What's New

October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween:
Another year of handing out treats to all the ghosts and goblins that came to our front door . I estimate that approximately 60 kids showed up. That's about the same as last year, but I'm still surprised by how few kids show up in a neighborhood full of young families (a new subdivision). I remember when I was a kid on Suburban Drive (Yes, I actually lived on a street named 'Suburban Drive'). The neighborhood was crawling with kids. My parents must have easily had a couple hundred kids show up at their door. That was back in the 60s - 70s though, and things sure have changed since then. This year the 'Trick or Treaters' showed up as late as 8pm. I'm surprised that they kept going after dark. Aside from handing out the treats, we managed to watch a couple of scary movies. I hope you had a good Halloween.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween>

Annibirthday - 2011:
Kim and I celebrated another Annibirthday in October of 2011. As Kim and I were married on my birthday (The 26th of October), we celebrate an Annibirthday instead of an Anniversary, or my Birthday. This year we decided to celebrate by taking a 'Staycation'. We stayed at home, and didn't do much of anything. I've been a bit stressed out lately, and we decided to just stay at home, do some light house work, and watch a few movies (we rented Captain America and Horrible Bosses on the AppleTV). I used the opportunity to de-stress, watch a snowstorm, get caught up on some web pages and basically relax. Imagine that, someone might take a vacation and actually relax. We didn't drive anywhere, fly anywhere, go to any shows, concerts or museums. We didn't even go out to eat. A true Staycation. Well, it worked. I'm feeling very relaxed, and this vacation didn't cost us much at all. Kim and I would like to thank everyone who sent us cards or wished us well on FaceBook.

Updates to the Tollgate Crossing website:
I participate in some community focused events, but haven't found the time to serve on any boards, so I do what I can to help the people who live in my neighborhood. 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 several 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.
- I updated the banner for our next Metro District (22 Nov, 2011) and Home Owner's Association (8 Nov, 2011) meetings.
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 information regarding our next MD (22 Nov, 2011) and HOA (8 Nov, 2011) meetings.
- I removed an announcement soliciting a volunteer for a vacant HOA board member chair. That vacancy has been filled.
Info: A page of links, phone numbers, email addresses and other information pertinent to the residents/community of Tollgate Crossing.
- I updated links to, and posted updated Meeting Minutes from Metro District meetings. Added meeting minutes from the following date: 2011-08-23. If you'd like to read meeting minutes from 2010 or earlier, please contact me.

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>

An ISP that fights spam?
<rave>Recently (26 Oct 2011) I received an email message from a system administrator at DespreGazduire.Ro, a Romanian ISP/domain registrar. The email I received, was sent in response to some spam that I recently reported (through SpamCop). This administrator wrote (in three different languages) to thank me for reporting the spam that linked to one of his domains. This isn't the first time I've received an actual positive response from a spam report, but it's the first response to one of my reports in more than four years! I almost never receive thanks, email, or any sort of reply from the ISPs where the spam originated. I was surprised, impressed, and glad to see that someone still cares. This company actually suspended the website that the spammer was using in his/her efforts to distribute trojans to victims who click on the links in his/her 'Scan from a Hewlett-Packard Officejet' email messages. Kudos to Despre Gazduire. Thanks for helping to fight spam. System administrators/domain registrars like this one are our front line in the war against spam. If every ISP acted this diligently, we'd have a lot less spam to sift through in the morning.</rave>

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

Winter will be here soon:
Some wacky weather hit Colorado this week. Autumn started just a little over a month ago, and it looks like Winter can't wait to get started. October in these parts is usually quite sedate; with slowly dropping temps and occasional rain, we typically don't get snow until late October or early November. This year kind of breaks that trend. The first week of October saw temps in the 80s, then a snow storm during the 2nd week of October. Just this week (4th week of October) we had record high temps (80 degrees on the 24th of October), followed by a pretty big snow storm on the 26th of October. Predictions leading up to the storm were crazy. They just kept going up and up. On the morning of the 25th I heard predictions of 2-4", by 10AM the predictions were calling for 6-10", by the time I left work, they were saying 8-18". Astonishing! Here in our little corner of Aurora, we got close to 10 inches of snow, and some places actually got the 18" predicted by the meteorologists. Most of the snow in our neighborhood has melted by the 28th. We're supposed to have temps in the high 50's before the month is over and I'm hoping that I won't have to fire up that snow blower quite yet. It looks like we're in for another season of Crazy Colorado weather. I love it!
<https://www.robsworld.org/wintersquirrel1.png>

Software favorites:
Another update for my favorite software application. Another beta update for my favorite Graphics editor. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. As usual, developer has been busy updating this application. Here's another update for a 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 GC update, there was also an update to XQuartz (a Unix windowing system that runs on the Mac).

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) completed work on at least nineteen additional updates over the past few weeks. I recently saw/downloaded the following updates: 7.4.1 (b315), 7.4.1 (b321). 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/162/new-functions-and-versions.html>

X11 / XQuartz:
One of the best things about OSX? - it's really Unix!
I'm running X11/XQuartz 2.7.0rc1 (xorg-server 1.11.1.901), available from MacOS Forge

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

What's the difference between X11 and XQuartz? - They're both 'X' (as in uniX) Window Systems. Computer software and network protocol that provides a graphical user interface for a networked computer running a flavor of the unix operating system. X11 was originally developed by MIT. It appeared in Sep of 1987, and it's maintained and distributed by the X.Org foundation, the free and open software is distributed (under license) by Apple with it' Mac OS X operating system. XQuartz is also an 'X' windowing system. Developed and maintained by Apple; XQuartz is designed specifically for the Mac OS X operating system. It's a more refined version of an 'X' windowing system than the X11 version shipped/distributed by Apple during major software updates. XQuartz is developed as an open-source project, and it's updated more frequently than the X11 version shipped/distributed with official Apple software updates. So, in brief X11 is the official build distributed with major software updates/upgrades, and XQuartz is an open-source, more refined version, distributed outside standard update channels.

While X11/XQuartz forms the basis of running Unix applications on your Mac (you really need an X Windows System), getting Unix apps up and running on your Mac isn't always as easy as downloading and double clicking. (see note above), but the following links should help you get started.
<http://developer.apple.com/opensource/tools/X11.html>
<http://www.apple.com/opensource/>
<http://xquartz.macosforge.org/trac/wiki/X112.7.0>
<http://www.macports.org/>
<http://www.finkproject.org/>

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>

October 22, 2011

We voted, did you?
I sure hope so. Kim and I voted early. Because of our work schedules, we voted by absentee ballot. <rave>Colorado makes it very easy for us to vote by absentee ballot and we really like the "Blue Book" booklets they send us ahead of time. They sent out a booklet containing analysis of all the ballot initiatives. Including the local ones. The booklets are really helpful when it comes to unraveling the opposing commercials and rhetoric you hear on the news. The booklets include all the facts, plus some pro and con points of view. With the help of the booklet, I found answers to most of my questions, and had a place to start when doing my own research. Now that's government working for me!</rave>
<http://www.arapahoevotes.com/>

Southeast Aurora Neighborhood Watch website:
I participate in some community focused events, but haven't found the time to serve on any boards, so I do what I can to help the people who live in my neighborhood. Volunteering with our local neighborhood watch, maintaining the Southeast Aurora Neighborhood Watch website and mailing lists. The South East Aurora Neighborhood Watch serves the residents of South East Aurora by providing information and close ties with the local Police Department in order to help keep the residents safe and neighborhoods crime free. 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 an announcement regarding a chili cook-off at our next Neighborhood Watch meeting (Dec 8th).
Events: A listing of upcoming and recurring events in you Southeast Aurora Neighborhood. Events sponsored by or relevant to our Neighborhood Watch.
- Updated information for our upcoming Neighborhood Watch meetings.

