White Christmas: Now that it's actually winter (winter officially began 21 Dec, 2009), we're seeing more of the fluffy white stuff.
This time the snow fell for more than 24 hours. Starting on the evening of the 22nd, the snow was still falling by the evening of the 23rd. By the evening of the 23rd, we had appx 6 inches on the ground (in Aurora, Colorado). The snow finally stopped on the morning of the 24th, with a total of 8 inches. I worked mids on the 23rd and 24th. On the morning of the 24th, I discovered that someone had already cleared the driveway and sidewalks. Kim is awesome!
The snow stopped on the 24th, but it started again on the 25th. On Christmas day, we got some more snow; approximately 1 more inch. We opened our gifts on the morning of the 25th, and after lunch, I took my time clearing the driveways and sidewalks. We had appx two inches from the 24th and 25th combined. We definitely had a white christmas. Winter has arrived.
Merry Christmas:
Kim and I would like to take the opportunity to wish all our visitors a Happy Holiday Season, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. We sincerely hope that you and your family had a joyous time during the last few days. We wish you prosperity and health throughout the year to come. Thanks for being our friends and family. We wish we could have made a trip out to see all our friends and family for the holidays, but we couldn't arrange it this year. Maybe we'll see you in 2010.
This year, Kim and I must have made the list of good boys and girls. There were lots of goodies beneath the tree this year. Some of the items we scored: A new digital camera - Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 (12.1MP with 18x optical zoom and HD video); Iron Man Blu-Ray disc; Many books, including Personal Effects: Dark Art by J.C. Hutchins and Jordan Weisman; A Sole F63 treadmill; A 5th generation iPod Nano; Shadows Over Camelot board game. Just a few of the goodies. I hope you were a good boy or girl as well.
Updates to the Tollgate Crossing Website: My odd-ball schedule actually works in my favor for some things. A couple of those activities are the community support activities which I enjoy - Volunteering with our local neighborhood watch, and supporting our community by maintaining the Tollgate Crossing website and mailing lists. What started out as a website focused primarily 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 at our community website in the last few days:
* Updated the banners/badges on the Welcome page/front page of the website. Updated the banners regarding our next HOA meeting (12 Jan, 2010). I also added a banner for the upcoming South East Aurora Neighborhood Watch picnic. The 2nd annual picnic will be held May 15th, and we're looking for help with the event. If you'd like to volunteer, please contact our Head Area Coordinator: Judy Van Meter
* In addition to the changes on the Welcome page, I also updated the Events page to reflect the dates of these community meetings. An event not listed on the Welcome page is the Picnic planning meeting - Details haven't been hammered down for that meeting. I'll update the specifics as they become available.
* I updated some meeting info on our Neighborhood Watch page. I added info for our upcoming SEA-NW Picnic (May 15, 2010), as well as the first Picnic planning meeting. If you'd like to take a look at the photos from last years annual picnic, see the web ShutterBug web page. Finally, I removed the info regarding our PAR (Police Area Representative) transition. Officer John Cassell is our new PAR.
* On the Volunteer page I added a new request for volunteers. You guessed it, we need volunteers to help us with this year's Neighborhood Watch picnic, please contact our Head Area Coordinator: Judy Van Meter
* Finally, I some contact data on our Info page. The contact info for our PAR; Officer John Cassell.
Unclutter all that Junk - Shelve It!
One of the Christmas gifts - For our House - Was a bit of organization. Our big basement (1,165 sq ft.) is unfinished, and we use a small part of it to store our growing collection of junk. Unfortunately, that junk has been laying on the floor - stacked and piled - for the last five years. Now - Finally! we've managed to get a bit organized, and clean up that junk. After a short trip to Home Depot, I purchased four shelving units. 6' high, 4' wide, 2' deep. That's a lot of storage space. It took me quite some time to purchase, transport, move our junk out of the way, and put it all together (appx eight hours). With everything stacked and racked, Kim identified a bunch of stuff to give away, some missing sheets, and a bunch of junk we no longer need. Getting organized cost me appx $300.00, but I sure am glad to see the basement uncluttered, my junk safely stowed off the floor, and one of those 'to-do' items checked off my list.
