What's New

February 24, 2011

Eating out in Denver:
Occasionally, Kim and I take the opportunity to eat out at one of the fine restaurants in the Denver area. They're not always five star places, but we're not that kind of people. During February, Kim and I enjoyed a 'Date Night' at one of our favorite restaurants. We lived in southern (Puglia region) Italy for seven years (during the 80s), and during that time we came to love Mediterranean food. Italian, Greek, Turkish, North African. Different flavors of the Mediterranean cuisine. Fresh seafood, plenty of herbs and spices, plus a healthy respect for vegetables. As I said, we went out to eat at one of our favorite restaurants.

Yanni's - A greek restaurant/taverna which recently (in 2009) relocated to a new location (The Landmark at DTC). You may have a bit of trouble finding the new place (The GPS in Kim's car couldn't find it), so be sure to get good directions. The new location features security patrolled parking, shopping in an outdoor boutique mall, and a nearby comedy club. As for the food; well, it's amazing, and the atmosphere matches. We've been here (at the old and new locations) at least six times, and the food and service are always top notch. If you like Greek food, if you like Mediterranean cuisine, if you like good service, try Yanni's - You won't be disappointed.

As an appetizer, we had two dishes: Dolmades - Vine-ripened grape leaves stuffed with rice and herbs, with tzatziki sauce; Loukaniko – Spicy Greek sausage with lemon. For main courses, Kim had: Oktapodi – Tender, marinated char-broiled octopus with roast potatoes and Greek-style vegetables. I had: Jumbo Sinagrida – Grilled jumbo red snapper (It's so easy to dry out fresh fish; I really should have specified my preference for rare fish. This entree was a bit overdone) served with rice and Greek-style vegetables. It took 40 minutes to prepare my fish, but I was quite pleased with the result. I haven't had a whole grilled fish in quite some time. For drinks, I had a beer, Kim had diet Coke, we both had sparkling mineral water. The price for our meals, plus tax and tip: $95.00. Denver can be a bit expensive, but Yanni's is worth it.
<http://yannisatthelandmark.com/>

Roku News:
<rave>I've been a Roku owner since August of 2008. I purchased and set up my first Roku player back in August of 2008, and I've been loving it ever since. What's a Roku player? Well, I'm glad you asked. If you like movies, if you're a Netflix freak like me, it's the ultimate movie delivery system. It's a movie watcher's Nirvana. A Roku player is a little black box (5" x 5" x 2") with cables and a remote. You can order directly from the manufacturer or find it available through other online shopping portals.

What's new with the Roku? Well, as of 23 Feb, 2011, Amazon has rolled out a new service - "Free Instant Viewing" (with an Amazon Prime membership). On the Roku, this service will be available through their existing 'Amazon Instant Video' pay-per-view channel. That's right 'Free' - Well, sort of. All "Amazon Prime" customers will be able to stream (for free) videos from Amazon's library of 90,000+ videos. Not all titles can be streamed for free, but the initial offering of appx 5,000 titles is quite promising. An "Amazon Prime" membership will cost you approximately $79.00 a year, and with that you get the standard "Prime" benefits (free 2 day shipping on all orders fulfilled by Amazon and one day shipping for $3.99 per item), plus access to this library of 5,000 titles in Amazon's Instant Live library. (Unlike the Hulu+ offering, Amazon and Netflix streaming doesn't include commercials)

I've used "Amazon's Instant Video" service. It's cheaper than the rentals offered through the Apple TV, and the quality is just as good (Apple TV has some titles in 720p HD. Netflix has some titles in 1080p HD, but most HD titles are 720p). The experience was relatively painless, and the billing simple (set it up online and the billing is handled automatically) and I was satisfied with the results. If you're like me, then you'll agree. This is good news for the Roku, good news for Amazon, and good news for the consumer. Finally, we're starting to see some competition next to the Netflix 'Watch Instantly' Goliath.

The Roku player currently (as of 24 Feb, 2011) has 119 channels, and that list is growing daily. This list doesn't include the private and experimental channels. The Roku platform has a strong developer community, which is constantly improving, experimenting and pushing the platform to make it the ultimate set-top device. While Netflix 'Watch Instantly' is only one of those channels, it's one I use quite frequently. Browsing titles in your Netflix instant queue is easy to do with the included remote (as of 22 September, all new Roku's come with a new, enhanced remote. New buttons include: 'Instant-Replay', 'Options' and 'Back' buttons.

Watching movies on your Roku is a snap. A simple click of the remote starts the download, and you're watching the movie in seconds. It only downloads a small portion of the movie at first - Just enough to get you going. As you watch the movie it downloads and dumps successive portions of the movie, making for a smooth viewing experience with no long wait times. The playback produces excellent quality (given the fact that I have a high-speed Comcast connection (standard residential internet option in the Aurora, Colorado area)). I haven't experienced any lag, the audio is perfectly synced, and the quality is awesome (especially the HD) for a streaming video connection. As a matter of fact, it's better quality playback than I get with the Comcast pay-per-view option - Awesome! The Roku isn't just a platform for IP TV. You can also listen to music, podcasts, check the weather and play games.

With my current Netflix plan (4 out at a time for $23.99 a month), I'm permitted unlimited streaming/watch instant movies. You can even watch more than one movie at a time - If you have more than one Roku player. It's about time someone realized the promise of streaming video at a reasonable cost for the consumer.</rave>
<http://www.roku.com/roku-products>
<http://www.roku.com/amazon-partner>
<http://www.amazon.com/prime>
<http://www.amazon.com/Video-On-Demand/b?ie=UTF8&node=16261631>
<http://www.amazon.com/gp/video/ontv/roku>
<http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sv_atv_3?ie=UTF8&node=16261641&field-is_prime_benefit=1>
<http://www.netflix.com/NetflixReadyDevices>
<http://www.roku.com/roku-channel-store>

Apple updates Epson printer drivers:
Perhaps you're familiar with some of the printer problems I've been experiencing? Or you've got your own printer problems. If you've got an Epson printer (and many do) and an Apple computer (that narrows things down a bit), you too may have some printer problems. Thankfully, Apple updates these drivers as quickly as they can (given Epson's release schedule), and Epson is actually responsive to these problems.

In February of 2011 (Feb 23rd), Apple released new Epson Printer Drivers (v2.6 for Mac OS 10.6). This latest update installs the latest software for just about every Epson printer, scanner, multifunction printer available. It even includes drivers for printers that Epson no longer supports. I'm not sure whether these updates (updated drivers to version 8.37 for both my printers (Epson Stylus Photo R200 and Epson Artisan 800) will help eliminate any of the problems I've been having, but I remain optimistic. For information about supported printer models, see: <http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3669#epson>.
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3669>
<http://support.apple.com/kb/DL900>

Blurry icons under Mac OS:
<rant>It's a problem which has been plaguing me (and others) for more than a year. Back in August of 2010, I started to notice the onset of a particular problem plaguing my Mac's desktop. While I love the Mac OS, no operating system is without it's issues, and this is just one of those perplexing problems that seems to bother people in our age of super-computers and sophisticated communications devices. If you're familiar with my battles in the land of network connections, you know I don't give up easily when confronted with a technological challenge. This desktop dilemma is just the latest of those challenges.

