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What's New? at Rob's World! - What's new, changed, or improved recently. |
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Welcome to my most humble Web Site. I've been working on it for more than nine years now. I guess it's my way of keeping a journal. Buried between these lines you'll find all my secret desires and passionate beliefs. Unfortunately, or luckily - I can't help but share them with the rest of the world. If you've found something amongst my web pages that has helped or entertained you in some way, then I've done what I've set out to do. I'll keep plugging away at the site - hoping to improve and expand it until it's complete. When's that?
Robert L. Vaessen
If you're interested in a monthly Rob's World! update by email, check out my Newsletter page. Sign up today for Rob's World! |
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This document is the "What's New" web log from 2006
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December 31, 2006
Christmas vacation 2006:
We're on the verge of 2007, and Kim and I just got back from a ten day vacation in Wisconsin. We had been planning this trip for quite some time. I put in for the vacation back in November of 2004, and I had to stay vigilant in order to ensure that the management at work didn't 'forget' that I'd requested off for Christmas. Kim had no problem getting the vacation. She doesn't work shift work, so she didn't encounter the problems I did. In the end, the scheduling worked out and my management lined up someone to fill in for me, while Kim and I enjoyed our vacation. It was the first time we'd been home (in Wisconsin) for Christmas since 1992?
The vacation was supposed to start on the 21st of December, but the Denver area got dumped on by a major snow storm. Our trip was delayed by a day. After digging out, we arrived in Wisconsin on the 23rd of December. We drove the Volvo to Wisconsin, and the drive there was a bit difficult. The roads (interstates between Colorado and Iowa) were covered with ice and snow, but the Volvo didn't have any problems. The AWD and traction control really made the drive far less dangerous than it would have been otherwise.
<RANT>On our way to Wisconsin, we stopped in Le Claire, Iowa. I'd been driving for more than 13 hours, and we wanted some sleep. We pulled into a Holiday Inn Express (along the river front), thinking it would be a good place to sleep. Imagine our surprise when we discovered the unfortunate truth. This hotel is located a few yards (approximately 30 feet) away from an active set of railroad tracks. At approximately 2335, and every hour, on the hour, afterwards, we were awakened by a passing train. The thing was incredibly loud. It was so close that the building was shaking, and we were on the ground floor. Our rooms were on the side facing the tracks, so that was an added bonus. I'm pretty sure I remember the train blowing it's horn on at least one occasion.
What a ridiculous location for a hotel. Sure it's got a nice view of the Mississippi river, but come on.. What is the primary product of most hotels? SLEEP! That's right, they're in the business of selling sleep! If it had been daylight, we'd have seen the tracks. If we hadn't been so tired, we would have noticed the railroad crossing signs. If they hadn't put us on the side adjacent to the tracks, we might have gotten 'some' sleep. As it was, I think I might have gotten 30 minutes of sleep.
After four hours of this crap, I rolled over and said 'I don't know about you, but I've had enough." As you can only imagine. Kim was laying there, staring at the ceiling. She responded with, "Yeah, me too." We got up, got dressed, and I splashed some water on my face. We went out to the lobby, and waited for the desk clerk to check us out. After a brief but preposterous conversation, he guessed the reason for our 'early riser' status. Without offering alternate rooms, a discount, refund or much in the way of sympathies, we checked out, and headed back for the interstate.</RANT>
The rest of the trip was relatively uneventful. After several fuel pit stops we arrived in Wisconsin. We played a little trick on Kim's parents, and arrived way ahead of schedule. As you can imagine, we were quite tired. After unpacking we crashed for a long nap. That night we were lucky enough to hook up with one of our best friends. Rob Garrity was home from Japan. We hadn't seen him since we were stationed in Japan ('98 - '01), and we enjoyed the reunion. We exchanged gifts, played some pool and had a few drinks.
On the 24th Kim and I went to church at the old St. Joseph's, new Lady of Lourdes church in De Pere. It was a very short mass, but we ended up going twice. Once in the morning for the normal Sunday mass, and again in the evening for the Christmas mass. After the morning mass, we had a little breakfast and then headed out to visit a few relatives. We went and said hi to my Aunt Joan. While we were there, my cousin Cynthia showed up. It sure was nice visiting with Joan and Cynthia. Joan seemed well, in good spirits, and glad to see us. After that, we drove over the river to Green Bay in order to visit my Aunt Margie. Margie was recuperating from a recent injury, so we didn't stay too long. We had a nice visit, and did our best to cheer her up. I sincerely hope she recovers soon. I know she wants to get out of that nursing home as soon as possible. After running around town, we headed back to Kim's for the evening mass. After Christmas mass we ate a little more, watched a few movies and hit the hay. Tomorrow would be a big day.
On the 25th we woke up early. Kim tripped over some presents on her way to the bathroom, so we knew that Santa had paid a visit. We got up and discovered the house was full of presents. So many presents, that I lost count when I got over 200. There were sure to be some smiling faces today. After a small breakfast, we got ready for the festivities. Eventually, the house was full of wonderful smells and the guests started arriving. By lunch time, there were thirteen people crowding the dining room table. With some help from Kim, Sharon had laid out a feast. I was truly amazed that the kids were able to contain themselves with all the presents crowding around the table.
The transition from lunch to a 'wrapping ripping frenzy' was quite seamless. The next thing I remember, was a house full of screaming kids, young and old. As the ribbons and wrappings were torn asunder, we discovered a trove full of fantastic gifts. I attempted to record the events on a video camera, but the results were nothing short of complete chaos. Looking at the film later, I realized that an unattended static tripod mount couldn't possibly capture the chaos that ensued. Next time I'll stick with standard camera shots. Kim and I (like everyone else), raked in a fair share of loot (my favorite: An iPod Shuffle engraved with a special message). Thank you very much to Santa, and all the others who showered us with gifts. The rest of the day was spent cleaning up after the kids, eating more of the Christmas ham, playing some pool, drinking drinks, and watching movies.
On the 26th, Kim and I packed up and headed up north to visit my parents. The drive is a little over an hour now that US-41 reaches all the way to Pound. Thankfully, Wisconsin wasn't covered with snow and ice from a recent snow storm. We stopped at Alice and Leonard's place on the way. We exchanged some gifts and made plans for a dinner later in the week. We stayed at Alice's for about two hours, and then drove the rest of the way to my parent's place. We spent the day exchanging gifts, eating, drinking and catching up on family gossip. I even had time to take a few pictures. I set up the new VCR, and we watched a few movies.
On the 27th, Kim, mom and I packed up and headed South to visit my older sister, Eileen. We had a couple pit stops along the way, but eventually, we made our way to Eileen and Kevin's place. Minutes after we arrived, we were surprised by a visit from aunt Joan and Cynthia. We spent the afternoon visiting, enjoying snacks, sandwiches and a few drinks at the 'White Rabbit Saloon' (The bar in Eileen's house). After Joan and Cynthia left, we exchanged some Christmas gifts, and headed out for dinner at 'The Willows'. Kevin works as the head chef at the Willows, and he certainly knows his business. After the food, we hung around for some drinks. Later we went back to the house. We even had time to play a game. Eileen and mom crashed early, but Kim and I stayed up to play 'The Great Brain Robbery' with Kevin. I even stayed up long enough to enjoy a soak in their new hot tub.
After breakfast on the 28th, we made a brief shopping stop at 'My Parent's basement'. It's my kind of game store, and I try to visit every time I'm in town. I picked up a new card game, and we headed back to Eileen's. We ordered pizza and packed up for our departure. After a long wait, we had some pizza, and the three of us (me, mom and Kim) headed back up North.
We arrived back at mom and dad's just in time to head over to Alice and Leonard's place. Alice and Leonard are great hosts, and they always treat us with a fantastic meal (Steak, lobster and shrimp). We spent the evening eating, and catching up on family happenings.
On the 29th, Kim and I packed up the Volvo (again), picked up Justine (Alice's daughter from her first marriage), and headed back to the Green Bay area. We dropped Justine off in Hobart, and made our way to Ted and Sharon's place. After we arrived, we relaxed for a little bit. I took a little nap and Kim watched some t.v. After Sharon got done with work, we went out for lunch. We had lunch with Kim's parents and Rob Garrity. After the meal we said goodbye to Rob, wished him a safe trip (he was due to fly back to Japan on the 30th), and went back to the house. When we got back, Ted and I spent about an hour packing up the Volvo for our departure in the morning. Packing the Volvo with all our loot took a bit of effort. I had to fold down all but the front two seats, and I even made use of floor space behind the front seats. We spent the rest of the day relaxing. We watched a few movies and hit the hay early.
On the 30th, Kim and I left early in the morning (around 0830). Our trip back to Denver was definitely more dangerous than the drive to the Green Bay area. Thankfully the roads weren't very crowded. The drive through Wisconsin was overcast and very foggy. As a matter of fact, the fog was so thick that I had to use the fog lights (front and rear), and we had to reduce speed for some stretches. By the time we reached the Southern edge of the state, the fog had changed to a light rain. The rain stuck with us from there until the middle of Nebraska. Raining on and off under dreary winter skies.
Aside from a couple of wrong turns, driving through Illinois and Iowa was relatively unremarkable. By the time we reached Nebraska, things started to turn for the worse. It was raining, and the temperature kept dropping. The further west we traveled, the lower the temperature dropped. We were driving directly into the remnants of a storm that had just finished dropping another ten inches in the Denver area. As the temperatures dropped from the 40's down into the 30's, the rain began to taper off. By the time we'd reached the middle of the state, the rain was behind us, but it's effects here were ice.
The roads in the center of the state were covered with ice. We were driving on the Nebraska interstate skating rink. We had to reduce our speed from 70 to 50, to 40, and eventually down to 30 mph. At that point we started to notice a lot of cars and trucks in the ditch. Overturned, jackknifed, rolled and covered in ice. That's when we decided to get off the road. We pulled off in Grand Island Nebraska. It was dark out, the wind was picking up, and the roads were in terrible condition. We moved off the interstate and found a Howard Johnson's to stay in for the night.
We checked in and headed for our room. The lights were blinking on and off, and I figured it would only be a matter of time. I went out to the Volvo to get some things and the power went out. The whole city had lost power, and the freezing rain was coming down again. Luckily, the flashlight in the glove box had a full charge. I pulled some stuff out of the Volvo, grabbed the flashlight, and headed back into the hotel. With the power out, it wouldn't be long before it started to cool off in the hotel. We went to sleep with our clothes on, and waited for morning.
Around quarter to one in the morning the power came back on. I got up, went to the bathroom, turned out the lights and went back to sleep. We woke up around 0730, and started getting ready to leave. The wind was still gusting, and the temperatures were below freezing. I went out to the Volvo, and Kim checked us out of the hotel. After chiseling my way into the vehicle, I packed up our belongings and waited for Kim. A few minutes later we were back on the road.
On the morning of the 31st, our plan was the interstate, but that wasn't happening. During the night, the freezing rain and wind had continued. All the entrances to the interstate were blocked with barricades. We started to go that way when I realized that they were probably blocked due to downed power lines. We went and got some gas, and talked with some folks at the gas station. With a little information we made a new plan. Follow the state highway west until we can find an interstate access (to the South) that isn't blocked.
About fifty miles later, we found a Southerly route back to the interstate. The roads were covered with ice and snow, and there were power lines down all over the place. At one point, we drove over some power lines. We didn't have time to stop in time, and I'd wager that they weren't live when we drove over them. As our journey continued, we started looking for signs which would point us toward the interstate. Eventually we saw one. We had to dodge between lowered rail road barriers, and power lines fell directly in front of us as we made the crossing.
Not only were power lines down, entire poles had been taken down by the ice. There had to be at least an inch of ice coating everything around us. We drove another twenty miles or so, and finally made it back onto the interstate. As we made our way through the middle third of the state, the median and shoulder of the interstate was littered with crumpled, abandoned and buried vehicles. As the ice decreased, the snow increased. The wind let up until we reached Colorado.
As we crossed into Colorado, the road conditions got considerably better. It's easier to drive on snow than ice, and the road crews had obviously been busy on this stretch of road. Thankfully, the rain and snow had stopped, and the sky had cleared up. Crossing into Colorado, we finally saw the sun again. We hadn't seen the sun since we left for our vacation, and now we'd made it through the worst of the storm. The roads in Colorado were clear of ice and most of the packed snow. The only hazard remaining was drifting snow.
With all the wrong turns and detours, It took us about three hundred more miles of driving to get back to Colorado. Surprisingly, our return trip only took us two hours more. We arrived home around 1330, and we immediately unloaded the Volvo. We ate a little lunch and went to bed. What a drive!
We had a fantastic time in Wisconsin, and we'd like to thank everyone who hosted us, fed us and gave us gifts. It sure is nice to have such a wonderful family. Kim and I wish we could have spent more time with everyone. We wish we could have visited more of our family and friends, but we just didn't have enough time. Perhaps we'll get the chance next time.
Holy Snowblowers Batman!
That's a lot of Snow. December has dumped a lot of snow on Colorado. Just before our Christmas vacation (19 - 21 December, 2006), we got blasted by a heavy duty Colorado hooker (see below). Despite the amount of snow we received from this storm, it still doesn't beat that storm back in 2003. That thing dumped 36 inches on us. Now that was a storm! Then, while we were gone, the area got another inch of snow on the 23rd of December. Then, just before our return, the Denver/Aurora area got another 10 inches! My snowblower sure is getting a work out.
Can't rent Nightwatch:
<RANT>I've been trying to rent a particular movie for more than a month now. For some reason, NetFlix can't seem to get their act together in order to ship me the correct movie. NetFlix carries four different movies named Nightwatch or Night Watch. I've been ordering the Danish version of 'Nightwatch, 1994' (Nattevagten), by clicking on the appropriate 'Add' button, but for some reason, I keep receiving the Russian version of 'Night Watch, 2004' (Nochnoi Dozor).
The white sleeve that the movie arrives in is labeled as 'Nightwatch' (no year on sleeve). There's a barcode on the sleeve, but I don’t have a reader, so I can’t be sure what the sleeve codes to, but the synopsis on the sleeve reads as a description of the movie I want (the Danish 'Nightwatch, 1994' (Nattevagten)). Unfortunately, the movie in the sleeve is NOT the movie I want (the Danish 'Nightwatch, 1994' (Nattevagten)). Instead, the movie inside the sleeve is the Russian movie, 'Night Watch, 2004' (Nochnoi Dozor). While I like 'Nochnoi Dozor', I've already seen it twice, and it's not the movie I want to watch.
The inner ring of the DVD includes the phrase, "Side B (Flipside): Widescreen Russian Version". I know this is the disc for 'Nochnoi Dozor'. I've seen it twice before, and I specifically remember what the design/label on the disc looks like.
This makes for my fourth unsuccessful attempt at renting the Danish movie 'Nightwatch, 1994' (Nattevagten). Can it really be that difficult? Surely they have some method of matching a disc with a rental request. The DVDs don't put themselves in the sleeves. How do they determine which disc goes in the sleeve/mailer that they send you? Is it all done by hand? I certainly hope not. There's something broken here, and I can't fix it on my own.</RANT>
NetFlix makes amends:
<RAVE>Despite my problems with NetFlix (see rant above). They have always managed to make amends for any of the problems I've encountered. Once I report a problem to the NetFlix customer service their replies are prompt and well considered. In the issue noted above, they have offered free rentals (outside my normal plan), and discounts on my monthly fee as compensation for the problems I'm encountering. Their customer service is excellent.</RAVE> |
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December 21, 2006
Software favorites:
One of my favorite pieces of software just released another update. GraphicConverter inches forward. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs released another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter released a new beta version (5.9.4b1) this week. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
Mac OS 10.4.8 security update:
Another security update released by Apple. This time the update addresses a particular security concern. An intentionally crafted web site could take advantage of a flaw in Quicktime for Java. This flaw could have leveraged the Quartz composer component of the Mac OS in order to reveal information that the computer owner does not authorize. You can read more about the update at Apple's website. Keeping my Mac safe from malicious hackers and such.
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 16th of December, 2006. The party has completed their most recent adventure. Into the lair of COEPAS/The Chaos of COEPAS was a year long campaign that pitted the city of Whillip and our heroes against a cult of racist Elves bent on the overthrow of the cities leadership, destruction of law and order, the death of non-Elves and who knows what else. Led by two powerful Elves and a mind controlling creature called the 'Taxini', the party fought valiantly, lost one of their own in the battle, but eventually overcame all the obstacles.
With the Taxini slain, and the leaders C.O.E.P.A.S. on the run, Whillip is released from the thrall of subversion and fear. The good citizens of Whillip are no longer enslaved by a mind-controlling fiend. While the city struggles to restore order, the party has completed another hard fought adventure. They've returned to Whillip, and they're currently engaged in a training and recovery phase. What lies in store around the next corner? Stay tuned for danger, stay tuned for mystery, stay tuned for adventure!
With the completion of this adventure, I completed the following updates:
3ewhoswho.html:
I made two updates to this page. I updated the entry for Garivek, and added a new entry for Inaen. The "Who's Who?" page is a listing of characters, both player characters and non-player characters.
3ecampaign.html:
I updated the campaign page. This is the first stop for information on the campaign that I'm currently running. Here you'll find information regarding our next meeting (updated to reflect next game date), some notes, and an index of web pages and documents that are important to our campaign. Note: We will not be playing on the 30th of Dec. Kim and I will be in Wisconsin, visiting family and friends, and won't be back until the 31st.
The Blizzard before Christmas:
From the 19th to the 21st of December, 2006, The Denver/Aurora area received approximately 26 inches of snow, with drifts of 3 to 4 feet. An amazing Colorado hooker blasted the area and dumped a boat-load of snow. You might have heard about the storm on TV (All flights cancelled at DIA, Highways closed, Winds in excess of 40mph, blowing, drifting). If not, I can assure you that it was news-worthy. This storm, and others like it, was created by the combination of four primary elements (low pressure, low temperatures, gulf of Mexico moisture, and mountains to the west). This weather phenomenon is responsible for large amounts of snowfall in the Denver area, and this particular event will certainly mean a sore back for a couple of days. It took us (Kim and I) three and a half hours to shovel out when the snow finally stopped falling on the 21st.
Fighting Spam:
Recently (Nov 2006), I discovered a new development in the fight against spam. I've discovered a new email service. It's a free email service. Is that all? Just another free email address? Not hardly. It's a free email address that could help me make money off spammers! It's a free 'Challenge Response' email address, where spammers have to pay money in order to send me email! I could actually make money off spammers - Imagine that!
The email address is: rvaessen@boxbe.com
By publicly disclosing this address (as of 21 Dec 2006), I'm fairly certain that the email address will get scraped by spambots. I'm not taking my usual precautions with the posting of this address. If you're a private individual, not interested in sending me spam, please feel free to use this email address without cost. I'll add you to the white list. If you're a spammer, you're free to use the email address, for a fee! Only time will tell how effective this approach to spam reduction will be. The most favorable outcome would be revenue for me. The worst? Well, if spammers manage to find a way around the CR mechanism, I can always disable/delete my account. As long as the service is free to me, I can't really complain.
As a result of this recent development, I took the opportunity to update my Feedback page; adding my boxbe.com address and cleaning up some bloated code.
Music downloads:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com. In addition to some 3hive.com downloads, most of these downloads came from a variety of newsgroup sources. I know they're a bit outdated, but they're a far more reliable source of downloads than peer-to-peer sharing.
* Bossanova: (3 songs) I discovered this band through 3hive.com. I was able to download one song from 3hive.com, and turned to the bands myspace page for the other two. Here's a soulfully uplifting sound with a disco beat and dark mood to boot. Well crafted instrumentals and smooth vocals.
* The Church - Heyday: (10 songs) A newsgroup download. Here's a band I enjoyed back in the 80's. Moody (sometimes dark) psychedelic guitar pop/rock from Australia.
* Men at work - Cargo: (10 songs) Another newsgroup download. Here's another band I enjoyed back in the 80's. This Australian pop sensation enjoyed a brief period of popularity on the US charts. While this album isn't their best, it does feature a couple of good beats (Overkill, and It's a mistake).
* Shriekback - Oil & Gold: (10 songs) Another newsgroup download. Another band I enjoyed back in the 80's. Synth, bass and drums combine to make for a moody, dark vibration. Resonant vocals invite comparison to Ultravox. Two of the band members came from XTC and Gang of four. Two bands I couldn't get enough of during the 80's. It's no wonder I was drawn to their sound.
* Echo & the Bunnymen - Porcupine: (10 songs) Another newsgroup download. My favorite band, started out in the late 70's. They've managed to make it all the way to the 00's. Their latest release: Siberia, came out in 2005, and the band is still producing live material and doing concerts. This album was arguably their most popular. Capturing the unique vocal style, driving guitar licks, galloping drum beats, and haunting lyrics that would define this band.
* Killing Joke - Brighter than a thousand suns: (11 songs) Another newsgroup download. Another band I discovered during the 80's. Here's another band I'd compare to Ultravox, U2 or Simple Minds. While this particular album wasn't very highly praised, I find it enjoyable. Unfortunately, there's little variation in the cuts on this download. The opening track is by far the best.
* Psychedelic Furs - Midnight to midnight: (9 songs) Another newsgroup download. Another favorite from the 80's. One of my favorites from my 'glory days'. This particular album represents a commercial/artistic change in one of my favorite bands. The songs on this album were more commercial, less signature, and not as good as earlier recordings. Heartbreak beat is probably the best from this release.
* The Cult - Love: (10 songs) Yet another newsgroup download. Another band I enjoyed in the 80's. Similar to the Church. Here's a heavier rock sound. Less pop, more mood/goth. Closer to the 'Lords of the new church'. This album represents what many would consider their best effort.
Seven plus albums, all for free! These are just some of the items I added to my music collection during the month of December. 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 or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email. Don't bother with reporting errors. The collection/listing is full of errors. I'm planning to purchase a cassette player and an A-to-D converter, which will be used to digitize my old cassette collection. Once that's done, I'll start to weed out the errors, omissions and unwanted duplications.
Downloading music:
<rant>Occasionally, I download music from newsgroups or peer-to-peer networks. Why am I downloading music from newsgroups? Isn't that theft or piracy? No and No. Some would have you believe that copyright violation is theft, or even piracy. In truth, copyright violation is neither. Theft and piracy are two completely different illegal activities. The music/recording industry would like you to associate theft and piracy with copyright violation. It's in their interest to cause/further these misinterpretations. In their zeal to prevent unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted works, they would have you believe that obtaining, copying or using downloaded music is in fact 'theft' or 'piracy'. It's not. But the association will serve to deter unauthorized reproduction and other forms of copyright violation.
Back to the question of downloading music. Why am I downloading music from newsgroups? Well, I already own the rights to the music I'm downloading. I already own the music in cassette form, but I want the music in a more portable form, something smaller. Something I can fit in my iPod. Something I can put on my computer. I could AtoD convert the music using stereo component equipment (I have a cassette player/recorder and CD burner), but that would take considerable time. So, I occasionally download the music (from newsgroups or peer-to-peer sharing networks). I already own the rights, and this legal download satisfies my desire (and right) to have a more portable copy of the music that I already have rights to. While others may be sharing the music in an unauthorized manner, I'm not. Under copyright; once I've legally purchased my licensed copy of the music, I'm permitted to make multiple copies. One for use in my car's CD player, one for use in my cassette player, one for use in my iPod, one for use on my computer, etc. etc. As long as I don't sell these copies. Make them available to others (who do not own a license), or claim that I'm the author of these works - I'm within my rights to make, obtain or posses multiple copies in different formats.
I'm not a lawyer, and I'm not an expert on copyright law, but I have spent a considerable amount of time researching, reading, and doing my best to understand the law. I've already paid for this music. I purchased my copyright protected rights when I paid for the cassette tape of the artists work. The music industry would have you believe that I'm not entitled to multiple copies, that I must pay for each and every copy. They've even asserted claims to each instance of 'reproduction'; to include instances where one would 'play' or 'listen' to the music. Can you imagine paying for the music each time you listen to it?
Given time, enough money, lawyers and lobbyists, the music industry will eventually convince our elected officials, that you have too many rights. That the laws designed to serve 'you' the consumer, should be rewritten to serve 'them' the recoding industry. Only by fighting legal challenges, media misrepresentation, and common misconceptions can we (consumers) hope to prevent the eventual demise of our/your rights. Don't give in to the hype. Copyright violations are not 'piracy' or 'theft'. Piracy and theft are two completely different things. You own rights to the music you've purchased. You've secured your rights under copyright law. Don't let the music industry take away those rights.
I won't bother listing a bunch of references, as I could easily post links that would only support my views. I'll assume that you're smart enough to do your own research. Just be aware that it's a complex and complicated subject. There are those (the recording/music industry) out there who have a bias towards the distributors. Others have a slant towards the consumer (that would be my view), and then there's the content creator (the artist). Everyone has their own point of view, and you'll have to decide for yourself which point of view best serves you. Aside from a point of view, I urge you to see past the bias. Research the law behind these opinions and points of view. You have rights as a consumer. Don't let someone tell you that your rights count for nothing.</rant> |
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December 13, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 2nd of December, 2006, and the session consisted primarily of combat. A dangerous encounter with a guardian demon. The combat lasted most of the night, but we eventually completed the combat. Afterwards the party recovered a large cache of treasure and left the dungeon. With the Taxini slain, and the leaders C.O.E.P.A.S. on the run, Whillip is released from the thrall of subversion and fear. The good citizens of Whillip are no longer enslaved by a mind-controlling fiend. While the city struggles to restore order, the party has completed another hard fought adventure. They've returned to Whillip, and will soon be engaged in a training and recovery phase. What lies in store around the next corner? Stay tuned for danger, stay tuned for mystery, stay tuned for adventure!
With the completion of this adventure, I completed the following updates:
ajournal06.html:
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 SCREWOFFS, a group of adventurers who set forth from Whillip seeking fame, fortune and the defeat of evil in these lands. Today's entry is another page from Solmar's journal.
3ewhoswho.html:
I made several updates to this page. I updated the entries for several foes: The organization known as C.O.E.P.A.S., Ozzy the warlock and Chaswelli the black knight. I also updated the entry for Garivek, a deceased ally. In addition to these NPC updates, I also posted a letter from Solmar. The letter gives additional details regarding the death of Garivek. The "Who's Who?" page is a listing of characters, both player characters and non-player characters.
House rules:
I added two new books (Champions of Valor and Cityscape) to the list of rule books used in our campaign. I updated the rules for 'knowledge of deities' and I added two new rules to the house rules:
HANDEDNESS:
A house rule used to determine your characters primary hand/handedness. This rule is used for all characters with two hands. At character creation, the player rolls dice as indicated below:
With right hand - Roll d20 |
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With left hand - Roll d10 |
If the d20 is higher than the d10, the character is right handed. If the d10 is higher than the d20, the character is left handed. If both dice are equal, the character gains the ‘Two-Weapon Fighting’ feat (provided the character has a 15 or higher Dex) as a bonus feat. In addition to the bonus feat, the character is considered ‘ambidextrous’ with regards to spell casting, skills, feats, etc.
Masterwork equipment:
Occasionally, characters may wish to purchase master work items; other than armor and weapons (rules for masterwork weapons and armor can be found in the PHB, pgs 122 & 126, respectively). Masterwork items serve the same purpose as other mundane items, but they’re perfect examples of the item in question. Superior materials and craftsmanship combine to make for a masterwork item. Unless otherwise listed (some specific masterwork items are listed in the official rule books), masterwork items give players a +2 circumstance bonus (or 10% improvement) in regards to their use, saving throws, etc. The cost for a masterwork item (unless otherwise listed), is 33% more than the listed price (round up).
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.
Music downloads:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com. In addition to some downloads from 3hive.com, I also grabbed my monthly eMusic allotment.
* Johnny Cash - Man in black: (6 of 10) I have no idea when I first heard Johnny Cash, but I knew from the first time I heard him, that his was a sound that crossed all genres. The messages, the pictures evoked, the emotion imbued lyrics - All unmistakable, unforgettable. Here are the remaining six tracks from a compilation of live recordings. I downloaded the other four last month.
* Hello Saferide - 5 songs: A band I discovered by visiting 3hive.com. A Swedish talent. A truthful troubadour of life. The lead singer is a woman who speaks her mind. Upbeat pop tinged with a bit of folk.
* DNA 12 - It's almost midnight: (8 songs) An album downloaded from 'Musical Family Tree'; a warehouse of little known, forgotten, emerging, and noteworthy new talent. I have no idea what happened to this band, but Paul Mahern's voice and other talents sure do shine in this series of recordings. Bristling with energy, these tracks change gears several times. There's nothing static or blasé about this gem in the rough.
* Hoodoo Gurus - Stoneage Romeo: (14 songs) Here's a band I discovered way back in the 80's. I've got this one in vinyl form, but I wanted that sound back in my life. A visit to eMusic solved that problem. With 90 downloads a month, I can afford to revisit familiar, and favorite bands from the 80's. The vocals in this band complement the driving guitar, with the same level of acoustic percussion as this bands drums. Frequent use of echo effects, and a very clear, concise sound define this Australian band.
* Ministry - Rio Grande Blood: (11 songs) A crushing avalanche of electronic sound, dubbing, sampling and acerbic, politically charged lyrics. Ministry is intense. If you've never heard them, be prepared for an onslaught of electronica tinged with hardcore punk.
* Peter Murphy - Cascade: (11 songs) I first discovered Peter Murphy when he was the voice behind Bauhaus. As Peter Murphy, he's not as well known. I had to rediscover him, and emusic made that possible. His voice is captivating, emotive and compelling. Painting haunting landscapes with lyric and music, his talent reaches inside, strums the strings and leaves me lifted up.
* Tubeway army - Replicas: (16 songs) A founding father of the electronic front of new wave, Gary Numan led Tubeway Army like an inexorably driven pulse pounding tide of energy. The robotic sound combined with songs about the human condition make for a magnificent experience.
* U.K. Subs - The punk singles collection: (21 songs) Part of the original British punk movement, this band ranks up there with the Sex Pistols and the Clash in creating an entirely new genre of music. Often political, always thumping on the drum, these boys drive home that UK born punk rock sound. Thanks go to Troy for reminding me of just how much I like this band.
* VNV Nation - Matter + Form: (11 songs) Another band that Troy turned me on to. VNV stands for 'Victory Not Vengeance'. There, I had to get that out of the way. Regulated by a pulse pounding synthesizer, this band keeps the beat moving, keeps the feet grooving. Wave after wave of unrelenting club dubbing dance grooves. There's not a lot of lyrics to get in the way of this band. It's a pure and simple sound machine. When Ronan Harris turns on the vocals, we listen closely to a voice that seems designed to complement a synthesizer.
Seven plus albums. That's pretty good for $20! These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the month of November. Actually, I downloaded all this music in one day. 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 or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email. Don't bother with reporting errors. The collection/listing is full of errors. I'm planning to purchase a cassette player and an A-to-D converter, which will be used to digitize my old cassette collection. Once that's done, I'll start to weed out the errors, omissions and unwanted duplications.
Movies:
A big part of my life. I watch a lot of movies (or at least that's what other people tell me). This morning (13 December 2006), I spent some time updating related pages. I updated the main movies page, the listing of my movie collection, the reviews page, and an alphabetical index (see the 'angry critic' entry above) that I'm working on.
It's a christmas miracle!
<RAVE>Truly, it must be a miracle. Yesterday (12 December, 2006), I received a letter from my home owners insurance company (USAA). According to the letter, "This is a notice of credit to your auto and property insurance bill." They actually credited me $2.98! An insurance company that actually lowered it's rates, and gave money back to it's members!? It's astonishing I tell you. Truly unbelievable. USAA will return more than $6.4 billion to members in 2006. Kudos to USAA!</RAVE> |
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December 9, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 2nd of December, 2006, and the session consisted primarily of combat. A dangerous encounter with a guardian demon. The combat lasted most of the night, but we eventually completed the combat. Afterwards the party recovered a large cache of treasure and left the dungeon. I'll post a journal update as soon as I get a chance.
In the mean time, here's a list of some of the other D&D updates I've been working on:
Weapons updates:
I completed some changes inspired by an article in Dragon Magazine. Minor changes to some pole weapons. I moved some weapons around from one weapons proficiency category to another. The following documents have been updated as a result of these changes:
I updated the campaign's weapons page.
I removed an OpenOffice spreadsheet (a list of the weapons), and replaced it with
an OpenDocument spreadsheet (created using OpenOffice 2.0)
I updated
the pdf version of the weapon listing,
I updated the pdf versions of the weapons list preface, and the text descriptions of each weapon in the listing.
New feats:
I added nine new feats to our campaign feats document. Most of the new feats are geared towards combat using pole weapons. In addition to the pole arm feats, there was one 'monster' feat added to the document. A feat suggested/requested by Micheal, a player in our campaign. The feats document contains campaign tailored skills, feats, traits and flaws. The feats listing is available for download by the members of our D&D campaign. It's a password protected pdf, so you'll need the password in order to read it. I encrypted the document because some of the materials are taken in whole directly from copyrighted game materials. It's not my stuff, and I don't have explicit permission to re-distribute it. Thanks to Apple for making my computer powerful and versatile.
House rules:
I added two new books (The book of nine swords and the complete mage) to the list of rule books used in our campaign. 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.
Software favorites:
One of my favorite pieces of software just released an update. GraphicConverter inches forward. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs released another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter released a new beta version (5.9.4b0) this week. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm> |
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December 6, 2006
Let it snow:
On the 1st and 2nd of December, 2006, The Denver/Aurora area received approximately 1 inch of snow. While it was heaviest to the west, our community only got about 1/2 an inch. Thankfully, the snow was very light and shoveling won't be much of a chore. Hopefully, I'll have time to clear the drive tomorrow. This light coating is appreciated as this month has been very dry. If I'm really lucky, it'll warm up, and I won't have to shovel anything.
It's cold!
Over the last week or so, the temperatures in this area have plummeted. Down below the freezing point, even into the teens! It seems as if this is going to be a cold winter. The neighbor has a burst water pipe on the side of his house. He forgot to winterize the sprinkler system.
Eating out in Aurora:
Occasionally, Kim and I take the opportunity to eat out at one of the fine restaurants in the Denver/Aurora area. They're not always five star places, but we're not that kind of people. Recently (14 Nov '06), Kim and I had lunch together at the Southlands Mall. We selected one of the new eateries in the mall. It's a new restaurant, but we've eaten at this chain before. Ted's Montana grill is part of something I call the third wave of American eateries. The first wave are restaurants like McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's. The second wave are places like Applebee's, Chili's and Outback. The third wave are something different. This third wave is marked by cultural distinction and a more upscale dinning experience. Restaurants like Ted's Montana grill, McCabe's Irish bistro, and Rumbi Island grill are all examples of this 'Third Wave'.
This new addition to the Ted's chain is located near our new home, and Kim and I joined a bunch of friends for a birthday celebration. We met around 1800, and we had to wait approximately fifteen minutes for a table. After we were seated, we waited another ten minutes before the guest of honor showed up. Five minutes later everyone had something to drink and I had a salad. For entrees, Kim had the 14oz Delmonico rib eye. Unfortunately, she ordered the Bison cut, someone else ordered the Beef cut, and they managed to switch the cuts. Kim got the Beef, but didn't say anything until we were on the way home. The steak was fine, but she prefers the leaner Bison cut. I had the cedar plank salmon, and the guest of honor had a C.O.B. (Cheddar, Onion, Bacon) Bison burger. I washed my salmon down with a terrific glass of Nitro Porter. The salmon was great, it wasn't overcooked at all. Tender and rare from the inside out, it was very good. Aside from the steak mix-up, everyone was happy with their food. The bill for all three of us came to $68.68. That's pretty reasonable considering the food we ordered. We'll be back. |
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December 2, 2006
Movies:
I purchased four movies for the month of December (purchased from DeepDiscountDVD.com). So what are the new movies? Two foreign film, an American movie, and a mystery movie.
Foreign movies: Zardoz (1974), a British production staring Sean Connery in a mind blowing Sci-Fi cult flick of epic proportions. For a few dollars more (1965 - Per qualche dollaro in più), an Italian spaghetti western. The second movie of the 'Man with no name' trilogy by Sergio Leone. Hollywood productions: Ravenous (1999), a bizarre tale of cannibalism and mysticism in the old west. Christmas gift: The last movie was a gift purchase, and I don't want to say who it's for, or what the movie is, but I'm sure he's gonna love it! With these new purchases, I updated the Must Buy listing on my movies page.
D&D update:
We played D&D on Saturday night (18 Nov 2006). The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. (This adventure began back in January of 2006, and they're close to wrapping it up now) Following a twisted trail of leads, the party discovered a lair of C.O.E.P.A.S., and took the fight down into the enemies lair. After some difficulties, a casualty and the arrival of casualties, the party eventually survived the twisted trap littered lair. They fought a deadly demon, minions of C.O.E.P.A.S., and eventually confronted and defeated the Mother Grub which was causing most of Whillip's problems. After a brief hiatus from the dangers of the dungeon, the party spent a short amount of time back above ground in the city of Whillip. Resembling something like a war zone, the city is slowly recovering from the wounds inflicted from within by the secret army of C.O.E.P.A.S.. Does C.O.E.P.A.S. still pose a threat to Whillip?
With the Taxini slain, Whillip is released from the thrall of subversion and fear. The good citizens of Whillip are no longer enslaved by a mind-controlling fiend. While gangs still roam the streets, and the city struggles to restore order, the party has returned to the lair in order to search for the remaining leaders of C.O.E.P.A.S. Soon after their return to the lair, they've discovered a large chamber containing treasure. Unfortunately for them, the treasure is guarded by a powerful demon. When we last left our party, they were engaged in a struggle with this 'Whisper Demon'. Will the party survive their encounter with this insubstantial demon? Where are Ozzy and Chaswelli? Were they simply pawns? Controlled by the Taxini? Perhaps there is another leader further up the chain in this nefarious organization. Does C.O.E.P.A.S. still pose a threat to Whillip? Stay tuned for danger, stay tuned for mystery, stay tuned for adventure!
Here's a list of updates I made over the last week or so:
ajournal06.html - 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 SCREWOFFS, a group of adventurers who set forth from Whillip seeking fame, fortune and the defeat of evil in these lands. Today's entry is another page from Solmar's journal.
monsters.html - I added one new entry to the monster page this week. The Whisper Demon is a evil outsider that they party is currently fighting. In addition to my entry for the demon, Mark supplied a description from Solmar. I also updated the entry for the Serpendeme. A beast that the party can't seem to pin down. The monsters page is a listing of monsters that the party has encountered, read about or heard of.
3ewhoswho.html - Recently (14 Nov 06), I updated the entry for Garivek, a somewhat powerful and important priest in Whillip. Killed during this 'Chaos of C.O.E.P.A.S.', the church of Helm has been dealt something of a setback. In addition to this previous update, I also posted a letter from Solmar. The letter addresses the loss of this church leader. The "Who's Who?" page is a listing of characters, both player characters and non-player characters.
3ecampaign.html - I updated the campaign page. This is the first stop for information on the campaign that I'm currently running. Here you'll find information regarding our next meeting (updated to reflect next game date), some notes, and an index of web pages and documents that are important to our campaign. Note: We will not be playing on the 30th of Dec. Kim and I will be in Wisconsin, visiting family and friends, and won't be back until the 31st.
An encounter with... - Here's a recap on the current situation. Engaged in combat with the Whisper Demon. I took a photo of the battle mat, and created this recap. Hopefully someone will see it. Maybe even appreciate it. I built this page using a Apple's iWeb, and I'd appreciate any feedback you might provide.
Our last meeting was held on the 18th of November, 2006. Half our players were missing from that session, but we had a good time anyway. We wrapped up some in town encounters, and headed back into the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. Thanks to Mark for sending in his journal entry and monster description. Hopefully we'll see more players at tonight's meeting (2 December 2006). |
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November 29, 2006
The angry critic:
I recently (26 Nov 2006) received an email from an angry critic. While the text of the letter was an unprecedented, vicious attack, I was still able to benefit from the letter. While I won't be leaving my 'opinions' out of my reviews, I am constructing an alphabetical index of all the movies I've reviewed. If you have any constructive criticism (regarding anything at Rob's World!), I would welcome your suggestions. If you want to use me as your punching bag (or toilet), please look elsewhere for your amusement. See the 'angry critic' page for my social commentary on the 'internet/me-generation'
Music:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com.
* Forro in the dark - Bonfires of Sao Joao: (1 song). Here's a great tune, by a band that interests me. It features vocals by David Byrne, and the sound is very earthy. World music is label some would attach to this danceable trance like sound where the instrumentals are as memorable as the lyrics. A free download (for members)from the bands latest album at emusic.com.
* Matthew Friedberger: (2 songs). Experimental acoustic melodies that dance around the edges of my imagination. A wonderful mix of electronic, analog, and dialog. A great blend of different sounds. I discovered this artist at the 3hive.com website.
