What's New

August 28, 2009

Updates to the Tollgate Crossing Website:
My odd-ball schedule actually works in my favor for some things. One of those are the community support activities which I enjoy - I'm a volunteer with our local neighborhood watch, and I've recently started supporting our community in a more direct role. What started out as a website focused on our Neighborhood Watch has grown to encompass the whole of our community, in the form of an expanded website and a variety of email mailing lists. Here are a few changes I made to our community website in the last few days.

* Updated the banners/badges on the Welcome page. I removed a badge for our Metro District - They were looking for someone to fill a board vacancy - and they found someone! I updated the banners for our Metro District and HOA meeting dates. Next HOA meeting is 8 Sep, Next Metro District meeting is 22 Sep. I also added a banner for the upcoming Neighborhood Watch meeting on the 3rd of Sep.
* Updated some information on our Events page. Updated banners for our next HOA and Metro District meetings.
* On the eMail lists page, I updated the names/titles of each email/mailing list. I hope this change makes it easier for residents to understand the differences between the different 'Neighborhood Watch' lists.
* On the Volunteer page, I updated a paragraph soliciting volunteers to help our HOA with delivery of our quarterly newsletter. If you're a resident of Tollgate Crossing, and you'd like to help us save costs by volunteering, please contact the HOA manager: Jan Rider. Phone number: 303-369-1800 x123. I also removed the banner soliciting a volunteer to serve on our Metro District board. The vacancy has been filled.

If you are a resident of 'Tollgate Crossing' in Aurora, Colorado, you might want to check out the new website. If you're interested in our Neighborhood Watch group (Serving Tollgate Crossing, Sorrel Ranch, The Wheatlands, Beacon Point, Southshore and Tallyn’s Reach), you should check out the Neighborhood Watch section. 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 our mailing lists to receive periodic alerts, updates and information.
<http://www.apple.com/ilife/iweb/>
<http://www.tollgatecrossing.org/Welcome.html>

Movie Purchases:
It's been quite a while (since April '09) since I bought any movies, but this month (August of '09) I purchased a few gems to add to my collection. I purchased three movies during the month of August (I bought the movies from Wal-Mart (damn it's convenient to have one less than a mile from my house). Two came from the $1.00 boxes, and the other was a new release). Only one of the movies was a purchase from my 'Must Buy' list. Below are the full reviews I've written for these movies (last time I watched them).

* Meet John Doe: (1941 - Comedy, drama, romance) Directed by Frank Capra (Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, It's a Wonderful Life), starring Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Walter Brennan, Edward Arnold, Spring Byington, James Gleason and others. When the spunky reporter Ann Mitchell (played by Barbara Stanwyk) is about to lose her job, she cooks up a scheme which ensures her job, but creates a controversy. She pens a false suicide pact from "John Doe" - a fictitious character planning to leap to his death from the roof of city hall. The paper publishes it, and readership skyrockets. The paper wants to keep the readership high, so they recruit a fake 'John Doe' (played by Gary Cooper). This 'John Doe' espouses his philosophy, political views, and dissatisfaction with the system - as scripted by Ann Mitchell. The paper continues to promote him as a populist pundit and common man. Competing papers do their best to expose the scam, and the owner of the paper is planning to use John Doe as a political pawn in a bid for the White House It's a sophisticated political satire, a drama, a thriller with heart and a little romance. A movie about an average Joe who falls into the powerful world of politics and corporate shenanigans. Excellent acting, great direction and a surprisingly sophisticated story, reflecting on the influences of the day. 4 out of 5. I found this gem in one of WalMart's one dollar boxes (In the seldom used checkout lanes).
* The Snows of Kilimanjaro: (1952 - Adventure, drama, romance) Directed by Henry King, starring Gregory Peck, Susan Hayward, Ava Gardner and others. In this movie (based on short story by Ernest Hemingway), Gregory Peck plays a wounded man. An author, journalist, great white hunter; a man beset by the woes of modern life - escaped from the responsibilities of society by way of adventure in Africa. Unfortunately, he's wounded, infected, and fading fast. His wealthy wife (Susan Hayward) stands by his side while he recounts (through death-bed flashback) the mistakes he's made throughout his life. His failures, regrets and second thoughts. As he's finally reached the end of his life, he reaches out for what he has, but will it all be to no avail? A good story, but a very bad film transfer. No subtitles, and plenty of film artifacts, fading and a seriously ill soundtrack. The acting by Gregory Peck was excellent, but Hayward and Gardner didn't do so good. Despite the poor transfer, it still gets a 3 out of 5. I found this gem in one of WalMart's one dollar boxes (In the seldom used checkout lanes).
* Watchmen: (2009 - Action, fantasy, sci-fi, thriller) Directed by Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead (2004), 300), starring Malin Akerman as Laurie Jupiter aka Silk Spectre II, Billy Crudup as Jon Osterman aka Dr. Manhattan, Matthew Goode as Adrian Veidt aka Ozymandias, Jackie Earle Haley as Walter Kovacs aka Rorschach, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Edward Blake aka The Comedian, Patrick Wilson as Dan Dreiberg as Nite Owl II, and many others. Based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore (writer) and Dave Gibbons (illustrator), here is an adult comic book brought to the silver screen. Once again we see the evolution of super hero movies. Dark, gritty, very film noir in nature. With adult themes and very complex characters, this movie moves comic books beyond the tableau of teenage fantasy, into the realm of complex social and moral subtext. The story - In an alternate future, the 1985 of this story is a place where costumed vigilantes (some with super powers, some highly trained physical specimens) have been shut down by the government. The populace is more fearful of unchecked vigilantes than they are of the criminal elements they suppress. When a retired super-hero is killed in a brutal slaying, an investigation is launched by another member of the now banned group. As Rorschach begins his investigation, we're provided background and character development in a very well constructed diary method. Here is an America fearful of the Soviets, obsessed by the 'bomb' and ruled by a fascist regime where presidents 'rule', and fear is used to control the masses. As the conspiracy thickens, it becomes apparent that part of the plot is a ploy to discredit all super heroes. Eventually, as Rorschach gets closer to the truth, he's framed for a crime he didn't commit. With Rorschach behind bars it's only a matter of time before the mastermind behind these assassinations is able to execute his ultimate solution. Outstanding acting, especially that of Jackie Earl Haley as Rorschach and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as the Comedian. The direction was also outstanding, as was the music/soundtrack, sound and camera work. The cgi (except for the strange looking cat creature towards the end of the movie) was also well done. 5 out of 5.