A bit more detail - So the problem started occurring a few months back, and it's been getting progressively worse. This problem involves the icons in my Mac's Dock and the Application Switcher panel (invoked when you press command-tab). The Mac OS (In OS X v10.5 and later) uses 512 x 512 pixel images for the dock, application switcher and Finder in general. Each application and document has appropriately sized images embedded in the code for smaller sizes (for various reasons), but the 512 x 512 resource is supposed to be used when displaying icons in the Finder. Unfortunately, the problem plaguing me was slowly beginning to affect all the icons in my dock and application switcher (I hadn't noticed it affecting the Finder in general (finder windows)).

The effect I'm talking about? Instead of the typical, sharp, high-resolution (512 x 512) icons, I was starting to notice some incredibly low resolution icons (32 x 32?) in my dock and application switcher. It's nothing critical. It wasn't causing crashes (in my case), but it certainly was annoying. Being used to these magnificent 512x512 icons, I really didn't appreciate these blurry low-res icons. When these low-res icons are scaled up to 512 x 512 or 128 x 128 size (with a mouse over or other magnification effect), they appear blurry, out of focus or fuzzy. It's irritating, not at all Mac-like and quite annoying. Not one to let the problem persist, I began my quest to quash these blurry icons.

My first stop was the Apple Forums. While I found plenty of discussion regarding this 'issue', I couldn't find an 'Official' answer - Despite the claims in Apple's Forums, there really doesn't appear to be any 'answer'; a fact noted by several posters. I'm not sure why this problem hasn't been tackled by Apple's software engineers/experts. According to the forums, the problem - which may have been around as early as 2007 (Release of Leopard, Mac OS X 10.5) - seems to affect all models of Mac. It doesn't appear to be a hardware issue, and it's affecting those with Mac OS 10.5 and later (when the 512x512 icons were introduced). While some have reported the issue affecting icons in the Finder (Apple's file browser application), I've only noticed it in my Dock and Application Switcher.

I tried a couple of the remedies suggested in Apple's forums: Logging out/in, restarting the computer, repairing permissions, deleting various .DS_Store files, resetting preferences for the dock, the finder, and various other system level settings. Escalating the research beyond Apple's official forums, I find that the problem is being reported beyond the Apple website(s). It's even been reported on by 'CNET' and various other websites. Still the problem persists... After reading numerous posts, troubleshooting efforts and observing the effect up close, I began to formulate my own 'solution'. Noting that it only appeared to affect my Dock and Application Switcher (If you're experiencing similar problems in the Finder, my 'fix' may not help you), I reasoned that the computer was looking in the wrong place (resource path) for the appropriate image resources. For some reason, it was displaying the lowest level of image resolution. Once it started displaying the lower resolution image, it wouldn't revert with a standard reboot, permissions repair, etc. It needed some serious resetting in order to make it access the appropriate resource(s).

A recent posting (Jan 5th, 2011) in Apple's support forums, suggests a new way to fix this problem:

According to poster: steepleton
"there is an icon cashe at macintosh hd/private/var/folders/xd/(something that changes each reboot)/caches/com.apple.quicklook.thumbnailcache. if you find this folder you can safely move it to trash and restart the finder. everything works normally again (a new com.apple.quicklook.thumbnailcache folder is generated as soon as it's needed). To find this folder you'll need something like "pathfinder" which can navigate invisible folders and has a find that doesn't use spotlight (com.apple.quicklook.thumbnailcache is a system file and spotlight won't hunt for it) you can dump the folder as many times as you need over a prolonged uptime. the fix works immediately and repeatedly"

Unfortunately, this workaround doesn't permanently fix the problem, and I haven't had a chance to try it yet. Next time I encounter the problem, I'll try "steeplton's" remedy. It's a bit less difficult than my usual 'fixes'.

Here's how I 'fixed' things: My typical fix goes like this: Open a Finder window. Select your Home Folder (folder/icon with the House badge/image), then open your Library folder. Navigate to the Preference folder. Locate and move the following files to the trash: 'com.apple.dock.plist' and 'com.apple.dock.db' (I believe you might not need to delete this later file). Once you've deleted the preference files, you should restart your Mac. Your Mac will create new preferences for the dock. Deleting the db file will delete all your dock settings, so you'll probably want to create a back-up, just in case (as with all troubleshooting, creating a backup/backing-up your system is always a good idea). This action seems to corrected the problem for an extended period of time. This time (on the 20th of Feb, 2011) I didn't attempt the extended fix (listed here), I simply rebooted and repaired permissions. So far (since the reboot on the 23rd of Feb, 2011) the fix has held, but chances are it'll reoccur in the next few days. When it does, I'll try "steepleton's" remedy cited above.

The strange thing about this problem? It doesn't affect every icon, but once it affects an icon, that icon continues to exhibit the blurring, even after the application is quit and relaunched. It doesn't affect all the icons at once, seeming to strike at random. As far as I can tell, Apple hasn't corrected this problem - Yet.</rant>
<http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/AppleHIGuidelines/XHIGIcons/XHIGIcons.html>
<http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2132399>
<http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2600445&tstart=0>
<http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10402811-263.html>

Movie Acquisitions:
So far I haven't purchased many movie during 2011. Back in December of 2010, I purchased three movies from Wal-Mart, and during February of 2011, I purchased another movie at the check out aisle. Three Wal-Mart $1.00 movies, and one discount at Albertsons (a grocery store). I really should stick to my 'Must Buy'' list. Purchasing movies as an impulse buy is something I don't condone

New movies:

Letters from Iwo Jima: (2006 - Drama, historical, war) Based on a book (by Tadamichi Kuribayashi), screenplay written by Iris Yamashita and Paul Haggis, directed by Clint Eastwood, and starring Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Tsuyoshi Ihara and many others. Of the two movies (this one and Flags of our Fathers), this one is by far the better movie. The writing is much better as is the acting, the setting and the story is original. We've never seen this side of the battle before, and I for one appreciated it. I won't turn this into a debate on the atrocities of war, or which side did what to whom. As a movie, this was an outstanding accomplishment. Eastwood's directing seems better in this movie, but the acting and quality of the actors was also visibly better. I really liked the 'letters' aspect as well. Throughout the movie, there is a focus on correspondence with loved ones. Each side had families back home, and we were shown a side of the soldier we are rarely allowed to see. The side that wants to survive, the side that wants to make it through to the other side. The pacing, lighting and camera work were all outstanding. Bravo Mr. Eastwood. This one is outstanding. 5 out of 5.
High Risk: (1981 - Action, Comedy, Crime) A $1.00 Wal-Mart bargain-bin selection. Not bad for a low budget b-roll production. In this early 80s movie, four American's with dead-end jobs, and a keen sense of adventure decide to try their hand at a high-stakes heist south of the border. Cashing in on their welfare checks, they payroll a plan to fly to South America and rip off a big time drug lord. Armed with an infinite supply of bullets (Hollywood style), a safe combination and they're trusty pet poodle, they make their way through the jungle to the drug lords heavily guarded hacienda. What follows is a Hollywood heist and chase movie starring a fair cast of actors. The script was poor but the performances fair. A good amount of action and a few laughs. The scenery was great, but a 4:3 aspect ratio and poor focus/transfer spoiled the setting. 3 out of 5.
Boot Hill / La collina degli stivali: (1969 - Western, Comedy) An Italian 'Spaghetti Western' made in the late 60s (1969). The movie stars Terence Hill (of the Trinity films and several other mediocre westerns/action flicks) and Bud Spencer, another Italian actor who appeared in numerous Italian produced westerns (including two of the Trinity films). This DVD was obviously a transfer from VHS, and the quality was terrible. Filmed at various Spanish sites, the locations look like the American west (possibly Utah, New Mexico or Arizona). The story; a town is held ransom to the thugs of a ruthless business man. Honey Fisher squeezes the residents for all they've got, then he takes their land. His plans for total domination are disturbed when a gunslinger and traveling circus show up unexpectedly. Honey's goal is gold and the visit by a state commissioner is his chance to wrestle the last of the deeds from these oppressed townsfolk. Cat Stevens (played by Terence Hill) and Hutch Bessy (played by Bud Spencer) join forces with the members of a traveling circus to challenge the authority of his iron fist. The cinematography (despite the great locations) was terrible; as was the sound production and direction. The directors use of quick cuts and close ups was a bit unusual if not disturbing. The plot was rather confusing, and I'm still not sure why this gunslinger would have bothered with this town. Perhaps the whole film didn't make it onto the DVD? The only redeeming part of this film was the pacing and the acting (by the principals) was o.k. I give it a 2 out of 5.
Four Rode Out: (1970 - Western) Starring Pernell Roberts (who gave up his role in Bonanza to star in this movie) as U.S. Marshal Ross and Leslie Nielsen as Mr. Brown. Here's a jointly produced (U.S. and Spanish) western filmed in the Almeria, Andalucia, region of Spain. The locations were great, but the camera work and editing left that part of the film on the cutting room floor. The story: Marshall Ross shows up in a po-dunk border town, looking for Julian Mateos - a Mexican bandit accused of murder. Ross's job is to bring Mateos back alive for questioning in relation to the murder of a bank guard. Mr. Brown is a Pinkerton agent with a different agenda. His company wants to find this murderer at all costs, and Brown prefers him dead rather than alive. Complicating things is the pretty young Myra Polsen, played by Sue Lyon. She insists on coming along as these two unlikely allies track down her boyfriend. So, into the badlands they go. Tracking Mateos proves quite easy as his horse fell into a ravine and he only made it a couple days out. When the group catches up with Mateos, things get slightly more complicated. Myra tries to help her boyfriend escape and Mr. Brown seems intent on killing Mateos. The second half of the movie is an odd segment where all four are struggling to make it back from the desert. Apparently, a two day journey into the badlands requires a lengthy trip across a desert with little or no water… The plot was odd, including a rape (not shown), a shoot out, a shotgun wedding, a little strip show (no we didn't get to see it) and a good guy who's more blood thirsty than the bandit. The DVD contained a very poor quality VHS transfer, and the censorship was a bit annoying. This may have been a transfer from a recorded television airing, as the word 'Whore' was permitted by American cinema (film released in 1970). I give this stinker a 1 out of 5.

With these new purchases, I updated my main movies page, my 'must buy' list, the listing of my movie collection, the reviews page, and an alphabetical index that I'm working on. Hopefully my next movie purchase won't be an impulse buy at the checkout counter. The movies on my 'Must Buy'' list are much better choices, but they can't always be found in the discount bin of a grocery store.
<https://www.robsworld.org/movies.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/movies.html #bought>
<https://www.robsworld.org/mymovies/index.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/reviews.html>

Netflix News - CBS on Watch Instantly:
Recently (reported Feb 21st, 2011 by Netflix), Netflix and CBS announced an agreement to add more CBS shows for Netflix customers. The agreement brings (starting in April, 2011) many of the CBS hit shows such as: "Medium" and "Flashpoint," as well as full seasons of the classic series "Cheers," "Frasier," "Twin Peaks," "Family Ties" and "The Andy Griffith Show." Also available: the original versions of TV greats "Star Trek," "Twilight Zone" and "Hawaii Five-O." This agreement marks the first time CBS has made these movies available to Netflix 'Watch Instantly' customers. With this announcement, Netflix becomes the only online subscription service to offer shows from all four major (ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX) broadcast networks. In addition to shows from the major network studios, Netflix also carries shows from many of the biggest cable TV producers. Netflix has been increasing their television line-up lately. This strategy may be important for those thinking of cutting their cable subscriptions.
<http://blog.netflix.com/2011/02/netflix-brings-members-cbs-shows-to.html>
<http://netflix.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=384>
<http://www.netflix.com>

D&D updates:
Our meeting on the 5th of February was quite productive. Unfortunately, Micheal wasn't able to make it. He's in New Mexico working a new contract. Hopefully he'll be able to participate through video conference. During our last meeting our party encountered the Blue Dragon, so now it's time to concentrate on vanquishing that evil menace that looms over the citizens of Deepwood. Here are updates from our meeting on the5th of February.

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.

3rd Edition Campaign:
I updated the date of our next meeting - Our next meeting (not counting tonight's meeting) will be 05 March. 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 (updated on the 8th of Jan, 2011).
<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 is the latest journal entry penned by Mutteran - Lee's character. Once again, thanks go out to Lee for his continued support. The party wrapped up their side-quest in the aqueducts beneath the Hostel of the Sacred Stone, and headed off into the forest. Seeking to end the evil plague of a Blue Dragon, they didn't have to travel far to find the Dragon, as a matter of fact - They're face to fang with the beast right now! Sharpen your blades and hitch up your horses - Adventure calls and danger looms nigh!
<https://www.robsworld.org/ajournal08.html#feb05_2011>

Monsters encountered:
From the open road to a subterranean aqueduct, and now a dark forest - As the party enters new environs they encounter new creatures. Some of those creatures will attempt to eat or injure the party - These creatures we call 'Monsters'! During our most recent gaming session, the party encountered one new monster. Yin Yensine - the former chief of a Kobold tribe, had been transformed into a Mummy. This undead creature proved quite sprightly, but no match for the combined might of the H.A.L.L.O.W.ed Knights. 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 5th of February . This is 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 took to the open road. That road was dangerous and long - Very Long! The party fought many foes along the way, lost two of their own (Gregor and Jusarian), said goodbye to one longtime companion, and recruited several new companions (Pyrceval, Azura and the mysterious Crucifer) to strengthen their numbers. All united in their quest to vanquish Deepwood of it's Dragon problem, and it looks like they may have that opportunity sooner than they'd expected - The Dragon stands before them, angered at their impudence, claws unsheathed and fangs bared. Sharpen your blades and hitch up your horses - Adventure calls and danger beckons, here is the confrontation you've been waiting for!