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Premier printing by DaisyPrints:
I recently built our Christmas card for 2006 (I'll post the card latter this year). I draft, edit and print-proof our annual Christmas cards using an application called 'AppleWorks'. While Apple has decided to 'end of life' this application, I still rely on it for a large portion of my productivity work. You can read all about it, and other favorite applications at my 'Favorites' web page.
After completing the card, I started to shop around for printing services. I used to print the cards at home, on my inkjet printer, but that's a lot of work. I usually waste a lot of paper, it takes up a lot of my time, and the cost isn't trivial. So, this year I decided to go with a professional printing solution. The first one I thought of was Apple. Apple's iPhoto application has a built in 'greeting card' function. You can build your own greeting card, and then print it. You can print it from your home printer, or you can have Apple do the printing for you. Unfortunately, I found their prices to be too high for such a large job.
<rave>After striking out with Apple, I turned to family. My sister Eileen has been running her own print and design service for several years now. While I've never needed her services before, I thought I'd give it a try. After emailing her the print proofs, she got straight to work. In no time at all (9 days), I received sixty cards in the mail. Eileen printed the half-fold, double sided, full color cards on 40 pound card stock, included envelopes, Christmas seals, and some return address labels. All for a very low price. The results were nothing short of perfect. While I received the 'brother' price, she assures me that she could produce such a superior product for anyone, at a very reasonable price. If you need cards, invitations, menus, or any sort of printing needs, please give 'DaisyPrints' a try. I'm sure you'll be as happy as I am. </rave>
Genealogy:
This week I spent some time updating my Vaessen family genealogy pages. Thanks to some considerable assistance from some Dutch Vaessen's, I've been able to trace my family history back to 1526 (With a partial history back to 1125). If you're interested in the history of the Vaessen name, check out my Vaessen family genealogy pages. The information was compiled and posted using 'MacFamilyTree' software. The software is capable of importing or exporting genealogy data in various different formats, including HTML and GEDCOM standard .ged files.
If you are a member of the Vaessen family, or you're interested in the Vaessen family history, I welcome any corrections, additions or elaborations. Please feel free to write me with any relevant information.
Movies:
A big part of my life. I watch a lot of movies (or at least that's what other people tell me). In either case, I spent some time updating related pages this week. I updated the main movies page, the listing of my movie collection and the reviews page, and I started work on an alphabetical index (see the 'angry critic' entry above).
We've got snow!
On the 28th of November, 2006, The Denver/Aurora area received approximately three inches of snow. While it was heaviest to the west, our community only got about two inches. Thankfully, the snow was very light and shoveling won't be much of a chore. Hopefully, I'll have time to clear the drive tomorrow. This light coating is appreciated as this month has been very dry. If I'm really lucky, it'll warm up, and I won't have to shovel anything.
Mac OS 10.4.8 security update:
Another security update released by Apple (the first one in quite some time). This one didn't affect any of the applications that I typically use on a day to day basis. This time around the update affects several security issues (AirPort, ftpd, ssh, the Finder, OpenSSL, perl, php, vpn, webkit and others). You can read more about the update at Apple's website. Keeping my Mac safe from malicious hackers and such. |
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November 20, 2006
Music:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com.
* Clare Burson: (9 songs) Discovered using 3hive.com, I downloaded nine songs from 3 different albums. A female vocalist, something I don't often include in my collection, but a fantastic voice. With earnest, endearing vocals and some very personal lyrics. I was left comparing this talent to Margot Timmins from Cowboy Junkies.
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
D&D update:
We played D&D on Saturday night (18 Nov 2006). The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. Following a twisted trail of leads, the party discovered a lair of C.O.E.P.A.S., and took the fight down into the enemies lair. After some difficulties, a casualty and the arrival of casualties, the party eventually survived the twisted trap littered lair. They fought a deadly demon, minions of C.O.E.P.A.S., and eventually confronted and defeated the Mother Grub which was causing most of Whillip's problems.
I'll post the journal update and monster descriptions as soon as players forward the relevant material. It should make for some exciting reading! In the meantime, I've updated some of our House Rules. I added expanded skills rules to our 3E New Feats document. The new rules cover monster identification. We've completed the move away from the old 2nd edition model with this new rule. Players will now be expected to make Knowledge checks in order to identify monsters. See the 3enewfeats.pdf document for full details. In changing the house rules governing monster identification I also updated our House Rules document and the 3E campaign page.
Eating out in Aurora:
Occasionally, Kim and I take the opportunity to eat out at one of the fine restaurants in the Denver/Aurora area. They're not always five star places, but we're not that kind of people. Recently (14 Nov '06), Kim and I had lunch together at the Southlands Mall. We selected one of the new eateries in the mall. One we had wanted to try for some time. McCabe's Irish bistro and pub (despite the listing of a web address on their business card, they haven't got a web site). This restaurant joins the likes of Ted's Montana grill in what I like to call the third wave of American eateries.
McCabe's is a fair sized place, including a bar, main serving area, patio, game room and a private banquet area. Very well decorated, the restaurant had an elegant feel. Maybe a little too elegant. The staff emitted a haughty, 'holier than though' attitude, and the place seemed a bit upscale for a 'pub'. I doubt I could get comfortable in a place like this. The service was fine, aside from the somewhat stuffy attitude. The food was good. We both had a 'cup' (small cup) of Leek & Potato soup. The soup was fantastic, but the price a bit high at $3.50 each. The tenderloin salad (Kim had that) looked great, and Kim was very happy with it. I had Fish & Chips. Made with cod, the fish wasn't anything special. The 'chips' were above par, and the coleslaw was typical. Overall, I'd have to say the food was excellent, but a bit pricey (Guinness $5, Coke $1.99, 2 cups of Leek soup $3.50ea, Tenderloin salad $11.99, Fish & Chips $11.99. We'll give the place another try. I hope the staff warms up a bit.
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November 14, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on Saturday night (4 Nov 2006). The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. Following a twisted trail of leads, the party discovered a lair of C.O.E.P.A.S., and took the fight down into the enemies lair. After some difficulties, a casualty and the arrival of casualties, the party eventually survived the twisted trap littered lair. They fought a deadly demon, minions of C.O.E.P.A.S., and eventually confronted and defeated the Mother Grub which was causing most of Whillip's problems.
While gangs still roam the streets, and the city struggles to restore order, the party has left the lair in order to heal, take care of some loose ends and help with the clean-up efforts. With the elimination of the Taxini, the threat of C.O.E.P.A.S. seems to be controlled. The Taxini, through it's proxy army, waged war on Whillip towards an unknown goal. The party never learned the Taxini's true intentions, and there is some speculation that the Taxini itself may have been working for, under the influence or control, of some stronger entity or group. What of Ozzy and Chaswelli? Were they simply pawns? Controlled by the Taxini? Perhaps there is another leader further up the chain in this nefarious organization. Does C.O.E.P.A.S. still pose a threat to Whillip? Stay tuned for danger, stay tuned for mystery, stay tuned for adventure!
Here's a list of updates I made over the last week or so:
ajournal06.html - 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 SCREWOFFS, a group of adventurers who set forth from Whillip seeking fame, fortune and the defeat of evil in these lands. Today's entry is a triple play. With three points of view, this journal entry manages to tell a coherent and complete tale, despite the fact that the party was split into three separate groups during the session. As usual, the journal entry is a must read. It will help refresh your memory regarding the most recent developments, and it might provide some insight or a point of consideration going into the next meeting.
monsters.html - I added one new entry to the monster page this week. Zeddishous and Duracell read about an 'Invisible Stalker', and Duracell discovered some of it's abilities first hand. The monsters page is a listing of monsters that the party has encountered, read about or heard of.
3ewhoswho.html - Today (14 Nov 06), I updated the entry for Garivek, a somewhat powerful and important priest in Whillip. Killed during this 'Chaos of C.O.E.P.A.S.', the church of Helm has been dealt something of a setback. The "Who's Who?" page is a listing of characters, both player characters and non-player characters.
3ecampaign.html - I updated the campaign page. This is the first stop for information on the campaign that I'm currently running. Here you'll find information regarding our next meeting (updated to reflect next game date), some notes, and an index of web pages and documents that are important to our campaign.
3enewfeats.pdf - An update with no changes? Recently, I discovered that I can password protect pdf files. In order to password protect documents, I used to create encrypted Stuffit archives. Thanks to the Mac's built in pdf capabilities, and the Preview application, I no longer need to archive documents in order to password protect them. The feats listing is available for download by the members of our D&D campaign. It's a password protected pdf, so you'll need the password in order to read it. I encrypted the document because some of the materials are taken in whole directly from copyrighted game materials. It's not my stuff, and I don't have explicit permission to re-distribute it. Thanks to Apple for making my computer powerful and versatile.
Our last meeting was held on the 4th of November, 2006. There were a couple players missing from that session, but we had a good time playing some in town diversions. A few party members even helped restore order amongst the chaos and burning embers of Whillip. Thanks to everyone for helping create a great journal entry.
eMusic downloads:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com. With my monthly renewal of credits at eMusic, here's the download of all the albums I had in my 'save for later' queue, plus a few extras.
* Radio 4 - Gotham: (12 songs + a web site download) A 3hive discovery. I downloaded three free cuts from this band back in May of '06. I enjoyed those cuts so much that I had to get more. Here's my third album download for this group. Here's a pop band with a danceable post-punk sound. Brings back memories of Wire, Gang of Four and The Dickies. Pour some sugar on that angst and you've got Radio 4. A delightful combination of punk and electronic dance.
* The Mekons - Fear and Whiskey: (10 songs) Discovered by listening to a friends podcast (Thanks Troy). Here's a band that just won't quit. Born in the 70's this group managed to stay together through 25 years in the music industry. This album showcases their ability to merge two musical genres. Mixing the manic power of punk with the melodic instrumentals of country music, the Mekons are a force to be reckoned with.
* The Fall - Palace of swords reversed: (12 songs) Discovered by listening to a friends podcast (Thanks Troy). Here's another one of those immortal English bands. Born in the 70's, this is another band that just won't quit. Unlike the Mekon's, I've listened to this band on and off over the years. Here's a lyrically brilliant compilation of angst ridden early tracks.
* The Fall-Outs - Summertime: (13) This band was recommended by iTunes. Imagine that, they got something right. I promptly bought my copy from emusic. The iTunes store has a better selection, but emusic beats them on the price. This Seattle band (no they're not from England!) cranks out some great pop-punk guitar tunes.
* McCarthy - The enraged will inherit the Earth (+ rarities): (18 songs) Discovered by listening to a friends podcast (Thanks Troy). An 80's British band. The lyrics are politically charged to be sure. The instrumentals are upbeat, disguising the disgust in the lyrics.
* Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood - Nancy & Lee: (11 songs). Discovered by listening to a friends podcast (Thanks Troy). Who would have though. This 60's pop has more in common with the Captain & Tennille than any of the bands I normally listen to. I found something in this duet that makes sense. A silky sweet voice, paired against a rusty cowboy sensibility. The result is some fine music.
* Urbs - Toujours le même film: (11 songs). Discovered by listening to tracks on 3hive.com. Here's a sophisticated smooth jazz band. Sounds like the soundtrack to a French new-wave movie - Something by Jean-Pierre Melville. Listening to these track melts away the tension, transports me to another place and time. Leaves me wishing I had another hour.
* Johnny Cash - Man in black: (4 of 10). I have no idea when I first heard Johnny Cash, but I knew from the first time I heard him, that his was a sound that crossed all genres. The messages, the pictures evoked, the emotion imbued lyrics - All unmistakable, unforgettable. Here are four tracks from a compilation of live recordings. I'll be back to get the rest next month.
Seven plus albums. That's pretty good for $20! These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the month of October. Actually, I downloaded all this music in one day. 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 or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email. Don't bother with reporting errors. The collection/listing is full of errors. I'm planning to purchase a cassette player and an A-to-D converter, which will be used to digitize my old cassette collection. Once that's done, I'll start to weed out the errors, omissions and unwanted duplications. |
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November 13, 2006
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 made it very easy for us to vote by absentee ballot and we really liked the booklets they sent us ahead of time. They sent out a booklet containing analysis of all the ballot initiatives. It really helps when it comes to unraveling the opposing commercials and rhetoric you hear on the news. The booklet 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>
I got my flu shot, did you?
I sure hope so. The company that I work for (Northrop Grumman) cares enough about my health to offer free flu shots this time of year. They even offer free Flu-Mist nasal inoculations. I'm a wimp, so I opted for the nasal mist. Studies have shown that the benefits of a flu shot far outweigh the costs. If you get the flu shot, you are likely to have a 'sympathetic reaction'. Since the shot contains dead virus (or weakened virus), your body thinks it's being attacked. It thinks you've got the flu. As a result, your body starts to produce anti-bodies, and you start to feel like you're getting the flu. Your body starts to ache and you get some congestion. Sure, you might feel crappy for a day or two, but this 'sympathetic reaction' is nothing compared to the actual flu. Many people think that this 'sympathetic reaction' is actually the flu. Luckily for them, it's not. You can still get the flu after an inoculation, but it'll be a different strain. No one can predict (with complete accuracy) what, if any, flu strain you will be exposed to. Getting a flu shot is a good idea. People who don't get the flu shot are more likely to get the flu (Dhuh!). They will probably miss some work, they'll feel crappy, and they'll pay more in medical costs than they would have for the flu shot.
The military mandates that all active duty members get a flu shot, but I know for a fact that there are plenty of military folks who find some way to avoid that flu shot. It never fails to amaze me as I watch these people coughing, shivering and suffering through the flu. They don't report to sick call, because the clinic might find out that they didn't get the flu shot. Self inflicted idiocy.
Earlier this year (In February of 2006) I caught the flu (some sort of virus). Despite the fact that I got a flu shot, I still caught a bug. No doubt it was one that I wasn't inoculated against. It's the first time I've had the flu in many years. That experience (it just about ruined a vacation in Hawai'i) has reinforced my commitment to the flu shot. Don't fool yourself into thinking that you're better off without it. The flu shot is better than the flu. Even with the two day 'sympathetic reaction'. (FYI: I'm not medically trained, and I don't claim to have any special knowledge when it comes to flu shots, so do your own research before believing my remarks. There are risks associated with the flu-shot, and I don't know whether you fall into a risk category. Consult a real doctor.)
Snow, Rain and cold make for icy conditions:
Looks like winter has finally arrived. Next thing you know, we'll have another heat wave. Over the last three days (11 - 13 Nov), the temperatures dropped into the 40's and below. On the 11th we had some snow and rain, followed by some thawing on the 12, and more cold temperatures on the 13th. The skies are overcast and the temps are dropping below freezing at night. Maybe it's winter? |
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November 9, 2006
Eating out in Aurora:
Occasionally, Kim and I take the opportunity to eat out at one of the fine restaurants in the Denver/Aurora area. They're not always five star places, but we're not that kind of people. Recently (02 Nov '06), I attended a military retirement luncheon. A good friend of mine has retired from 20 years in the Air Force. With a similar technical background, I have no doubt that he'll find a good job in the building. Congratulations on your retirement Penn. Good luck in the future. Penn's retirement luncheon was held at a place called "Yang's". A typical 'heat lamp Chinese' restaurant. I've eaten there before, but won't eat there again. The service was the same (poor), and the food was barely digestible. Gooey chucks of deep fried chicken, coated in some sort of special spicy sauce. They should change their name to "Yuck's".
D&D update:
We played D&D on Saturday night (7 Oct 2006). That's quite a while ago, but Kim and I were busy at the end of October, and the update didn't get posted until recently. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered their enemies lair, and they've taken the fight to their door; assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. On Saturday night they encountered some 'Stiff' competition. Two Thogsilla's, a flock of Cockatrice, and the Taxini (aka 'Mother Grub).
Thanks to some last minute efforts by our group of gamers, I was able to post a large amount of game material. On the 4th of November, I posted the following updates:
ajournal06.html - 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 SCREWOFFS, a group of adventurers who set forth from Whillip seeking fame, fortune and the defeat of evil in these lands. Today's entry is another dual entry from two party members. Solmar's sobering notes and Tanar's insightful tale. As usual, the journal entry is a must read. It will help refresh your memory regarding the most recent developments, and it might provide some insight or a point of consideration going into the next meeting.
monsters.html - I added two new entries to this page. One for the Taxini, or mother grub as the group has come to call it, and one for the Cockatrice that attacked the party. Both entries include a short description from Grenco. In addition to these entries, I also updated the information for the cranial (or ear) grub. The immature form of Taxini. These entries (especially the one for the Taxini) contain some valuable information. Be sure to check them out. The monsters page is a listing of monsters that the party has encountered, read about or heard of.
3ewhoswho.html - Today (4 Nov 06), I updated an important entry on the "Who's Who?" page. I updated the C.O.E.P.A.S. entry. For nearly a year now, our group of gamers have been running their adventurers head long at this group of evil-doers. This entry has been revised, updated and expanded to include some important information. The "Who's Who?" page is a listing of characters, both player characters and non-player characters.
3ecampaign.html - I updated the campaign page. This is the first stop for information on the campaign that I'm currently running. Here you'll find information regarding our next meeting (updated to reflect next game date), some notes, and an index of web pages and documents that are important to our campaign.
Our last meeting was held on the 4th of November, 2006. There were a couple players missing from that session, but we had a good time playing some in town diversions. A few party members even helped restore order amongst the chaos and burning embers of Whillip. Since the party was split into three groups, I hope to post a three-pointed journal entry before our next session.
Software favorites:
Over the last couple weeks, one of my favorite pieces of software released three updates. GraphicConverter inches forward. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs released three upgrades recently. GraphicConverter released two beta (5.9.3b1, 5.9.3b2 and the full release of 5.9.3) over the last couple weeks. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
In addition to the GC update, I also removed a favorite from my 'favorites' page. It's not that it was a bad application; in fact, I think that it (CSSEdit by MacRabbit) is an excellent application. The truth is that I no longer consider it essential for the construction of web pages on a Mac. I was never a big fan of CSS, and I've grown less so since it's introduction. I find it less intuitive, less useful, and less compatible than your standard good old HTML. I've found that I have no need to use CSS in order to create my web site. Perhaps I'll learn to use and like it more in the future, perhaps not. Until I find CSS to be a necessary component of good web site design, I'll refrain from listing CSS editing/authoring applications on my 'favorites' page.
Hot, Hot, Hot!
We've had a mini heat wave during the first few days of November 2006. With temperatures reaching into the 70's on Tuesday (the 7th of Nov), today's high (on the 8th of Nov) was a record setting 80 degrees! I thought it was winter?! We've already had snow three times this season. What's going on? This Colorado weather is really crazy.
Genealogy:
Today I spent some time updating my Vaessen family genealogy pages. Thanks to some considerable assistance from some Dutch Vaessen's, I've been able to trace my family history back to 1526 (With a partial history back to 1125). If you're interested in the history of the Vaessen name, check out my Vaessen family genealogy pages. The information was compiled and posted using 'MacFamilyTree' software. The software is capable of importing or exporting genealogy data in various different formats, including HTML and GEDCOM standard .ged files.
If you are a member of the Vaessen family, or you're interested in the Vaessen family history, I welcome any corrections, additions or elaborations. Please feel free to write me with any relevant information. |
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October 31, 2006
eMail woes:
Recently (19 October '06), my webhost administrator, upgrade me email service from sendmail to qmail (w/vpopadmin). Unfortunately, when he changed over to qmail, I lost all delivery to approximately 60 of my email addresses. I use specific email addresses constructed as follows: local.part@domain.part. This is an RFC822 compliant email address (local part containing "." character), and I had no problems using them under sendmail. Under qmail, this type of email address is not permitted. The "." is reserved for some other use in parsing for email delivery. There are work-arounds, and I've sent a few leads to my webhost administrator. Hopefully he can find a solution. Right now I'm losing hundreds of emails a day, I've been bounced from numerous mailing lists, and I'd very much like to get back on track with regards to these specialized email addresses. If you know of a way around this limitation, please email me.
Snow storm - 26 Oct 2006:
On the 26th of October, 2006, The Denver/Aurora area received approximately eight inches of snow. The snow was worse down south. The closer you got to monument hill, the deeper the snow got. Some places got upward of 18 inches. Our area got 8 - 10 inches. At our hours, the back yard got the most snow. The snow was extremely heavy and shoveling was quite a challenge. Even though I had a snow blower, the weight was so great it threatened to break the handle sheer off. I had to stop several times in order to apply pliers to the snow blower handle, secure the handle, tighten bolts, and continue. I spent most of my time forcing the blower through the snow or shaving a couple inches off at a time.
It took me more than two hours to clear the drive and walk. We'll probably get more snow this year, but the first and last storms are always the worst. The snow is wet and heavy, and my back is killing me. I sure hope the snow blower holds up.
Happy Annibirthday!
Kim and I celebrated our anniversary today. We were married on the 26th of October back in 1985. It's been 21 years and it just keeps getting better. It's hard to believe that we've been married for more than 20 years! Today is also my birthday - Yes, we got married on my birthday. The strange thing is that we didn't intentionally plan our wedding for my birthday. It just turned out that way. So it's our anniversary and my birthday - Annibirthday. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to do much. The snow storm sort of put a damper on things.
Books:
On the 30th of October, Kim and I did a little shopping down town. The Southlands Mall had it's grand opening while we were in Milwaukee, and it's taken us a while to check out all the new stores. In a moment of temporary weakness, we entered Barnes & Noble. Ostensibly, we were there to get a drink. The spiced pumpkin latte (at Starbucks) was great, but we couldn't resist the lure of freshly printed books. Thirty minutes later I walked out with two new books. I bought a new Dune Novel (The Road to Dune), and another book about time and parallel universes (Parallel Universes - The search for other worlds). Today (31 Oct 2006) I updated my books page.
Movies:
I purchased four movies for the month of October. Four purchases from DeepDiscountDVD.com. So what are the new movies? Two foreign film: The Gods must be crazy I & II (1980/1989 - Comedy, Adventure) - These two movies constitute a collection of cult classics from South Africa. Comedic vignettes that reveal the lives of Kalahari back country inhabitants. Two domestic brews: Doctor Zhivago (1965) A two disc special edition. The dramatic life and times of a Russian doctor. Epic in scope, featuring some fantastic acting and directing, this one's been on my list for some time. High Noon (1952) This Western/Drama, starring Gary Cooper won four academy awards. An amazingly simple story that unfolds in real-time. With these new purchases, I updated the Must Buy listing on my movies page.
Eating out in Aurora:
Occasionally, Kim and I take the opportunity to eat out at one of the fine restaurants in the Denver/Aurora area. They're not always five star places, but we're not that kind of people. With the recent visit to a Barnes & Noble book store, we picked up a copy of the 'Gabby Gourmet restaurant guide for 2007'. It's a restaurant guide for Denver and the surrounding area. Kim and I have found lots of great places to eat at by using this book, and we buy a new one every year. So where have we eaten recently? Well, we ate at an 'Old Chicago' in the Southlands Mall, but it wasn't anything worth writing about. We are excited about all the new restaurants coming to the Southlands Mall, but it'll be a while before we have a chance to try them all. I'll keep you up to date.
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October 30, 2006
Demise of the guestbook:
Once upon a time, people used to have 'guestbooks' on their websites. I was one of them. They used to be something of a forum. A fun place where people would leave messages for the webmaster/person running the website. My guestbook survived for a couple of years. For some reason it just stopped working. I did a bit of troubleshooting, but couldn't get it back up and running. Now days, guestbooks are simply an invitation to spammers. There are bots that scour the web looking for guestbooks. When they find them they deposit steaming heaps of spam in the spot where a friendly greeting might go. As a result of this nefarious activity, most guestbooks have disappeared. Those that haven't are less accessible than they're worth. Every now and then I take a look at my logs, the cgi-bin behind the guestbook is a frequent target of spammers, hackers and other forms of low-life. They scan my site for the cgi-bin behind the guestbook. They're looking for ways into the underbelly of my website, ways to hack my web hosts servers, ways to spam, attack and destroy my purity of essence. They don't get very far; I've disabled the guts behind this form.
Today I removed all semblance of an email address from my atrophied guestbook. It's a sad state of affairs when you can't invite visitors to leave a memorable note at your site.
Looking through the logs:
<rant>The other day, I was sifting through my logs and I found evidence of some nastiness. I located the IP and search strings of an 'entity' which has caused me a bit of trouble (back in May of 2005). This 'entity' searched through my website, looking for a certain type of information. They found a few things they didn't like, and then used their 'power' to make my life miserable. Yes, it was a government 'entity', and the trouble they caused was completely unwarranted. I spent more than twelve hours explaining some content to my employer and another government 'entity'. In the end, my employer and the local authorities decided that there was little cause for concern. I was forced (they 'suggested' that I comply with their 'recommendations') to remove some words from my web site (I really want to keep my job), and I had to submit some of my web site materials for review to government authorities. It's been more than a year since that original series of scans and accusations. Now I sit back and wait for the next attack by this 'entity'. In an overly zealous manner, they subjected me to unnecessary censure, scrutiny, suspicion and examination.
I love the country I live in, I respect my elected officials, and I'm a law abiding citizen. I don't understand why anyone would bother to harass me in their official capacity. I've done nothing wrong, and I would never post anything that would compromise the security of this nation. I have a right to free speech, and I don't appreciate the way that they've infringed on that right. These subtle 'suggestions', and hints of possible 'repercussions', are an unwarranted form of harassment. I haven't done anything wrong (even they admit that (now)), but they still use their power to force compliance. I could go on, but... </rant>
iTunes new music tuesday:
Once a week, Apple releases a new podcast as a promo for the iTunes store. The podcast (you don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast) The podcast features a variety of artists and music. New features and new releases. One of the features that I really appreciate is the 'Free Music'. That's right - Free Music. Once a week they release a free single. I've found a lot of great music through this service, and this weeks music is one of those songs that I'm glad to gobble up. New Shoes by Paolo Nutini. If it's not free by the time you get to it, don't blame me. Sign up for the email, subscribe to the podcast, you too can start enjoying the 'Free' music. Just in case you didn't know. iTunes is a Free download for anyone with a computer and an internet connection.
A wedding in Milwaukee:
In October of 2006, Kim and I attended Kary & Mark's wedding. Kary is Kim's younger sister. Mark Clough is a fantastic guy, together they make a terrific couple. The wedding and reception took place at 'The Palms' bistro/bar in the historic third ward of downtown Milwaukee. For us it was a weekend getaway - the first wedding we've been to since 1996 - for them it's the culmination of a foregone conclusion. Congratulations to the lucky couple! As Kim and I celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary (on the 26th of October), we wish them as many years of happiness as we've had. Here are a few of the photos I took at the reception. I hope you enjoy this little layout. - Robert.
United airlines and Chicago's O'Hare airport:
<rant>Definitely a combination to avoid.
Kim and I attended a wedding in October of 2006. We flew to Green Bay on United airlines. The tickets were free. We got them because United managed to screw up our flight to Hawaii earlier this year (in Feb of 2006). Taking United to Green Bay meant a stop in O'Hare airport. We don't like O'Hare. We've had to go through O'Hare a couple times in the past, and this experience was no different. The airport is too big for commuters. The layout is fine for retailers, there's plenty of shopping, but heaven help you if you're trying to make a connection. Flying is stressful enough, but O'Hare manages to elevate it to an art form by confusing, exhausting and frustrating the traveler.
The trouble started in Denver. As we were preparing to leave for Chicago, the plane was delayed on take-off. The pilot heard something that sounded like loose cargo down below (or so we were told). As a result, we ended up pulling back to the terminal. It took two hours to taxi around, check the cargo hold, fill out some paper work and get back on the runway. After two hours in our seats we weren't too upset. After all, they were concerned for our safety. Luckily we were automatically booked on the next flight out to Green Bay. We arrived in Milwaukee (where Kim's sister lives) four hours later than we anticipated.
The return trip was the nightmare. After a three hour delay in Green Bay, we eventually made our way to Chicago. While we waited in Green Bay the rumors ran rampant. Was it high winds? Was it mechanical problems? Why wasn't a plane available? The only explanation we got was 'Flow Control' - What the heck is 'Flow Control?' So now we've missed our connecting flight out of Chicago. So much for getting back to Denver at a reasonable time.
We hustle it to the next Denver departure gate. We thought, surely they've booked us on this flight. Oh, not so. Sorry, but that flight has already departed. United booked us on an American flight. It departs in 10 minutes. The good news is it's at gate 16, and they're waiting for you. That's only 10 gates away. Shouldn't be a problem. Right? Wrong! This is where the airport works against us. Despite our best efforts, running as fast as we could, we arrived too late to make the flight. Great!
O.k. now we have no idea what to do. The gate attendant directs us to the 'Customer service' desk. Now, we've already trekked all the way across the airport twice, and another trip back in the opposite direction didn't improve our moods any. We get to the desk, and the customer service representative is clueless. She's as slow as molasses, and needs help. Eventually, the person working to her right takes sympathy on us and takes over. 'Let me handle this, I think I can...' Unfortunately, they can't do much of anything. Apparently, this 'Flow Control' is some sort of ATC action, and it's 'not their fault'. Since United isn't to blame, we're not going to get any special treatment. They attempt to book us on the next flight to Denver. Guess what? That's not until 1900 tomorrow evening. What!? Tomorrow evening? I'm fuming now. I need to be back for work at 0500, and it's 1800 now.
We're on standby now. Once again we have to trek it back across the airport. So we're trying to make our way to the appointed gate, but O'Hare is anything but sympathetic. Twice we have to ask for directions. There's a million signs plastered all about, but the ones were looking for are missing. You'd think the signs for the terminals would be pretty easy to find. I guess they figured that travelers don't need the signs. At three intersections, the signs were conspicuously missing. We guessed at one, and had to ask for directions at two others. By now we've put on five or more miles running, walking, and struggling to get around this impossibly large airport. The omnipresent construction didn't make things easier.
Hurry up and wait. We're on standby, along with 600 or so other travelers. Apparently, two flights to Denver were cancelled. No explanations provided. So we're on standby along with everyone else. They don't offer to move us along using business or first class, so I ask. Sorry, no seats available. We wait. Luckily for us, we're pretty high on the standby list. I'm not sure why or how, but it's the best news we've heard since noon. At 1930 we're two of four people lucky enough to make it onto a plane. Crossing our fingers, we hope and pray that this flight makes it to Denver.
We make it to Denver around 2230, and we're home by 2300. I'm up at 0300, but I make it to work on time. Amazingly, our luggage was treated better than we were. At no point did it have to run, dodge carts, jump over cables, ask for directions, sweat like a pig, beg for a seat or hang it's head in despair. It arrived at our destination well before us, was never lost, and waited for us patiently while we struggled to make it home.
The only way we'll ever fly on United again, is if someone holds a gun to our head! We will not fly through O'Hare again. We urge all of you to avoid United airlines. They never offered to compensate us in any way. They left all of these stranded travelers to fend for themselves. The 'Flow Control' problem wasn't their 'Fault', so they weren't responsible. Avoid O'Hare as well. It's a nightmarish maze, an impossibly large obstacle looming in the path of every traveler who ventures through it.</rant> |
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October 17, 2006
D&D Books:
Recently (10 Oct 2006), I purchased a couple of new rule book for my favorite game. The latest acquisitions are: Tome of Battle - The Book of Nine Swords and the Complete Mage. The book of nine swords is focused on new combat maneuvers. Unfortunately, the new classes they introduced with this product (Crusader, Swordsage and Warblade) are completely unplayable. They're twice as powerful as any previously existing character classes. I'm still reading through the book, trying to determine exactly what material will make it's way into our campaign. Most of the Feats, Maneuvers and Stances will be permitted, but there's a lot of stuff that will not work in our campaign. The other book - The Complete Mage is the first book in the second 'Complete' series. This book introduces several new character options, feats, spells and prestige classes.
As a result of these additions, I updated my D&D books page. I also rearranged the order of the books in the 3.5 listing. If you're a player in our campaign, you can expect a few more tricks up my sleeve, and a few more challenges in the dark corridors ahead!
Unsolicited phone calls:
<rant>Today (17 Oct 2006), I received an unsolicited phone call in violation of the FTC's telemarketing sales rules. My home phone numbers have been on the federal 'Do Not Call' registry since it existed, and I added the cell-phones about a year ago. So, back to the story... The solicitor claimed to be calling on behalf of ‘West Gate Resorts’ of Las Vegas. The caller (RJ) claimed that they had received my name and phone number from a ‘website’ affiliate. He asked me to get a pen and paper ready to take down some information about a free resort getaway.
* I told him I had a pen and paper, and that I had a few questions. I asked him who he worked for and what his name was. He gave me the information.
*
Then I started with, “I don’t know where you got my...”.
*
He interrupted me, with something about "Our affiliate said you were interested...".
*
I said “I wasn't done speaking”.
*
I continued,“My phone number is on the ‘Do Not Call’ list...”.
*
He interrupted, “this doesn’t have anything to do with the ‘Do Not Call’ list”.
*
I said “I’m not done yet”.
*
I continued, “I want you to take my name…”.
*
He interrupted me with something, I’m not quite sure what, some sort of name and address.
*
I continued - I’m talking over the top of him at this point, “…and don’t call…”.
*
He interrupted me again - talking over me, “Then don’t put your name on the internet”.
*
I continued, “You’re calling me in violation of…”.
*
At this point I realized that he had hung up.
I reported this activity through a complaint form at the FTC’s ‘Do Not Call’ web site. I truly despise these 1-800 callers. Most of the time I don't answer such calls. If I can't block them, and they don't identify themselves (all it says on caller-id is 'Toll-Free'), I'm not inclined to answer. This time, as I was sitting right next to the phone, and waiting on an important call, I decided to answer.</rant>
eMusic downloads:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com. With my monthly renewal of credits at eMusic, here's the download of all the albums I had in my 'save for later' queue, plus a few others.
* Phenomenauts - Rockets and Robots: (11 Songs) Powerful rocking alternative band with a punk, pop, rockabilly sound. Like an Atlas rocket on adrenalin, this band lifts me off. This is my second blastoff with this band. An emusic.com download.
* Ian McCulloch - Slideling: (11 Songs) Ian McCulloch is the front man for Echo & The Bunnymen - My favorite band. Here's one of three albums he put out during a solo career. This album is a steady collection of acoustic guitar and violin backed by Ian's sober somber soliloquy. An emusic.com download.
* Bang! Bang! - Decked out: (12 Songs) From Chicago, Illinois. The bands first feature length album. Pop, punk, raucous rock in electric overdrive. Makes my feet wanta move faster than a comet on cocaine. Discovered using Pandora.com, purchased on emusic.com. This is my second download by this band.
* Pavement - Crooked rain, crooked rain L.A.'s desert origins: (47 Songs (2 discs)) This band features guitarist/lyricist Stephen Malkmus, an artist I discovered sometime back. With a decidedly low-fi sound, these tunes bring back some genuine feeling merged with simple American music. Somewhat folk, meandering indie-alt rock that can't be ignored. Another emusic.com download.
* Lard - Pure chewing satisfaction: (8 Songs) Lard is a band formed by former Dead Kennedys front man, Jello Biafra. Biafra teamed up with members of Ministry to create this post-apocolyptic sonic-sarcastic bombastic hardcore punk explosion. This merger of Industrial metal and Hard core punk hits you like a dam bursting. The lyrics are highly charged condemnations, proclamations, sermons on the woes of the American dream. An emusic.com download. A friend pointed me towards Lard. Listening to a compilation he'd posted, I immediately recognized the unmistakable warble of a wailing Biafra - but I didn't recognize the name of the band. Thanks Troy.
* Lard - 70's rock must die: (3 Songs) Here's an EP release from a band I didn't know existed until a couple of days ago. This 3 cut collection features an eclectic selection of unrelated sounds. A crushing deconstruction of head banging arena rock headlines this EP. Another emusic.com download.
* Lard - The power of Lard: (3 Songs) Another short cut of Lard's leavings. This one features an amazing ministry powered instrument - The power of Lard is unbeatable political punk. An emusic.com download.
* Lard - Bozo Skeleton: (A single from the Last Temptation of Reid) I downloaded this song and four others (Tracks off the two previously mentioned EPs) from the Alternative Tentacles web site. It's the label for Lard and several other Punk/Alternative bands.
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the month of October. Actually, I downloaded all this music in one day. 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 or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email. Don't bother with reporting errors. The collection/listing is full of errors. I'm planning to purchase a cassette player and an A-to-D converter, which will be used to digitize my old cassette collection. Once that's done, I'll start to weed out the errors, omissions and unwanted duplications.
Snow & Lawn work:
Luckily for me, I managed to time something perfectly. Today (17 Oct 2006) I had someone come by (It was scheduled a month ahead of time) to do some lawn work. Winter is fast approaching - More on that later - and it's time to get the lawn ready. Workers came by today to aerate and fertilize the lawn, they also blew out the sprinkler lines. Just in time - As soon as they finished, the weather started to turn cold and nasty. As it started sleeting, I started picking up stuff around the yard. I put away that irrigation hose, removed some delicate parts from the sprinkler system, covered the central air, and outside faucets. Now, some five hours later, the temperature has dropped to below freezing, and the snow is accumulating. We're supposed to get anywhere from 2 - 4 inches overnight, and this yard work was perfectly timed if you ask me. It looks like winter is on it's way. |
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October 12, 2006
Software favorites:
One of my favorite pieces of software just released an update. Transmit is an FTP tool that does it all.
Transmit
Anyone who publishes web pages eventually needs a way to upload their pages to a web site. I've found that stand alone FTP tools are the best for this task. Transmit has a clean and easy to use interface, and some really nifty features, like the ability to resume a transfer that's been interrupted, site synchronization capabilities, iDisk integration (It's way faster than the finder!), drag-to-dock sending, column views, a built in text editor, and secure ftp transfer (in various different flavors) capability. The most recent update moves this software up to version 3.5.5.
<http://www.panic.com/transmit/index.html>
Human Barometer:
Some time ago (Apr 2002) I wrote a web page regarding my particular sensitivity to falling barometric pressure. Over the years I've received a few emails regarding the subject. Basically these emails are of the 'Me too!' type. Back in July of 2006, I received an email from a visitor to "Rob's World!". The author of that email had read my article about the 'Human Barometer' (see above). He wanted to let me know that I wasn't the only one suffering from atmospheric pain. Not only did he suffer the same pain related symptoms, he'd come to the same conclusions I had. That atmospheric pressure was the culprit for the pain in our joints. Not only was he convinced by the relationship, he set out on an ambitious effort to prove it. He sent me a two month study that he completed. With his permission, I've added the results of that study to my 'Human Barometer' page. The results of that study show a clear causal relationship between falling atmospheric pressure and joint related pain. If you suffer from joint pain, you should definitely check out the study. |
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October 11, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on Saturday night (7 Oct 2006). The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered their enemies lair, and they've taken the fight to their door; assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. On Saturday night they encountered some 'Stiff' competition. Two Thogsilla's, a flock of Cockatrice, and the Taxini (aka 'Mother Grub).
I'll post the journal update and monster descriptions as soon as Stephen and Sean forward the relevant material. It should make for some exciting reading! In the meantime, I've updated our House Rules 'Errata' document (again). Under most circumstances, errata are considered to be official rules. The only exceptions to this general rule are instances where errata contradicts an established house rule. When that happens, the DM will have to determine whether to retain, modify or reject the affected rule(s). This document lists the rules errata that are currently observed in our campaign. A recent discovery by Mark found an errata that affects our campaign. In fact, it had an impact on the recent battle mentioned above.
This time around the changes are in regards to rules, spells, feats, etc. from the Player's Handbook and the Complete Divine supplement. The following rules are affected:
Animal companion - ref PHB pg 36
Druid's Wild Shape class feature - ref PHB pg 37
Listen skill - ref PHB pg 78
Running as a feat - ref PHB pg 99
The Overrun combat maneuver - ref PHB pgs 148 & 157 |
Soft cover combat modifier - ref PHB pg 151
Attacking on a Charge - ref PHB pg 155
Divine Metamagic feat - ref CD pg 80
Nature's Favor spell - ref CD pg 170
The Scent spell - ref CD pg 179 |
For the full details regarding these changes, please see the rules errata document. The House Rules Errata document is available for download (in pdf format) from our 3E Campaign page.