With these new purchases, I updated the main movies page, my 'must buy' list, the listing of my movie collection, the reviews page, and an alphabetical index that I'm working on.
<https://www.robsworld.org/movies.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/movies.html #bought>
<https://www.robsworld.org/mymovies/index.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/reviews.html>

What's the Big Deal with Blu-Ray?
<rant>I recently purchase a copy of Watchmen on Blu-Ray. While the images are perfect, and I enjoyed the HD displayed on my 52" television, I'm still not convinced that HD is all that it's cracked up to be.

I'm sorry, but I just don't see the improvement everyone is screaming about. This latest iteration on consumer video is nowhere near the transformative experience we got when VHS transitioned to DVD. Picture quality is better, but it's not 'that much better'. The 'HD Interactive' options are difficult to use. Come on - I had to create an account, then I had to type in my user name and password in order to access the BD-Live features. Just to access the features! I then attempted to access some of the BD-Live options. Guess what? They aren't all available yet? What? How long have they had to get this working? I then attempted to download and play some additional content. Guess what? It failed! I downloaded a video, but it wouldn't play. I got some type of cryptic error message. That's enough for now. Then I turned to the special features on the disc. The special features were difficult to locate on this disc, extremely slow to access, and they weren't integrated into the film. They only worked separately from the movie. That's not what Blu-Ray promised. We can get that with standard DVD, and sometimes it's integrated into the movie. The BD experience is, in my opinion - an over-hyped, marginal improvement in service for the consumer.

$30.00 for this BD disc is not worth the price of two standard definition DVDs. I probably won't be buying any Blu-Ray for quite some time. Maybe I'll wait until the price comes down to that of standard definition DVD. I might rent Blu-Ray, but I probably won't be buying any. It's just not worth the price.</rant>

Wacky Weather for August:
Weather in August was cold? Well, it was for a few days in the later half of the month. On the 17th and 18th of August (yeah, I know, I'm late in reporting/posting this news) our little spot in Colorado saw some unusually cool temps. On the 17th we say record lows as the temperature dipped below 50 degrees. It was up to the 70s during the day, but during the evening a cell of thunderstorms moved through the area. The evening storm brought thunder, lightning and plenty of rain. Temps on the 18th were also cool. 70s during the days and down into the 50s during the night. It sure was weird, but welcome, as August is generally quite warm.

Software favorites:
Here's a few software updates for August. Some updates to my collection of Bruji.com applications (tested for Snow Leopard compatibility), and another release for one of my software favorites. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. This release makes the software compatible with Snow Leopard. It's another step forward for the product that's always getting better. More free upgrades for those who own a license. If you need a powerhouse converter, editor and browser for your graphics, grab a copy of GraphicConverter - You won't be disappointed

DVDPedia:
DVDPedia is a great little application for cataloging and displaying your movie collection, and I'm running version 4.5.3. It's list of features is impressive, and it keeps getting better with every update. The database is capable of generating statistics, you can keep track of multiple collections, you can easily add titles by typing the name of the movie or you can scan the barcode (using your iSight camera or a barcode reader) right off the movie box (it then searches the internet, and displays choices). It has customizable HTML export capabilities, a borrowed feature with address book integration, the ability to play movie in full screen mode, and many more features which make an awesome addition to your software library. I use it to generate HTML listings of my movies. Below are links to some of the pages I created using this software.
<https://www.robsworld.org/mymovies/index.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/iphonemoviecollection/index.html>
<http://www.bruji.com/dvdpedia/>

CDPedia:
CDPedia is a great little application for cataloging and displaying your music collection, and I'm running version 4.5.3 It's list of features is impressive, and it keeps getting better with every update. The database is capable of generating statistics, you can keep track of multiple collections, you can easily add titles by typing the name of the artist, album, or track. You can scan the barcode (using your iSight camera or a barcode reader) right off a jewel case (it then searches the internet, and displays choices), or you can import lists of music from iTunes. It has customizable HTML export capabilities, a borrowed feature with address book integration, and many more features which make an awesome addition to your software library. I use it to generate HTML listings of my music. Below are links to some of the pages I created using this software.
<https://www.robsworld.org/mymusic/index.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/iphonemusiccollection/index.html>
<http://www.bruji.com/cdpedia/>

Bookpedia:
Bookpedia is a great little application for cataloging and displaying your book collection(s), and I'm running version 4.5.3 It's list of features is impressive, and it keeps getting better with every update. The database is capable of generating statistics, you can keep track of multiple collections, you can easily add titles by typing the name of the author, book, or isbn number. You can scan the barcode (using your iSight camera or a barcode reader) right off the book cover (the application searches the internet, and displays choices). It has customizable HTML export capabilities, a borrowed feature with address book integration, and many more features which make an awesome addition to your software library.

I haven't started using Bookpedia yet (for web page production), but I'm planning to use it to update a bunch of pages featuring book collections. If it performs as well as the other applications from Bruji.com, I'm sure I'll be very satisfied with the product.
<http://www.bruji.com/bookpedia/>

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) released another full release just recently. Version 6.5.1. is fully compatible with Apple's latest OS (Snow Leopard), so I'll be ready when I install that new operating system. 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. It's a listing of applications that I find useful in publishing my web pages.
<https://www.robsworld.org/myfavs.html>

HD on Netflix Watch Instantly:
<rave>HD for free on my TV! Today (28 Aug '09) while watching an episode of Heroes season 3, I was surprised to see something new (new to me). The episode streamed in HD format! My Samsung BD-P3600 (connected via ethernet) streams Netflix Watch Instantly titles to my TV, and now it seems to stream HD as well. The HD content (720p) looked great on my big screen LCD TV (A Bravia 52" KDL-52V5100). As I discovered later, our Roku Player may also be able to stream HD content (I'll have to check the capability with a Wi-Fi connection).

