What's New

November 29, 2010

eMusic changes have been implemented:
Recently (11 Oct, 2010), I received an email from eMusic. The letter announced joyfully that eMusic was about to make some major changes. They're adding 250,000 tracks from BMG! - and they're raising their prices... What! I don't give a crap about more mainstream music from BMG/Sony, what I do care about. A consistent price, quality and selection. While this addition of Sony/BMG may result in the addition of many new members (looking for a cheaper alternative for 'mainstream' music), it's likely to upset many of the old-school eMusic members - like me! I joined eMusic many years ago. Not because they had lower prices (although that helped influence my decision). I joined because they had plenty of independent and hard to find artists in their store/line-up. The addition of these new BMG titles also comes with new pricing - That's right 'new' pricing. The same changes forced onto Apple's iTunes store are now a part of the eMusic store. Gone is the 'credit' based system, replaced with a per track pricing. Each month, my 'subscription' will renew (discarding any remaining money/credits from the previous month) and I'll have to purchase individual tracks or albums using the new pricing scheme. The new pricing scheme?: Individual tracks will be priced between $0.49 and $1.29. Albums will cost somewhere between $5.19 - $8.99.

So, now it's November, and eMusic went ahead and implemented their new pricing scheme. A few days later I noticed something interesting while searching for music at the iTunes store. There were eMusic exclusives for sale in the iTunes store. Ah, hah! Now that eMusic sells their tracks for money (instead of credits), they can put 'their' music in the iTunes store. eMusic produces a fair quantity of eMusic exclusive content, and now they can leverage their customer base and retail might of iTunes to sell those recordings. I hadn't even considered that possibility. Oh yeah, I just realized something else. With a per track cost, eMusic can now compete with iTunes in search engine results. Someone searches for a song on Google, finds the song on iTunes for $1.29. They also see the same song available on eMusic for $0.79. Wow, that's going to drive a lot of sales their way. Man, eMusic sure is thinking about one thing, and one thing only. I'll bet you can guess what that is. It starts with "M", but it sure ain't Music!

With their new pricing scheme in place I find that I have $22.99 to spend each month. I haven't made my purchases for December yet, but I did scope out the prices. I have 36 albums in my 'Save for Later' list. 36 albums with a total of 453 tracks. I added up the price for all those tracks. I comes to $213.42 or approximately $0.47 per track. That means I'll be able to buy appx 49 tracks per month. Yup, it's a reduction. I used to get 50 download credits a month. That's 50 tracks. Two less tracks probably pays for the administrative costs of tracking the virtual money in each persons account. Right now I'm experiencing some serious storage and network problems, so I won't be able to download any music for some time, but I think I've made up my mind. At only two less tracks per month (on average), I don't think I'm ready to leave eMusic - Yet... Unfortunately, it seems like it's only a matter of time.

In all fairness, these changes don't surprise me. eMusic has changed ownership many times over the last few years, and with these ownership changes come changes to their service. As their owners search for new ways to make money, they've lost focus on their customers (in my opinion). It seems to me that these changes are designed to satisfy the profit motive, the owners, creditors and investment bankers, not the customer. While these changes will make emusic more competitive as a business, it won't make me happier. I don't want or need an iTunes clone. As eMusic moves ever closer (in pricing and content) to the iTunes model, I move further away from my desire to continue service with them.
<http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-12519_7-20019399-49.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/letterfromemusic_2010.jpg>
<https://www.robsworld.org/emusicchanges.png>
<https://www.robsworld.org/music.html>
<http://www.emusic.com/>

Happy Thanksgiving:
Despite the fact that I had to work on Thanksgiving (No holiday pay for me. None whatsoever. No matter what day I work on. Ever), Kim and I had a good Thanksgiving. If only I hadn't been sick as a dog (see "I'm Sick!" below). First, I feasted on the scrumptious vitals served up at work. The 'Industrial Partners' got together and paid to have some thanksgiving goodies cooked up, and then they teamed up with the military commanders to serve us shift workers. We may have to work on a holiday, but at least they treat us with some goodies. After work, I went home and immediately took a nap - This flu sure has been kickin' my butt. I needed the sleep badly. After an hour long nap, Kim woke me up for the second round. This year Thanksgiving was a bit different. Normally we have a bunch of single folks (mostly military) over. This year everyone had other plans. Considering the fact that I was sick, this wasn't such a bad thing. We ate some turkey, watched a movie, and I was in bed by 9pm. It'll take some time to finish all the food, but we sure had a good day. If you're an American or Canadian, we hope you had a good Thanksgiving too.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving>

I'm Sick!
It's been a long time since I've been sick, so this illness came as something of a surprise. While Colorado is suffering through the annual flu-season, I thought I was going to skate through without catching any bug. I got my flu shot, so I figured I was good to go. That's when I started slacking at work. Not wiping down my workstation (at relief), not using a handkerchief on the door handles, not washing my hands often enough. Crap! I caught a bug of some sort. More so than your typical cold, this is some sort of influenza bug. A strain the vaccine didn't protect me from. On the first day (the 23rd of Nov), I thought it was just a cold. A sore throat. Nothing major. That evening I realized it was something worse. I didn't get much sleep at all (maybe two hours), as my body was aching, and racked with fever - Hot, then cold, then hot again. Add to that the fact that I couldn't lay down without fluids nearly drowning me. I went in to work, and desperately looked for someone to fill in for me. Thankfully, Mike Murray was available. Despite his initial protestations (He wanted to leave early to get a head start on the holiday weekend), he eventually came to my rescue, and sat my position for the day watch. I went home and suffered. I immediately got three hours sleep, but I needed much more. By the end of the day, I didn't feel much better, but I was able to get more sleep than that first night. On Thursday (Thanksgiving day), I spent a long day at work. Coughing, feverish, runny nose, slightly nauseous. I wish I didn't have to be there, but the manning situation didn't leave me any options. I had off Fri-Sun, but I'm still sick. It's nowhere near as bad as those first two days, but it sure isn't much fun either. What a bother. I'm taking cold medicine, getting extra sleep, drinking plenty of fluids, etc. 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.

Southeast Aurora Neighborhood Watch website:
My odd-ball schedule actually works in my favor for some things. A couple of those things are the community support activities which I enjoy - Volunteering with our local neighborhood watch, maintaining the Southeast Aurora Neighborhood Watch website and mailing lists. Here are some of the changes I made at our Neighborhood Watch website over the last couple days:

* Current: A web page dedicated to the most recent news, announcements and information. Added a banner for our next NW meeting (2 Dec, 2010). I removed the information and banners for a Neighborhood Watch fund raiser - Family Night with the Colorado Avalanche. That event took place on the 27th of Nov. I'm sure we helped raise a lot of money for the APD, so they can purchase and train a new police dog for their K9 unit. I also posted a banner/information regarding the S.T.O.P. program. A program initiated by the Aurora Police Department to help show people how important it is to slow down in school zones. If you've got the time, please view the slideshow put together by one of our PAR officers.
* Events: A listing of upcoming and recurring events in you Southeast Aurora Neighborhood. Events sponsored by or relevant to our Neighborhood Watch. I added a listing for our next Neighborhood Watch Meeting (2 Dec, 2010). Please come on out and join us. I also updated the 'upcoming meetings' paragraph/listing.
* Info: A page of links and information pertinent to the safety and security of our communities. I updated the contact info for our South Shore Area Coordinator. f you live in South Shore, we need a new Area Coordinator. Please consider volunteering with the Neighborhood Watch. We could really use your help.

If you are a resident of Southeast Aurora, you might want to check out our Southeast Aurora Neighborhood Watch website (Serving the following communities: Tollgate Crossing, Sorrel Ranch, The Wheatlands, Beacon Point, Southshore, Tallyn’s Reach, Saddle Rock - North, Serenity Ridge, Black Stone, Heritage Eagle Bend and Rocking Horse). If you're concerned about the safety and security of our community, you might want to join our group, or subscribe to one of our mailing lists to receive periodic alerts, updates and information.
<http://www.southeastaurora-neighborhoodwatch.org/Welcome.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. The Tollgate Crossing website is focused on the Tollgate Crossing community, with a few links to the Neighborhood Watch website. Over the last few weeks, I made a few updates to the community website:

* Welcome: The website's opener. A page containing an introduction to our community website. Here you'll find all the latest news and announcements. I removed the holiday lighting poll. The board has received enough input to make their decision. I rearranged the banners. I updated the banners for our next Metro District meeting (Nov 30th) and our next HOA meeting (Dec 14th). The Metro District meeting was moved from the 23rd of Nov, to the 30th, due to the holiday. Along with the MD meeting announcement, there's an agenda for the meeting. You can download the agenda from our website.
* Events: A detailed listing of upcoming and recurring events in and around Tollgate Crossing. Here is more detailed information regarding some of the events you may have read about on the 'Welcome' page. It's also a place to look for long term/recurring events. I updated the dates for our next HOA (Dec 14th) and Metro District meetings (30 Nov). I also changed the order of the events on this page, corrected some errors, and posted a link to that agenda I mentioned above.
* Info: A page of links, phone numbers, email addresses and other information pertinent to the residents/community of Tollgate Crossing. I updated several contact links/info for the MD, the HOA and it's board members.