Software favorites:
One of my favorite pieces of software just released an update. GraphicConverter inches forward. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs released another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter released a full update (5.9.3b0) this week. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
My resume:
<rant>Back in August of 2006, someone from a government security office visited my website. They sent an email to someone at the government security office where I work, and I ended up 'in trouble'. Called onto the carpet in order to 'explain' my website. After a confusing and concerned period of a couple of days, I had to endure some rather pointed scrutiny, and respond to accusations. Contrary to the claims of this 'government official', nothing classified is or was available at my website. As a result of this 'concern', some materials (my BIO page and my resume) at my website had to be removed, reviewed and approved for publication. All the material reviewed had been previously reviewed by the appropriate security office(s), and now I was being forced to have the material reviewed again. After several months of unnecessary delay, the last of that material is back up on my website. The last item of contention was my resume. The resume had been cleared previously, and now it's been cleared again. After this latest review, they insisted on the removal of a hyphenated term. I won't name it here, because 'They' might be scanning my website for that term. I've spent more than twenty years working with classified material, and I have no idea how a hyphenated term (similar to 'Mission-Essential') consisting of two completely innocuous, unclassified, ordinary words (alone or in conjunction with anything whatsoever) could be classified. Whatever</rant>
This time around I've password protected the resume. If you need a copy of my resume, or you're just curious, just send me an email and I'll forward the password. In the meantime, this password protection (combined with robot exclusion precautions) measure should prevent any further harassment regarding my completely unclassified resume. The resume itself can no longer be viewed or crawled without the appropriate password. Oh yeah, this time I made sure to keep a copy (at work) of the 'cleared' resume. Just in case I get harassed again.
Music:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com.
* The Nadas - Listen through the static: An album (11 songs) download from emusic.com. The Nadas have a clean, crisp indie-alt college band sound. Somewhat country, somewhat folk, somewhat rock. It's powerful authentic feelings carved in vinyl. Or at least it would be if this 'album' was actually made out of vinyl. I discovered the Nadas through 3hive.com.
* Datura Seeds - Various cuts: (7 songs) downloaded from the musicalfamilytree.org website. Here's a rock, alt, punk group that appeared, blossomed and disappeared in a relatively short amount of time. Formed from the Zero Boys, here's some powerful pop-punk with a self-certain authoritative voice. Discovered by browsing a list of bands/free music at musicalfamilytree.org.
* Interpol - Specialist: (1 song) A single song, downloaded from emusic.com. This EP (self titled) is the only Interpol available at emusic. The EP has three songs on it, but I've already got the other two (they're on 'Turn on the Bright Lights). I discovered Interpol by consuming a free download offered by iTunes.
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
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October 3, 2006
Software favorites:
One of my favorite pieces of software just released an update. GraphicConverter inches forward. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs released another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter released a full update (5.9.2) this week. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
D&D update:
We played D&D on Saturday night (23 Sep 2006). The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered their enemies lair, and they've taken the fight to their door; assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. On Saturday night they resumed there exploration of this underground lair. They had another encounter with the Serpendeme, rested without incident, and then they found a way into the heart of this level. As soon as they made their way into the interior section, they were attacked by a Thogsilla. We played until they concluded the combat.
Today (3 Oct 2006) I posted a dual journal entry. An excerpt from Solmar's reworked journal, and a new entry from Thalidimar. Mark has revised the writing style for Solmar, and I'm pleased to see a trend in the journals. It seems like everyone is taking turns now. Instead of relying on Mark for most of our journal entries, it seems like everyone has gotten into the spirit of things. Hopefully we'll be able to continue this trend.
Rants & Raves:
Everyone has things they love and hate. I'm passionate about my likes and dislikes. Sure it does us good to get our gripes off our chests, but I also like to tell people about the good things that have happened in my life. Here's a few of my complaints and kudos. Things I despise and adore.
* <rant> NetFlix customer service - Here's something I hate about NetFlix customer service. They expect everyone to use their web based help page to solve problems. Obviously every problem ever encountered has been taken into account... Not! I hate it when websites/companies refuse to post email addresses, or simply put their email forms up front. In order to address a recent issue, I had to:
A. Search through the 'common problems' listing, looking for 'my' problem. When I couldn't find my problem, I had to...
B. Click on the problem that was closest to mine. Unfortunately...
C. If I used the pre-defined problem form, I would have to wait six days before I could get a replacement disc. So...
D. I searched high and low for a generic problem form, but I never found one. So...
E. I searched high and low for some way to solve my 'unique' problem. That's when...
F. I sent an email to a customer service email address that I had in my address book. That resulted in...
G. A bounce. The old customer service address was no longer valid. The bounce contained a URL...
H. I followed the URL, and found a generic problem/customer service form. (I've posted the URL here, just in case you're having the same problem)
This unnecessary waste of time could have been avoided. If only NetFlix would post an email address, or post their customer service form where people can find it. No, you can't find it by doing a search, that would be too easy. They can't be bothered to read each email. They expect you to confine 'your problems' to their specific pre-composed problem forms. What crap!</rant>
* <rant> AAFES privacy policy - Is a scam! I maintain an entire web page where I complain about the way AAFES violated their publicly posted privacy policy. Apparently, I'm the only person who thinks it's wrong to... Post a privacy policy that claims "We do not sell or exchange names or any other information about our online customers with third parties." That seems pretty black and white to me. So, when they gave my information to a third party, I became upset. Recently I received a couple of emails that basically said 'I should just shut up and stop complaining', one of them even went so far as to state "Sounds like you just need to get laid."
These people seem to think that it's o.k. for AAFES to give my information to anyone they want. You know what? I agree. The problem is "AAFES told me they wouldn't do that!" They lied to me. According to other people (the ones who sent me the email), I should get used to it. It's common practice for companies to outsource for things like surveys. You know what? I agree. The problem is "AAFES told me they wouldn't give away my information" They lied to me. According to other people, Insurance companies do it, banks do it, credit card companies do it. You know what? That's fine. "AAFES told me they wouldn't do that!" They lied to me.
I don't care if other companies share information with third parties. I don't care if it's standard practice. I don't care if AAFES had a nondisclosure agreement with the third party. What I care about is the Lie that AAFES is selling to me and all their customers. If you're going to share our information with third parties, tell us about it. I don't have a problem with the third party. They didn't lie to me. AAFES lied to me. They said they wouldn't give away my information, and then they gave it to a third party. AAFES lied! AAFES could easily modify their privacy policy. They could add a disclaimer regarding certain third parties, to conduct surveys. They could ask for permission before sharing my information.
Why is it that no one seems to understand? Perhaps I'm only getting email from a small (but vocal) segment who seems to think it's o.k. for companies to lie to their customers? What do you think? </rant>
* <rave> NetFlix customer service - Here's something I love about NetFlix customer service. Reference my rant above. Once I submitted my problem using their online form, they responded in an amazingly short amount of time - On a SUNDAY no less!. Less than three hours later, as a matter of fact. They didn't quibble with me. They accepted, understood and sympathized with my dilemma.I didn't have to wait six days to file my 'missing disc' complaint. They immediately updated my queue, marking the disc as missing. They immediately sent me a replacement disc. Every time I've actually contacted the NetFlix customer service reps, they've been courteous, prompt and understanding. (As a final note, the disc that was missing actually found it's way back to NetFlix.) </rave>
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September 29, 2006
Music:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com.
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Mac OS 10.4.8:
Today I updated my operating system. A minor update as far as Operating Systems go. This update brings some third party updates, adds some new network, modem and printer capabilities, as well as some security patches and bug fixes. The upgrade went painlessly, and it only took less than an hour to get everything installed, rebooted and back in business.
As a result of my OS update, the following pages have been updated. myfavs.html, feedback.html, mycomputer.html. |
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September 28, 2006
Computer Virus?
I own a Mac (Non-Intel chip, and no Windows OS), and due to a couple of reasons, it's virtually invulnerable to viruses, trojans and spyware, and that's the way I like it. As a result, I don't see many viruses, and I often wonder whether my Norton AntiVirus is working. Yeah, I know, I'll probably get a bunch of "Norton Sucks!" email, but hey. It works perfectly fine for me, so back off jack! Anyway, back to the subject at hand. On the 27th of September, someone sent me a virus! Attached to an email was a copy of the W32.Banwarum@mm virus. Guess what? W32.Banwarum@mm is a mass-mailing worm that uses its own SMTP engine to send an email to addresses that it gathers from the compromised computer. The worm also spreads through the network by exploiting the Microsoft Windows ASN.1 Library Bit String Processing Variant Heap Corruption Vulnerability (as described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-007). The worm also opens a back door via HTTP access. Oh yeah, most importantly; it "Only affects PCs" (Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP) . Boy am I glad I own a Mac!
Macs are safer than Windows - questioning the numbers: http://www.oreillynet.com/mac/blog/2005/08/macs_are_safer_than_windows_qu.html
Study recommends Mac OS X as safest OS: http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/11/02/1722237
Comments regarding Apple's vulnerability advertisement: http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2006/5/1/3805
Why Macs are inherently safer: http://aroundcny.com/Technofile/texts/mac020304.html
Origins of the Mac OS X Operating System: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_Software_Distribution
Privacy Concerns:
Recently, a frequent visitor to Rob's World! requested that I go the extra mile to protect his privacy. He asked me to convert all instances of his name (in text), into a graphics image. No problem. I know how important your privacy is. I've had my information stolen and compromised on more than one occasion. It didn't take much to follow through on his request. Back in April of '06 I added a privacy policy to my web page. Just in case you're concerned about your privacy, and you should be. I've created this very simple privacy policy:
I won't give away your email address (or any other personally identifiable information) to anyone without your prior approval.
That's it. Yeah, it's pretty simple. To the point and easy to understand. Keep in mind that I'm not selling anything. There aren't any adds at Rob's World! You don't have to register to visit/use my web site. There aren't any cookies here, no tracking beacons, and no insidious identity detection software running behind the scenes. Unlike some companies and government entities, I'm not about to sell, give away, lease or rent your personal information to any internet based market research firms or spammers.
I care about the personal information of others. I have gone to great lengths to protect not only my own email address, but those of people who have visited my web sites, sent me email, and corresponded with me. I've taken measures to prevent spam-bots from collecting personally identifiable information from my web site. I've even created and promoted the use of techniques designed to protect the privacy of other netizens. Yes my email address is posted (in graphic format to deter email harvesting spam-bots) on my web pages, but I control that dissemination. I didn't willingly give it to a marketing research firm.
I care about personal privacy. The web is not a safe place to leave your personal information laying about. If someone says they're not going to give your personal information to a third party, hold them to that policy.
Eating out in Aurora:
Occasionally, Kim and I take the opportunity to eat out at one of the fine restaurants in the Denver/Aurora area. They're not always five star places, but we're not that kind of people. Here's another one of the places we ate at during September: Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q. Serving hickory smoked bar-b-q and authentic Southern cooking, this place is a growing Birmingham chain. This is Colorado's first, and I'm glad they decided on our Southland's Mall. To start off, we ordered the Queso dip & chips. We we're surprised to find a huge serving of fresh chips and separate dip components. We mixed the jalapenos, fresh roasted tomatoes and velvety smooth cheese to our specific tastes. For entree's, Kim ordered the pulled pork plate with fries and cinnamon apple as sides. She described it as "Yummy!" She especially liked the cinnamon apple side. I ordered a half-rack of baby-back ribs. To compare them with 'Texas Roadhouse' is a contrast in good vs mediocre. These ribs were fresh, plump, tender and came with enough sauce to row a boat in! Texas Roadhouse on the other hand, served emaciated, tough, dry ribs that reminded me of a dogs rawhide chew toy. The collard greens and baked beans were equally pleasing. At a price point (with tax and tip) of $25 a person, I think we've found a winner.
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September 24, 2006
Music:
Recently I discovered a couple of new music services. One of them offers free (commercial free) streaming music that's tailored to my musical tastes. The other offers low cost downloads at a monthly subscription rate. Pandora is a music streaming service that requires no special software. A web page (with adds) displays a playlist tailored to your musical tastes. The constant stream of music has proven to be an excellent source of musical discovery. When I find a band that makes me want more, I turn to a new (new to me) music service that offers low cost MP3 downloads (without DRM). Emusic.com - It's legal, and it's a lot less expensive than iTunes. It's a monthly charge on my credit card, but considering the fact that I was dropping a minimum of $22.00 a month at the iTunes music store, this isn't to bad. For $19.99 a month, I can download 90 songs (90 credits per month / typical cost is one credit per track). That's more than enough for me. Their library isn't huge (only a 1.4 million tracks, 1400 artists), but they've got an extensive collection of independent artists. Since I've never been a mainstream kind of guy, the selection has proven to be compatible with my tastes.
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com.
* Suburban Home and Friends Summer 2006 Sampler - 18 songs: Another free download from emusic.com. Anyone can download it. I didn't care for every track, but the thing was Free! - My favorite price. Unfortunately, most of this music wasn't 'suburban'. It certainly wasn't Punk. There was a lot of Country/Alt-Country on it, and some heavy grunge/hard rock as well. I wish they would have stuck to one genre on their samplers. That would make things easier.
* The Southland - Influences of Geography: Downloaded 10 songs from emusic.com, 2 songs from the artists website, and 1 song from 3hive.com. I first heard this band through 3hive.com, followed by a visit to the artists website, and finally - I bought the album from emusic.com. Well crafted rock with pop sensibilities and a smooth groove unlike many of the jarring impressions of the current rock scene. Emotional, but not depressing. Uplifting and hopeful.
Three sources account for most of my new music discovery: pandora.com streams free music based on your personal musical tastes. 3hive.com features select cuts of new music releases by independent artists. They're willing to share their sound with an appreciative audience. musicalfamilytree.com is an eclectic storehouse of little known talent eager for exposure. Thousands of uncut diamonds just waiting to be polished. These three web sites conspire to provide a plethora of free downloads, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email. Software favorites:
One of my favorite pieces of software just released an update. GraphicConverter inches forward. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter released another beta update (5.9.2b5). GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
Mac OS 10.4.7 security update:
Another security update released by Apple. This one didn't affect any of the applications that I typically use on a day to day basis. This time around the update affects AirPort (Apple's implementation of 802.11g wireless). You can read more about the update at Apple's website. This update plugs a few security holes in the AirPort code. Keeping my Mac safe from malicious hackers and such.
Movies:
I purchased three movies for the month of September. Three purchases from DeepDiscountDVD.com. So what are the new movies? One foreign film: Kung-Fu Hustle: (China/Hong-Kong - Gong fu) Incredible! Xmen meets Mystery Men in a Hong-Kong kung-fu spectacular. This one is a solid 5 out of 5. Two domestic brews: Event Horizon: A great sci-fi horror flick. The crew of a spaceship discovers a derelict spacecraft, and their resuce mission soon turns to horror. Shattered: (1991 - Drama, Thriller) The ending of this movie is absolutely shattering. Despite the fact that I've seen it before, I was still astonished by the amazing twist at the end. - With these new purchases, I updated the Must Buy listing on my movies page.
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September 20, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on Saturday night (9 Sep 2006). The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered their enemies lair, and they've taken the fight to their door; assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. On Saturday night they resumed a battle with a Demon that's been using hit-and-run tactics to great effect. They managed to come up with a coherent strategy, and they did a pretty good job of implementing it.
Thanks to Philip, I was able to complete two updates to the D&D campaign pages.
The latest journal entry is a recap from Greven. As usual, the journal entry is a must read. It will help refresh your memory regarding the most recent developments, and it might provide some insight or a point of consideration coming into our next meeting.
I also posted a character background for Greven. The character background is a great read, and it helps recap the current situation in Whillip. I'm sure you'll find both posts of interest.
Our House:
Kim and I bought a new house in April of 2005, and we've been slowly decorating, furnishing and improving on it. It's been a while (nearly a year) since I updated the photos page for our house, so I thought it was time to add some new photos. There are seven new photos, and I've rearranged the order a bit. Aside from the new content, I also changed the layout slightly. I hope you enjoy the new photos. |
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September 14, 2006
Eating out in Aurora:
Occasionally, Kim and I take the opportunity to eat out at one of the fine restaurants in the Denver/Aurora area. They're not always five star places, but we're not that kind of people. Here's a few of the places we ate at during September. One new - "On the Border", and one favorite - "P.F. Chang's". On the Border is one of those mid-scale chains that's been propagating the nations malls, and our mall (Southlands Mall) is the latest in this franchise expansion. It's a bit like Chili's in motif and menu, a bit like Joe's Crab Shack in atmosphere. The food was pretty good. Nothing spectacular. Reasonable prices, and great service. Kim had the Baja Chicken, and I had the Pico chicken and shrimp w/refried beans. The appetizers (ground beef empanadas) were very good. In addition to this new place, we also ate out at one of our favorites. Like On the Border, P.F. Chang's China bistro is another one of those mid-scale chains. Kim had the ginger chicken and I had the lemon-pepper salmon. Despite my requests to the contrary, the salmon was overcooked, and Kim's ginger chicken had way too much broccoli. I like trying the new places, and Kim likes to stick with the favorites. Hopefully our next dining experience will be more memorable.
Fighting Spam:
Recently (Aug 2006), I discovered a defeat in the battle against spammers. A service I used to use - 'despammed.com', has gone 'Off-The-Air' - So to speak. They used to offer free filtered email accounts and forwarding services. Unfortunately, they're down at this time. Who knows whether they'll be back? email sent to my despammed.com account bounces, and I for one will miss their services. Without a revenue model, I'm not entirely surprised by their demise, but it's still sad to see them go. As a result of this recent development, I took the opportunity to update my Feedback page; removing my despammed.com address and revising my 'chat' paragraph. My primary 'chat' application is now iChat AV. It's audio, video, chat and file transfer capable. That's a combination that's hard to beat, add in AIM, .Mac and Jabber compatibility and I've found a favorite.
D&D update:
We played D&D on Saturday night (9 Sep 2006). The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered their enemies lair, and they've taken the fight to their door; assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. On Saturday night they resumed a battle with a Demon that's been using hit-and-run tactics to great effect. They managed to come up with a coherent strategy, and they did a pretty good job of implementing it.
I'll post the journal update as soon as Philip forwards it. In the meantime, I've updated our House Rules 'Errata' document. Under most circumstances, errata are considered to be official rules. The only exceptions to this general rule are instances where errata contradicts an established house rule. When that happens, the DM will have to determine whether to retain, modify or reject the affected rule(s). This document lists the rules errata that are currently observed in our campaign. A recent discovery by Mark found an errata that affects our campaign. In fact, it had an impact on the recent battle mentioned above.
The change concerns Damage Reduction: Errata for Monster Manual - Pages 307-308: Damage Reduction
This changes is global and applies to an assortment of creatures. Damage Reduction is either extraordinary (Ex) or supernatural (Su). Use the following guidelines if it is not specified.
* DR X/slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning should be (Ex)
* DR X/adamantine should be (Ex)
* DR X/-- should be (Ex)
* DR X/silver or cold iron should be (Su)
* DR X/magic should be (Su)
* DR X/chaotic, lawful, holy, or unholy should be (Su)
The House Rules Errata document is available for download (in pdf format) from our 3E Campaign page (I also updated the next game date on that page).
eMusic downloads:
Recently I discovered a couple of new music services. One of them offers free (commercial free) streaming music that's tailored to my musical tastes. The other offers low cost downloads at a monthly subscription rate. Pandora is a music streaming service that requires no special software. A web page (with adds) displays a playlist tailored to your musical tastes. The constant stream of music has proven to be an excellent source of musical discovery. When I find a band that makes me want more, I turn to a new (new to me) music service that offers low cost MP3 downloads (without DRM). Emusic.com - It's legal, and it's a lot less expensive than iTunes. It's a monthly charge on my credit card, but considering the fact that I was dropping a minimum of $22.00 a month at the iTunes music store, this isn't to bad. For $19.99 a month, I can download 90 songs (90 credits per month / typical cost is one credit per track). That's more than enough for me. Their library isn't huge (only a 1.4 million tracks, 1400 artists), but they've got an extensive collection of independent artists. Since I've never been a mainstream kind of guy, the selection has proven to be compatible with my tastes.
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com. With my monthly renewal of credits at eMusic, here's the download of all the albums I had in my 'save for later' queue.
* The Prids - Love Zero: Full of emotion, a new band that blends melancholy with cutting edge instrumentals. The post punk lyrics are delivered by opposing male and female voices. Discovered at 3hive.com.
* Favourite Sons - Down beside your beauty: This rock band has a gravel road for a voice, a preachers son for a soul, and a stale ash-tray full of instrumentals. There's truth buried behind the confessional lyrics that frame this bands message. Reminds me of Iggy Pop, Echo and the Bunnymen, and David Bowie. Discovered using 3hive.com.
* Buzzcocks - Flat-pack philosophy: A band I've been listening to since the early 80's. They haven't given up yet. Here's their 2006 release. Aging punkers struggling to stay relevant in the here and now. Pete Shelly and Steve Diggle go back and forth on vocals, and we win in the end.
* The Apparitions - As this is futuristic: Discovered amongst the dregs at musicalfamilytree.org Snappy, catchy, hopeful - Kentucky-tunes. The lyrics remind us that we're all monkeys. Music that couldn't possibly be machine made. A little bit country, a little bit indie. A life raft in a sea of musical mediocrity.
* Matthew Dear - Leave luck to heaven: With an electronic pulse and a techno-pop heart, this one conjurers up the image of a majorette practicing mid-field, when no one else is watching. Discovered through an eMusic free download (2006 Pitchfork Music Festival).
* Art Brut - Bang bang rock & roll: This british post-punk second (third? fourth?) wave band has enough energy to make the lyrics combust from friction alone. Raucous, rebellious and ready to take on the world. Long live rock and roll - Sex Pistols style! Discovered through an eMusic free download (2006 Pitchfork Music Festival).
Three sources account for most of my new music discovery: pandora.com streams free music based on your personal musical tastes. 3hive.com features select cuts of new music releases by independent artists. They're willing to share their sound with an appreciative audience. musicalfamilytree.com is an eclectic storehouse of little known talent eager for exposure. Thousands of uncut diamonds just waiting to be polished. These three web sites conspire to provide a plethora of free downloads, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Unsolicited phone calls:
<rant>Recently (August - September), I've been receiving phone calls that I can only characterize as harassment. It started in late August, and it's continued into September. So far I'd say there have probably been a total of two dozen phone calls. It's hard to gauge accurately, because I've been intentionally avoiding the phone. There's nothing worse than having to pause my movie, get up off the couch and answer the phone in the middle of the night. Only to discover a 1-800 caller. Most of the time I don't answer. If I can't block them, and they don't identify themselves (all it says on caller-id is 'Toll-Free'), I'm not inclined to answer.
Lately, (over the last two months) I've been contacted (at my home phone number) by a company claiming to represent 'A magazine that I subscribe to'. They call from a variety of 1-800 numbers, they ask for me by name, and then they ask questions about my subscription. 'Are you receiving your issues on time?', 'Are you happy with your subscription?', etc. Then they try to sell me some video tapes. I've answered three calls from this organization, and my wife has answered one call from them.
I suspect that they called several times over the past two days (can't be sure because I only answered one of these 1-800 callers), when I finally answered, they rattled off their spiel (see above), and I started to respond; 'Look, I don't know who you are; ...Click...' They hung up on me. Presumably, they hung up before I could say 'Stop calling'.
I've emailed the magazine that they claim to represent. I told them about the incident, and If they're responsible; directly or indirectly, for these calls, I told them that I wanted it to stop. I don't have a problem with the magazine (not a third party) sending me mail or email, but I don't want the magazine calling me, or authorizing any third party to solicit me.
I haven't heard back yet, but I'm hopeful.</rant>
A missing disc causes problems:
<rant>What's happened to customer service in the magazine industry? Aside from declining quality of print magazines (I subscribe to five magazines) in general, I've found that the quality of customer service in that industry has sunken to an abysmal level. With the outsourcing and consolidation of service centers it's no wonder that the level of quality is declining. Recently, the actual impact of these declining services hit home.
One of the magazines that I subscribe to includes a disc with each issue. In August the magazine arrived without a disc. I made my way over to the magazines web site, where I found a disc replacement link. Unfortunately, that link pointed to a 404 error (page missing). So I had to resort to plan B. I used another online form to find out how I can get my disc replaced. The response to that online inquiry was prompt, but the response was less than satisfactory. Instead of forwarding my missing disc issue to the appropriate person/office, they directed me to another web form. So, for a second time I had to explain my problem, and hope that someone would respond. After a week of waiting, I still had no response. O.k. Time for plan C. I pulled out some old emails and found a customer service email address. So, now I'm explaining my problem for the third time. This time the response is prompt but ridiculous. 'Please let us know what disc, by month and year, you have missed and we will adjust your record accordingly.' Arrgghh! I've already included a description of the problem (including the missing disc, by month and year) in every previous correspondence (at their request). Apparently they are unable to scroll down in the email application they're using (it's probably a Microsoft application). Time for plan D. Now I'm really upset. I start pulling email addresses at random off their websites. CC'ing random employees in the hope that someone has a clue. Perhaps someone higher up in the food chain will hear my plea!
'If the next email asks me for the same information that I've now provided on three separate occasions, I will ignore it. It seems to me that you are still ignoring my request by feigning ignorance, incompetence or a lack of information.'
After my latest email, I finally got an appropriate response. An email from a Customer Service manager resulted in confirmation that a replacement disc has been mailed to me. As a result of this incident, I now have a folder with 12 email messages in it. Getting a replacement disc should not be this difficult. I had to fill out two forms, and send six emails in order to resolve this issue. Come on folks. Customer service shouldn't be this difficult.</rant>
Monsoon Season:
July and August are typically the rainy season in Colorado. Now that it's September, the high temperatures are subsiding, but the rains are continuing. During this season, we get monsoonal flows of moisture from the Pacific that make their way across our state. The weather brings high temperatures and plenty of moisture, as the days heat up, the afternoons cool off. This rapid heating and cooling causes plenty of thunderstorms that rattle our home in the late evening. On the 10th of September, we had a gutter washer. In a little under 20 minutes time, the temperatures dropped 20 degrees and we must have received an inch of rain. |
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September 9, 2006
Encryption:
Due to a recent upgrade in my encryption software, I've updated my feedback page. I use GnuPG v1.4.5 for encryption/decryption. If you would like to correspond in secret, please take note of my Public Keys. I use GnuPG with the GPGMail-1.1.2 (v46/Tiger build) bundle, in order to encrypt/decrypt my email in Apple's Mail.app 2.1 (752/752.2) built on Mac OS 10.4.7 (build 8J135). My public keys are available on various keyservers, or you can get them from my website, whichever you prefer.
Movie rentals:
<rave>I rent movies through the mail using NetFlix. NetFlix is awesome. It's easy to use - Point-N-Click to pick your movies on the web. It's inexpensive - Only $17.99 a month (for three movies out at a time). In August of 2006, Kim and I saw 32 NetFlix movies (We're using the 5 at-a-time plan - which costs $29.99 / month ($32.42 w/tax)). If you calculate the cost per movie, that comes out to approximately $1.02 per movie; a significant savings over the other retail based options. It's convenient - No need to drive to the rental place (there's some more savings!). It's got a huge variety of movies - Over 65,000 at last count. It makes recommendations (when you rate movies that you've watched), and the recommendations get better as you rate more movies. I recommend it to all my movie watching friends.</rave>
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September 6, 2006
Music:
Recently I discovered a couple of new music services. One of them offers free (commercial free) streaming music that's tailored to my musical tastes. The other offers low cost downloads at a monthly subscription rate. Pandora is a music streaming service that requires no special software. A web page (with adds) displays a playlist tailored to your musical tastes. The constant stream of music has proven to be an excellent source of musical discovery. When I find a band that makes me want more, I turn to a new (new to me) music service that offers low cost MP3 downloads (without DRM). Emusic.com - It's legal, and it's a lot less expensive than iTunes. It's a monthly charge on my credit card, but considering the fact that I was dropping a minimum of $22.00 a month at the iTunes music store, this isn't to bad. For $19.99 a month, I can download 90 songs (90 credits per month / typical cost is one credit per track). That's more than enough for me. Their library isn't huge (only a 1.4 million tracks, 1400 artists), but they've got an extensive collection of independent artists. Since I've never been a mainstream kind of guy, the selection has proven to be compatible with my tastes.
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com.
* Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables: Back to the 80's. From the fiery belly of Punk - This album is Hardcore defined. From my cassette collection.
* The Prids - 4 songs: Full of emotion, a new band that blends melancholy with cutting edge instrumentals. The post punk lyrics are delivered by opposing male and female voices. Discovered at 3hive.com.
* Favourite Sons - 5 songs: This rock band has a gravel road for a voice, a preachers son for a soul, and a stale ash-tray full of instrumentals. There's truth buried behind the confessional lyrics that frame this bands message. Discovered using 3hive.com.
* Sugarcult - Los Angeles: An iTunes free download. Rock on pop-punkers. Here's an all-night drive through of sonic repercussions. A caffeine inoculated love drug without any regrets.
* The Majestic Twelve - Schizophrenology: Upbeat and instrumentally crisp. This band delivers a diverse dish of music. Ranging from ballad to blast-off, they change gears quite often, and the lyrics are both touching and torch like. Downloaded an entire album from the bands website. Featured on the MacCast podcast.
Three sources account for most of my new music discovery: pandora.com streams free music based on your personal musical tastes. 3hive.com features select cuts of new music releases by independent artists. They're willing to share their sound with an appreciative audience. musicalfamilytree.com is an eclectic storehouse of little known talent eager for exposure. Thousands of uncut diamonds just waiting to be polished. These three web sites conspire to provide a plethora of free downloads, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
eMail forgery:
Today (06 Sep 06), I updated one of my Spam fighting pages. After receiving a couple of emails, I decided it was time to do a bit of maintenance on this web page. I updated a link on the page, and tweaked a couple of paragraphs. This web page reviews an attack against my domain and recaps some different types of header forgery.
Zicam!
<rave>Hunh? You're probably wondering, what the heck is Zicam? Zicam is a cold remedy. I've been using it for a few years now, and I'm convinced. It's kicked ass on every cold I've 'almost' had in the last three years. When I feel a cold coming on - you know, that scratchy feeling in the back of your throat - I use Zicam. The results? No cold whatsoever, or a cold that's as mild as a slight allergy. Summer colds suck, thank goodness for Zicam!</rave>
Southlands Mall:
Southlands Mall is the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. I used to maintain an online index of the businesses at the Southlands Mall. I've since stopped maintaining that index, but I've left up a redirect/explanation.
In January of 2006, I decided to create an online merchant listing of the stores in the Southlands Mall of Aurora, Co. As a resident of SE Aurora, I was satisfying a need for a community service. When I first posted my page, there was no index, no official web site, and very little information about the Southlands Mall. I (and many other residents) needed to know what businesses were located in the mall. We needed to know how long the stores were open, we needed some phone numbers, we needed a centralized location where we could go in order to get all that information. Well, my web page satisfied that need. I kept it up to date, I diligently sought new and more accurate information for the web page. I did my best to provide a service that was otherwise lacking.
As time went on, I made some contacts with the developers of the mall. They told me that there were plans to create a web page, and I knew the day would come when my web page would no longer be necessary. After eight months of work, I've decided to shut down my web page. I'll leave this page up for now, redirecting people to the 'official' southlands page, but I'm no longer updating or providing a merchant listing. The official web page does a pretty good job, and now I can turn my efforts to other web site projects.
I provided my online index at no charge, I never collected any ad revenue or monetary compensation. What I did receive was the thanks and gratitude of residents in this area. Merchants and private individuals emailed my on a regular basis. Thanks to their continued support and recommendations, I was able to make my index into a valuable community service. I'd like to thank everyone who helped me maintain and improve that index. Hopefully, the official web page will be a responsive and accurate index for the residents of the Aurora community.
Software favorites:
One of my favorite pieces of software just released an update. GraphicConverter inches forward. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter released another beta update (5.9.2b2). GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm> |
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August 31, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on Saturday night (26 August 2006). The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered their enemies lair, and they've taken the fight to their door; assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. On Saturday night they stumbled into the lair of a Demon that's been using hit-and-run tactics to great effect. No one's dead 'yet', but the party wasn't doing a very good job of thinking on their feet when the session ended. Hopefully a two week break will give them some time to come up with an effective strategy.
Today (31 Aug), I posted Solmar's journal entry (thanks to Mark), and an encounter synopsis. The synopsis includes illustrations and a legend that recaps a dangerous encounter.
Music:
Recently I discovered a couple of new music services. One of them offers free (commercial free) streaming music that's tailored to my musical tastes. The other offers low cost downloads at a monthly subscription rate. Pandora is a music streaming service that requires no special software. A web page (with adds) displays a playlist tailored to your musical tastes. The constant stream of music has proven to be an excellent source of musical discovery. When I find a band that makes me want more, I turn to a new (new to me) music service that offers low cost MP3 downloads (without DRM). Emusic.com - It's legal, and it's a lot less expensive than iTunes. It's a monthly charge on my credit card, but considering the fact that I was dropping a minimum of $22.00 a month at the iTunes music store, this isn't to bad. For $19.99 a month, I can download 90 songs (90 credits per month / typical cost is one credit per track). That's more than enough for me. Their library isn't huge (only 1.4 million tracks, 1400 artists!), but they've got an extensive collection of independent artists. Since I've never been a mainstream kind of guy, the selection has proven to be compatible with my tastes.
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com.
* Romeo Void - Benefactor: Back to the 80's. Here's one of the new-wave bands that made for great music in the 80's. Containing some rather explicit lyrics, some of their tracks (Never Say Never) were 'inadvertently' aired on college indie radio stations. That's how I heard about the band. From my cassette collection.
* Traveling Wilbury's - Vol 1: One of the first 'Legends' groups. The Traveling Wilbury's surprised everyone with this amazing debut. Introducing the 80's new wave/punk crowd to country was no small feat. This album has always been one of my favorites. It helped expose me to genres I'd never considered. From my cassette collection.
* The English Beat - I just can't stop it: Sometimes known by the abbreviated moniker - The Beat. Here's an 80's band that introduced me to Ska and Reggae. Danceable White Reggae, but politically charged none the less. From my cassette collection.
* The Clash - Cut the Crap: Not the best Clash, but it's still the Clash. This one sounds a lot like Sandanista. Signaling the demise of the band, this album was made without Mick Jones, was disowned by Strummer and Simonon, and is generally considered to be the worst work of the band. From my cassette collection.
* 2006 Pitchfork Music Festival Sampler - 24 songs: A free download from emusic.com. Anyone can download it. I didn't care for every track, but the thing was Free! - My favorite price. They certainly know what they're doing though. This album found me adding some more albums to my 'save for later' list.
Three sources account for most of my new music discovery: pandora.com streams free music based on your personal musical tastes. 3hive.com features select cuts of new music releases by independent artists. They're willing to share their sound with an appreciative audience. musicalfamilytree.com is an eclectic storehouse of little known talent eager for exposure. Thousands of uncut diamonds just waiting to be polished. These three web sites conspire to provide a plethora of free downloads, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Fighting Spam:
Recently (28 Aug 2006), I implemented a new spam reduction measure. I turned off the 'catch all' addressing for my domains. I used to accept email for every possible address at my domains. You know; whatever 'at' robsworld.org. Well, due to the fact that there are spammers who simply send email to any and all conceivable email addresses, I've had to disable this 'catch all' addressing method. From now on, I'll only accept email at specific email addresses. I anticipate a 20% reduction in spam from this measure. |
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August 28, 2006
Music:
Recently I discovered a couple of new music services. One of them offers free (commercial free) streaming music that's tailored to my musical tastes. The other offers low cost downloads at a monthly subscription rate. Pandora is a music streaming service that requires no special software. A web page (with adds) displays a playlist tailored to your musical tastes. The constant stream of music has proven to be an excellent source of musical discovery. When I find a band that makes me want more, I turn to a new (new to me) music service that offers low cost MP3 downloads (without DRM). Emusic.com - It's legal, and it's a lot less expensive than iTunes. It's a monthly charge on my credit card, but considering the fact that I was dropping a minimum of $22.00 a month at the iTunes music store, this isn't to bad. For $19.99 a month, I can download 90 songs (90 credits per month / typical cost is one credit per track). That's more than enough for me. Their library isn't huge (only a 1.4 million tracks, 1400 artists), but they've got an extensive collection of independent artists. Since I've never been a mainstream kind of guy, the selection has proven to be compatible with my tastes.
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com.
* Alejandro Escovedo - A man under the influence: Somber, powerful and all American. Acoustic, alt-country, blues, ballads. This artist writes some fantastic stuff.
* Buzzcocks - Modern: A band I've been listening to since the early 80's. They haven't given up yet. This release was 1999, but they've got a 2006 that I intend to get. Aging punkers struggling to stay relevant in the here and now. Led by Pete Shelly's vocals, this work is a revivalist effort worth hearing.
* The Raconteurs - Zane Lowe BBC session: The hot new band that I found a few months back. Here's another small release (3 songs) with some variant versions.
* So many dynamos - 6 songs: Discovered using 3hive.com. Caution: Potential energy could cause spontaneous combustion. Powerhouse progressive pop leaps at you like a crackhouse exploding. Barely restrained lyrics are backed by energetic instrumentals.
* The Academy - Magic: An unreleased album, downloaded from musicalfamilytree.com. It took three years to compile this work, but the effort wasn't wasted. Smooth vocals and heartfelt lyrics ride along on an instrumental midnight express. Magical new wave revival with a crystal clear distinct sound. Where are they now?
* Winechuggers - 4 songs: Discovered using 3hive.com. Here's a snappy, smart, pop-folk band. The vocals are raw, the lyrics revealing, the instrumentals evocative.
* The Apparitions - 4 songs: Dug up from musicalfamilytree.com. Snappy, catchy, hopeful - Kentucky-tunes. The lyrics remind us that we're all monkeys. Music that couldn't possibly be machine made. A little bit country, a little bit indie. A life raft in the sea of mediocrity.
Three sources account for most of my new music discovery: pandora.com streams free music based on your personal musical tastes. 3hive.com features select cuts of new music releases by independent artists. They're willing to share their sound with an appreciative audience. musicalfamilytree.com is an eclectic storehouse of little known talent eager for exposure. Thousands of uncut diamonds just waiting to be polished. These three web sites conspire to provide a plethora of free downloads, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
D&D update:
We played D&D on Saturday night (26 August 2006). The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered their enemies lair, and they've taken the fight to their door; assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. On Saturday night they stumbled into the lair of a Demon that's been using hit-and-run tactics to great effect. No one's dead 'yet', but the party wasn't doing a very good job of thinking on their feet when the session ended. Hopefully a two week break will give them some time to come up with an effective strategy.
Aside from the gaming session on Saturday, I updated our campaign page and worked on our House Rules. I revised the most recent house rule; which is actually a variant from the Dungeon Masters Guide. You can pick up a new copy of the House Rules at the following link: <https://www.robsworld.org/3ehsrls.pdf> 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.
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Today (28 August 2006), I added a new Dentists office to the index and made some other minor updates. Yesterday (27 August 2006), I had a massage at Le Sorelle day spa. It's been a while since I had a massage (about a year), and I was full of knots. I'm gonna need more work done on my shoulders and neck. The service was great, and the price was right. They even extended me a military retiree discount. Kim and I may have found a new place to get our massages. |
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August 26, 2006
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Thanks to some feedback from the Southlands Mall director of marketing, I was able to update the web page in order to correct an error. I had listed a "Palm's Massage" as coming to the mall. Actually, it's a "Palm's Tanning Salon" that's coming. They should be here before the end of the year.
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 12th of August. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered their enemies lair, and they've taken the fight to their door; assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. Since that meeting, I've been busy wrestling with some pretty hairy rules questions. I spent quite a bit of time doing research, reading rules, and considering the impact of proposed changes on our campaign. As a result of all that 'considering', I managed to update our house rules. I updated the paragraph regarding initiative, and I added a new paragraph regarding the 'delay' and 'ready an action' initiative options.
The primary points of order are this:
* You may carry over your delayed/readied actions into subsequent rounds.
* You still roll for initiative each round (indicating on the initiative roll that you are still delaying/carrying your readied actions over into the new round). However, since you are carrying an action over into the next round, you may complete your carried over actions at any time. A delayed action cannot interrupt someone else's turn, but a readied action may.
* If a character carries a readied or delayed action over into a subsequent round, a -2 initiative penalty is incurred. The -2 penalty is cumulative. If you are delaying, you can avoid the -2 penalty by simply stating that you aren't doing anything this round. However, if you carry your delay over into the next round, a -2 penalty is applied to your initiative.
You can pick up a new copy of the House Rules at the following link: <https://www.robsworld.org/3ehsrls.pdf> 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. |
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August 22, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 12th of August. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered their enemies lair, and they've taken the fight to their door; assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. During this meeting, the party continued integrating two new characters (Solmar the Warforged Paladin, and Greven, the Hakheerian Rogue/Monk) into the party, while continuing to explore the dungeon. There was some combat with possessed Elves, skeletons and another mageripper swarm. The party also liberated a few Elves from the control of cranial grubs.
Today (22 Aug 06) I posted an updated journal entry. Thanks go out to Mark for continuing to provide journal entries (now from Solmar) which enhance our D&D campaign pages.