While Netflix charges extra for rental of the BD discs ($5.00 extra per month! under my plan (see my rant above)), that's not the case for the Watch Instantly titles. So fire up your compatible player, and grab an HD movie, for no extra charge (Yes, you must be paying for Netflix (minimum plan that gets Watch Instantly), and you'll need to have an internet connection (that'll probably cost some money as well).</rave>

If you’re already logged into Netflix, click the link below to see a list of HD titles available on Watch Instantly.
<http://www.netflix.com/WiHD>

August 24, 2009

Apple Security Update 2009-001:
Another security update released by Apple. This update addresses one specific hack/vulnerability. Recently, a logic issue in the handling of dynamic DNS update messages has been discovered. By sending a maliciously crafted update message to the BIND DNS server, a remote attacker may be able to interrupt the BIND service. The issue affects servers which are masters for one or more zones, regardless of whether they accept updates. BIND is included with Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server but it is not enabled by default. This update addresses the issue by properly rejecting messages with a record of type 'ANY' where an assertion would previously have been raised. Thankfully, Apple's software update makes it easy to find out about, and implement these security updates. If you own a Mac, you can rest assured that any potential security concerns will be addressed in a timely and thorough manner. You can read more about the update at Apple's website. Keeping my Mac safe from malicious hackers and such.
<http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/security/>

Roku News:
I use a device known as a "Roku Player" in order to watch NetFlix 'Watch Instantly' titles on the television in my bedroom (it's not the only device available for this feat, but it's an excellent choice - imho). No need for a disc, no waiting for the postal delivery. It's instant viewing gratification, and I love it. The little box (Still only $99.00 through the mail) is a fantastic set-top device with plenty of room for growth and improvement, and the makers of this device haven't been sitting on their success. Following up on announcements made at the end of 2008, this month they've another streaming announcement. Now you can watch Major League Baseball using your Roku player. Using a Roku player, you can stream content from the MLB.com website.

With Roku and MLB.TV Premium, you can now watch your favorite team no matter where you live. Catch live, out-of-market games on your TV screen with your MLB.TV Premium subscription and your Roku player and watch local market or other nationally televised games approximately 90 minutes after they end. Whether you’re a displaced fan wanting to enjoy your favorite team’s local broadcast or just a fan of baseball and want to keep up with what’s going on around the league, Roku, together with MLB.com, has got you covered. Using your MLB.TV Premium subscription, you can watch up to 100 games per week. For more information, visit: www.mlb.com/roku.

I paid $99.00 for my Roku Player, and it has delivered more than I expected. Here's a serious competitor in the set-top arena. With the statement; "you’ll see new movie channels, TV channels, web video channels and more!" comes some serious speculation, and amazing possibilities. Could we see YouTube, Hulu, Comedy Central, MSNBC, and other internet video content as a 'channel' on our Roku Players? I hope so, that would be awesome!
<http://www.roku.com/amazon-partner.aspx>
<http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/subscriptions/index.jsp?product=roku>
<http://www.roku.com/mlb-partner>

Network Wars - Round Two:
Back in June of this year - as part of a computer upgrade - I updated my home network. That update, was a bit of a 'War' a battle so to speak. I Fought the Network and the Network won - Well, it may have won that battle, but I've won the second battle, and I now claim victory in that 'War'! I fought the Network and I Won!

<rant>The most difficult chore I have ever undertaken. I consider myself tech savvy, but this task was clearly beyond my capability. I attempted to reconfigure my network (on the 8th of June, 2009), and that attempt left me wounded, bleeding and humiliated after a long and protracted battle. Let me tell you a little story about a man named Rob. My recent computer purchase included a TimeCapsule. The TimeCapsule is a piece of hardware sold by Apple. It's a dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi router, with three 1GB ethernet ports, a USB port, and a network attached 500gb backup drive. It's a fantastic piece of hardware and I'm glad I bought it. On with the story. Before the reconfiguration my network was set up as follows:

* Internet connectivity - provided by Comcast cable
* Motorola SURFboard modem - 100MBps throughput
* Dynex 5 port ethernet router - 100MBps throughput - Three outputs: One to my Roku player, one to my TimeCapsule, the third to the bedroom (not connected to a device)
* TimeCapsule router - 1GBps throughput - Three outputs: One to my computer (ethernet), one to my printer (ethernet), and one hard drive (USB)

With this configuration, everything was working properly. Not only were all my attached devices getting internet and intranet connectivity, I also had the Wi-Fi up and running with my TimeCapsule. The iPhone and MacBook Pro were connected to the intranet and internet. The modem and Dynex routers are only running at 100MBps, but I wasn't noticing any problems. Was that good enough for me? Hell No!, I had to muck with things.

I though I could remove the Dynex router; putting the TimeCapsule in its place, and reducing the complexity a bit. Here's the set up I was trying to achieve

* Internet connectivity - provided by Comcast cable
* Motorola SURFboard modem - 100MBps throughput
* TimeCapsule router - 1GBps throughput - Four outputs: One to my computer (ethernet), one to my Roku player, one to the bedroom, and one to the hard drive (USB)
** The printer will either be run through Wi-Fi or attached to my computer

Sounds easy enough. I figured it would be just as easy as the original set up. Boy was I in for a surprise. To make a long story short. I was up from 0330 - 2330 trying to get the network reconfigured. No matter what I did, I couldn't get this dog to heel. I'd get the Wi-Fi up and running, but I'd have no internet. I'd get internet connectivity, but only on the computer. None of the other devices would be connected. In the 20+ hours of running up and down the stairs (router, modem and hard drive in the basement), I must have rebooted every device I own a dozen times. I spent an hour on the phone with Comcast (listening to myself talk), and nearly ended up buying a new modem and wired router. In the end, I was battered, bleeding (cut myself on a protruding screw), exhausted, and pissed off! With the network still not working, I turned in for the night. In the morning (9th of June, 2009), I put everything back the way it was (see first configuration above) and surrendered to the network. It works with the ethernet router in place, but I can't get it to work without it. Hey, if you know any Network Configuration Specialists, please send them my way. Apparently it takes a PhD to properly configure a home network. </rant>

Thus ended round one of my Network War.