HOA Board President: Dale Olsen - email:

HOA Board Vice President: Richard Martinez - email:

HOA Board members: Send email to the board - email:

I also removed the info/link regarding the Metro District board's opposition to amendments 60, 61 and resolution 101. Note: All three measures were defeated.

If you are a resident of 'Tollgate Crossing' (in Aurora, Colorado), you might want to check out the website. It's loaded with information about our community and you can even sign up for some of the email mailing lists that serve our community.
<http://www.tollgatecrossing.org/Welcome.html>

Software favorites:
Two more releases for one of my favorite software applications. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. As usual, developer has been busy updating this application. Here's two more updates for the product that's always getting better. The version numbers moved from 7.0.2 to 7.0.3 this week, and for the life of me, I can't figure out what scheme the developer is using for the version numbers. All the updates are free for those who own a license (for the most recent version). 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 an entirely new version of GraphicConverter last month. Since then there have been multiple beta/minor releases. I downloaded versions 7.0.3 (108) and 7.0.3 (109) this week. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price (~$40.00). 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 what I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's creator. 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/content/193/key-features.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>

ReTrak Cable is Crap!:
<rant>That's right, it's crap! - Emerge Technologies makes retractable consumer electronic accessories and peripherals. It markets it products under the 'ReTrak' brand name. Unfortunately for me, I believed their packaging/advertising claims. According to the packaging, and their website. The device I bought - A TV Audio/Video cable for iPod (model ETIPODRCAV) is 'not compatible' with the following devices: iPod Shuffle (all generations), iPod Touch (1st & 2nd Generations), iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPod Nano 4th Generation. Not only is my device (a sixth generation iPod classic) not listed in the 'not compatible' listing, it's featured on the products packaging and the iPod classic (introduced by Apple on the 5th of Sep, 2007) is specifically listed as a compatible device on their packaging.

So, I bought this device, thinking I could use it to output audio and video from my iPod to my TV. I spent $17.95 at the BX ($9.00 at Amazon - Damn, I have to stop that impulse shopping. It always ends in tragedy). I took it home and tried to make it work. After approximately three hours of troubleshooting I gave up. I went to the internet, and discovered others with similar problems. When Apple released the iPod classic, it implemented a DRM authorization scheme. Video cannot be output without DRM authorization, and this cable won't do that. You need a special cable produced by Apple.

I sent an email off to Emerge Technologies, and here's what they said in reply: "Hi Robert, Thank you for contacting us and we apologize for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, the cable is not compatible with your 6th Generation iPod Classic. This is something new apple has come out with, a new cable for the newest of the iPod devices." My reply to them?

Lauren -

I returned the cord with no problems, but I'm very disappointed in your inconsiderate and possibly false advertising. The packaging on that product specifically lists the 'iPod Classic' as a compatible device, and it features a picture of an iPod that most would agree, looks like an iPod classic.

The iPod Classic (6th generation iPod) was produced with the DRM protection scheme in place; back in 2007!. So this product could never have been 'compatible' with the iPod classic. Why does your product feature the photo of an iPod classic and claim that it 'is' iPod compatible?

You do not need to answer these questions, but a lawyer might want to.

Please change your product packaging/advertising (and website) to remove the false and misleading information.

- Robert

What is it with these people? Are they really that clueless? I doubt it. I can't be the first person to return or have a problem with their 'iPod Classic Compatible A/V Cable'. The product can't, doesn't, never did, work with the iPod Classic...<rant> Emerge Technologies is a leading manufacturer of retractable consumer electronic accessories and peripherals. With over 150 products, Emerge markets to major retailers worldwide under the ReTrak brand name.
<http://www.emergeretail.com/Products/iPod-RCA-Audio-Video-Cable__ETIPODRCAV.aspx>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod_Classic>

Apple Releases iOS 4.2:
If you've got an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, you may already know - Apple released iOS 4.2 on the 22nd of Nov, 2010. This latest release (of the 'i' device operating system) brings a slew of all new features to your iOS device. Multi-tasking for the iPad, Folders on the iPad, AirPrint (allows you to send print jobs to a compatible printer), AirPlay (lets you stream media from an iOS device to an AppleTV (the new kind), Find My iPhone (on the iPad or iPod touch) is now available for free, Game Center, iTunes TV show rentals, improved email with a unified inbox, ability to search for text on a webpage, new fonts for the notes application, reply to calendar invitations, keyboard and dictionary improvements, Accessibility enhancements, enhanced enterprise support, alert tones for messaging app (iPhone only). The iOS update is available now. Just plug in your iOS device and check for new software.
<http://www.apple.com/ios/>

Netflix News - Changes to your plan:
While I recently (on the 26th of Oct, 2010) changed my plan - Switching from 4 out at a time to 2 out at a time, Netflix just changed everyone's plan. Introducing a streaming only plan - at $7.99/month. It's great news for the thousands of folks who just don't want the disc at all. According to the Netflix 'press kit' they've got 12,000 streaming titles. According to other sources (Instant Watcher, Hacking Netflix, Feedflicks), they're already streaming more than 15,000 titles. With one report citing numbers above 16k. That's enough for many people, but I'm sure it's trending upward as Netflix looks for additional ways to reduce shipping costs. Along with that announcement, Netflix also announced new prices and changes to their other plans. The new plans look like this...

Plans	Old Price	New Price
Unlimited Plan (with streaming) without DVDs (New)
No DVDs	-	$7.99
Unlimited Plans (with streaming)
1 DVD out at a time	$8.99	$9.99
2 DVDs out at a time	$13.99	$14.99
3 DVDs out at a time	$16.99	$19.99
4 DVDs out at a time	$23.99	$27.99
5 DVDs out at a time	$29.99	$34.99
6 DVDs out at a time	$35.99	$41.99
7 DVDs out at a time	$41.99	$48.99
8 DVDs out at a time	$47.99	$55.99
Limited Plan
1 DVD (no streaming) limit 2 discs / month	$4.99	$4.99

There are no changes to Blu-Ray prices. This new pricing structure takes effect immediately - for new members. For current customers (as of 22 Nov, 2010), the changes don't go into affect until January of 2011. For me, this change represents a $1.00 increase for my service. It's still better than the price I was paying. I'm very happy to see the No DVD plan, but I'm not quite so please with the price increases. Netflix doesn't change it's fees every time there's a postal rate increase, so these price increases seem fair given the every increasing postage rates (since they implemented the 'old price' scheme).