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>

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 of weeks:

* Current: A web page dedicated to the most recent news, announcements and information. I added a paragraph about the newest mailing list. I've created and manage numerous email mailing lists for the residents of Southeast Aurora - Neighborhood Watch mailing lists. The newest mailing list was created for the residents of 'Serenity Ridge'. The 'serenityridgealerts' mailing list was created so that NW leadership could provide residents with updates and information regarding safety and security; tailored to the residents of Serenity Ridge. If you're a resident of Serenity Ridge, please feel free to sign up for this free community resource. I also removed some information regarding the S.T.O.P. program in Aurora. Please remember that school is in session. Slow down when driving through school zones. Kids aren't always looking out for you, so please look out for them. Finally, I updated the 'Southeast Aurora Neighborhood Watch - In the News' paragraph. Another news article was posted on the 'Aurora Sentinel Website'. Check out the article about our efforts to help the Aurora Police Department's K9 unit.

* eMail lists: A web page containing details about our mailing lists. The Neighborhood Watch runs numerous email mailing lists, and this page contains details regarding all of those lists. I recently created a new mailing list for residents of South East Aurora. The "Serenity Ridge - Alerts" list will be used by the Area Coordinator of Serenity Ridge (and other NW leadership) to send safety and security updates to residents of Serenity Ridge. It's a bit more focused than the overall "Neighborhood Watch" mailing list. This new Serenity Ridge mailing list is up and running now. If you're a resident of Serenity Ridge, please feel free to sign up for this free community resource. I also updated some references to our PAR officer on the eMail_lists page. As of January 3rd, 2011, our PAR Officer is now James Salazar. You can find Officer Salazar's contact info on our Info page.

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, Wheatlands, Beacon Point, Southshore, Tallyn’s Reach, Saddle Rock - North, Serenity Ridge, Black Stone and Heritage Eagle Bend). 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>
<http://www.southeastaurora-neighborhoodwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/serenityridgealerts>

Even More Music for February - 2011:
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. Here's some music from sources other than eMusic.

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 (eMusic and iTunes). Here's a listing of more music I legally downloaded - and in most cases - paid for!

iTunes New Music Tuesday download:
Sometimes I purchase music from iTunes, and sometimes I take advantage of their free downloads (check it out on Tuesdays). iTunes is the King of the Hill when it comes to the bigger names, so sometimes I find that I have to pay the higher prices. Here's one of those free downloads from the iTunes store. It's the first free offering I've bothered to download in quite some time. Thanks Apple!
* Blue Skies Again - Jessica Lea Mayfield: (single) From the new album - Tell Me. A blend of country and blues, the sound is minimalist, with great snorting and lyrics. I don't usually go for the mournful, female, country voice; but this artist has some awesome pipes. A great voice, and the song isn't some bubble-gum pop-crap, or one of those tears in my beers country songs. Quite good.

iTunes purchases:
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. This week the download was inexpensive (compared to normal iTunes prices).
* Showroom of Compassion - Cake: (11 songs) One of my favorite bands from the 90s (founded in 1991). It's been a while since their last new album (Pressure Chief in 2004), so this one was long awaited. Filled with new music, I couldn't be more pleased. They're sticking to their unique sound. There's more piano on this release and the trumpet is back with more Moog!. I love the quirky word play of their songs, and the excellent alt rock tunes they crank out. 11 tracks cost only $6.99 from iTunes! Approximately $0.63 per track. That's pretty good for iTunes.

Web site downloads:
I download music from plenty of websites (not counting commercial websites). The websites of the artists, the artists label, music festival websites, music review sites, etc, etc. Their are gobs of places where you can find free music. We're in a whole new era now. Gone are the monopolistic controls of the music industry. Music is becoming free - Free to anyone who takes the time to look for it. If you can't find free, legal, music - you're not looking very hard.
* Straight Back To You - Let's Say We Did: (single) From the 'Straight Back To You - EP'. Their slow paced, alt-folk sound is catchy, full of great hooks and excellent lyrics. Discovered and downloaded at 3hive.com. On the strength of this single, I added the EP to my eMusic download list.
* Galaxies - Let's Say We Did: (single) From the 'Follow Me Down - EP'. This Swedish band has an excellent alt-folk sound. The scratchy gravely vocals complement the excellent guitar work. Songs are full of great hooks and excellent lyrics. Discovered and downloaded at 3hive.com.

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>
<http://www.jamendo.com/>

Encryption and digital signatures:
Spammers often assault my digital identity by forging messages to look like they came from me. As a result, I try to use pgp signed messages (whenever possible) for much of my email correspondence. Unfortunately, I've had a problem with GPGMail (a plugin for Apple's Mail.app) since July of 2010. It wasn't working properly with the pinentry pop-up/authentication application used to authenticate signatures. Despite that problem, I used to be able to use the GPGMail bundle/plugin in order to sign, encrypt and decrypt email messages. I attempted to fix the problem on the 15th of Dec, 2010. I followed instructions from a developer, updated the application using a beta/patch designed to address the bug I had encountered. Now I can't get the plugin to work at all. Now it consistently crashes my email application. In order to use Apple's Mail.app, I've had to uninstall the GPGMail bundle.

I think I've got one to many GPG components installed on my computer. One too many configuration files. One too many resource files... Unfortunately, the installation and upgrade process has created a situation where there are numerous old versions overlapping the new ones, creating a conflict at some level. Unfortunately, due to the number of components, preference files, configuration files, plugins and resources involved, I can't figure out what should and shouldn't be installed. What a nightmare! So far we (developers and I) haven't been able to resolve all the problems with my installation of GPGMail and MacGPG (now rewritten and upgraded to MacGPG2). For now, I'm unable to add digital signatures to my email (The encryption parts of GPGMail still work properly). I'm currently trying to troubleshoot the problem, but this one may have to wait until I update to 'Lion' (OS 10.7). The development team continues to push out updates (GPGTools and GPGMail.mailbundle are up to version 132rc2), but they've stopped trying to help me. I guess my problem is too difficult for them...

I used to use (prior to this complete failure) GnuPG v1.4.9 and the GPGMail plugin 1.3.2beta1 (Compatible with Snow Leopard (10.6.5)), for Apple's Mail.app Version 4.4 (1082) for encryption, decryption, and message authentication, but that doesn't work anymore, so I have to use a different set of tools (which are 'kloodgy' and not user friendly). 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 used to 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.
<https://www.robsworld.org/encryption.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/feedback.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 couple of 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 rearranged the banners a bit - It's something I do to indicate a change in the content. No substantial changes.
* 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 added some updated information regarding the results of the voting at our last HOA meeting. A recap of who the board members are, who the newly elected board members are. Congratulations to Elias and Joe.
* Info: A page of links, phone numbers, email addresses and other information pertinent to the residents/community of Tollgate Crossing. I removed some old/out of date email addresses (after our recent HOA board elections). I also updated a 'currently vacant' comment in the Neighborhood Watch section of the page. Our current PAR (Police Area Representative) is Officer James Salazar.

