

Frontlines ~ World War II ~ Personal accounts of Wisconsin Veterans
An (Author signed) gift from my in-laws. I served 20 years in the military (U.S. Air Force), and I am interested in historical accounts of World War II . Written by a local (to Wisconsin) radio/television personality. After reading the first accounting (By Firman Balza), I've already encountered a tale which touched on the experiences of a personal relative. One John (aka Jack) Vaessen (Not sure exactly sure how he's related, but I've no doubt that he's most likely related) was trapped in the capsized USS Utah when it capsized after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Firman's accounting of that day includes some recollection on the capsized ships, and the search for survivors in those ships.
<https://www.robsworld.org/books.html>

Mac OS 10.5.4 update:
Apple is hard at work, making sure that Leopard is running on all cylinders. Finding security flaws, patching annoying bugs, improving the user experience. This particular update includes recent security updates, as well as updates to the following applications and services: X11, AirPort, iCal, Safari, Spaces, Expose', AdobeCS3 compatibility, and others. It also brings us another batch of bug fixes. You can read all about these upgrades, bug fixes, security updates, and more by following the links I've provided below. I upgraded to Leopard during Oct of 2007, and I have to say, it's been the best version of Mac OS yet.

As a result of this recent OS update, the following pages have been updated. myfavs.html, feedback.html and mycomputer.html.
<https://support.apple.com/kb/HT1994>

Netflix is keeping Profiles:
<rave>I received an email from NetFlix recently (30 June 2008). That email made me very happy. NetFlix 'announced' that they are NOT going to eliminate all the multiple profiles stored by customers. Profiles can be used to maintain separate queues for multiple family members, for different types of movies, for different ratings (PG vs R), etc. Many good reasons to have multiple profiles. These multiple profiles even have their own ratings history and recommendations. I've been using a separate profile for Kim. We're on the five out at a time plan. Using a separate profile for Kim allows her to have her own queue (two movies), her own ratings, rental history, recommendations. According to the email I received:

We Are Keeping Netflix Profiles

Dear Robert,

You spoke, and we listened. We are keeping Profiles. Thank you for all the calls and emails telling us how important Profiles are.
We are sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused. We hope the next time you hear from us we will delight, and not disappoint, you.

-Your friends at Netflix

Comments from a NetFlix representative on the NetFlix community blog:

We were persuaded by the well-reasoned, sincere responses of loyal members who very much value this feature. As someone who enjoys helping his four-year-old daughter manage her one-DVD-at-a-time, G-rated sub-account, I identified with these thoughtful pleas to maintain Profiles.

Wow! A mega-huge corporation has actually seen the error of their ways, they've even go so far as to reverse their decision. It really gives me hope. This is one of the few times where I have seen a company do what's right for their customers, in apparent contradiction to the profit ratio. The squeaky wheel actually got the grease. Did my complaining actually work? Shortly after this news, NetFlix stock rating was upgraded from 'Under Perform' to 'Hold' by investment banking firm Needham and Company. </rave>
<http://www.hackingnetflix.com/2008/06/netflix-elimina.html>
<http://www.hackingnetflix.com/2008/06/netflix-is-keep.html>
<http://blog.netflix.com/2008/06/profiles-feature-not-going-away.html>

Software favorites:
One of my favorite pieces of software recently released an update. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. One more steps towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better. This release marks another incremental advance of beta releases. Here's the official 6.1.1GM (Gold Master) release. This beta release contained a handful of bug fixes, and a few new features.

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) released a new full release version (6.1.1b8). GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.com/xd/public/content/index._cGlkPTE5Mw_.html>

June 23, 2008

Vehicle maintenance - Round Three:
Recently (on the 2nd of May) a warning light started blinking on the dash of our Passat. The 'Service Engine' light! We took the vehicle to the dealer (on the 7th of May), but that resulted in less than satisfactory service, and unusually large bill, and no resolution to our problem. On the 15th of May, the problem recurred. The warning light went back on again, and we still had no idea what might be causing the problem. So, we took it in to the shop. This time we chose a different mechanic. That's what you do when the dealership starts to treat you like crap. You take it somewhere else. One of the good things about living in a large metropolitan area. With that vast number of garages, the competition for after warranty care is great.

We took the Passat to the Jim Paris car care center off S. Tower Rd. in Aurora. We gave them the low down on the problem. Basically, the vehicle is acting sluggish - nearly stalling when accelerating from a standing start, and the check engine light is on. I told them that cylinder five is likely miss-firing, and we left the vehicle in their care. We went home and waited for the consequences. They called us back in less than an hour. That sure was prompt. They'd hooked it to a diagnostic computer, read the codes, and done some additional tests while driving the vehicle. They found (diagnostic code P0305) that cylinder number five was miss-firing (no surprises there) when the RPMs dropped below a certain threshold in 1st - 3rd gear.

The mechanic from Jim Paris then offered an educated diagnosis - based on test results. Something the dealership didn't do. They only said that they could investigate further, but that would cost more money. Great - I paid them $105 dollars to tell me what the diagnostic code was! Cylinder 5 miss-fire. The mechanic from Jim Paris believes it's a spark plug problem. He believes that a change of spark plugs and wires will correct this seemingly random miss-fire problem. Here comes the crux of every mechanic - customer dilemma. If you don't know much about cars (that's me/us), you're pretty much at their mercy. The question then looms - "Do you trust your mechanic?"

So after all is said and done/diagnostic work completed, they replaced the spark plugs (they're the double tipped type) and wires. While they were at it, I had them change out the air filter, and add a can of 44K (an additive designed to 'get the gunk' out). With our AAA discount, the cost for the Passat was just under $600.00. Grrr! I'm starting to approach the blue book value. We've joust spent more than $1,200 in one month alone.

Jim Paris warranted his work for a year, and indicated that they wouldn't charge for diagnostic if the same problem recurred within the next few weeks. That's somewhat comforting. Considering the fact that any additional problems will likely results in an even bigger bill. We will not buy another Passat! So far, it's been nothing but one problem after another. This thing needs to run for two more years before we'll be in a position to buy a new car. So, for now, I guess I have no choice - I'll have to bend over and take it.

Update: Well - As you may be aware, Kim and I drove the Passat to Wisconsin and back (From May 23rd - 3rd of June, 2008). The trip went well, we didn't have any car problems during our trip. On the day after we got back from our long trip, Kim went to work. Upon returning from work, she informed me that the 'Check Engine' light was back on. So we took it to Jim Paris auto.