Netflix continues to expand and improve their service. Leading the industry with thousands of TV shows and movies on disc (over 130,000 titles (last counted Sep 2010)), Netflix is also the king of streaming video as well (more than 15,000 (last counted Sep 2010). Here's a few of the (more than 200) devices which carry Netflix service: Roku player, iPad, iPhone, the new AppleTV, X-Box 360, Windows Phone 7, The PS3, the Wii, TiVo, a growing selection of Blu-Ray players, home theater systems and internet connected televisions.
<http://blog.netflix.com/2010/11/new-plan-for-watching-instantly-plus.html>
<http://www.netflix.com>

AIM Spam! Instant Messaging Spam:
Lately (beginning in Nov, 2010), I've begun receiving spam in my Instant Messenger client. I use Apple's iChat for instant messaging/chat. It's compatible with many different chat protocols, offers text, audio and video capabilities and the Apple specific features (special effects on video, multi-party video chat, slideshow presentations, document sharing, multiple logins, SMS forwarding, etc) are awesome. I've tried many others, but so far I'm sold on Apple's client. iChat's AIM support is fully endorsed by AOL, and it uses their official implementation of the AIM OSCAR protocol. So, I use iChat as an AIM client (I also have a few other chat accounts (not only AIM)). Unfortunately, I've begun receiving spam through iChat... Three 'users' have spammed me so far: mariahppe, meenavarshney, and pinkjello45. Samples of the spam I'm receiving include messages such as:


		I.M. This girl Cuteykaylee she said she knows u from school.
		chat live with real singles now! choose your favorite singles and start chatting! http://goo.gl/7ctmr
		I found this really cool site to get a free laptop http://goo.gl/3a4m

So, the spammers have found a way to get past my email defenses. Striking right out at my monitor. These annoying messages simply pop up on my screen while I'm working. It's disturbing, reminds me of the days when javascript could hijack your browser and pop-up ads were notoriously annoying. When it comes to instant messaging spam, the only option you're left with - block the sender. That's worked so far. I can only hope that AOL (they arrived by way of my AIM account) makes the registration requirements stringent enough that the automated scripts can't sign up for accounts.
<http://www.apple.com/macosx/what-is-macosx/ichat.html>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IChat>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messaging_spam>

November 18, 2010

Beatles are finally available - on iTunes!:
If you're a fan of the Beatles (I am, but I'm not a fanatic), you'll be in good cheer when you hear the news. That's right, after years of negotiations and some legal battles (between Apple Corps and Apple Computer (now Apple Inc.), the long wait is over. The owner of the Beatles catalog (I think it's Sony BMG) has finally agreed to make the Beatles collection (17 albums) available for digital download in the iTunes store. This development marks the end of an era. The transition from CD to digital is over. The Beatles were notably the biggest name to resist the transition, the evolution of musical medium. They were slow to accept CDs, and glacial in their moves to digital - Only producing/remastering for digital release last year. The catalog is now available on iTunes, and I predict massive sales. Large numbers. No regrets. A very merry Christmas for all. If only I could afford the $149.00 price tag. I would of course purchase the entire collection. No sense going half way with something like this. It's great music - No doubt. Get it if you can.
<http://www.apple.com/the-beatles/>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Corps_v_Apple_Computer>

Hulu Plus is Free - For only $4.32:
<rant>What? Yup, apparently the folks at Hulu Plus don't know what 'Free' means. Hulu Plus is a video on demand service. A content aggregator which takes studio content from the web and makes it visible on your big screen TV. That's it, it's essentially a browser that displays internet content on your television. The Hulu website/service features television episodes from various studios - Fox, NBC, ABC and many other smaller named studios/webcast producers. The videos are Flash, so don't be surprised if your iPhone won't let you watch the content. The 'Free' version - Hulu, without the 'Plus' has embedded advertisement in the videos, and it's only available on the web. You've gotta sit in front of a computer to enjoy it (unless you've already hacked your tv to browse the internet). Hulu Plus as a pay service, makes that same free content available through various internet enabled devices. Notably, the Roku, some blu-ray devices with internet connectivity, iOS (like the iPhone) devices, PS3, Xbox 360 and others. Recently (18 Nov, 2010), I received an invitation to try out the Hulu Plus service for a two week free trial period (see the huluplusinvitation.png image). After the initial splash page, I thought - "What the heck, Free is free, can't hurt to try" I proceeded to 'sign-up' (see huluplusnotfree.png image) when I was presented with the 'Price'. Umm, the cost of Free Hulu Plus? $4.32. That's right two weeks for free, when you sign up for your first month. Normal price is $7.99. If you do the math, in a 30 day month, the prorated cost of two weeks is appx $3.67. I thought, "Wait a second, that can't be right, why does a 'Free Trial' cost $4.32?" (or more accurately $1.95 after you distribute the $4.32 over a full month). I checked the 'Terms of Use' and there wasn't anything in there about a refund if you quit within the two week trial period. This isn't a Free trial, it's a reduced price for the first month. Those folks at Hulu need to go back to accounting, either that or fire their ad campaign folks. Free should cost $4.32. Needless to say, I won't be trying the Hulu Plus service. FYI: Those videos you pay for? Many will feature advertisement. That's right, you'll be paying for the delivery of advertising subsidized content... This is a model destined to failure. I'm already paying for advertising subsidized content - It's called cable TV. How would this be better?</rant>

FYI: Checking back in. A few weeks later (26 Nov), I've noticed that they did away with the two week 'Not Free' trial. Now it's a one week Free Trial - With no cost attached to the trial period. Well, it looks like they actually heard some of the criticism. You know what? It's too late. Too late for me. I was excited, then disappointed, then outraged. Now I'm just 'Ho - Hum', they had their chance to woo me, and they blew it. I stopped to consider why I would want to pay for the 'Hulu Plus' content, and that's where they lost me. If only they had managed to get me when I was still excited about the possibility...
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulu>
<http://www.hulu.com/plus?src=topnav>
<https://www.robsworld.org/huluplusinvitation.png>
<https://www.robsworld.org/huluplusnotfree.png>

Disaster Strikes at "Rob's World!":
Recently (16 - 18 Nov, 2010), "Rob's World!" experienced a disaster. A repeat of something that happened back in 2009. Something I've been dreading, battling, and complaining about for more than a year now. Email sent from the server that services 'robsworld.org', 'tollgatecrossing.org', 'vaessen.net', yes, every domain I own and manage was blocked by email servers at Comcast, Yahoo, AOL, and who knows where else. The email server in question had been misconfigured for more than a year. Reverse DNS would not resolve to the reported host name, and that put the server on a 'black list' run by a service called 'SpamHaus'. While this incident originally occurred more than a year ago, my sys admin submitted a removal request, and my domains were 'temporarily' removed from that 'blacklist'. Unfortunately, the system administrator failed to follow-up on this issue, and one year later that temporary exception expired. The result? Email from my domains was being blocked! Crap. This is a huge problem, and I don't understand why my sys admin didn't resolve the issue before this happened. I've been reporting the problem on and off for more than a year. I often saw evidence of the problem when users (email subscribers) would complain that they're not receiving my email messages. I'd start investigating, and eventually I would find that their email service was rejecting email that didn't resolve properly under a reverse DNS lookup. Yup - That's my problem. The email server was misconfigured all this while. I reported it, reported it again, and again, and again. When I would as what was up with the reverse DNS problem, I'd get silence or excuses. No resolution. Well, it finally happened, the problem blew up in our faces. All my email (and his coincidentally) was being blocked by anyone subscribing to the Spamhaus Policy Black List (I know it isn't technically a 'Black List', but when ISPs use it to implement rejection of email... What's that? It's black listing. No doubt about it).

As soon as I was alerted to the outage - and I noticed it immediately, I reported the problem to my system administrator. Unfortunately, he was at work (his sys admin duties aren't his day job). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to simply 'wait patiently'. People depend on the email services I run. The mailing lists, distribution aliases and email to and from my domains. I spent a good part of my day investigating the problem, reporting the details to my sys admin, attempting to troubleshoot and resolve the outage, and explaining what was going on to all those people who rely on email to/from my domains. A day came and went, and the problem persisted. I went to work, and by the morning of the 18th, everything was working properly. Unfortunately, it took a disaster to get things fixed. They are fixed properly now, but waiting an entire year, and suffering through two email outages doesn't make me a happy camper!
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNSBL>
<http://www.spamhaus.org/pbl/>

More Snow for the Front Range:
It certainly didn't take long for the weather to change. November is definitely one of the most volatile months for Colorado weather - Just a few days ago - we had temps in the 70s, and we nearly broke record highs on the 7th of November. Today we're reminded that despite the calendar's assertions (that we don't officially enter winter until 21 December), it's winter in Colorado. Another snow storm hit the Front Range today. Nothing big mind you, just 1" or so. Fortunately, it was all gone after two days of fierce Colorado sun. Crazy Colorado weather. I love it!

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's a couple more updates for the product that's always getting better. All the updates are free for those who own a license (for the most recent version). If you need a powerhouse converter, editor and browser for your graphics, grab a copy of GraphicConverter - You won't be disappointed. In addition to the regular GraphicConverter updates, I also downloaded a Safari update. Apple's web browser gets a slew of security updates.

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) released an entirely new version of GraphicConverter in October of this year (2010). Since then there have been multiple beta/minor releases. I downloaded two updates 7.0.2(104) and 7.0.2(105) this week. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price (~$40.00). 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 what I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's creator. 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/content/193/key-features.html>

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 (there's even a Windows version! - Microsoft stops developing IE for Mac, and Apple makes a Windows version of Safari?). I'm currently running Safari Version 5.0.3 (6533.19.4).