<https://www.robsworld.org/shelves.png>
<https://www.robsworld.org/ourhouse.html>
Walking to Work Out:
One of the Christmas gifts - For us - was a commitment to get fit, and lose some weight. Doing either or both can be a bit difficult, and it's never easy. Summer time offers plenty of opportunity for working 'out', but getting motivated sometimes stops when outdoor activities become a bit inconvenient. The weather doesn't always cooperate, and when you miss one chance to ride the bike or go for a walk, you tend to lose momentum and find more excuses. When the work out is only ten yards away, and the weather is always 'fluorescent', it's hard to find excuses. For Christmas, Kim and I bought a treadmill (A 'Sole F63' - cost appx $1,000.00) and planted it smack dab in the middle of our lives. Hopefully, we'll make the time, adjust our schedules, and hold firm to our commitments. It took three weeks to get the treadmill delivered, and four hours to get the beast assembled. Now it's ready for a workout, and we're ready to give it our best.
<http://www.soletreadmills.com/details.php?name=F63>
<https://www.robsworld.org/treadmill.png>
Software favorites:
Even more beta releases for one of my favorite software applications. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. As usual, developer has been busy updating this application. Here are several more 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.
GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) released a couple more beta releases over the last few days. Over the last few days Thorsten released two beta releases - 6.6.1b13 and 6.6.1b14. 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>
Christmas Book Bonanza:
With this year's Christmas, I scored a bevy of books - Stick to Drawing Comics, Monkey Brain!, Hunters of Dune, Personal Effects: Dark Art, The Winds of Dune, Bathroom Book of Wisconsin Trivia: Weird, Wacky and Wild. I haven't got any idea when I'll get to these books. For now, I'll add them to my bookshelf, and this addition just increases the number of books waiting to be read. While I'm currently reading a disappointing Tom Clancy novel (The Teeth of the Tiger), I'm looking forward to many of the books on my bookshelf. I'm really interested in the 'Personal Effects' novel. It represents something novel in books. It's a 'fiction' meets 'reality' concept. The book comes with numerous 'artifacts' and links to web sites, which involve the reader in a more substantial method of storytelling. I'm also looking forward to all those 'Dune' novels that I've been accumulating over the years. The Dune series is something I can't get enough of. Unfortunately, I haven't had time to read any of the recent books.
In addition to all these new books, I also revised my 'Books' web page. It no longer displays a simple flat file listing. Now it's a starting point for numerous lists. Lists of my favorite books. These lists were created using some new software; well, it's not really 'new' software, but it is the first time I've used it to create web pages. Bookpedia is one of the great applications created by Bruji.com. I've been meaning to start using it for some time now. It's the sort of software that has helped me create my web pages, while simultaneously keeping my life organized. I hope you enjoy the revised 'Book' pages.
<https://www.robsworld.org/books.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/myfavs.html>
<http://www.bruji.com/bookpedia/>
D&D books: I recently received two new rule books for my favorite game. This time the books came as Christmas gifts. My favorite game is rule heavy, book heavy, but thankfully, the players don't have to buy all the books. That joy usually rests on the DM's shoulders. I received two book which I think will enhance the game play within the context of our campaign. The latest acquisitions were:
* Special Edition Dungeon Master Guide: A leather bound version of a core rule book. Players may bring a copy to the game, but should request permission before consulting this book during game play. Here are rule details pertinent to the governance of the game. Rules which govern the inner workings of the world. More concerned with the NPC/Campaign management, this book is a DM's reference.
* Deities and Demigods - Campaign Supplement: This supplement provides everything the DM may need in order to create and call upon the most powerful of beings. Included are descriptions and statistics for over seventy gods from four fully detailed pantheons. Along with suggestions for creating your own gods, Deities and Demigods also includes information on advancing characters to godhood. Players may bring a copy to the game, but should request permission before consulting this book during game play.
Sick as a Dog!