<rave>Kudos to Jim Parish auto repair. They hooked the Passat up, ran the diagnostics, determined the cause, reset the computer, and put our Passat back on the road in a little over an hours time. Apparently, based on our recent travel and the diagnostic code, the mechanics determined that our O2 sensor was confused. Going from a high altitude to a low altitude and vice a versa, in this short period of time had caused it to hiccup. One occurrence of the fault was caused by the change in altitude. Thank goodness. I was starting to think I was cursed. The cost - Here's the best part $0.00! Yeah, try to get that kind of service out of a dealership! Not likely</rave>

It sucks when your car breaks down, and Kim and I have lived through quite a few vehicle breakdowns. When we start looking to replace the Passat (in 2010 or so), reliability will be a top priority on our list. That and gas mileage! I've had excellent performance and low maintenance requirements on my 2004 XC90. We're currently considering the purchase of an S60 to replace our Passat, but gas prices may cause us to reconsider.

Netflix to eliminate Profiles:
<rant>I received an email from NetFlix recently (18 June 2008). That email upset me quite a bit. NetFlix 'announced' that they are going to eliminate all the multiple profiles stored by customers. Profiles can be used to maintain separate queues for multiple family members, for different types of movies, for different ratings (PG vs R), etc. Many good reasons to have multiple profiles. These multiple profiles even have their own ratings history and recommendations. I've been using a separate profile for Kim. We're on the five out at a time plan. Using a separate profile for Kim allows her to have her own queue (two movies), her own ratings, rental history, recommendations. Now that's all going away. If she want's to continue renting movies through NetFlix, she'll have to put her picks in my queue. That will screw up my ratings, my rotation times, and my ability to effectively manage our viewing experience. They aren't pulling the plug until Sep 1st. So that will give me some time to take my business elsewhere... Maybe I'll give BlockBuster online a try! I've signed two petitions in protest, I called customer service to complain, and I sent them an email.

This recent decision, to do away with multiple queues/profiles is a poor one. As a long-time, loyal customer (since Jan '04) It's the first time I've been unhappy with a NetFlix decision.

Unfortunately, this will eliminate the ability for me to effectively manage my queue. As my wife and I both watch movies, the additional profile (my wife's queue) allowed us to easily manage which movies we wanted to watch.

By eliminating this feature, the only way I will be able to effectively manage the queue is by reducing my subscription to 3 out at a time (from 5), and signing up for an additional separate account. This will cost me more money (two plans cost more than one plan) and more taxes for the same number of movies.

You haven't provided any way to convert or split my multiple profiles into multiple plans, and I don't understand why you are doing this. The only reason I can see is 'Greed'. By forcing me to split my subscription (5 out at a time) into two separate plans, you'll be collecting an additional $0.99 per month. Yay for you, but it sucks for me. I have to pay more for the same number of movies, I have to pay more taxes (what joy), and I have to deal with the added burden of two separate accounts (billing and online).

This is worse than simply raising the price, yet you avoid the stigma of 'Price Increase' by implementing this change. Good for you, bad for me. Well, I've got news for you. Anything that's bad for the NetFlix customer, is bad for NetFlix. In the end it's the customers that make NetFlix. You can't have a NetFlix without happy, satisfied, customers.

I'm seriously considering the elimination of 2 movies from my plan, and switching over to on-demand type viewing for my wife. Given the fact that she watches fewer movies than me, I might end up saving money in the long run.

Why? Why are you doing this? You're explanation: "this change will help us continue to improve the Netflix website for all our customers." is an insufficient explanation, and smells badly.

I can only hope that they will see the error of their ways and reverse their decision. If they decide to go ahead with this decision I will no longer be able to recommend them to friends and family members. As consumers, we must insist on excellence, features which favor us, and fair pricing. This is neither and I for one won't stand for it. Let NetFlix know that you've got the money, and if they want it, they need to be responsive to you.</rant>
<http://www.hackingnetflix.com/2008/06/netflix-elimina.html>

The never ending battle against Spammers!
Recently I've been forced to take some action that I don't like - Death to Spammers! - If you think that this motto is extreme, you're either a spammer, or you're not receiving your fair share. On the 19th of June, 2008. I turned off on of my primary email addresses - My email address. I own the domain Vaessen.net and my name is Robert (Just in case you didn't know). Unfortunately, spammers know that all too well. 99% of the email I was receiving at that address was spam (more than 175 messages in less than 20 days). Due to the ever increasing volume of spam, I had to do something. So, although I didn't want to, I've been forced to 'turn off' one of my primary email addresses. If you've been corresponding with me using this email address, you'll need to switch to a different one. As a result of this development, I've updated my feedback and junkdec web pages.

If you ever need any help figuring out a problem involving unsolicited email, or help hunting down a spammer, don't hesitate to ask for my help. I'm willing and eager to help. Just drop me an email. I'd put the email address here, but this email message is also posted online, where spammers could scrape the email off the web page. Damn those spammers!
<https://www.robsworld.org/index2.html#fightingspam>
<https://www.robsworld.org/feedback.html>

Southlands Mall Farmer's Market:
<rave>Kudos to Southlands Mall for making space available for a local farmers market. The Farmer's Market runs from May through October. Check the Southlands website for specific dates and times. Typically the market runs from 0800-1300 on Saturdays (with an additional market on Thursday from June through September 1000-1400). The Farmers Market takes place in the Town Square, just north of the theater entrance. You can shop more than 40 local vendors for organic and pesticide-free produce, fresh dairy products, delicious baked goods, homemade salsa, tamales and tortillas as well as gourmet pasta, fresh seafood, natural soaps, handmade goods and much more! Just this last Thursday, Kim bought some fresh baked focaccia bread. With baked in cheese and jalapeno goodness this bread made a great addition to our lunchtime meal of soup and a salad. The Farmer's Market is awesome. Check it out, I'm sure you'll find something good to eat.</rave>
<http://www.shopsouthlands.com/>

D&D updates:
We played a D&D session on the 17th of May, but it took me a long time to post these updates. Our meeting on the 17th was mixed session. It began with a large battle, and ended with the party delving deeper into the ancient recesses of Firestorm Peak. In the aftermath of the battle, the party now posesses two of the three crystal keys required to refocus the Vast Gate. Nearing the end of their quest, all that stands between them and the taint of Firestorm Peak is a single crystal shard and the Alienist Madreus. Be sure to read the journal entry for the gory details!

