Robert Robbins Blog

Last night I saw Aristophanes' Lysistrata at the Lycoming College Theater. I didn't know the ancient Greeks were rappers! Yes, it was a modern production of the play and featured rap songs, dance numbers, modern military uniforms such as are worn by our troops in Iraq, etc. Some of the Greeks wore baseball caps worn backwards.

 

The Greek women were scantily clad and paraded around like whores. It reminded me of the last Oscars Award Show which featured a rap song about it's not easy being a pimp. One Greek goddess was dressed in over the top bondage wear and looked like the character Barbed Wire played by Pamela Anderson Lee.

 

Lycoming College deserves some credit for doing a Greek play but I would have preferred to see a classic Greek tragedy in an ambitious classical production that attempts to capture the Greek religious ritual.

 

There were a few women playing men's roles which was confusing because this play is about a battle of the sexes. The play was about mixing gender roles but that is all the more reason not to have women confronting women pretending to be men.

 

http://www.lycoming.edu/academics/theatre/Lysistrata.htm 

 

Exclude Files From Publish

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Exclude Files From Search

Edit *.idq  file in _vti_script subdirectory.

[Query]
cirestriction=(%UserRestriction%) & ! #vpath *\_vti* & ! #vpath *\_private\* & ! #vpath *\_derived\* & ! #vpath *\_themes\* & ! #vpath *\_overlay\* & ! #vpath *\_fpclass\* & ! #vpath *\_borders\* & ! *browserversion.htm* & ! *default.htm*
ciscope=/rrobbins
citemplate=/rrobbins/_derived/SiteSearch.htm0.htx
cimaxrecordsperpage=10
cicolumns=DocTitle,filename,vpath,write,rank,hitcount
ciflags=DEEP
cisort=Rank[d]
cicatalog=F:\InetPub
cimaxrecordsinresultset=200

---

Exclude HTML From Theme

<!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan -->
<p>No theme for me</p>
<!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" endspan -->

---

Easter Egg

This Easter Egg can be activated using any 32-bit release of Microsoft
FrontPage or FrontPage Express. Just follow the steps below:

• Start the FrontPage Explorer.
•  Hold down the Shift key.
• Click Help and then click About.
• Click OK.
• Keep holding down the Shift key, click again on Help and click About for the second time.
• Click OK.
• Keep holding down the Shift key, click again on Help and click About for the third time.

Now you should see the credits screen and hear a song playing.

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New Page Template

In Microsoft FrontPage, there is a file on your computer that is used as the 'template' for the new_page_1.htm that's created either when you open your web or when you hit the "New Page" button. The file is called "Normal.htm".

In a normal install of FrontPage 2000 and 2002, this file is in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\1033\Pages\normal.tem\

You can open this file in FrontPage and edit it like you would any other web page. Navigate to the directory where the file is located, open the file and choose File | Properties. You can add things that you want to be common to all the new web pages you create from this point on in all your webs, like Meta tags and DOCTYPE.

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Numbered List Sublevel

To start a sublevel in a numbered or bulleted list, highlight the list items to sublevel and click the Increase Indent button twice.

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Search And Replace Queries

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<fpquery version="1.0">
<queryparams regexp="true" inhtml="true" />
<find text="&lt;meta name=&quot;keywords&quot; content=&quot;.*&quot;&gt;" />
<replace text="" />
</fpquery>

<meta name="keywords" content=".*">

---

Code Snippits

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- Code Snippet Configuration File -->
<snippets><snippet keyword="database">
 <description>ASP Code for Database Connection</description>
 <text>&lt;%
' Connect to table in database
Set cn = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
Set rs = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Recordset")
cn.Open "|DSN Name"
strSQL = "SELECT * FROM TableName WHERE Field= '" &amp; Trim(Request.Form("field")) &amp; "';"
rs.Open strSQL,cn,adOpenStatic,adLockPessimistic
While Not rs.EOF
 rs.MoveNext
Wend
' release system resources
rs.Close
cn.Close
Set rs = Nothing
Set cn = Nothing
%&gt;</text>
 </snippet>
 <snippet keyword="email">
  <description>ASP Code for CDONTS</description>
  <text>&lt;%
Set Mailer = Server.CreateObject("CDONTS.NewMail")
Mailer.To = Request.Form("FullName") &amp; " &lt;" &amp; Request.Form("Email") &amp; "&gt;"
Mailer.From = "Robert Robbins &lt;" &amp; "rrobbins@kolbnetworks.com" &amp; "&gt;"
Mailer.Subject = "|Testing Automated Email" 
strBody = "" &amp; vbCrLf
strBody = strBody &amp; "" &amp; vbCrLf
Mailer.Body = strBody 
Mailer.Send
Set Mailer = Nothing
%&gt;</text>
 </snippet>
 <snippet keyword="adovbs">
  <description>ADOVBS Constants Include File</description>
  <text>&lt;!--#include file="adovbs.inc" --&gt;</text>
 </snippet>
 <snippet keyword="confirm">
  <description>JavaScript to confirm deletion</description>
  <text>&lt;script language="javascript"&gt;
function confirmDelete(rec) {
 var answer = confirm("Do you really want to delete this record: " + rec + "?");
 if (answer == true) {
  return true;
 }
 else {
  return false;
 }
}
&lt;/script&gt;</text>
 </snippet>
</snippets>