Round two began on the 12th of August. I was tired of not having a guest network (more on that later), and I wanted the ability to use 'Back To My Mac'. Having two routers in my network was just not working. I decided to give it another go. This time I'd done my home work. After digesting page after page of network configuration help files, and countless reports of network problems, I picked up the phone and gave Apple a call (1-800-275-2273 This number isn't easy to find, so write it down). Thankfully, I still had a few days of telephone support on my TimeCapsule router, and this time the tech support had a clue. Last time I tried to tech-support my way through this router problem, I spoke to a Comcast tech. After a few minutes on the phone, I confirmed the results of my research. In order to make the network function properly (the way I wanted it), I needed to do five things.

1st - Unplug the Dynex 5 port ethernet router. It's an extra piece of equipment, that I really don't need in my set-up.
2nd - Move the TimeCapsule downstairs. Connect it directly to the cable modem.
3rd - Connect my wired devices to the TimeCapsule's ethernet ports.
4th - Move the 500GB hard drive (my shared storage/entertainment drive) down to the basement, and connect it to the TimeCapsule's USB port.
5th - And this is the most important part. Change the network configuration so that my connection sharing is set to 'Public IP address sharing' instead of 'Off - or Bridged' mode.

Once I'd made these changes, I found my network functioning properly. All my ethernet devices had their own connections to the internet. All my wireless devices had their own internet connections, and finally, I was able to set up my guest network and Back To My Mac features.

After this round, my network is configured as such:

* Internet connectivity - provided by Comcast cable
* Motorola SURFboard modem - 100MBps throughput
* TimeCapsule router - with connections up to 1GBps throughput
** Ethernet connections: One to my Mac Pro (ethernet); one to my entertainment center - where an ethernet switch splits connectivity between my Samsung Blu-Ray player (BD-P3600 with Netflix and Pandora streaming) and the Apple TV; one to the bedroom (currently unused)
** Wi-Fi connections: Two networks - One private for my MacBook Pro, Roku Player and iPhone. One public (with password) so guests can access the internet.
* Network attached media storage - Western Digital MyBook 500Gb USB (external drive set up to share music and photos) connected to the TimeCapsule by USB.

Finally, I've achieved success. My network is now set up the way I want it. My streaming devices (the Apple TV, Samsung BD-P3600, Roku player), computers (Mac Pro and MacBook Pro), and iPhone all have internet connectivity. I've got a guest network set up, my shared media (music and photos) is accessible to any device on the network, and Back To My Mac functions between the MacBook Pro and Mac Pro. Thus ends round two. This time I'm the winner! Hopefully that's the end of this network war.
<https://www.robsworld.org/whatsnew/wn2009/wn2009_jun.html#newcomputer>
<https://www.robsworld.org/whatsnew/wn2009/wn2009_jun.html#networkwarsround1>
<https://www.robsworld.org/mycomputer.html>

August 18, 2009

Fighting Spammers!
Recently (as of 18 Aug, 2009), I took some measures to help fight spam. Sometimes I get the feeling that it's my own personal battle, but I know that's not true. It's the scourge of the internet. Something that most of us have to deal with in one way or another.

As many of you may know - I have a lot of email addresses. I own a handful (five) of domain names. With those domains I can create and delete email addresses at will. I routinely create email addresses that I use for specific purposes. Creating email addresses that are 'temporary' is something I do in order to reduce the amount of spam that I receive, to limit merchant access to my inbox, to track the use of my email address(es). Unfortunately, some of my email addresses are a bit generic - i.e. robert@example.org. These generic addresses often find their ways into spammer mailing lists (Between the 9th and 12th of August, one of those email addresses received 128 spam messages, and no legitimate messages).

In an effort to roll back the amount of spam I'm receiving, I turned off a couple of those generic email addresses. This technique works. If you don't have an email address, its hard for spammers to send you spam. The fewer the number of email addresses, the fewer the number of possible targets for spammers. Unfortunately, some of the email addresses I turned off were used by friends and family. They may be trying to contact me using one of those email addresses, but now I've turned off the email address, and they'll get a bounce message in response to any attempts to send email to that address. I've found that a year or so is all it takes to make the address 'safe' again. I hope to turn these addresses back on again in a year or so.

You can still contact me using the email address linked at the bottom of this page (in the footer of the "What's New?" web page). I haven't turned that one off yet. Boy that would be a tough one to live without! but it sure would reduce my spam count. Eliminating my primary email address would reduce my spam count by approximately 90% (or > 1,500 messages per month).

If you ever need any 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/whybother.html>

More Music for August:
Here's more 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 (Pandora, 3hive.com, musicalfamilytree.org) out there, and listening to a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays, a friends podcast, and indiefeed). 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 (iTunes and eMusic). Here's a listing of some of the music I legally downloaded.

Free iTunes downloads:
Sometimes I purchase music from iTunes, and sometimes I take advantage of their free downloads (check out the free music offered 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 some of those free downloads from the iTunes store. Thanks Apple!:
* Wonderful (Radio Edit) - Gary Go: (single) A new artsit to me. Clean clear lyrics and an upbeat instrumental sound. This pop offering (a single from his debut album) is extremely gratifying. I only wish that Gary Go was available via eMusic.
* Apolkalypse Now - Polkastra: (single) Another new artist to me. This one was downloaded as an iTunes discovery download. One of the free offerings provided every Tuesday. What can I say? I like Polkas. I grew up in North Eastern Wisconsin, and my mother played (still plays, at 73 years young) a Polkacello! (Google that one!). With German and Polish immigrants all around, it's no wonder I grew up listening to 'Roll Out the Barrel'. Every wedding was a raucus reminder that life is just a big party. Here's another up-beat demonstration of the good old Polka tunes that fueled my musical roots. I really want this album. Thankfully, eMusic carries Polkastra, and I'll be downloading their latest album soon.
* My Secret Friend (Featuring Imogen Heap) - IAMX: (single) Filled with 80s style synthesizers, looping lyrics and plenty of reverb, this band brings back memories of Depeche Mode, New Order, and images of goth girls lurking at the edge of the stage.