It's been a long time since I've been sick (back in Feb of '08), so this illness came as something of a surprise. Colorado (like much of the nation) is suffering through a rather powerful flu-season, and I've become one of the unlucky ones. I got my seasonal vaccine, but that didn't help. Unfortunately, this particular strain is pretty tough. It made itself known on the 13th of December, and as I write this (on the 28th of Dec), I'm still sick. With a powerful fever, I took two days off on the first couple days. It started with a soar throat, and quickly got worse. I thought the soar throat was caused by excessive speaking on the 12th. As the DM, I sometimes do a lot of speaking, and that can sometimes cause me to have a hoarse voice the next day. By the 13th, the sickness was doing it's best to bury me. I had a fever, soar throat and the start of something in my upper chest. I had to take a couple days off, and thought I'd be better in a few days. By the time Friday (The 18th of Dec) came around, the thing had moved fully into my head and upper chest. I still had occasional fever, but tylenol was keeping that in check. I didn't want to, but I ended up going in to work. Since it wasn't getting worse, and the medication (over the counter) was keeping the symptoms under control, I didn't go to the doctor. I hope you're not a victim of this years cold and flu season. If you haven't already, please be sure to get your flu shot.
D&D updates:
We played a D&D session on the 18th of December. While we're still waiting for the updates from that meeting, I went ahead and updated the next game date for our group. With the conclusion of the 8 August meeting, 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 the H.A.L.L.O.W.ed Knights be a name both feared (by evil) and revered by the (good) citizens of these realms.
3rd Edition Campaign: I updated the date of our next meeting - Our next meeting is 9 Jan, 2010. We're skipping a meeting on the 26th of December. Yeah, it's a bit too soon after the holidays. Too many people will be out of town, so we'll meet again next year! This page 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.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ecampaign.html>
These updates follow our meeting on the 18th of December. Our meeting on the 18th saw the party concludes its stay in Whillip. Advancement training has been completed, the adventurers have purchased equipment, balanced their accounts, finalized all the administrative details, taken on another adventurer to fill their ranks, and decided upon a new adventure. This new group of adventurers plan to 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. The party has decided to help the citizens of Deepwood in their quest to vanquish a Blue Dragon from their backyard. With their research completed, and a route of travel decided, the party has set forth in search of valor, glory and justice. Sharpen your blades and hitch up your horses - Adventure calls and danger beckons! You can keep up to date with our adventures 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>
Software favorites:
More beta releases for one of my favorite software applications. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. As usual, developer has been busy updating this application. Here are several more 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.
GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) released a couple more beta releases over the last few days. They come so fast and furiously, that he sometimes skips a few in releasing them to the public, and sometimes I miss a few. Over the last few days Thorsten released a bunch of beta releases - 6.6.1b6, 6.6.1b7, 6.6.1b8, 6.6.1b10 and even a 6.6.1b11_v2. 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>
Roof Repairs - Insurance Claims:
Back in June of 2009, a tornado moved through our neighborhood. Thankfully, no one was hurt (by the tornado). Unfortunately, there was a lot of property damage. At first we didn't even think to have an adjuster out to check the house for damage. The hail was pretty intense, and we lost a bunch of flowers, but we didn't think there was any property damage. We went on a vacation in July, and didn't think about the possibility of damage until we got back from our trip. In August, I saw neighbors having their roofs inspected. I called USAA, and they sent out an inspector/adjuster. After an hour, he gave us the news. We're needed new shingles. Crap! That's gonna cost us. After another week, we knew all the details. The original estimate came to $12,522.00. With taxes and our deductible, we're talking $13,232.69. Ouch. It took us two more weeks to get a bunch of estimates from roofing repair companies. We had to be really careful, some companies made promises that sounded too good to be true, and some talked openly about scamming the insurance company, so we wouldn't have to pay our deductible. In the end we chose a USAA preferred contractor (Campbell Roofing). It took quite a while (they had plenty of work (from other claims) to do, and the weather wasn't cooperating), but they finally completed the repairs (on the 14th and 15th of Dec, 2009). The bill came to a total of $12,956.63. We wrote the checks (had to write two different checks) to cover the cost, and now everything should be settled. I hope... Hopefully we won't see any more tornados for some time.
December's iTunes Deluge:
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.
iTunes purchases: Sometimes I purchase music from iTunes, and sometimes I take advantage of their free downloads (check it out on Tuesdays). This time it's free sort of. A friend of mine gave me a gift of iTunes. Rob gifted me an album by one of my favorite artists. Thanks Rob!
