I could use help from a guru right about now...

ron thomas

I have been trying to set up my laptop computer to put it's screen on a tv monitor. The idea was that we in the computer club could better see what came up for discussion if we could put the diplay on to the clubhouse TV where talking points could be illustrated. Following all the steps in my manual I can get the laptop to put the desktop picture on the monitor(TV) but it will not switch screens along with the computer. The laptop I am using will not access one of the steps necessary in the instructions. I am convinced that this is where I am stuck. Has anyone had this problem and solved it?

Do you want to build your own....

ron thomas

Would you like to have your own personal website just like our web page? Staying away from the idea because you feel it is to hard to do? You could have a family website where your friends and relatives could leave stories, messages about what's happening and pictures to share. It can be made private where access is to your family and friends.


Well it isn't hard at all. But it sure helps to have someone who has done it before with you. The last person we helped set up a webstie was Milt Sadusky. He has a link on the left side of the page where you can look at it. His took us about an hour with me standing behind him and guiding him while he made the choices he wanted himself. The hour included instuction on how to use the site. For this we charge the very affordable rate of only... $0.00 per hour but somtimes we ask for double time and a half :)

This could be the type of subject that we would see at our computer club meeting coming up on the 19th.

Should you be interested in setting it up yourself you can try it by clicking on the BLOGGER icon at the bottom of the links on the left side of this page. If you get stuck let me know... we'll help.

More ratings are showing up on the U Rate it page... check it out... send me your reviews

Birthdays...

ron thomas


Tonight we spent several hours on data entry.... The real drudge of computer work. As a result we have listed all the birthdays of residents that were in old Newsletters on the dates they fall on through December. With the exception of September... WE couldn't find September dates. If someone will email them to me I will get them incorporated. We will continue until we have recorded everyone that wants to show up on the calendar... Some folks may want their names off and others may want their names on. Email me and let me know.

Why set this up? Because the electronic calendar, once set up will continue to publish the birthdays forever. No one will have to do anything anymore other than put in new names or remove those who have moved on. Your copy of the calendar will let you know when it's time to wish your neighbor a Happy Birthday. Year after year the calendar will keep track of everyone for you automatically.

To see the new additions simply click on the link on the left that looks like a calendar and then click on the month you are interested in along the top row.

By the way Larry Henson has agreed to help keep me upto date with the private functions and today he handed me a change and it is now on the electronic calendar. This Calendar is your most reliable and upto date resource about park activities. If you are contemplating a change email it to me so everyone knows right away what's going on. We hope to updatethe calendar on the bulletin board every time there is a change also.

Email me with your data at:

teckron@hotmail.com

Crossword puzzles...

that you do on your computer....

Now we are going to give you a link to interactive crossword puzzles. Interactive means you do them right here on your computer. I'm not sure how it will work with a dial up connection but it worked fine with hi speed on the Firefox browser. You'll have to experiment. One of the things that you may encounter if you go there is they will ask you to download a Java Applet in order to play. This is easy enough in Firefox. Next just follow the prompts and instructions and you will be ok. One thing we had problems learning was that you toggle the space bar to move between "Down" and "Across" words. If enough of you like it we will put a link in on the left but for now don't forget to "Bookmark" or make it a"Favorite" page. here is the link:

CROSSWORD

Decided you might like a taste....

ron thomas

In the below article on selecting a comics page for yourself to read I neglected to give you an example. So, here is a link to my selected comics. Try it and if you like what you see ...reread the comics article below and then make your own.

Ron's Comic Page

Writing on the website...

ron thomas

Writing here is a daily event for me. Trying to find things of interest for our community takes several hours a week but for me, most of the time it is more of a hobby than a chore. Still every so often we experience mind fog and the page just languishes there getting fewer and fewer visitors until something moves us to write again. We used to have contributing writers. Now it's just me.

Jacky, has half convinced me that of all the 110 part time readers and 40 hardcore viewers of the website that none of them like to write. We should be grateful if they like to read... And so we are. Commenting at the end of article is usually made use of by about 5 or 6 people. Still, when those comments become controversial or a bit pointed.... Readership soars. We suspect everyone keeps checking back to see how the abrasive comment will be taken. In its own way that is kind of the point to the comments to share different views of the subject.

I would like to point out that sometimes the comments are constructive and lead to a possible solution such as the one from Charles Burke on the post light addresses. Charles suggested we find out who doesn't have addresses. This we did and that led to us contacting the Assistant Fire chief Toby Cole.. Who will soon be writing his opinion in an article for our web page. Then steps are going to be initiated to put it in the pigeon hole mailboxs at the clubhouse. Charles made a pro-active suggestion that we could use and develop instead of doing nothing.

For that we would like to thank Charles Burke and ask others of you to follow his example and comment any way you want, anytime you want, using the Golden Rule as your guideline. Of course, comments of a helpful nature or pro-active will be more likely to bear fruit than those of an acidic nature but that's up to you.