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 your 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>

Wake From Sleep issues under Lion:
Back in October of 2010 (at a Special Event), Apple announced the latest revision of it's OS X operating system. The 8th OS X version (OS 10.7), code named - Lion, was released on the 20th of July 2011. It took a while, but I've finally got it up and running on my Mac (On the desktop Mac (A Mac Pro Early 2009) and the laptop (A MacBook Pro 15" Early 2008). Lion brought us many new features, and improved U/I (user interface) in Mission Control, and simplified the HMI (Human Machine Interface) by integrating numerous 'Multi-Touch Gestures' and expanding the usability of that amazing product, the 'Magic Trackpad'. After introducing all those new features and improvements, they managed to introduce one bug that's plaguing me to this day.

An intermittent problem has been pestering me since the introduction of Lion onto my desktop Mac (It's not affecting the laptop). The problem is a bit difficult to explain... Occasionally, when my computer goes to sleep, the monitor will not wake up. The computer wakes up. You can hear some computer activity, the monitor gets slightly brighter, the power button (on my Dell 30" monitor) changes from amber (standby) to blue (active), but the monitor doesn't fully illuminate, and you can't see the computer's desktop. Occasionally/after some period of time, you'll see a spinning beach-ball indicator, as if something is hung, trying to launch or run. Nothing I do will make the monitor wake up, and eventually the monitor goes back into standby. The light goes back to amber color. I've tried pressing the shift key, swiping the magic trackpad, moving the ball on my trackball, clicking the trackpad, clicking on of the keys on the trackball, pressing various keys on the keyboard. I've even tried pressing the computer's power key. Nothing helps.

So fare the problem has been rather intermittent, and it only happens after extended periods of sleep. After numerous searches on the internet, it's become apparent that there are numerous 'wake from sleep' issues with Lion. So far I've tried a couple of fixes that haven't helped. I tried removing the 'sleep cache' located at: /private/var/vm/sleepimage I've tried turning off blue-tooth, that seems to offer some relief, but doesn't seem to work every time. I've also noticed that my computer is disconnected from my home network when this issue is occurring. I've tried to log in using my laptop, but the desktop isn't available on the network. The only way to recover from this problem is a hard reset. Hold down the power button until the Mac powers off, wait a 30 seconds or so, then press the power button to restart the Mac. FYI: The 10.7.1 and 10.7.2 updates did not correct the problem.

I'd like to disable the automatic 'monitor sleep' settings, so I can manually turn it off instead of letting it go to sleep. Unfortunately, the monitor sleep controls are slaved to the CPU sleep controls, and I can't decouple them... For the moment, I suspect that these 'Wake From Sleep' issues are a bit more complicated than I'm aware of. What about you - Have you had any 'Wake From Sleep' issues under Lion?
<http://www.apple.com/macosx/whats-new/features.html>
<http://www.apple.com/magictrackpad/>

D&D updates:
Our meeting on the 1st of October continued the party's adventure in a mountain valley. Unfortunately, Sean O' couldn't make it so we played without him. Todd brought a friend and play proceeded around 1830. Our meeting on the 15th of October continued the party's quest for a missing crewman. During this session, we were missing two players Todd and Lee. We also had one extra guest. Erik is a candidate player, and he sat in our session. He contributed by adding some role-play to Todd's character (Allurean). Sean 'O' played Lee's character (Mortimer), as his character was back aboard the Artarius (a flying ship). Recently, the party's transport (A flying ship (The Artarius) leased from J.F.K. Enterprises in Whillip) arrived in Deepwood, and the party finally departed the cursed village of Deepwood. They thought their troubles were behind them, until they flew through an anti-magic zone, and crashed their flying ship! As the crew effects repairs, the party is looking for a lost crew member. Their search continues in this session. Stay tuned for the exciting and continuing adventures of the H.A.L.L.O.W.ed Knights.

3rd Edition Campaign:
I updated the date of our next meeting - Our next meeting will take place on the 29th of October, 2011. I also updated the player/character notations under the small image of our group. This page (The "3eCampaign" 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.

With some input from Lee, I was able to update/post an entry from our meeting on the 17th of Sep. Traveling aboard a flying ship was supposed to be safe and fast. Well, that was the plan, until the flying ship flew through an anti-magic zone. After barely surviving a crash landing into a pristine mountain lake, the party found itself stranded in an isolated mountain valley. While the crew affected repairs, our adventurers set out to recover the body of a fallen sailor. One of the crew fell overboard during the crash landing. Here's the tale of that short lived journey into a dangerous mountain vale.
<https://www.robsworld.org/ajournal08.html#sep17_2011>

A follow-up session occurred on the 1st of October. While the party initially met resistance, and then resisted any efforts at recovering the lost crewman, the captain and crew insisted that his body be recovered. Here are notes from the DM and a journal entry from Mortimer (submitted by Lee) on the dangerous journey undertaken across the valley floor in search of the lost crewman. The captain was able to help guide our party upstream towards the spot where the sailor had fallen. Unfortunately, his body was nowhere to be found. A quick search revealed signs of an injury and tracks leading deeper into the deep and deadly forest of this mountain vale. I hope you find this brief synapsis adequate, and hope to update it in the near future.
<https://www.robsworld.org/ajournal08.html#oct01_2011>

Another session on the 15th of October, found our party continuing their search for the missing crewman. With no journal entries from the players, I did my best to record some notes during the game. Later, I typed up a brief recap. I realize these notes are quite brief, but I don't want to slow down the game too much, and writing these journal entries does take considerable time. Hopefully, in the future one (or more) of our players will volunteer to help out by providing some journal entries. They tracked the fallen crewman through a monster infested mountain valley, and finally found him inside a red stained pyramid. After a short battle with an insanely powerful demon, the party managed to escape that trapped temple with the missing crewman. Resting after their retreat, the party hopes that their return to the flying ship will be less dangerous.
<https://www.robsworld.org/ajournal08.html#oct15_2011>

Monsters encountered:
From hidden tomb to veiled mountain valley - As the party enters new environs they will surely encounter some new creatures. Some of those creatures will attempt to eat or injure the party - These creatures we call 'Monsters'! During our most recent gaming sessions, the party fought a several new monsters and one old one. Creatures they'd never encountered before: A friendly tribe of Kuo-Toa who only wanted to fish for their dinner and care for their community. A group of blood-thirsty demons who only wanted to destroy everything in their path. A pack of vicious dragon-like predators hunting the party from the canopy of a thick forest. A burrowing plant with surprising speed and an appetite for living flesh. A statue transformed into an obscenely powerful demon. Finally, I updated the entry for a powerful and deadly icy cold demon that they party has encountered once before. As a result of all these new encounters, I updated the party's "Monster's Known" listings. The monsters page is a listing of monsters that the party has encountered, read about, or heard of.
<https://www.robsworld.org/monsters.html>

Players in our campaign:
Over the last few months, there's been numerous changes in our character line-up. Although the players themselves haven't changed much, the characters they're playing have changed. As a result, I've updated the annotations beneath the large group photo on this page. A group of crazy characters constitute the players in our campaign. Many players have graced my gaming table over the years, some are old friends, some are new, but in the end - friends are what I call them. The players page contains a photo of our group and a short listing of who we are. The photo is currently out of date and we're looking for a new player. I hope to see both situations resolved in the coming month.
<https://www.robsworld.org/players.html>

Who's Who?:
I updated the "Who's Who?" page, correcting some links and updating the entry for the Dungeon Master. The Dungeon Master in a Dungeons & Dragons® game is the game administrator. He/She prepares the adventure(s), facilitates play through rule adjudication, and plays the characters and monsters that the player characters meet (the non-player characters (NPCs)). In the Rob's World! campaign, any of the highly experienced players (or the Campaign Master) may DM an adventure or encounter. Currently, Robert Vaessen (the Campaign Master) is the Dungeon Master. The "Who's Who?" page is a listing of characters, both player characters and non-player characters.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ewhoswho.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ewhoswho.html#dungeonmaster>

These updates follow our meetings on the 17th of September, 1st of October and the 15th of October. 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>

Does AppleJack run under Lion?
<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! (The team that works on it (as volunteers) appreciates your donations) 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.