Music:
Recently I discovered a couple of new music services. One of them offers free (commercial free) streaming music that's tailored to my musical tastes, the other offers low cost downloads at a monthly subscription rate. Pandora is a music streaming service that requires no special software. A web page (with adds) displays a playlist tailored to your musical tastes. The constant stream of music has proven to be an excellent source of musical discovery. When I find a band that makes me want more, I turn to a new (new to me) music service that offers low cost MP3 downloads (without DRM). Emusic.com - It's legal, and it's a lot less expensive than iTunes. It's a monthly charge on my credit card, but considering the fact that I was dropping a minimum of $22.00 a month at the iTunes music store, this isn't to bad. For $19.99 a month, I can download 90 songs (90 credits per month / typical cost is one credit per track). That's more than enough for me. Their library isn't huge (only a 1.4 million tracks, 1400 artists), but they've got an extensive collection of independent artists. Since I've never been a mainstream kind of guy, the selection has proven to be compatible with my tastes. When I joined, I received 100 bonus downloads, and I still haven't spent all those points! This is gonna be great!
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. I discover new music by listening to Indy tracks, using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com.
* Phenomenauts - ReEntry: Powerful rocking alternative band with a punk, pop, rockabilly sound. Like an Atlas rocket on adrenalin, this band lifts me off. I discovered these rockets rockers while researching costumed punk acts.
* Dashboard Confessionals - A mark, a mission, a brand, a scar: Acoustic, alternative, amazing. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the honestly refreshing lyrics of this Florida band. I discovered this band while searching for top rated alternative acts at emusic.com.
* Meat Puppets - Up On The Sun: Melodic punk? No screaming? Wonderful instrumentals? Not the usual hallmarks of a 'punk' band, but I remember hearing these guys a long time ago. Their distinctive folk, cow-punk sound (reminiscent of The Minutemen, Rank and File, and Husker-Du) was brought back to my attention while searching for top rated punk acts at emusic.com.
* Glenn Tilbrook - Transatlantic Ping-Pong: Pop tunesmith extraordinaire, former lead singer of 'Squeeze'. I really like the syncopatic patterns and melodic musings produced by this performer. I heard him on Pandora.com, and immediately said 'Hey - I know that voice!'.
* Martha and the Muffins / M+M - Then Again (A retrospective): A compilation of the band, under both names. Here's a Canadian band that flew below the radar in the states. Snuggly wearing the new-wave glove, here was a band with a peppy pop sound that wasn't heavy handed or hard to understand. I usually don't go for the female vocalists, but their clean clear sound drew me like a clarion to their call. I sought them out because of a track that's stuck in my head since the early 80's (Echo Beach).
One of the sources that accounts for a large amount of my new music discovery are a couple of web sites. One, pandora.com streams free music based on your music tastes. The other, 3hive.com features new music releases by independent artists eager to share their sound with an appreciative audience. All the downloads are free, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. Check it out. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Movies:
I purchased three movies for the month of August. Three purchases from DeepDiscountDVD.com, and one movie from the military exchange. So what are the new movies? One foreign film: Man with a movie camera - a Russian/Soviet avant-garde masterpiece. One new release: V For Vendetta - A satirical sci-fi set in an oppressive future dominated by a domineering government. One classic horror flick: The Shining - Stanley Kubrick scares the crap out of everyone with this one. Jack Nicholson is downright demented. With these new purchases, I updated the Must Buy listing on my movies page, and my Movies listing.
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Recently I've made a few discoveries and updated the web page to reflect goings-on at the mall.
* Two new openings to announce:
- Rumbi Island Grill - Pacific island cuisine. Kim and I have already eaten there three times. It's good!
- Le Sorelle day Spa. Yes, they do massages! I even posted an email address that you can use to schedule an appointment.
* In addition to these two openings, I also learned about two new stores on their way to the mall:
- Pure dry cleaning - An environmentally friendly dry cleaner (planned opening 1 Sep, 06).
- Palm's massage - Other than seeing the business name on a sign, I know nothing about this business.
I also removed the free movies information from the Southlands Stadium listing. Their free movies program ended on the 10th of August. FYI: The Southlands Mall is slated to have it's grand opening by October of 2006. They're hard at work on that center courtyard, but I can't tell for certain which stores are actually going to open by October. It'll be interesting to see how many open by October. Finally, I'd like to thank all those who emailed me with information or thanks. |
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August 13, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 12th of August (last night). The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered their enemies lair, and they've taken the fight to their door; assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. During this meeting, the party continued integrating two new characters (Solmar the Warforged Paladin, and Greven, the Hakheerian Rogue/Monk) into the party, while continuing to explore the dungeon. There was some combat with possessed Elves, skeletons and another mageripper swarm. The party also liberated a few Elves from the control of cranial grubs.
Today (13 Aug 2006) I posted a bunch of photo and illustration related updates.
* 3ecampaign.html: I updated the small photo in the top left corner of the page. The whole group of players got together last night, and I was able to take some photos. I also updated the next game date.
* 3ewhoswho.html: I added a roll-over image to the Greven character description. The illustration was done by a friend of Philip's. I may have to do a little more work on this roll-over image.
* players.html: I updated the group photo. I changed some of the information on the page, and most of the hot-spots. All the players showed at last nights session, so I was able to take some photos. I had to do quite a bit of photo manipulation in order to produce this image map (move your mouse over it). Kim's eyes were closed, and Stephen was making googly eyes. I swapped out both their heads with those from other photos. Good thing I took those extra pictures!
Our next session isn't until 26 August, but I'm sure there'll be more updates before then. |
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August 12, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 29th of July . The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. and they've taken the fight to the group. Assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. During this meeting, the party began the process of integrating two new characters (Solmar the Warforged Paladin, and Greven, the Hakheerian Rogue/Monk) into the group. There was a bit of dungeon exploration, and some combat with a new monster.
Today (11 Aug 2006) I posted the latest journal entry. In addition to this journal entry from Solmar (Thanks Mark), I also added a new monster to the monsters page. We're playing again tomorrow, and it should be a good session. We'll have a full table and I plan to take a photo of the whole group.
Mega Music Madness!
Recently I discovered a couple of new music services. One of them offers free (commercial free) streaming music that's tailored to my musical tastes, the other offers low cost downloads at a monthly subscription rate. Pandora is a music streaming service that requires no special software. A web page (with adds) displays a playlist tailored to your musical tastes. The constant stream of music has proven to be an excellent source of musical discovery. When I find a band that makes me want more, I turn to a new (new to me) music service that offers low cost MP3 downloads (without DRM). Emusic.com - It's legal, and it's a lot less expensive than iTunes. It's a monthly charge on my credit card, but considering the fact that I was dropping a minimum of $22.00 a month at the iTunes music store, this isn't to bad. For $19.99 a month, I can download 90 songs (90 credits per month / typical cost is one credit per track). That's more than enough for me. Their library isn't huge (only a 1.4 million tracks, 1400 artists), but they've got an extensive collection of independent artists. Since I've never been a mainstream kind of guy, the selection has proven to be compatible with my tastes. When I joined, I received 100 bonus downloads, and I still haven't spent all those points! This is gonna be great!
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. Most of these are emusic downloads, but I also download music from the iTunes music store and I get free downloads from artists websites and a new music web site. I discover new music by listening to Indy tracks, using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays and indiefeed). I buy most of my music (now) from emusic.com.
(Some of the links below are iTunes music store links. I'm not sure how they'll behave if you haven't got iTunes installed, but maybe now's a good time to install it. After all, it is free!)
* CSS - 2 Songs : Cansei de ser sexy (Portuguese - Tired of being sexy) - 2 cuts. I'm not usually into female vocalists, but this bands tunes are hopping, bumping full of energy. Danceable pop with an upbeat rhythm. Found this one using 3hive.com.
* Aquabats - 4 songs: Very hard to classify. I remember hearing about this band a long time ago (they've been around since 1994). Costumed caped crusaders intent on making mad music. Influenced by surf, pop, punk and poetry? I've downloaded a new cut and some of their older stuff (from the artists website). It's all good. They've got a huge mythology built up around the band and a loyal following. Very eclectic. Rediscovered via 3hive.com.
* Alejandro Escovedo - With these hands: A double album. Alt-country, folk, americana, country? Who would've thought it? Ballads, fantastic instrumental work and soulful lyrics that tear your heart out. Discovered this artist using pandora.com. Interestingly, Alejandro was once a member of the first cowpunk band to turn me on to this sound (Rank and File).
* Bang! Bang! - Electric Sex: From Chicago, Illinois. A 5 song EP. Pop, punk, raucous rock in electric overdrive. Makes my feet wanta move faster than a comet on cocaine. Discovered using Pandora.com, purchased on emusic.com. Couldn't get enough, so I downloaded a few more tracks from the bands website.
* John Ralston - Needle bed: A fantastic sounding alt-country folk band that mixes the electronic and acoustic. Unpretentious, beautiful lyrics. Discovered using Pandora.com, purchased on emusic.com.
* The Gossip - Listen Up!: Can't get enough of that cowbell. A free download from the iTunes Music store. This single is a cut from their recent album release - Standing in the way of Control. A band with potential. Danceable pop.
* The Futureheads - News and Tributes: Another band that reminds me of XTC. This brit-pop inspired band is definitely worth a listen. Especially if you love the sounds of the 80's. Found this band by visiting 3hive.com. Downloaded the album from emusic.com.
* Peter Murphy - Deep: He's still making music, and I'm still listening to him. This British rocker has been around since the 80's, and I've been listening to him - in one form or another - since the beginning. I first heard him when he fronted Bauhaus, then again when he was playing with Magazine. Here's an album he released in 1990. I just rediscovered a favorite. Thanks to pandora.com for pointing me back at my roots, and thanks to emusic.com for making the music available.
* James Apollo - Good Grief: Slow down and listen. Country tinged folk with lyrics and melodies reminiscent of a somber homecoming. Another musician who's emerged from under the ashes of commercial country. Discovered by listening to a podcast. Downloaded using emusic.com.
* Granian - On my own two feet: Acoustic electric rock, with a clean, clear, clarion call of uncompromised music. This band has the soul of an alternative pop band mixed with the passion of a rock vocalist. Discovered by listening to a podcast. Downloaded using emusic.com.
* The Hourly Radio - 2 songs: Alt-rockers with a pulse-pounding danceable beat. Sounds British? but it's Dallas! Should keep the clubs hopping for years to come. Discovered on 3hive.com. Downloaded 2 songs from there.
One of the sources that accounts for a large amount of my new music discovery are a couple of web sites. One, pandora.com streams free music based on your music tastes. The other, 3hive.com features new music releases by independent artists eager to share their sound with an appreciative audience. All the downloads are free, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. Check it out. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Monsoon Season:
July and August are typically the rainy season in Colorado. Now that it's August, the high temperatures and rain are continuing. During this season, we get monsoonal flows of moisture from the Pacific that make their way across our state. The weather brings high temperatures and plenty of moisture, as the days heat up, the afternoons cool off. This rapid heating and cooling causes plenty of thunderstorms that rattle our home in the late evening. On the 2nd of August, we had a torrential downpour. It left mudflows everywhere. Both our vehicles are covered in mud. It must have rained 4 inches in an hour. Lot's of flash floods. We worried about our basement, but it survived.
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Nothing really new going on at the mall, but today I made a few minor changes to the index. There's two restaurants nearing completion at Southlands. Rumbi Island Grill and Jim and Nick's Bar-B-Q. Who will be first? I don't know, but either way, we win! I'm definitely looking forward to both of these restaurants. FYI: The Southlands Mall is slated to have it's grand opening by October of 2006. They're hard at work on that center courtyard, but I can't tell for certain which stores are actually going to open by October. It'll be interesting to see how many open by October.
Books:
It took me some time, but I finally finished reading another one of the new Dune novels. Dune: The machine crusade - by Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson. Another novel in the continuation of this epic sci-fi saga. This was the second book of the Legends of Dune series. The previous one; The Butlerian Jihad, was unforgettable. Unfortunately, this one didn't thrill the way the Butlerian Jihad did. In an effort to tie up all the loose ends, this book had a few too many characters and themes to follow. The ending is a bit of a let down, as we're not treated to a 'final battle', or Machine vs Man final solution. The next book up - the one I'm reading now, is Sundiver: A Science Fiction novel by David Brin. First book of the 'Uplift" series. Something a friend recommended.
Say What?!
Back in 2003, I added the 'Say What?' page. It's a collection of some memorable sayings from players in my D&D game. Recently (8 Aug, 2006), I added another new quote to the web page. Something heard during the latest D&D session:
Grenco the Whisper Gnome: Am I surrounded by assholes?
Solmar the Warforged: At your height you are..
My BIO:
It's been a while since I updated my biography page. After a bit of a review, I've reposted the page with some minor changes. I apologize to anyone who was trying to access the page and found a 'Temporarily unavailable' tag. My resume is still unavailable. It's under review right now. I'll re-post it as soon as the review is finished. |
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August 3, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 29th of July . The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. and they've taken the fight to the group. Assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. During this meeting, the party began the process of integrating two new characters (Solmar the Warforged Paladin, and Greven, the Hakheerian Rogue/Monk) into the group. There was a bit of dungeon exploration, and some combat with a new monster.
Over the last few weeks, players (Mark & Philip) have been working on the new characters I mentioned above (and Sean continues to work on his 'back up' character). While working on these new characters, I discovered a few items in the house rules that needed revising. I updated the intro paragraph to remove some references to my days in the military, and I updated the rules regarding the selection of armor.
You can pick up a new copy of the House Rules at the following link: <https://www.robsworld.org/3ehsrls.pdf> 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.
Mac OS 10.4.7 security update:
Another security update released by Apple. This one didn't affect any of the applications that I typically use on a day to day basis. This time around the update affected some of the core components used for file sharing, zip & gzip archives, internet & bluetooth connectivity, fetchmail (pop3 email), apples webkit, and image rendering. You can read more about the update at Apple's website. This update goes a long way towards preventing arbitrary code execution of maliciously crafted html, javascript, image files, and connection commands. Keeping my Mac safe from malicious hackers and such. |
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July 29, 2006
Vacation:
Kim's parents came to visit during July. They were here from July 21st - the 28th. It wasn't like last years vacation. We didn't spend a lot of time away from the house, gallivanting across Colorado. We spent most of our time close to home, enjoying each others company, and celebrating Kim's birthday (see below). Here's a short list of some of the things we did:
* We went to a lot of restaurants (here's a list: Texas Road house, P.F. Chang's China bistro, Buffalo wild wings bar & grill, Poppy's pizza and grill, Maggiano's little Italy, Joe's crab shack, KFC's, Bennigan's grill & tavern).
* We spent a day at Rocky Mountain National Park, where I was in search of a perfect picture of an Aspen Grove (I didn't get the picture I was hoping for). I'll try to post some of the photos later.
* Ted and I had plenty of time to go for walks around the community. No one else got up early enough to join us - Sleep heads!
* We worked on some projects around the house (see below). I'll take some pictures, and hopefully post them, later this year.
* We watched a bunch of movies (see my reviews page). Some I wanted to see, some Ted wanted to see.
* Kim did a bunch of shopping and decorating. She bought a 9' artificial tree for Christmas - You'll see it later this year. Kim and Sharon spent a lot of time decorating the Kitchen. I hope to take some pictures and post them later this year.
* We saw a fireworks show, care of the 1st annual Arapahoe County fair.
* We shopped at a community garage sale (despite the lack of a promised map and list of addresses), where many bargains were found!
* We enjoyed each others company, had a really good time during their visit, and hated to see them go.
The vacation only lasted a week, but we had a really good time. We actually had some time to relax and enjoy each others company. Now that it's over, Kim and I have to go back to work on Monday. Bummer!
Kim's Birthday:
Happy Birthday to Kim! Kim's birthday was on the 25th of July. With her parents visiting, we went out to eat at Maggiano's little Italy. One of our favorite family style restaurants. The food is great, and the portions are huge. We had a great time. Don't worry Kim, I won't tell anyone how 'old' you are. :-) Besides, you'll always be younger than me.
Handy Man:
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 month Kim's dad and I worked on a bunch of 'honey-do' items from Kim's list. Many of these items required more than two hands, so I'm glad Ted was here to help. What did we work on? Well, here's a list:
* Fixed the door to the guest room: The darn thing wasn't closing properly. The latching bolt wasn't sliding into the hole in the frame. The two were misaligned by about 1/32nd of an inch. A chisel, pliers and a screwdriver was all we needed to get it aligned properly. Now it closes with a satisfying 'click'.
* Sprayed an acrylic coating on my photo-painting: Back in 2005, I created a painting from a photo. Now it's mounted above our fireplace, this month we sprayed a protective acrylic coating on the painting. Thankfully, the coating didn't have any apparent effect of the image.
* Fixed the window screens: This spring we had a contractor power wash the outside of our house, and hand wash the windows. Well, when the contractor replaced the screens, he didn't do a very good job. Many of the screens were pulled lose from the gasket in places, about half the frames weren't properly seated in the window frames, and one of the screens in the basement had been chewed through by a mouse. With Ted's help, we were able to reseat all the screens on the ground floor, and I repaired the screen in the basement using some screen and glue from Home Depot.
* Entertainment center troubleshooting: When Kim and I moved into our new home, the movers dropped our 36" Sony WEGA television. At the time, we mistakenly believed that they had done more damage than the obvious cracked case. I did a bit of troubleshooting, and couldn't get the picture in picture to work. As a result, we thought that one of the tuners (it was a dual tuner model) was damaged and we bought a new 36" Sony WEGA. Unfortunately, the new one wasn't as nice as the old one. We put the 'broken' one out in the garage, and started the arduous compensation process that the government required in order to recoup some money from the 'broken' television. A year later and I'd finished most of the documentation requirements. I hired someone to come out (the TV was to big to fit in my XC90) and check out the TV. Well, apparently there was nothing wrong with it! So, with Ted's help, we moved the 'bad' TV back into the house, and the 'new' TV out into the garage. After ten hours of troubleshooting, we were able to get the 'broken-but-now-working' TV integrated back into my entertainment center, with picture in picture working. An extremely frustrating, arduous, and physically exhausting task. Moving those 36" picture-tube televisions was no easy task. Later (29 July) I patched the cracked case with a computer printed photo facsimile of the speaker grill. It's a pretty good match.
* Painting by Kim's mother: Sharon did some painting around the house. Stuff Kim had on a list. Apparently, Sharon enjoys that sort of thing?
Of course this is only a small portion of the tasks on Kim's 'Honey-Do' list. These particular items required some help, and Ted's help was greatly appreciated.
Our House:
Kim and I bought a new house in April of 2005, and we've been slowly decorating, furnishing and improving on it. This month, Kim got a HUGE mirror for the entry. The thing is five feet wide and seven feet tall. The top features a true arch, and the mirror has a polished bevel all the way around (except on the bottom edge). It's on the wall opposite some paintings, and it's placed to 'mirror' a nearby arched passage. It looks fantastic. I haven't taken a picture yet, but when I do, I'll add it to the photos of our house. In addition to the mirror, we also put added a glass surface to the divider between our living room and kitchen. Now we can set things on the bar without worrying about damage to the surface.
Movies:
July's movies are all in, including what I can only imagine - is my last flick from Filmmovement.com. It's a great service, but the selections haven't been what I'm looking for. I enjoyed the service, but I won't be renewing my subscription. This month there were three purchases, and one movie from filmmovement.com. I wrote about the purchase (from DeepDiscountDVD) on the 19th of July, so you might want to check that out. What did I buy in July? Tuvalu - A french movie with fantastic imagery and characters. Munich - The conspiracy laden, history based thriller. Hud - A black & white western starring a very young Paul Newman. Finally, the filmmovement selection. Monster Thursday - A Norwegian drama about a love triangle.
Garage sale bargain bin: Towards the end of the month (28 July), I purchased some VHS tapes from a garage sale. They were, in no particular order: Blazing Saddles (hopefully, the campfire scene isn't sound edited), Big (with Tom Hanks - to replace a bad dub), the First Monty Python's Flying Circus videocassette, and Monty Python live at the Hollywood Bowl. I haven't seen these movies in quite some time, but I'll do my best to watch and rate them over the next month or so. While they're used VHS copies, and the quality is suspect, the good news is - they were $.25 cents each!
With all these purchases, I've also updated my movie listing.
Software favorites:
One of my favorite pieces of software just released an update. GraphicConverter inches forward. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter released another beta update (5.9.2b1). GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
Books:
On the 22nd of July, a package arrived in my mail box. The USPS delivered the package for UPS? Included in the package were two paperbacks, additions to my already strained bookshelf, and a hardcover D&D book. I have no idea when I'm going to read all these books. The latest additions were: Mexifornia - A state of becoming by Victor Davis Hanson and Listening to the light by Jim Pym. See my books page for a few more details.
D&D Books:
Recently (15 Jul 2006), I purchased another new rule book for my favorite game. The latest acquisition is a copy of the "Monster Manual IV ". This new rule book contains a lot of new monsters, villains, and a few allies for use in my 3.5 edition D&D campaign. As a result of this addition, I updated my D&D books page. If you're a player in our campaign, you can expect a few more tricks up my sleeve, and a few more challenges in the dark corridors ahead!
Monsoon Season:
July and August are typically the rainy season in Colorado. During this month, we've had a lot of record high temperatures, and a lot of rain. During this season, we get monsoonal flows of moisture from the Pacific that make their way across our state. The weather brings high temperatures and plenty of moisture, as the days heat up, the afternoons cool off. This rapid heating and cooling causes plenty of thunderstorms that rattle our home in the late evening. We had high temps and rainfall from the 24th through the 27th, and I'm sure it'll continue through next month as well. We sure do appreciate those showers.
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 15th of July. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. and they've taken the fight to the group. Assaulting the underground lair in an attempt to root out the source of evil down below. During this meeting, the party resolved the deadly trap that they were stuck in. The trap was truly deadly. The party lost Caed in that encounter, but they gained two new characters to help them in their quest. This session saw the introduction of Solmar the Warforged Paladin, and Greven, the Hakheerian Rogue/Monk.
In addition to the journal entry that Mark submitted, you should check out the character background he submitted as well. It's very well done. An excellent example of what I'd like to see for other characters (hint, hint, hint!).
Recently Mark sent me an email containing a bunch of stuff for the web site. A journal entry, a character background and some illustrations. As a result of Mark's recent submissions, I updated the following documents:
* I updated the adventurer's journal. This journal entry is a supplement, brought to us by one of the newest characters. Solmar writes a journal about his time in this new land. The point of view from someone alien to the Realms is an interesting read. The journal is a recap of the party's adventures.
* Players update. With the death of Caed, and the introduction of Mark's new character, I had to make some changes to the Players page. The photo is way out of date, but I need to have everyone present before I can take a new photo or publish an update.
* Character update. With the introduction of two new players, and two new characters, I made considerable changes to the "Who's Who?" page. "Who's Who?" is a listing of characters, both player characters (updated the entries for Greven and Solmar) and non-player characters (added an entry for Garivek - A priest of Helm). Be sure to check out the character background Mark submitted for Solmar. It's very well done. An excellent example of what I'd like to see for other characters (hint, hint, hint!).
* I added one new location to the "Where Now?" page. Mark's new character comes from a place called 'Eberron' in an alternate dimension, and he's somewhat familiar with a region in the Realms called the 'Spine of the World'. "Where Now?" is a listing of various places the party has visited.
Our next meeting is on the 29th of July (Hey, that's tonight!), and I'm looking forward to the parties continued assault on the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. Unfortunately, Micheal won't be able to make it, so I still can't take that new players photo. Hopefully everyone else will be there. Maybe I'll get to try out that new Monster Manual! ;->
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Nothing really new going on at the mall, but today I made a minor update to the index. Thanks to the keen eye of a visitor, I was able to correct some goofy spelling. I really despise those spelling errors! :-) FYI: The Southlands Mall is slated to have it's grand opening by October of 2006. They're hard at work on that center courtyard, but I can't tell for certain which stores are actually going to open by October. It'll be interesting to see how many open by October. |
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July 21, 2006
Music:
Taking me back to my radical roots (I spent a short amount of time screaming in front of a mic). Over the last five years or so, I've begun exploring, discovering and re-defining my musical tastes. With the advent of the Internet, it's now much easier to find music that pleases the senses as opposed to pabulum they feed to the masses. I've never been one to rely on the big media definition of a 'hit', and this internet thing makes music discovery a lot less expensive and time intensive than it used to be. In 2001, I returned from a three year posting (I was in the Air Force from 1984-2005) in Japan. While I was there, I was basically cut off from the rest of the world (It was a bit remote). Since then I've started looking for music that pleases my senses, with little regard for the musical genre in which it may be pigeonholed. It's been a bit of a struggle, but I've slowly started to discover that there's plenty out there to satisfy that itch in my ear. Since returning from Japan in 2001, I've started re-building, adding to and documenting my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. A couple of iTunes downloads and some free downloads from artists websites. I discover new music by listening to Indy tracks, using a fantastic music service called Pandora, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts.
* Editors - The Back Room: The debut album of a band I discovered through iTunes. I downloaded their Munich single, and couldn't wait for the release of this debut. With a mournful bellow, their sound hits you like a ball peen hammer taking a crack at the Berlin wall. Sounding very much like Echo & the Bunnymen or Interpol, I just can't get enough of that Smith like syncopation. Purchased/downloaded from iTunes music store.
* John Ralston - Two songs: Here's a melodic, melodramatic artist who's music carries a folk like story in an acoustic coating. Well crafted instrumentals, thoughtful lyrics, and a rousing rock tinged taste of bittersweet harmony. Discovered using Pandora.com, downloaded from artists website.
* Field Music - Five songs: Another great British pop-punk band. Sounding a little like early XTC, they've got a bubbly lemon-lime inspired positive sound that makes you want to snap your fingers while whistling. Discovered using Pandora.com, downloaded for artists website.
* The Jayhawks - Tomorrow the Green Grass: Alt-country legends. Hearing this band, and others like them (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt), made me realize that the radio-stations have got country all wrong. A fantastic message combined with earthy instrumentals. Thinking about it makes me wonder what I've been missing all these years. Discovered through iTunes. Purchased/downloaded from iTunes music store.
One of the sources that accounts for a large amount of my new music discovery is a web site called 3hive.com. The site features new music releases by independent artists eager to share their sound with an appreciative audience. All the downloads are free, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. Check it out. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
<http://www.3hive.com/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Today I added a listing for a new store. I'm not quite sure how they slipped under my radar, but today I saw signs for a 'Le Sorelle day spa'. It's located in the section across from P.F. Chang's, in with the Wolf Camera shop and barber shop. FYI: The Southlands Mall is slated to have it's grand opening by October of 2006.
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 15th of July . The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. and they've begun an investigation of this underground lair. During this meeting, the party resolved the deadly trap that they were stuck in. The trap was truly deadly. The party lost Caed in that encounter, but they gained two new characters to help them in their quest. This session saw the introduction of Solmar the Warforged Paladin, and Greven, the Hakheerian Rogue/Monk.
Today I updated the adventurer's journal. This journal entry comes to us from Thalidimar. Thalidimar's descriptions of the Iron Golem are quite colorful, and he did a great job of summarizing this deadly encounter. The journal is a recap of the party's adventures. |
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July 19, 2006
My Bicycle:
On Sunday (2 July 2006) I bought a new bicycle. I've been complaining that I wanted one for nearly a year now. I finally got out and bought one from a Sports Authority store. If I had known where there was a local bicycle shop, I'd have gone that route. I bought a DiamondBack response 2006. It wasn't too expensive (on sale for $320.00 / normally $400.00), and I'm happy with the purchase.
Since I bought the bicycle, I've started a new work out regimen. Every day that I work, I do push-ups and sit-ups. I started at 5 at a time, but now I'm up to 10. It'll take me a while to get back up to 50 and 50 (in under a minute), but that's my goal. In addition, I'm riding the bike on the days that I have off. So far I've been able to ride the bike on nearly every day that I've had off. I missed two days because of rain so far, but that's not bad. When the weather turns bad (too much snow), I'll do my best to simply take a good long walk. The first few bike rides have been pretty short, but I'm slowly working my way up there. I hope to bike out to the reservoir and back. The trip out to the reservoir, around the lake and back will be 10+ miles. Now that's a challenge!
Perils of the trail. I had no idea, no idea that a slight departure from the trail could cost me. The other day I was riding the bike on a trail behind the development. The trail was well marked, but I still had to cut cross-country a couple of times. As a result, I ran over some cacti. That turned out to be a mistake. I didn't think that these small cacti could have much of an effect on my tires, but I was wrong! Soon after I got home, I realized that I had a flat tire. After inspecting the tire, I found several barbs that were jammed right through the rubber of the tire. Extracting them, I found a few that were more than an inch long, and quite stiff. Yeah, that'll do the trick. I'm just glad it was the tire, and not my toes that took the brunt of the damage.
Hot, hot, hot!
A recent run of hot weather has hit the area. From Friday - Sunday (14 - 16 July, 2006), the temperatures rose into the hundreds, reaching a record high of 103 on Sunday. I certainly don't remember last summer being this hot. Now we're starting to miss the rain. Luckily, I don't work outside, and I didn't have to go outside for much. On Sunday, I made a short trip outside during the hottest part of the day. It sure felt like I was living on the sun! I sure hope we don't have any power outages!
Music:
Taking me back to my radical roots (I spent a short amount of time screaming in front of a mic). Over the last five years or so, I've begun exploring, discovering and re-defining my musical tastes. With the advent of the Internet, it's now much easier to find music that pleases the senses as opposed to pabulum they feed to the masses. I've never been one to rely on the big media definition of a 'hit', and this internet thing makes music discovery a lot less expensive and time intensive than it used to be. In 2001 I returned from a three year posting in Japan. While I was there I was basically cut off from the rest of the world (It was a bit remote). Since then I've started looking for music that pleases my senses. It's been a bit of a struggle, but I've slowly started to discover that there's plenty out there to satisfy that itch in my ear. Since returning from Japan in 2001, I've started re-building, adding to and documenting my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. An iTunes download and some free downloads from an artists website. I discover new music by listening to Indy tracks, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts.
* Carey Ott - Lucid Dreams: His first full release LP. Now there's an antiquated term.. After purchasing the EP, and waiting for this album, I purchased the music through the iTunes music store a couple of days after it became available. Here's a new artist who's been around the block. His work has already been featured on a television series (Grey's Anatomy), and I heard him on... Hmm, can't remember where I heard him. In either case, it doesn't really matter. I like his acoustic folksy sound, lyrically likeable, melodically mastered. A talent to watch on his way up.
* Eric Addington: Fifteen songs. A fantastic acoustic folk artist. The music is catchy, uplifting and thoughtful. Without shouting, Eric Addington tells a story worth hearing, and hearing it is an introspective journey of sincerity and feeling. Free downloads from the bands web site. Another Indy discovery.
One of the sources that accounts for a large amount of my new music discovery is a web site called 3hive.com. The site features new music releases by independent artists eager to share their sound with an appreciative audience. All the downloads are free, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. Check it out. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
<http://www.3hive.com/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Discovered a new music service:
The other day (12 July), I discovered something that I just have to share. If you enjoy music, and I'm sure you do. You'll love this. It's a service called 'Pandora'. A personalized music service that seeks to satisfy your desires. First of all, it's free! Secondly, it's fantastic! O.k. enough with the praise, I'm gonna give you some details. Pandora is a web based interface to a musical catalog containing hundreds of thousands of songs. Not only does it stream this music to your computer (for free), it also selects the music according to your tastes. You begin by building a 'station' or list of bands you like. That's when Pandora takes over. It starts playing music from those bands, and bands that 'sound like' those bands. As you listen to the music, you rate the music (thumbs up - thumbs down). As you rate more music, Pandora gets better at predicting your likes and dislikes. Eventually you end up with a 'station' that plays just what you want to hear. Perfectly tailored to your tastes, without commercials, without cost! You can't get much better than that. In just two days time, I found four great artists I'd never heard of before (Field Music, John Ralston, Alejandro Escavedo and Madrugada). I plan to pick up some of their music as soon as I can scrape together some dough.
D&D update:
On the 15th of July, we played D&D. It was an auspicious meeting in a couple of ways. First of all, none of the characters died! Secondly, we had two new players at the meeting. Unfortunately, over the last month we lost a couple of characters and a couple of players.
Player changes: Caren came in to replace Kevin, but she dropped out soon afterwards. Nicholis just disappeared without saying so-long. I hope he's o.k. Adding two new players to replace Caren and Nicholis. Two of Kim's co-workers have joined our group. Philip and Stephen have taken a seat at our table. I'll update our players photo as soon as everyone is gathered together. Thanks go out to Kim. Because of her, I was able to bypass the usual, advertisement, interview, vetting process required to fill empty slots. Philip and Stephen have both decided to game with our group, and I didn't even have to twist their arms! :-)
Character changes: In addition to the changes with the players at our table, there have also been some character changes of late. Two characters died recently. Both Ashedyn and Caed died in battle. Ashedyn's been buried, but Caed just died recently. Mark has brought in Solmar, a Warforged Paladin. Phillip's character is Greven, a Hakheerian Rogue/Monk. Hakheerian's are four armed humanoids. That ought to make for quite the wrestler.
The party has recently begun a new adventure. With X on an extended sabbatical, the party is investigating a series of murders and heinous crimes in their own backyard. A murderous cult of supremacist Elves has Whillip in a state of constant fear and suspicion. What are the real goals behind the group known as C.O.E.P.A.S.? Who's really committing all these 'Half' murders? and what is the purpose behind the soul gems? Following a twisted trail of leads, the party has discovered a lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. and they're taking the fight to C.O.E.P.A.S. After fighting a pair of guardian monsters, they recovered a cache of soul gems and desecrated a pair of temples. The quest has been dangerous and difficult; fraught with intrigue and peril. Scores of citizens lay dead, and two of the party members have been struck down by guardian golems. After losing two of their party members, the citizenry of Whillip have sent some help in the form of Solmar and Greven, two adventurers willing to help the city in it's time of need. Whillip and the party are facing a powerful and determined enemy, and the stakes are high. Will they back down? is Whillip destined to succumb to this infernal cult, or can there be salvation at the hands of our brave band of adventurers? Stay tuned for adventure!
After the last meeting, I've been busy working on D&D updates. With two deaths, and two new characters, there's been a lot of changes lately. Here's a list of pages changed, and why!
* Updated the next game date on the campaign page - The next game date is: 29 July 2006. I also added a link to the Hakheerian rules under the Races heading.
* I updated the adventurer's journal. This journal entry comes to us from Grenco. Grenco's point of view, trapped in a room with bubbling lava, offers a bleak picture of less than promising odds. This particular entry is a bit late, but it's mandatory reading for those trying to keep up to date on the adventures of the S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S. At the bottom of this journal entry is a link to a 'this is where we left off' page. It's my (the DM's) recap of the battle/trap that the party was dealing with when we ended the session on the 1st of July. The journal is a recap of the party's adventures.
* Players update. With the death of Caed, and the introduction of Mark's new character, I had to make some changes to the Players page. The photo is way out of date, but I need to have everyone present before I can take a new photo or publish an update.
* Character update. With the introduction of two new players, and two new characters, I made considerable changes to the "Who's Who?" page. "Who's Who?" is a listing of characters, both player characters and non-player characters.
* Updated the House Rules regarding spell components. This change integrates the official 3.5 rules with our existing house rules. It also compensates for and clarifies certain issues raised by the 'Vow of poverty' feat. This change will take effect at the end of the current adventure. Thanks to some suggestions from Mark, I was able to further clarify some of the finer points of the new rule. I also made some minor changes to the 'Shield Bash' rules.
* Created and posted rules and details regarding the Hakheerian. Hakheerians are four armed humanoids which I've permitted in my campaign for many years. This release updates the Hakheerian to compliance with the 3.5 rules. One of our new players (Philip) has decided to run a Hakheerian. That should prove interesting.
* Added a description for the Iron Golem to the "Monsters" page. The monsters page is a listing of monsters that the party has encountered, read about or heard of.
Our next meeting is on the 29th of July, and I'm looking forward to the parties continued investigation into the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. Unfortunately, Micheal won't be able to make it, so I still can't take that new players photo.
You can pick up a new copy of the House Rules at the following link: <https://www.robsworld.org/3ehsrls.pdf> 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.
Movies:
<rave>It's a 'Head-to-Head' grudge match. A showdown between two Internet competitors. In one corner is the veteran, "Bestprices.com" - With a better selection, but somewhat higher prices it won't be easy to unseat the champ. In the other corner is the up-and-coming challenger, "DeepDiscountDVD.com" - Will this upstart be able to unseat the champ with lower prices alone?
So, I've been watching this new DVD seller - "DeepDiscountDVD.com", and this month I decided to pit the two competitors against each other, to see who would win my endorsement - and my money. Here's a breakdown of the movies I compared, and the outcome.
Head-To-Head - BestPrices.com vs DeepDiscountDVD.com |
The movie |
DeepDiscountDVD |
BestPrices |
Outcome |
The Shining (fs) |
$11.98 |
$12.55 |
DD didn't have this one in stock. I decided not to order it. |
Munich (ws) |
$18.11 |
$24.53 |
A hefty price difference. I bought a copy from DD. |
Dersu Uzala |
not carried |
$22.87 |
A little pricey. I'll hold off for now. |
Tuvalu |
$21.56 |
$22.87 |
Not to much difference. I purchased a copy from DD. |
Hud |
$5.99 |
$6.88 |
A pretty good price difference. I picked up a copy from DD. |
Shipping |
$0.00 |
$8.97 |
That's a pretty beefy shipping price. DVDs don't really weigh that much. |
Total |
$45.66 |
$63.25 |
|
Savings |
$17.59 |
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That's a pretty big savings! |
With consistently lower prices, and a fair selection, I'm going to declare DeepDiscountDVD the new king of online DVD sales. The shipping was a killer, and some of the prices were significantly lower on DD, and the difference between availability and price was more than I could bear. Yeah, I'll probably have to turn to BestPrices for some of the more obscure titles, but I can't ignore the significant savings I got from DeepDiscount.
From now on, I'll have to recommend DeepDiscountDVD over BestPrices. The new King of online DVD - DeepDiscountDVD.com. I wonder how BestPrices is going to meet this challenge. Will they reduce their prices? Maybe they'll change their name to 'Almost Best Prices'?</rave> |
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July 10, 2006
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Today I made a few updates to the web page. I've updated some 'Under construction' listings (Men's Warehouse, T.J. Max and Sports Authority), added a couple of new businesses to the list (Jos. A. Banks & ULTA), removed the listing for Kohl's (confirmed as not a signed tenant), and corrected the Irish pub listing. It's McCabe's Irish pub - Not Finn McCools. I also added the grand opening date just under the title graphic. FYI: The Southlands Mall is slated to have it's grand opening by October of 2006.
Software favorites:
Two more recent updates. Transmit stepped up to 3.5.4, and GraphicConverter moving up a notch with another full release.
Transmit
Anyone who publishes web pages eventually needs a way to upload their pages to a web site. I've found that stand alone FTP tools are the best for this task. Transmit has a clean and easy to use interface, and some really nifty features, like the ability to resume a transfer that's been interrupted, site synchronization capabilities, iDisk integration (It's way faster than the finder!), drag-to-dock sending, column views, a built in text editor, and secure ftp transfer (in various different flavors) capability. The most recent update moves this software up to version 3.5.4.
<http://www.panic.com/transmit/index.html>
GraphicConverter
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter released another full release this week (5.9.1). GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
D&D update:
The party has been diligently advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. They discovered the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. and they've begun an investigation of this underground lair. Their investigation has convinced them that they're on the right track, and they've taken the fight to C.O.E.P.A.S. Unfortunately, the consequences (for the party) have been dire. Two party members have already fallen, and the party seems to be down on their luck. As a result of this adventure, Mark is rolling up a new character, and Sean has been working on a back up character - Just in case. All this character development has brought a lot of rules questions my way. One category of rules questions concerns exalted characters and the 'Vow of poverty' feat. While examining the rules regarding exalted characters, it has become necessary to alter our rules regarding 'Spell Components'.
For quite some time now, I've carried a 'Standardized' spell components rule. It has served me well for many years. The 1st and 2nd editions of the game didn't always explain how much a component would cost, where you could find it, or how rare it was. As a result, I came up with a house rule to compensate for these shortcomings. With the introduction of 3rd (and 3.5) edition, the official rules has compensated for some of these previous shortcomings. After reading through the rules regarding the 'Vow of poverty' feat, it became evident that my house rule could be set aside in many cases. A change in the house rules has been drafted which incorporates the official rules (3.5) with our existing house rules. Here's the change:
SPELL COMPONENTS:
According to the equipment section of the 3.5E Players Handbook (pg. 130):
Spell Component Pouch: (Cost 5gp, Weight: 2#) This small, watertight leather belt pouch has many compartments. A spell caster with a spell component pouch is assumed to have all the material components and focuses needed for spell casting, except for those components that have a specific cost, divine focus, and focuses that wouldn’t fit in a pouch (such as the natural pool that a druid needs to look into to cast scrying).