More in the works..

Coming on the webpage soon:

Kathy's Newport tours link

Interactive crossword puzzle...
Allows you to do the puzzle right on your computer or download it to your printer.... FUN!!!!!!!!!!!

Newport Tours link...

We are putting a permanent link on the left side of our web page for Newport Tours. We admire members of our community who start new businesses and Kathy Furgason is a friend of ours. Thinking about it though we would like to link anyone in our community that has a business. So if you live here and would like a link on the left side of our page for your business let us know. Email:
teckron@hotmail.com

The Tehachapi Picture Above...

ron thomas

We lived in California most of our lives and have seen these hills covered with poppies so survival orange that they were hard to look at. The surrounding desert will have an occasional purple field and a lot of yellow mustard. This ... This we have never seen. That rain they had this year has created a once in a lifetime event. If it weren't California we would be tempted to go and see it. If you need to place it ..Tehachipi is near Bakersfield up in the surrounding mountains at about 4000 ft as I recall.

Jack Scherer showed me this picture at the club house and then Jim Rose forwarded it to me in the email. If we get pixs in email we can put em on the site.

The new SubWay Sandwich Shoppe

We have been trying the new SubWay drive through down on 101. They make a very good sandwich at a reasonable price. Before this time though we have always gone in and had them make our sandwich which gives you a ton of choices from what bread, cheese, vegetables and dressing you would like on your sandwich. They truly do make it your way.

My story is not about the quality, quanity, service or price... All of which are pretty darn good. But (Don't you just hate that word but?), what we think needs attention is the drive up portion of their operation. This is a relatively new thing for Subways we have been to. The problem comes from when you try to relay all the choices you want to the waiter. That person has to write all them down or memorize them. Since you don't know what the choices are the wait person has to relay them via the speaker and then you sort them out and give them back where upon they repeat them back to you. By the time the mistakes are ironed out and you both have a working idea of what is requested you drive forward only to find after you have purchased a sandwich that something was forgotten.

I wouldn't fault myself or the waiter for this problem. The communication is just too lengthy and therefore lends itself to human error. The solution is up to the owner we suppose but here is our recomendation... Go if you want an excellent sandwich at a good price but "go in" because we think the drive up needs to improve a bit first.

Read About Newport Tours...

We have a local community resident that has started her own business. Follow the below link to the story in the Newport News Times and find out all about it...

Newport News Times Article

9/11 CLEAR THE SKIES

Thursday, May 12th , at 9:00pm OPB, Channel 10.....

Excerpt from the above programm.............

On the morning of September 11, 2001, there were more than 4000 planes flying over the United States - and four of them were hostile. America had the most powerful military in the world, yet an enemy attack was so unimaginable the air defense of the entire U.S. mainland was left upto 14 fighter planes. This is a minute by minute story of how America's air defenses responded to the terrible events of that fateful day.

That AAA MAGAZINE CAME OUT..

Jacky was browsing the triple A magazine and found an item about a sale with 40% off at the Lincoln City Outlet Stores. From May12 through May 15, get 40% off at the REBOK, ROCKPORT,GREG NORMAN AND RALPH LAUREN FOOT WEAR OUTLETS when you show your AAA card.


If you don't have a card find a neighbor who does cause getting shawed for them prices is pretty good.

COMICS ANYONE?

ron thomas

While building our on line news sources we stumbled on a true prize. I hope you will copy down the below instructions and enjoy what has been a daily read for me. I grew up with the comics... And for me a newspaper is not a newspaper without them.

When you moved here from wherever you probably lost those favorites that you had followed for years. Guess what? You can have any of them that you wish by following the link below.

This link will take you to the Houston Chronicles Comic Selection web site. Now when you get there you will build a page that has every comic that you liked. It has well over a hundred selections to choose from. You follow their instructions and check the boxes next to your favorites and then submit your choices by clicking the "Build it" pushbutton. Your own personalized pages of comics will appear. Once they appear make them a Favorite in Internet Explorer or a Bookmark in Firefox. Every morning your own personal comics page will be there with the current days set. Sunday's Comics may have a few missing.

Here is you link... Go get em..
Houston Chronicle Comics Builder

IN THE WORKS:

PICKLE BALL


HORSESHOES


SHUFFLE BOARD


Have to talk to management. If you want to be a help .. pick one of the above that you are willing to organize.

sign up at the clubhouse for cribbage or

SEE CAROL GROVER

SIGN UP FOR THE NEW BRIDGE CLUB @ THE CLUBHOUSE

OR SEE

LEANNE McCreedy

What a waste of talent...

ron thomas


Yesterday I noticed that a congress woman from California had a bill before the House to create a bigger agency to track down computer fraud criminals. I was thinking that across America there are probably thousands of capable, well trained seniors who are retired that would view this as big game hunting and fun and would donate hours to tracking virus creeps just for fun. Count me among them. Although they would have to train and equip many of us. We are a wasted national treasure. Such a program is custom made for us... It's not physical and makes use of the insight gained from decades of knowledge. It also would give many of us a chance to patriotically serve our country once again... That's just what we told the congress woman in an email.