* JoCo Looks Back - Jonathan Coulton: (20 songs) A favorite artist. A favorite for geeks everywhere. If you haven't heard the 'Code Monkey' song, you need to put down your C++ manual and check him out. Here are the best of his best. The song writing is spectacular.
Free Music from iTunes: 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 a bunch of downloads provided free from the iTunes store. A couple New Music Tuesday downloads and two full sampler albums. Thanks Apple!:
* Must Be Santa - Bob Dylan: (single) A great song by folk legend - Bob Dylan. iTunes actually gave this one away for free, as a New Music Tuesday download. A Polka from Bob Dylan - I love it!
* iTunes Fall 2009 Sampler - Various Artists: (20 songs) Another free compilation from iTunes. This one is packed with Alternative tunes for the Autumn season. Become an iTunes fan on Facebook, and you too can find these free downloads. If you hurry you might be able to grab this download.
* iTunes Back to School 2009 Sampler - Various Artists: (15 -1 songs) Yet another free compilation from iTunes. This one is loaded with a mix of music from different genres. You need to Friend iTunes through Facebook in order to snag these free tunes. If you don't know what that means... The 'I Hate People' track is awesome! While this album had 15 tracks, I had to delete one. Had to? Well, not really, but I deleted one in protest. I deleted 'Falling Down featuring Chelsea by Space Cowboy. Why? The track had DRM, and that's something I don't want on my music. iTunes is supposed to be DRM free, and I don't need anyone restricting my legal rights. I deleted the tracks. Tracks with DRM are encrypted and playback is controlled by Apple. They can't be moved to other devices and computers, you can only play them if Apple authorizes it, and you can only copy the song to five authorized devices. I hate DRM! I still have some songs with DRM on my computer, but I want to get rid of that DRM, and I won't accept any new songs with DRM.
<http://www.macworld.com/article/138000/2009/01/drm_faq.html>
* Sun to Me (Faithless Dub) - Faithless: (single) Some excellent electronica. Here's another free download, courtesy of iTunes. The New Music Tuesday tracks aren't always my cup of tea, but this track is great.
Starbucks gives away free iTunes Tracks: Kim and I occasionally visit Starbucks to pick up some java juice. While we're there, we grab the most recent Starbucks Pick of the Week card. Starbucks and iTunes have teamed up to reward loyal customers with these handpicked downloads. Just visit your local Starbucks every Tuesday to pick up the latest free Pick of the Week card. This month - Starbucks is giving away an entire album!
* Starbucks Pick of the Week Sampler - Various Artists: (20 songs) I was a little disappointed when I found out that I couldn't preview any of the tracks from this album. I had no way to determine whether I would even want to download the album. So, I gave it a shot and downloaded the entire album, sight unseen. What the heck, if it turn out to be crap, I can always delete it. Well, I've had the time to listen, and I have to say, I'm glad I downloaded it. If you hurry, you too can download the Pick of the Week sampler. Just visit the iTunes facebook page (use the link above).
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>
December 12, 2009
Roku News:
More news for the owners of a Roku player/Roku box. Near the end of November, 2009 (November 22rd, 2009), Roku, Inc. made a little announcement that most of the media outlets missed.
Not only did they announce the 'Roku Channel Store' and its first ten channels (MotionBox, MediaFly, blip.tv, twit.tv, facebook photos, revision3, frame channel, flickr and MobileTribe). They also announced that they are making the 'Channel Store' into an open platform. A platform that any online content provider, distributor, creator or publisher can use in order to deliver audio and/or video content directly into the living rooms of hundreds of thousands of Roku owners. It's a distribution channel that's already got a huge base of subscribers, and its growing daily. Developers can use the SDK (software developers kit/available via email) in order to craft a new channel for the 'Roku Channel Store'.
Previously, Roku hand-picked their content partners (Netflix, Amazon video on demand, pandora.com and MLB.com). Now, by making the Roku player an open platform, Roku, Inc. has eliminated many of the barriers currently keeping a vast array of Internet content from reaching your living room. It levels the playing field for many content owners. They don't have to go through standard television, cable or satellite distribution channels. Now they've got direct access to consumers - The Roku player. I say bring it on - Let's see some more channels!