As the clock ticks forward:
Lee (a player in our campaign) has been updating/maintaining a graphic timeline of our party's adventure. As the current adventure is timed, the party needs to pay particular attention to the amount of time they've expended, the time remaining, and how far they progressed in achieving their goal. The crystal gates of Firestorm Peak will only stay open for 28 days, and they've already used 12 days. The gates wait for no one, and the party still has to find one more crystal rod. Who or what, holds the remaining shard? Will the party have enough time to find and vanquish the source of evil within this mountain? Recently, the party has learned of a second, and even a third entrance into Firestorm Peak. Does this mean that the concerns regarding timeliness are moot? As the taint continues to spread, corruption and depravity threaten all in our realm. The party has located the second entrance, but an entrance through the Underdark isn't an easy way to get into the mountain, this third entrance hasn't been located (precisely), and one unasked question remains...
<https://www.robsworld.org/timeline.png>

The Adventurers journal:
The tale of our adventurers. A series of journal entries from various party members. This document contains details of their encounters. Victory, defeat, desire and glory. Here is the tale of S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S., a group of adventurers who set forth from Whillip, seeking fame, fortune and the defeat of evil in these lands. This update adds another entry from Dynnera's personal journal. Be sure to read about the party's journey into Firestorm Peak.
<https://www.robsworld.org/ajournal07.html#may17_2008>

Monsters encountered:
As a result of the meeting on the 17th of May, I added one new monster to the listing. The Neh-Thalggu is a an alien race of beings from the Far Realm. These brain eaters can present a dangerous foe if they aren't dealt with quickly. The monsters page is a listing of monsters that the party has encountered, read about or heard of.
<https://www.robsworld.org/monsters.html>

Yet another new feat:
I added one new flaw to our campaign feats document. Dino needed a flaw in order to add some spice to his character. Ysoac hails from a great desert, and he despises the cold. As a result, Dino searched for a flaw that would reflect this quirky trait. He found it in an old issue of the 'Dragon' (which is no longer published in print form) magazine. After a bit of tweaking, I added the flaw to our list of house rules. Is your character afraid of water, swamps, giants? Maybe you should check out these (and more) flaws. The new flaw 'Hot Blooded' was added to help Ysoac more accurately define his fear of frosty temps. The feats document contains campaign tailored skills, feats, traits and flaws. The feats listing is available for download by the members of our D&D campaign. It's a password protected pdf, so you'll need the password in order to read it. I encrypted the document because some of the materials are taken in whole directly from copyrighted game materials. Some of it's not my stuff, and I don't have explicit permission to re-distribute it. Thanks to Apple for making my computer powerful and versatile. Without OS X, I'd have to pay really big bucks to make password protected pdf files.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3enewfeats.pdf>

Due to a vacation taken during May and June, our next meeting isn't until 14 June, 2008. As a result of this delay in our next game date, I updated our campaign page. It's the first stop for information on the campaign that I'm currently running. Here you'll find information regarding our next meeting, some notes, and an index of web pages and documents that are important to our campaign. Stay tuned for more adventure; there will be lots of thrills and excitement in the months to come.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ecampaign.html>

Why I hate Evite:
<rant>Recently, one of my friends sent me an invitation to a party - Hooray! The invitation arrived in the form of an Evite email. I had never received such an invite before, but I was a little bit concerned. Whenever your personal information is shared with a corporation, you have to wonder - "What are they going to do with my information?" I don't trust these types of services (Social networking sites). I've encountered a few that were spoofed, required a registration, or had egregious privacy policies. I admit that I'm a little bit paranoid/over concerned? with my personal information, but I have reason to be. I've been the victim of 'Identity Theft', and spammers are constantly pretending to be me. My personal information has been, and continues to be used by individuals who are intent on causing me harm.

This concern prompted me to check out Evite's privacy policy - before I clicked on any links in the Evite email. Checking out their privacy policy wasn't difficult. It's posted online, and I found it rather easy to access and read. What I read was a bit shocking. Here's an excerpt.

• to deliver invitations, and/or other products and services that you have requested;
• manage your account and provide you with customer support;
• perform research and analysis about your use of, or interest in, our products, services, or content, or products, services or content offered by others;
• communicate with you by e-mail, postal mail, telephone and/or mobile devices about products or services that may be of interest to you either from us, our sister IAC companies or other third parties;
• display content and advertising tailored to your interests; develop and display advertising on other sites;
• verify your eligibility and deliver prizes in connection with contests and sweepstakes;
• enforce our terms and conditions;
• manage our business and
• as otherwise described to you at the time of collection.

Based on their 'Privacy Policy', I won't be visiting their website (again), or using their services. They are admitting the fact that they now own your email address (in the sense that the email address is stored in their database), and they are going to sell/give it to others. Talk about an unfriendly policy! They admit that they may give (or sell) your email address to other 'third parties'.

I wrote my friend back, and asked him to remove my contact information from the Evite website/database. He was very accommodating in this regard, and I don't 'blame' him (in any way) for this incident. Most people don't bother reading the privacy policies of websites and businesses. I do - Granted, I don't read every one, but I often check out the social networking/service related web sites that I visit/subscribe to. This company's privacy policy is a scary thing. According to their 'Privacy Policy' (portions of their privacy policy are excerpted below):

Not only does this company collect and store the personal information of those who subscribe and use the service (which is to be expected), they also collect and store the personal information of anyone you contact through their invitation service (without their permission). Their policy admits that they will provide your personal information (and that of your 'friends') to 'third parties'. It's terrible.

At this point I have no reason to believe that they have provided my personal information to any 'third parties', but I have a big enough problem with third parties (spammers), and I don't want Evite or another third party deciding that I might be interested in their 'products, services, or content', or the 'products, services or content offered by others'.

There is plenty of other criticism of Evite - You can read about those criticisms if you'd like. It's available on line, but I'm not criticizing Evite for any other aspects of it's operations (others do). What I'm criticizing is strictly their privacy policy. As far as privacy policies go, its pretty vile. While we're at it. You might be wondering about my privacy policy - Well, here's my privacy policy (see line below). If you would like to criticize it or offer suggested improvements, I urge you to send me an email.

My Privacy Policy - I won't give away your email address (or any other personally identifiable information) to anyone without your prior approval.