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, Yahoo and Bing search integration, built-in pop-up blocker, multiple standards (HTML 4.01, 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. Safari Reader mode - banish all those annoying sidebars and adds. Expanded support for HTML 5. Nitro Engine - Makes Safari the fastest in the pack. That's just a small taste of Safari's 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.

This recent update (v5.0.3) contains numerous security fixes. Multiple CSS, cross-origin, JavaScript, overflow errors, integer overflows, etc, etc. Making Safari more secure, keeping your computer secure. 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://support.apple.com/kb/DL1070>
<http://www.webstandards.org/action/acid3>

MobileMe HomePage not disabled:
Recently (on October 8th, 2010), I received an email from Apple, informing me that there were some changes coming to MobileMe. Over a year ago, Apple retired the .Mac HomePage application for publishing new .Mac webpages, but they allowed previously published pages to remain viewable on the web. On November 8th, 2010, they discontinued online viewing of photos, movies, and files shared using .Mac HomePage.

While they stated that they're not going to delete any photos, movies, or files published using HomePage (or hosted through the .Mac 'Sites' folder), I somehow got the impression that they were going to actually disallow the viewing of webpages that were created and stored in a site hierarchy used by the .Mac HomePage online editor. They did away with the web-based 'HomePage' editing/creation tool, and now they're discontinuing the 'viewing/display' of files hosted in the iDisk's 'Sites' folder... Or so I thought. As it turns out, this change only had a minor affect on my .Mac HomePage. They didn't disable the viewing of all 'Files' just certain types of media. I had some photos linked and displayed on my .Mac HomePage. Those photos are no longer loaded or displayed through my .Mac HomePage.

I find it odd that the only thing changed is the actual display of media that was hosted on these .Mac HomePages. All the other links, media and webpages on my .Mac HomePage seem to work perfectly. As a result of Apple's announced changes, I went ahead and re-created/re-post all the content I was hosting in the (MobileMe) 'Sites' folder - where the URL was: <http://homepage.mac.com/rvaessen/> - to hosting in the 'Web' folder. I used iWeb in order to re-create/re-post/host my old iTools, .Mac, HomePage. I thought viewing of that page was going away, as it turns out, it's just the viewing of the photos that went away... Well, I'll leave things as they are for now. When I get the chance, I'll probably go ahead and completely remove that old .Mac HomePage. Change happens. You either roll with the punches or you get rolled.

The 'new' webpage isn't a complete clone of the old .Mac HomePage. I changed the look a bit, but kept most of the elements from that old webpage. The new web page is available now, just in case you'd like to check it out. So, what can one find on my .Mac/MobileMe page? Links to my favorite Desktop Photos, a link to my Music Collection, my Movie Collection, and my MobileMe gallery. Mostly, its a place where I keep some of my collections. Things I might need access to when I'm away from home, but near a computer.
<http://web.me.com/rvaessen/Robs_World/RobsWorld.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/mobilemechanges01.png>
<http://www.apple.com/mobileme/>

AppleJack keeps my Mac running right:
<rave>It's an application that I've been using since... Well, I can't remember when I first started using it, but I'd estimate that I've been using it since 2006 or so. It's an awesome application. Is your Mac Jacked up? If it is, you need AppleJack. This software has helped me correct many nagging problems. It's easy to use and doesn't cost much - It's Free! AppleJack remains my number one choice for fixing OS level problems, including permission repairs. I use it whenever I'm experiencing problems. I use it just before OS updates, just after OS updates, and anytime I have to reboot my computer. I try to run it once a month, even if I'm not experiencing any problems. It keeps those pesky problems from cropping up. Cleans out accumulated cache files, fixes corrupted disk sectors, repairs permissions, validates preference files, fixes orphaned files, etc, etc.

The application runs in Single User Mode (restart and hold down the CMD-S keys during start up (after the 'start up' chime). Once the command prompt appears (don't get scared - everything's going to be o.k.), follow the instructions provided onscreen. I usually run the 'applejack auto restart' option, as it corrects most issues, and keeps my Mac running smoothly. Take a break while it runs through it's maintenance routines, and it'll restart the computer when it's done. This venerable troubleshooting utility was recently (back in July of 2010) updated to Snow Leopard compatibility. Hopefully, the update for 10.7 won't take quite so long. Despite the fact that it took the developer a long time to update the application, I found that the 'Leopard' version worked fine with 'Snow Leopard'. If you've got a Mac, and you want to keep it purring, you should seriously consider the install of this free application.<rave>
<http://applejack.sourceforge.net/>
<http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10334620-263.html?tag=mfiredir>

Apple's iLife '11:
Recently (20 Oct, 2010) Apple held a 'Special Event'. This 'Back to the Mac' event took place (by invitation) at the company's Cupertino, California headquarters. Steve Jobs presented the keynote, and various other Apple employees covered several announcements and updates. Just like the last few events, this one was broadcast live on the web. After a 'State of the Mac' briefing by COO Tim Cook. Following that was the announcement for Apple's release of iLife '11.The last time the suite was updated was 2009, but Apple has updated a few of the Apps in the interim. This new version of the creativity suite brings updates to three of the applications (iPhoto, iMovie, and Garageband). No updates (in the new suite) from iDVD and iWeb. Different speakers covered the various updates.

* Senior VP, Phil Schiller recapped all the changes coming to iPhoto (Full Screen working/browsing/editing - with floating tool palettes); Lot's of new slideshow templates; New 'Smart' slideshows using locations; iPhoto now syncs/shares photos in both directions - to or from sync'd Flickr, Facebook (including comments from Facebook) or MobileMe galleries; New email right inside iPhoto (no need to leave iPhoto); updated book publishing (made it smarter - uses ratings, grouped photos (dates and locations)); New letter press cards (the embossed cards are pretty cool).

* Following iPhoto was an iMovie update - Presented by Randy Ubillos, the new update brings lots of audio updates - Allowing quick and easy changes; Also introduced some new audio effects; One Step effects bring special effects such as slow-mo instant replay and flash and hold; Built in people-finder capabilities using iPhoto's 'Faces' functionality; A new feature adds an awesome 'Movie Trailers' (in 24 fps) capability (with several themes); Movie sharing is updated to include MobileMe, YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, CNN iReport, and Podcast Producer.

* After iPhoto, we got a sneak peak at updates coming to Apple's 'Garage Band' application. While I don't use Garage Band, I can't imagine any musician not being thrilled about all the great capabilities present in this application. This update - Presented by Xander Soren, brought some great new features: Flex-time (which allows you to tweak the timing on individual notes/tracks); Groove Matching (which syncs all the tracks to the rhythm of one master/groove track); new guitar amps and effects; new piano and guitar lessons; and a new feature called 'How did I play? (Real-time play along with pre-recorded training tracks (piano and guitar). Garage band highlights the mistakes you make in note and timing. Keeping score along the way (and a history over time), Garage Band turns this training session into a game where your high-score improves your capabilities).

I waited a bit before I ordered my copy of iLife '11, and in the interim I watched the forums and newsfeeds for reviews, issues and complaints. While there was plenty of complaining - about the lack of updates for iDVD or iWeb, I didn't see any serious problems reported. Some people had problems updating their copies of iPhoto, but most of those problems seem to have been caused by users. People were trying to launch the application, use the application, or add photos to it, while it was updating! Then they complained that it locked up on them and wouldn't update.

I ordered my copy of iLife '11 on the 9th of November. I ordered the Family Pack (for $79.00) and the disc arrived (when will Apple do away with this unnecessary physical distribution? I've got a really fast/reliable (Thank you Comcast) connection. I could easily download this software) on the 13th of Nov, and I installed it on the 14th.

The best advice I can give when updating iPhoto (or any application) - Make a backup (of the application and your files/photos) before you update (Time Machine isn't always enough. I also made a clone/copy of my primary drive), and wait until it's completely done updating before you attempt to use it. Many people attempted to use the application immediately after they installed the new version. Unfortunately, that's when the new version was updating their photo library for use with the new application. Another precaution I took... After I installed the new version (9.0 came with iLife '11), I updated it before I tried to use it. After it had updated my photo library, I checked for software updates. Sure enough, there was an update for iPhoto. The iPhoto 9.1 update added the Calendars and Letter Press capabilities and fixed some video issues. I installed the 9.1 update, then launched iPhoto. No problems encountered.