166 HOMES AT LVH.... 85 HAVE POST LIGHT ADDRESSES INSTALLED.... 81 DO NOT

BINGO-A-RAMA!!!!

Super Bingo is set for Tuesday, May 17th at the clubhouse... 7:00pm .... The Social Club will put $100 into the winning jackpot(S). Cards will be for sale at 5 for a dollar... per game. There will be 7 games called. All the money from card sales will be put into the jackpots too! If 30 people come and each of them play 5 cards per game that would be $210 Plus the Social Club Guaranteed $100 or $310... Of course that means everyone would play 5 cards.. and it would cost $7 a person for the night avery reasonable fun night out

Now you can do the math and figure the sizes of the Jackpots. Would you rather have smaller ones for 6 games and then a big one for the coverall at the end? Let's here what you want...

About the website calendar...

ron thomas

Since Jacky (better known to you as "She Who Must Be Obeyed") Became Activity Chair at LVH I have been putting all the activities on the website calendar. We have listed all the known activities until next December. Since all the Social Club activities go through her before being posted we have taken to keeping them electronically filed on the calendar page. Seems only a few things were missing. The private functions and the fisherman's Club and new Computer club listings. We have taken the liberty to update these now and suggest that all activities that folks want on the calendar be sent to us by phone or email or a note in the mailbox. The electronic calendar will be updated within hours of such a notice.

Through the innovative copying feature of the FireFox web browser we can crank out an upto date calendar for the News Letter any time before it goes to press. We can also put an updated calendar at the clubhouse whenever changes come up with in a day or so.

This calendar projects itself into the future and will faithfully set up recurring dates for meetings with the click of the mouse.

In addition if you would like to subscribe to receive instant updates to calendar changes in your email you need only notify us by email at
teckron@hotmail.com
and we will put you on the automated email notification list.

The calendar also has a "Click Here" feature that brings up total information about an event.

Take the time to check out the calendar for May... See if you can figure out how...

Fishing Club to get Demonstration...

a telephone conversation....From Jack Scherer

Jack called to also Say that the Fishing Club will be getting a demonstration on how to fly fish by new resident John Spangler. The demonstration will be at the LVH pond at 9AM on Thursday, May 19th.

This will be probably be fun to watch even if you are not a nimrod.

News from Jack Scherer...

from a conversation with Jack Scherer...


Jack says that the Senior Center downtown is willing to help us procure the computers we need and possibly the network equipment as well for our computer system at the clubhouse.


Jack has talked to the PUD who have been able to help the senior center with equipment and he thinks he has worked out a way for us to benefit from these folks too.


As well as that Jack has also agreed to talk to Charter Communications on our behalf to see if he can't negotiate us a deal on a high speed internet connection. This is a great relief to me personally as I don't like doing that... Shoot when we go to buy anything I always turn Jacky loose on the Salesmen. She is awesome and a bit embarrassing when she starts negotiating. Me... I'm a wuss. So thanks to Jack Scherer for taking on that job... From me and from you the community I am sure.

Lamp posts need your address...

ron thomas .... An Editorial Opinion..



So we see the Assistant Fire Cheif coming to the park last year and praising us for putting address numbers on our post lights. The Engineer that drove the truck said at two in the am when you are trying to find nearly invisible addresses on the sides of houses it was the greatest thing since peanut butter.


Why do so many houses still not have the numbers? Personally we worry that a life may be lost just because of a stupid address number not being visible. Even in the daytime they are highly visible. Yet here we are with a lot of homes with no visible numbers. Some have told me that they can see their numbers on their houses just fine. But we are not talking about whether YOU can see them or not but whether the paramedic can see them. Doesn't it make sense that if everyone puts their numbers on their globes and the paramedics know this is standardized they won't have to dawdle around searching for the number that you can see just fine on your house?

By putting an address number on your lamp post light you are doing two good things.

1. First, you are protecting yourself and your family with the cheapest insurance available.
2. Secondly, you are making it easier to find your neighbor's home too.

Now we suspect that some folks might harbor ill will toward the Social Club for some past grievances or because of the current leadership or for whatever reason do not want to support this effort to make our community safer. Please take a bye on those feelings just for this one thing. Then you can return to whatever stance you want but just for this one thing, putting address numbers on your globes, won't you consider doing it yourself OR letting the volunteers do it for you?

To this end I volunteer to put those numbers on your globes for a $5 donation to the Social Club. (no post painting). If you cannot afford the $5.00 donation I will do it for FREE. Just give Donna Davi (Social Club Treasurer) a call and tell her you can't afford it but would like it done and it will be done. A signup sheet will be on the Bulletin Board.