Free iTunes compilations:
Wow! The first time I've seen an entirely free album on iTunes (in recent memory) was just last month. Now in this month, I've seen it happen twice! iTunes giving away an entire album. These two albums were offered as part of a Facebook promotion. All you had to do was add Facebook as a friend in your Facebook profile, and you were suddenly privy to some free music. Hey, free music will make a friend out of me!
* iTunes Independence Sampler 2009 - Multiple artists: (20 songs) To celebrate our Independence Day, iTunes gave away a twenty song sampler full of some awesome music. Alternative, punk, new wave, pop. Independent bands for Independence day. I'm sure I'll pick up a couple of new albums based on this sampler. I originally thought that this download was the same one they offered last month, but I did a bit of checking and the track listing is actually different. I wonder how many variations they made of this download? I labeled mine 'mix 2'. Unfortunately, iTunes makes these free albums quite difficult to locate. They don't show up in a search, so you have to get them while they're hot, and the only link is through the Facebook offer.
* Lollapalooza 2009 Sampler - Multiple artists: (15 songs) If you were quick, you could get another album. I scored this 15 track download as part of a recent iTunes promotion. The Facebook promotion (noted above) gave me access to another album full of great new tunes. Unlike the album listed above, this one was also available outside the Facebook promotion. I linked to it here, but the link will likely go stale (not work) after the 30th of August, 2009. Like many samplers, I may not like every artist on the album, but I'm sure I'll pick up a couple of new albums based on this sampler.

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.
* Pretty in Pink - The National: (single) A Daytrotter session from a favorite band. I found this one at the Aquarium Drunkard website. As a tribute to John Hughes, this song (remake of a Psychedelic Furs original) is a wonderful reminder of what those 80s movies meant to our musical memories.
* I Want Nothing (Sinden Remix) - The Black Ghosts: (single) A great dance track with some excellent dub mixing and club cutting production. Extending the song out to more than five minutes, this remix ought to get your blood pumping. I found this one at the Brooklyn Vegan website.
* Little King - Casper & The Cookies: (single) Here's a band I never heard of before. Man, there sure is a lot of talent out there. Who would have thought there could be so many bands? Back in the days before digital, the talent was held back by official distribution. You had to sign to a big label before anyone knew you existed, now were oh so lucky. With the internet, distribution is no longer the realm of powerful, money grubbing distributors. I found these releases at the Brookyln Vegan website.
* Pete Ehrchick Bicentenial Service Area - Casper & The Cookies: (single) Power pop, noise, new wave. The sound is hard to categorize. The instrumentals have a definite noise element, the vocals are non-standard, and I'm lovin' it. Another free song, available to those who bother looking.

These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last month. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005, I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you have a comment, question or correction regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email. Please keep in mind that my collection isn't for sale, and I'm not interested in giving you any copyrighted materials. I'd rather not go to jail for music piracy. :-)
<https://www.robsworld.org/music.html>
<http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/>
<http://www.brooklynvegan.com/>
<http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/>

Software favorites:
Here's a few software updates for August. Mac OS updates. Just a couple of applications. An update for the GIMP, one of my graphic apps, and another beta release for one of my software favorites. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. More beta releases for the product that's always getting better. More free upgrades for those who own a license. If you need a powerhouse converter, editor and browser for your graphics, grab a copy of GraphicConverter - You won't be disappointed

Safari:
Apple's default web browser for OS X (also available for Windows!), is way ahead of the pack. Apple's browser contains a plethora of incredibly powerful features (over 150 features), and this release moves the browser forward for everyone. I wonder why Microsoft stopped developing IE for Mac? I'm currently running version 4.0.3 (5531.9). This update brings some security updates as well as some improvements to the 'Nitro' Java engine.

Battle of the browsers. Internet Explorer vs FireFox. Those are your choices right? Wrong! Think different! Think Mac! Choose Safari, the new kid on the block. A fast (The fastest available for Mac) but full featured browser, which performs like a pro. The full release version is a powerful workhorse - Featuring tabbed browsing, URL snap-back, a powerful but elegant bookmark implementation (with built-in import capability), Google search integration, built-in pop-up blocker, multiple standards (HTML 4.01 and some HTML 5, XML, XPath, XSLT, XHTML, DOM, CSS, RSS, ECMA Script, Proxy Support, SSL, TLS, JavaScript, Java, plus QuickTime, Flash and Shockwave plug-ins), and a host of other features. The beta boast a bevy of new features that will certainly enhance future versions of the browser. New features: Top sites - A visual representation of your top visited sites. Cover Flow - A fantastic new way to visualize your bookmarks. Tabs on Top - Not so hot. Nitro Engine - Makes Safari the fastest in the pack. That's just a small taste of all the new features. Check out the website for more info. Safari is just one more reason to Switch! It's won a place as my default browser, give it a chance and it'll soon be yours.

By the way, Safari is fully compliant (it was the first Browser to meet that bench mark) with the advanced Acid 3.0 test. So, if you're concerned about standards and compliance, you've nothing to worry about. Develop your web site using the Safari webkit and you won't have to worry about rendering problems or sticky browser compatibility issues.
<http://www.apple.com/safari/>
<http://www.webstandards.org/action/acid3>

X11:
One of the best things about OSX? - it's really Unix!
I'm running X11/XQuartz 2.4.0, available from MacOS Forge

I've been using Unix longer than I've been using Mac's, so I knew about the power potential when I found out that OSX was going to be based on Unix. Some of the most powerful Unix applications (see The GIMP above) run on any OSX equipped Mac. In order to run all these fantastic applications you need nothing more than Apple's version of X11 (which comes free with OSX, or you can download and install other versions). If you want to get a bit more advanced, you can use Fink or Macports with your OSX equipped Mac. Once you get your X Windows environment running, you'll find thousands of Unix applications that have been a well kept secret for all this time.