As for iLife '11, Well, I'm very impressed with the offering. Despite the fact that there were no updates to iDVD or iWeb (iWeb is often updated outside the iLife suite updates), It's amazing how much stuff you get for only $79.00! (Same price as iLife '08 and iLife '11), and I paid even less with my corporate discount (Thank you Northrop Grumman). This software application suite includes five premium products. iPhoto (with tones of new features (see above)), iMovie (with new audio effects, One-Step effects, Slo-Mo replays, built in people finder features, and those new Trailer features), GarageBand (with expanded music lessons, real-time play along analysis/training and several new editing and effects capabilities), iWeb AND iDVD. If you'd like to learn more about the applications included in this new release, head on over to the Apple web site. Oh yeah, one last thing... iLife '11 will now be free on every new Mac (it used to be free on iMac's only), updates are only $49.00 ($79.00 for the Family pack), and the software is available now.
<http://www.apple.com/ilife/>
<http://gallery.me.com/rvaessen>

November 12, 2010

D&D updates:
We played our last D&D session on the 30th of Oct . Everyone but Kevin was able to attend. Kim played Kevin's character (Pyrceval), and Todd played his new character (Crucifer). Here are some of the updates from that meeting. With the conclusion of our 8 August, 2009 meeting, the 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 have struck 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.

Note from the Campaign Master
As of 20 February, 2010, one of the players (Mark) has taken over the duties of DM. Mark and I have been planning this change for some time. It's something I like to do, when possible. Unfortunately, the opportunity doesn't present itself too often. Once the campaign has been established, and the players familiar with "Rob's World", I like to encourage full participation by sharing the duties of DM. Mark has written the adventure that the characters are currently engaged in, and I will relinquish DM duties while Mark makes all the big decisions. With Mark behind the podium, I'll do my best to enjoy the mystery, and keep Solmar alive. So, Mark and I have switched places. He'll be running the show, and I'll be playing Solmar. What fun! I'm certainly enjoying this change of pace, the opportunity for adventure, and the mystery of Deepwood. - Robert

3rd Edition Campaign:
I updated the date of our next meeting - Our next meeting is 27 Nov, 2010. 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. Here's another journal entry penned by Mutteran - Lee's character. Once again, thanks go out to Lee for his continued support. Be sure to check it out when you get a chance. The party is still on their way to the location of their next challenge. During this particular session the party fought off another attack by summoned elementals. This time, they managed to spot and attack the enigmatic mage that's been hounding the group.
<https://www.robsworld.org/ajournal08.html#oct30 2010>

Monsters encountered:
On the road - As the party takes to the open road, they find themselves to be the target for numerous hungry, belligerent, and simply curious creatures. During our most recent gaming sessions, the party learned about one new monster. Apparently, Skif has the ability to summon Fire Elementals. A creature our party has heard about, but never encountered before. With Skif's summoning, I updated the party's Monster's Known listing. The monsters page is a listing of monsters that the party has encountered, read about, or heard of.
<https://www.robsworld.org/monsters.html>

These updates follow our meeting on the 30th of Oct . It's the eighth adventure for our group of heroes. In search of glory, fame, and justice, the H.A.L.L.O.W.ed Knights 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 feared by evil and revered by the good citizens of these realms. Departing on the 1st of Mavis, the party has decided to help the citizens of Deepwood in their quest to vanquish a Blue Dragon from their backyard. After picking up supplies, horses, and some information in Westgate, the party has taken to the open road. The road has proven dangerous and long. The party has fought many foes along the way, lost two of their own (Gregor and Jusarian), and recruited two new companions (Pyrceval and Azura) to strengthen their numbers. A quick stop in the city of Lheshayl resulted in many changes. Belt learned of an urgent church matter, and hastily resigned as a member of the H.A.L.L.O.W.ed Knights, The party split up some of it's treasure and bid fair travels to Belt. With Belt's departure, the party found itself one man down, but that didn't last long. A mysterious Star Elf named Crucifer has joined the group in their quest to vanquish Deepwood of it's Dragon problem. Back on the road again, the party found no encounters over a period of nine days. The 25th of Junta brought an ambush and attack from some mysterious magic user. With the battle concluded and magical menace banished, the party returns again to its southward journey. 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>

* Current: A web page dedicated to the most recent news, announcements and information. I removed a paragraph labeled "Keep The Lights On". I also removed a note regarding the use of our mailing lists (If you sign up for a community mailing list, please contact the Area Coordinator for that community so they can record your address - This will help the Police Department reduce their printing costs). I added a paragraph/information regarding a Neighborhood Watch fund raiser. We're helping the Police Department raise money for a new Police Dog (dog & training). They need a new dog, but don't have funds in the budget. The fund raiser is a Family Night at the Pepsi Center. A Colorado Avalanche hockey game at a reduced ticket price. Please help us out be purchasing a ticket (see the 'Current' page for details). I also added a paragraph/slide show on Identity Theft. How to protect yourself from Identity Theft. This was the presentation that Officer Cassell gave at our last NW meeting.
* Events: A listing of upcoming and recurring events in you Southeast Aurora Neighborhood. Events sponsored by or relevant to our Neighborhood Watch. I added a listing for the Fund Raiser mentioned above. The event takes place on the 27th of Nov (Saturday after Thanksgiving), at 7PM. Please come out to support the NW, and enjoy the game!
* Info: A page of links and information pertinent to the safety and security of our communities. I added contact info for a new Area Coordinator. If you live in Serenity Ridge, you will find contact information for Gregory Chol.

Netflix News - No Netflix on Android:
Streaming recently came to the Xbox 360 and the Windows Phone 7 (only the second phone with Netflix streaming). Unfortunately, it (Netflix streaming) won't be coming to Android phones any time soon. Netflix announced (through email and their official blog) that they won't be bringing streaming to any Android powered phones for some time. Citing security, piracy, and DRM issues. The lack of a common architecture and security framework makes Android a difficult platform to work with. Netflix will do it's best; on a per handset basis, to bring streaming to some handsets. Streaming will come to some Android devices by next year, but don't expect a universal roll-out on this platform. Netflix will also continue to work with the Android community, handset manufacturers, carriers, and other service providers to develop a standard, platform-wide solution that allows content providers to deliver their services to all Android-based devices.

Netflix continues to expand and improve their service. Leading the industry with thousands of TV shows and movies on disc (over 130,000 titles (last counted Sep 2010)), Netflix is also the king of streaming video as well (more than 28,000 (last counted Sep 2010). Here's a few of the devices which carry Netflix service: Roku player, iPad, iPhone, the new AppleTV, X-Box 360, Windows Phone 7, The PS3, the Wii, TiVo, a growing selection of Blu-Ray players, home theater systems and internet connected televisions.
<http://blog.netflix.com/2010/11/netflix-on-android.html>
<http://www.netflix.com>

USAA is Awesome:
<rave>Recently, (Nov, 2010) my insurance company saved me a big pile of money. Kim and I have been USAA customers for many years now (since March of 2005), and they've always done right by us. No hassles, no ridiculous claims issues, no denials, prompt payments, excellent service, etc. A fantastic company. This month they reinforced my resolve once again. At the beginning of the month, someone called claiming to be 'From my insurance company'. He said they had mailed me a letter, and he wanted to ask me a few questions about my home owner's policy. By now my spider senses were tingling. I hadn't received any letter, and what insurance company calls you? I let him know that I hadn't received any letter, he called unsolicited, I didn't know who he was, and I wasn't about to answer any questions regarding my home owner's policy. He understood completely, said that was fine and let me know that I could call USAA to discuss my home owner's policy at any time.

I waited a couple days, and the letter arrived. It was from USAA. They wanted to conduct an analysis of my home owner's policy. So, I called them. After a few minutes I got connected to the right person. The policy analyst and I went over my coverage... Time for a little background: The current trend - nationwide - is higher home owner policies. In this down economy, I've noticed that insurance companies are raising their rates. Why? That's a very good question. As a matter of fact, one of my neighbors asked that very question on a local mailing list that I run.

Hi,
I am wondering if you all noticed a huge increase in your Homeowners Insurance this year? I just received my premium notice and it went up 29%!!!! The excuse from my insurance company is that this is a statewide increase due to the number of hail storms this year.

Any comments from you all would be appreciated. I am not a happy camper.