If you do it yourself you can buy it at Walmart. They come in squares. Just trim the square away with scissors and an exacto knife and align them on the globe and glue them down. If you make a mistake scrape them off and cut another set of numbers.

Finally, if you are a block captain you already have a desire to make your neighborhood safer. If you haven't done so before please talk to that neighbor that hasn't numbered his/her light yet and tell them what the Fire Cheif said.

Rate-em

ron thomas


We are going to try something new on the website... We now have a page called, "You Rate EM". A link can be found on the left hand side of this page displaying a thumbs-up icon.


Here is the explanation of how it works....

This will be a spot to rate our community business and contractors. We think the best way to start will be this....We won't be posting negative ratings . Nor will anything emailed in be posted here. If some of you care to rate the service or product you have bought in our local area we will post it saying that there are X good ratings for the subject.If the rating is bad then we will subtract it from the number of good ratings. Should a subject acquire enough bad ratings to the point where the rating slips to zero or a minus number then they will be removed from our list.The list will soon reflect the communities' opinion of what is good to buy, use or eat. If this works you will have a good idea who can serve you best.You can email the editor with your positive or negative comments at:
teckron@hotmail.com

Sometimes you just wonder what the Heck...

ron thomas


Last night the Davi's had us over for a dinner of superbly cooked Italian cuisine. Donna Davi is an extraordinary chef and consuming one of her meals is fast becoming one of our most happy events.

Before the meal was served Ben Davi and I were talking about the Social Club as we often do. He told me of one resident that came up to him at the close of the meeting and told him that the meeting was the most "Disinterested" he had ever been to.

This statement was made despite the fact that treasurer's report showed the Social Club on sound financial ground with a $7100 balance. Despite a new innovation passed by popular vote that the Social Club will serve Hot Dogs and Chili at its next meeting (other menu choices will follow on at the meeting after this one). Despite another experimental innovation passed by popular vote that Bingo be funded out of the treasury for $100 plus what ever that night's proceeds are. Despite a firming of our upcoming Father's Day dinner at Izzy's where we have a special room reserved for LVH folks, a reduced senior discount and one future free meal for every Dad. Then there was the fixing of the electrical outage problem in the kitchen. A request to study what it would take to make the sound system work really well. An opening (by vote) of ticket sales to mother's day catered dinner to folks outside the park (family and friends). A request to speak to the community restaurants for gifts for our Mothers on their day.. A promise to study the problem with the electric ovens in the clubhouse kitchen. A request and acceptance to fill the Newsletter Editor's slot while he vacations in Alaska. A request to form a committee to find new folks for the Neighborhood Watch Co-ordinator and Vice Chairman of the Social Club.

Yeah, damn right... A very "Disinterested" meeting indeed.

Sometimes a well placed caustic remark can torpedo the best of intentions... Got a gripe...Then get a grip! THINK before you say something thoughtless.

Clark Howard.. radio personality and consumer advocate has an interesting article on using a debit card

from the Clark Howard Web Site....

Never use a debit card to pay at the pump

Have you ever used a debit card at a gas station to “pay at the pump?” Say you fill up $20 or $30 worth. Then, two days later you get a notice from your bank that you’ve bounced some checks. How can that be, you’re probably thinking. But, what you may not know is that when you use a debit card, gas stations have the right to overcharge you a certain amount to ensure they get their money. Sometimes it’s only a $5 or $10 hold. But it’s up to each gas station to decide how much to hold in your account, and some put a $75 or $100 hold on the account. And, they also decide how long to hold that money. Some hold the money for up to three days, so that can really hurt you. If you want to use a debit card at a gas station, do not pay at the pump. Pay inside the station and you’ll be charged for only what was purchased. Or, the better alternative is to use a credit card. If you have a rewards card, you get the cash back or gas reward to boot.

Visit this story and others on Clark's website:

Clark Howard Here

Okie Breakfast Electrical outages...

Ron Thomas

Those ladies that were doing the cooking at Edna's Okie Breakfast. Had a frustrating experience with circuit breakers tripping out from the heavy electrical load. The load was generated from electric skillets, deep fryers and microwaves all trying to run simultaneously.

Investigation has found a simple fix for any future cooking expeditions of this magnitude. When the clubhouse was built the electrical code mandated that garbage disposals be given their own separate 20 amp circuit. This is the case in our kitchen at the clubhouse. Each of our disposals have their own 20 amp circuit breaker for an additional 40 amps available for a large cook out. All that is needed is for us to provide 2ea 10 foot, multi strip, outlet cords (one for each disposal outlet). That will more than provide for the extra electricity should we ever need it again.

BINGO-A-RAMA !!!!!!! ====>

RON THOMAS..


Coming soon to the clubhouse.... Super Bingo! Keep tuned for the details as they are worked out. This much is known for certain...

• The Social Club is guaranteeing the jackpot money of $100 for this event. AND!!! Whatever the price for the cards that night will also be rolled into the Bingo pot. That's right... Prize money will be $100 plus all card buy in money. It's possible the pot could be as high as $200 to $400 !!!
  