After installing OS 10.7 (Lion), I found myself in a predicament. I wanted to run AppleJack; clean up some cache files, fix permissions, repair the boot disk, etc. Unfortunately, AppleJack hadn't been updated to work with 10.7; so I waited... After a week or so, I started googling for AppleJack updates. Still no joy. Eventually, I found some posts indicating that AppleJack version 1.6 (tested / released for Snow Leopard) works with Lion! On the 15th of October, 2011, I ran AppleJack after booting into single user mode. I typed the following command at the terminal prompt: > applejack auto restart

After the AppleJack script launched, AppleJack 1.6 rev 1.144 on OS 10.7.2 ran fine. It executed the following routines with one issue of note:
[1]='repairDisks' [2]='fixPermissions' [3]='cacheCleanup' [4]='validatePreferences' [5]='cleanupVM' [6]='quitScript'
The 'fixPermissions' routine reported that it couldn't repair permissions on my Lion bootup volume /dev/rdisk0s2 It reported some sort of encryption issue. No I'm not using file vault. Perhaps it's some other security related issue. I guess I'll have to use Apple's Disk Utility in order to repair permissions on my boot volume.

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 updated to Snow Leopard compatibility back in July of 2010. Hopefully, the 'official' update for 10.7 won't too long. In the meantime, it looks like the answer (see the heading of this posting) is "YES". Despite the fact that it takes the developer a long time to update this application, I found that the 'Snow Leopard' version works fine with 'Lion'. 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>
<http://sourceforge.net/projects/applejack/forums/forum/271771/topic/4562879>

October 16, 2011

Apple TV (2nd gen) update:
On Wednesday (12 Oct, 2011), Apple released the Apple TV Software Update 4.4 (Released in conjunction with the iOS 5.0 update). In October of 2010, I bought one of the new (2nd Generation) Apple TVs. After some initial problems integrating it into my network (One old Apple TV, one new Apple TV, one malfunctioning Network Attached Server, and one abused light switch!), that new AppleTV has been running like a champ in our living room.

The new Apple TV is working great. I don't like the way the menus are organized (removing my content from the top tier of each menu), but that may change. The Netflix menu will take a bit of adjustment. I don't like the way it jumps to the top of my queue when I exit the description of any show, but that may change. All these little things are a bit annoying, but I do like the new device. The streaming performance was a primary concern, but so far (after a year of use) I haven't been disappointed. The streaming over my TimeCapsule/Airport Extreme router/network, is working great. The new AppleTV has a beefed up processor and large flash drive for caching. Both are doing their jobs splendidly. If you didn't know better you'd think all that content was stored onboard. I like it so much I'm thinking of replacing that one downstairs with a second 2nd Gen AppleTV

This new software update (Apple TV Software Update 4.4) is delivered as part of the iOS 5.0 update. This update brings a bunch of security updates and a handfull of new features: Photo Stream viewing (view photos pushed to iCloud/living in your Photo Stream); wireless AirPlay mirroring (push audio and some video from wireless iOS devices to an AppleTV connected HDTV (I was having problems with AirPlay enabled apps and websites, but they're working now)); National Hockey League (a 'video' channel ala Roku Player. You can even watch live games); Wall Street Journal (watch news, commentary and financial analysis from leading experts); New slideshow themes for viewing photos on your AppleTV (Photo Wall, Flip-Up, Shifting Tiles); Netflix added support for subtitles (when available).
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4448>
<http://www.apple.com/appletv/>

MobileMe makes way for the iCloud:
The transition from MobileMe to iCloud has generated lots of questions, uncertainty and fear. While the iCloud transition brings many new capabilities, it also means the loss of some capabilities. Three features/capabilities will disappear with the transition from MobileMe to iCloud. FYI: Most of the MobileMe capabilities (including the three listed below) will remain available (to MobileMe subscribers) until June 30th, 2012. The three features that will disappear are:

MobileMe Galleries: The 'Photo Stream' provided under iCloud is not a duplication of the MobileMe Galleries. In my opinion it's a very pale shadow of the MobileMe Galleries. It will make your last 1,000 photos available to any of your iOS enabled devices (or Macs running Lion), but other people can't see it. You can't share it with others or organize it in any meaningful way. It certainly doesn't qualify as a replacement to the MobileMe Galleries. Unfortunately I haven't found any service that provides the same capabilities as the MobileMe Galleries. If you know of one, please let me know.

iWeb Publishing: While we will still be able to use the iWeb application, Apple has already declared that produce EOL'd (end of life). There won't be any more updates. You can still use it to create websites and update existing web pages, but you won't be able to use it to publish pages to a MobileMe hosted site. MobileMe hosting is going away. As far as I know, the currently hosted domains/websites will continue to work until June 30th, 2012. This doesn't have an immediate impact on me. While I use iWeb to create and update two of my websites, I don't publish/host those domains/websites using the MobileMe service. I publish them to a local folder and upload them to my non-MobileMe webserver/hosting service. I will continue to use iWeb for this purpose until it becomes unusable for my needs.

iDisk: True cloud based storage seems to be going away under the iCloud. I know that sounds odd, but it certainly seems to be true. This service called iCloud is more of a cloud based syncing service than it is a cloud based storage service. Depending on how the iCloud handles iWork documents (will Apple retain/keep the iWork.com sharing capabilities?), I may end up using a non-Apple solution for cloud based storage. Perhaps I'll end up using Microsoft's SkyDrive... In any case, with the demise of the iDisk (which will stick around until 30 Jun of 2012), MobileMe subscribers will have to find a new way to share documents via the 'Cloud'. In the interim, Apple has beefed up our current storage capacity. Everyone's* iDisk/iCloud storage has been bumped up from the standard 15GB (under MobileMe) to 20GB. I originally had some concerns about the small amount of storage (only 5GB) indicated under iCloud. Now that Apple has officially turned on the 'iCloud' they've released pricing for increased iCloud storage. You get 5GB for free as part of the iOS upgrade (you need Lion or an iOS 5.0 enabled device to use the iCloud services). Beyond that it will cost $2.00 (per year) for each additional GB of storage. For example: 5GB/Free, +10GB=$20.00, +20GB=$40.00, +50GB=$100.00. So, we finally know the price of storage. This price is currently competitive/comparable to other services. Hopefully, some competition will put pressure on Apple to keep these prices competitive. Unfortunately, with the limitations on general file sharing and accessibility, Apple has effectively positioned itself outside the direct competition arena, and I don't suspect they'll be vulnerable to industry wide price wars when it comes to storage costs per GB. Despite the small amount of free storage, the amount of files/data that are excluded from storage costs is extensive, and this may mean that your 5GB will actually be adequate for most needs (given the fact that you won't be using the iCloud as a cloud based storage solution). *I don't know what your iCloud storage will be if you were paying for more than the standard 15GB.

So, three capabilites are dissappearing under this iCloud transition. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to use as replacements. I think I'm good to go for file sharing. If I can't figure out how to use my 'Buffalo' NAS, I can always use a Windows SkyDrive, my own webserver or maybe even a DropBox solution. There's a lot of options for cloud based storage. Unfortunately, I have located anyting that will replace the MobileMe Galleries. The iWeb publishing doesn't really impact me, as finding a hosting provider isn't difficult at all.