You may use Evite. You may have used Evite in the past. You may have no problems with Evite, but I urge you to re-read their privacy policy, and consider for yourself. Who do you want in control of your personal information? Have you ever received an invitation from Evite? If you have, then it's likely that they are storing/selling/sharing your personal information with their sister IAC companies (IAC owns and operates more than 60 specialized and global brands, including: Ask.com, Chemistry.com, Citysearch, CollegeHumor, Cornerstone Brands, Inc., Gifts.com, HSN, Interval International, LendingTree, Match.com, Pronto.com, RealEstate.com, RushmoreDrive, ServiceMagic, Shoebuy.com, Ticketmaster, udate.com, and others) or other 'Third parties'.</rant>

Comcast ups the upload speed:
<rave>On the 20th of June, 2008, I received an email from Comcast.net. They were writing to inform me that they had just improved my cable internet service. At no extra charge, they'd just increased my upload speed from 384KBps to 1MBps. That's nearly three times as fast! In addition to this announcement they also announced (not long before) the addition of a feature call 'PowerBoost' which boosts performance (under my plan (and faster plans)) of download speeds. Thanks to this new feature, download speeds can jump from 6MBps to 12MBps during periods of sparse activity. Now that's fast!

Well, curiosity got the better of me, and I had to check out my 'actual' connection speeds. So, I headed on over to BroadbandReports.com in order to test my provider's speed. There are plenty of places online where you can test out your internet connect speeds, this is just one of them. According to Comcast my speeds are supposed to be: Upload - 1MBps, Download - 6MBps. When I ran the speed test (1454 on a Monday afternoon) I was pleasantly surprised by the results: Upload - 1.3MBps, and Download -26MBps (With 'PowerBoost', the download actually peaked at 32.2MBps!). Those speed are ridiculous, fantastic, Comcastic! My cost for Comcast cable internet - $42.95 per month. </rave>

As a result of these speed increases, I updated the internet connection info on my computer page.
<http://www.comcast.com/highspeedoffer-s/>
<http://www.broadbandreports.com/stest>
<https://www.robsworld.org/mycomputer.html>

Encryption and email signatures:
Recently (23 Jun 2008) I added another new public key (encryption key) block to my encryption page. I added this new encryption key to my keychain for use with my tollgatecrossing.org domain. Spammers are continuously assaulting my digital identity by forging messages to look like they came from me. As a result, I've begun using pgp signed messages for nearly all my email correspondence.

I use GnuPG v1.4.8 and the GPGMail plugin d50 (Leopard build), for Apple's Mail.app Version 3.3 (926.1/926) for encryption, decryption, and message authentication. If you would like to correspond in secret, please take note of my Public Keys. Why do I use signatures or encryption? Well, I don't use the encryption very often, but I have been known to send myself encrypted email containing passwords or private information (banking and medical information). I use pgp signatures quite often, as a way of ensuring message authenticity. I'm tired of spammers pretending to be me. By using these signatures (which uses the message content (upon signing) and a private key to create a signature which can be verified by using my public key) I can assure recipients that the message they received was actually sent be me, and it hasn't been tampered with in transit. In addition to my self published keys, my public keys are also available on various keyservers.

After generating this new key, I updated my encryption page and some information regarding my use of encryption/pgp signatures on my feedback page.
<https://www.robsworld.org/encryption.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/feedback.html>

June 19, 2008

Software favorites:
I recently updated three of my software favorites. Allume (previously Aladdin Systems, Inc.) recently updated their compression software. Thankfully they aren't releasing new 'paid' upgrades every couple of months. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. One more steps towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better. It's another free upgrade for those who own a license. Finally the developers of X11 for Mac OS X have released another (I missed a few) update to that windowing system.

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) released a new full release version (6.1.1b8). GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.com/xd/public/content/index._cGlkPTE5Mw_.html>

With these software updates, I've updated my Software Favorites page. It's primarily dedicated to web publishing for the Mac user. Not meant for the professional, It's my hope that home users and hobbyists will find it useful.
<https://www.robsworld.org/myfavs.html>

Jammin' out in June:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. Where do I get all this stuff? I find a lot of free (actually free) music by visiting several of the new music web sites out there. Artists want you to hear their music - If you like it, you'll buy it. The major labels want you to pay for their product - letting you hear it for free is contrary to their business model. Well, guess what? I won't buy it unless I can listen to it first. The major labels are killing themselves with their restrictive distribution and dissemination policies. If you like new music, you can do a google search to find your favorite artists web site, a new music web site, or an archive of free music. Free music is available - Legally! Don't believe the major labels propaganda - Not all free music is illegal. You can legally download music for free. I download music from websites, newsgroups (when I already own rights to the music), and a couple of commercial sources. Here's a listing of some of the music I legally downloaded.

Web site downloads:
I download music from plenty of websites (not counting commercial websites). The websites of the artists, the artists label, music festival websites, music review sites, etc, etc. Their are gobs of places where you can find free music. We're in a whole new era now. Gone are the monopolistic controls of the music industry. Music is becoming free - Free to anyone who takes the time to look for it. If you can't find free, legal, music - you're not looking very hard.
* Josh Woodward - The Simple Life: (22 songs) An artist I discovered through Jamendo.com. Here's my third download from this artist. This artist has a traditional rock/pop sound and sentiment. 22 tracks of well crafted melodies. Half the songs are poppy and energetic, while the other half are mellow and acoustic. Free download from the Jamendo.com.
* pornophonique - the procacci remixes, vol. 1: (4 songs) Another artist that I originally discovered using Jamendo.com. 8-bit is the genre, it's the sound, that harkens back to my days at the arcades in my home-town. Electronic, dance, with some blips and bleeps thrown in for good measure. The vocals are reminiscent of Ultravox or Pseudo-Echo. The music is exhilarating, and the lyrics deeply emotive in couched terms ripped from the local video parlor. Deeper and instrumentally more complex than I would have suspected. Free downloads from Jamendo are licensed under a Creative Commons license.
* SaReGaMa - Honky Funky: (4 songs) A new music discovery from Jamendo.com. I've never heard of this band before, but I certainly know a good thing when I hear it. Here they've teamed up with a wonderful saxophonist - Hamelin Bérengnier. The music is sample based renditions. Jazzy beats with fuzzy textures and hip-hop grooves. Piano, synth, horn, percussion - Feel the blood rushin' to my pleasure zone.

These recent downloads all came from Jamendo.com. This website features free downloads from primarily unsigned, new bands interested in reaching an audience of real people, not the suits and bankrolls of a music label. While I discovered a lot of great bands since my first visit, I've barely scratched the surface. Hopefully our interest will help these bands.