<http://www.roku.com/Libraries/Press_Releases/Roku_Channel_Store_Release.sflb.ashx>
More Music for the Holidays:
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.
Free Music from iTunes: 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 a bunch of downloads provided free from the iTunes store. A New Music Tuesday download, an entire album (of holiday music), and a music video. Thanks Apple!:
* iTunes Holiday Sampler - Various Artists: (20 songs) This holiday sampler provides a look into Apple's new 'LP' format. Here are 20 songs with album art and lyrics. It's a new format (which also provides for video and animation) that Apple is hoping to use in order to entice those who prefer the physical CD, with it's liner notes, artwork, lyrics, etc. Some great tunes and a look at the new format. Honestly, it's not much more than some rich media in a wrapper. A little HTML, some CSS, a bit of java script, and finally the secret ingredient - It's not Flash! It uses proposed CSS3 animation coding to provide a preview of the rich media content coming our way, courtesy of the HTML 5.0 standard. Adobe should be worried, they've made flash a royal pain in the 'you know what' for Apple (and others) over the years. Now that Apple's crafting work-arounds, I don't know how much longer Adobe can keep their proprietary code relevant in a post 5.0 world. If Apple is going to give away a free sample of their LP format, they really should have gone the extra mile. This one doesn't include much in the way of content. No video, no interviews, no liner notes. It's a bit anemic as an example of the new LP format.
* Joy to the World - David Archuleta: (single) Star Search, American Idol, teen sensation. This pop singer has a great set of pipes, but he lacks a style of his own. As he matures, I'm sure he'll develop a distinctive style that will help cement his fan base. For now, to me, he's just a pretty boy with a good voice. Does that comment make me a snob?
* Slow Poison - The Bravery: (vingle) It's a video single. I don't download many videos. To me, music is audio. Why bother with the video? It's just a distraction from the music, or my work, whichever proves more important. The videos may play well on a big screen at the disco, but I could care less... Unless of course, it's a band I like. So, the only reason I downloaded this single? It's the Bravery; an American rock band with a faintly British vibe. I've been listening since 2005, but eMusic no longer carries this band. I'm sure Apple must have cut some exclusive deals, so now I wait for the scraps (this video), or save my money to get the more expensive iTunes downloads. $1.99 to download a music video - Really?! I can't believe, now I know why I feel so guilty when they give 'em out for free.
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.emusic.com/>
Vaessen Family Genealogy:
While I updated the data off-line, I haven't updated my family genealogy pages since 2006. When my Father died in 2008, I found it difficult to update the genealogy pages. More than a year later, I found myself going over some more genealogy information with my Aunt Dorothy. Thanks to Dorothy and some relatives on my grandmother's side of the family, I was able to complete numerous updates to that genealogy data. Recently, I decided to update the web pages. There's been numerous broken links for quite some time, and it seems that the makers of my genealogy software have been working hard to fix all the problems I encountered in publishing my family genealogy.
Today (11 Dec, 2009) I spent some time updating my Vaessen family genealogy pages. Thanks to some considerable assistance from some Dutch Vaessen's, I've been able to trace my family history back to 1526 (With a partial history back to 1125). If you're interested in the history of the Vaessen name, check out my Vaessen family genealogy pages. The information was compiled and posted using 'MacFamilyTree' software. The software is capable of importing or exporting genealogy data in various different formats, including HTML and GEDCOM standard .ged files.
If you are a member of the Vaessen family, or you're interested in the Vaessen family history, I welcome any corrections, additions or elaborations. Please feel free to write me with any relevant information.
December's eMusic Downloads:
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. This month (December of 2009) I received an additional 5 tracks. A holiday bonus from eMusic. 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.
* The Fountain - Echo and The Bunnymen: (10 songs) My favorite band is still cranking out albums. Thirty plus years and eleven studio albums (not counting Reverberation). I have all eleven plus Reverberation (that has a story all its own), several EPs, singles and compilations. This release isn't their best - IMHO That would be 'Ocean Rain'. There are many good songs on this album, and I'll spend a good amount of time listening to these tracks.