With that in mind, it is definitely a good idea for a spell caster to carry a spell component pouch. Since a ‘spell component pouch’ is not included in our house rules equipment listing (available online at: <https://www.robsworld.org/equiptable.html>), players wishing to purchase a ‘spell component pouch’ should use the listing in the PHB when purchasing a spell component pouch for their character.
Now, sometimes a character is without a spell component pouch. There are times when you might need to purchase components without a spell component pouch. The rules below will cover instances when components are required, and a specific price isn’t known. In addition, the rules below will also permit the DM to make a ruling regarding availability of any spell component (based on the level of the spell).
Acquiring spell components: When a character is attempting to locate the proper components for any spell requiring material components the following steps must be followed. First the character must locate a shop where components can...
This change integrates the official 3.5 rules with our existing house rules (which start near the bottom of the change above (see 'Acquiring spell components' above)). This change to the house rule also compensates and clarifies certain issues raised by the 'Vow of poverty' feat. This change will take effect at the end of the current adventure. It is possible that the rule may undergo some minor changes in the interim.
You can pick up a new copy of the House Rules at the following link: <https://www.robsworld.org/3ehsrls.pdf> 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.
A rainy day!
Over the past few days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday!) it's been raining. It started Friday, and continued through the weekend. Raining all day Saturday and Sunday. I was starting to wonder whether I should build an ark. The rain has caused some flooding (thankfully it hasn't been in our basement), swollen riverbanks - where normally the stream beds are dry, and very cool temperatures. This morning we had a low of 62 degrees. A tie with the lowest temperature on record. That's pretty cool for mid July! Today we should see the rain let up some. We'll have afternoon thunderstorms, but at least it won't be raining all day long. This is quite unusual for Colorado. Not since I've moved here - in 2001, have I seen such a wet summer. The lawns, mountain, hills and animals are all loving it. Who, knows? Maybe they'll lift the county ban on open fires. |
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July 6, 2006
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Today I made a few updates to the web page. It's official, I spoke with a Southlands Mall representative, and the following stores are NOT coming to Southlands Mall: Champ's Sports Bar, Ultimate Electronics, Doc Green's, Buckle, Charlotte Reusse, Bombay Co., Moe's Southwest Grill, Olive Garden, Sur La Table, Via Baci, Urgent Car Facility, 24-Hour Fitness, BC Surf & Sport
While these stores aren't currently slated to have a presence at the mall, I encourage you to send an email to any of the stores that you would like to see at Southlands. It's a big mall, and there's still plenty of room for additional stores. I've recommended a few places myself, including: Whole Foods Market and an Apple Store. If you do a little investigating, you'll find that many stores have a 'new location' suggestion link/email on their corporate web site. Take the time to recommend Southlands Mall to your favorite retailer. Who, knows - Southlands definitely has a large customer base, you might see a new 'Whole Foods' opening soon.
I also updated the banner and the layout of the listings. I did away with the individual cells, and the listing looks a lot cleaner with three simple columns. If you've got any recommendations for the page, please feel free to send me an email.
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 1st of July. The journal update (promised by Stacy) should be posted sometime after the weekend. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. and they've begun an investigation of this underground lair. During this meeting, the party returned to the lair after attending to Ashedyn's funeral. Thankfully, someone was guarding the entrance to the lair, and they were able to get back in without much of a problem. Unfortunately, things got worse after that...
The results of this most recent meeting - Caed died! - necessitated a lot of changes to the web pages. Here's a list of pages changed, and why!
* Updated the next game date on the campaign page. The next game date is: 15 July 2006.
* Players update. With the death of Caed, I had to make some changes to the Players page. The photo is way out of date, but I need to have everyone present before I can take a new photo or publish an update.
* Caed's demise. With the death of Caed, I've honored him with the traditional revered dead page. Some of the former characters (mostly dead, but some still living) in our campaign are honored with a page of their own. In addition to creation of Caed's own page, I had to update all the hyperlinked references to Kevin's character. There were 48 occurrences (in numerous documents) that had to be updated.
* Caed's demise also prompted some "Who's Who?" updates. I removed the entry for Caed, and updated the S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S. player character listing.
* Updated Caed's listing on the Hero's Gallery page. The gallery page is a list of characters from my campaign. Past and present, the characters listed here represent a fraction of those who have called Rob's World! home.
* Posted a 'this is where we left off' page. It's a recap of the battle/trap that the party was dealing with when we ended the session.
Our next meeting is on the 15th of July, and I'm looking forward to the parties continued investigation into the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. Hopefully, everyone will make it. Hopefully no one else will die. Perhaps we'll see Nicholis again? Maybe we'll see a new player. If we don't see either, I guess I'll have to put out an advertisement for two new players. Mark is currently creating a new character, and Sean is working on his 'backup' character. Between the two of them, I'm working hard to answer all the questions they've fired my way.
My Bicycle:
On Sunday (2 July 2006) I bought a new bicycle. I've been complaining that I wanted one for nearly a year now. I finally got out and bought one from a Sports Authority store. If I had known where there was a local bicycle shop, I'd have gone that route. I bought a DiamondBack response 2006. It wasn't too expensive (on sale for $320.00 / normally $400.00), and I'm happy with the purchase. I bought a service contract when I bought the bike. I haven't got any idea how to repair or tune a bicycle, so I figured the service contract - which includes tune ups, adjustments and repairs - was a good idea. Since I bought the bicycle, I've ridden it three times. It'll take me a while to get fit, but I hope to use the bicycle to keep me fit. |
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July 1, 2006
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Today I made a few updates to the web page. It's official, I spoke with a Southlands Mall representative, and there will not be any fireworks this year (sorry). They're (Southlands Mall management) waiting until the mall's grand opening (completion of the central courtyard) before they schedule any kind of major event. I also added some information regarding Free Movies! for kids* - Southlands Stadium 16 is offering free shows to kids on Tuesday & Thursday. The show dates vary, so check the theater web page for the actual show dates. Children are under 13 and they must be accompanied by parent or legal guardian.
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. A couple of iTunes downloads, and a bunch of free downloads from artist websites. I discover new music by listening to Indy tracks, visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts.
* Radio 4 - Stealing a Nation: A 3hive discovery. I downloaded three free cuts from this band back in May. I enjoyed those cuts so much that I downloaded a 12 track album from the iTunes Music store. Here's a pop band with a danceable post-punk sound. Brings back memories of Wire, Gang of Four and The Dickies.
* Boy kill boy - Suzie: A free download from the iTunes Music store. This single is a cut from their U.S. iTunes debut EP. A British band featuring powerful driving rhythms combined with tragically thoughtful lyrics.
* Uber Cool Kung-Fu (UCKF): Seven songs. Danceable power-pop with a bite. Techno-pop reminiscent of Ultravox, Depeche Mode and Human League. Free downloads from the bands web site. Another Indy discovery.
One of the sources that accounts for a large amount of my new music discovery is a web site called 3hive.com. The site features new music releases by independent artists eager to share their sound with an appreciative audience. All the downloads are free, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. Check it out. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
<http://www.3hive.com/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Mac OS 10.4.7 security update:
Another security update released by Apple has prompted the update of some of my favorite software: Safari updated to 2.0.4 (419.3), Mail.app updated to 2.1 (752/752.2). This security update prompted updates to three of my web pages: myfavs.html, feedback.html, mycomputer.html. One of the updates was a favorite:
Safari: Apple's web browser for OS X, is way ahead of the pack. Apple's browser contains a plethora of incredibly powerful features. It's no secret why Microsoft stopped developing IE for Mac! I'm currently using version 2.1 (419.3). This most recent version comes as part of a recent security update. More good news, Safari is fully compliant with the Acid 2 web standards test. Not every browser can claim that level of support for actual web standards.
Battle of the browsers. Netscape versus Internet Explorer. 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. Tabbed browsing, URL snap-back, a powerful but elegant bookmark implementation (with built-in import capability), Google search integration, built-in pop-up blocker, multiple standards (HTML, XML, XHTML, DOM, CSS, RSS, JavaScript, and Java, plus QuickTime, Flash and Shockwave plug-ins), and a host of other features. 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/>
Software favorites:
One of my favorite pieces of software just released an update. GraphicConverter moves another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter released another beta update (5.9.1b2). GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
My personal information stolen!
Back in May of 2006, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) learned that an employee (a data analyst) took home electronic data (he was not authorized to take this data home) from the VA that was stored on a laptop computer and external hard drive.
The employee's home was burglarized (on the 3rd of May) and the computer equipment, along with various other items, was stolen. The electronic data stored on this computer included identifying information for millions of veterans.
Great News! On Thursday, June 29, 2006, Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson announced that law enforcement authorities have recovered the laptop and external hard drive stolen in early-May from a VA employee's home. A preliminary review of the equipment by computer forensic experts determined that the database remains intact and has not been accessed since it was stolen. This is very good news! As for the credit monitoring that the VA promised; well, once a thorough forensics examination has been completed, they'll make a determination as to whether the credit monitoring service will be provided. |
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June 27, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 17th of June. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. and they've begun an investigation of this underground lair. During this meeting, the party spent some time in Whillip. Since the lairs entrance is located in Whillip, they haven't gone too far from the scene of the action. They left the lair in order to attend to the death of a party member. When Ashedyn died, they decided to leave the dungeon and go back to town. Something they don't usually do. Hopefully it's a decision they won't regret.
Today I updated the adventurer's journal. This journal entry comes to us from Duracell. Duracell and Ashedyn had a thing going, so this entry has a few tears. The journal is a recap of the party's adventures. I also created a graphic representation of a funeral services announcement that Grenco posted. I hope you enjoy the journal entry and the graphic.
Vehicle maintenance:
<rant>Recently, I've been pestering my dealership about recall repairs. According to AAA, the NHTSA has four recalls listed for the 2004 Volvo XC90. Unfortunately, it took me quite a while to get the dealership to admit that any of the recall items applied to my Volvo. Initially, I called the dealership, but they didn't know about any recall items. They wanted to know if I got a letter from Volvo stating that a recall applied to my vehicle. I told them "No, what difference does that make? The NHTSA says that there is a recall out for the 2004 Volvo XC90" If there's a recall out on my vehicle, I'd like the defective items replaced/repaired.
After a bit of a 'discussion', I got them to admit that they knew about one recall item on my vehicle. Whenever I talked to them about the NHTSA numbers, they refused to acknowledge the validity of any recall items issued by the NHTSA. Later I called the 1-800 national Volvo warranty number, and talked with them about the XC90 recall items. When I told them that AAA sent me information about recall items, they immediately responded that 'Well, AAA doesn't know anything!". So then I asked them whether they knew anything about the NHTSA recall items (03V391000, 03V434000, 06V144000, 06V155000). They responded "We don't have that information. We don't keep that sort of information". They even discounted the validity of any recall events that came from the NHTSA. Apparently they have 'their own recall ID numbers', and they don't directly correspond to any NHTSA numbers! Eventually, they took my VIN number and told me that the only recall item needing work on my vehicle was a faulty tie-rod/steering linkage on the vehicles front end. They weren't able to tell me that the NHTSA recall items that I referenced, don't apply to my vehicle. All they could tell me was that the only recall item affecting my vehicle was 'R157'. That's their recall number.
Is it only me, or does this seem stupid? Why don't they just use the NHTSA recall number? Why do they have to use their own number? As a consumer, I have no way of knowing whether their recall number actually corresponds to an NHTSA recall item. Why don't they have a way to cross index/reference/correlate their reference number with the NHTSA number? They also claimed that they didn't have access to the NHTSA information. What! It's publicly available. All you need is an internet connection. Apparently, they have to go by the corporate recall numbers.
After my initial disappointment with the Volvo service departments (both local and corporate), I was eventually able to schedule my vehicle for recall work. I dropped off my vehicle on a Tuesday afternoon, and they completed the repairs by noon the next day. Guess what? I can notice the difference! I always worried about the odd way the front end acted, and sounded when I made sharp turns. The turns weren't all that sharp, so I figured; "Well, I guess I just need to take it easier on the turns." As it turns out, my tie rods were severely stressed, and they could have gone out at any minute!
If I get asked to comment on the repair work/service response, Volvo will get a piss poor rating. How much do you want to bet that no one will ask? Got a possible recall item on your vehicle? You better go armed for bear when you try to get it fixed.</rant>
Computer Virus?
I own a Mac (Non-Intel chip, and no Windows OS), and due to a couple of reasons, it's virtually invulnerable to viruses, trojans and spyware, and that's the way I like it. As a result, I don't see many viruses, and I often wonder whether my Norton AntiVirus is working. Yeah, I know, I'll probably get a bunch of "Norton Sucks!" email, but hey. It works perfectly fine for me, so back off jack! Anyway, back to the subject at hand. On the 1st of June, I was surprised to find that Norton detected a virus! Attached to an email was a copy of the JS.Yamanner@m virus. Guess what? This JavaScript worm exploits a vulnerability in the Yahoo mail service, and it "Only affects PCs". Boy am I glad I own a Mac!
Macs are safer than Windows - questioning the numbers: http://www.oreillynet.com/mac/blog/2005/08/macs_are_safer_than_windows_qu.html
Study recommends Mac OS X as safest OS: http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/11/02/1722237
Comments regarding Apple's vulnerability advertisement: http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2006/5/1/3805
Why Macs are inherently safer: http://aroundcny.com/Technofile/texts/mac020304.html
Origins of the Mac OS X Operating System: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_Software_Distribution
No advertisement!
<rant>Recently (during June, 2006), I added a new graphic and link to my front page. The graphic represents my stance on advertisement. I'm not trying to make money by posting my drivel, and I don't expect anyone to pay for it. It's my drivel, and it's free! Imagining that someone might want to read my blatherings, amuses me immensely; and besides, I wouldn't stop if no one read this.* Posting to my blog/web-site (Rob's World! Was a blog before there were 'blogs'), acts as a social catharsis. Sometimes I actually rant to the walls! Getting it off my chest helps. I despise blogs and web sites that are littered with advertisements. I left GeoCities (now Yahoo), because they insisted on putting advertisements on my web page. Even after I started paying for the hosting service. What crap! Anyway, I don't see the point. I'm not trying to sell anything, and I don't think you need to see advertisements 24/7. You can consider "Rob's World!" to be your ad-free leisure zone. Never had 'em, never will!</rant>
* Does a link to an anti-advertisement website constitute advertisement?
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Recently, I've been getting a lot of questions and comments about the mall, and the feedback has been terrific. Based on that feedback, I was able to make a few updates to the web page. I added some information regarding the Sam's Club/Wal-Mart gas station: Anyone can buy gasoline at the Sam's Club/Wal-Mart gas station. You don't have to be a Sam's Club member. I also updated the "Discount Tire" listing: Construction is under way. Finally, I added a comment regarding 4th of July fireworks: As far as I've been able to determine; there will not be any 4th of July fireworks at the mall this year. I think they're (Southlands Mall management) waiting until the mall's grand opening (completion of the central courtyard) before they schedule any kind of major event. If I learn anything else regarding a fireworks event, I'll post it on my Southlands page. FYI: The rumored Wal-Mart fireworks event is also a no-go. I spoke to three people at Wal-Mart; including a supervisor, and they indicated that there are no plans for Wal-Mart (at Southlands Mall) to sponsor/have a fireworks show. |
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June 23, 2006
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Yesterday (22 Jun 06), I was contacted by a marketing and public relations manager for Alberta Development Partners, LLC. She's seen my web site, and she liked what she saw. Today (23 Jun 06), we had a brief conversation and she assured me that Alberta has no problem with my web page. As a matter of fact, she would like to help me update some of the information on the page. She's already dismissed the rumored opening of a Champ's Sports bar, and provided some updated information regarding the quarterly development meetings. I look forward to working with this Alberta representative in the future, and hope that the information that she provides will allow me to provide you with a more accurate and informative index.
Software favorites:
One of my favorite pieces of software just released an update. GraphicConverter moves another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter released another beta update (5.9.1b1). GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm> |
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June 22, 2006
My personal information stolen!
Back in May of 2006, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) learned that an employee (a data analyst) took home electronic data (he was not authorized to take this data home) from the VA that was stored on a laptop computer and external hard drive.
The employee's home was burglarized (on the 3rd of May) and the computer equipment, along with various other items, was stolen. The electronic data stored on this computer included identifying information for millions of veterans. Authorities believe the computer equipment, rather than any data on it, was the target of the theft. It is possible the perpetrators remain unaware of the information that they possess or of how to make use of it. However, out of an abundance of caution, VA is taking all possible steps to protect and inform all veterans, service members, and reservists potentially affected.
<rave>I found out about this theft at the end of May. Since then I've contacted the credit reporting bureaus in order to put an 'alert' on my credit information. Hopefully, I'll learn about any identity theft before the bills roll in. While the VA's initial reaction was luke warm. I have to admit that they've definitely stepped up their response. Since the initial news release, they've been very diligent in keeping me up to date. Their web page is updated very regularly, and they're definitely acting in a proactive manner.
After it was discovered that the theft also involved the data of active duty members, the FBI got involved. There's even a $50,000.00 reward being offered. Two recent developments actually impress me. The VA is going to offer a 'Full Year' of credit monitoring services to all affected personnel, and they're hiring a firm to do some data breach analysis. This analysis will help them determine whether this data has been/is being used to commit fraud/identity theft. I have to say that these latest developments are very encouraging, and the VA deserves Kudos for taking these steps. </rave>
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. This break I updated some of the listings for stores that aren't open yet. I added a bullet - Construction underway - For those stores that have started construction (and posted a sign). There are plenty of other stores under construction, but they are either inaccessible to the general public, or they haven't posted a sign announcing the store that's coming. In addition to the construction announcements and a few other minor changes, I also updated the Farmer's Market listing. Apparently, the Farmer's Market is open on Saturday and Thursday. Today (22 June 06 - Thursday) they had 20 vendors present, and they should have approximately 30 vendors on hand this Saturday. SouthShore developers are sponsors for the Farmer's Market. |
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June 18, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D last night (the 17th of June). The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. and they've begun an investigation of this underground lair. During this meeting, the party spent some time in Whillip. Since the lairs entrance is located in Whillip, they haven't gone too far from the scene of the action. They left the lair in order to attend to the death of a party member. When Ashedyn died, they decided to leave the dungeon and go back to town. Something they don't usually do. Hopefully it's a decision they won't regret.
Tonight's meeting wasn't very well attended. We were down three players. Mark is on vacation in Mexico, I have no idea why Nicholas didn't show, and Caren has informed me that she won't be able to continue with our group. With Caren's departure, I'll have to update some additional web pages. So, we should have some additional updates in the near future.
Movies:
I recently received three movies in the mail. Three purchases from a new place. I've been keeping an eye on a company/website called: "DeepDiscountDVD.com". Despite the fact that their prices are lower than "Bestprices.com", I've been avoiding them. Why? Well, they didn't carry all the movies that I want to buy. When it came to foreign movies, their selection wasn't as good as "Bestprices.com". This time around they had everything I wanted to order, and the prices were significantly lower. Plus, they had free shipping. So after watching them for several months, I decided to give them a try. This is only my first order, but so far I'm happy. I'm reserving judgment for now, but I'm hopeful that their level of service will match their excellent prices. So what are the new movies? Two foreign films: Hukkle - a Hungarian murder mystery with no dialog? and The Professional with Natalie Portman and Jean Reno. The other movie is a relatively new release called Garden State. A quirky comedy starring Natalie Portman and Zach Braff. With these new purchases, I updated the Must Buy listing on my movies page, and my Movies listing.
Software favorites:
One of my favorite pieces of software just released an update. GraphicConverter moves another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter moved up a notch to version 5.9.1b0. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
AAFES gave away my email address:
April 11th marked the day that I received a piece of spam that said it was From: AAFES. As it turns out, AAFES violated their publicly posted Privacy Policy. They provided my email address to an internet based marketing research firm. AAFES hired the firm to conduct a survey on their behalf. That company then broke the law when they sent me the survey solicitation. I'm very upset by this betrayal of trust, so upset that I've written an entire web page about the incident. Recently (16 June 2006), I received and replied to another response from the AAFES IG office. This time they've tried to justify the release of my personal information by claiming that a third party hired to conduct a survey is in fact equivalent to the second party because they were hired by the second party.
If you're an AAFES customer, I urge you to visit my newest web page. If you're concerned about privacy policy on the internet, you should check out this breach of trust by a government institution. |
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June 14, 2006
Big D&D update:
We played D&D on the 3rd of June. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. and they've begun an investigation of this underground lair. During this meeting, the party encountered a guardian Golem. This deadly archer was well protected by an elevated pillbox, and it was equipped with magical lightning bolt arrows. Unfortunately, one of the party members was struck multiple times by some heavy duty lightning bolts. Ashedyn died during the encounter! The party eventually killed the wooden golem with a fireball. Afterwards the party retreated from the lair. Making their way back to Whillip, they sought refuge in the church of Tymora. Due to the death of Ashedyn, I've had to make quite a few updates. Here are all the recent updates:
* Posted an updated Journal entry. This time we've got two journal entries. One from Thalidimar, and a posthumous entry from Ashedyn. The journal is a recap of the party's adventures.
* I updated the campaigns House Rules document. The content change consisted of a clarification concerning official rules errata. In general the errata ruling states the following: "Under most circumstances, errata are considered to be official rules. The only exceptions to this general rule are instances where errata contradicts an established house rule. When that happens, the DM will have to determine whether to retain, modify or reject the affected rule(s)." For details, see the house rules document. In addition to the content change, I also updated the table of contents and the page numbering of the document - Beginning with page 6.
* A new House Rules Supplement. This document goes along with the changes to the House Rules listed above. This new document reiterates the errata rules for our campaign, but it also lists the rules errata that are currently observed in our campaign.
* Updated the next game date on the campaign page. The next game date is: 17 Jun 2006. In addition to the game date update, I also added an entry/line item for the new errata House Rules Supplement listed above.
* Added a description for the Thayan Golem to the "Monsters" page. The monsters page is a listing of monsters that the party has encountered, read about or heard of.
* Players update. With the death of Ashedyn, I had to make some changes to the Players page. The photo is way out of date, but I need to have everyone present before I can take a new photo or publish an update.
* Ashedyn's demise. With the death of Ashedyn, I've honored him with the traditional revered dead page. Some of the former characters (mostly dead, but some still living) in our campaign are honored with a page of their own. In addition to creation of Ashedyn's own page, I had to update all references to Mark's character. There were 183 occurrences (in numerous documents) that had to be updated. That's a lot of references!
* Ashedyn's demise also prompted some "Who's Who?" updates. I removed the entry for Ashedyn, and updated the S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S. player character listing.
* Updated Ashedyn's listing on the Hero's Gallery page. The gallery page is a list of characters from my campaign. Past and present, the characters listed here represent a fraction of those who have called Rob's World! home.
Our next meeting is on the 17th of June, and I'm looking forward to the parties continued investigation into the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. Hopefully, everyone will make it, that way I can take a new group photo for the players page. That's a lot of updates, and I'm sure there will be more to come in the near future. Mark is currently creating a new character, and I'm struggling to keep up with all the questions flying my way.
Donate!
Back in July of 2005, I added a donation link to the bottom of my main page. This month I actually received a donation! "Rob's World!" has actually made some money. $2.00 donated by Aaron - A huge fan of Rob's World! I'm sure there's more fans out there, but Aaron was the first to show his appreciation by donate actual money! Thanks Aaron, I really appreciate the donation.
Washing Machine woes:
<rave>When Kim and I furnished our new house, we had to buy a lot of appliances - We didn't have any appliances! When we bought all those new appliances, we made a decision that some of you may not agree with. We decided to get extended warranties on the following appliances - Maytag: Refrigerator, Dishwasher, Double ovens; Whirpool: Washing machine and Clothes dryer. Well, during the first year (still under original warranty), our Washing Machine had a problem with the power switch, and now we've had another problem with it. Thankfully, we've got the extended warranty. This most recent problem resulted in a repair visit that would have cost us approximately $350.00. The extended service plan (on-site labor and parts repair option) cost us $176.00 for three years of coverage (covering both the washer & dryer). So the extended warranty has easily paid for itself.
The company that did the repair was A&E Factory Service (In the Denver metro district). It's a Sears subsidiary. Sears acquired the repair service from Montgomery Ward back in 2001. Calling in the repair was a simple matter, and we scheduled a repair visit within three days. The technician showed up on time. He was clean, curteous and knowledgeable. After thirty minutes of diagnostic work he figured out what the problem was. He ordered the appropriate parts, and asked us to call the service center when the parts arrived. Since having no washing machine was considered an emergency, the expedited delivery put the parts on our doorstep within two days. We called the service center, and had another appointment for three days later. Three days later the same technician showed up and went to work on the repair... Oh, oh. They sent the wrong parts! The invoice says they sent part x29983a, but actually they sent part x29983b. So I'm thinking "Great, now I'll have to wait another week in order to get the right part!" "No way", says the service technician. "I'm not going let that happen" He drives downtown - Twenty minutes away gets the part from an authorized repair shop, comes back and goes back to work. After an hour and a half, the repairs are completed and the technician hands us the 'Bill'. ($0.00). Excellent service!
This rave is for appliance extended warranties and A&E factory service (In the Denver metro area). The extended warranty is a tricky thing. I've had bad experience in the past, but I took the time and carefully read the tems and conditions before I decided to cover our appliances. In this case the choice to cover our appliances (except the range & microwave) was the right thing to do.</rave> |
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June 12, 2006
More Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. One free iTunes download and a bunch of free downloads from artist websites. I discover new music by listening to Indy tracks (see below), visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts.
* Office - Wound up: A free download from the iTunes Music store. This single is a cut from their album. A moody rock band who's beats are slowly winding their way around my cerebral cortex.
* Steve Holloway: Five songs. Part of the team that makes Riverdance so compelling. The music is an integral part of that performance, and Steve Holloway is the driving force behind the music. Here are five decidedly celtic instrumental pieces.
* The Futureheads: Another band that reminds me of XTC. This brit-pop inspired band is definitely worth a listen. Especially if you love the sounds of the 80's. Found this band by visiting 3hive.com
One of the sources that accounts for a large amount of my new music discovery is a web site called 3hive.com. The site features new music releases by independent artists eager to share their sound with an appreciative audience. All the downloads are free, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. Check it out. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
<http://www.3hive.com/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Our House:
Kim and I bought a new house in April of 2005, and the end of our one year warranty is rapidly approaching. So far we've had a pretty good experience with our builder. Actually, I'd say a very good experience. So far everything has been fixed to our satisfaction, and the builder representatives have been courteous, helpful, and knowledgeable. We submitted our 11 month warranty work order on time and the builder has finally finished all the outstanding work. The last item that had to be fixed was our front porch. Well, the new porch is in, the columns have been replace and repainted. The address numbers are back where they belong, and it looks like all we have to do now is wait for something to fall apart!
AAFES gave away my email address:
April 11th marked the day that I received a piece of spam that said it was From: AAFES. As it turns out, AAFES violated their publicly posted Privacy Policy. They provided my email address to an internet based marketing research firm. AAFES hired the firm to conduct a survey on their behalf. That company then broke the law when they sent me the survey solicitation. I'm very upset by this betrayal of trust, so upset that I've written an entire web page about the incident. Recently (6 June 2006), I received an official dismissal from the AAFES IG office. They've decided to ignore my concerns, dismissing my complaints with a three sentence reply.
Considering the recent theft of VA data, this lack of concern, inability to even understand my complaint, and dismissive email leaves no doubt that the government doesn't take privacy seriously. This is just another example of beuracracy in action.
If you're an AAFES customer, I urge you to visit my newest web page. If you're concerned about privacy policy on the internet, you should check out this breach of trust by a government institution. |
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June 8, 2006
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. A bunch of free downloads from artist websites. I discover new music by listening to Indy tracks (see below), visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts.
* Table Top Poets: Two songs from 'the Secret EP'. Here's an alternative band that delivers a healthy dose american rock with a brit-pop flavor. With melancholy and thoughful lyrics, this band sounds like an acoustic band with electric instruments.
* Editors: Four songs. Live versions of cuts from the album 'The Back Room'. I'm currently waiting on a PayPal transfer to complete so I can buy a copy of this album. Sounds like many of the bands that I loved back in the 80's. Danceable, driven, dynamic and downright delectible. How did I miss these guys? I downloaded the free 'Munich' single from the iTunes Music Store, and had to listen three or four times before I realized that I didn't own the album!
* Filter: Three songs. Here's a rock band where nothing gets in the way of their fierce driving sound. Discovered by listening to independent cuts using the Indy application.
One of the sources that accounts for a large amount of my new music discovery is a web site called 3hive.com. The site features new music releases by independent artists eager to share their sound with an appreciative audience. All the downloads are free, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. Check it out. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
<http://www.3hive.com/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. This break I updated the listings to add 24 hour fitness. I've received email that related a couple of rumors that this exercise chain will be opening another store in our neck of the woods. I sent an email to their corporate office. Perhaps I can get some confirmation of this rumor. I also updated the Gart Sports and Sports Authority listings (removed the Gart Sports listing). The two stores merged back in 2003, and they dropped the Gart Sports name this year. The outlet in Southlands Mall will carry the Sports Authority name. |
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June 5, 2006
Software favorites:
Two updates recently. My favorite HTML and graphic editors have both been updated. GraphicConverter moves another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better. BBEdit releases a maintenance update. Improving the worlds best text editing tool gets a little bit better.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter moved up to a full release of version 5.9. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
BBEdit is the world's greatest plain-text HTML editor. This incredibly powerful application moved up to version 8.2.6 recently. BBEdit is a high-performance HTML and text editor for the Macintosh. Designed and crafted for the editing, searching, transformation, and manipulation of text. BBEdit provides a vast array of general-purpose features which are useful for a wide variety of tasks, and includes many special purpose features which have been specifically developed in response to the needs of Web authors and software developers. It's an absolute must for any Mac enthusiast. Window's users eat your heart out! (for now).
<http://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/index.shtml>
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. This break I updated the listings to remove the Red Lobster entry. Thanks to an email from a visitor, I've learned that Red Lobster will not be coming to the Southlands Mall. Wouldn't it be great if we could get a "Pappadeaux's Seafood Kitchen" to take their place?
Eating out in Denver:
Another trip to a restaurant we discovered a couple of years back. The Elephant Bar. From the name and the decor, one might get the feeling that the cooking would be something exotic. Well, let's just say that despite it's lack of African origins, the food is pretty good. Kim had some sweet & sour chicken, and I had grilled catfish. Add in a couple of appetizers (Soy-ginger calamari and Vietnamese spring-rolls) and some drinks for a tasty lunch. Unfortunately, the booth we sat in was so cramped that I couldn't breath. Next time I'll insist on a table. I'm not a giant or a walrus, but that booth was very uncomfortable. It's not a bad place to eat, but I'm not happy with the deceptive nature of it's motif. |
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May 31, 2006
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. This break I updated the listings to include grand openings for two stores: Lollilocks and Forever Nails, and I also updated the information for a store that will be opening in October: The Make Up Store.
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. A couple of iTunes album downloads, and a bunch of free downloads from 3hive.com. I discover new music by listening to Indy tracks (see below), visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts.
* Beck - Guero: Beck has produced a lot of music over the last 14+ years, but this is the first time I've actually taken the time to listen. I really liked this album, and it all started with Black Tambourine. I can't even remember where I heard it, but that one song led me to Guero, which sounds a lot like Cake. It's crisp, catchy, and down right unstoppable pop.
* The Rakes - Capture Release: Another iTunes download. This band is a British beetles inspired post punk alternative band. With a sound that's very reminiscent of Gang of Four or Joy Division. I found their sound to be melancholy, stirring, sterling and simply surprising in its lyrics and guitar work.
* Psapp - 6 songs: Snappy happy alternative pop sound. The unorthodox use of ambient, electronic, and environmental sounds is very good. Downloaded the music from 3hive.com and the artists web site(s).
* Oh no! Oh my! - 5 songs: Formerly known as the Jolly Rogers. Here's a acoustic folk rock band where every sound seems to be part of the plan. Yet another 3hive discovery.
One of the sources that accounts for a large amount of my new music discovery is a web site called 3hive.com. The site features new music releases by independent artists eager to share their sound with an appreciative audience. All the downloads are free, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. Check it out. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
<http://www.3hive.com/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email. |
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May 25, 2006
My personal information stolen!
<rant>The VA has managed to screw things up again! This time, they managed to lose my personal information. What exactly did they lose? They lost the personal information (Name, Social security number, date of birth, disability ratings, spousal information and who knows what else?) for 26.5 Million veterans. Yeah, some idiot took the info home with him (several discs), and his home was 'burglarized'. I wonder how much he, someone would get for selling that kind of data? I can only imagine that it would be worth quite a chunk of change. So, what's the government doing about it? They're sending out letters to affected persons: "We apologize for any inconvenience or concern this situation may cause..." and they've got the FBI and VA inspector general conducting an investigation." I'm not happy. What can I do? Well, I established fraud alerts through the three credit bureaus, and I'll keep a close eye on my credit card statements.</rant>
Our House:
Kim and I bought a new house in April of 2005, and the end of our one year warranty is rapidly approaching. So far we've had a pretty good experience with our builder. Actually, I'd say a very good experience. So far everything has been fixed to our satisfaction, and the builder representatives have been courteous, helpful, and knowledgeable. We submitted our 11 month warranty work order on time and here's a list of work outstanding and completed recently.
Still needs work:
• There are numerous pits and cracks on the sidewalk near the street. Supposedly the city should fix these...
• Last year, several trees in the neighborhood were struck with some sort of ailment. Many looked like they were dying. We mentioned it to the service rep, who recommended that we wait until the spring time to see whether the trees come back. Well it's spring time now, but one of my trees (A honey locust) is half dead. I've only got leaves on the lower half of it, and several branches are bare. I sure hope the home builder follows through on their promise to replace the tree if it's needed.
Work already completed:
• Due to some significant settling and cracking, our front porch had to be dug out and repoured. Well, the wait is almost over. The porch and two columns were pulled out earlier this month, and they poured a new porch last week. Today (25 May 2006), they built some new columns. All that's left now is grouting, and painting.
On the watch list:
• The grade in our front yard is such that all the water (from lawn watering) runs across my driveway and into one corner of my front lawn. On the 2nd of May, contractors pulled back the sod and added a some dirt to shore up one corner of the front yard. They also shored up the rock where all the drainage is running off. Hopefully these measures will reduce the damage that water run off has been causing. Part of the problem is a neighbor who's overwatering.
It's spring time, and we'd like to get everything taken care of before Kim parents come to visit in July. I'm hoping that once the front porch is completed, we'll be done with the warranty work. We're looking forward to a home with no problems :-) Yeah, like that will ever happen!
A new front door:
Today (25 May 2006), a contractor installed a new full view storm door outside our front door. Kim and I picked out a nice storm door from Home Depot, and we paid for the installation. Due to the fact that we had to wait for the porch to get re-poured, it took a while to schedule the installation. Well, now that the new front porch is in, we were able to get the door installed. We still have to paint some trim, but I'll post a new photo after that's done.
Vehicle maintenance:
The 50,000 mile checkup was due for the Passat, so we took it to the garage on Wednesday (the 24th of May) and Kim took the Volvo to work. Today (25th of May) the garage (Tynan's Automotive) called to say that the vehicle was ready. We knew that it was going to need new brakes - for some reason the rotors had warped? Well, the cost for rear rotors and drums? $575.00. I wasn't particularly happy. <rant>Our next car will not be a Volkswagen. This one has had far too many problems. As a matter of fact, I went online looking for 'most reliable cars', and I stumbled across a 'least reliable' list. Guess what was on it? Out of all the cars rated by Consumer Reports, both of our vehicles (Yes even the XC90) were on the 'least reliable' list.</rant>
That's odd, the only problem I've had with the Volvo has been a cracked plastic piece that covers the rear windshield wiper. Unfortunately, I might be in for bigger problems down the road. I recently received two recall notifications for the XC90. I've got recall notifications for the windshield wiper and tie-rod assembly. The tie-rod assembly problem scares me. I don't think I'll wait until the next scheduled service for that one.
Weird, I did some additional searches on XC90 reliability and I couldn't find any reported problems. When I did a similar search for the Passat, I found lots of consumer complaints. I wonder why Consumer Reports rated the XC90 low in reliability? After additional searches, I still couldn't find any real reliability info on the XC90. For now, I'm reserving judgment. If no one is posting any actual reliability data or complaints, it seems to me that there isn't much to go on. I'm very happy with my Volvo. Not so with the Passat - Too many visits to the dealer for problems: Headlights (twice), home link, directional indicators (three times), dead battery, brakes (twice), broken shroud, bent steering component (under the vehicle), electronic controls in steering column, electronic controls for front drivers side seat, cracked oil pan, flat tires (three times), fan noise from inside the dash - Yeah, that's enough. We bought it in 2001, and it's been in the shop quite a bit. I'll be looking for something more reliable next time.
Eating out in Denver:
Lately, Kim and I have been eating out quite a bit. Over the last seven days (19-25 May) we've eaten out three times. We ate at P.F. Changs on Friday, at Sonata's (for sushi) on Wednesday, and we tried a new place J. Shabu's; which features a Japanese Nabe style of cooking - where you cook the food in a pot of hot/simmering broth until it's done just the way you like it. We've eaten Shabu-Shabu style cooking before, but this is the first time we've had it in the states. J. Shabu's was great, we'll definitely have to go again. I had the seafood meal, but I'd like to try the prime rib. That looked really good. |
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May 23, 2006
Movies:
I recently made a few changes to my movies page. I updated the 'Must Watch' list, I swapped out a favorite in the genre listing. I pulled Star Wars (Episode IV: A new hope), and plugged The Chronicles of Riddick into it's place. It comes at you full speed, like a non-stop freight-train, like a psycho-path on addrenalin overdrive. In addition to these changes to the movies page, I also updated the listing of my movie collection. It took me a while, but I finally figured out how to add the star ratings to the listing.
Books:
On the 22nd of May, a package arrived on my doorstep. UPS delivered my latest order of books. Included in the package were two paperbacks, additions to my already strained bookshelf. I have no idea when I'm going to read all these books. The latest additions were: Deception Point by Dan Brown and The Battle of Corrin by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson.
D&D Books:
Recently (22 May 2006), I purchased another new rule book for my favorite game. The latest acquisition is a copy of the "Player's Handbook II". This new rule book contains a lot of new feats, classes, spells, etc. Not just a rehash of existing material, a cobble work of non-integrated 'optional' rules, or an errata patch. It actually contains a bunch of new material that's fully integrated with the current rules. As a result of this addition, I updated my D&D books page. As a result of this new purchase, I've also updated the House Rules used in our f2f (Face-to-Face) D&D campaign. If you're a member of the gaming group, you may want to download this latest update. |
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May 21, 2006
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. This break Kim and I went to see the DaVinci Code (see my reviews page) at the new Southlands Stadium 16 theater. The new theater had it's grand opening a couple of weekends ago. The theater is huge! We sat in one of the large capacity auditoriums and there were several dozen moviegoers in the seats, despite the fact that it was the latest showing of the evening.
Over the last couple of days I've received thanks and recognition from making the Southlands Mall page available. Not only did I receive a few thank you emails, and a link in a local community web site, but the web page was hilighted in the Denver Business Journal. We're number one! The Southlands Mall web page remains top ranked in Google and Yahoo search engines. I enjoy keeping the web page up to date, but the best part is the feedback I've received from residents in the area. Thanks for the feedback.
Here's what the Denver Business Journal had to say:
Watching Southlands grow
When Robert Vaessen retired from the Air Force in 2005, he landed a job as a signals analyst for an area defense contractor and chose a home near the new Southlands mall sprouting up at E-470 and Smoky Hill Road in Aurora. He's taken a keen interest in area development, and on his 10-year-old "Rob's World" Web page (www.robsworld.org), Vaessen updates residents about Alberta Development Partners/Pacific Coast Capital's progress on the mall, which features 75 stores and a four-block Main Street district inspired by classic main streets.
"I have been following the construction efforts at the mall," said Vaessen, who recently spread the word about the grand opening of Colorado Cinemas-Southlands Stadium 16. "I'll probably be there soon after the opening to take in a showing of 'The Da Vinci Code.'"
More Southlands Mall news: This weekend I found out that the mall hosts a Farmer's Market every Saturday! From 0800-1300 in the Southlands Stadium parking lot. This weekend there were about a dozen vendors. According to an event coordinator, there should be 24 vendors there next weekend. Great! Fresh produce directly from the growers. Southlands Mall is a large venue, and I have no doubt that this farmers market will be a sucess.