• Bingo will not be called on a night that competes with the pool table to be heard.
• A mystery caller will call the lucky numbers.
• This is a first for the community... Join in the fun.

Look to the bulletin board to keep up on the latest... More information as soon as it is worked out.

Jim Dodds also has found a super buy....

Jim Dodds by email....

Jim also has found a buy on a home theater system with an amplifier, 6 speakers and a CD player for the clubhouse for $69... It would be a good music system for a very good price.


Everyone... I'm thinking of putting up the money for it hoping the Social Club will reimburse me ... What do you think? Here is a picture of the system to go with Jim's discription in the comments...

Jim Dodd's advice for Firefox users

Jim Dodds by email


Firefox announced today an update to the Mozilla web browser. To update your version to 1.0.3, in the top tool bar of the browser click:


Tools and goto

Options and open

Advanced (the "Advanced" Icon is on the left side tool bar) then scroll to

Software Update and click the

Check Now Button

That's it and continue to use Firefox

Nutz! Social Club Agenda didn't allow me enough time....

ron thomas

We didn't have enough time to put forward our basket full of requests.. We think we're going to have to do this largely on our own.

I don't want to be the one talking to Charter or Qwest about a hi-speed internet connection... I'm a real Klutz when it comes to doing that..Found that out when doing the red lights... But... No one wants to help... So we'll try. If successful we want to activate Jim Dodds to start looking for a wireless router and cards for the computers and a long range antenna to cover all the club house. I know you already showed the best buy going Jim but give me a chance to try and get the line in first. We can't do anything without that.

Meanwhile, I am going to hook my laptop up to the clubhouse TV and try to get ready for the next clubhouse meeting.

Also, the Social Club wants to have music put into the clubhouse with a speaker system that doesn't upset everyone. The place is an acoustic problem so we could use advice from audio-files out there and any of you older residents that would care to tell about your experiences with the speakers in place and the ones in the ceiling would be appreciated.

We will be restoring the current microphone system if we can while about looking into the other stuff. If this seems like fun to you then you might want to join in.

SPRING DINNER

REALLY BAD PHOTOGRAPHY BY ron thomas


Click to enlarge picture... Use your browser's back arrow to return here.

Jim Dodds points out some shopping advice about an item he wanted to buy

Item: 8' x 36 1/2" 26 gauge Galv. Sheet Metal

Groth-Gates Heating/Sheet Metal (Phone Quote) Newport $2.40
Robben Heating & Air Cond. (Phone Quote) Lincoln City $5.00
Mulder Sheet Metal, Inc. (Actual Pricing) Newport $20.00

Hi Speed Network at the Clubhouse...

Ron Thomas

Under improvements to the clubhouse we would like to see monetary support from the Social Club to pay for hi speed cable internet installed at the clubhouse. Then we would like to install a Wireless Network (called Wi-Fi) in conjunction with that....

The benefits would be the following:

1. Every computer in the clubhouse could be fitted with a device that would allow it to be on the internet simultaneously with up to 250 other computers in the clubhouse with only the one paid for connection.
2. People with laptops and a network card could be on the internet free at the clubhouse. Anywhere in the clubhouse.
3. When we get our donated computers from Georgia Pacific they will all be able to go on to the internet simultaneously.
4. There is a chance that in the future we could add parts that would allow us to offer very low cost (I’m thinking $5 to$10 a month), high speed internet to the entire park by Creating what is known as a WiFi Hotspot.
5. We can also make it so that any computer in the clubhouse will be able to use any printer in the clubhouse. You won’t be stuck with one computer, one printer anymore.
6. All the computers can be made to share and communicate with one another which leads to an excellent classroom environment or gaming environment.
7. Also, music and home pictures can be shared between computers or put on the television in the library area.

These things are all possible using a network. In order to complete this project we would need $$$$ from the Social Club or interested donors. Going on a high side guesstimate the Network would cost about $150 one time cost. The hi-speed internet connection would cost $370 a year from Charter or if we have a good negotiator maybe we could use our non-profit status to drop that cost considerably.

We intend to bring this up at the next Social Club Meeting so we would like for everyone to think about it and come with your opinion and vote.

Bingo on the Wain?

Ron Thomas

Bingo is scheduled every other week at the clubhouse but a good portion of the time enough folks don’t show up to play. When they do the pots are pretty low... around $15 or so... Not much excitement generated there.

Here is an idea I would like the Bingo Players and Social Club to think about and come prepared to speak your piece at the next Social Club Meeting where it will be brought up...

Let’s scale back the frequency of Bingo to say every 3 weeks. Then look at Bingo as having the potential to entertain and make income. We propose that we do this by having the Social Club enter an experiment for 3 sponsored nights of Bingo in the coming months. Social club sponsoring will include a guarantee of at least $100.00 in Jackpot money. If more money is taken in then the Social Club can adjust the Jackpot size upward and take a percentage for the Social Club treasury. If not the Social Club makes up the difference. Run the experiment for 3 Bingo Nights then make a decision on whether Bingo is right for us.