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:
More updates for my favorite software applications. Several updates for my favorite Graphics editor, an expensive update for my power house web design software, and another update for Apple's webpage creation software. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. As usual, developer has been busy updating this application. Here's three 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 free GC update, I upgraded my copy of Dreamweaver. Moving from CS4 to CS5 wasn't a huge step, but I'm glad I did it. Finally, Apple's less powerful web page application sees a minor update.

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) completed work on several updates during the past few weeks. I saw/downloaded the following updates: 7.1.1 (b152, b154, b155, b157, b160, 162). 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 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.

Unfortunately for me, the update from b152 to 154 caused me some real problems. After updating the software I discovered a bug in the software. Consistently crashing the applications Browser view, I found my work flow interrupted when I couldn't display my library of graphics in the manner I preferred. Every time I tried to open a browser view of my 'robsworld' site directory, the application crashed. I could browse other directories without any problems, but my 'robsworld' directory caused the application to crash on a consistent basis.

While I didn't have much time to troubleshoot the issue, I did report it to the developer, who immediately set to work trying to discover the reasons for the crash. After a series of back-and-forth discussions, I provided Thorsten with a series of documents and error logs to help troubleshoot the problem. Eventually, together, we discovered the cause of the problem. I narrowed it down to a particular file in my 'robsworld' directory. That files was a password protected pdf created using Apple's 'Pages' application. I had other pdfs in the folder, and I even had other password protected pdfs. For some reason this particular file is causing GC to crash.

I isolated the offending file. That took several hours of work. Thorsten dissected the file in question found the glitch in GC, figured out why the application was crashing, and generated a beta to address the problem in no time at all. The day after I finished my troubleshooting and forwarded the offending file. I downloaded the 160 beta, and it works perfectly. Talk about support! Working directly with developer certainly speeds up the development cycle, eliminates misunderstanding (even with language differences), and results in a superior product. Thank you Thorsten!
<http://www.lemkesoft.com/content/193/key-features.html>

iWeb:
iWeb is Apple's application for HTML authoring/editing. It's powerful, easy to use and well polished. I've been using it more and more in order to create web pages for specific purposes. I don't use it exclusively, but I am starting to use it more and more. As a matter of fact, I'm using it exclusively on two particular web sites that I manage. The best parts of iWeb are it's integration with other Apple applications, the WYSIWYG interface, and the highly professional appearance of the web page outputs. The drawbacks are lack of control in web page export/output, controlling placement of some code/items can be very difficult, and there's no way to view or edit the HTML code from within the application. This latest update (version 3.0.3 (505)) contains bug fixes and improvements, including the following: Addresses an issue when using the iSight Movie widget on certain Macs. Addresses an issue publishing iWeb sites using FTP. Improves compatibility with Mac OS X.
<http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1356>
<http://www.apple.com/ilife/iweb/>

Dreamweaver CS5:
I'm currently using Version 11.0 build 4964. Learning HTML, and creating rich and appealing web sites, can be a difficult endeavor. In February of 2011, I updated my web design work horse. I upgraded from Dreamweaver CS4 to Adobe's latest version of Dreamweaver. While I find Dreamweaver CS5 to be less of an upgrade than my switch from MX 2004 to CS4, it is a great tool. I've been using Dreamweaver (various different versions) for at least seven years now, and I find it to be the best tool for my needs. I really like the ability to view and work in a WYSIWYG interface, while simultaneously having the code view available for any tweaking or hands-on coding. With my awesome 30" monitor, I can even display both views in a vertical orientation. Aside from the more powerful features (which I'm not knowledgeable enough to use), CS5 introduces some new features that might be useful to a more novice coder such as myself. Those new features include: 'Browser Lab' preview capabilities using side-by-side or 'onion-skin' overlay comparisons of browser rendering. It includes widget plugin capabilities (with HTML5 support). There's a bunch of simple site setup templates and CSS starter pages to jump start your efforts to create new web sites. I've been using Dreamweaver for some time now, and really appreciate some of it's more powerful features. It's a world class champ when it comes to editing HTML tables. With a tool box full of things I've yet to use, I'm sure I'll be learning more about HTML and CSS in the future.
<http://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver/>

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>

Apple's Time Machine saved my ass - again:
While there may be no such thing as time, Apple's got a Time Machine built into Snow Leopard, and I for one am very grateful. Time Machine is an incremental backup application. It's integrated into Apple's newest Operating System (Snow Leopard), and I recently encountered another occasion to praise it's existence. I was doing a bit of work on the computer, updating software and some web pages. Unfortunately, I overwrote an application (saved over the top of it without moving it to the trash first) before confirming that the new one worked, and Apple's iWeb application decided to overwrite one of my index files without asking first. Thankfully, Apple's Time Machine made recovering the files a snap. It's application sensitive, remembers where you left off (so you can safely shut-down or reboot without losing data), backs up everything, or only backs up what you want, and it works in the background without any attention. It's easy and painless to use. With a couple of clicks, I recovered my application and web page in a couple of seconds. Awesome! I had to buy an external hard drive to get the Time Machine up and running, but considering the fact that storage space is incredibly cheap, how can you afford not to back-up your data?
<http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/timemachine.html>

February 11, 2011

Self Update:
Recently (February of 2011), I gave my 'Self' an update. While sifting through a bunch of old photos, I realized that the opener photo - of me - was nearly 10 years old! The picture was really old, I look a bit different now. I replaced that old photo with something a bit more current. In addition to this photo swap, I also made a bunch of corrections to page links and updated some of the content. Many of the links were broken or outdated. Finally, I removed some personal information that one really shouldn't publish on the internet. Most of the visitors to my web site have no ill intent, but there's always the exception to the rule, and identity theft is no joke. The 'Self' page is something of an autobiography page. An 'About me' page that I put together many years ago. It hasn't needed any updates for some time now, but an annual review is probably a good idea.
<https://www.robsworld.org/self.html>

Vaessen Family Genealogy:
During October of 2010 (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. Since then, I've been contacted by another Saharsky family member. Evie Saharsky provided me with some updated and corrected information. As I've come to realize, the information provided in newspaper death notices is seldom accurate. This information from Evie Saharsky is much appreciated, and I used it to update my family genealogy pages. Thanks Evie. In addition to this information from Evie, I was also contacted by another individual listed on my Genealogy pages. Eldtraub provided some spelling corrections and an update on the marital status of a Vaessen family member.

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>

More Music for February - 2011:
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. Here's some music from sources other than eMusic.