These are just some of the items I added to my music collection during the month of June. Since returning from Japan in 2001, I've been rediscovering my appreciation for music. I really picked it up again in September of 2005. Since then, I've been slowly adding, revising and updating my music collection. With these acquisitions, I've updated my online music listing. If you have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
<https://www.robsworld.org/mymusic/index.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/music.html>

Spammer Developments:
Two recent developments in the never ending battle - Death to Spammers! - If you think that this motto is extreme, you're either a spammer, or you're not receiving your fair share. Here are a few of the spam related problems that have been vexing me of late.

Job Search spam:
Recently (over the last months) I've been getting a lot of job offers from people I don't know. Unsolicited email for jobs that sound to good to be true - and probably are! They typically come from some obscure company, and the grammar is quite poor. It's easy to ignore or report this form of spam. Something new is considerably more deceptive. It's a phishing scam that forges the HotJobs.com, Monster.com, and CareerBuilder.com identity. It looks like it comes from one of these websites; which millions have used to find a job. Unfortunately, many people trust these web sites/companies. They've already got a log of your personal info, and here's an email that claims authenticity by wrapping itself in Monster.com. This type of spam redirects you to a forged web site, and proceeds to request more additional personal information in order to apply for a lucrative 'six figure' job. Don't do it buddy - It's a scam. Identity theft can only thrive when people are trusting of unsolicited email. If the job offer smells 'phishy' it probably is. Check it out by typing in the web address manually - don't click the offered links.

Reunion spam:
Another new trend in spam tactics. Your class mates or family members are having a family reunion. This email arrives unsolicited wrapped in a phishy jacket - Reunion.com, classmates.com or something similar. They want you to attend the reunion, so they send you to a web site where you need to purchase a ticket, or provide some information about your current job - They're going to include it in a yearbook, so you can show all those slackers that you really made it big time! Anyhow, it's a scam. It's not really Classmates.com, they're just using that name because you're more likely to believe and trust them. Don't do it man! It's a scam. They want to steal your identity.

If you ever need any help figuring out a problem involving unsolicited email, or help hunting down a spammer, don't hesitate to ask for my help. I'm willing and eager to help. Just drop me an email. I'd put the email address here, but this email message is also posted online, where spammers could scrape the email off the web page. Damn those spammers!
<https://www.robsworld.org/index2.html#fightingspam>

Neighborhood Watch:
My odd-ball schedule actually works in my favor for some things. One of those is a community support activity which I enjoy - I'm a volunteer with our local neighborhood watch. Like many of the people in my community. I own some nice things, and I want to keep it that way. Volunteering for the neighborhood watch doesn't require a lot of dedication, but it does require some attention to detail and a keen sense of your surroundings.

I updated the Welcome and Events pages recently. I posted some info about the National Night Out program. Aurora Neighborhoods Celebrate National Night Out August 5th, 5-8:30 PM - Martin Luther King Library plaza and on the great lawn at the Aurora Municipal Center 9898 E. Colfax Ave and 15151 E. Alameda Parkway Aurora. (See our Events page for more details).

If you are a resident of 'Tollgate Crossing' in Aurora, Colorado, you might want to check out the new website. If you're a fan of "Rob's World!" you'll want to check out the web page, just to see what can be done with Apple's iWeb software. The web page turned out very nicely, and I hope it serves our community well. If you're a resident of Tollgate Crossing, and you're concerned about the safety and security of our community, you might want to join or mailing list to receive periodic alerts, updates and information. For additional information see the Neighborhood Watch web page.
<http://www.tollgatecrossing.org/welcome.html>
<http://www.tollgatecrossing.org/events.html>

June 13, 2008

Aches and Pains on a rainy day:
On the 5th of June, I started feeling sleepy and achy (In the afternoon - appx 1700). Extremely achy, very sleepy. I laid down on the couch and suffered through the pain - cracking my toes, rubbing my joints, and massaging my calves - until I finally fell asleep from the fatigue and pain. When I woke up, two hours later - It was pouring out. We were in the midst of an extensive thunderstorm. It rained solid for about two hours (I'm not sure when it started raining).

This incident, and a recent uptick in email replies/responses to my 'Human Barometer' web page, led me to conduct some additional research. Guess what I found? Well, despite the fact that I still haven't found good evidence to back my assertion regarding joint pain and barometric pressure, I was able to find plenty of support for the 'Sleepiness' I (and many others) experience when the atmospheric pressure drops.

I found plenty of information which confirms the bodies ability to detect and react to barometric pressure (in one particular way). A well documented fact (try a search on the internet and you'll find plenty of supporting articles/studies). Studies (conducted on airmen/flight crews) show that decreased barometric pressure induces the tendency/desire to sleep (Effects of Mild Hypobaric Hypoxia on Oxygen Saturation During Sleep). As barometric pressure is reduced, the air around us carries less oxygen. Our body needs oxygen in order to work and operate at peak efficiency. Reducing the amount of oxygen in our blood reduces the bodies ability to do work. Reduction in available oxygen (induced by reduction in atmospheric pressure) brings about 'symptoms' associated with sleepiness. In addition, simply laying down induces similar symptoms. Why do you fall asleep when you lay down? Laying down induces changes in your body chemistry. It may be that laying down reduces your bodies intake/absorption of oxygen.

I must admit that I (and many others (as evidenced by email I've received)) certainly experience the 'sleepiness' symptoms as described above. Have you ever wondered why people described rainy weather as 'good sleeping weather'? Well, now you know. A reduction in barometric pressure (which accompanies most storms) reduces the amount of oxygen in the air you breath. A reduction of oxygen in your blood (from breathing 'thinner' air) induces sleepiness. Fact! Look it up.

As a result of this incident, email I received from others, and the results of my subsequent research (Internet searches), I've updated my 'Human Barometer' page.
<https://www.robsworld.org/barometer.html>

Military Honor and Decency Act - of 2008:
Once again the moral minority (Christian fundamentalists) have pressured a Representative (U.S. Representative Paul Broun) to curtail the rights of military members. They are able to impose their version of morality on military members, because military members are an easy mark. Congressional members can easily pass bills that affect military members by marking them as 'National Defense' related, and attaching them to spending bills. These bills don't get separate votes, they're hidden in defense spending bills and they pass with little fan-fare. Why? Because no one cares about the rights of our military members. After all, they volunteered to be in the military; so that means they no longer have a say in what happens to them...