Apple is completely withdrawing from competition in two of these areas (Cloud based storage and domain/website hosting). There are numerous cheaper alternatives, and Apple certainly can't compete in that regard. Low price has never been their forte'. The only service they're dropping that doesn't make any sense to me is the MobileMe Gallery. As far as I can tell, no one has anything approaching the sophistication or power of the MobileMe Gallery. I still don't know what I'm going to do in order to replace that capability. Any ideas or suggestions?
<http://www.apple.com/mobileme/transition.html>

Apple iOS 5.0:
If you've got an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, you may already know - Apple released iOS 5.0 on the 12th of October, 2011. This latest release (of the 'i' device operating system) brings more than 200 new features and bug fixes to your iOS device. With Apple's latest software releases (iOS 5.0, Safari 5.1.1, Apple TV 4.4) there have been numerous software updates. The iOS 5.0 update brings numerous new and improved features, to include: Notifications; iMessage (replaces/augments/expands iChat capabilities); Newsstand (for magazines and newspapers); Reminders; built in Twitter support (it's integrated into the iOS apps); Camera improvements (including volume up as shutter click); Mail improvements (including custom alert sounds); Calendar improvements; Game Center improvements; AirPlay mirroring of iPad 2 and iPhone 4S; Multitasking gestures on iPad 2; On-device setup, activation and configuration (no need for a computer); over the air software updates; iCloud support (iTunes in the Cloud, Photo Stream, Documents in the Cloud, Apps and Books automatically download, purchase history, backups, Find My iPhone (now free w/iOS), Mail, Contacts, Calendars); New music app for iPad 2; Hourly weather forecasts; Real-time stock quotes; Wireless syncing to iTunes; Keyboard improvements; Split keyboard for iPad; Improved autocorrection accuracy; Personal dictionary for autocorrection; Keyboard shortcuts for frequently used words; Accessibility improvements; Exchange ActiveSync improvements; more than 1,500 new developer APIs.

Whew! That's a lot of stuff, and I didn't put everything in there. Learn more at the Apple website. The iOS update is available now. Just plug in your iOS device and check for new software.
<http://www.apple.com/ios/>
<http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1456>
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4448>
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222>

Software favorites:
More updates to some of my favorite software applications. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. As usual, developer has been busy updating this application. Here's two (or 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 GC update, I also downloaded updates to Safari, Numbers and Pages as a result of the iOS (5.0) and Mac Operating System (going from 10.7.1 to 10.7.2) updates.

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) completed work on several updates over the past week. I recently saw/downloaded the following update: 7.4.1 (b302). 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/162/new-functions-and-versions.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, 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 Version 5.1.1 (7534.51.22).

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), 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.

Some of the newest features include: The Reading List - A way to store URLs for late, Multi-Touch Gestures (under Lion) - more ways to navigate within Safari; Full-Screen Browsing (under Lion) - With a 30" monitor, I don't really need this; New privacy and security features; Resume - Opens windows and tabs right where you left off; Downloads popover (under Lion); Find option (updated); Better graphics (Under Lion - using HTML5 canvas capabilities); Internet account setups; New processing architecture - to keep your computer from slowing down when the browser starts choking on some pesky video or other heavy duty processing. Safari 5.1.1 includes support for iCloud, a breakthrough set of free cloud services. iCloud stores your Safari bookmarks and Safari Reading List and automatically pushes them to all your devices. Safari 5.1.1 also contains various fixes and improvements to performance, stability, usability, compatibility, accessibility and security.

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. 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.
<http://www.apple.com/safari/>
<http://www.apple.com/safari/features.html>
<http://www.webstandards.org/action/acid3>

iWork '09:
Apple's productivity suite is three applications and one online service. I'm running various versions of the component software: iWork 9.1 on my desktop and laptop delivered Pages 4.1 (923), Keynote 5.1 (1018) and Numbers 2.1 (436) respectively. On my iPad and iPhone, I'm running the new versions (delivered under the iOS 5 update): Pages 1.5, Numbers 1.5. (I don't have the portable (iPad/iPhone) version of Keynote).

iWork is Apple's productivity suite. Previous versions of iWork (2005-2006) contained two applications, a bit anemic for a productivity suite. It was missing a crucial component. No spreadsheet application? In 2007, things changed. They added a spreadsheet application. Numbers is the newest addition to the productivity suite. With the addition of this new component. iWork became a feasible replacement for the venerable (and still useful) AppleWorks - which hasn't (and never will - according to Apple) seen an update since 2004. iWork is also a home contender, competing against Microsoft Office. Most home users don't need the power provided by Microsoft's productivity suite. iWork applications are Office compatible (No it's not 100% compatible, but it can open, edit and save documents as Office documents), and the pricing is far more affordable than the behemoth on the block. So, the addition of numbers, the fantastic price ($79.00 for three full feature productivity apps), the great reviews (that I've read), the compatibility (Office and AppleWorks) and the outstanding support that Apple provides, have enticed me to switch from AppleWorks to iWork. All of the iWork components contain web based output options, which is crucial for anyone creating web pages, or managing a web site.

iWork consists of three productivity applications and an online component:

Pages - Pages is a word processing application with page layout features. Besides basic word processing functionality, Pages includes 140 templates designed by Apple that allow users to create various types of documents, including newsletters, invitations, stationery, and résumés, along with a number of education-themed templates (such as reports and outlines) for students and teachers.

Along with Keynote and Numbers, Pages integrates with Apple's iLife suite. Using the Media Browser, users can drag and drop movies, photos and music directly into documents within the Pages application. A Full Screen view hides the menubar and toolbars, and an outline mode allows users to quickly create outlines which can easily be rearranged by dragging and dropping, as well as collapsed and expanded. Pages includes support for entering complex equations with MathType 6 and for reference citing using EndNote X2.

The Pages application can open and edit Microsoft Word documents (including DOC and Office Open XML files), rich text format documents, and plain text documents. Pages can also export documents in the DOC, PDF, and ePub formats (from WikiPedia).

Keynote - Keynote is an application used to create and play presentations. Its features are comparable to those of Microsoft PowerPoint, though Keynote contains several unique features which differ from similar applications. Keynote, like Pages and Numbers, integrates with the iLife application suite. Users can drag and drop media from iMovie, iTunes, iPhoto and Aperture directly into Keynote presentations using the Media Browser. Keynote contains a number of templates, transitions, and effects. Magic Move allows users to apply simple transitions to automatically animate images and text that are repeated on consecutive slides.

The Keynote Remote application lets users view slides and presenter notes and control Keynote presentations with an iPhone or iPod touch over a Wi-Fi network.

Keynote supports a number of file formats. By default, presentations are saved as .key files. Keynote can open and edit Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt) files. In addition, presentations can be exported as Microsoft PowerPoint files, QuickTime movies (which are also playable on iPod and iPhone), HTML files, and PDF files. Presentations can also be sent directly to iDVD, iTunes, GarageBand, iWeb, and to YouTube. The Keynote 09 file format is not backward compatible; .key files saved with Keynote '09 can not be opened with earlier versions of Keynote (from WikiPedia).

Numbers - Numbers is a spreadsheet application that was added to the iWork suite in 2007 with the release of iWork '08. Numbers, like Microsoft Excel and other spreadsheet applications, lets users organize data into tables, perform calculations with formulas, and create charts and graphs using data entered into the spreadsheet. Numbers, however, differs from other spreadsheet applications in that it allows users to create multiple tables in a single document on a flexible canvas. Many prebuilt templates, including ones designed for personal finance, education, and business use, are included.