Getting Unix apps up and running on your Mac isn't always as easy as downloading and double clicking, but the following links should help you get started.
<http://developer.apple.com/opensource/tools/X11.html>
<http://developer.apple.com/opensource/tools/runningx11.html>
<http://www.macports.org/>
<http://www.finkproject.org/>

The GIMP:
I run version 2.6.7 on my Mac

GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed program for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. Written and developed under X11 for the Unix platform, I'm running a version ported to Mac OS X (runs under X11). This software application is the equivalent of PhotoShop for free! There's very little you can't do with this full feature graphic authoring software suite. It's got all the bells and whistles: Full suite of painting tools, Sub-pixel sampling, Gradient editor and blend tool, Custom brushes and patterns, Full alpha channel support, Layers and channels, Multiple Undo/Redo, Editable text layers, Transformation tools, Selection tools, Advanced path tool, Transformable paths and selections, Advanced scripting capabilities, Support for Photo-Shop plugins, and several more features. I've been using the GIMP for some years now, and I'm continually impressed by it's rich features and powerful rendering capabilities. Here are just a few of the graphics and titles I've created using the GIMP: Slice of a pseudo oil painting, adventuringgroup.png, dndbooks.png, vifsi.png

If you'd like to try out some of the GIMP's text effects, you can check out this web page that will let you create enhanced graphics using some of the GIMP's capabilities.
<http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimponosx>

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) released at least one beta and one full release this month (6.5b54 and 6.5). 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>

August 7, 2009

Our Wisconsin Vacation:
Kim and I took a vacation. Our vacation started on the 22nd of July, and it ran through the 5th of August. We drove to Wisconsin in order to spend some time with family and friends. We were looking forward to this summer visit. We hadn't been back in the summer time since... the 80's? Here's a short itinerary of our stops:

22 - 23 Jul: Traveling to Wisconsin. No problems with the drive. Ran into some bad weather in Nebraska, just slowed us down a little.
23 - 26 Jul: At Kim's parents/in De Pere. Spent most of the time setting up a new computer for the Kuchtas Ted is very happy with the new setup.
26 - 30 Jul: At Robt's moms/in Pound. Spent plenty of time relaxing in the North Woods. Enjoyed a rafting (if you can call it that) trip on the Peshtigo.
30 jul - 1 Aug: With Keith, Yvette and all the kids/in Ellison Bay. Had a good time during Yvette's family reunion. Enjoyed our excursion of Washington island.
1 - 2 Aug: Back in De Pere at Kim's parents. Spent a little time recharging our batteries. Mostly a pit-stop on the way to Kary's place.
2 - 4 Aug: With Kary & Mark in Wauwatosa. Had a good time visiting with Mark, Kary and the kids. Enjoyed a tour of the Pabst Mansion in Milwaukee.
4 - 5 Aug: Traveling back to Aurora. One minor problem on the way back. ADT called about an alarm going off! Good thing it was a false alarm.

Kim and I are back from our vacation (we got back on the 5th, but we've been very busy recovering from the vacation). It was a bit hectic; we spent a lot of time traveling and setting up a computer for Sharon and Ted (Kim's parents), but we had a really good time. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to visit with everyone we wanted to. Our time was very tightly controlled by a series of planned trips and events. We had a really good time, and wanted to thank everyone who helped us celebrate Kim's birthday (25th of July).

You can check out some of the photos on my MobileMe photo gallery. I haven't completed the editing process yet, but I thought you might like an advance look at what I've got so far. The photos will be updated (automatically), as I complete additional editing. Our next visit to Wisconsin will probably afford us more time to spend with all the family and friends that we didn't get to visit during this trip.
<http://gallery.me.com/rvaessen#100200>

Mac OS 10.5.8 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 isn't anywhere near as large as the previous update. It includes recent security updates, as well as updates and bug fixes to the following applications and services: Upgrades Safari to version 4.0.2., Display resolutions, image import improvements, iCal/caldav mobileme syncing issues addressed, AFP connectivity, Airport Networking, Sync Services, language issues, and others. 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, encryption.html and mycomputer.html.
<https://support.apple.com/kb/HT3606>

My iPhone is Broken!
During our recent vacation, my iPhone broke down. I was using it to play birdcalls (using a great application called "iBird Explorer - Backyard") through the iPhone's external speaker. There are three speakers on an iPhone. The one you connect (Head Phones/Headphone jack), the one you place next to your ear during a hand-held phone call, and the one at the bottom of the phone - the External speaker. While I was using the iPhone to play these bird calls, the external speaker stopped working. Nothing I did at the time helped. I tried exiting the application, restarting the iPhone (power cycle), tried using different applications.

The problem persisted throughout the rest of my vacation. I sync'd it on our laptop, but that didn't help either. The backup on the laptop was old, so I didn't try restoring from that back-up. I suffered through the rest of the vacation without any external speaker. How did this affect me? I couldn't hear any ring tones (when an incoming call should have activated the external speaker), I couldn't play any sounds to the external speaker. I hadn't dropped the iPhone, or gotten it wet. The speaker just stopped working.

When I got home, I did some additional troubleshooting and investigating. This condition has affected other people, and there were numerous recommendations on how to fix the problem. I tried all of them, but still couldn't get the external speaker to work. I even restored the iPhone from a backup. After a bit of troubleshooting, I discovered that the external speaker wasn't broken!? If I recorded a voice memo, I could play it back to the external speaker. If I listened to a voice mail message, I could play it to the external speaker. I still couldn't play music to the external speakers, use it in speakerphone mode (with a live call), play the birdcalls to the external speaker, and ringtones still weren't making their way to the external speaker.

<rave> Finally, I broke down and called Apple. The support website gleefully informed me that this service call (to their 1-800 nr: 1-800-275-2273) may cost me $29.99. Great - Well, if $29.99 fixes my iPhone, I'll be glad to pay. The wait was short, and the support tech seemed very knowledgeable. After I described the problem, she asked a few questions, talked to some senior technicians, and asked me some more questions. Eventually, she started the standard, "Let's try this" troubleshooting procedures. After approximately twenty minutes on the phone, we'd exhausted all but one procedure. Restoring the iPhone to factory new conditions. That takes a while so I hung up and tried the process as she described it - Still no sound to the external speakers (except under a few conditions - As described above). After all that, my iPhone still didn't work. Thankfully, Apple didn't charge me anything for the call. Thanks Apple. I appreciate the help. Too bad we couldn't get my iPhone working again.