It's a sad day. Recently I updated my page devoted to the Military Dis-Honor and In-Decency Act of 1996. Two recent developments continue to prove the point I made above. The military belongs to the 'Moral' minority. I wouldn't be surprised if they try to pass a bill requiring that all military members be of a specific religion. After all, the moral standing of our troops are being denigrated by 'immoral' activities such as the viewing of nudity, and the only authority on morality is [Insert name of conservative christian religion here].

Nov 2007: A reporter/journalist (Peter Eisler) writing an article for USA Today called me (on the phone) and asked for my input/views regarding the article he was submitting for publication. Apparently, "Dozens of religious and anti-pornography groups have complained to Congress and Defense Secretary Robert Gates that a pentagon board set up to review magazines and films is allowing sales of material that congress intended to ban." This reaction comes after the boards recent review of certain materials (see July 2007 above), and I see it as no surprise that these 'religious and anti-pornography groups' are once again pushing their agenda on our political leaders. They believe (despite constitutional protections) that they should be able to dictate what is and is not acceptable reading/viewing material for our military members. This isn't about what the 'BX' sells. This is a battle over legislated morality. These groups feel that everyone should comply with their ideals, and they've found a group of people that they can impose that will upon - the Military. By convincing a few influential members of congress, they can get bills passed (attached to funding bills) which basically bypass normal legislative review. The result? More rights taken away from our military members. See the complete USA today article for details.

May 2008: U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga. (and 15 others), has introduced legislation that would close a loophole in the current law (The Military Honor and Decency act of 1996) that allows the sale of some sexually explicit material on military bases by lowering the threshold required to deem material "sexually explicit." So basically - Nudity is now illegal - Or at least it will be for military members. The new 'Military Honor and Decency Act' of 2008 (H.R. 5821) would close the 'Loophole' which permits the depiction of 'nudity'. So no more nudity at all! Even a single bare breast would be enough to label the material as 'Sexually Explicit'. Apparently, according to Rep. Broun, from his Web site: "Allowing the sale of pornography [not further defined] on military bases has harmed military men and women by escalating the number of violent, sexual crimes, feeding a base addiction, eroding the family as the primary building block of society, and denigrating the moral standing of our troops both here and abroad." - I don't believe it, and you shouldn't either! Banning 'Nudity'? Come on get real. What's next? Requiring soldiers to sleep, bath, shower, while wearing clothes? Military parents shouldn't be allowed to see there spouses, selves, or children unclothed. Because nudity leads to violent sexual crimes!? This guy, these people, are off their rockers. This bill basically defines nudity as 'pornography'. I feel sorry for the military members who continue to have their rights taken away by a vocal minority. Military members have no recourse in this matter. They don't get a vote on this bill. Neither do the voters, it's going to get attached to a spending bill, just like the last 'Military Honor and Decency Act'. It'll be passed with no discussion or separate vote.

So what am I doing about it? Well, I continue to do what I can. I sent email to my Congressman (Wayne Allard) and Senators (Ken Salazar and Thomas Tancredo). I sent an email expressing my opposition to this bill, and urging them to oppose it as well. You can do the same. Don't let congress take away the rights of military members. If you enjoy something as a constitutional right, don't you think our military members should as well? As a result of these developments, I've updated my web page dedicated to the 'Military Dis-Honor and In-Decency Act of 1996.
<https://www.robsworld.org/dishonor.html>

Domains Renewed:
Over the last couple of months I renewed most of my domains. <https://www.robsworld.org>, <http://www.vaessen.name>, <http://www.vaessen.ws> and <http://www.vaessen.net> were all renewed for two year periods. Renewing for two years saves me a bit of money, and Godaddy still has low prices for domain registration. Thanks godaddy! If you're interested in registering a domain, I would definitely recommend Godaddy.com.

June 9, 2008

Jammin' out in June:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. Where do I get all this stuff? I find a lot of free (actually free) music by visiting several of the new music web sites out there. Artists want you to hear their music - If you like it, you'll buy it. The major labels want you to pay for their product - letting you hear it for free is contrary to their business model. Well, guess what? I won't buy it unless I can listen to it first. The major labels are killing themselves with their restrictive distribution and dissemination policies. If you like new music, you can do a google search to find your favorite artists web site, a new music web site, or an archive of free music. Free music is available - Legally! Don't believe the major labels propaganda - Not all free music is illegal. You can legally download music for free. I download music from websites, newsgroups (when I already own rights to the music), and a couple of commercial sources. Here's a listing of some of the music I legally downloaded.

eMusic monthly downloads:
Every month I download 90 tracks from eMusic.com. I bought in when the price was right - $19.99 for 90 DRM free songs a month. At less than $.25 a track, that's a awesome value. iTunes eat your heart out. You can't get that deal anymore, but eMusic still offers more music for your money, and the variable bit rate recordings make for exceptionally high quality.
* Dead Kennedys - Plastic Surgery Disasters; In God We Trust, Inc.: (20+2 songs) Downloading two albums from one of my favorite 80s punk bands. Dead Kennedys eloquently express the angst of the working class in these two offerings. Jello Biafra's scathing satirical lyrics and D. H. Peligro's drum create a crushing anthem of middle class mallaise.
* Shy Child - Noise Won't Stop: (7+5) Another 3hive.com discovery. I enjoy some techno/electronic music, and this band satisfies that sweet tooth. Here's some pulse pounding beats, backed by lollipop lyrics. Crackling Keytar and Deft drumming, dubbed over with the electronic sounds of our modern world. Shy Child creates a swirling dance of beat crazy melodies, an electronic feeding frenzy which can't be denied.
* Scott Walker - The Drift: (10 songs) Downloaded this album based on an eMusic editors pick. What a mistake. Talk about dark, depressing, melodramatic and torturous. This album has it all. I won't be downloading more of this artist. Good thing I've got 80 more picks!
* Mason Jennings - Birds Flying Away: (11 songs) Alt-Country/Folk Rock. I first discovered Mason Jennings by listening to an eMusic sample. Raw and honest sentiment lies buried deep in this acoustic folk offering. Excellent acoustic instrumentals that complement, rather than drown out his voice. I now have all four eMusic offerings (they're missing 3 albums).
* Squeeze - Ridiculous: (14 songs) One of my favorites from the 80s. Squeeze has been making music for 20+ years, and all eMusic can muster is one album? Come on guys, we're missing out on so much goodness. Brit powered pop/rock with a warm gooey center. Excellent songwritting and instrumentals. This album is one of the less popular releases.
* Mlle Caro & Franck Garcia - Pain Disappears: (11 songs) Discovered by listening to eMusic recommendations. Here's some electronic music filled with layers and layers of catchy electronic buzz and emotive textures that match the blissfully constructed lyrics.
* Bridges and Powerlines - Ghost Types: (11 songs) The debut album from a band that I discovered at 3hive.com. A new talent rising amongst the raucous of Alternative. An American band making power-pop alternative with a british post-punk sound. Reminds me of Killers, the Rakes, Gang of four. Good stuff.
* The Dream Syndicate - Out of the Grey: (6+12 songs) One of my favorites from the 80s. This band is a hard one to classify - Rock, blues, new wave, goth? Steve Wynn's vocals are excellent, and this dreamy collection is a guitar driven milestone in the Paisley Underground movement. This makes for four albums in my collection. I wish I had more.