Numbers 2, the latest release which is included with iWork '09, integrates with other iWork applications. Charts that are pasted into Keynote and Pages are automatically updated across documents when they are changed in Numbers. Additionally, Numbers 2 lets users categorize data in tables by column, which can then be collapsed and summarized (from WikiPedia).

iWork.com - A new offering (first offered in Jan '09) in the iWork suite of applications. Here is a free service (it's still in beta, and there are no indications as to pricing/the future of this service) that Apple has integrated into each of the suites applications. It's a web based file sharing, collaboration and display service. You can upload documents to the iWork.com server, and others can view, annotate, or download documents (as defined per document). The iWork 9.0.5. update added public sharing and private upload options. All the iWork applications include iWork.com connectivity, collaboration, and sharing capabilities.

This recent iOS update (iOS 5.0) brings the following updates to devices running iOS 5.0 (in my case that's my iPad and my iPhone 3GS): Automatically store documents in iCloud (actually iCloud acts as a push and sync process; not a storage service) and keep them up to date across all your iOS devices. Download your documents (in iWork '09 (Numbers and Pages for me), Microsoft (Word and Excel for me), CSV or PDF formats) to a Mac or PC at icloud.com/iwork. Drag and drop iWork '09 (Numbers and Pages for me), Microsoft (Word and Excel for me), plain text or CSV documents to icloud.com in order to automatically create iWork documents and sync them (through the iCloud service) to all you iOS devices. In Numbers you can use sliders, steppers and pop-ups to easily enter data and explore results, use Merge Cells command to format your tables. Improved import and export for spreadsheets with hidden rows and columns. In Pages, you can use your voice to create and edit documents using Siri dictation on an iPhone 4S. In Pages you can create footnotes and endnotes as well as make use of improved word counts. All the apps also received some security updates for maliciously crafted Word and Excel documents.
<http://www.apple.com/iwork/keynote/>
<http://www.apple.com/iwork/pages/>
<http://www.apple.com/iwork/numbers/>
<http://www.apple.com/iwork/iwork-dot-com/>
<http://www.apple.com/iwork/>
<http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pages/id361309726?mt=8>
<http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/numbers/id361304891?mt=8>

Most of these updates are releases designed to improve compatibility with Apple's latest Mac OS - Lion (Mac OS 10.7) and the latest release of iOS; Apple's mobile operating system. 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>

Mac OS 10.7.2 - The iCloud update:
Back in October of 2010 (at a Special Event), Apple announced the latest revision of it's OS X operating system. The 8th OS X version (OS 10.7), code named - Lion, was released on the 20th of July 2011. It took a while, but I've finally got it up and running on my Mac (On the desktop Mac (A Mac Pro Early 2009) and the laptop (A MacBook Pro 15" Early 2008). Here's an update to the latest OS (Lion). This update (OS 10.7.2 and Security Update 2011-006) is primarily designed to deliver compatability and updates brought with the new iOS (iOS 5.0).

This update brings us numerous iCloud updates as well as some general OS updates that improve stability, compatability and security. The OS update brings us iCloud integration*; Back to My Mac (a service/capability which provides remote access to your Mac from another Mac anywhere on the Internet. With these updates, Back to My Mac is no longer a part of MobileMe (i.e. It's now free with the OS)); Find My Mac (a service/capability which helps you find a missing Mac or iOS device by locating it on a map and allows you to remotely lock or wipe the device's data. With these updates, Find My Mac is no longer a part of MobileMe (i.e. It's now free with the OS)); changes to desktop spaces in Mission Control (now you can drag the spaces to reorder them); The update addresses a wake from sleep issue (I believe that I was actually impacted by this problem. Some sort of blue-tooth connectivity/network issue, which resulted in an inability to wake my Mac from a prolonged sleep); Updates the Certificate Trust Policy to update some root certificates; Several more security updates; In addition to the iOS updates and security updates, the 10.7.2 update also brings us new versions of Mail, Safari (5.1.1).

* A little more about iCloud: What is it? Esentially a wireless synchronization and storage system (cloud based services) that automatically and wirelessly store your content on iCloud and push it to all of your devices. iCloud on OS X Lion includes the following features: iCloud stores your email, calendars, contacts, Safari bookmarks, and Safari Reading List and automatically pushes them to all your devices. After installing the iCloud updates, OS X will automatically present an iCloud setup panel. Simply enter an existing Apple ID or create a new one and then follow the on screen instructions. To learn more about iCloud visit <http://www.apple.com/icloud>.

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 Lion on the 9th of Sep, 2011, and I have to say, the tweaking, enhancements and iCloud refinements have resulted in considerable speed improvements and enhanced productivity on my Mac. Mission Control and Gestures have significantly increased my productivity. You can read more about the updates at Apple's website.

As a result of these recent updates, the following pages have been updated. myfavs.html, feedback.html, and mycomputer.html.
<http://www.apple.com/macosx/whats-new/>
<http://www.apple.com/macosx/whats-new/features.html>
<http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1458>
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4762>
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4922>
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222>
<http://www.apple.com/icloud>

October 11, 2011

Really Big Netflix News - Not!:
Not long ago (Sep 18, 2011), Netflix announced some really big news. They were splitting in two. Two companies - One to expand with online streaming (Netflix) and one to wither and die with DVDs (Qwikster). Angry letters followed. While the move may have looked good to share holders and investors, it really upset the membership... That was last week. This week? Well, things have changed a bit. This morning I received an email from Netflix, saw a post on their blog, and read an RSS feed; all announcing the big news... Netflix has changed it's mind!

That's right, the big change will not be taking place. As Reed Hastings (CEO) indicated in his email; "It is clear that for many of our members two websites would make things more difficult, so we are going to keep Netflix as one place to go for streaming and DVDs." That means no change. No breakup, no ditching the DVDs, no Qwikster. U.S. members (Hmmm, what about Canadians and others?) will continue to use the Netflix website for both streaming and DVD selections. We won't be forced to manage two different websites, two accounts, two chances to have our credit card data compromised. According to Reed Hastings; "Consumers value the simplicity Netflix has always offered and we respect that," "There is a difference between moving quickly -- which Netflix has done very well for years -- and moving too fast, which is what we did in this case."

It's amazing. A corporation actually took the advice of consumers. Actually decided to go with the less profitable, more consumer friendly action. Is the world about to end? Reed Hastings then went on to tout the recent addition of hundreds of new movies and TV shows. I wonder if Netflix will still be adding the video games they were planning to introduce under the Qwikster brand/name?
<http://netflix.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=410>
<https://www.robsworld.org/noqwikster.png>
<http://www.netflix.com>

Early October Snow Storm:
Autumn only started two weeks ago, and it looks like Winter can't wait to get started. October in these parts is usually quite sedate; with slowly dropping temps and occasional rain, we typically don't get snow until late October or early November. With temps in the 80s just a week prior, a snow storm wasn't something I would have expected during the 2nd week of October. Despite my expectations, mother nature had other plans. With a cold front sweeping across the front range, the temps dropped quite drastically. While the temperature in our area never dropped below freezing, the upper atmosphere was obviously much colder. I was quite surprised on my drive home on Saturday morning. Surprised by the chilly rain driving home, and extremely surprised when I awoke later that morning to find snow covering everything! We didn't accumulate much snow, and it was all melted by the time the sun set. Nonetheless, it looks like we're in for another season of Crazy Colorado weather. I love it!
<https://www.robsworld.org/wintersquirrel1.png>

Tricare Data Breach:
<rant>Apparently, there's at least one branch of government, one department, that didn't learn the lessons of the Veteran's Administration. This week (Oct 7th, 2011), the Department of Defense released some details regarding a data breach involving TRICARE data. TRICARE is a health care program of the US Department of Defense. TRICARE provides civilian health benefits for military personnel, military retirees, and their dependents (including some military reservists). It's managed by TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) under the authority of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.