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 (eMusic and iTunes). Here's a listing of some of the music I legally downloaded - and in most cases - paid for!

iTunes New Music Tuesday download:
Sometimes I purchase music from iTunes, and sometimes I take advantage of their free downloads (check it out on Tuesdays). iTunes is the King of the Hill when it comes to the bigger names, so sometimes I find that I have to pay the higher prices. Here's one of those free downloads from the iTunes store. It's the first free offering I've bothered to download in quite some time. Thanks Apple!
* Need You Now - Cut Copy: (single) From the new album - Zonoscope. Cut Copy is an Australian band, with a classic, synth-pop, disco beat. Retro dance disco with a down-under flavor. The band has been on my radar for years. I've managed to download three of their tracks (going back to 2008) and some remixes they worked on (with Ladyhawke and Kaiser Chiefs) without even realizing what I was digging. Now it's undeniable. I need to download one of their albums. I've queued up my eMusic and 'In Ghost Colours' is now ready for next months downloads. The sound is so reminiscent of OMD that it led me to pay for and download the newest OMD album.

iTunes purchases:
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.
* History of Modern (Deluxe Edition) - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: (16 songs+2 videos) One of my favorite bands from the 80s (founded in 1978) - Back together again. After a break up in 1996, the band got back together in 2006. Since then they've been busy playing various venues, even playing an orchestral concert with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. With the 'Classic lineup' the band has even managed to put together an entirely new album. Touring, supporting other acts (like the reunited Simple Minds) and now a new album. OMD is OMG back! The new album is awesome. It's as if they never broke up. This download (16 songs + 2 videos) set me back $14.02 (w/tax), but it's well worth it.

Web site downloads:
I download music from plenty of websites (not counting commercial websites). The websites of the artists, the artists label, music festival websites, music review sites, etc, etc. Their are gobs of places where you can find free music. We're in a whole new era now. Gone are the monopolistic controls of the music industry. Music is becoming free - Free to anyone who takes the time to look for it. If you can't find free, legal, music - you're not looking very hard.
* The High Seas - Singleton: (12 songs) An indie, rock, jam band from New York? or Ukraine? or Spain?. Playing various clubs, bars, pubs in NY. Struggling to get noticed. Their MySpace and band specific websites are a mess. Their music? Not bad - Worth downloading. Downloaded for free (legally) from Jamendo.com.
* For Tomorrow (2010 Edition) - Emerald Park: (14 songs) Indie, new wave, pop, rock. This band hails from Sweden, where they've been honing their skills. I'm really surprised that I found this gem on Jamendo.com. A 14 song reissue of their debut album. 12 tracks (the original release) is available for sale ($9.99) on iTunes and eMusic ($5.88). The music is excellent. The sound is varied enough to not get stale if you play it through. The variation in vocal talent is also much appreciated. Instrumentals are quite good, and the production level top notch. Reminds me of the Cure and OMD (see other bands above).

Bitter cold and lots of Snow:
February started off with a blast of Arctic air, plenty of snow and cold temps. This weekend the trend continues. Beginning Sunday night, we started to get snow. It started around 11pm (MDT), and didn't let up until well into Monday afternoon. A total of 8 inches accumulated, and the temps dropped well down into single digit territory. By monday we were down below freezing, by Tuesday we saw temps in the single digits. On Wednesday (the 9th) morning, the barometric pressure sank, my joints were killing me, and we saw some seriously cold weather. On my drive home (from work at appx 0530AM) the Volvo's thermometer read -9 degrees Fahrenheit. That's cold! With the wind chill... Well, let's just say it was 'Damn Cold!', as cold as Hell - A Scandinavian Hell (I'm from Northern Wisconsin -A place where many Scandinavian immigrants settled). Shoveling out from under all that snow took three days. Kim made a first strike at it on Tuesday afternoon. On Wednesday morning, I took a swing at it. I didn't have time to finish, and didn't get back to it until Thursday morning. By noon I'd finally cleaned off the driveway and sidewalks. Just in time for the next snow storm.. I'm sure!

* Current: A web page dedicated to the most recent news, announcements and information. I removed a banner for a Neighborhood Watch meeting held on the 3rd of February. I also removed banners for fund raisers at Old Chicago restaurant (on the 26th of January) and a Neighborhood Watch Family Night with the Colorado Avalanche (on the 5th of Feb). Our Neighborhood Watch would like to thank the Tollgate Crossing and Beacon Point HOAs for their generous donations Between the two of them, they pledged a total of $1,100.00 to help us raise money for the Aurora PD's K9 unit. The K9 unit is trying to raise enough funds to buy a new dog, and this money will certainly help. Finally, I updated a banner noting the fact that our Neighborhood Watch now has a new PAR (Police Area Representative) officer.
* Events: A listing of upcoming and recurring events in you Southeast Aurora Neighborhood. Events sponsored by or relevant to our Neighborhood Watch. I removed the event listing for our last NW meeting (held 3 Feb). I also removed the event listing for the 'Family Night' fundraiser mentioned above (held 5 Feb). I updated the event listing for upcoming NW meetings. We only have one scheduled meeting left for 2011 - The 7 April meeting. There will be other meetings this year, but so far they haven't been scheduled. I'll update this info as soon as our NW leadership schedules the remaining meetings. Finally, I added an event listing for this year's Annual Picnic. The South East Aurora Neighborhood Watch has a picnic each year. It's open to the public, there's free food, games, prizes, music, police representatives, and information from the NW. A good time for all. This years picnic will be held on May 14th. The picnic is currently in the planning stages, and we need all the help we can get. If you're interested in helping us out please contact the Head Area Coordinator: Judy Van Meter

* 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 rearranged the banners a bit - It's something I do to indicate a change in the content. I updated the banners for our next Metro District meeting (Feb 22nd) and HOA meeting (Mar 8th). I removed a banner for some Neighborhood Watch fundraisers. Once again, our Neighborhood Watch would like to thank the Tollgate HOA for their generous donation. They pledged $500.00 to help us raise money for the Aurora PD's K9 unit. The K9 unit is trying to raise enough funds to buy a new dog, and this money will certainly help.
* 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 (Mar 8th) and Metro District meetings (22 Feb). I also added a new 'Event' announcement. An invitation to anyone who might want to post their events on the website.
* Info: A page of links, phone numbers, email addresses and other information pertinent to the residents/community of Tollgate Crossing. I also added some additional Metro District meeting minutes. I posted the minutes from the special MD meeting held on the 30th of Nov, 2010.

February 7, 2011

West Berlin - 1990:
Back in 1990, I spent nearly a month in 'West Berlin'. I was still in the Air Force, and I was lucky enough to snag a primo TDY. I was doing really well at my job; winning numerous awards and accolades, impressing my commander and supervisors. As a reward for my performance, my unit - the 6917th ESG (of San Vito, Italy) sent me on a TDY (Temporary Duty) to West Berlin. From the end of July, through most of August (returning on the 25th), I spent nearly 30 days in the divided city. The wall was officially 'down', but the city was still 'divided' in a very real sense. Psychologically, the citizens of East and West Germany were two different peoples. Much prejudice, uncertainty and trepidation remained. The military (on all sides) was still treating East Berlin as an enclave of Soviet power, and travel was still restricted to military members. It was an amazing time for this young Airman (I was 27 years old). The Berlin wall had fallen, and freedom was breaking out all over Eastern Europe. The Soviet stranglehold on millions across Europe was finally broken, and it wouldn't be long before the Soviet Union itself would fall. Germans were celebrating, and many Americans were proud of the changes sweeping across the continent. The Cold War was coming to an end, and as an American military member, I was glad to have played some small role in that victory.