iTunes purchase:
Sometimes I purchase music from iTunes, and sometimes I take advantage of their free downloads (check it out on Tuesdays). iTunes is the King of the Hill when it comes to the bigger names, so sometimes I find that I have to pay the higher prices. Here's one of those free downloads from the iTunes store. Thanks Apple!:
* The Wombats - Let's Dance to Joy Division: (1 song) The Wombats are a British pop-punk group with some humorous lyrics and shiny, smart instrumentals. I enjoyed the single, but I'll need to hear more before I commit to an album. Unfortunately, it appears as if eMusic doesn't carry the Wombats.

These are just some of the items I added to my music collection during the month of June. Since returning from Japan in 2001, I've been rediscovering my appreciation for music. I really picked it up again in September of 2005. Since then, I've been slowly adding, revising and updating my music collection. With these acquisitions, I've updated my online music listing. If you have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
<https://www.robsworld.org/mymusic/index.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/music.html>

Residential Alarm Monitoring:
Here is some information I recently sent out to residents of my community. I sent it to residents who've subscribed to a community service mailing list I set up. It's one of the services our Neighborhood Watch employs as a way to help keep our community safe and secure. The information is regarding a recent encounter with a sales representative for GE Alarm Services (I'm not sure who precisely he worked for (as there are many contractors selling GE residential monitoring services), but he had on a nice white shirt with a GE logo).

On the 3rd of June, a GE Alarm Services rep rang my doorbell, after my wife took a look to see who it was, I opened the door and spoke with the 'Salesman'. He was trying to sell me on a switch from my ADT alarm monitoring service to a GE alarm monitoring service. Price aside (which we never discussed), his selling point was the 'Wireless' 'cell-phone' connectivity of the GE system. He tried to convince me that I needed a system that didn't use traditional hard-wire telephone lines to communicate with the monitoring center. Apparently; The GE monitoring system (that he was selling) uses a cell-based call function. So, even if the burglars cut your phone lines, a call still goes through to the monitoring center. He speculated that my alarm monitoring used the traditional land-line/hard-wire telephone network. He mentioned something about reading my sign (One of those 'This home protected by' signs), and concluding that I couldn't be on a cell-based monitoring system - based on the date of the sign? Something about ADT not offering cell-based monitoring prior to some time in 2005...

According to this salesman - With ADT monitoring, the alarm will sound (locally) if the phone lines are cut, but no call will go to the monitoring center. The sales rep. indicated that burglars are now using this known 'weakness' to their advantage. "It's been all over the news" I told him that I don't recall it being in the news... He repeated his assertion that burglars are targeting homes which don't use the cell-phone based alarm monitoring. Our conversation lasted a total of five minutes while he tried to convince me that my alarm monitoring service wasn't good enough. He was a pretty good salesman, but I wasn't bitting. I told him I wasn't interested in switching to GE monitoring, and he left.

Afterwards, I got to thinking (I know, that can be dangerous). I would think that any alarm going off would be something a burglar would want to avoid. Even if a call doesn’t go through to the monitoring company, the alarm should produce enough noise to deter most burglars. I would think that burglars would simply choose a target/home without any (advertised) alarm monitoring service. I would think that most residential burglars just aren’t smart/thoughtful enough to locate and cut phone lines. Let alone check the fine print on my sign to find out if I might have one of the newer ADT cell-based monitoring systems! Something else we didn't talk about. What if the burglars are using cellular jammers!? What good will the cell-based system be in that event?! Those technologically savvy burglars are such a nuisance. Especially the ones that are out of work electricians, IT and Alarm System specialists.

After this incident. I wrote our PAR (Police Area Representative); Officer Brandon Samuels, with a few questions. Here are some excerpts from our conversation/email discussion.

Answer from Officer Samuels: "In doing some digging I have not found any incidents in Aurora where phone lines have been cut and detectives have not heard anything local about this either." "In speaking with ADT, they have not had any reported incidents which could be related back to cut lines."

When I hear a residential alarm, I do a bit of investigating. i.e. Is it daytime? Can I see the owners? Perhaps they’re locked out, or it’s a fire alarm. Are there any strange vehicles or people in the area? In my email, I asked Officer Samuels what we should do when we hear a residential burglar alarm.

Answer from Officer Samuels: "Absolutely the best thing to do is call the police and check the area for any people or vehicles in the area. Any alarms heard should be called in to dispatch so that patrol can respond."

Officer Samuels concluded his email with a few remarks about salesmen and our efforts as a Neighborhood Watch.

"You guys are doing great and just keep doing what your instincts tell you, they are right on the money and we (police) couldn’t do anything without you guys and your eyes and ears."

In closing. Having residential alarm monitoring is a great deterrent to home burglary, but it doesn't fill every need or prevent every burglary. Always lock your doors and windows when you're out, and please keep your garage door closed when you're not in the immediate vicinity. And, no.. Mowing the grass out back doesn't count as 'the immediate vicinity'. Carry the garage door opener with you when you go to the mailbox cluster, and stay alert to suspicious vehicles and people. If you're going on vacation have someone you trust watch your home. Disclaimer: I don't work for ADT or GE. I'm not in the business of selling, installing, evaluating, or monitoring residential alarm systems. The comments above (aside from quotes attributed to Officer Brandom Samuels) represent my opinions, excerpts from email correspondence with Officer Samuels and events which occured on the 3rd of June, 2008. Under no circumstances should you make a decision regarding residential alarm monitoring based solely on my comments/advice or the content of this email.
<http://www.tollgatecrossing.org/welcome.html>

Mac OS 10.5.3 update:
Apple is hard at work, making sure that Leopard is running on all cylinders. Finding security flaws, patching annoying bugs, improving the user experience. This particular update includes general operating system improvements that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac. It also includes update to numerous applications (Address Book, Automator, iCal, iChat, Mail, Time Machine, Spaces). Eleven major categories of updates in all. You can read all about these upgrades, bug fixes, security updates, and more by following the links I've provided below. I upgraded to Leopard during Oct of 2007, and I have to say, it's been the best version of Mac OS yet.