According to a news release, the TMA is reviewing data protection policies and procedures following a data breach which involved the personal health information of approximately 4.9 million military clinic and hospital patients. That's a lot of records, that's a lot of people. That's a HUGE breach. This breach potentially affects patients who received care or filled prescriptions in San Antonio area military treatment facilities over a 19 year period! The scope of the breach and number of affected patients is immense. Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) reported the breach on the 14th of Sep. Backup tapes from an electronic health care records facility turned up missing. With patient data going back to 1992, the impact is quite significant. The exact circumstances of the loss are still under investigation, and the results of that investigation will be published as soon as possible.

According to TRICARE spokesman Austin Camacho, the tapes may include Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers and personal health data such as clinical notes, lab tests and prescription information. According to the DoD news release, the missing data did not include any financial information such as credit card or bank account numbers. Despite the massive amount of data involved. TRICARE officials estimate the risk of 'harm' to patients to be relatively low. Hunh? What does that mean? 'risk of harm' is low. According to Camacho, the MTA does "not believe the tapes were taken with malicious intent". I hope he's right. According to the spokesman, the MTA plans to "notify everyone whose personal information may have been involved in the breach".

While it may take four to six weeks before TRICARE can notify affected individuals, TRICARE officials encourage people who suspect they were affected by this incident to take steps outlined on the Federal Trade Commission website to protect their personal information. They can also monitor their credit and place a free fraud alert on their credit for 90 days using the FTC website.</rant>
<http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/consumers/defend.html>
<http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=65597>
<https://www.robsworld.org/tricaredatabreach.png>

IT Professionals working for the city of Aurora:
<rave>Recently (Oct 7th, 2011), I learned about an email problem. Many members of the South East Aurora community (including members of the Aurora Police department and various city employees) subscribe to mailing lists that I run. One of the subscribers notified me of an email problem. Messages intended for mailing list subscribers were being blocked by the city's email servers. The reasons why the messages were being blocked was a bit complex, but in the end it meant many list subscribers were unable to receive the messages. I contacted the city's IT department, and explained the problem. Mr. Frank Davis (Systems and Network Manager) responded promptly and resolved the issue. He modified the city's firewall filters to accept the messages, and released the blocked messages so they could be delivered. Mr. Davis made my day by replying promptly, understanding the issues quickly, and taking action to correct a problem which was blocking the delivery of our Neighborhood Watch messages. Thank you Mr. Davis! Just one fine example of the professionals working in the city's IT department.</rave>
<https://www.auroragov.org/auroragov/Departments/Information_Technology/index.htm>

Software favorites:
More updates for my favorite software applications. A bunch of beta updates for my favorite Graphics editor. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. As usual, developer has been busy updating this application. Here's one of several updates for a 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 at least six additional updates over the past week. I recently saw/downloaded the following updates: 7.4 (b300). 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/162/new-functions-and-versions.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>

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 banner for our next Metro District meeting (25 Oct, 2011).
- Updated the welcome message on the main page. Removed outdated information/references to the website's role in promoting the South East Aurora Neighborhood Watch. The NW has it's own web page now.
Neighborhood Watch: If you're looking for information regarding the Southeast Aurora Neighborhood Watch, you'll find it on it's own website. Tollgate Crossing is one of the communities in the South East Aurora Neighborhood Watch area. Our Neighborhood Watch is part of the Aurora Neighborhood Watch program. It’s a strong, community oriented, volunteer run, organization, dedicated to reducing crime and keeping our communities safe for raising families.
- I removed an announcement about our next Neighborhood Watch meeting (6 Oct, 2011).
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 information regarding our next Metro District (25 Oct) meeting.
Info: A page of links, phone numbers, email addresses and other information pertinent to the residents/community of Tollgate Crossing.
- I updated links to, and posted updated Meeting Minutes from Metro District meetings. Added meeting minutes from the following dates: 2011-05-25, 2011-06-28, 2011-07-26. If you'd like to read meeting minutes from 2010 or earlier, please contact me.

October 7, 2011

Current: A web page dedicated to the most recent news, announcements and information.
- I removed a flyer / announcement about our latest Neighborhood Watch meeting (6 Oct, 2011).
Events: A listing of upcoming and recurring events in you Southeast Aurora Neighborhood. Events sponsored by or relevant to our Neighborhood Watch.
- Updated information for our upcoming Neighborhood Watch meetings.
Info: A page of links and information pertinent to the safety and security of our communities
- I added some contact numbers for various departments/offices at the Aurora Police Department.

Lovin' the Lion on my Mac:
Back in October of 2010 (at a Special Event), Apple announced the latest revision of it's OS X operating system. The 8th OS X version (OS 10.7), code named - Lion, was released on the 20th of July 2011. It took a while, but I've finally got it up and running on my Mac. On my Desktop Mac to be exact. This particular release doesn't come on a disk. It doesn't come in a box. It isn't sold retail, and the only way you can get it is through digital download. I downloaded and installed the OS on the 9th of Sep. At $29.00 the profit to cost ration is quite high, but the digital download is a good move for consumers (provided you've got a good internet connection).

The philosophy of this OS is 'Back to the Mac' - As in a move from iOS and portable devices 'back to the Mac'. This philosophy points to the future of Apple's OS X operating system. As the iOS adds functionality and innovations to Apple's portable devices (iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad), those new features are now coming full circle from an operating system that spun off OS X. Some of those features are now being integrated into the Mac OS. - Some of the new features include: More multi-touch gestures; Continued 'App Store' integration and promotion; A revised 'Home Screen' for the Mac; More full screen applications; Auto-saving; Auto-resume; Greatly enhanced desktop views/navigation capabilities. According to Apple's website, there are more than 250 new features. For more information about this new OS, see Apple's website.

It took me a while to upgrade. Two things concerned me. With the release of OS 10.7, Apple no longer provides indigenous support for Java, but that didn't stop my Mac from running Java apps. Since I already had a slew of Java apps on my Mac, one of the first things my Mac did after I updated, was ask if I wanted to install Java. A single click and authentication initiated an update process which brought Java in from an external source. In no time at all the Java runtime environment was installed, and I never noticed the lack of native Java support. Another issue that concerned me was the demise of PPC code support. OS 10.7 has a complete lack of PowerPC support. The 'Rosetta' translator that intercepted PPC code and translated the calls to run on an Intel architecture is gone, and there's no viable standalone interpreter. I've still got a lot of PPC code on my computer, so I took the time to find a few replacements, identify the affected apps, translate some documents and prepare for a dual-boot setup.

I purchased an additional hard drive and configured it for my dual-boot set up. On one drive (640GB) I'm running Lion, on another (640GB) I'm running Snow Leopard. I've partitioned the third drive (a 1.5TB drive) to hold two clones, one of Lion the other of Snow Leopard. If I need to run any PPC apps, or find Lion inoperable for any reason, I can boot up in Snow Leopard. The backups (clones) are there for the usual reason - Just in case.

While I was very concerned about a few apps, I've so far noticed that my concerns haven't turned into regrets. One app - an Epson scanner application, actually runs under Lion. I thought - based on it's reported PPC architecture, that it wouldn't work at all under Lion. The other app (AppleWorks) doesn't run, but so far I haven't missed it. I converted many of my AppleWorks documents prior to my switch, so I should be good to go without it. It's a sad day when I have to give up AppleWorks, but so far no one has created a PPC emulator that runs under Lion, or an application that converts the documents to pdf format. To possible solutions that haven't been implemented by the developer community (yet).