While I was there, I did my best to see as much of the city as possible. Every day, after my classes ended, I would change out of my uniform and head for the bus stop. While the city was still an 'Occupied City', all the public transportation was free to service members, and I took advantage of that benefit. I took the bus to U-Bahn (subway station), and rode the subway into the center of town. I started walking the length of the wall when I got there, and saw much of the drama unfold over the course of that month. The sights I saw will live forever in my memory, and thankfully I managed to take a few photos which I can share with others. It took some time, but I've finally made those photos available for everyone to see. I can still remember the details of that month quite vividly, and I share them with other military members whenever I get the chance.

Germany re-united soon after I left (in June of 1991), and I returned to my unit with a new outlook on things. Proud to serve, quite pleased with the hard-won freedoms we helped secure for millions of Eastern Europeans and Asians (Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Albania, Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan). Imagine a war, where the United States had less than 50 casualties (not counting appx 100,000 losses in Korea and Vietnam). A war that spanned 44 years, a war that cost nearly $8 trillion dollars (in military expenditures), a war with no declaration, no cease-fire or surrender. Despite the ephemeris nature of this 'Cold War', the results were undeniable. Ask any of the several million people liberated by the collapse of Communism; the Cold War was real - A palpable constant that defined an entire generation of humans. A political struggle, a military struggle, an economic struggle. A struggle of two systems - Democracy and Communism. The end of this conflict brought freedom, social liberation, economic development, and a feeling of renewed possibilities for all mankind. I hope you enjoy these few photos I managed to take while TDY to West Berlin in the summer of 1990.
<https://www.robsworld.org/iphoto/westberlin1990/index.html>
<http://gallery.me.com/rvaessen#100368>
<https://www.robsworld.org/cotscourse.png>
<https://www.robsworld.org/coldwar.png>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Berlin>
<http://us-berlin.com/>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Wall>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolutions_of_1989>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_reunification>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predictions_of_Soviet_collapse>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_war>

Software favorites:
One more update 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.

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) completed work on yet another update over the past few days. This week I saw/downloaded the following update: 7.1.1 (b152). 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 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/content/193/key-features.html>

With this software update, 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>

Snow-Blower Season:
There's no mistake, it's officially winter, and Colorado hasn't been spared it's share of the white fluffy stuff. I've got plans - retirement plans - that involve a tropical Pacific Island, but that's no time soon, so I'm busy shoveling the driveway on Super-Bowl sunday. I shoveled snow on Friday, after a snow storm moved through on Thursday. I was hoping to escape more shoveling for the weekend, but Saturday proved me wrong. It started snowing around noon, and didn't let up until Sunday. I estimate we had a total of 5 inches. I didn't shovel until Sunday morning. Once again I had to break out the snow-blower. Too much snow for just the shovel, and the temps kept me bundled up despite the exertion. Thanks to our visitors on Saturday, the snow was packed down pretty good, but the snow-blower didn't complain. By sunday evening, most of the ice on our driveway had melted away. So far, we haven't had any really big storms (those usually come around late March/early April), but we sure have had our share of snow. Plenty of snow in January and now February puts us a little ahead of schedule on our precipitation count, but it's nothing too startling. I can't say the same for the temps though. They certainly seem to be lower than usual. That tropical island is looking better and better every day.

February 5, 2011

Software favorites:
More updates from one of my favorite software applications. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. As usual, developer has been busy updating this application. Here's a couple 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.

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) completed work on a few updates over the past few weeks. This week I saw/downloaded the following updates: 7.1.1 (b150) and 7.1.1 (b151). 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 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/content/193/key-features.html>

Menus with no prices!
<rant>I'm a shift worker, and sometimes the crew (the people I work with) goes on a food run. Twelve hours is a long time to go without any food, but thankfully, some of the people I work with are gracious enough to pick up food for those of us who can't leave the building. Lately, I've noticed something that's getting my blood boiling. Menus without prices! We've got a bunch of take-out menus, and sometimes we have to look up a restaurant's menu online. Lately I've noticed a disturbing trend, many restaurants have menus without prices.

What is the matter with these restaurants? Are they so lazy that they simply can't be bothered to put the prices on their menu? What makes them think that the public doesn't care what they charge for their 'Greek Salad'? Do they think we're made out of money? What if you've only got a limited amount of money (unlike those customers with an 'unlimited' amount of money)? How can any consumer make an appropriate dining decision without knowing how much their meal is going to cost?

Do they honestly think we haven't got any choice? Do they think we'll have no choice, that we'll have to pay any price they charge? It's absurd. If it were up to me (and it never is, because I can't go on the food run, and I'm not in charge), I would never, ever eat at a place that dared to publish or offer a menu without prices. It's ridiculous. I can understand that prices might vary from one chain to another, but I don't give a damn. You better figure out a way to publish your prices, or I'm not going to eat at your establishment.

I'm not talking about alcoholic drink menus (leaving the price off those is offensive as well), seasonal items, or specials. I'm talking about the standard fare. The everyday menu of several fast-food restaurants. Not some exclusive country club or high class dinning establishment, we're talking about places like Qdoba, Atlanta Bread Company and KFC (to name a few). Not listing the prices is simply disrespectful. Most people have a choice when they're ordering from an online or take-out menu. They're usually at home. They haven't left the house yet, they can change their mind. You know what? Change your mind, don't order from places that don't list their prices!</rant>

D&D updates:
Our meeting on the 22nd of January was quite productive. Another meeting where everyone managed to make it to our gaming table. Kevin has left our group, but we've recruited a new player from the 'Waiting' list. Sean B. originally contacted me back in 2008, and he's been without a serious gaming fix for longer than that. Now that we've filled Kevin's vacancy, we can concentrate on vanquishing the evil that looms over the citizens of Deepwood. Here are updates from our meeting on the 22nd of January.