Heat Wave:
I guess spring is over, we're in the middle of a heat wave. All this week the temperatures have been in the 80's and 90's. As a matter of fact, yesterday the thermostat on the south facing side of our house hit 98 degrees! (36.6 celsius). We've even had to turn the air conditioner on. With indoor temperatures reaching 75 degrees, it's getting a little bit uncomfortable. Especially when you try to get some sleep.
Software favorites:
Another GraphicConverter update. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter moved up to version 5.9b0. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
Our House:
Kim and I bought a new house in April of 2005, and we're very happy with our D.R Horton home. So happy in fact, that I had to put up a web page about it! I love it, you'll love it, you've got to see it - I insist! Today (20 April 2006) I updated the primary 'Our House' web page. I made some layout changes, created a new title graphic, changed the color scheme, switched my own elevation photo for the one I got from D.R. Horton, and changed some of the text. I hope you like the changes.
The Front Door:
Today I updated the 'Front Door' of the web site. No major changes, just a little rearranging. I added a link to the Southlands Mall page, and moved around a couple of other links. |
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May 16, 2006
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. An iTunes album download, a bunch of free downloads from 3hive.com and artist web sites, and an album download (I only download music I own rights to/license for) using FrostWire. I discover new music by listening to Indy tracks (see below), visiting 3hive.com and consuming a few different music podcasts.
* The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers: A whole new album (debut was 16 may - I downloaded the album at appx 0230 mst - was I first?). A band formed by The White Stripes front-man Jack White. Inspired by the incredibly catchy tune 'Steady as she goes', this premier is percolating with pleasing pop-inspired lyrics, quirky, kinky tracks and a roller coaster of beat treats. I'll be listening. Over and over and over again. Discovered through the "iTunes new music tuesday" podcast.
* The Damned - 3 songs: Downloaded from the official website <http://www.thedamned.com/>. The Damned are one of those early proto-punk bands from England. A mix of 70's and 80's. I've got a bunch of their albums. Here I found a few downloads of some favorite tracks.
* Speaker Speaker - Again and again and again: A 3 song ep. Snappy song smithing, energetic alternative. Discovered through 3hive.com.
* Chad VonGaalen - 4 songs: Melancholy acoustic guitar with a brilliant drum beat. Ephemeral vocals drifting through a subconscious soundscape. Another 3hive discovery. * Peter Walker - 5 songs: Now here's some talent. Peter Walker has gathered Beck's bassist, Wilco's keyboard/guitarist and REM's drummer to back his folk inspired, rock powered pop. Another 3hive discovery.
* Micah P. Hinson - The leading guy: Strumin' acoustic folk strains, reminiscent of Johnny Cash. Another 3hive.com discovery.
* Matisyahu - King without a crown: A hasidic jew with a hip/hop reggae beat. Totally unexpected. This music is faith inspired, but beat-box driven. Dance to the beat of this alternative rapper. Another 3hive discovery.
* Radio 4 - 3 songs: A pop band with that danceable post-punk sound. Brings back memories of Wire, Gang of Four and The Dickies. Yet another 3hive discovery.
One of the sources that accounts for a large amount of my new music discovery is a web site called 3hive.com. The site features new music releases by independent artists eager to share their sound with an appreciative audience. All the downloads are free, and I've already found plenty of worthy tracks. Check it out. If you know of other similar web sites, please drop me a note (see email address below). The genres I most enjoy are: Alternative, folk, country and punk. Yeah, I know it's an odd mix, but it's my mix. :-)
<http://www.3hive.com/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Snow? in May!
Working the night watch (9th of May) is a bit isolating. Especially when your workplace is a windowless underground facility. Sometimes you forget that there's a world outside.
So, I'm toiling away at the computer, attempting to keep myself awake with copious amounts of coffee and continual stimulation of the frontal lobe - Clickity, click, clack, hit the return key and lean back - That's when a coworker returns from a smoke break. "You'll never believe it!" he says. "What's that?" I reply. "It's snowing!", "No way!" I say. So I stroll over to the mission directors monitor. Sure enough the security cam is aimed at the parking lot. There it is big as life. Snow! It's coming down alright. Thinking it might be a mirage, I head for the surface. Moments later, the rumors are confirmed. Undeniable - A coating of white on the formerly green turf surrounding our island of light and warmth. Later that day the snow stuck around until the afternoon (on the 10th of May).
And then there was a heat wave:
No sooner do I write about snow in May, when there's a heat wave just three days away. That's right, we had snow on the 10th of May, with temperatures down below freezing. Springtime in Colorado brings schizophrenic weather patterns, and this one was a perfect example. The thermometer climbed up past the 80 mark for two days running. The 12th and 13th of May ushered in an impressive heat wave. Every one was out and about enjoying the balmy weather. Wearing bermudas, sandals and sunglasses, summer seemed to arrive a little early.
Movies:
I recently received three movies in the mail. Purchases were made from a favorite online merchant: Bestprices.com. Two import/foreign movies and one classic American comedy. All together the movies cost me $36.46 ($41.95 w/shipping). At Amazon, the movies would have cost me $44.97 (free shipping), and Barnes & Nobles would have charged me $49.94 (not counting shipping or taxes!), as a member (that costs $25.00 a year!) it would have cost $44.04. Wal-Mart on-line didn't carry Zatoichi (it's a Japanese movie), and the prices for the other two were more than the Bestprices.com prices. I've found places that sell movies for less, but I haven't found any other place that has the selection and price combination that suits me.
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Zatoichi / Sonatine
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The Star Maker
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Stripes
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Bestprices.com |
$14.23 |
$7.66 |
$14.57 |
total = $36.46
w/shipping = $41.95
No tax in Colorado |
Amazon.com |
$19.99 |
$9.99 |
$14.99 |
total = $44.97
Free shipping |
Circuit City |
$17.99 |
$9.99 |
$15.99 |
total = $43.97
Free shipping (or pickup)
Tax assessed by zip code. |
Barnes & Noble |
$19.98 / *$17.98
*Price w/membership |
$9.98 / *$8.98
*Price w/membership |
$19.98 / *$17.98
*Price w/membership |
total = $49.94 / *$44.94
w/shipping = $47.91
Tax assessed by zip code. |
With the purchase of the new movies, I updated my movie listing and my movies page. It'll take me some time, but I hope to watch all these movies within the month.
Newsletter:
Each month I send out a monthly newsletter to the avid fans of Rob's World! (Imagine that?) If you're one of the subscribers to my newsletter, you'll receive the latest copy in a couple days. If you're interested in reading about happenings at Rob's World! you can forego the daily chore of logging in to check out the latest nugget. The newsletter is a more convenient way to keep up to date on the comings and going in the life and times of Robert & Kim Vaessen and my crazy little web site. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want a copy emailed directly to them every month! Over the last month, I've added three new subscribers. If you're interested in receiving the newsletter, all you have to do is send an email to "newsletter-on" at Robsworld.org. Check out the web page for more details.
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 6th of May. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. and they've begun an investigation of this underground lair. The meeting consisted of additional exploration and a battle with a second guardian Thogsilla. A creature with a multi-part body. After defeating the guardian monsters, the party desecrated a pair of twin temples. This morning (17 May) I updated some of the campaign pages. Thanks to Mark, I was also able to update the group's adventurers journal. I updated the journal, the monsters listing, the character listing, the player listing and I even made a minor change to the 'Where now?' page.
Our next meeting is on the 20th of May (Friday), and I'm looking forward to the parties continued investigation into the lair of C.O.E.P.A.S. Hopefully, everyone will make it, that way I can take a new group photo for the players page. |
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May 12, 2006
Mac OS 10.4.5 security update:
Another security update released by Apple has prompted the update of some of my favorite software: Safari updated to 2.0.3 (417.9.3), Mail.app updated to 2.0.7 (746.2/750). This security update prompted updates to three of my web pages: myfavs.html, feedback.html, mycomputer.html. One of the updates was a favorite:
Safari: Apple's web browser for OS X, is way ahead of the pack. Apple's browser contains a plethora of incredibly powerful features. It's no secret why Microsoft stopped developing IE for Mac! I'm currently using version 2.0.3 (417.9.3). This most recent version comes as part of a recent security update. More good news, Safari is fully compliant with the Acid 2 web standards test. By the way, it's the only browser that complies with the standard!
Battle of the browsers. Netscape versus Internet Explorer. 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. Tabbed browsing, URL snap-back, a powerful but elegant bookmark implementation (with built-in import capability), Google search integration, built-in pop-up blocker, multiple standards (HTML, XML, XHTML, DOM, CSS, RSS, JavaScript, and Java, plus QuickTime, Flash and Shockwave plug-ins), and a host of other features. 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/> |
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May 7, 2006
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. This break I updated a few entries on the page. Bright Now Dental and the Wolf Camera stores have both opened. Actually, that Wolf Camera opening slipped past me. I don't think they put up a 'Now Open' banner. There's one more opening - Kim and I attended the grand opening of the new theater this weekend (Colorado Cinema / Southlands Stadium 16). On the 5th we attended a late showing of Silent Hill (see my reviews page for my review). The new theater is huge! We're planning to go back in a couple of weeks to see The Davinci Code.
Movies:
During this break (5-7 May 2006), Kim and I attended the grand opening of a new theater in the mall near us (see above). We saw Silent Hill - Yes it's a movie based on a video game. For a review you'll have to check out my reviews page. In addition to this theater visit, I saw four movies this weekend. During this break I updated my movies page. I added a couple of new genres (Foreign, Documentary) to my favorites listing.
Our House:
Kim and I bought a new house in April of 2005, and we're quickly learning what it means to be home owners. It's a lot of hard work, there aren't any manuals on how to be a home owner, and everything costs a lot of money - Unless you do it yourself. Unfortunately, I don't know enough to do it myself, and I haven't got the time to read a book on how to do everything... Enough with the pitter patter. What's the point you're probably asking?
<rave>This weekend I hired someone to do a bit of yard work around the house. Ampelio Medina of New View Landscaping LLC. Ampelio was the contractor who completed my backyard project last year. This weekend he (and his employees) put in some cobblestone, filed in some low spots, and repaired some broken sprinkler components. Ampelio and his workers did a fantastic job. They started the job promptly (the day after I asked if they could do the job), they did exactly what I asked for, they didn't purchase unnecessary materials (I asked for some materials that weren't necessary), they spoke English, they didn't make a lot of noise, they explained what they were doing, they completed the job quickly and cleaned up afterwards. Oh yeah, lets not forget the price. Ampelio quoted me a price which included materials and labor. Then I asked him to do extra work. Afterwards, I asked what the price was with the extra work (he fixed some broken sprinkler components). He said that the price was the same. I was so pleased with the work that I wrote the check for 10% over what he asked for. I'll definitely use Ampelio again.</rave> |
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May 3, 2006
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. One iTunes free download, and a few free downloads from artist web sites, discovered while surfing the web or following up on Indy tracks (see below).
• The Raconteurs - Steady as she goes (acoustic version). This acoustic track was a free iTunes download. White Stripes frontman - Jack White, has created a new sound in this band. They don't have an album out yet, but the early releases promise a rich reward for those willing to wait. I'll be in line when the first album drops (May 16). Check out the bands web site for some sonic samples.
• The Bradbury's - 3 songs: I discovered this music by listening to music streamed via Indy. The Bradbury's provide us with some Pop inspired tunes that are iPod worthy.
The one source that accounts for most of my 'exposure' these days is an application called 'Indy'. This application runs on Mac, Windows and Linux. It streams independent music continuously. It actually downloads the mp3's to your computer. You need to go in and delete the songs you gave low ratings, but the ones you rated highly stick around so you can add them to your collection. The music consists of independent artist submissions to a centralized server/service. It's a pretty neat little app, if you've got the time, check it out:
<http://indy.tv/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. This week I added a couple of graphics to the web page, nothing fancy, a small image of the main mall area (around the theater), and a mini-map. The images are linked to the developers web site, and a MapQuest map. I also added a banner about the theaters grand opening. Kim and I will probably take in 'The DaVinci code' shortly after the theater opens.
Our House:
Kim and I bought a new house in April of 2005, and the end of our one year warranty is rapidly approaching. So far we've had a pretty good experience with our builder. Actually, I'd say a very good experience. So far everything has been fixed to our satisfaction, and the builder representatives have been courteous, helpful, and knowledgeable. We submitted our 11 month warranty work order on time and here's a list of work outstanding and completed recently.
Still needs work:
• The front porch needs to be dug out and repoured. We've been promised this repair on several occasions. Supposedly, it'll happen in April or May. Yesterday (the 2nd of May) contractors pulled out two of the columns on our front porch.
• There are numerous pits and cracks on the sidewalk. Supposedly the city should fix these...
• Last year, several trees in the neighborhood were struck with some sort of ailment. Many looked like they were dying. We mentioned it to the service rep, who recommended that we wait until the spring time to see whether the trees come back. Well it's spring time now, and we're all waiting for buds to appear. A hard freeze killed off the first round of buds, and so far it's not looking to good. We'll see what happens in the next few weeks.
Work already completed:
• The grade in our front yard is such that all the water (from lawn watering) runs across my driveway and into one corner of my front lawn. Yesterday (the 2nd of May) contractors pulled back the sod and added a some dirt to shore up one corner of the front yard. They also shored up the rock where all the drainage is running off. Hopefully these measures will reduce the damage that water run off has been causing.
• One of our shutters (on the South side of the house) was coming loose from the siding. Our D.R. Horton service representative fixed this himself. He did a very good job.
It's spring time, and we're ready to get all these repairs out of the way. The outstanding work shouldn't take to long to fix (well, maybe the front porch will take some time), and we're looking forward to a home with no problems :-) Yeah, like that will ever happen!
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 22nd of April. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered a C.O.E.P.A.S. lair and they've begun their investigation of this underground lair. The meeting consisted of some exploration and a battle with an ugly monster. The Thogsilla has a multi-part body, and it was found guarding a temple of C.O.E.P.A.S. This morning (3 May) I updated the campaign page to reflect the next game date. Thanks to Mark, I was also able to update the group's adventurers journal. We have a new player candidate lined up for Saturday's session, and hopefully she'll be able to fill the spot that Kevin recently vacated. |
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April 27, 2006
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. An iTunes music store purchase, and a bunch of free downloads from artist web sites, discovered while surfing the web or following up on Indy tracks (see below).
• Hard-Fi - Stars of CCTV: Purchased from the iTunes music store. I learned about this band from the iTunes new music tuesday podcast. I downloaded a free single, and every time the song came up on my iPod I found myself singing along. A great alternative rock band with great guitar licks and lyrics that sting a bit.
• James Correa - 5 songs: I discovered this music by listening to music streamed via Indy. James correa delivers some great folk music, and I'm glad I found his website.
• Ellen Rosner - Ready, Steady, Go!: Another full album download via the artists web page. I don't usually dig the chicks as vocalists, but the lyrics and instrumentation of this poptastic offering contains some great lyrics and guitar work with a decidedly folksy flavor.
The one source that accounts for most of my 'exposure' these days is an application called 'Indy'. This application runs on Mac, Windows and Linux. It streams independent music continuously. It actually downloads the mp3's to your computer. You need to go in and delete the songs you gave low ratings, but the ones you rated highly stick around so you can add them to your collection. The music consists of independent artist submissions to a centralized server/service. It's a pretty neat little app, if you've got the time, check it out:
<http://indy.tv/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. I updated the music collection (posted online) today. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
More snow! in April?
We've already had temperatures in the 80's but apparently that doesn't count for much in this neck of the woods (note: there aren't any 'woods' in my neck of the woods). Colorado weather - You just never know when it's gonna snow.
The other night (April 24th) I was cranking out some code on my computer, when I realized that my knuckles were aching (see my article on the 'Human Barometer'). I strolled over to the kitchen, cracked back one of the blinds, and spied the light outside the garage. I was of course, quite surprised to see snow flitting past the glare of that beacon in the dark. Who would've thunk?
That day and the next, we accumulated about an 8th of an inch. A fairly light coating, but still something to write about. Luckily it didn't get too cold. It only got down to 28F or so! Late April in Colorado? Over the next four days the temps remained low. I don't think we cracked the 50's until today. |
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April 24, 2006
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Over the last week there were a few developments regarding the web page. Apparently It's starting to get noticed. It's currently listed as the most frequently visited/most popular Southlands Mall web page on both Yahoo and Google search engines. This weekend I posted a bunch of updates to the Southlands page. I added a bunch of new store listings (nothing new has opened since the Payless Shoe Store), I updated the Housing/Condominiums section, and I added a disclaimer.
Privacy Policy:
Based on a recent experience with AAFES. (See the 22 April 2006 "What's New?" entry), I've decided to add a privacy policy to my web page. Just in case you're concerned about your privacy, and you should be. I've created this very simple privacy policy:
I won't give away your email address (or any other personally identifiable information) to anyone without your prior approval.
That's it. Yeah, it's pretty simple. To the point and easy to understand. Keep in mind that I'm not selling anything. There aren't any adds at Rob's World! You don't have to register to visit/use my web site. There aren't any cookies here, no tracking beacons, and no insidious identity detection software running behind the scenes. I'm not about to sell, give away, lease or rent your personal information to any internet based market research firms or spammers.
care about the personal information of others. I have gone to great lengths to protect not only my own email address, but those of people who have visited my web sites, sent me email, and corresponded with me. I've taken measures to prevent spam-bots from collecting personally identifiable information from my web site. I've even created and promoted the use of techniques designed to protect the privacy of other netizens. Yes my email address is posted (in graphic format to deter email harvesting spam-bots) on my web pages, but I control that dissemination. I didn't willingly give it to a marketing research firm.
I care about personal privacy. The web is not a safe place to leave your personal information laying about. |
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April 22, 2006
AAFES gave away my email address:
<rant>April 11th marked the day that I received a piece of spam that said it was From: AAFES. As it turns out, AAFES violated their publicly posted Privacy Policy, provided my email address to an internet based marketing research firm. AAFES hired the firm to conduct a survey on their behalf. That company then broke the law when they sent me the survey solicitation. I'm very upset by this betrayal of trust, so upset that I've written an entire web page about the incident. If you're an AAFES customer, I urge you to visit my newest web page. If you're concerned about privacy policy on the internet, you should check out this breach of trust by a government institution.</rant>
Our House:
Kim and I bought a new house in April of 2005. Our first home. It's been over a year since then, and we've been engrossed in the new house. Settling into a new home is quite a chore. There are A LOT of expenses, expected and otherwise. We've still got a lot of work to do, and I imagine it'll never stop. Owning your own home brings a lot more work than a rental, and I didn't expect this much fun! Over the past year there's been a lot of construction in the neighborhood, and the house was looking pretty dingy on the outside. <rave>Well, in order to spruce it up some, we hired a company that does window cleaning and power washing. Reflection Windows is listed on the 'Tom Martino' referral list. Tom Martino is a consumer advocate in the Denver area. His referral list has been (for us and many others) a go-to list of trusted merchants & businesses in the Denver metro area. We selected Reflection Windows primarily based on the fact that they're listed on Tom's referral list, and we're glad we did.
Reflection Windows did a spectacular job for a very reasonable price.The cleaned all our windows (even the basement windows) and screens, inside and out using the proper tools. They didn't just spray them with a hose. They took their time and did it right. They power washed our garage, front porch, driveway and the exterior of the house. They even knocked down an old hornets nest. The fact that they cancelled on a rainy day speaks volumes in their favor. Not only did they do right by us, it's apparent that they even care about their employees!
Reflection Windows has just earned a spot on my referral list. I'd recommend them to anyone who wants to spruce up their exterior and get the gleam back in their home. Thanks for a job well done.</rave>
Snowy White Mocha:
Kim is an unbelievably talented cook. Her cooking blows me away just about every day. While visiting her parents one year, we were introduced to a blended iced espresso drink that simply blew us away. Reminiscent of Italy, It was creamy, cold, rich and chocolaty. Sweet, with a touch of caramel and carried that unmistakable bite and pickup of an espresso drink. It carried us through that summer day like a dream on a whipped cream cloud. Unfortunately, we couldn't find that amazing drink at any of our local coffee shops. So, being the extraordinary chef that she is, Kim went about re-creating that summertime treat from the truly remarkable taste. Another new web-page. A decidedly delicious espresso treat. Check out Kim's recreation. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. |
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April 21, 2006
Movies & Music:
Two pieces of software that I use to catalog a couple of collections have been updated lately. I use CDPedia & DVDPedia to catalog my music and movie collections. I also use the software to post my collections online. It's fantastic software. It's very easy to use, flexible, powerful, has a nice clean interface, and it's inexpensive. Rather than list all the features, I'll simply list the links to the software (see below). Why don't I list it on my 'Software Favorites' web page? Well, that web page is reserved for software (for the Mac) that I use to design, edit and maintain my web pages. This software doesn't fit well in that category. Update: Yeah, they updated the software recently. Release 3.0 came out on the 15th of April, 2006, and a maintenance release followed shortly after (3.0.1 on the 19th of April). Since I updated the software, I've updated my movie collection, and an update to my music collection won't be far behind.
<http://bruji.com/dvdpedia/index.html>, <http://bruji.com/cdpedia/index.html>
Software favorites:
Another GraphicConverter update. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. With another full release, GraphicConverter has moved up to version 5.8.2 recently (April 20, 2006). GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm> |
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April 17, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 8th of April. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered a possible lair/headquarter for C.O.E.P.A.S. and they've begun an investigation of this underground lair. The meeting consisted of a trip through a trap riddled entry as well as encounters with a few monsters.
As a result of that meeting (like so many others), I've updated some of our house rules and campaign related pages. Below are listed the latest updates:
• I updated the 'Campaign' page. Not the 3rd edition campaign (the campaign I'm running now) page, but the primary D&D page. A portal to all my D&D and FRPG materials. It's the page with the battling knights on it. I revised the page layout, style and color scheme, in order to make it more like the 3rd edition D&D related pages.
• I sent out an email regarding the use of the party's 'Anti-Magic' gem. A very powerful magic item that they've been turning to in order to negate magical monsters, effects and traps. The email basically clarified a restriction on it's abilities. The Anti-Magic gem cannot be used to neutralize or destroy golems or corporeal undead (including zombies and skeletons).
• I updated the campaigns House Rules document. There were several changes to the house rules. Cosmetic and content. The changes were:
• • Updated the documents cover graphic. The new cover graphic references D&D instead of AD&D.
• • Updated the page numbering of the document - Beginning with page 6. (The changes began on the cover, but the page numbers don't change until page 6.)
• • Updated the table of contents for the document. Added new sections. Added new paragraph headings. Changed page numbering in TOC.
• • Changed the rules regarding Prestige Classes. From now on the approval of prestige classes will be done on a case by case basis. See page 6.
• • Clarified the use of/changed the rules regarding the 'Take 10 / Take 20' rules from the PHB (including an update to the last paragraph of the 'Critical Success/Critical failure' rule on pages 16-17. Our campaign runs these rules a bit differently than the PHB. Basically, you get a +3 under 'Take 10' conditions, and a +5 under 'Take 20' conditions. See pages 17-18.
• • Added some new rules under the 'Experience and Advancement' section. The new rules address the costs for adding a level of 'Prestige Class' to your character. See page 27.
• I added one new location to the "Where Now?" page. The party believes that Building #417 (in Whillip) is a headquarters or lair for C.O.E.P.A.S. "Where Now?" is a listing of various places the party has visited.
• Added two new descriptions (Clay Golem and Earth Elemental) to the "Monsters" page. The monsters page is a listing of monsters that the party has encountered, read about or heard of.
• Posted an updated Journal entry. Thanks again to Mark for the journal entry. The journal is a recap of the party's adventures.
In addition to these web page and house rule updates, I'm also working to fill the chair left vacant by Kevin. Hopefully, we can fill that spot in time for our next meeting. If you know someone who might be interested in joining our 3rd edition D&D campaign, please contact me.
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. A bunch of free downloads from artist web sites, discovered while surfing the web or following up on Indy tracks (see below).
• Nerve - 2 songs: One from Indy, one from the artists web site. Rock n Roll baby. A great cover and a pretty good rock band.
• dilo - robots: An entire album. Downloaded from the artists web site. 11 songs in all. They're a Spanish band with a world, alternative, techno, electronica, dance, trance, ambient sound.
• Shark attack - 3 songs: Downloaded from the artists web site. Here's some pretty good Reggae. Also download singles from two other bands. Easy way out (a punk band) and Hatch Back (another Reggae band).
The one source that accounts for most of my 'exposure' these days is an application called 'Indy'. This application runs on Mac, Windows and Linux. It stream independent music continuously. It actually downloads the mp3's to your computer, you need to go in and delete the songs you gave low ratings, but the ones you rated highly stick around so you can add them to your collection. The music consists of independent artist submissions to a centralized server/service. It's a pretty neat little app, if you've got the time, check it out:
<http://indy.tv/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Eating out in Denver:
A while back a new Chili's opened in the Southlands Mall, just a mile or so from our home. Chili's is a chain (no kidding), but the food is palatable. We started off with a new appetizer (Kickin’ Jack Nachos). Nachos made with Monterey Jack and pico de galo. The Kim ordered something new (Citrus fire chicken and shrimp fajitas), and I ordered one of my favorites (Smoked Turkey sandwich). All this plus drinks came to just over $35.00. Not bad, considering the fact that Kim couldn't finish all her fajitas (leftovers).
He's outta here!
Last night (17 April 2006), a small but close knit group of friends gathered at the Buffalo Wild Wings near the Park Meadows mall. We had a bit to drink (Two pints of Guinness for me), some light snackin food, and a good deal of conversation. We gathered there to see off a friend; a going away for one of my coworkers. I'll bet I'm going to see a lot of these in the years to come. Last nights party was for a co-worker who I grew to respect and like. Dave is on his way to Alaska for his final tour with the AF. After 18+ years, this next assignment will most likely end his Air Force career in a favorite place. As often as he talked about Alaska, I'm sure that Dave is going to enjoy his next tour immensely. Good luck Dave. We'll miss you. Bravo crew just won't be the same.
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Over the last week there were two developments regarding the web page. Apparently It's starting to get noticed. The manager of the mall's 'On the Border' restaurant emailed me. I completely forgot to list that restaurant! He requested that I add his business to my listing. No problem, sorry about that. I'm not sure how I could've missed the place. As a result of his email, I added his restaurant to the index.
The other incident involved a phone call. The owners of Ecco shoes (They've got a really nice line of shoes, and I do need a new pair) are thinking about opening a store in Southlands Mall. Their director of customer service was doing some research, and he found my web site. He had a few questions, so he gave me a phone call. We chatted for a while (about the demographic and locations of various shopping centers in and around the South Denver area), and he thanked me for providing the web page as a service. I even scored a discount coupon for a new pair of shoes. Nice! |
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April 13, 2006
The MacAddict disc:
<rant>I subscribe to MacAddict magazine. I receive the magazine in the mail every month. Along with each issue comes a disc. The disc is packed with programs, some music and a video or two. It's one of the reasons I continue to subscribe to a magazine that has, in all truthfulness, been in decline these last few years. In the past the disc came with an interactive interface which enhanced the users experience, made it easy to browse the contents of the disc, and facilitated access to the large amount of data packed onto each disc. Recently, beginning with the May '06 issue, the interactive interface is gone. It's been replaced with.. "Nothing!". Not even an html/web enabled interface to assist users in browsing the disc. I'm peeved. What's up with the MacAddict producers? Did they think that eliminating a useful feature would make more people subscribe to the magazine? Who's interests are they promoting by eliminating this useful feature. If I can't find or easily install a sponsors software, how does that benefit the sponsor? It seems to me that this move is calculated to piss off readers and advertisers alike. Swift move MacAddict.</rant>
Eating out in Denver:
<rave>A while back (in December of 2005) Kim and I ate at P.F. Chang's China Bistro. It's a chain, but it's a bit more upscale than your typical Burger King. We didn't have a very good experience, and we were hesitant to return. Well, a P.F. Chang's recently opened in the Southlands Mall. We eventually decided to try another visit. This time around we had a good experience. Kim had Lemon scallops, and I had Lemon pepper salmon. Kim's scallops were light, slightly crunchy and surprisingly tasty. My salmon was very good, but it was a little overdone (My fault - I didn't tell them how I wanted it prepared). The steamed Flaming red wontons were excellent, the service was good and the overall experience was pleasant. The price: $51.08 for two w/out tip). The food is definitely not Chinese, but it does have Asian influences, and the menu contains enough variety to assure a few return visits.</rave> We'll avoid the premium drinks on our next visit, as we paid $3.00 for a 1 liter bottle of San Pellegrino, and $2.00 for a glass of iced tea. Why isn't iced tea a fountain drink?
My Scanner:
<rant>I own a Canon Lide30 scanner, and recently I decided to upgrade the software that came bundled with it. I went looking for a new version of the CanoScan Toolbox application, found a new version and installed it. Unfortunately, the new version didn't work the first time I tried to use it (a few days later). After reading through the accompanying documentation, I couldn't find any reason why the software wouldn't work. I had the latest version of the TWAIN driver and I'd followed the installation instructions when I installed the application. Eventually I got the thing to work by re-installing the TWAIN driver, despite the fact that it was the same version as the one it replace when I reinstalled it.
Apparently the CanoScan Toolbox application doesn't use the /Library/Image Capture/ directory for installation of the TWAIN plug-in component. Instead it puts a Plug-Ins folder in the same folder as the application. That's odd, other applications won't be able to share the component if you put it there. Why not use the standardized plug-in location? If you're going to put the Plug-Ins folder in the same directory as the application (a non-standard location), why not include the installation of the driver with the application? Or fold it into an application package for that matter? Come on Canon, get your act together. Didn't anyone test the installation of this new version against a previously installed base? Why didn't the new Toolbox application recognize the previously installed Plug-In? Why did it overwrite the required TWAIN component? I like the scanner, and I like Canon products, but customers shouldn't have to spend hours troubleshooting the installation of something as simple as the scanner interface application</rant>
Web site down!
The company I use to host my web pages, uses a company called CIHost for all of it's internet hosting. Well, CIHost had an outage on Monday (10 April 2006). As a result of the outage. Rob's World! Was down for a good portion of the day. I estimate that the outage affected Rob's World! for approximately 12 hours. Thankfully, it didn't last very long. Arrgggh, I hate these unannounced outages!
Handy Man:
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 Wednesday (12 April '06) our sprinkler system gave me quite a challenge.
It's spring, and it's time to start watering the lawn. The wife wondered whether we should hire someone to get our sprinkler system back up and running for the year. "Of course not, I can handle it" was my glib reply. I had no idea that a sprinkler system could be so complicated (The mechanical aptitude score on my ASVAB test was pretty low). It took me about 30 minutes to realize that I was out of my element.
Luckily I was able to locate a neighbor with more experience when it comes to such things. He quickly assessed the situation, and we had the sprinkler up and running in a matter of minutes. Thanks Gregg.
In order to get the thing up and running we had to turn four levers — all in the correct position, close three valves — making sure they're open or closed in the right combination, and operate the highly complex sprinkler controls — how the hell do you program zone 'A' to start running at 6am on Monday? Of course all of that was obviously evident after I'd seen it done.
Palm plant:
A couple days ago (9 Mar 2006) Kim and I went shopping for a plant to put in the master bathroom. Something we could put outside the shower at the far end of the bathroom. Something that wouldn't mind the sunlight. Something that would appreciate the moisture generated by the shower stall. What we wound up buying was this lovely beauty. A Chamaedorea seifrizii. Otherwise known as a Reed Palm. We didn't pay too much for it either. We got 20% off at a local nursery. Hopefully it'll enjoy it's new home as much as we enjoy it.
Software favorites:
Two more recent updates. Transmit stepped up to 3.5.3 (what happened to version 3.5.2?), and GraphicConverter moved up a notch to 5.8.2b1.
Transmit
Anyone who publishes web pages eventually needs a way to upload their pages to a web site. I've found that stand alone FTP tools are the best for this task. Transmit has a clean and easy to use interface, and some really nifty features, like the ability to resume a transfer that's been interrupted, site synchronization capabilities, iDisk integration (It's way faster than the finder!), drag-to-dock sending, column views, a built in text editor, and secure ftp transfer (in various different flavors) capability. The most recent update moves this software up to version 3.5.3.
<http://www.panic.com/transmit/index.html>
GraphicConverter
GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
Our House:
Kim and I bought a new house in April of 2005, and the end of our one year warranty is rapidly approaching. So far we've had a pretty good experience with our builder. Actually, I'd say a very good experience. Everything (almost*) has been fixed to our satisfaction so far, and the builder representatives have been courteous, helpful, and knowledgeable. We submitted our 11 month warranty work order on time and here's a list of work outstanding and completed.
Still needs work:
• The front porch needs to be dug out and repoured. We've been promised this repair on several occasions. Supposedly, it'll happen in April or May.
• The grade in our front yard is such that all the water (from lawn watering) runs across my driveway and into one corner of my front lawn.
• There are numerous pits and cracks on the sidewalk. Supposedly the city should fix these...
• One of our shutters (on the South side of the house) is coming loose from the siding.
Work already completed:
• Two of the eaves were leaking onto the pavement near the foundation at the front of the house.
• The handle for the cold water in the master bath garden tub was loose (Gee, Kim - I could have fixed this myself).
• Some trim was coming away from a cabinet in the master bath. The customer representative used glue to repair the trim.
• A couple of screws were protruding through the paint/plaster on the ceiling of the master bedroom. A contractor tightened the screws and re-plastered over the screws.
Nothing can be done :
• The fan in our kitchen (ceiling/exhaust) is excessively loud. It sounds like a jet engine taking off. There's nothing the builder can do. There's nothing wrong with the fan. It's loud because they're required to install a very powerful fan due to noise ordinances (it's complicated). I plan to install a motor rated dimmer switch in order to better control the ferocity of this monster.
• Hardwood floor in the entry has developed a small warp/ridge along the edge where it meets the carpet. According to the flooring expert, it's not significant enough to warrant replacement. He could sand down the entry and re-apply the finishing coats, but that's a lot of work for such a minor defect. He also said that the warping was likely being caused by excessive moisture. We agreed to turn down the humidity on our humidifier, water the plant in a different location and allow several months for the wood to dry out a little.
It's spring time, and we're ready to get all these repairs out of the way. The outstanding work shouldn't take to long to fix (well, maybe the front porch will take some time), and we're looking forward to a home with no problems :-) Yeah, like that will ever happen!
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 8th of April. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. The party has discovered a possible lair/headquarter for C.O.E.P.A.S. and they've begun an investigation of this underground lair. The meeting consisted of a trip through a trap riddled entry as well as encounters with a few monsters. While we wait for monster descriptions and journal entries, I've updated the campaign page to reflect the next game date. I'm also working to fill the chair left vacant by Kevin. Hopefully, we can fill that spot in time for our next meeting.
In addition to the campaign page update, I also posted a new copy of the large Serpendeme illustration. This version combines a brush stroked inner frame with a patchy edged outer border. I like it better than the version which displayed a straight edged inner frame. This version has a more 'natural' feel. It's a bit more thematically consistent with the overall look of the picture. I hope you like it.
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. One iTunes free download, and a bunch of free downloads from artist web sites, discovered while surfing the web or following up on Indy tracks (see below).
• Merlin Hampton - 5 songs: Alternative rock with thoughtful poetic lyrics and a folk like sound. Songs were downloaded from the artists web site.
• The Movement - 7 songs: A German punk band with a touch of ska and politically tilted lyrics. Songs were downloaded from the artists web site.
• Wagon - She's alone (live): A country flavored folk single. Great acoustic sounding strings. Songs were downloaded from the artists web site.
• Rock Kills Kid - Hide away: A single released through the iTunes music store. This alternative group has a sound reminiscent of the 80's Modern English and some 90's grunge bands.
The one source that accounts for most of my 'exposure' these days is an application called 'Indy'. This application runs on Mac, Windows and Linux. It stream independent music continuously. It actually downloads the mp3's to your computer, you need to go in and delete the songs you gave low ratings, but the ones you rated highly stick around so you can add them to your collection. The music consists of independent artist submissions to a centralized server/service. It's a pretty neat little app, if you've got the time, check it out:
<http://indy.tv/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Alt-Country CD:
This break I produced a demo CD for a friend at work. Natalie likes country music, but the commercial radio stations never play any alternative country bands. It's the same formula every time we tune in (at work). I've been mentioning some of my favorite alternative country bands to Natalie, but she's only heard of a couple of the bands I name. So, I created a play-list in iTunes and burned this demo disc. There are 15 songs on the disc, which features bands like 'Wilco, The Blasters, Time & Whiskey and others. Hopefully Natalie will hear something that inspires an exploration of her genre beyond the boundaries of commercial radio.
Wow it's hot!
Lately the weather has been pretty warm for spring. Yesterday we had a low of 39ºF and a high of 75ºF. Today the temps warmed up considerably. With a low of 45ºF the high actually hit 83ºF. The averages for this time of year are lows in the 30's and highs in the 60's. It looks like it's going to be a hot summer. I sure hope we get some more precipitation. The trees are budding and my lawn is craving water. |
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April 8, 2006
Look at the clock!
The other day the numbers in the date/time lined up as:
01:02:03 - 04/05/06
Apparently, this auspicious date won't happen again for another hundred years, or so someone wrote me. It must have been really important, because I received two emails regarding the date, saw it on a couple of web pages and it was mentioned on the news! The date/time thing is pretty interesting, but there are enough twists on it to be there when the clock read (or will read)...
01:23:45 - 6/7/89 - I was stationed at a NATO base in San Vito Italy. I pointed out the date time the day after it happened. Coworkers yawned.
12:34:56 - 7/8/90 - Still stationed at the NATO base. I planned for this one. I had enough sense to burn a visicorder (A sensitive electronic device used to record acoustic or electrical impulses on photo or electro sensitive paper) run at the critical time. I broke out the time code (recorded by the visicorder), and mounted it above the door in our work section. It stayed there until the day they shut down operations about a year later.
01/02/03 - 04:05:06 - I have no idea where I was, or what I was doing at this critical junction. :-)
04/05/06 - 07:08:09 - No one cared about this date/time?
05/06/07 - 08:09:10 - Get ready for the party!
04:05:06 - 07/08/09 - Just in case you miss the auspicious date in 2007.
Better luck next time
I had a job interview on the 5th of April. I interviewed for a straight day job. Same employer, just a different position. The interview went well, but they selected someone else for the position. Oh, well. There'll be other opportunities. Hopefully, I won't have to work straight days forever. I'm trying not to dwell on the political aspects of the selection process, or the politics that permeate nearly every aspect of my work as a government contractor. I'm very happy with my employer, but the nature of this particular government contract makes for a very strained work environment.
Snow! in April?
Woke up this morning, looked out the window, wow and wonder followed. Colorado weather - You just never know when it's gonna snow.
Last night I was laying on the couch, watching a movie, cracking my knuckles, and massaging my calves. I really need to buy myself a barometer that tracks daily pressure changes. My body always aches just before a big storm. If you'd like to know about my weather predicting joints, read my 'Human Barometer' article.
The day that it snowed (7 April 2006) I had to drive into town for an errand. As I drove West, the snow quickly changed over to rain. No more than a couple of miles separated the snow from the rain. The snow didn't stick around very long. By noon there was about a quarter inch of snow on the ground. Six hours later it was all gone.
(The photo at left (it's not the best) was actually taken using my iSight camera. I'll try to avoid that in the future.)
Camera repair:
Yesterday (7 April 2006), I picked up my camera from some repair work. During our recent vacation in Hawai'i, I damaged my new Nikon. Unfortunately, the damage wasn't covered under the manufacturers warranty, and my extended warranty doesn't start until the manufacturers warranty expires. So, I had to pay for the repairs out of pocket. The LCD screen was cracked, and I couldn't use it to read the camera menus anymore. The repair cost slightly less than the estimate. $168.00 instead of $175.00 so the cost wasn't too bad, and the repairs were completed within the two week time period estimated by the facility. I estimated that a replacement camera (of similar quality) would cost me about $300.00 on eBay, or $400.00 new.
<rave>Kudos go out to Metro Camera Service, Inc. of Denver, Colorado. They completed repairs to my digital camera at a reasonable price, in the amount of time that they estimated. I didn't have any problems, and they warrant the repair (parts and labor) for 90 days! If I ever need repairs performed again. I'll definitely use them, and I'll recommend them to friends.</rave>
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 25th of March. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. Additional murders are beginning to cast a shadow of suspicion on the party members themselves. Following leads from previous encounters, the party paid a visit to a shop frequented by warlocks and the city library. The party sought information regarding the leaders of C.O.E.P.A.S. As they were about to follow up on a lead for the location of a lair, they were attacked by a snake like demon (see illustration to left). The party succeeded in defeating the creature, but they didn't kill it. It dealt out some healthy damage, but it was obviously out of it's element. Another encounter may find the party on the other end of this outcome.