As a result of this recent OS update, the following pages have been updated. myfavs.html, feedback.html and mycomputer.html.
<https://support.apple.com/kb/HT1141>
<https://support.apple.com/kb/HT1141>

Neighborhood Watch:
My odd-ball schedule actually works in my favor for some things. One of those is a community support activity which I enjoy - I'm a volunteer with our local neighborhood watch. Like many of the people in my community. I own some nice things, and I want to keep it that way. Volunteering for the neighborhood watch doesn't require a lot of dedication, but it does require some attention to detail and a keen sense of your surroundings.

I updated the Welcome and Events pages to reflect the date of our next Neighborhood Watch meeting(s). Our next meeting will be Thursday, Sep 4th, 2008. This next meeting will be held at the Buffalo Trails elementary school (That's the one in Tollgate Crossing/Off S. DeGaulle St.). We hope to see you there. Meetings after September will occur on the first Thursday of Nov, Feb and May.

If you are a resident of 'Tollgate Crossing' in Aurora, Colorado, you might want to check out the new website. If you're a fan of "Rob's World!" you'll want to check out the web page, just to see what can be done with Apple's iWeb software. The web page turned out very nicely, and I hope it serves our community well. If you're a resident of Tollgate Crossing, and you're concerned about the safety and security of our community, you might want to join or mailing list to receive periodic alerts, updates and information. For additional information see the Neighborhood Watch web page.
<http://www.tollgatecrossing.org/welcome.html>
<http://www.tollgatecrossing.org/events.html>

June 3rd, 2008

Our Wisconsin vacation - 2008:
Kim and I took a vacation this summer - From May 23rd - 3rd of June, 2008. We drove from Aurora, Colorado all the way to De Pere, Wisconsin. If we had flown, we'd still have to rent a car, as our vacation would span the distance between two cities - Crivitz and De Pere. Despite the high price of gas, it would have cost us more to fly, rent a car, and then pay for gas as well. We drove the Passat as it gets better mileage than the Volvo.

From the 23rd until the 28th of May, we stayed up North. Staying at the Shaffer park motel, we spent the days visiting with my family. My sister Alice (husband Leonard) lives up North, and Eileen (husband Kevin) came up from Valders to pay a visit. We spent most of our time at my parent's place outside Pound, Wisconsin. We even had time to visit with Kim's aunt Judy in Crivitz.

After spending some time with my parents, we drove back to De Pere and spent the rest of our stay in the De Pere/Green Bay area. We stayed at Kim's parents place, and visited a family from both sides. Kim's brother (fiance Yvette), the kids (Keith and Yvette's), my aunts Joan and Marge, and friends - Pat, Dale and Michelle Konshak and Steve Sinclair.

We had a good time, but our stay was far too short. I took a lot of photos, and it took some time to sort through them. After editing the photos, I put together some web pages containing the photos. I hope the family and friends enjoy them.
<https://www.robsworld.org/iphoto/wisconsin2008/index.html>

D&D updates:
We played a D&D session on the 3rd of May, and I just completed some updates from that meeting. Our meeting on the 3rd was primarily a combat session. Thinking that their quarry (the Deepspawn) had escaped through an underwater passage, the party placed an alarm on the entrance to this underwater cavern. When the alarm went off, the party rushed back to the cave where they last encountered the Deepspawn... The beast was there, in the cave! The party attacked. Be sure to read the journal entry (which I'll post soon) for the gory details!

As the clock ticks forward:
Lee (a player in our campaign) has been updating/maintaining a graphic timeline of our party's adventure. As the current adventure is timed, the party needs to pay particular attention to the amount of time they've expended, the time remaining, and how far they progressed in achieving their goal. The crystal gates of Firestorm Peak will only stay open for 28 days, and they've already used 11 days. The gates wait for no one, and the party still has to find two more crystal rods. Who or what, holds the remaining shards? Will the party have enough time to find and vanquish the source of evil within this mountain? Recently the party has learned of a second, and even a third entrance into Firestorm Peak. Does this mean that the concerns regarding timeliness are moot? As the taint continues to spread, corruption and depravity threaten all in our realm. The party has located the second entrance, but an entrance through the Underdark isn't an easy way to get into the mountain, this third entrance hasn't been located (precisely), and one unasked question remains...
<https://www.robsworld.org/timeline.png>

The Adventurers journal:
The tale of our adventurers. A series of journal entries from various party members. This document contains details of their encounters. Victory, defeat, desire and glory. Here is the tale of S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S., a group of adventurers who set forth from Whillip, seeking fame, fortune and the defeat of evil in these lands. This update adds Dynnera's input to the pages of our adventures. Be sure to read about the party's journey into Firestorm Peak.
<https://www.robsworld.org/ajournal07.html#may03_2008>

Monsters encountered:
As a result of the meeting on the 3rd of May, I added a couple new monsters to the listing. Here are additional updates, information recorded in Dynnera's journals helps illuminate the party's point of view when encountering various creatures. As a result of Dynnera's input, I updated the following creatures: The Myconid are a group of pacifist mushroom folk, who've proven to be allies in the fight against the taint. The Myconid produce a fungal growth and an odd zombie-like creature, which are deployed as guardians to their colony. The Myconid provided a description of a living wall to the party. The Myconid also provided additional information regarding a blackspawn stalker and the Troll Mutates which inhabit a section of the caverns. The monsters page is a listing of monsters that the party has encountered, read about or heard of.
<https://www.robsworld.org/monsters.html>

Due to some upcoming vacations, our next meeting isn't until 14 June, 2008. As a result of this delay in our next game date, I've updated our campaign page. It's the first stop for information on the campaign that I'm currently running. Here you'll find information regarding our next meeting, some notes, and an index of web pages and documents that are important to our campaign. Our party of adventurers are currently engaged in combat with the deepspawn (A vile and despicable horror. A powerful creature from the far realm - Read more about the deepspawn and other horrors at our Monsters page). The deepspawn holds one of the shards (a magical key) that the party needs in order to refocus the vast gate; a portal to the far realm. Without this shard, the party will have little hope of ending the threat of taint in these realms. Stay tuned for more adventure; there will be lots of thrills and excitement in the months to come.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ecampaign.html>