3rd Edition Campaign:
I updated the date of our next meeting - Our next meeting (not counting tonight's meeting) will be 19 Feb. 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 (updated on the 8th of Jan, 2011).
<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 are two journal entries 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 has arrived in the vicinity of Deepwood, and they've begun their quest in earnest. Seeking to end the evil plague of a Blue Dragon, they're currently seeking clues and investigating the environs around Deepwood and the communities in the area. During this particular session the party fought demons and Kobolds, but they still haven't entered Yin Yensine's laboratory. Sharpen your blades and hitch up your horses - Adventure calls and danger beckons!
<https://www.robsworld.org/ajournal08.html#jan22_2011>

Who's Who?:
I updated the "Who's Who?" page to reflect some illustration updates and some changes to a couple personalities. I added 'Sapharia' aka - 'Aishapra' to the list of Foes that our party knows. I also moved Eludecia (the Succubus Paladin) to the list of Friends & Allies. I updated the illustrations for Skifander and Kyrin. The illustration for Skif is a bit of photoshop magic. Todd performed some gender modification on a illustration pulled from Races of Stone. He transformed a female Whisper Gnome into a male character using photoshop. He did a damn good job. The illustration used for Sean B's character is an avatar from the Dungeons & Dragons Online (DDO) game. I included copyright disclaimers and credit for each of the illustrations. The "Who's Who?" page is a listing of characters, both player characters and non-player characters.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ewhoswho.html>

Monsters encountered:
From the open road to a subterranean aqueduct - As the party enters new environs they encounter new creatures. Some of those creatures will attempt to eat or injure the party - These creatures we call 'Monsters'! During our most recent gaming session, the party learned of three new monsters: The Aboleth, the Dretch, and a Marilith. Luckily (for the party), they didn't have to fight the Marilith, and they haven't encountered any Aboleth quite yet. With the party acquiring knowledge of these monsters or fighting them first-hand, I updated the 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 22nd of January. This is 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 took to the open road. That road was dangerous and long - Very Long! The party fought many foes along the way, lost two of their own (Gregor and Jusarian), said goodbye to one longtime companion, and recruited several new companions (Pyrceval, Azura and the mysterious Crucifer) to strengthen their numbers. All united in their quest to vanquish Deepwood of it's Dragon problem, the adventurers have entered a new phase in the adventure. Now arrived in the region of Deepwood; gone is the dusty long road, here is the dark forest and a subterranean aqueduct, here the adventure begins again. While negotiating with a group of Kobolds, the party was led into a trapped corridor. After defeating a pair of gelatinous cubes and a deadly trap, the party confronted and slew the Kobold Chief who deceived and hoped to slay them in a watery trap. This dramatic encounter forced a schism within the party. After confronting Solmar over a matter of justice, Pyrceval left the party. Moments later the party was surprised to find a regenerated 'Silver Skeleton' as a fully fleshed Succubus, temporarily imprisoned in their 'bag of holding'. After resolving that particular dilemma, our heroes have returned to the Hostel of the Sacred Stone before continuing their quest. Sharpen your blades and hitch up your horses - Adventure calls and danger beckons, this quest is far from over!

February 2, 2011

DNS failures plague my Mac:
<rant>Since my Mac OS 10.6.5 upgrade, I've been experiencing some rather annoying DNS failures. Most of the time my 'internet' works fine, and then there are instances when it doesn't. It simply fails to resolve domain names. I try to visit a website and the computer just can't connect to the website. I get all kinds of crazy responses, error codes and bogus results. Sometimes I end up loading a completely different web page, the URL ends up malformed, you name it, there's a huge variety of weird results whenever I attempt to load a web page. It doesn't seem to matter which web browser I use, and I've tried cleaning out my browsers cache to no effect. I don't think it's the DNS servers, because changing them (from Comcast's DNS servers to a pair of OpenDNS servers) doesn't help either. The only thing that seems to help is a complete reboot of my Mac. That's a royal 'p-i-t-a'. I can't figure out what's causing the problem. I thought it might be a firewall issue, but that doesn't seem to be the case either; as disabling the firewall doesn't help at all. It doesn't seem to be an all or nothing problem, but it does get worse as time goes on. It seems minor at first - simply returning a 'not found' error - but it quickly results in an inability to access web pages. I believe it may have something to do with the mDNSResponder applicaiton/process on my Mac. As I mentioned earlier, a reboot (with permissions repair) seems to momentarily correct the problem. Unfortunately, there's no way of knowing how long before the problem reoccurs. Right now things are working fine, but who knows how long I'll be able to operate before my Mac fails to resolve domain lookups? Apparently, I'm not the only one having this problem. A thread on the Apple support site has an eight page thread on the issue, and the dates run all the way through the 1st of February. So, it seems as if Apple hasn't fixed the problem yet.</rant>
<http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2648002&start=0&tstart=0>

Wow it's Cold!:
February starts off with a blast of Arctic air. With a low pressure front moving through our area (Aurora, Colorado), arctic air from Canada, the remnants of moisture from the gulf of Mexico and our high altitude, we really got socked with a deep, deep freeze. The nearest weather station recorded temps from -4 to -13 degrees farenheit (on the 1st of February). We set some new record lows with this cold snap. The previous record goes back to 2007, when the low (on this date) was -4. Other record lows take us back more than 20 years. Average temperatures at this time of year are mid 30s, so this is really cold. With some moisture (up to 70%), and wind, we've got dangerously cold temperatures continue along the Front Range. The wind chill readings were 20 to 30 below zero through 1 am. Wind chill warnings are set to remain in effect through wednesday. The cold temps should continue through Thursday morning, and we won't return to normal temps until Friday. How cold is it where you live?
<http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/26690057/detail.html>

Music Downloads for February - 2011:
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 (eMusic and iTunes). Here's a listing of some of the music I legally downloaded - and in most cases - paid for!

eMusic monthly downloads:
Every month I download ~50 tracks from eMusic.com. This month (February of 2011) I managed to download 64 tracks for $23.26 (and I'm paying a $19.99 monthly fee, so that makes the tracks even cheaper (~$0.32 / track). 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. At less than $.50 a track (I'm currently paying $19.99 for $22.99 worth of downloads per month). eMusic 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.
* Before You Were Punk: 28 Punk Classics - UK Subs: (28 songs) UK Subs are an English punk band. Rockin' still, since 1976. This band was part of the original punk movement. They've outlived, outlasted, and outperformed most of the bands from that era. Here's a compilation of their greatest hits. I'm lovin' it. Rock on UK Subs! Thanks to eMusic, I was able to purchase this album, with 28 tracks, for $5.99. That's appx $0.28 per track. Let's see iTunes try to top that!
* Kasabian - Kasabian: (14 songs) Outstanding! The debut release of Kasabian. Club beats, progressive rock, indie-rock remniscent of Sterolab and other electronic club masters. The style and sound varies enough to keep you entertained and the energy level pulses throughout. Great keyboard work. I may have to get some more Kasabian.
* Wild! - Erasure: (11 songs) A favorite of mine from the 90s. This is only my second album. Remniscent of New Order, Depeche Mode (Vince Clarke was a founding member), Simple Minds, Ultravox and Pseudo Echo. Here's a Synth-Pop band with a clean New Wave sound. Keyboards and ballad like lyrics with plenty of echo.
* Real Life and Thereafter - Magazine: (11 songs) Magazine was a favorite of mine from the 80s. Magazine is the brainchild of Howard Devoto. With a few other members, Magazine was short lived but very memorable and influetial. Producing many Four albums in a period of four years before Devoto left for other endeavors. This album is a live recording at the Forum in London. Made in 2009, this album marks the beginning of a reunion tour. That's right the band is back together (minus guitarist John McGeoch, who died in 2004). They initially played five shows, but went on to do more appearances. Now they're working on new material. I can't wait!