The support call (with an American support tech) went flawlessly. No accusations, no problems communicating, no disconnects. A courteous and knowledgeable tech support professional handled the call and provided excellent service, at no cost!</rave>

I got a new iPhone!
So, as you may have just read, the external speaker on my 1st generation iPhone quit working, leaving me with a partially functioning iPhone. Unfortunately, it wasn't something that I could easily do without. I couldn't hear the phone ringing without headphones. After some thorough research and troubleshooting (by myself and with the assistance of a technician from Apple), I came to the conclusion that I needed a new phone.

According to the technician - The cost to send the iPhone back for repair/replacement would be $199.00! Ouch - I remarked that this 'sounds like the cost of a new iPhone' and 'Looks like I'm getting a new iPhone'. The support tech something to the effect of 'Yea - New iPhone!' Crap - That's not how I wanted to do this. I wanted to get a new iPhone in September (after my current contract had expired), and give the old iPhone to Kim. Now Kim doesn't get the 1st gen iPhone. We talked about it, and she said it didn't bother her, she was happy with her current phone (A Nokia-6126 that we got for free when we signed up in Sep of '07).

After checking with Apple and AT&T, I was eligible for an upgrade - From 1st Gen to 3G or 3GS. While, the 3G was only $99.00, I ended up getting the 3GS. Yes! Faster, more features, a better camera! (Here's a list of the improvements over 1st Gen):

	iPhone features comparison - 1st Gen vs 3GS
Features	1st Gen	3GS
Memory Capacity	8GB (# of songs: 2000)	16GB (# of songs: 4000)
Connectivity	WiFi, GSM, Mono-Bluetooth (no integrated GPS)	WiFi, UMTS/3G, GSM, Stereo-Bluetooth (integrated GPS)
Camera	2 Megapixel (no video)	3 Megapixel (with video record & edit capability)
Battery	Talk/Video/Web: 8/7/6 hours, Audio: 24 hours	Talk/Video/Web: 5/10/9 hours, Audio: 30 hours
Docking/cables	Came with a Docking stand, charger and USB cable	Came with charger and USB cable. No docking stand
Price paid	$399.00	$199.00
Monthly fee	$20.00 for unlimited data and 200 text messages	$35.00 for unlimited data and 200 text messages
Total	With plan over two years: $879.00	With plan over two years: $1,039.00 ($160.00 more)
	Features that are unavailable on 1st Gen iPhones. Due processor/software limitations MMS and Internet Tethering (still not available on AT&T network), Compass, Voice Control, Accessibility features, Nike+iPod features.

Activation was very easy. The genius at the Apple Store activated the phone for me, and I took it home and restored all my content using iTunes (and my iPhone back-up). Thanks go to Ted & Sharon for the new iPhone. The money they covertly gave Kim (ostensibly for the hand-me-down computer, installation and training) paid for my new iPhone. Thank you Ted & Sharon.
<https://www.robsworld.org/iphone3gs.png>
<http://www.apple.com/iphone/>

eMusic Download for August:
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 (Pandora, 3hive.com, musicalfamilytree.org and several other music blogs (Analog Giant, Brooklyn Vegan, Fluxblog, Gorilla vs. Bear, etc) out there, and listening to a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays, discovery download, and indiefeed). 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 (iTunes and eMusic). Here's a listing of some of the music I legally downloaded.

eMusic monthly downloads:
Every month I download 50+ tracks (50 download credits) from eMusic.com ((August was 50 +25 bonus tracks), so I tanked out on albums with less than 12 or more tracks). Unlike some music outlets, eMusic doesn't have any DRM and they don't insert unique track id's into the ID3 tags. Their terms of service are consumer friendly; eMusic allows you to burn as many CDs as you like and copy downloads to an unlimited number of computers and portable MP3 players, including the iPod and Zune. At less than $.40 a track, it's a really good value. iTunes and Amazon still charge more. eMusic offers more music for your money, and the variable bit rate recordings make for exceptionally high quality recordings. Despite the great value, I'm still looking for something that serves up tracks for less $ per track. Maybe one of those Russian sites will suffice?
* Noble Beast - Andrew Bird: (15 songs) A favorite artist. Originally discovered by way of 3hive.com, back in 2007. This album makes for my third feature length album. This album included an eMusic only track. I love the instrumentally rich layers, the melancholy lyrics interwoven with hand-clapping, whistling and mournful strings.
* DJ Icey Presents Y4K - DJ Icey: (14 songs) Something slightly out of the ordinary for me. Electronic break beat funk meets house. Lots of bass and a great selection of club/dance selections. Like many club DJs. DJ Icey is more producer than musician. Mixing up the cuts of great bands to make the music better. More break beat, more funk, more dance, more better. Mix it up with DJ Icey! Discovered by listening to a free eMusic compilation/label mixer.
* Post-Mersh, Vol. 1 - Minutemen: (36 songs) Some would call them hardcore or punk rock. Definitely rock with heavy folk influences and a touch of punk in the instrumental. Minutemen were much more than a single genre. Here are the trio's first two albums, The Punch Line ('81) and What Makes a Man Start Fires? ('83) on one disc. I ended up with some duplicates, but it was still worth it. Only cost me 12 download credits. Minutemen have been a favorite of mine since the early 80s.
* Moondagger - Deastro: (13+1) Excellent second effort from this new band - First official release under a label. This band is sounding more and more like Echo & the Bunnymen, and for me, that's a good thing. Excellent electro-pop with great instrumental work. This album contains more than the first release. Here there is more post production polish and the full backing of a band. I first discovered Deastro by downloading a single from the Pictchfork website. A new favorite.
* Okemah and the Melody of Riot - Son Volt: (13 songs) I've been enjoying Son Volt since 2005 (slowly catching up), and this album is the first release (as Son Volt) since 1998. I was surprised to find that despite the lineup changes (only Jay Farrar remains) the sound hasn't changed much from the earlier albums. I enjoyed this one as much as my others. I hope that eMusic will pick up more of this bands catalog.
* Death Songs for the Living - Gob Iron: (18+1 songs) Collaboration project with Jay Farrar (former front man of Son Volt) and Anders Parker of Varnaline. A singular effort. This album is very acoustic, more country than alternative. Dark, moody, traditional folk. Very good. I'll have to check out some of Anders Parker's stuff.
* Twelve Times You - Wire: (2 songs) This EP from a favorite band fills my eMusic dance card.Fast, angry, crunchy. Electro pop and rock. Here are a couple of remixes on some signature Wire songs. I'll be back for more Wire.