More on Web News...

Ron Thomas


Reading the news on the web gets to be an even better experience as you go along. You begin to see how everything is set up and begin customizing things to fit your tastes. For instance, if you don’t like Sports you just click delete Sports and all those stories are gone... Maybe you’re not interested in the Food section just click and from now on nothing in that ever comes up.

I have been trying different news services out and finding that one that fits me well. So far I like Google News the best. It allows you to customize by adding more or less stories in the news section you are in. It also displays when a story was written... Many only minutes ago... So you are really getting fresh news as it happens. It also displays the newspapers that it gets the news from and provides a link to that paper.

So, this is an evolving experience. I find myself tasting bits and pieces from this smorgasbord while I build what is the ideal news media for me personally.

Computer Club..

ron thomas


Well we will be having another meeting soon. I think it would be helpful for everyone interested to start emailing me ideas about what they would like to talk about at the meeting. That way we can get you a loose agenda written up and find what you want to do better.

Email me with your ideas
teckron@hotmail.com

Meanwhile, think about ways to accomplish the things you would like to see our new club do. If you will be coming for the first time.... The club is informal and we talk about problems we are having and solutions.. technology, reliable technicians... games, new programs and we interact with neighbors who have the same interests. Although the future may hold formal classes that is not what the computer club is doing now. Some might even call it geek yaking. But you can be a neophyte or a guru here so all skill and interest levels are welcome.

Shuffle Board Anyone?

ron thomas

Yesterday the Rose's and Thomas' had a bitter battle to the finish for the champion title of LVH shuffle board champs. This unbiased reporter would like to say that he has never seen such underhanded cheating and that the Thomas' were robbed.

Nevertheless, the cue sticks and 8 pucks were recently found during the spring cleaning of the storage facility. You will find them there should you decide to have a game but my advice is to stay away from them Rose's if you know what's good fer ya.

Larry Henson, our park manager, related a story and wants one rule to be observed about playing the game in the clubhouse. The story was that a few years ago folks wanted to get really serious about the way the game was played and decided to sprinkle that wax like you put on the floor for dancing to make the pucks slide better. Sometime later a resident walked onto the floor with that slickedy do wax on it and fell.Larry doesn't want that to happen again and asks that we not put wax on the floor.

The Rose's had no problem whatsoever waxing the Thomas',,without wax.

PS:
In a below article we asked for a volunteer to put casters on the ping pong table ... Now you know why...

What Happened @ the Computer Club????

ron thomas

There were about 8 or 9 folks interspersed with some late comers at the meeting. Folks brought questions and others had answers for them and some of them stumped us. Like Barbra Burgess who wanted to know how to make her MACintosh work a photo program that she has. We could sure use people that know about MACs. We just all stared at her with our mouth's agape mumbling funny noises.

Another show stopper was Wayne Hill who brought his laptop that displays an error code and will not run. Jim Dodds this may be one for you.

We talked of internet and formal classes which brings Sid Adkins to the forefront. He has been in computers for over 30 years and has taught classes to the folks at the Senior Center. He has Guru stamped all over his forehead. He also may have access to the Ocean Spray center computer lab where he has taught classes before. In such a class everyone has a computer. We hope to develope him as a future resource.

Bill Holt was there and had some suggestions for questions from Milt and he found some new things he asked about too.

Joye Newman had questions about removing Spam from email and really hoped to learn how to use Picasa... Jim Rose told her how easy it was to use and invited her over to his house to teach her how.

Milt Sadusky brought a whole list of questions about problems he was having and people answered some and not others. He had a comment about a service he was using to fix his computer and remarked that the person has been back 6 times and still has not cured the problems. The thing to do with that complaint we beleive is to only mention here on the website those technicians who are getting good reviews. We won't mention bussinesses that are getting gripes against them but will shamelessly plug those that you readers are reporting as giving good service. Over time we hope to establish a list of good service people... You will know if their name appears here that they have been giving good service. Email us with gripes and praise and we will tally them up and put on the website if they measure up. That will go for all service people. Your name and what you write won't be put here.

We talked about having a network at the clubhouse with a hi speed connection. Gaming with our own folks on-line... Bill Furgason snuck in some X-10 questions about home automation. Talk of making your computer photo's show up on your home TV screen .