I let Judy know that my home owner's policy (with USAA) hadn't changed at all (during 2010).

Judy, I don't know who your homeowners insurance is through, but there are several reports in the news about Allstate raising their rates. In Mississippi, they tried to raise rates 44%. I couldn't find many articles citing increases by other companies, but Allstate can't be the only company raising their rates.

According to my research, the cost of homeowners insurance in Colorado averages about $560 per year (in 2010) but it hasn't kept up with rising costs. Other reports cite termite infestations, vacant rental properties and huge mortgage defaults and foreclosures as a source of reduced insurance incomes. Other insurance watch groups say it's part of a general tightening of policies by property and casualty insurers, following a deluge of hailstorms, snowstorms and fires throughout the state - That and huge loses in the financial markets, a prime source of income for insurance companies.

A call to the State Commissioner of Insurance (For Colorado) indicated that Judy was lucky that the increase was only 29%. She said many policies have increased 60-100% due to the heavy hail storms and stuff that have hit Colorado this year (2010). You and I both know, that if next year or the years after are calmer than this one, our premiums won't go down.

Back to the good news. The policy analyst and I went over my coverage. After the analysis and adjustment, I ended up getting better coverage for less than I was currently paying. I ended up saving ~ $95.00, and my coverage was actually increased slightly (over the previous policy). Since I had recently (back in July) paid my premium, he told me that they would cut me a check to refund the difference (the amount I paid over the new policy cost). O.k. Hold On! I had to ask a few questions. Why, when so many companies are raising rates, why is USAA reducing the cost of my home owner's policy? Well, he explained it to me... While there may have been plenty of claims this year, the cost of home replacement has dropped significantly. The cost to replace my home has dropped considerably. There's no reason why I should be paying a premium which would cover the initial value of the home (purchased back in 2005 - when costs were high). Home values have dropped over the last few years, and the cost to 'replace' my home has fallen significantly. USAA is always looking for ways to save their customers money. They've been analyzing home owner's policies, and reducing the fees accordingly as a service to their customers. He explained that while claims and costs have been significant this year, the reduction in home values more than makes up for the difference. The replacement costs for everyone's home has been going down; not everyone has had a claim. If they kept their policies at the same level, they'd be making record profits, because the cost to replace homes has dropped drastically.

Wow - I was blown away. Here's an insurance analyst laying it on the line. Giving me the straight dope. So, these other companies are simply using 'claims' as an excuse to raise prices, when they should actually be LOWERING the rates on their policies! Amazing. I am so glad I have USAA. They care more about me than corporate profits, and that's an extremely rare sentiment in the insurance industry.

Wait a second - That's not the end of the story. There's more good news. According to the policy analyst. USAA will notify my bank (mortgage holder) of the change in my policy, because they'll need to adjust my escrow withholdings. O.k. I said I'd follow up on that to make sure they change it... A couple weeks passed. I got my copy of the new policy. I got my check in the mail, and then I got a phone call from my bank (Kim answered the phone). The bank was calling to let us know that they were going to increase my escrow withholdings. The call was quite comical - It went something like this:

Bank: We need to increase your escrow withholdings (thus raising my mortgage payments). Due to the fact that my insurance rates had gone up.
Kim: What?
Bank: There's been a ~ $95.00 increase on your home owner's policy.
Kim: What? How did you find out about this rate increase?
Bank: We received a letter from your insurance company.
Kim: Really? Do you have the letter?
Bank: Yes
Kim: Could you read it over the phone?
Bank: Sure, ...the premium on the policy has been reduced by approximately $95.00... umm, I think there's been a mistake here.
Kim: No, I don't think so. Our insurance company and my husband went over our policy, and the cost has been reduced. We got the same letter.

The fact that our premium had been reduced came as a surprise to the bank. So much of a surprise, that they immediately jumped to the opposite conclusion. They were prepared to start charging us more on our mortgage. They indicated that they would need to re-evaluate our escrow and mortgage payments. A day later, they called with more good news. As it turns out, they hadn't analyzed our mortgage and escrow for more than two years... In that time our home was reassessed and we've been overpaying on our escrow. The reduced taxes (home value had dropped) and reduced insurance premium had a significant impact on our escrow. They've been withholding far too much money. As a matter of fact, they now needed to send us a check to refund some money. More than $1,500.00! They would also need to send another check after the new year. It's fantastic news for us, but makes me a bit concerned about the bank. Why hadn't they reevaluated our mortgage/escrow payments in over two years? Kim and I are new home owners, and we're still trying to figure out all the details regarding our mortgage, escrow, taxes, insurance, etc... Are all bank this lax in their attention? I guess they don't really bother until you're not paying enough.

USAA is an insurance company and a bank (United Services Automobile Association). It is 'NOT' a publicly traded company. It's an 'Association', the members are the 'owners'. It doesn't answer to 'stockholders', it answers to it's members. Military members and their families (past and present) constitute the membership. The company suggests products and services, but the members get to vote on all the big changes and decisions. They're focused on products and services which help members meet their financial needs, not services that generate the most income for the company.

This is one of the best companies I've ever done business with. I've never been steered wrong, wronged or misled by USAA. Their service has always been the best. I can't imagine another company which treats it's members like owners, always looks out for the interests of it's members, and doesn't seek to screw those it serves. If you know a company as forthright, honest, and responsive, please share it with me.</rave>
<https://www.usaa.com/inet/ent_utils/McStaticPages?key=about_usaa>
<http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-04-28/news/ct-biz-0428-notebook-financial-20100428_1_auto-customers-allstate-corp-auto-insurance-writer>
<http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/legislature/stories/DN-allstate_08tex.ART.State.Edition1.4baa53d.html>
<http://www.property-casualty.com/News/2010/8/Pages/Louisiana-Approves-Allstate-Homeowners-Rate-Increases.aspx>
<http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-07-13/news/fl-allstate-rate-hike-20100713_1_allstate-floridian-insurance-insurance-rate-hikes-office-of-insurance-regulation>
<http://homeinsurance.com/rates-in-your-state/>
<http://insurancenewsnet.com/article.aspx?id=225202&type=propertycasualty>
<http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/corporateering/articles/?storyId=13068&bIndex=270>

Encryption and email signatures:
Spammers are continuously assaulting my digital identity by forging messages to look like they came from me. As a result, I use pgp signed messages for much of my email correspondence. With Apple's recent OS update (see below), I updated one of the tools I use for digital signing.

I use GnuPG v1.4.9 and the GPGMail plugin 1.3.1 (Compatible with Snow Leopard (10.6.5)), for Apple's Mail.app Version 4.4 (1082) for encryption, decryption, and message authentication. If you would like to correspond in secret, please take note of my Public Keys. Why do I use signatures or encryption? Well, I don't use the encryption very often, but I have been known to send myself encrypted email containing passwords or private information (banking and medical information). I use pgp signatures quite often, as a way of ensuring message authenticity. I'm tired of spammers pretending to be me. By using these signatures (which uses the message content (upon signing) and a private key to create a signature which can be verified by using my public key) I can assure recipients that the message they received was actually sent be me, and it hasn't been tampered with in transit. In addition to my self published keys, my public keys are also available on various keyservers.

In addition to this software update, I also updated my encryption page and some information regarding my use of encryption/pgp signatures on my feedback page.
<https://www.robsworld.org/encryption.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/feedback.html>

Mac OS 10.6.5 / Apple Security update 2010-007:
Apple is hard at work, making sure that Snow Leopard is running on all cylinders (in my case 8 - or 16 if you count the virtual threads). This time around it's an update to the operating system (from 10.6.4 to 10.6.5) and a Security Update (update 2010-007). With Apple's iOS 4.2 on the Horizon, and 10.7 close behind, Apple's introducing code that will make the transition easier, while simultaneously continuing to tighten down the security screws on the Mac OS. They're hard at work, finding security flaws, patching annoying bugs, improving the user experience.

The OS update didn't bring any startling changes to the user experience. Just some general fixes and improvements. Improving reliability, connectivity, performance. Addressing some of the nagging issues which have been plaguing users. This large security update delivers more than one hundred patches, including 46 for the Flash Player plugin alone. Hmmm, I wonder why Apple claims that Flash is too buggy to use on it's iOS platform?

You can read all about Apple's upgrades, bug fixes, security updates, and more by following the links I've provided below. I upgraded to Snow Leopard during August of 2009, and I have to say, the tweaking, enhancements and multi-core refinements have resulted in considerable speed improvements on my machine. You can read more about the update at Apple's website. Keeping my Mac safe from malicious hackers and such.