* A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night - Love Is All: (9+2 songs) Discovered through 3hive.com, here's a Swedish band (they've got a sound I like) with an 80s sound. Reminds me of the female vocalists from those early punk bands. Reminds me of Romeo Void, Altered Images, The Slits and others. Bursting with imagery and catchy pop lyrics.
* The Crew - 7 Seconds: (24 songs) 7 Seconds is one of those early 80s punk bands that sprouted up in California. Today 7 Seconds remains as one of the longest-lived hardcore punk bands in history. To me, their sound has always represented the positive power of Punk. This is my first album by this band, and it really brings me back to my hardcore roots.
* The Singles - Tommy Tutone: (12 songs)
With one song that defined the 80s; 867-5309/Jenny, Tommy Tutone excited the nation with that song, but then they faded into the 'New Wave' that followed. At first I only wanted that one song, but decided to download the entire compilation and give them a chance. Believe it or not, they've been back together (after a break up in '84) since '92, and they even released a five song EP in 2009. Good, clean fun.
* Lost Channels - Great Lake Swimmers: (12 songs)
I started listening to them in March of '09, and they quickly became one of my favorites. This download represents my third album by this band. Melancholy, haunting and addictive vocals mix with great folk acoustic instrumentals. Reminds me of R.E.M.
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.emusic.com/>
Five Years with Northrop Grumman:
I joined the Northrop Grumman team in December of 2004. I began my employment while I was on 'Terminal Leave' from the Air Force. I found a great job with this company, and these first five years have been very good to Kim and I. I enjoy my job, and the benefits are pretty good. I certainly can't complain about the pay! This month, as I celebrate my five year anniversary, Northrop sent me a catalogue in order to select a gift. I picked out the '175 piece tool set'. I don't have many tools (not being very mechanically inclined), so the tool set will be a welcome addition to my garage; where I keep just a few tools - Hammer, screwdriver, etc. With this tool set, I won't have to go back in the house every time I need a tool. In addition to the tool set, I also
received a lapel pin.
Sugar Grove:
A favorite among visitors to "Rob's World!" is my NSGA (Now NIOC) Sugar Grove page. It contains some information about an assignment to one of the remotest tours in CONUS (the Continental U.S.). I occasionally get questions regarding the base, the community, and what it's like to live and work at the little station known as 'the Grove'. I recently updated the web page to update a broken link to the Navy's official Sugar Grove web site. The Navy has a tendency to keep moving this web page around, and I can only imagine that it must irritate those who receive orders to 'the Grove'. I also updated some information regarding the transition from NSGA to NIOC, removed some irrelevant material, and updated the banner graphic on the page.
<https://www.robsworld.org/sugargrove.html>
D&D updates:
We played our last D&D session on the 28th of November. Here are some of the updates from those meetings. With the conclusion of the 8 August meeting, 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. This new group of adventurers is poised to 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.
3rd Edition Campaign: I updated the date of our next meeting - Our next meeting is 12 December, 2009. This page (The "3eCampagin" page) 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. You can also check out the latest group photo.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ecampaign.html>
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. The meeting on the 28th of November was another session in and about town. The party is in Whillip, and they're trying to get things done before the next adventure. This entry features inputs from Mutteran, Solmar and Skifander. Thanks to Lee, Mark and Sean for their continued input and support. Hopefully we can see some journal entries from Joe/Jusarian in the future. <https://www.robsworld.org/ajournal08.html#nov28_2009>
Where Now?:
The party has been in Whillip for many months now, and they haven't traveled to any new places of late. While conducting research for their next adventure, they've learned a bit about some of the lands in these 'Realms'. As a result of that research, I've had to update a few entries on the "Where Now?" page. See the new entries for 'Dragonmere Lake, Westgate, Giant's Run Mountains, and Murann'. "Where Now?" is a listing of various places the party has visited or researched.
<https://www.robsworld.org/wherenow.html>
The Concordium:
With the addition of Jusarian to the party's roles, the players introduced Joe to the character's 'Concordium'. This "Adventurer's Concordium", also known as the "Articles" is a document used to help administer our group of adventurers. This document has been modified, updated, drafted and approved by the players in our campaign. While the players created the document, it governs the actions of the characters. If you're a player in our campaign, or simply interested in such a document, you can download the most recent copy from here.