The meeting melted away of its own accord after about an hour and a half. Personally, I was jazzed and encouraged to do it again. So for now we will have a meeting every other Tuesday at 1:00pm. If more people come maybe we can have it every week. It's up to you. Meanwhile, we'll take a break and see everybody in a couple of weeks. Thank you for coming... I enjoyed meeting you and having the pleasure of your company

In the Spirit of Talking About Good Meals..

ron thomas



Today we ate lunch at Jimi's restaurant on highway 101 and Jacky and I both had the fish and chips.There were 5 jumbo pieces of Icelandic Cod fried tempura style and, a dinner salad, followed by coleslaw, 6 pieces of toasted garlic bread and a generous helping of fries. Tartar sauce and malt vinegar were also offered. There was a garnish of lettuce and a watermellon tooth. We also had two glasses of iced tea which were gaily decorated like a Singapore Sling mixed dring and garnished with fresh lemon. Service was excellent and the food was likewise with a great deal of extra effort showing in the presentation. The bill was about $15 and we left with 5 full pieces of cod and a large helping of frnch fries for lunch at home tommorow... Four stars for a Newport restaurant. Price..reasonable... Service excellent... meal better than most we have tried on the coast.

Picasa looks at a Yahats blow hole..
Using 3 different filters in Picasa you get a feel
for what can be done with this free program.

left click to enlarge picture.

Jim's sent pixs this row .......... Reworked in Picasa

COMPUTER CLUB MEETS TOMMOROW AT 1:00PM

RON THOMAS

THE computer club meets tommorow. This will be just an informal gathering to test the waters and see what ideas can be exchanged in a coffee drinking , popcorn eating environment. I hope we resist the gavel and president thing and just meet as interested friends helping one another enjoy the computing experience.

Formal classes in stuff that interests a group can be talked about but this will not be that. One person told me they won't come because they can't learn anything with out seeing it. Well, I'm hoping that those of you who have laptops will bring them so points can be illustrated.

One thing I'm hoping to see us talk about is a way to acquire high speed internet installed in the clubhouse. If we can do that then we can work on getting a LAN set up. (LOCAL AREA NETWORK) With a LAN we can connect all private computers and all clubhouse computers together so that they can share the one high speed internet connection and be on the internet simultaneously and go wherever they want on the internet independant of each other. In addition each of the LAN connected computers can share the same printer and can have print jobs lined up (this is called a que=pronounced Q). The TV in the book reading area can be hooked to the LAN and it can display any LAN connected computer's pictures and music albumns. The music from the computer then can be played over the high fidelity system of the TV.

We can talk about neat free downloads we know about such as PICASA. The problems we have been having with our computers. Learn computer jargon so we can talk to our grandkids on the same wavelength... be a hip Grandma so to speak. We can talk about computer repairs we know about. You see ... we will just be sharing information and if everything works well we will all be yaking in different conversations about what we know and what we want to know... For me this sounds like fun. If it does to you too don't be intimidated by being a beginner. There is nothing one who knows something enjoys more than showing it to someone else who doesn't.

Consider this... When we were all children folks used to walk by on the sidewalk and chat with their neighbors and kids played well into the evening on front and back lawns. When our generation grew older there was no time for this. We had to make a living and were tired at the end of our 12 to 16 hour days. That took a toll on just neighborily visiting. Now folks say they want to be left alone to do their own thing. Well I don't and some folks are like me we thirst for that time when neighbor visited neighbor and talked about..... about .... stuff. Be involved find an activity that you like and start a club today.

WOOD WORKERS.. NEED VOLUNTEERS
Upholsters and Sewers we need you

RON THOMAS

So you like making fine furniture or making things work right? You've got all that equipment in your garage for cuttin and measurin but your running low on projects? Are you now? How would you like to fix some problems with the clubhouse that would make it nicer for the residents?


Well! Do we have a deal for you...


The couches in the clubhouse present a terrible problem for many of our residents. They sit so low that people with knee and back problems often have to have assistance getting in and out of them. That is a significant number of folks here. The net result is that they don't get used much. We want to change that. The solution is simple enough ...Just raise them up enough to cure the problem. We want to do it in a way that doesn't look homemade so what we need are those guys with a knack for making really nice stuff. At the same time if there are folks with upholstery experience maybe we can give them a face lift too.


Don't know how to do this stuff but want to learn? If we get enough volunteers maybe we can help one another? Don't be skeptical.. We aren't ... Everytime a worthwhile project has called for volunteers in the park a lot of willing hands have shown up and that's just a true fact.


Woodworkers and "make it work" guys that are not interested in this project we have another for you... We are going to need some casters put on the ping pong table legs so that even a 98lb lady can push the table out of the way when we need to.

Jim Dodds makes an Observation...

from an email from Jim...

Sunday 1:41 AM....
Paramedics/Ambulance lost again, not once but twice....see if they find the address on the third time by my house.



Sunday 1:47 AM.....
they are still speeding up and down the streets......
don't that STOP and make you think !!!!



frilling 60 more seconds may mean death.........


Sunday 1:51 AM
went outside tried to flag them down, didn't stop, to busy trying find whatever the address is they are looking for, came back inside wrote this, see them speeding by again.