D&D updates:
It's been a while since I posted any D&D updates. Leading up to our August 8th meeting, I managed to completed several updates from last month. We played a D&D session on the 11th of July, and here are some of the updates from that meeting. The party has concluded their adventures in the shadow of Firestorm Peak, they're back in Whillip now. The adventure was arduous, dangerous and rewarding. Most of all it was memorable. An adventure unlike any other. A journey into the very bowels of evil; to defeat a corrupt source of taint in this land. With the conclusion of this quest, none may say that they died in vain. With this long quest behind them, it's time to recover their bearings, rest for a bit, hone their skills, and steel themselves to take on the next threat in these lands. Welcome back to Whillip brave heroes, welcome home!

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 the H.A.L.L.O.W.ed Knights, a group of adventurers who set forth from Whillip, seeking fame, fortune and the defeat of evil in these lands. With the conclusion of our meeting on the 11th of July, our players have moved into an entirely new phase of the game. Gone are the S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S. - Existing now as a group of non-player characters. The player characters are now members of an entirely new group. The H.A.L.L.O.W.ed Knights. A new group of adventurers strike out from Whillip. In search of glory, fame, and justice, they seek to right the wrongs of this land. To defend the weak, enslaved and oppressed. Striking out at evil and taint, this group of characters vow to make their mark upon the land. Let H.A.L.L.O.W.ed Knights be a name both feared (by evil) and revered by the (good) citizens of these realms. Thanks go out to Lee for his continued contributions to our online journals.
<https://www.robsworld.org/ajournal08.html#jul11_2009>

3rd Edition Campaign:
I updated the date of our next meeting - Our next meeting is 22 August, 2009. We skipped a meeting in August (while Kim and I were on vacation), and the meeting on the 22nd of August marks the second one since our return. This is 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. I also updated some of the annotations beneath the players photo.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ecampaign.html>

Character update:
I updated several player character entries on this page. I swapped out Dynnera for Mutteran (Mutt). Lee's character is now known by the name Mutteran (or Mutt to his friends). I updated some illustrations for Kevin's character (or did I do that last month?). I added a new entry for Kusindra Tuvari, a new member of the S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S. - The party that our player characters used to belong to. The player characters have since reformed as a new adventuring group. They are now known by the name - H.A.L.L.O.W.ed Knights. I updated the entry for Greywing; another new member of the The S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S. In an effort to head off any legal problems (antsy lawyers/corporate copyright attorneys), I changed an entry for one of the NPCs. Changed 'Donald Duck' to 'Donald the Duck'. Corrected the 'by letter' links. "Who's Who?" page is a listing of characters, both player characters and non-player characters.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ewhoswho.html>

Players in our campaign:
With changes to Lee's character, I had to make some more changes to the character annotations beneath our players photo. I also made some updates to the entry for Kevin. The photo on this page is now way out of date. I can't seem to get everyone together at the same time, but I plan to take a new photo as soon as we can get everyone together. A group of crazy characters constitute the players in our campaign. Many players have graced my gaming table over the years, some are old friends, some are new, but in the end - friends are what I call them. The players page contains a photo of our group and a short listing of who we are.
<https://www.robsworld.org/players.html>

Where Now?:
The party has returned to Whillip, and they haven't traveled to any new places of late. Despite that, I've had to update one particular entry on the "Where Now?" page. With some characters venturing to and fro in the vicinity of Whillip, I thought it would be best to add entries for the town of Thermos and the business establishment known as J.F.K. Enterprises. "Where Now?" is a listing of various places the party has visited or researched.
<https://www.robsworld.org/wherenow.html>

These updates follow our meeting on the 11th of July and there will certainly be more to come. That meeting aw the party back in Whillip's after completing a rather arduous adventure. Now that they're in town, the party will probably spend a considerable amount of (in game) time licking it's wounds, resting, recuperating and training for their next adventure. In the meantime, you can keep up to date by continuing to visit "Rob's World!" for all the latest campaign info. If you're enjoying the story of our adventurers, I encourage you to write me and let us know. Perhaps you've got an idea you'd like to share, some criticism or praise. Either way, it'll be earnestly appreciated.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ecampaign.html>

* Updated the banners/badges on the Welcome page. Added a banner for an HOA request. They're looking for some volunteers to hand out newsletters in Tollgate Crossing. I removed the banner and announcement for NNO (National Night Out) and the County Fair. Both events took place while Kim and I were on vacation. According to Judy, the NNO celebration in our community went well.
* Updated some information on our Events page. Removed events which have occurred; NNO (National Night Out) and the County Fair.
* On the eMail lists page, I updated the names/titles of each email/mailing list. I hope this change makes it easier for residents to understand the differences between the different 'Neighborhood Watch' lists.
* On the Volunteer page, I added a paragraph soliciting volunteers to help our HOA with delivery of our quarterly newsletter. If you're a resident of Tollgate Crossing, and you'd like to help us save costs by volunteering, please contact the HOA manager: Jan Rider. Phone number: 303-369-1800 x123.
* Recently, a resident provided me with some feedback/a correction. With the help of Tina, I was able to make a few corrections to our Neighborhood Watch webpage. The next Neighborhood Watch meeting is September 3rd, 2009, at the Buffalo Trail elementary school.
* On the roll with updates, I updated some of the city and county service listings and contacts on our 'Info' page. I hope you find the page useful.