<https://www.robsworld.org/concordium.pdf>
These updates follow our meeting on the 28th of November. Our meeting on the 28th saw the party still in Whillip. Advancement training has been completed, but the adventurers still need to purchase equipment, balance accounts, finalize some administrative details, and look for another adventurer to fill their ranks. This new group of adventurers plan to 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. Training has been completed, Solmar has returned from his personal quest of faith, and the party has decided on a course of action - They've selected an adventure to embark upon, and added one more member to their ranks (after the departure of Quinton). The party has decided to help the citizens of Deepwood in their quest to vanquish a Blue Dragon from their backyard. With their research completed, and a route of travel decided, the party is ready to venture forth in search of valor, glory and justice. Sharpen your blades and hitch up your horses - Adventure calls and danger beckons!
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ecampaign.html>
Updates to the Tollgate Crossing Website: My odd-ball schedule actually works in my favor for some things. A couple of those activities are the community support activities which I enjoy - Volunteering with our local neighborhood watch, and supporting our community by maintaining the Tollgate Crossing website and mailing lists. What started out as a website focused primarily 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 at our community website in the last few days:
* Updated the banners/badges on the Welcome page. I changed the order of the banners, updated the dates for our next Metro District meeting (22 Jan, 2010). I removed the banner and badge for our special Metro District meeting (held 16 Nov, 2009). I also removed the banner for an upcoming Ward VI meeting (19 Nov, 2009). Finally, I updated the banner/badging for our next Neighborhood Watch meeting (4 Mar, 2010).
*
Updated some information on our Events page. Updated the entry for our next Metro District meeting date (22 Jan, 2010), Removed the event entry for the Ward VI meeting. Updated the entry for our next Neighborhood Watch meeting.
* On the Neighborhood Watch page, I updated the banner announcing the date of our next NW meeting (4 Mar, 2010).
* On the Info page, I removed some of the older Metro District meeting minutes (the official transcripts). I also added the meeting minutes from meetings on the 25th of August, the 22nd of September, and the 27th of October.
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>
December 5, 2009
Bring out your Snow blowers:
Still not winter - still getting snow storms. Here comes another. With winter still more then two weeks away, the Aurora/Denver area got smacked with another pre-winter snow storm. The snow started falling on Friday night (4 Dec, 2009). By Saturday the flakes were falling furiously, covering all the roads and parking lots with a good dose of that white fluffy stuff. Thankfully, I managed to finish work and get the hell out of there (they have a tendency to close down the base - No one leaves) before they locked it down. When it was all over, we had approximately 6" at work, and 4" at our house. Time to get out the snow blower - again!
Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 1:
Another security update released by Apple. This update addresses an extensive string of vulnerabilities in one of the web's work-horses. Just about everyone uses Java. It's a cross-platform programming language based on C and C++. It's used in millions of programs, applications and computers. You really have to work hard to 'Not' use Java. So, vulnerabilities in such a work-horse can create a widespread threat and danger. Thankfully, Apple is one of the companies always working to find and correct Java vulnerabilities. This particular update addresses 13 CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures). While Apple doesn't typically discuss the specifics of these vulnerabilities, the most serious of these vulnerabilities may allow untrusted Java applets to obtain elevated privileges on your computer. You can always learn more about the vulnerabilities addressed. Check out the update announcement, and execute a few web searches using the CVE identifier. These vulnerabilities apply to Java 1.6.0_15. Apple also addressed an issue regarding expired certificates which apply to Java applets. Thankfully, Apple's software updates make 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/security/>
Kudos to FedEx: <rave>They really did it properly this time.
Back in May of 2009, I ripped on (Ranted on) UPS and FedEx. Today one of them - FedEX - earned a little redemption. Once again they attempted delivery when I wasn't home. Hey, it happens... This time however, in addition to the delivery notification on my front door, I also got a phone call. What?! Yes, a phone call. They actually called to explain that they attempted delivery. They left a message on my answering service, and the caller was actually a real person. They called, took the time to explain what had happened, how and when they would attempt additional deliveries, and they even explained where and how I could pick up the package in person, if I wanted to. Now that's fantastic service.