I updated my 'Desktop Mac' on the 9th of September, 2011, and everything worked out o.k. Despite (or maybe because of) all the precautions and preparations I undertook, my installation went very painlessly. Today (6 Oct, 2011) I installed Lion on the MacBook Pro. All I did in preparation was a Time Machine backup and repair my disk permissions. I downloaded Lion for free (Pay once, download as often as you need it (under the App Store)), rebooted Kim's MacBook Pro and the install went flawlessly. No problems at all. Afterwards I logged in and set a bunch of Lion System Preferences to make the experience more comfortable to Kim and I. So now I've got Lion running on both our computers.

We'll see what Kim thinks...

To learn about Lion I bought an application called 'Tutor for Lion'. I find it indispensable. It's far easier to use than one of those incredibly dense OS focused books. A great primer for those new to the Mac OS, and very helpful for old hands like myself. I really liked it's focus on application level enhancements. I'm loving the new OS and I hope to learn more in the coming months.
<http://www.apple.com/mac/app-store/>
<http://www.apple.com/macosx/whats-new/>
<http://www.apple.com/macosx/whats-new/features.html>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple–Intel_transition>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosetta_(software)>

Our meeting on the 1st of October saw our party stranded in a mountain valley. As the party attempts to return to Whillip, fate conspires to delay their journey, to fray their nerves, to crash their flying ship into a mountain lake! Todd and Lee have introduced their new characters, and Mark and I have switched roles. I've returned to the DM's podium, and Mark is playing Solmar once again. The H.A.L.L.O.W.ed Knights have completed their most recent quest, and they're on their way back to 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.

House Rules:
Like any other D&D campaign (outside of tournament play), the campaign that I manage makes use of various house rules. You can pick up a new copy of these House Rules online. The House Rules are published in pdf format, and they define the 'flavor' of our campaign. Every good DM has his own list of House Rules. Recently, I've updated one of the house rules documents used in our campaign. Here are the new/updated house rules:

RULE ZERO:
Restated from the Dungeon Master's Guide (see page 6). In the text below, "you" is addressed to the Dungeon Master.

"When everyone gathers around the table to play the game, you're in charge. That doesn't mean you can tell people what to do outside the boundaries of the game, but it does mean that you're the final arbiter of the rules within the game. Good players will always recognize that you have ultimate authority over the game mechanics, even superseding something in a rulebook."

Often a situation will arise that isn't explicitly covered by the rules. In such a situation, the DM will provide guidance as to how it should be resolved. Some of the rules that follow are the result of rulings under such circumstances. Players should know that not every ruling will become a house rule. The house rules are implemented 'as needed' to establish some consistency in the application of rules outside the official set, to create a foundation of setting and campaign flavor. House rules are not implemented just to make our campaign 'different'.

I am tolerant of players who point out rules that appear to be overlooked or misapplied. Due to the sheer volume of rules in the 3.5 edition of the game (to include our house rules supplements) I sometimes miss a rule/ruling here and there; it would be a monumental task for one person to memorize all the rules and recall them as applicable. As a result, I spread the work around among the players in our gaming group. This lightens the DM's workload, speeds up the flow of the game, and provides some measure of 'buy-in' and control to the players.

Sometimes a DM will intentionally bend or break a rule in a particular situation, and the reason(s) may not be readily apparent to the players. When this happens players are welcome to present questions and arguments for consideration, but adjudication of the rules is ultimately up to the DM.

NO ‘GOING BACK’:
In this game there are many rules, modifiers, conditions, and circumstances which necessitate arbitration and adjudication. At the same time, unnecessary rigor and a game overburdened by rules can create for a boring session, a broken story line, or an unenjoyable campaign. Sometimes you should keep the story moving forward at the expense of the rules. In order to keep the game flowing and moving forward, the following general rule is followed to expedite things. There is no ‘going back’.

Occasionally, you or the player’s may notice that a rule has been inadvertently misapplied, neglected or forgotten. The general rule is applied as follows. If the next player has begun his or her action, we do not ‘go back’ in order to correct the mistake, or apply the correct ruling. We keep going forward. Perhaps someone forgot to apply a +1 to hit... If the next player has begun his/her turn (actually rolled dice, cast a spell, moved his/her character, etc.) we don’t ‘go back’ in order to correct the actions of the previous round. Even if this might result in a different outcome.

This rule applies equally for the DM and players. Perhaps the DM forgot to have a monster use it’s breath weapon. If the player’s have taken an action, the DM should not ‘go back’ and apply the effects of the monster’s breath weapon. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone forgets things. Under most circumstances* these minor mistakes won’t have much effect on the game, and continuing forward despite the errors is more important than ‘going back’ in order to correct things. The important thing is to keep the game moving forward; to preserve a sense of flow, urgency and story line continuity.

*If misapplication or inadvertent omission of rules adjudication results in a character’s death or a major deviation in the story line or some important consequences, the DM is at liberty to ‘replay’ a given scenario, event or circumstance. Even if it means ‘going back’ to fix something.

CHARGE:
From Player’s Handbook I (pages 154-155): Charging is a special full-round action that allows you to move up to twice your speed and attack during the action. However, it carries tight restrictions on how you can move. According the the Player’s Handbook (see page 154), in order to conduct a charge, “you must move to the closest space from which you can attack the opponent. (If this space is occupied or otherwise blocked, you can’t charge.)” - Our house rules modify this rule in the following manner: “you must move to a space from which you can melee attack the opponent. (If all such spaces are occupied or otherwise blocked, you can’t charge.)” So, you may charge to any valid space, not necessarily ‘the closest’ space.

That's it for house rule updates. As a player, you are under no obligation to download or print this information. You can make notes during the game, you can print out these documents, you can memorize the info, request to review it, or have it repeated to you each time you come across specific situations. These house rule changes and additions primarily represent flavor updates, and do not have a significant impact on our campaign or the framework of 'official' rules.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ehsrls.pdf>

These updates follow our meeting on the 1st of October. 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>

Steve Jobs has died:
It's a very sad day. Apple announced the news on the 5th of Oct, 2011. "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple." Steve Jobs died Wednesday (5 Oct, 2011), at the age of 56. Steve Jobs was the vision that drove Apple to achieve in ways that no other company could. His vision brought us into a new era of personal computing. I for one will miss his vision, his leadership, his determination and drive.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs>

Software favorites:
Another update for my favorite software application. Another beta update for my favorite Graphics editor. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. As usual, developer has been busy updating this application. Here's one more update for a 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 at least nine additional updates over the past week. I recently saw/downloaded the following updates: 7.4 (b294). 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/162/new-functions-and-versions.html>

Netflix adds more content:
In the weeks following the big Netflix announcement (Their splitting the business in two), Netflix made several new content deals. This week (2 Oct, 2011), Netflix announced more new content deals. This time it's another NBC deal and a new SyFy deal. Cindy Holland (Netflix VP of Content Acquisition) recently announced a new NBC Universal deal which brings new seasons and episodes of 30 Rock, The Office and Parenthood. In addition to the NBCU deal, Ms. Holland also announced a content deal which brings SyFy and USA Network shows such as Psych, Monk, Ruby, Clean House, and many others. Just in case you didn't know. The USA and SyFy Networks are both owned by NBC-U. In addition to shows from the major network studios, Netflix also carries shows from many of the biggest cable TV producers. Since the loss of Starz and announcement about the big split, 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/2011/10/new-riches-from-nbcu.html>
<http://www.netflix.com>

October 2, 2011

D&D updates:
Our meeting on the 17th of September saw our party departing the forest village of Deepwood. As the party attempts to return to Whillip, fate conspires to delay their journey, to fray their nerves, to crash their flying ship into a mountain lake! Todd and Lee have introduced their new characters, and Mark and I have switched roles. I've returned to the DM's podium, and Mark is playing Solmar once again. We missed a meeting on the 6th of September, so everyone was glad to get back to the table on the 17th. The H.A.L.L.O.W.ed Knights have completed their most recent quest, and they're on their way back to Whillip. In search of glory, fame, and justice, they seek to right the wrongs of this land. To defend the weak, enslaved and oppressed. Striking out at evil and taint; this group of characters vow to make their mark upon the land. Let H.A.L.L.O.W.ed Knights be a name both feared by evil and revered by the good citizens of these realms.