Blaine Kalar fwd's a funny 4 u

Blaine Kalar by email to Jacky Thomas

o: Master of the House >From: Dog >Subject: Cat > > Master: > The cat is despicable. She doesn't do any tricks and never comes when you call, and I've been there, I know she can hear you. We need to face the facts: It's time to get rid of the cat. > >Before the cat's arrival, meals were festive times. I would sit and stare attentively at your lips, trembling slightly and drooling. You would play the game of pretending to be cross and demand that I leave the area, but whenever you cooked dinner, your children would slip me food under the table. > >Now the cat is allowed to jump on the table - actually physically walk on the table! You don't yell at the cat, you just pick her up and put her back on the floor, and I know you don't see it, but she gives me a haughty look as she walks past me. > >And speaking of meals, I have always been satisfied to eat the gritty pellets of meat byproducts you bring home in the giant bags, right? >Have I ever once, ever, failed to finish a meal? But now I find out that the cat is being served lobster and salmon and crab - and she never consumes all of it. > >This means there are little containers of delectable snacks lying around and how can I be blamed for making sure they get eaten? Why do you get so mad? As long as the pet food is going to the pets isn't that what's important? > > Then there's playtime. I think we can clearly see that I am a big dog, descended from a noble line of hunters, accustomed to chasing prey and attacking it. Haven't I nearly managed to take down a few cars as they've driven past the house? The cat is about the size of a squirrel and in my view should behave like one, but when I attempt to chase her, she hunches up and spits at me! This can't be sanitary. And shouldn't she be declawed? I'm very concerned about the potential for damage to the furniture and my nose. > >Speaking of sanitation, do you realize that the cat goes to the bathroom in the house? And not in the drinking basins like you do, but in a sandbox in the basement? What are we going to say if some woman brings her baby over to play in the sandbox and the cat has been using it as a toilet? I used to police the thing for you, but you put it up out of my reach for some reason. > >I'm not the only one who believes the cat is an evil person. Here is a note from the hamster: > >To: Master of the House >From: Hamster >Subject: Cat > >Please tell cat to stop staring at me while I work. > Signed, Hamster, Department of Rodent Wheels" > >I also tried to get a note from the fish, but apparently it believes that everything happening outside its bowl is some kind of reality-TV show. > >I don't understand why the cat is allowed up on the bed and I am not. I am far more cuddly then any stupid cat. I think her purring sounds unhealthy and may be a sign of tuberculosis. > >And why doesn't she ever get a bath? She smells like saliva from licking her paws - you'd never catch me licking such ridiculous places. I often smell wonderful from rolling in road kill, yet you give me baths all the time! > >And speaking of sleeping, sometimes I'll be taking a nap and she'll come right up and lie down beside me. Usually I'm too tired to do anything about it, but then later the other dogs smell her on me and crack a lot of jokes at my expense. > >So, not to exaggerate, but the cat has brought the family to complete ruin. I am sorry I have to be the one to bring it to your attention, but now that I have, I think we can all agree that we should go back to the way it was, when I was the #1 pet. > >Yours Truly, > The Dog

Firefox Catching on.. Readership up..

ron thomas

From our statistics page...We had the most people loading the page yesterday than we have ever had. Also, the most foreign country downloads. About 130 page loads yesterday.

When we first extoled the virtues of Firefox we saw that three people started using it... Our statistics now indicate 20 people.

This gives me feedback into what folks like ... I think that you all like pictures such as the Spring time photos because that is when all the activity started. We need more photographs..

How About That Tree Picture?

RSS

ron thomas

What? What? What the heck are you yaking about now? Well you have been following my new trip to the computer to read the newspaper... Well, hardly any time at all goes by before you start hearing the initials RSS... That's computer geek speak for "REALLY SIMPLE SYNDICATION".

So we signed up for a free RSS FEED to see what all the hullabaloo was about. Well now, turns out this is a dandy for news readers. You select from the huge offer list of things that interest you and then they give you your own personal web page with gobs of stories from different sources. There is a discrptive sentence with each headline so that you can decide if you are interested. If you are just click and read. Your RSS FEED page is updated continuously throughout every day which means the news is current and upto date as it happens and is reported.

Sources that are offered are national such as the New York Times, wire services and a host of others. There is even a part with some of them that put your favorite blogs such as this website on the feed and everytime there is a new post it shows up on the RSS.

I am a neophyte here and like Alice in Wonderland have fallen down a fascinating rabbit hole.

Start a new club...

ron thomas

Hey what kind of a club meeting would you like to see formed? I like agates, finding, tumbling and polishing them. Fossil collecting is neat too. Any interest in calling a first ever Rock Hounds club meeting?

Tuesday computer club meeting..

ron thomas

If you are coming and you have a laptop computer bring it... It makes it easier to share stuff or troubleshoot problems. Yes Wayne bring it. Still no structured meeting... Just talking and sharing... Seeing if this a good start up club. If we have ideas and there are enough of us we can ask the Social Club to help our start up. If not , well there is always coffee and doughnuts and good company..