I don't always get phone calls, and I'm not sure what I did (or the shipper did) to warrant this special attention, but I have to say that I was so impressed, that I called and gave them some positive feedback. I left a message of gratitude for the branch that took the time to personally call. Imagine that, even during this hectic Christmas season, someone at FedEx is taking the time to make sure their customers are informed and empowered. Thanks for the great customer service FedEx.</rave>
Flicker on my windowsill:
I've seen them (a pair of birds) around my back yard, but I could never get a good look at them until the other day. While I was talking with mom, I heard a rapping, rat-tat-tating upon the windowsill? What the heck? My house was under attack! I moved into the office, and saw a bird rapidly pecking - Like a woodpecker would! - upon my windowsill. Why would this woodpecker want to eat the bricks outside my window? As I approached it took flight and found a new perch. I got a good look. What a wonderful bird. I had no idea what it was, but mom knew immediately. She called it by name - Flicker; more specifically, a male Red-Shafted flicker. Now I knew what it was. There's a mated pair around here somewhere. They've been visiting my backyard (Thanks to a generous feeder) of late, and now I finally know what they are. The only woodpecker that feeds on the ground. This flicker is quite fond of ants, and apparently, masonry. I put out some suet, in the hopes of luring them back to the feeder. Spotting the flicker just made my day.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Flicker>
More snow - Just a little:
Another pre-Winter snow storm drifted down over our corner of the state on the 2nd of December. This time my back was spared the brunt of mother nature's fury. Just a light coating of flurries to coat the driveway. With approximately 2.5 inches, I almost didn't bother clearing the sidewalks and driveway. It only took a few minutes, less than an hour to clear away the snow using that old beat up snow blower of mine.
Software favorites:
More beta releases for one of my favorite software applications. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. As usual, developer has been busy updating this application. Here are several more 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.
GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) released a few more beta releases over the last few days. They come so fast and furiously, that he sometimes skips a few in releasing them to the public. Over the last few days Thorsten released 6.6b32, 6.6b33, 6.6 (full release) and another beta release - 6.6.1b1. 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>
Yet Another Comcast outage:
<rant>Are you surprised? Don't be. Over the last several weeks (29 Sep - 1 Dec), I've been experiencing numerous unexplained Comcast outages, and no ones seems to know what's happening.
I am starting to hate Comcast (or at least their customer service). I was hoping that the service interruptions were done with. Unfortunately, that's not the case. The interrupted service continues. This morning, I woke up to another network outage. Checking my logs showed that the outage went back to at least 0315 this morning:
09-12-01 03:15:37
3-Critical
R004.0
Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 timeout
Of course, Comcast tries to blame it on me or my equipment, without proving anything. If I call, they'll send someone out, but they won't be unable to find a problem (because the problem won't be happening when they check), and I'll be left scratching my head and cursing Comcast. Do they bother to read my logs? No - Do they bother to install, activate or use monitoring software? No - Do they check the modem logs of other customers on my node? No - So who corrected the problem, and got my network back online with the Comcast servers? - I did!
I went downstairs, unplugged the modem, waited a couple of minutes, restarted the modem, but this didn't help. I still had no connectivity. I tried it two more times with similar results. Great - I then proceeded to repair permissions on my computer, logged out, ran a script which checked and repaired disk problems, cleaned up cache files, validated preference files, removed swap files, and finally rebooted the computer. When this didn't help, I restarted my router (an Apple TimeCapsule). That did the trick. Notably, this is the first time (Since the Comcast outages began) that I've needed to reboot my router in order to restore connectivity. After rebooting the router (I had already rebooted the modem three times), connectivity was re-established.
Is this really Comcast's fault? I believe so. The problems started when they began to roll out the DOCSIS3.0 upgrade in my area (According to Comcast technicians). It's up to Comcast to provide me with the service that I've contracted for. When I report problems (and I haven't changed my configuration, hardware or damaged any equipment) it's incumbent upon Comcast to perform the troubleshooting and resolving any connectivity issues. Another thing that really bothers me when I call with problems, is their billing policy in regards to troubleshooting. At times they've insinuated that a call that results in a finding of no problems with the facility equipment 'could' result in a service/technician call charge. The insinuation is this - If 'we' can't find a problem, then the problem is 'you'. I don't like it, I don't like it at all.</rant>