3rd Edition Campaign:
I updated the date of our next meeting - Our next meeting is 15 October, 2011. This page (The "3eCampaign" 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.

While flying over the Snowflake mountains, the ship encountered a dead-magic zone. As the flying ship is powered by magic, this encounter spelled trouble. Plummeting towards the harsh and barren rocks below, the crew fought desperately to control the ships descent. With certain doom screamin' up from the peaks below, read the journal to learn what happened. Sharpen your blades and hitch up your horses - Adventure calls and danger beckons!

Unfortunately, we didn't receive any journal submissions in time for our next meeting, but I wrote a brief synopsis to hold you over. Hopefully someone else (one of the players) will provide a journal entry for our session on the 17th, as my recap is pretty darn short. If I get a journal entry from one of the players I'll post it as soon as I can.
<https://www.robsworld.org/ajournal08.html#sep17_2011>

Who's Who?:
I updated the "Who's Who?" page, moving the Kyrin entry from the party members section to the former party members category and updated all the links to Kyrin. I created a separate page for Kyrin, now that she's left the party. I also updated the Crucifer page. I created a title/header for the page. The "Who's Who?" page is a listing of characters, both player characters and non-player characters.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ewhoswho.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/kyrin.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/crucifer.html>

Players in our campaign:
Recently, there's been one change in our player line-up. Sean B. has decided to leave our campaign in order to focus on other matters. After Sean B. officially left our group I updated the character and player rosters and web pages. With these changes I updated the hyperlinked group photo, annotations beneath the photo, and mouse-over tool-tips. A group of crazy characters constitute the players in our campaign. Many players have graced my gaming table over the years, some are old friends, some are new, but in the end - friends are what I call them. The players page contains a photo of our group and a short listing of who we are. The photo is currently out of date, but I hope to change that soon.
<https://www.robsworld.org/players.html>

Monsters encountered:
From subterranean aqueduct to a hillside lair and a hidden tomb - As the party enters new environs they will surely encounter some new creatures. Some of those creatures will attempt to eat or injure the party - These creatures we call 'Monsters'! During one of our most recent gaming sessions, the party fought a powerful Demon. As a result, I updated the party's "Monster's Known" listings. 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 17th of Sep, 2011. 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>

October's eMusic downloads:
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 an online music streaming service called MOG, and I've recently (as of Sep 2011) started using eMusic 'Radio' stations for music discovery. Combined together, these two services provide full-play access to more than 23 million tracks! (11m on MOG, 12m on eMusic) Two fantastic ways to discover music, and no need for illegal downloads or pirated tracks. I occasionally use a few of the other methods (music blogs and podcasts), but MOG and eMusic now serve as my primary music discovery sources.

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 or listen to all sorts of music for free. I download most of my music from a couple of commercial sources (eMusic and iTunes), but I occasionally download tracks (legally) from various websites, newsgroups and blogs in order to satisfy my craving for music.

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 (October of 2011) I managed to download 47 tracks for $23.20 (and I'm paying a $19.99 monthly fee, so that makes the tracks even cheaper (~$0.49 / 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.
* The Best of Missing Persons - Missing Persons: (15 songs) The vocals of this L.A. New Wave band helped define the music of the 80s. Peppy pop with a jagged edge. Keyboards and popping guitar lines. The make up, the costumes, the energy of the 80s. This one takes me back, makes me smile. I love it.
* A Certain Trigger - Maxïmo Park: (13 songs) Discovered by listening to eMusic recommendations on MOG. Maxïmo Park is a British Alt-Rock band that nails that sound I'm looking for. Indie, post-punk, plenty of guitars. Reminds me of Stranglers, the Jam and Magazine.
* It's My Life - Talk Talk: (9 songs) A favorite from the 80s, rediscovered while listening to eMusic editor's picks on MOG.com. Talk Talk was another one of those bands that helped forge the sound of the 80s. Sounding very much like OMD and Ultravox, the music contained elements of Jazz, classical and ambient genres. Outstanding album.
* Horses - Patti Smith: (9 songs) Classic 70s rock. Discovered by listening to eMusic editor's picks on MOG.com. Patti Smith's music provided a liberating voice to American kids growing up in the shadow of a senseless war, carried our music forward into a new era of informed, motivated and opinionated music. The folkish tone, the rebellious lyrics, the unpolished raw energy of personal investment in the audience. Another outstanding album.
* Flesh & Blood - Scritti Politti: (1 song) This song is one track from the album 'Cupid & Psyche 85'. It's a 13 track album from eMusic (originally LP had 9 tracks), and I already had the first five tracks. I'm slowly working my way to number 13. I own the album (the actual vinyl) but my efforts to capture these tracks (from a casette) didn't work out. I originally recorded the LP on cassette (back in the 80s). Then when I attempted to digitize the cassette, something went wrong, and I only ended up with the first five tracks. Glammy, glitzy, electronic synth pop. A favorite from the 80s.

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>

Bring on the Handyman:
It'll take a while, but eventually I'll become a handy man. Owning a new home brings all kinds of new responsibilities to the first time home owner, and I'm no exception. This week (last week of Sep, 2011) I bested a doubly troubling problem under the sink.

This morning, Kim exclaimed: "What the FxxK!" (aka WTF) from the kitchen. I was sitting on the couch peacefully contemplating the non-existence of time, when I realized this was going to mean trouble. As Kim explained "There's a huge puddle of water under the sink, the garbage disposal is leaking!" I pried myself off the sofa and trekked into the forbidden zone (Kim's kitchen) to take a look at the problem. Yup, leaking garbage disposal, water on the floor, a big mess. I asked Kim to clean up the mess, and I'll see what I can do. A few minutes later, I crawled under the sink, and took a close look. Indeed the garbage disposal appeared to be 'kaput'. My greatest fears were looming close. I'm not exactly the mechanical type. The mechanical aptitude portion of my ASVAB test was the only portion where I scored below 99. So, plumbing and electricity combined to make my day a disaster. It was late, we agreed that nothing could be done tonight...

The next day passed with trepidation always at the edge of my thoughts. When I got home, I immediately set to work tackling that double-pronged problem. After some additional investigation, it became evident that our garbage disposal had rusted through. Crap! That's our fault, we've been abusing it, leaving water and food in the disposal rather than running it clear every time we used it. I pulled out the tool box and went to work. A few minutes later I'd extracted the unit, and took some photos. I headed off to the nearest 'Home Depot' to hunt down a replacement. Guess who I saw talking to a sales rep? Just in front of a garbage disposal display? Yup, that's Kim. After a bit of negotiating - I'm not sure whether I was 'negotiating' with Kim or the sales rep; I - Umm, We, ended up buying a new garbage disposal. Of course it was bigger, better, more 'advanced' - You know, more expensive!

I took the thing home and began the arduous chore... Wrangling that unit under the sink, rewiring the electrical cord, reconnecting all that plumbing... Argghh, not my idea of fun. After an hour or so I was starting to feel better about my chore. By the time two hours had passed that new unit was installed and Working! No leaks, no fires, no shocks, no cuts, no bruises, not even so much as a harsh word had been uttered by yours truly. I conquered the twin demons of electrical work and plumbing in a single day! Hooray for the handyman. Hopefully this unit will last a bit longer than the last (six years - actually, that's not too bad).