As a result of these recent updates, the following pages have been updated. myfavs.html, feedback.html, encryption.html and mycomputer.html.
<http://www.apple.com/macosx/security/>
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4250>
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4435>

November 9, 2010

Front Range Snow Storm - November 2010:
It certainly didn't take long for the weather to change. November is definitely one of the most volatile months for Colorado weather - Just one day ago - we had temps in the 70s, and we nearly broke record highs on the 7th of November. Today - Today it's completely different. Overnight the temps dropped rapidly (oh my aching joints), during the days the mercury hovered near the 40s, by 1440MST the snow started falling, and it kept falling until well past sunset. By the time it stopped we'd accumulated 3.5 inches of that white fluffy stuff. We went from near record highs to cold and nasty snow in less than twenty four hours. Crazy Colorado weather. I love it!

Heat Wave in November:
While Autumn arrived way back in September, November seems a bit confused. Thinking it's still Summer, we recently experienced an early November heat wave of near record proportions. The last few days (Nov 5 - 9) have brought us some unseasonably warm weather. So warm in fact, that we almost broke a record on the 7th of Nov. Temps during this heat wave ran in the high 70s, with the high (on the 7th) reaching 78 degrees on Sunday. Combine those high temps with no humidity, and you've got one scorcher of a week. Even for Colorado! Shouldn't it be cooling down by now? Considering the fact that our weather seems to swing wildly at times, I'm sure it won't be long before we've got snow - Stand by for more Colorado weather.
<http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_16533635>

* Welcome: The website's opener. A page containing an introduction to our community website. Here you'll find all the latest news and announcements. I updated the date for our next Metro District meeting (23 Nov). I also changed the order of some banners/announcements.
* Events: A detailed listing of upcoming and recurring events in and around Tollgate Crossing. Here is more detailed information regarding some of the events you may have read about on the 'Welcome' page. It's also a place to look for long term/recurring events. I updated the dates for our next HOA (Nov 9th) and Metro District meetings (23 Nov). I also changed the order of the events on this page and removed an announcement regarding the MD special event on the 26th of October.

More Free Music in November:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. Where do I get all this stuff? Well, I used to find/discover 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. Used to... Now? Now (As of Oct of 2010) I subscribe to a service called MOG. MOG is an online music service, a blog network, and a social networking website where users can listen to, read about, and discover music. Music + Blog = MOG. It's been around since 2005, in September of 2009 it started offering streaming music subscriptions. With full-play access to more than 9 million tracks, at only $4.99 a month, it's a fantastic way to discover music. I still use a few of the other methods, but MOG has become my primary music discovery source.

Artists want you to hear their music - If you like it, you'll buy it, or maybe you'll buy some concert tickets. 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 web 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 - and in most cases - paid for!

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. Here's one of the free tracks I picked up this month.
* In Every Direction - Junip: (single) From the album 'Fields'. Junip is a band I've never heard of before, but I like this single. A Swedish band with a grungy 90s sound. Slow melody with great lyrics.

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 one of those free tracks. Thanks Apple!:
* Sing Me To Sleep - Fran Healy (featuring Neko Case): (single) Francis Healy is the frontman for Travis - A British pop group. Here he's released a single (with an album on the way?). While Travis slowed down (with the lead singer breaking his neck!), Healy started working on his first solo album, 'Wreckorder'. That album was released this year (2010), and this song is a single from the album. Slow pacing, great lyrics and a fantastic production. I like it.

These are some of the items I added to my music collection during this 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>

Software favorites:
Another beta release for one of my favorite software applications. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. As usual, developer has been busy updating this application. Here's another update for the product that's always getting better. All the updates are free for those who own a license (for the most recent version). If you need a powerhouse converter, editor and browser for your graphics, grab a copy of GraphicConverter - You won't be disappointed. In addition to the regular GraphicConverter updates, I also downloaded an update for another one of my favorites - Transmit, the ftp tool that does it all.

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) released an entirely new version of GraphicConverter in October of this year (2010). Since then there have been multiple beta/minor releases. I downloaded version 7.0.2 (97) this week. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price (~$40.00). 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 what I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's creator. 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/content/193/key-features.html>

Transmit:
An FTP tool that does it all. Anyone who publishes web pages eventually needs a way to upload their pages to a web site. I've found that stand alone FTP tools are the best for this task. Transmit has a clean and easy to use interface, and some really nifty features, like the ability to resume a transfer that's been interrupted, advanced site synchronization capabilities (with simulation mode and reporting capabilities), iDisk and Amazon S3 integration, drag-to-dock sending, creation / use of transfer droplets, column views, quick navigation side-bar, multi-connection transfers, built in compression, a built in text editor, remote file editing using local editors, and secure transfer (in various different flavors) capabilities. Check out the Panic.com Release Notes for all the changes made (by version) to Transmit.
<http://www.panic.com/transmit/index.html>

November 4, 2010

This disc is intended for rental purposes:
<rant>The other day, I sat down to watch a Netflix rental. I rented the movie, "Get Him to the Greek" starring Jonah Hill and Russel Brand. Kim wanted to watch it too, so I was waiting for Kim to finish something in the kitchen. While I was waiting, I thought I'd start with some of the bonus features. I went through five previews, then skipped through something like four more... Why so many previews? It's so annoying - I tried going directly to the disc's menu - Nope that's disabled. O.k. Finally made it to the main menu. Selected bonus features, thought I'd watch the 'Deleted Scenes'. That's when it hit me. The following message was displayed on my television...

This disc is intended for rental purposes and
only includes the feature film.

Own it on Blu-Ray™ or DVD to view these
bonus features and complete your movie watching experience.

Really?! They may as well have put up a banner that said "Screw you renter! - Buy our F**king movie!" Universal pictures - Doing everything they can to screw the consumer, and suck more money out of your bank account. With DVD sales down, studios are doing all they can to maximize their revenues. Here's a move calculated to result in greater DVD sales. Does this make you want to buy a Universal DVD? It certainly doesn't work for me.

Renting a movie is a great way to watch a movie. It's convenient, perfectly legal, and allows you to make an informed decision regarding a purchase. I might buy a $1.00 movie sight unseen (Thank you Wal-Mart), but there's no way I'm buying a $29.98 (Single disc (unrated) list price as of 4 Nov, 2010) movie without watching it first. I'm sure the price will come down soon. It'll probably drop to $15.99 or so, but that's still a lot of money for a movie I might watch once. I take a look at my movie collection, and I wonder... When's the next time I'm going to watch my copy of "Drowning Mona?". Sure, I like the movie, and I think I've watched it two or three times, but seriously. How much do we pay to 'Own' these movies? Netflix is a much better option. No need to own it at all. Some people are perfectly content to let Netflix be their movie library. Just pay the monthly subscription, and watch it whenever you want. Universal (movie studios) on the other hand; they want you to buy every movie you watch, and this message reinforces that ethic.

Apparently, Universal feels so strongly about this issue, that they had to rub it in my face. Netflix is often provided with limited 'rental' discs by the studios (numerous trailers, locked down menus, no bonus features), but this is the first time a studio reached out and extended it's middle finger by way of DVD. The disc includes a 'Bonus Features' menu, which leads one to believer there are bonus features on the disc. I selected the deleted scenes menu, and the 'Play All' option. That's when the not so subtle message was displayed. They weren't content to strip the bonus features off the disc. They intentionally left the menu on the disc, they're using it to make their point. They don't want you renting this disc. They don't like the fact that Netflix is making money off 'their' movies, and they despise the fact that you might rent rather than own.