Recently, I received a journal entry from Mark. Thanks to Mark's continued support I've been able to post some additional updates from that meeting:
• Updated material includes the Journal entry of course. Thanks again to Mark for the journal entry. The journal is a recap of the party's adventures.
• New places (Seals of Doom & The Thieves Guild) on the "Where Now?" page. "Where Now?" is a listing of various places the party has visited.
• Updates to character information (Ozzy, Chaswelli, and C.O.E.P.A.S.) on the "Who's Who?" page. "Who's Who?" is a listing of characters, both player characters and non-player characters.
Previously posted updates from our meeting on the 25th of March:
• Description of the serpent like Demon on the "Monsters" page. The monsters page is a listing of monsters that the party has encountered, read about or heard of.
• Inclusion of the C.O.E.P.A.S. symbol on the "Who's Who?" page
• Updated the C.O.E.P.A.S. entry on the "Who's Who?" page.
• Updated the next game date on the campaign page. The next game date is: Tonight! 08 April 2006.
Kevin's leaving our D&D group:
Regretfully, I have to announce that Kevin will have to withdraw from our campaign. I had my job interview this week (I didn't get the straight day job), and the resulting change in our schedules (none actually), means that Kevin will not be able to attend our meetings. He's on the exact opposite shift (he's working when I'm on break). We all wish you didn't have to leave the group, and we'll miss your presence at our table. We look forward to the possibility that you'll return to join our group again in the future. After all, things change, and Colorado is a lot closer than Washington state.
As a result of Kevin's departure (from the group), I've opened his slot for a new player. I've already posted announcements in various forum's, and I've received one response so far. If you're interested in joining our D&D game (and you live in the Denver/Aurora area), please drop me an email: |
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April 4, 2006
Not surprised!
Currently (1 Apr 2006), Larry the cable guy - Health inspector is rated as the worst movie ever on IMDB's 100 worst movies ever. With 1,646 votes, it's currently listing an average rating of 1.6 out of 10. That doesn't surprise me in the least. The other day at work, someone said something like "Are you going to see 'Larry the cable guy'? It looks like it's gonna be really funny". My reply was something like "No, no I'm not going to go see 'Larry the cable guy'". I wonder if they liked it? More swill for the masses. 2006 is shaping up to be a poor year for American movies.
New record at Rob's World!
Thanks to viewers like you, Rob's World! has passed a milestone, and set a new record. Like many who run a web site, I track the number of visitors. Last month we set a new record for number of hits. There were 197,592 hits during March! The previous record was set in March of 2005 at 185,348 hits. 16,359 unique IPs/sites were logged, at an average of 265 hits per hour. It looks like Rob's World! is becoming more and more popular as time goes by. Either that, or my 'Free money' promo is paying off! Just kidding. :-)
Rob's World! - Advertisement, cookie and tracking beacon free. I'm not selling anything, and you still don't have to register to enjoy my web site.
Software favorites:
Another GraphicConverter update. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter moved up to version 5.8.2b0 GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
Mac OS 10.4.6:
Today I updated my operating system. A minor update as far as Operating Systems go, but this upgrade brings some application updates (most notably Mail.app has been updated to Version 2.0.7 (746.2/749.3)), security patches and bug fixes that have been bothering a small number of users. The upgrade went painlessly, and it only took less than an hour to get everything installed, rebooted and back in business.
As a result of my OS update, the following pages have been updated. myfavs.html, feedback.html, mycomputer.html.
Movies:
April's movies are in. Three purchases from Bestprices.com, and one bargain bin purchase at Wal-Mart. The first three were in my 'Must buy' list, and the bargain bin selection came out of my Netflix queue. First three are: The Wages of Fear by Henri-Georges Clouzot, Chinatown by Roman Polanski, and a documentary; the deluxe edition of Dogtown and Z-Boys. From the bargain bin: Salvador by Oliver Stone.
• The wages of fear: (French - Salaire de la peur, Le) This black & white movie from 1955 is very multi-lingual. Scenes include dialog in French, Italian, Spanish, German and English. There may have been other languages, but I stopped trying to keep count. This movie is directed by a renowned french director: Henri-Georges Clouzot. The movie is set in central or south america (Nicaragua or Venezuela?). The setting is a backwater village where there is very little work. Foreigners abound, but there is no explanation as to why they are there. The beginning of the movie is a little slow. Eventually we get to the meat of the movie. An American oil company (who cares for nothing but profits) must hire drivers (who will go to any lengths to escape the life they've made for themselves) to transport nitroglycerin across rugged terrain in order to put out an oil well fire on the other side of the mountains. Many of the desperate foreigners apply for the job, and two crews are selected for the suicide mission. Once this phase of the movie gets under way, the movie gets much better. Washboard roads, narrow defiles, wastelands, hair-pin turns, avalanches and explosions. The tension becomes so taught at times that characters are more volatile than their cargo. It's a dark movie, with obvious anti-American socialist leanings, but it's a fantastic movie. The ending is very nihilistic and a bit of a downer. This one gets a 5 out of 5.
• Chinatown: Another NetFlix recommendation. Another winner. Jack Nicholson & Faye Dunaway. An excellent hard-boiled detective plot. Excellent directing, the music wasn't all that good, awesome pacing. Characters you can sink your teeth into. This one gets a 5 out of 5. This movie deserves more attention in review. I promise to give you a better review after I've seen it again.
• Dogtown and Z-Boys: A documentary about surfers turned skaters. The revolutionary Zephyr team and how they created the Skate culture in America. A great documentary. Well directed, great narration, excellent music, and a visual style that complements the rebellious nature of the subject. Very well done. I give this documentary a 5 out of 5. This movie deserves more attention in review. I promise to give you a better review after I've seen it again.
• Salvadore: This Oliver Stone film came off a list of potential good movies. It was one of the movies featured on the "Z-Channel", and it was recommended by Netflix. At less than $5.00, I doubt I could possibly be too disappointed. I'll give a full review after I see the movie.
As a result of all these new additions, I've updated my movies page as well as the movies listing. It'll take me some time, but I hope to watch all these movies within the month.
No such thing as time or motion:
Recently I received some positive feedback, and some recommendations regarding my 'No such thing as time' web page. If you're not familiar with this particular web page, today might be a good day to check it out. Based on the feedback/request, I have updated the 'No Time' page. I made some changes to the page layout, the introductory paragraph, the Probability tree graphic, and I added a couple of sections: 'No motion', and 'Consciousness & Free Will'. I even added more links to the references section.
Basically, the web page is all about my belief that there's no such thing as time or motion. I know, it sounds crazy, but I'm serious. Yes, really. Check it out if you don't believe me.
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. Two purchases from the iTunes music store, a bunch of singles downloaded using Indy, and a bunch of free downloads from artist web sites.
• deshead - 25+ songs: Yes that's right 25 plus songs. I found this motherload on an artists web site. The music was released under three different band names, but they're collaborations by one group of musicians. Check out the web site.
• Interpol - Turn on the bright lights: I liked Antics so much that I decided to go back and get the debut album. I'm glad I did. It's packed with poignant emotional punches. Turning tunes into timeless recollections of laments long past. Good stuff.
• Drew Kennedy - Hillbilly Pilgrim: Yes, it's country music. I don't really care whether you think it's traitorous to my Punk Rock roots. I'm exploring, learning, listening and appreciating this acoustic folk sound.
• Lonesome Coyotes - She don't love me: I downloaded this demo cut using 'Indy' (see below).
• Jason Chesworth - 6 songs: I downloaded a demo cut using 'Indy' (see below), and then I found (and downloaded) five more from the artists web page.
The one source that accounts for most of my 'exposure' these days is an application called 'Indy'. This application runs on Mac, Windows and Linux. It stream independent music continuously. It actually downloads the mp3's to your computer, you need to go in and delete the songs you gave low ratings, but the ones you rated highly stick around so you can add them to your collection. The music consists of independent artist submissions to a centralized server/service. It's a pretty neat little app, if you've got the time, check it out:
<http://indy.tv/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email. |
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March 30, 2006
So long Sarto!
A friend of mine (Jason Sartori) had a going away party last night. We all met at a place called the Royal Hilltop, a British themed pub. It caters to a small group of Brit's and American's in the area. The beer is great, and the fish (deep fried battered cod) and chips (aka french fries) were o.k. the place was a bit expensive. $5.00 for a pint of Guiness (one of my favorite beers), $9.95 for the fish and chips, tax, and an automatic 18% gratuity! I had a good time. I didn't drink too much, and I stayed until everyone started talking about the next stop.
Sarto is on his way to England. I've known him since we were stationed together in Japan. Over the last year or so, I've been working in the same section with him. Jason's a great guy, and I wish him luck in England. I'm sure he'll have plenty of fun looking up his relatives, hunting Nessie, and chasing the women. Here's to you Jason - Cheers!
<rant>No one should have to pay an automatic gratuity of any amount. It's un-American I tell you. It just isn't right. Let's face it, when the wait staff treats everyone as individuals, you get better service. When they know that everyone in a 'party' is being charged an automatic gratuity, the service suffers, and sometimes it suffers a lot! You know what I'm talking about. This automatic gratuity stuff is a lot like taxation without representation. What if I were to insist on no tip? What if I felt that the service didn't warrant an 18% tip? What's that line in Reservoir Dogs? (Steve Buscemi playing Mr. Pink) "I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job." Me? Yeah I tip, But this this 'Automatic' gratuity stuff? Yeah, that blows.</rant>
Steve Buscemi is a great actor. Way, way, way underrated, and underapreciated. Hang in there Steve.
Our House:
<rave>Kim and I bought a new house in April of 2005, and the end of our one year warranty is rapidly approaching. So far we've had a pretty good experience with our builder. Actually, I'd say a very good experience. Everything (almost*) has been fixed to our satisfaction so far, and the builder representatives have been curteous, helpful, and knowledgeable.</rave> Our 11 month warrant report contained the following repair requests:
Still needs work:
• The front porch needs to be dug out and repoured. We've been promised this repair on several occassions. Supposedly, it'll happen in April or May.
• The fan in our kitchen (cieling/exhaust) is excessively lound. It sounds like a jet engine taking off. If it can't be repaired/replaced, a dimmer switch could be installed.
• Hardwood floor in the entry has developed a warp along the edge where it meets the carpet.
• Some trim is coming away from a cabinet in the master bath.
• The grade in our front yard is such that all the water (from lawn watering) runs across my driveway and into one corner of my front lawn.
• There are numerous pits and cracks in the driveway.
• A screw is protruding through the paint/plaster on the cieling of the master bedroom.
Work already completed:
• Two of the eaves were leaking onto the pavement near the foundation at the front of the house.
• The handle for the cold water in the master bath garden tub was loose (Gee, Kim - I could have fixed this myself).
These repairs shouldn't take to long, and we're looking forward to a home with no problems :-) Yeah, like that will ever happen!
Worst movie ever:
Imagine my surprise (not!), when I learned that 'Larry the cable guy - Health inspector' was currently (as of 30 Mar 2006) topping the list at IMDB's 100 Worst Movies Ever. This movie, featuring comedian 'Larry the cable guy (real name: Daniel Whitney)' has 1,646 votes with an average rating of 1.6 out of 10, making it the worst movie ever (for now). Someone at work, remarked that they were going to go see it; because, as they put it 'It looks like it'll be really funny'. I was so moved, that I replied 'There's no way I'm going to see that movie'. I wonder if he's gone to see the movie yet? I've seen 'Larry' in action before (See the Blue collar comedy tour (2003), which I rated 3 out of 5 (but there were three other comedians featured in that movie)). His brand of comedy: redneck fart jokes, just doesn't appeal to me. If you find the term 'Git 'R done' humorous, then maybe you'll like 'Larry'. Me, not so much.
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March 29, 2006
Books
It took me some time, but I finally finished reading my copy of Greg Bear's novel, Darwin's Radio. A rEvolutionary novel with an astonishing subject. Who would dare to make such a prediction? Science fiction speculation on the nature and course of human evolution. The characters were very rich, the action was thrilling, and the pages filled with remarkable predictions. Nebula award winning best seller. Recommended by a good friend. Now that I've completed this one, it's time to move back to my all-time favorite series, Dune! I started reading Dune: The machine crusade - by Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson. Another novel in the continuation of this epic sci-fi saga. This is the second book of the Legends of Dune series. The previous one; The Butlerian Jihad, was unforgettable. I'm looking forward to this new book.
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 25th of March. The session consisted of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. Additional murders are beginning to cast a shadow of suspicion on the party members themselves. Following leads from previous encounters, the party paid a visit to a shop frequented by warlocks and the city library. The party also sought information regarding the leaders of C.O.E.P.A.S. As they were about to follow up on a lead for the location of a lair, they were attacked by a snake like demon (see illustration to left). The party succeeded in defeating the creature, but they didn't kill it. It dealt out some healthy damage, but it was obviously out of it's element. Another encounter may find the party on the other end of this outcome.
As a result of the meeting, I've added a monster entry for the Serpendeme (for serpent demon), updated the C.O.E.P.A.S. entry on the "Who's Who?" page, and updated the next game date on the campaign page. I'll post additional updates as more material becomes available. If you'd like to see a sample of the symbol of C.O.E.P.A.S., be sure to check out the updated C.O.E.P.A.S. entry I mentioned.
Stop calling me!
<rant>Don't you just hate it when solicitors keep calling your house? Well, a special type of solicitor has been bothering me lately. The Lupus foundation. First of all, I don't have anything against the Lupus foundation, or the work that they do. As a matter of fact, in the past I've given money to the Lupus foundation. What's bothering me now? It's the organization making phone calls on behalf of the Lupus foundation (well, it might be the Lupus foundation themselves, but I'm willing to bet that it's actually someone hired by the Lupus foundation). They've called my house five times in the last week, and I've answered the phone on two of those occasions. These 'telefunders' who call on behalf of charitable organizations (or the charities themselves) are subject to certain portions of the FTC's telemarketing sales rules.
So these people have been calling in the evening. Always around 2030, just when I'm relaxing after dinner. I'm watching a movie, having a good time, when the phone rings. Arrgggh. I get up, answer the phone, and have to endure the 'sales' pitch. I tell them that I contribute to charitable organizations through my work place, and "I'd appreciate it if you would place me on your 'Do Not Call List'". That's when I get the back talk. "In that case sir, I'd ask you to call our office." Wait a minute I say. "I'm familiar with the FTC's rules on this matter, and you have no right to interfere with my request to be placed on a 'Do Not Call List'"!
The argument continues... Finally I tell her. "You do whatever it is you're going to do. If I get another call from your organization, I'll report it to the FTC as a violation of my consumer rights". Then I hang up. I'm kind of hoping they'll call back. Each violation of the FTC's rules is subject to an $11,000.00 fine.
You may be thinking... 'Hey, Rob! They're a non-profit, they're not subject to the 'Telemarketing Sales Rules'. Well, you'd be wrong! Even charitable organizations must keep and comply with a 'Do Not Call' list. Everyone has a right not to be harassed. Even if it's a non-profit doing the harassing. If you don't believe me, just do a little research. The person who asked me to 'Call our office' was denying or interfering with my Do Not Call request. That's against the law!</rant>
Southlands Mall:
I maintain an index of the stores in this nearby mall. It's the largest mall in Aurora, and it's about a mile away (as the crow flies) from my house - over the hill so to speak. Today I noticed that another new store has opened it's doors for business. The Payless ShoeSource is now open in the mall. I think we've got enough shoe stores, but apparently there's still room for more. There's three now, and at least one more on it's way. Today I updated the mall page. |
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March 24, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 11th of March. The session consisted primarily of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. additional murders are beginning to cast a shadow of suspicion on the party members themselves. After conducting a B&E investigation, the party found a clue in the form of a dead member of the city's police department. Unfortunately, the party wasn't able to capitalize on that clue. As the meeting wound to a close, there was one last shocker. Someone's murdered Kethri! Found impaled on a the spire of a building in Whillip, the murder has galvanized the party's resolve to put an end to this cult once and for all.
Over the last couple of days I've been busy completing some updates in anticipation of tomorrow's meeting. The following updates have been posted since our last meeting:
• The campaign page: This is the first stop for information on the campaign that I'm currently running. Here you'll find information regarding our next meeting (updated today), as well as an index of web pages and documents that are important to the campaign.
• Some characters have their own pages. One in particular belongs to Kethri. Recently I updated her page to indicate her unfortunate demise. I feel certain that the party will seek to avenge her death. In addition to her personal web page, I also updated a link to that page from the "Who's Who?" page.
• The Manor is the ancestral home of Maghrehv Eiddiesse Ekhhs - otherwise known as "X". More importantly though, it's the place that the characters call home. As long as X is the sponsor of our adventurers, this is the place where they hang their hat. After a recent attack on that building, I decided to update the map of the Manor's ground floor.
• Speaking of places, recently I updated the "Where Now?" page. This is a web page of locations and places in the campaign. I added an entry for Whillip's Mages guild.
• I updated the Journal (thanks to Mark for the entry) with Ashedyn's latest entry. Be sure to check it out if you want all the details regarding the alarming escalation in the confrontation with a group of Elven Supremacists smack dab in the middle of Whillip! It sure would be neat to see a journal entry from someone else's point of view.
• Monsters are the bane of every adventuring group, and the S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S. have encountered their fair share. Recently I updated our Monsters page; adding an entry for the Cranial grubs that the party's been encountering.
• Finally, I completed a bunch of "Who's Who" updates: I added new entries for Peera Nelsonson (a house maid), Nikel Pilewhite (a guard at the Manor), Eric (the pimply faced kid at the Mages guild), Cussath Uthtah (the Lizard Man at the Mages guild) and Ozzwehlyhxganhhakheron (a High Elf involved with C.O.E.P.A.S.). I also updated the entry for C.O.E.P.A.S. as a group.
Our next meeting will be Saturday the 25th of March (That's tomorrow!). Hopefully everyone can make it. Now that the party has decided to pursue the threat of C.O.E.P.A.S. like a standard adventure, things have started moving forward at a quicker pace. A recent escalation in the number of murders - which implicated the party, and the recent murder of a former party member has shown the party that C.O.E.P.A.S. is a serious threat intent on pursuing their dark agenda, and they don't want the S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S. interfering with their plans. What exactly are the plans of this group? Who are the leaders of this group? Where is their lair? Stay tuned to find out what the party plans to do about this new threat.
Camera repair:
Today I dropped off my camera for some repair work. During our recent vacation in Hawai'i, I damaged my new Nikon. Unfortunately, the damage isn't covered under the manufacturers warranty, and my extended warranty doesn't start until the manufacturers warranty expires. So, I have to pay for the repairs out of pocket. The LCD screen is cracked. It half works, but I can't use it to read the camera menus anymore. The repair estimate came to approximate $175.00. That's not to bad. I estimate a replacement camera (of similar quality) would cost me about $300.00 on eBay, or $400.00 new. The camera should be ready in a couple of weeks. |
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March 21, 2006
Springtime snow:
March 20th was the first day of spring, and we had snow. It started on Sunday night, and it snowed all day Monday. This morning I had to deal with the aftermath. We got approximately three inches. Not as much as the weathermen called for, but the drifting and heavy blowing caused the shutdown of some highways. The snow gave Kim a half day of work, and me a sore back. The snow-blower works fine, but there's always some shovel work afterwards. Now they're calling for more snow tonight!
Software favorites:
Now that BetterHTMLExport has a new owner (see March 20 entry), I've downloaded the latest version (Version 2.2). The newest version doesn't include any new features, but it is a universal binary build. It'll run on Intel Mac's and it works with the latest version of iPhoto.
BetterHTMLExport is an iPhoto plugin which you can use to create web pages from iPhoto galleries. You can control the web page output much more efficiently than the you can with iPhoto's built in web page output controls, you have additional output options, and you can download, save, and use templates to create highly professional looking web pages. Or, you can build your own templates! This plugin is definitely worth the cash. I was tired of spending hours tweaking my photo web pages. BetterHTMLExport lets me spend my time more wisely.
<http://geeksrus.com/software/betterhtmlexport/>
Southlands Mall:
Recently, I added a new web page to my web site, and thanks to word of mouth, and search engine indexing efforts, it's popularity has been quickly rising. Currently, it's the second most popular web page at "Rob's World!" (not counting the 404 error page) .
Southlands Mall is the largest commercial retail development in Aurora, Colorado. Located in southeast Aurora, Colorado (Approximately one mile away from my home). At the intersection of E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, Southlands Mall is easy to access from anywhere in the Denver metro area due to it's proximity to E-470, a toll road which bounds the Denver metro area on it's eastern periphery. The mall is built on a 301 acre site, and will consist of appx 1.7 million square feet of retail, 1,100 condominiums, and 250,000 square feet of offices when completed. Development costs are estimated at appx. $250 million dollars.
Today I posted several updates to this new page. Several new stores have been listed. They're not open yet, but they're on the way. |
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March 20, 2006
Pay Raise!
It's my first since I left the military. It wasn't as much as I was hoping for, but Kim seemed rather pleased. The 3.8% increase will help pay for our new house, the Volvo, and all the other expenses (like Hawai'i) in our life. I'm hoping to get a larger pay raise next year. :-)
I'm better!
Feeling better that is. As you may know, I became sick the day after we arrived in Hawai'i for our 20th anniversary vacation (I did my best to have a good time). I got sicker when we got back from vacation, and it got so bad I had to go to the urgent care clinic. I missed 17 hours of work! Damn, that's going to come back to haunt me later, I just know it. I was counting on that vacation time for certain things throughout the year. Anyway, the doctor at the clinic prescribed antibiotics, and I took all of them. By the 17th I was feeling much better, and at this point the only thing left is a slightly soar throat. It's raw from all the coughing, spitting, gagging; well, you get the idea.
Software favorites:
The other day I bought a new copy of iLife. iLife '06 is a considerable improvement over iLife '05. I didn't imagine that it would be, but I was mistaken. This software suite isn't on my list of favorites as the list is dedicated primarily to web page creation (on a Mac), but it may end up there eventually. It's amazing how much stuff you get for only $79.00! This software application suite includes five premium products, and two free ones. Here's a list of what you get for your money (Note: The descriptions below were taken from Apple's web site):
iPhoto - Share photos in a whole new way
The easiest way to import, organize, edit and share your digital photos, iPhoto 6 offers support for up to 250,000 of them. New book templates, Photocasting, photo blogs, and custom calendars and cards guarantee no one will miss a single smile.
iMovie HD - Turn video into home cinema.
Give yourself the green light with new Apple-designed movie themes. Create Hollywood-style movies using cinematic titles, new audio tools, and real-time Mac OS X Core Video effects, then share them in a video podcast or save them to iPod.
iDVD - Create stunning DVDs.
Author and burn movies, photos, and music to widescreen DVD. From instant gratification with Magic iDVD to next-generation themes and an enhanced Map View, iDVD 6 makes it easy to make beautiful DVDs of your latest photos and movies.
Garageband - Record you next hit show.
The best way to create music on a Mac is now the best way to create podcasts, too. The podcast recording studio in GarageBand 3 puts you in the control room of your own full-featured radio station. Get your voice on the Internet in just a few minutes.
iWeb - Put your life on the web
Use iWeb to create websites and blogs complete with podcasts, photos, and movies. Start with a template, add your content via the iLife Media Browser, customize your pages, and build a great website in minutes. Then publish live to .Mac with a single click.
In addition to these great applications, you also get the latest copies of iTunes and QuickTime. The only disappointment I experienced in my purchase was the 'Family Pack'. I thought I'd be able to install iLife '06 on my computer and my sisters. Well, as it turns out, family members must live in the same physical residence. Yeah, my sister lives in Wisconsin, but I thought the Family pack would permit her to use the software as well. Well, it wasn't that big of a disappointment. Compared with the low price (The Family Pack is only $99.00), and fantastic bang for the buck, I was willing to simply suck up the $20.00 price difference. My time is worth much more than that anyway. :-)
Installation was extremely simple. Before installing the software, I ran repair permissions. After installing iLife '06, I ran repair permissions again. Then I ran software update, installed the updates, ran repair permissions again, ran software update again; just to make sure there weren't any other updates, then I restarted my machine. No problems encountered! The repair permissions part is not mandatory, but I've found that it prevents problems.
I plan to make extensive use of iPhoto, iMovie and iDVD. I've got the house video to produce. Photos from Hawaii to publish and print, and I'd like to create a Hawaii video as well. I'll definitely have to check out iPhoto's 'photocasting' feature and the new 'calendar' production capability. I'm also looking forward to trying out iWeb. Who knows it may end up on my Software Favorites page.
Another favorite: Another one of my favorites: BetterHTMLExport has a new owner. "Geeks 'R Us" recently acquired BHE from DroolingCat software. Hopefully the level of support will be the same or better. I'm looking forward to tighter integration with iPhoto, and an expanded template selection. In the meantime, I'll have to check out iPhoto '06. Perhaps the native HTML export capabilities have improved?
Think Tank:
It's been quite some time since I updated the 'Think Tank' portion of my Think Tank web page. I update the 'World Forum' portions once a year, but I haven't made any changes to the 'Think Tank' part in a long time. Well, here's a change. I added some phrase origin information. Thanks to Charles Hodgson, Author of the 'Podictionary' podcast. What's the 'Think Tank' page? Well it's something of a spoof. It's the Vaessen Institute for Strategic Insight. A Think Tank for the 21st Century. That's right a think tank. I've always thought it would be cool to be part of a Think Tank. Well, a while back, I went ahead and founded my own Think Tank. How do you like that? I'm currently in need of a few new members. If you'd like to be able to add your name to the membership list please send me an email. Wouldn't that be a kicker? Something to lay down at your next party scene. 'Yes, I'm a member of a Think Tank.' It ought to be worth a few yucks.
I also added a reference page for the origins of the phrase/word 'Think Tank'. Hopefully, that will satisfy even the most curious of my visitors. |
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March 16, 2006
Movies:
Due to the fact that February was a pretty expensive month (Kim and I vacationed in Hawai'i during February), I didn't think I'd be adding many new movies to my collection — I was wrong. I've added four movies this month. Two movies (Hukilau (a documentary) and Horizons - Where the sea meets the sky (a concert/entertainment DVD)) were obtained while we were in Hawai'i. I made another purchase (Walk the line (a documentary)) after watching the movie on the plane ride back from Hawai'i. Finally, I received another selection (Aaltra (a comedy)) from Filmmovement.com.
- Walk the line: I watched this movie while flying back from Hawaii. A documentary about rock/country legend Johnny Cash. Juaquin Phoenix gave a stunning performance as the god of the enigmatic country rocker. Reese Witherspoon delivers an unforgettable June Carter. The direction by James Mangold was great. The costumes, sets, locations and casting were all well done. While this picture was less bio-pic and more love story than some would prefer, I found it utterly convincing, compelling and deeply moving. The musical performances by Phoenix and Witherspoon were top notch, the acting was outstanding, the music was used to move the story forward, and I rate this movie 5 out of 5.
- Hukilau: Hukilau - The enchanting story of Laie's celebrated Hukilau tradition. View the intriguing, modern-day history of one of Hawaii's ancient customs. You won't find this one on Netflix or IMDB. Since this movie is less than 30 minutes long, I won't be writing a review.
- Horizons - Where the sea meets the sky: Horizons - DVD Trio Polynesian Collection: Horizons evening show, Welcome to Polynesia, Fa'a Samoa. Three stage shows performed at the Polynesian Cultural Center on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawai'i. Another movie you won't find on Netflix or IMDB. I'll review this one as soon as I've had a chance to view it.
- Aaltra: The latest selection from Filmmovement.com. It's a comedy this time. A refreshing change of pace from the usual character based dramas. I haven't seen it yet, but you can be sure that I'll write a review after watching it.
As a result of all these new additions, I've updated my movies page as well as the movies listing. It'll take me some time, but I hope to watch all these movies within the month.
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. One was a free iTunes download – That's right a free iTunes download. Once a week (on Tuesday), Apple releases a free download. So far they've been pretty good releases. I've even bought new albums as a result of the free download. The other music were free downloads from artist web sites.
- Billy Reid - 8 songs: This collection of music has been released under under a few different names. Four of the songs were released under the name Billy Reid (From the album 'The sights and the sounds'), and four more song, released under 'The Other Humans' and collaborations with other artists. Downloaded from the very tasteful productions (There's a podcast called 'The Very Tasteful show') website.
- Peter Greenstone - 3 songs: Downloaded from the MacJams.com website. I discovered this artist by listening to music tracks on my MacAddict CD.
- Steve Denyes - Waiting on Arleen: An entire album. Discovered by using software called 'Indy' (see below). This is some pretty good bluegrass music. The lyrics are great and the sound quality is great. While the album is available via iTunes, I found and downloaded the whole album (one song at a time) from the artists web site.
- Munich by the Editors: This was a free download from Apple's iTunes music store. A great sounding alternative band. This single was offered as a free download. I learned about it by listening to Apple's 'iTunes New Music Tuesday' podcast.
- Dylan Rice - 4 songs: Downloaded from the artists web site. Four songs from the 'Wandering Eyes' album. Indie rock with driving guitar rhythms and folk-tinged crisp clean lyrics.
The one source that accounts for most of my 'exposure' these days is an application called 'Indy'. This application runs on Mac, Windows and Linux. It stream independent music continuously. It actually downloads the mp3's to your computer, you need to go in and delete the songs you gave low ratings, but the ones you rated highly stick around so you can add them to your collection. The music consists of independent artist submissions to a centralized server/service. It's a pretty neat little app, if you've got the time, check it out:
<http://indy.tv/>
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
Even more snow!
It's winter in Colorado, and we've had snow over the past three days (11-13 March). Not a lot of it, but it brought some cold air with it. Temps down into the teens at night. Highs in the low 40's. On the 11th we had some flurries in the middle of the day, but no accumulation. Starting on the 12th, stretching through the night and well into 13th, we accumulated about an inch in 24 hours. Temps have remained pretty cool since the snow fall, heating up to 50 on the 16th. Thanks to the bright sunny days, the snow has pretty much disappeared, leaving behind gusty crisp days.
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 11th of March. The session consisted primarily of the party advancing their investigation into the Elven supremacist group known as C.O.E.P.A.S. additional murders are beginning to cast a shadow of suspicion on the party themselves. After conducting a B&E investigation, the party found a clue in the form of a dead member of the city's police department. Unfortunately, the party wasn't able to capitalize on that clue. As the meeting wound to a close, there was one last shocker. Someone's murdered Kethri! Found impaled on a the spire of a building in Whillip, the murder has galvanized the party's resolve to put an end to this cult once and for all.
Over the last couple of days I was able to post the next game date, update Kethri's page, and update the map of the Manor's ground floor. I'll post additional updates as soon as I receive some input from our players.
Mac OS 10.4.5 security update:
Another security update released by Apple has prompted the update of some of my favorite software: Safari updated to 2.0.3 (417.9.2), Mail.app updated to 2.0.7 (746.2/746.3). This security update prompted updates to three of my web pages: myfavs.html, feedback.html, mycomputer.html. One of the updates was a favorite:
Safari: Apple's web browser for OS X, is way ahead of the pack. Apple's browser contains a plethora of incredibly powerful features. It's no secret why Microsoft stopped developing IE for Mac! I'm currently using version 2.0.3 (417.9.2). This most recent version comes as part of a recent security update. More good news, Safari is fully compliant with the Acid 2 web standards test. By the way, it's the only browser that complies with the standard!
Battle of the browsers. Netscape versus Internet Explorer. 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. Tabbed browsing, URL snap-back, a powerful but elegant bookmark implementation (with built-in import capability), Google search integration, built-in pop-up blocker, multiple standards (HTML, XML, XHTML, DOM, CSS, RSS, JavaScript, and Java, plus QuickTime, Flash and Shockwave plug-ins), and a host of other features. 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/>
My BIO:
It's been a while since I updated this biography page. After a light review, I found some spelling errors, some factual errors and some out of data information. The update is minor in comparison to the changes my life has undergone in the last year or so.
D&D Books:
Recently, I was contacted by a "Rob's World!" visitor. He wanted to know whether I was interested in trading one of my D&D supplements for something from his selection. After some consideration, I decided to trade my "Jonril - by Midkemia Press" supplement for one of the 2nd edition campaign accessories. Considering the fact that the 'Jonril' supplement is pretty hard to come by, and the TSR accessory is quite common, I'm certain that Mark got the better end of this trade. Oh well, it's no big deal. I'm not really looking for an 'elite' collection. I haven't used the 'Jonril' supplement in several years, and there's a good chance that I might use some of the material in the TSR accessory that I received in trade. As a result of this trade, I've added FR10 - The Forgotten Realm's 'Old Empires' accessory to my inventory, and removed the Jonril supplement. This trade has prompted me to update my D&D books page.
Taxes!
It's that time of year again. This is the first year we've had to file taxes since I got out of the military. Our combined income has more than doubled since I retired, and we bought a new home. As you can imagine, the result was a pretty significant refund. After itemizing (it was definitely in our interest to do so this year), we opted for direct deposit and now we're waiting for the rebate to roll in. That ought'a help pay for our trip to Hawai'i and then some. Yeah, it's already spent... When is tax freedom day?
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March 11, 2006
Snow and more snow!
It's winter in Colorado. We've had snow over the past three days (8-10 March). Not a lot of it, but it brought some cold air with it. Temps down into the teens at night. Highs in the low 40's. We had accumulation of approximately an inch from 8-9 March. On the 10th we had snow falling out of a clear-blue-sky. Not something you see every day. That didn't really accumulate, maybe a 16th of an inch?
Software favorites:
Three more of my favorite applications received updates in the last few days. Allume's (previously Aladdin Systems, Inc.) software compression software recently moved up a notch to 10.0.2. GraphicConverter, the software that never rests completed another evolution to 5.8.1. Finally, The Logo Creator moved up a notch to version 5.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter moved up to version 5.8.1 GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
Stuffit Deluxe: I recently upgraded to version 10.0.2. Stuffit, along with the freeware Stuffit Expander, allows me to compress and encode any files that I upload to my web page. It's not really necessary for Web page authoring, but I've found it to be essential for MAC users who use the internet. Stuffit Deluxe allows me to create archives in many different compression formats, segment the archives, save them with a password for protection, and it even facilitates emailing of the compressed files. The newest version even has a built in .Mac drop box capability. This update is primarily intended to fix some bugs that have been bothering some users for many years.
Stuffit expander (for Windows or Mac) can decode, decompress, and un-archive just about any compressed file (More than 25 different formats at last count) you might encounter on the internet. It's a must have for anyone surfing the web. Yes, Stuffit/Stuffit Expander can handle all forms of standard compression.
<http://www.stuffit.com/mac/index.html>
The Logo Creator: The Macintosh version of this software recently underwent an upgrade to version 5.0. Many Mac users (myself included) reported problems getting the updater to run. After reading through forums at the developers web site and some analysis of the application package, I was able to figure out what the problem was. I corrected the problem using Unix commands, and my updater ran successfully. I went back to the forums and posted my solution. So far (less than 24 hours later) I've managed to help one other user. Hopefully the developer will incorporate my remedy into a new download for other users.
The Logo Creator is exactly what it says it is. Software for creating eye catching graphic logos. I use the software to create banner graphics/titles for my web pages. The interface isn't the greatest, but the included logo elements are great and there are several pre-built templates to chose from (you can purchase additional add-on logo packs). Use a pre-built template or start from scratch. Aside from pre-set graphics, you can apply and manipulate a vast array of effects on all the elements of the logo. This software will allow you to create great looking title graphics for print or the web. Here are links to some of the pages containing title graphics/some of the titles I've created using this software: mymusiccollection.png, myreviews.png, southlands.png, photopainting.png
<http://www.thelogocreator.com> |
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March 7, 2006
Software favorites:
Another GraphicConverter update. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter moved up to version 5.8.1b1 GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
D&D update:
Just a small update. While updating some other documents I found a few inconsistencies and omissions. Two minor updates:
• Players page: Corrected the entry for Kevin on the image map. It now links to Caed vs Tanar. I also added a link to my D&D books page on the image map.
• Who's Who? Updated/amended the entry for the player characters. I added some info regarding the name of their adventuring group.
That's it folks, I promised it was minor. Just a few little updates.
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. One was an iTunes download, the other was a download using FrostWire - and Yes, I already own the rights to the music that I downloaded.
- Will Johnson - Paper & Fire: Acoustic folk with catchy storytelling vocals. A debut album that took seven years to produce. iTunes purchase.
- D.R.I. - Thrash Zone: An 80's punk band. Playing a type of music known as Thrash. Hard & Fast Punk - Something to slam to. The iTunes download has two more songs than the original release on cassette. I own/purchased the cassette, and I downloaded the music recently using FrostWire. It's a lot quicker/more convenient than using my CD burner.
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email. |
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March 6, 2006
I'm still sick!
This sucks. I've been sick since the 16th of February and it's really getting me down. The other day (Saturday) it got so bad I went to the hospital. Despite the fact that we're short manned at work, I couldn't take it anymore. I left work to get some sleep and go to the hospital. The diagnosis? Acute bronchitis with walking pneumonia. It seems that I had the flu, but it has morphed into bronchitis and a touch of pneumonia. The problem was not resting at all when I had the flu. Hawaii sure was fun, but I'm paying a pretty heavy price for it. So far I've missed 17 hours of work. I've got the leave, but I didn't like the fact that we didn't have a certified operator to fill in for me. Being sick sucks!
The doctor at the hospital prescribed a bunch of drugs to help me kick this bronchitis. Some antibiotics (Amoxicillin and Clavulanate potassium), Mytussin AC (generic Robitussin) with codeine, and an Albuterol sulfate inhaler. Hopefully these drugs will help me recover from this bout with bronchitis.
It's been a looonnngg time since I've had bronchitis this bad. When I was a smoker ('84-'91) I used to get bronchitis quite often, but this is the first time I've had bronchitis since I can remember.
Software favorites
One of my software favorites was recently upgraded. This update addresses numerous bug fixes, but doesn't add any new features.
BBEdit
The world's greatest HTML editor moved up to version 8.2.5 recently. This incredibly powerful application is a high-performance HTML and text editor for the Macintosh. It is designed and crafted for the editing, searching, transformation, and manipulation of text. BBEdit provides a vast array of general-purpose features which are useful for a wide variety of tasks, and includes many special purpose features which have been specifically developed in response to the needs of Web authors and software developers. It's an absolute must for any Mac enthusiast. Window's users eat your heart out! (for now).
<http://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/index.shtml>
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 25th of February. It was the night that Kim and I got back from Hawaii, and we had to cut it a little short. We wrapped it up around 2300. Kim and I were very tired. The session consisted primarily of combat. We resolved a dangerous encounter between the forces of C.O.E.P.A.S. (An Elven supremacist group) and the party. The combat took most of the night, and we finished off the session with the party continuing their investigation into C.O.E.P.A.S. They managed to extract some very useful information from a captured member of C.O.E.P.A.S. and it looks like they're on track to investigate a possible C.O.E.P.A.S. meeting place.
Today I posted a journal update for the 25 February session. Thanks go out to Mark for making this journal entry a possibility. This journal entry also prompted some NPC (Non-Player Character) updates, so be sure to check out the updates made to the "Who's Who" page as well. |
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March 2, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D on the 25th of February. It was the night that Kim and I got back from Hawaii, and we had to cut it a little short. We wrapped it up around 2300. Kim and I were very tired. The session consisted primarily of combat. We resolved a dangerous encounter between the forces of C.O.E.P.A.S. (An Elven supremacist group) and the party. The combat took most of the night, and we left finished off the session with the party continuing their investigation into C.O.E.P.A.S. They managed to extract some very useful information from a captured member of C.O.E.P.A.S. and it looks like they're on track to investigate a possible C.O.E.P.A.S. meeting place.
I'll post updates for that session after I receive some feedback from the players. I'm hoping to receive a journal entry as well as monster and people updates. I never got around to posting many updates after our 11 February meeting, so I've been busy updating documents recently. Here are some updates I made as a result of that meeting:
- After our session on the 11th of February, one of our players promised a journal entry. Well, it doesn't look like that is going to happen, so I went ahead and put together a DM's entry for that session. Hopefully, we'll have a proper entry for the session on the 28th.
- After our session on the 11th of February, one of our players promised some monster descriptions. Well that didn't happen either. So I went ahead and generated descriptions for two of the recently encountered creatures. The Blink Dog and the Hopping Pink Oinkers. Hopefully, we can continue to get a players perspective on the monsters encountered by the party.
- In addition to the journal and monster updates, I also updated the "Adventurer's Concordium" (also known as the "Articles") - A document used to help administer our group of adventurers. The changes dictated by our players have been incorporated into this document update. If you're a player in our campaign, or simply interested in such a document, you can download a copy from here.
- Finally, I completed some "Who's Who" updates. I updated the description of Caed in the "Who's Who" page, added him to the Hero's Gallery, and made an entry for C.O.E.P.A.S. on the "Who's Who" page.
Our next meeting will be Saturday the 11th of March (The campaign page has been updated with this new meeting date). Hopefully everyone can make it. Now that the party has decided to pursue the threat of C.O.E.P.A.S. like a standard adventure, things should start to move forward at a quicker pace. This recent combat has shown the party that C.O.E.P.A.S. is a serious threat intent on decimating the Half-Elf population of Whillip, and they don't want the S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S. interfering with their plans. What other plans do their leaders have in mind? Who are the leaders of this group? Where is their lair? Stay tuned to find out what the party plans to do about this new threat.
I'm sick!
I've got the flu. I've had it since the 16th of February, and I can't seem to shake it. I'm sure that my Hawaii trip would have been a lot more fun without the flu, and all that running around certainly hasn't helped me recover. I haven't taken a day off work due to illness, and I don't think I'll be able to. We're short manned at work, and I've got all my vacation time allocated for the year. I sure hope I get better soon. It has gotten a little better, and now that we're done with the vacation, I'll have some time to rest and recuperate. People have been telling me to see a doctor, maybe I'll do that.
Southlands Mall:
I recently added a new web page to my web site, and thanks to word of mouth, and search engine indexing efforts, it's popularity has been quickly rising. Currently, it's the fifth most popular web page at "Rob's World!".
Southlands Mall is the largest commercial retail development in Aurora, Colorado. Located in southeast Aurora, Colorado (Approximately one mile away from my home). At the intersection of E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, Southlands Mall is easy to access from anywhere in the Denver metro area due to it's proximity to E-470, a toll road which bounds the Denver metro area on it's eastern periphery. The mall is built on a 301 acre site, and will consist of appx 1.6 million square feet of retail, 1,100 condominiums, and 250,000 square feet of offices when completed. Development costs are estimated at appx. $250 million dollars.
Today I posted some updates to this new page. I think I've got a pretty good start for this page. We'll see where it goes from here. |
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February 28, 2006
Aloha!
We're back from Hawaii. Ten days sure flew by quickly. We left for the islands on the 15th and got back on Saturday (the 25th). We had a fantastic time. We stayed at the Hale' Koa hotel on the beach in Waikiki, Oahu. We toured four of the Islands during our brief stay (O'ahu, Kaua'i, Hawai'i and Maui). The events and activities are too numerous to mention here, but I plan to post a photo gallery where I'll give lots of details regarding our trip. Be sure to check back for the Hawai'i photos.
Mac OS 10.4.5:
Today I updated my operating system. A minor update as far as Operating Systems go, but this upgrade brings some application updates, security patches and bug fixes that have been bothering a small number of users. Most of the changes were made to correct problems with the new Intel based iMacs. The upgrade went painlessly, and it only took less than an hour to get everything installed, rebooted and back in business.
As a result of my OS update, the following pages have been updated. myfavs.html, feedback.html, mycomputer.html.
Extended Service Plan:
<rant>While I was on my trip to Hawaii, my new digital camera became damaged. I'm not sure how it happened. I don't believe it was negligence. I put it in my camera bag one morning, pulled it out later and found that the LCD screen had developed a crack, and as a result the LCD screen is now only partially functioning. Well, when I purchased the camera. I figured I might as well purchase one of those 'Extended Service Plans', you know a 'Keep it new' plan. According to the brochure I received when I purchased the plan, the plan is supposed to cover mechanical and electrical failures - even normal wear and tear (no deductibles, no hidden fees). The problem? This plan doesn't come into effect until after the manufacturer's warranty expires. So I fall under the Nikon warranty until 08/26/2006. Guess what? The manufacturer only covers defects in material and workmanship. Looks like I'm screwed. As most of you have suspected, these 'Extended service plans' are often a scam. The details are in the fine print.
I'll call a local authorized dealer on Wednesday, and see whether I can get it fixed under warranty.</rant>
Free photo session!
<rant/rave> An often turned phrase in Hawai'i. It seemed like every trip/tourist attraction we took part in included a 'free, complimentary photo session'. It's a scam I tell you. Sure they take your photo for free. If you'd like, you can purchase a copy of the photo for a 'nominal' fee! It's a huge scam. At one point, I attempted - unsuccessfully - to decline their 'Free' photo. They wouldn't let me decline. They made me feel like an ass for holding up the line, and twice rebuffed my attempt to decline a 'Free' photo. After all it's 'only a quick photo shoot'. Of all the places that offered this 'service' I have to give credit to one business (Makani Kai helicopter tours), who actually took our picture using MY Camera! Kudos to Makani Kai!</rant/rave>
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. The additions listed below were free downloads from band web pages. There's a lot of good music out there, all you have to do is spend some time looking. There's no need to steal music when independent artists are happy to give it away.
- Dan Gilliam - 3 albums: Free downloads from his web site. Acoustic Folk-Rock (Contemporary Christian?) with a positive message. Three entire albums
- Gangly Moose - 16 songs: More free downloads from a bands web site. A four piece with a funky rockin' live act. This Alaskan band has been touring the US for the past year. Here are a bunch of songs I downloaded from their web site.
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email. |
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February 15, 2006
Hawaii bound!
Here's a quick little update. Kim and I are bound for Hawaii! We're going on a vacation. Ten days of fun in the sun. It's a trip we've been planning for quite some time now, a reward for twenty years together. We celebrated our anniversary back in October, and this trip is an anniversary gift to ourselves. We've always wanted to take a trip to Hawaii, but we could never afford it. So we hoped that we would be stationed there one day. That never happened so we had to save and save and save for this trip. I estimate that we're going to spend about $8,000.00 on this trip, but thankfully, most of it's already paid for. Anyway, now is not the time to dwell on the price tag. Now is the time to finish packing and look forward to an adventure filled vacation.
I won't be posting anything between now and the 25th, but I'll take plenty of pictures, and I'll post a recap with photos as soon as I get a chance. Oh yeah, before I forget, I just want to make sure I remind all my players: We're still scheduled to play D&D on the 25th, so don't be late!
Aloha! |
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February 12, 2006
D&D update:
We played D&D last night, and the session consisted primarily of combat. A dangerous encounter between the forces of C.O.E.P.A.S. (An Elven supremacist group) and the party. The combat took all night, and we left off without completing the ordeal. The party finds itself in the midst of a dangerous encounter with the agents of C.O.E.P.A.S. The manor has been set ablaze, and the party has been set upon by a very dangerous monster. Hopping Pink Oinkers are attempting to devour all the party's magic items. If you'd like to read about this dangerous situation, you can check out the synopsis I put together.
In addition to the recap for last nights the combat intensive meeting, I've also been busy working on a weapons update. Here are the updates from that work:
New Weapons:
Forearm Blade - A weapon devised by Mark. This monk weapon was inspired by various martial arts weapons seen on the big screen. It might not be 'realistic', but it makes for a neat weapon in a fantasy campaign.
Ritiik - A pole weapon culled from Dragon Magazine. This one is particularly vicious in that it can cause secondary damage by twisting a slicing blade after impaling your opponent.
Changed Weapons:
Awl Pike, Bardiche, Bec de Corbin, Duom, and Partisan - These changes were inspired by an article in Dragon Magazine. Minor changes to some pole weapons.
Changes to these weapons necessitated some extensive updates. The following documents have been updated as a result of these changes: The weapons page, an OpenOffice 1.0 spreadsheet, a pdf document containing the entire weapon listing, a pdf document containing the weapons list preface, and a pdf document containing text descriptions of each weapon in the listing. All in all, these weapons updates take a considerable amount of work.
Software favorites:
Two more recent updates. Transmit stepped up to 3.5.1, and GraphicConverter moved up a notch to 5.8. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better. This time it's a full release update.
Transmit
Anyone who publishes web pages eventually needs a way to upload their pages to a web site. I've found that stand alone FTP tools are the best for this task. Transmit has a clean and easy to use interface, and some really nifty features, like the ability to resume a transfer that's been interrupted, site synchronization capabilities, iDisk integration (It's way faster than the finder!), drag-to-dock sending, column views, a built in text editor, and secure ftp transfer (in various different flavors) capability. The most recent update moves this software up to version 3.5.1; a minor bug release.
<http://www.panic.com/transmit/index.html>
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter moved up to version 5.8. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. The additions listed below were free downloads from band web pages. There's a lot of good music out there, all you have to do is spend some time looking. There's no need to steal music when independent artists are happy to give it away.
- Paranoids - 3 songs: Free downloads from the bands web site. A four piece rock group that sounds a bit like Bahaus.
- James Parkington - 4 songs: More free downloads from a bands web site. Acoustic folk with Harmonica and catchy lyrics.
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email. |
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February 8, 2006
Software favorites:
Wow, I must have been asleep or something. Transmit jumped from 3.2.1 to 3.5? How'd that happen? Also, another GraphicConverter update. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
Transmit
Anyone who publishes web pages eventually needs a way to upload their pages to a web site. I've found that stand alone FTP tools are the best for this task. Transmit has a clean and easy to use interface, and some really nifty features, like the ability to resume a transfer that's been interrupted, site synchronization capabilities, iDisk integration (It's way faster than the finder!), drag-to-dock sending, column views, a built in text editor, and secure ftp transfer (in various different flavors) capability. The most recent update moves this software up to version 3.5.
Version 3.5 includes some impressive new features: Edit remote files (including graphics) using any local editor. Improved Synchronize capabilities (including pre-synchronize reports). Create FTP droplets. Synchronization has been improved significantly (with new reporting capabilities).
<http://www.panic.com/transmit/index.html>
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter moved up to version 5.8b2 GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. p.s. Some of the links below are iTunes music store links. I'm not sure how they'll behave if you haven't got iTunes installed, but maybe now's a good time to install it. After all, it is free!
- The Del Fuegos - The longest day: Converted from cassette to CD-RW, then transferred to the iTunes library on my computer. I own a Pioneer PDR-509 stereo component CD recorder which I use to convert my old music library (mostly cassettes) into CDs. Recently I've been transferring the music to my computer by way of CD-RW. After transferring the music to the computer, I erase the CD-RW so I can use it again. The Del Fuegos were an early 80's Alt-Country band. Rock inspired lyrics with a country twang. Fast forward guitar licks and punk sensibilities.
- Urban Verbs - Early damage: Converted from cassette to CD-RW, then transferred to the iTunes library on my computer.This cassette didn't have very good breaks between the songs, so I had to do a lot of manual editing using 'Audacity'. The music is some rare stuff by an overlooked 80's band.
- Guta - Various cuts: Free downloads from the bands web site (Nine songs!). Guta is a groovy group with a reggae sound and a pulsing beat.
- Carey Ott - Am I just one: An EP (four songs) I purchased through iTunes music store. A new artist who's been around the block. His work has already been featured on a television series (Grey's Anatomy), and I heard him on... Hmm, can't remember where I heard him. In either case, it doesn't really matter. I like his acoustic folky sound, lyricly likeable, melodicly mastered. A talent to watch on his way up.
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last few weeks. I don't buy everything through the iTunes music store, but I have found it to be very convenient. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
<sidenote>I'm only downloading music that I already own (store bought cassette or album), so that I can have a backup copy and enjoy the music on any of my media devices. I'm not downloading stuff that I don't already have a license for. 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. :-)</sidenote>
Another power outage:
The other day, I wrote about a power outage. Well, we had another one yesterday. A short one with loss of phone service as well. I can only imagine that the outages are due to all the construction around here. The southeast corner of Aurora is undergoing some very drastic expansion, new roads, wider roads, entirely new communities, gigantic shopping plazas, the growth is just phenomenal. It's no wonder there's been power outages. There'll probably be more.
D&D update:
We last played D&D on the 28th of January, and I've already completed some updates from that meeting. Recently, Mark forwarded me a new journal entry, and I posted it today. The latest journal entry by Mark is some good reading. If you haven't read the journal in a while, I'd recommend them to anyone who'd like to catch up. They contain a lot of great information, and sometimes they even contain inside jokes aimed at the DM! :-) |
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February 2, 2006
Southlands Mall:
I recently added a new web page to my web site, and thanks to word of mouth, and search engine indexing efforts, it's popularity has been quickly rising. Currently, it's number three at most web search pages (Google, Yahoo, MSN search), when you search for 'Southlands Mall'. I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually becomes one of the most popular web pages at "Rob's World!".
Southlands Mall is the largest commercial retail development in Aurora, Colorado. Located in southeast Aurora, Colorado (Approximately one mile away from my home). At the intersection of E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, Southlands Mall is easy to access from anywhere in the Denver metro area due to it's proximity to E-470, a toll road which bounds the Denver metro area on it's eastern periphery. The mall is built on a 301 acre site, and will consist of appx 1.6 million square feet of retail, 1,100 condominiums, and 250,000 square feet of offices when completed. Development costs are estimated at appx. $250 million dollars.
Today I posted another update to this new page. I think I've got a pretty good start for this page. We'll see where it goes from here.
Kudos to Heidi's Brooklyn Deli:
<rave>I have to give Kudos to Heidi's Brooklyn Deli in the Southlands Mall near my home. Last night I stopped there for a sandwich. As I was paying for my meal, I asked how much the drink was (a can of Dr. Brown's Root Beer). When I found out it was $1.69 for a 12oz can, I howled. The owner/manager recognized me, and said "I know you, I've seen you in here before. I'm going to give you a 10% discount on your meal". I was impressed, I said "Thank You", paid for my meal and enjoyed my drink. I have to say, I'm beginning to like this new restaurant! Their customer service has been excellent so far.</rave>
Software favorites:
Another GraphicConverter update. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter moved up to version 5.8b1 GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
Newsletter:
Each month I send out a monthly newsletter to the avid fans of Rob's World! If you're one of the subscribers to my newsletter, you'll receive the latest copy in a couple days. If you're interested in reading about happenings at Rob's World! you can forego the daily chore of logging in to check out the latest nugget. The newsletter is a more convenient way to keep up to date on the comings and going in the life and times of Robert & Kim Vaessen. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want a copy emailed directly to them every month! Thanks to some recent reader feedback, I was able to correct a slight error on the Newsletter page this evening.
Live music!
Some friends of mine at work have formed their own band. They've been practicing and playing for a little over one year now, and they've just recently turned up the notch a bit. Now they're making live performances at various venues throughout the Denver/Aurora area. Last night they played at Herman's Hideaway. I had a free ticket, but I'm such a loser, I got lost and couldn't find the place. I was out driving for two hours, before I finally gave up and drove home. Arrggh! Getting around in Denver is not an easy chore, and I was trying to find a place I'd never been to before; in the dark. I know, I'll have to endure some ridicule and ire when I get back to work on Friday, but I tried. If Kim had been with me, I'm sure we could have found the place easily. She's an excellent navigator, but I suck at that.
Aside from my aborted attempt to attend their most recent performance, I recently generated a few logo designs for the band. I was bored the other night and decided to render the designs I thought up one evening. I put the logos up on my web site so the band members could see them, and I thought you might want to take a look as well.
D&D update:
We last played D&D on the 14th of January, and I've been busy updating some of the campaign related web pages since that meeting. The group has been trying to find their way into the next adventure, and the acquisition of another new party member is just one of the steps towards that goal. Below are some of the pages/updates I've made since the meeting on Saturday:
- Who's Who?: I updated a few player character entries today. I moved Kethri to the 'Former party members' section, and created a page for her. I Created a new entry for Caed; Kevin's character. Kevin joined us a few months back, and he's been running NPCs until now. Kevin's bringing a Swashbuckling Half-Elf to the group.
- The Players: With the return of Nicholis, and the addition of Kevin, our group of gamers has changed quite a bit in the last few months. On Saturday I took a new group photo. Tonight I was able to post the new photo on our Players page, and generate new links for the photo. Click on the picture of a player and you'll be taken to the "Who's Who?" description of that players character.
- The campaign: This is the first stop for information on the campaign that I'm currently running. Here you'll find information regarding our next meeting (updated today), as well as an index of web pages and documents that are important to the campaign. I also updated the group photo on this page today.
Our next meeting is on the 11th of February, and I hope to post a journal update before that meeting. In the mean-time, I hope you enjoy the new material I posted today. This next adventure may take a little while to get off the ground, but I'm confident that the players will enjoy it once it's underway. |
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January 28, 2006
D&D update:
We last played D&D on the 14th of January, and I've been busy answering emails regarding character advancement and magic items. As a result of that email correspondence, there's been a change to one house rule, and a reminder regarding another.
Once upon a time, there was a 'Save or break' House Rule. Breakable items that were thrown had to fail a DC20 saving throw, or remain intact. That house rule was initially instituted as a 'Safety feature'. We had a couple of characters taken out when they dropped some breakable magic items. Beads of firestorm can be quite deadly if you don't handle them carefully!
Based on some discussion with Mark, and a review of the 'Save or break' house rule, I've decided to do away with this 'Save or break' House Rule. It used to be applied to all thrown breakables, but the only written record that I could find was the write-up for 'Stinkpot' ammunition. If you find the rule recorded elsewhere, please let me know.
It is now assumed that thrown breakables break on impact, regardless of whether or not they strike their intended target.
As a result of this change, the House Rules - Weapons Text document (3ewpntxt.pdf) has been altered to remove the 'Save or break' house rules reference. I've uploaded a new copy of the document to my web site <https://www.robsworld.org/3ewpntxt.pdf>, so you can download a new copy if you'd like. Due to the minor amount of change, there is no change to the documents page numbering. If you have a printed copy of the document, please feel free to line through the 'Save or break' reference. Below is the corrected ammunition entry:
[Ammunition] Stinkpot: A stinkpot is specialized ammunition designed for use with a sling staff or Halfling war sling. It can be thrown by hand, but it is not designed for such use. When used as a ranged weapon it is rated as Tiny, deals 1(S)/1d2(M) points of damage, has a critical threat range/multiplier of x2, a range of 20 ft. and a damage type of B. Since this ammunition is specifically designed to be used with a sling, all characters are treated as non-proficient when using it in any other type of attack. As such, the character suffers a penalty ‘to-hit’ (see below for non-proficiency penalties). Stinkpots are small, clay vessels filled with noxious burning materials. On a successful hit, the attacker rolls normal damage. Any character within one square of a stinkpot hit must roll a successful fortitude save vs DC 16 or suffer a - 2 penalty to all attacks due to choking and coughing for 1d6 combat rounds. If a stinkpot misses its target, it still scatters and breaks open (see splash weapons as described under Special Substances and Items, 3.5 PHB pg 128.)
- Cost: 1 SP/1, Damage: As weapon (or see above), Crit: As weapon (or see above), Range increment: As weapon (or see above), Weight: 1 lbs, Type: B
I have been enforcing a 'Suicide prevention' rule for quite some time now. The rule was implemented in order to discourage the 'Disposable' character syndrome. It's a house rule I created years back. It's to prevent players from rolling up a new character every time they find a new hole in the rules, a new class they'd like to play, they've run out of money/magic items, they're bored of their current character, etc. In its worst manifestation, I've seen players roll up characters, 'die' or leave the campaign after one adventure, and conveniently leave or will their items to the remaining party members.
As a reminder to everyone. This House Rule has been in effect since the beginning of the campaign. Some of you may not have been aware of it, you may have overlooked it, or you may have forgotten it, but I have been enforcing it, and I do recall pointing it out on a few occasions (during this campaign). The rule is documented in the current House Rules document. Here is an excerpt from the NEW CHARACTERS and MAGIC ITEMS: chapter of the House Rules. See page 11.
NEW CHARACTERS and MAGIC ITEMS:
During the course of a campaign, it is possible, and sometimes probable, that a players character may die. This is a tragic event which can cause some grief on the players behalf. To dissuade fickle and foolhardy players, the following rule applies.
(If the characters death is deemed intentional by the DM; Or the player wishes to play a different character (i.e. the player is trying to get rid of the character for some reason), the players next character will enter the campaign at one level lower than the rest of the party. The DM may need to use/calculate averaged party character experience points in order to apply this rule.
If you have any questions about these changes/clarifications, or any other House Rules, please feel free to email me any time.
Southlands Mall:
I recently added a new web page to my web site, and thanks to word of mouth, and search engine indexing efforts, it's popularity has been quickly rising. I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually becomes the most popular web page at "Rob's World!".
Southlands Mall is the largest commercial retail development in Aurora, Colorado. Located in southeast Aurora, Colorado (Approximately one mile away from my home). At the intersection of E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, Southlands Mall is easy to access from anywhere in the Denver metro area due to it's proximity to E-470, a toll road which bounds the Denver metro area on it's eastern periphery. The mall is built on a 301 acre site, and will consist of appx 1.6 million square feet of retail, 1,100 condominiums, and 250,000 square feet of offices when completed. Development costs are estimated at appx. $250 million dollars.
Today I posted another update to this new page. I think I've got a pretty good start for this page. We'll see where it goes from here.
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January 24, 2006
Software favorites:
Updated a couple of pieces of software recently. Two programs that I've found very useful for the graphic artist developing web page graphics. One's shareware, the other is freeware. They're both excellent programs, and I use them quite often. As a result of these updates, I've updated my favorites page.
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter moved up to version 5.8b0 GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
Just updated to version 2.2.10 of the GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed program for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. Written and developed under X11 for the Unix platform, I'm running a version ported to Mac OS X (runs under X11). This software application is the equivalent of PhotoShop for free! There's very little you can't do with this full feature graphic authoring software suite. It's got all the bells and whistles: Full suite of painting tools, Sub-pixel sampling, Gradient editor and blend tool, Custom brushes and patterns, Full alpha channel support, Layers and channels, Multiple Undo/Redo, Editable text layers, Transformation tools, Selection tools, Advanced path tool, Transformable paths and selections, Advanced scripting capabilities, Support for Photo-Shop plugins, and several more features. I've been using the GIMP for some years now, and I'm continually impressed by it's rich features and powerful rendering capabilities.
<http://www.gimp.org/macintosh/>
Vehicle maintenance:
The Passat failed to start the other day. Kim went out to the garage and tried to start it - It wouldn't. When I tried to start it, every possible icon, light, buzzer, beeper and blinking warning available on the dash went off. Wow! "That's weird" I exclaimed. I'm not exactly sure what the 'Everything warning' means. Perhaps I should check everything? Kim took the Volvo to work that Friday, and we dealt with the Volkswagen on Monday. The tow cost us $30.00, after a AAA discount. The Volkswagen was in the shop (Tynan's Automotive) for approximately six hours before the call came. The verdict? "Needed a new battery". Imagine my surprise when I found out the price...
$190.00
Grrrr! I'm not happy.
Movies:
The other day, I watched one of my favorite movies: Cinema Paradisio (Italian - Nuovo cinema Paradiso), I own a copy of this Academy Award winning movie, and I rated it 5 out of 5. See my movie reviews page for my review. Towards the end of the movie, there's a scene where the main character is looking for a note written on the back of a film shipping receipt. As the main character reads off the titles on the receipts, it's apparent that this was the director's way of listing some important movies. Movies that helped create the character portrayed in the film. The shipping receipts constitute a list of movies that I'd like to watch. Unfortunately, many of these movies are not available on DVD yet. Here's a list of the movies that were mentioned.
D&D update:
We last played D&D on the 14th of January, and I just completed some campaign related updates. Here's a list of the recent updates.
- Character update: As no one will be playing Kethri as the game moves forward, I created a new page for this former party member, added her to the Hero's Gallery, and updated the "Who's Who" page to reflect the change in the party.
- Updated the adventurers journal. In this new journal, Ashedyn's latest entry includes reflections on being a jerk and playing a childhood game called 'Warball'.
- Updated the 3rd edition campaign page with the next game date. Hopefully everyone (including Nicholis!) can make it to our next meeting.
- Recently, I purchased another new rule book. This latest acquisition is a copy of the 'Spell Compendium'. A collection of more than a thousand spells for use in the game.
With the completion of the most recent adventure, the campaign is moving forward into a whole new phase. Now that I've retired from the military, and I won't be relocating every three years, I'll be able to run the campaign past the 8th level. It's something I haven't been able to do since the early 80's, and I'm excited by the possibilities. I hope that the players in group are enjoying the game, and I hope that I can carry the campaign forward into this new phase without any problems.
Why I Mac:
Recently, two of my friends have come to the realization that their PC has become more work than it's worth. They've both decided to switch to Mac. Tired of putting up with Spyware, Viruses, constant system updates, crashes, incompatible hardware and an operating system that makes them work - They've decided to give Apple a try. One is a former programmer for Microsoft, and the other is a coworker who's spent more than 20 years working on high powered Unix workstations in a highly technical environment. They're both intrigued by the possibilities that the Mac offers. With Unix powering an elegant and intuitive interface, the Mac is the platform of the future.
"To create a new standard it takes something that's not just a little bit different. It takes something that's really new and really captures people's imagination. And the Macintosh, of all the machines I've ever seen, is the only one that meets that standard." - Bill Gates at a Mac conference in 1984.
Sure, this quote was made a long time ago, but it's still true to this day. If you'd like to see something amazing, take a look at the latest version of iLife. iLife '06 contains five incredibly powerful, fully integrated, intuitive programs (iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand, iWeb) that can't be touched by anything available for the Windows machine. Just one example of how Apple and the Mac are way ahead of the competitors. By the way, those programs - iLife '06, it's available for $79.00. Yeah, that's right $79.00! |
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January 19, 2006
Movies:
I added another movie to my collection today. Bat 21: I saw this once, a long time ago, and I saw pieces of it when I attended the Air Force NCO Academy in Colorado Springs. It's been on my 'Must Buy' list for quite some time now. I'll have to watch it again before I rate it, so check back later for a review and rating.
Southlands Mall:
I added this new web page a couple of days ago, and already it's got 26 hits. That's pretty good, considering the fact that the web spiders haven't indexed it yet. What is it? It's a merchant index of a nearby shopping plaza.
Southlands Mall is the largest commercial retail development in Aurora, Colorado. Located in southeast Aurora, Colorado (Approximately one mile away from my home). At the intersection of E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, Southlands Mall is easy to access from anywhere in the Denver metro area due to it's proximity to E-470, a toll road which bounds the Denver metro area on it's eastern periphery. The mall is built on a 301 acre site, and will consist of appx 1.6 million square feet of retail, 1,100 condominiums, and 250,000 square feet of offices when completed. Development costs are estimated at appx. $250 million dollars.
Today I posted an update to this new page. I think I've got a pretty good start for this page. We'll see where it goes from here.
Power Outage:
The other day, I wrote about a power outage. Well, we had another one yesterday. This time it lasted a bit longer, and the phone service was out as well. I can only imagine that the outages are do to all the construction around here. The southeast corner of Aurora is undergoing some very drastic expansion, new roads, wider roads, entirely new communities, gigantic shopping plazas, the growth is just phenomenal. It's no wonder there's been power outages. There'll probably be more.
Winter snowfall:
It's been snowing for nearly 24 hours now. It's not a heavy snow, a constant silent encroaching blanket. A serene coating of soft warm winter. Just a little reminder that were pretty insignificant, with our petty problems, and our constant hubbub. Snow falling in winter, it's a welcome treat. Crisp, painful, wet and wonderful. Something white and fanciful resting on my window sill. I thought I'd take a picture and share with you all. If you'd like, follow the link, take a look, at winter in Colorado.
D&D Books:
Recently, I purchased another new rule book for my favorite game. The latest acquisition is a copy of the 'Spell Compendium'. A collection of more than a thousand spells for use in the game. As a result of this addition, I updated my D&D books page. |
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January 15, 2006
Music:
Recently, I've spent some time updating my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. p.s. Some of the links below are iTunes music store links. I'm not sure how they'll behave if you haven't got iTunes installed, but maybe now's a good time to install it. After all, it is free!
- Aztec Camera - Stray: Converted from cassette to CD-RW, then transferred to the iTunes library on my computer. I own a Pioneer PDR-509 stereo component CD recorder which I use to convert my old music library (mostly cassettes) into CDs. Recently I've been transferring the music to my computer by way of CD-RW. After transferring the music to the computer, I erase the CD-RW so I can use it again. Aztec Camera (Led by Scottish lead singer/guitarist/composer Roddy Frame) was an acoustic pop alternative with wordy lyrics reminiscent of Elvis Costello. This particular album featured Mick Jones (of the Clash) on one of the tracks. A great band from the 80's (through '93) that I can't seem to get enough of.
- Danny Elfman - So-Lo: Converted from cassette to CD-RW, then transferred to the iTunes library on my computer. Danny Elfman was the engine behind Oingo Boingo, and this album represents his solo effort while running Oingo Boingo. Although this effort was indistinguishable from other Oingo Boingo material (Most of the Oingo Boingo band members were part of the So-Lo collaboration), it is if nothing else, a must have for the Oingo Boingo collector.
- The Call - Modern Romans: Converted from cassette to CD-RW, then transferred to the iTunes library on my computer. The Call's second album. This work was never released on CD, and you can't find it on iTunes. One of my favorite Call albums. This one featured one of their biggest hits: 'The Walls Came Down'.
- Uncle Tupelo - Anodyne: Purchased through iTunes music store. The best and brightest of the bands efforts. This band and others like them (Son Volt, Wilco, the Jayhawks), spawned a resurgence in a genre of music that just won't die. A folk inspired, alternative sounding country style. Alt-country, Americana, Cow-punk. Something I heartily approve of.
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last week. I don't buy everything through the iTunes music store, but I have found it to be very convenient. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
<sidenote>I'm only downloading music that I already own (store bought cassette or album), so that I can have a backup copy and enjoy the music on any of my media devices. I'm not downloading stuff that I don't already have a license for. 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. :-)</sidenote>
Power Outage:
The other day (13 Jan '06) we had a brief power outage. Even in a place as civilized as the heart of a huge metropolitan city like Aurora, CO, we still suffer power outages. This minor annoyance - which lasted about an hour - brought me back to Southern Italy, The Power's Estate outside Celino S. Marco. A place where the wind brought with it sporadic outages that lasted all day long. We'd have power outages weekly, sometimes daily, but they never seemed of much consequence. We didn't own a computer, and the lack of electricity was a minor inconvenience, requiring us to light our three room apartment with a hurricane lamp.
Movies:
I added two movies to my collection today. Alexander Nevsky and Kontroll both arrived in the mail yesterday. Two foreign movies that were so good that I added them to my 'Must Buy' list. I hope the fact that they're foreign films doesn't turn you off. For some reason, I've found that there are a lot of people who won't even consider a movie unless it's made in America, or filmed in English? Am I the only one who thinks that's strange?
Southlands Mall:
A new web page. Southlands Mall is the largest commercial retail development in Aurora, Colorado. Located in southeast Aurora, Colorado (Approximately one mile away from my home). At the intersection of E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, Southlands Mall is easy to access from anywhere in the Denver metro area due to it's proximity to E-470, a toll road which bounds the Denver metro area on it's eastern periphery. The mall is built on a 301 acre site, and will consist of appx 1.6 million square feet of retail, 1,100 condominiums, and 250,000 square feet of offices when completed. Development costs are estimated at appx. $250 million dollars.
Recently, I found myself looking for an online index to this mall. It's not completed yet, but there are a lot of stores there, and I'd rather shop there than drive thirty minutes to some place further away. Unfortunately, I can't remember which stores are at the mall, and there wasn't any online index. So, I created one. This non-profit index is being provided solely as a community service to residents, visitors and persons interested in the "Southlands Mall". I have no financial stake in Southlands Mall, it's stockholders, owners, investors, etc. Use of Trademarks in this merchant listing is simply for identification purposes, and not intended as a challenge or endorsement. I'm not selling anything, and this is not a retail outlet portal. It's a listing of stores, addresses, phone numbers, and other information about Southlands Mall. I hope you find it useful. |
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January 14, 2006
Mac OS 10.4.4:
Today I updated my operating system. A minor update as far as Operating Systems go, but this upgrade brings some application updates, security patches and bug fixes that have been bothering a small number of users. The upgrade went painlessly, and it only took less than an hour to get everything installed, rebooted and back in business.
As a result of my OS update, the following pages have been updated. myfavs.html, feedback.html, mycomputer.html.
Software favorites:
Recently I've been updating some of my software. One of the updates (Safari) was the result of an OS update, another (GraphicConverter) was the result of a never ending evolution towards perfection, while the third (Stuffit Deluxe) was a paid update. These updates don't constitute all the software updates on my computer, I'm only listing these because they're updates to software listed on my 'Software Favorites' page. Here then is are the three updates I mentioned:
One of my favorite programs underwent another upgrade recently. GraphicConverter moved up to version 5.7.5. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm>
Safari: Apple's web browser for OS X, is way ahead of the pack. Apple's browser contains a plethora of incredibly powerful features. It's no secret why Microsoft stopped developing IE for Mac! I'm currently using version 2.0.3 (417.8). This most recent version comes as part of a recent OS update. More good news, Safari is fully compliant with the Acid 2 web standards test. By the way, it's the only browser that complies with the standard!
Battle of the browsers. Netscape versus Internet Explorer. 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. Tabbed browsing, URL snap-back, a powerful but elegant bookmark implementation (with built-in import capability), Google search integration, built-in pop-up blocker, multiple standards (HTML, XML, XHTML, DOM, CSS, RSS, JavaScript, and Java, plus QuickTime, Flash and Shockwave plug-ins), and a host of other features. 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/>
Stuffit Deluxe: I recently upgraded to version 10.0.1. Stuffit, along with the freeware Stuffit Expander, allows me to compress and encode any files that I upload to my web page. It's not really necessary for Web page authoring, but I've found it to be essential for MAC users who use the internet. Stuffit Deluxe allows me to create archives in many different compression formats, segment the archives, save them with a password for protection, and it even facilitates emailing of the compressed files. The newest version even has a built in .Mac drop box capability.
Stuffit expander (for Windows or Mac) can decode, decompress, and un-archive just about any compressed file (More than 25 different formats at last count) you might encounter on the internet. It's a must have for anyone surfing the web.
<http://www.stuffit.com/mac/index.html>
Quasi-Municipal government entity!
<rant>O.k. you're probably wondering what the hell that is. So was I. I'll tell you what it is, it's another way to get shafted by the system. Apparently I'm a member of two HOA's. Like one wasn't enough! I learned about this super-secret HOA when they sent me a book full of payment vouchers for $28.00 a month! What the #@$$%! After some heated phone calls, it turns out that this second HOA has the power to impose property taxes and other fees and charges for services within their respective boundaries! Basically, the city can't keep up with the growth of new communities in Aurora, so they grant rights to these 'Quasi-municipal governmental entities', so that they can provide and maintain services that the city would normally take care of. All in all, it's just another way to shaft it to the home owner. These fees better be tax-deductable because I'm still paying income tax to the city of Aurora!</rant>
Books:
I finally finished reading Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci code'. The conspiracy thriller that leaves the reader forever affected. It's been on the best seller list for, how many years now? So, what did I think? Well, I didn't think that it was as good as 'Angels & Demons'. The pacing was there, the character development was pretty good, but the subject of the Holy Grail was a little too big to be believable and wieldy at the same time. The endings, while elegant, left one wanting for more. Too much like a Tom Clancy novel, and not enough like an Indiana Jones movie. A difficult balance to be sure. It was good enough to stay on my list of 'Best Books', but I'll recommend 'Angels & Demons' over this one. I'm still planning to watch the movie. Due out in May of this year, I've already got tickets. Perhaps the movie will prove more entertaining than the book was.
After completing 'The Da Vinci code', I've selected a new pick from my 'on the shelf' section. 'Darwin's Radio' by Greg Bear. Science fiction mixed with evolution. I like it. A Nebula award winning best seller. Recommended by a good friend. |
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January 9, 2006
Music:
Recently I won an EP in a contest. My copy of John Romano's - Happy Christmas (War is over) EP arrived in the mail a couple days ago. In addition to the EP, I also received an email from John Romano. After a visit to my web site, he wrote to thank me for the comments I made on the 22nd of Dec, 2005. I've had a few days to listen to the EP, and I have to say the John Lennon/Yoko Ono cover is very well done. I look forward to the next release by Johnny Romano. |
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January 5, 2006
D&D update:
We last played D&D on the 17th of December, and I've been busy answering end of adventure emails since that meeting. Recently, Mark forwarded me a new journal entry, and I posted it yesterday. This should be the last journal entry for that adventure. I hope to start a new journal after our next meeting on the 14th of January. In addition to the new journal entry, I also added a new person the the "Who's Who?" page.
Software favorites:
Another GraphicConverter update. Another step towards perfection. Another product that's always getting better.
One of my favorite programs just underwent another full release upgrade. GraphicConverter recently moved up a step to the full release of version 5.7.4. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
This particular release features 16 new features, updated 17 features, and squashed 13 bugs.
<http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/graphcon.htm> |
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January 1, 2006
Happy New Year!
Kim and I have had a very good year. Life is only as good as it gets, and this year has been one of the very best. Last night we went to a New Years party at a friends house. Mark and Carissa are great hosts. We've gone to a couple parties at their home, and they've always turned out pretty good. We played a couple of 'Other Games'. One in particular went over very well. Everyone liked 'Werewolves', and that's a pretty good recommendation from a group of 16 people. Yeah, we had 16 or more people playing the game at the same time! What a blast. We visited with our friends, had a few drinks, a load of laughs and an all around good time.
Holidays:
Kim and I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
D&D update:
We last played D&D on the 17th of December, and I've been busy answering end of adventure emails since that meeting. When the journal update is ready I'll let you know. In the meantime, the players are working on character advancement. We've decided to take two weeks off for the holidays, and our next meeting won't be until the 14th of January. Hopefully, everyone will have their characters ready for the next adventure by then. In the meantime, here's a few of the rule changes I had to make:
One rule change resulted in updates to two documents. A minor change to the 'Quick Draw' feat resulted in a revised campaign feats listing, and a slight change to one of the house rules. Below I've listed the house rules change. For the revised feat, you'll need to download the campaign feats listing. The feats listing is available for download by the members of our D&D campaign. It's an encrypted document, so you'll need a password to extract the pdf document. I encrypted the archive because some of the materials are taken in whole directly from copyrighted game materials. It's not my stuff, and I don't have explicit permission to re-distribute it.
INITIATIVE AND DRAWING A WEAPON:
If a weapon is drawn in order to attack, the attacker suffers a -1 to initiative in the round the weapon is drawn. If the weapon is drawn but no attack is planned/performed, the -1 penalty is not incurred. Characters with the ‘Quick Draw’ feat ignore the -1.
The change to the 'Quick Draw' feat incorporates the details listed in the house rule above. new feats listing
Another rules change involves the gold piece cost to advance a level. The money that an Arcane spell caster needs in order to go up a level has changed. Well, actually the rule changed a long time ago, but for some reason I forgot to update a web page that detailed the relevant rules. The cost changed from 800gp to 600gp. The cost is calculated for each week (10 day weeks) of training. The number of weeks is determined by the level that the character is advancing to, and the Role-Playing performance of the player during the recently completed adventure.
Music:
Recently I've made quite a few purchases, additions, and conversions to update my music collection. Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. p.s. Some of the links below are iTunes music store links. I'm not sure how they'll behave if you haven't got iTunes installed, but maybe now's a good time to install it. After all, it is free!
- Interpol - Antics: Purchased through iTunes music store. An alternative/post-punk band with a serrated edge. Reminiscent of PIL and Joy Division.
- Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers: Purchased through iTunes music store. A classic proto-punk band that didn't survive it's infancy. Heavily influenced by VU/John Cale.
- The soundtrack of our lives - Origin Vol. 1: Purchased through iTunes music store. Indie pop-rock designed to test the volume knob on your stereo.
- Angry Samoans - Back from Samoa: Downloaded mp3 version of vinyl that I own. Cynical, politically incorrect, in your face punk rock. You won't find this band at the iTunes music store. The lyrics are somewhat 'controversial'.
- Level 42 - World Machine: Downloaded mp3 version of cassette that I own. Early British 80's new wave. Similar to Simple Minds or Duran Duran.
- The Smiths - Meat is murder: Downloaded mp3 version of cassette that I own. My first and favorite Smiths album. Dark, moody, melodic.
- The Smiths - Hatful of Hollow: Downloaded mp3 version of cassette that I own. A singles and rarities compilation that showcased the bands best. Some of their best material was only released on 'compilations'.
- The Psychedelic Furs - Mirror Moves: Downloaded mp3 version of cassette that I own. Richard Butler attempts to make mainstream American music.
These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last week. I don't buy everything through the iTunes music store, but I have found it to be very convenient. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005 , I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you notice an error, have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
<sidenote>I'm only downloading music that I already own (store bought cassette or album), so that I can have a backup copy and enjoy the music on any of my media devices. I'm not downloading stuff that I don't already have a license for. 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. :-)</sidenote> |
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Author: Robert L. Vaessen e-mail:
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