In my opinion this obnoxious method of conveying their message is rude and abusive. Why are they trying to make me feel like a criminal? I'm not doing anything illegal or wrong, but this message makes me angry with Universal. So angry in fact, that I will think twice before I purchase another one of their movies. I'll bet pirated versions don't include this ridiculous message! So much for the resale value. If Netflix wanted to sell the disc (after it's been viewed numerous times), woe to the person who buys it. No bonus features for you.!</rant>
<http://powet.tv/powetblog/2010/10/29/bonus-features-denied/>
<http://netflixcommunity.ning.com/forum/topics/this-disc-is-intended-for>
<http://www.hackingnetflix.com/2010/04/studios-stripping-special-features-from-more-dvds/comments/page/3/>

Netflix News - Streaming on the Xbox 360:
<rave>Streaming recently came to the Xbox 360 - In America, and on the 1st of November, it came to Canada as well. So, those of you with an Xbox Live Gold membership, can watch streaming Netflix on your XBox</rave> - <rant>For a price! Coincidentally, Microsoft increased the fees on the same day that streaming came to Canadian subscribers. XBox Live Gold membership is required to stream Netflix 'Watch Instantly' titles on your XBox. On the 1st of Nov, the price increased from $7.99 a month to $9.99 a month (on top of the Netflix service). If you pay annually, the cost went from $49.99/year to $59.99/year (Prices in Canada may be different). Oddly, the XBox Live Free service (previously known as XBox Live Silver - Prior to Oct 2010) isn't sufficient for Netflix Streaming. Microsoft's network doesn't bear the bandwidth load, but they definitely expects XBox owners to pay extra for the privilege of using their XBox as a 'pass-through' device. There's no need for a disc (to watch Netflix using an XBox), but it sure sucks that you have to pay for online access - Even though Microsoft isn't the ISP. The same deal (pay for online access/gaming/and Netflix streaming) will be/is available on the new Windows Phone 7 handsets (beginning 1 Nov, 2010). You can even do search (for titles) on an XBox, but the results don't appear until you hit enter. Unfortunately, browsing by genre is not permitted on these platforms.</rant>

Netflix continues expand and improve their service. Leading the industry with thousands of TV shows and movies on disc (over 130,000 titles (last counted Sep 2010)), Netflix is also the king of streaming video as well (more than 28,000 (last counted Sep 2010). Here's a few of the devices which carry Netflix service: Roku player, iPad, iPhone, the new AppleTV, X-Box 360, The PS3, the Wii, TiVo, a growing selection of Blu-Ray players, home theater systems and internet connected televisions.
<http://blog.netflix.com/2010/11/xbox-and-windows-7-mobile-phone-news.html>
<http://www.xbox.com:80/en-US/live/joinlive>
<http://www.netflix.com>

Vaessen Family Genealogy:
With some remorse, I find myself updating my family genealogy pages. Last month (on the 29th of Oct, 2010), Clem Saharsky died (Peter Clement Sucharsky). Clem was the last living sibling of my Grandmother, Florence. Clem's parents - Antone Sucharsky and Josephine Tarkowski - had ten children. Clem was the last to die. My sister notified me of Clem's death, and I made some updates to our family history after receiving the sad news.

Thanks to some considerable assistance from some Dutch Vaessen's, I've been able to trace my family history back to 1580 (or earlier). 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.
<https://www.robsworld.org/genealogy/vaessen_family/vaessenfamily/index.html>
<http://www.syniumsoftware.com/macfamilytree/>
<https://www.robsworld.org/wapen.png>

Rob's World! - Newsletter:
Each month I send out a monthly newsletter to the avid fans of Rob's World! (Imagine that?) If you're interested in reading about happenings at Rob's World! you can forego the daily/weekly chore of logging in to check out the latest nuggets. The newsletter is a more convenient way to keep up to date on the comings and going in the life and times of Robert & Kim Vaessen and my crazy little web site. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want a copy emailed directly to them every month! For some time now, I've had the ability to set up proper mailing lists (thanks to my web host 'Internet Marketing Services'); the kind of mailing list which can automatically handle subscribe and unsubscribe requests. The new mailing list management method includes a built in double confirmation mechanism, a web based list management interface, and a much more efficient way to control the addresses and characteristics associated with the mailing list. This month (after a recent mailing list outage/problems) I updated my 'Newsletter' page. If you're interested in receiving the newsletter, all you have to do is send an email to: Check out the web page for more details.
<http://robsworld.org/mailman/listinfo>
<https://www.robsworld.org/newsletter.html>

Aches & Pains again - Report from a Human Barometer:
Recently, I've had some trouble sleeping, and my joints have been killing me. On this particular instance, I found my back and joints aching on the evening of 31 Oct, and the morning of 1 Nov, 2010. After I got up, I took some pain killers. I wish I'd taken them before I went to bed, as the pain caused me some restless sleep. After I took the pain medication, I started opening the drapes, raising the blinds, checking out the weather. No surprises this morning. The day started out overcast and crappy, and that's the way it stayed all day. Thankfully the barometric pressure rose a bit throughout the day, and the pain eventually subsided.

My joints have a tendency to ache whenever there's a low pressure front moving through the area, so that's something I've been coping with for many years. Thankfully the pain is manageable. I take a few over the counter pain meds, and do my best to stay occupied. While a stiff and painful back isn't something new to me (I typically can't sleep much more than six hours (or else I wake up with a sore back)), my back pains don't usually correspond to low pressure. Lately, I've noticed a correlation with the back pain. Now that I think about it, the back pain is often present when my joints are aching, and that's something I've definitely linked to barometric pain.
<https://www.robsworld.org/barometer.html>

Music Downloads for October - 2010:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. Where do I get all this stuff? Well, I used to find/discover 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. Used to... Now? Now (As of Oct of 2010) I subscribe to a service called MOG. MOG is an online music service, a blog network, and a social networking website where users can listen to, read about, and discover music. Music + Blog = MOG. It's been around since 2005, in September of 2009 it started offering streaming music subscriptions. With full-play access to more than 9 million tracks, at only $4.99 a month, it's a fantastic way to discover music. I still use a few of the other methods, but MOG has become my primary music discovery source.

eMusic monthly downloads:
Every month I download 50+ tracks (50 download credits) from eMusic.com. This month (November of 2010) I managed to download 58 tracks for my $19.99 monthly fee. 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 your computers and portable MP3 players, including the iPod and Zune (really?). At less than $.40 a track (I'm currently paying $19.99 for 50 downloads/month, but that all changes later this month. See my blog entry from October on this rather sad change to eMusic's subscription plan). eMusic still offers a really good value for your download dollar. 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.
* Forever Now - The Psychedelic Furs: (16 songs) Here's a remastered version of that glorious release from the 80s. One of my favorite bands. While I had the original version of this album (cassette), the cassette to digital conversion wasn't the best quality. Thanks to eMusic (and the great download 'deals' which end this month!) I was able to download a remastered release of this classic album. The remastered version has six additional tracks. Unfortunately, eMusic has now dropped most of the Furs albums... I guess they had to make room for those new, more expensive, more 'popular', tracks from the big commercial label! (UMG/BMG/Vivendi/A&M/Polygram - Largest of the 'Big Four' record companies)
* Intimacy - Bloc Party: (14 songs) I am blown away! Fantastic album from one of my new favorite groups. The drum work is blazing hot, the base beats kick up the heat, and the vocals ignite every track on this album. My attraction to Bloc Party grew out of sidelong exposure to similar bands, and slowly I was drawn to this band like a magnet. Fortunately, eMusic has finally started carrying a large assortment of their catalog. Pop-punk, dance-punk, Electro-hip-hop. Energetic brit-pop, with cascading instrumentals and smart lyrics. Gang of four wound up and turned loose. I just added another album to my eMusic acquisitions wish list.
* High Violet - The National: (11 songs) Outstanding band. If you like the dark stories, told by melancholy, melodic, baritone, booming bass voices, then you need to check out 'The National'. The sweet, sad, stories feature rich lyrics, swimming about in the incessant instrumentals. This is my third download for this band, and I'm glad I did. First discovered through emusic.com.
* Anonanimal / See The Enemy - Andrew Bird: (2 songs) Here's a great little single (with two songs) by a favorite artist. Melodic, sad, melancholy lyrics and great acoustic instrumentals. Andrew Bird has been a favorite of mine since 2007. Originally discovered at 3hive.com. His music is grounded in folk, acoustic and classical instrumentals.
* Insomniac - Green Day: (14 songs) Green Day has been a favorite of mine since the mid 90's, and here's one of their early albums (1995). eMusic recently added several Green Day albums to their library - I'm in - I added a bunch of titles, and here's the second.
* Bozo Skeleton - Lard: (single) From the album 'Last Temptation of Reid'. For some reason my copy of this particular track (duration 4:30) was no good, so I had to download a new copy (yes I paid for it!). Here's an awesome rocking machine. Combine the vocal/lyrical talent of Jello Biafra (from Dead Kennedy's), and the heavy hitting dark metal of Ministry. What do you get? Lard!? This combination of punk and industrial will pop your rivets. Grab it and hold on.