Application Data/Microsoft/FrontPage/Snippets
Ctrl + Enter (in Code view)

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Restore Theme and Borders

The easiest way to restore a theme and shared borders without messing with hidden folders or complicated recreation of the theme is to do a search and replace of two lines in the HTML code of every page:

 No theme, theme is lost:
<meta name="Microsoft Theme" content="none, default">
<meta name="Microsoft Border" content="none, default">

 Restore theme from info found in a backup:
<meta name="Microsoft Theme" content="capsules 0111, default">
<meta name="Microsoft Border" content="tlb, default">

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_vti_bin Directory Permissions

In Internet Information Services - Microsoft Management Console, the _vti_bin directory needs "Scripts and Executables" as the Execute permissions or the web or sub web will not open in FrontPage.

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Tracing Image

Select View | Tracing Image | Configure to display a transparent image in the Design view.
Select View | Ruler and Grid | Show Grid to display a grid in the Design view.

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Web Templates

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\1033\WEBS11\clientweb.tem

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Frontpage Forms

If your form contains a field that collects the site visitor's e-mail address, you can use that address as the sender's address. Next to Reply-to line, select the Form field name, check box, and then in the Reply-to line box, type the name of the form field.

Don't forget to specify a form field name for the Reply-to line. The Form field name checkbox will be checked by default!

Most ecommerce web sites I have worked on have shown little interest in Search Engine Optimization or aggressive web site marketing. An exception has been Car Accessories which has four web sites;

 

http://www.caraccessories.com/ 

Description: car accessories, car accessory, car bras, floor mats, car covers, dash mats,  seat covers, shelf it, rifle it, deluxe shelf it, pet pads, trunk organizers, cargo liners, pet barriers, steering wheel covers, gear shift boots, leather driving gloves, sun and heat shields, convertible covers, bug deflectors, side window deflectors, garage floor mats, parking mats, dent door guards, car mirrors, mini van accessories, van accessories, antique and classic car accessories

 

http://www.limocovers.com/
Description: Limousine Accessories And Limo Accessories And Limousine Covers and Limo Covers

 

http://www.accessoriesfortrucks.com/
Description: Accessories for trucks has the largest selection of custom-made and tailored truck accessories, pickup accessories, pickup truck accessories from truck bras, truck covers, truck floor mats, truck seat covers, bug deflectors, mud guards, truck tonneau covers to cab coolers.

 

http://www.accessoriesforsuvs.com/
Description: Accessories for SUVs has the largest selection of custom and tailored SUV accessories, sports utility vehicles, utility vehicles from suv bras SUV covers, SUV seat covers, SUV floor mats to SUV dash mats and dash covers.

 

Car Accessories has been quite aggressive with their web site marketing. They regularly update their keywords, descriptions, and web page titles. I've heard that many search engines are ignoring the meta tags now. Therefore I am investigating new and innovative ways of marketing their web sites. Today I discovered http://del.icio.us a web site for tagging your favorite links. Adding your links there can help your web site's ranking in the search engines.

 

I have created and maintain a Froogle product feed for Car Accessories. I use Froogle myself. It is a great way to find obscure products at the lowest price.

 

Lots of web site marketers are using blogs to market their client's web sites. That is what I'm doing here!

I have created a fancy new web site for myself at http://www.williamsportwebdeveloper.com/. It only cost me $8.10 to register the domain name, $23.56 for a year's web hosting, and $2.50 to submit the site to the search engines. I may have to go into business for myself as a web developer.

 

The company I'm currently working for does not appreciate the fact that IT expertise is a major business asset. This might be understandable in a small business in some other industry but this is a technology company whose business is offering IT services. I am the sole technical guru working at the company and they are letting me go without finding a suitable replacement. This is such a stupid move that it almost defies belief. The company is literally throwing away half the business out of sheer stupidity. They will have nobody to manage their servers which include an ISA Server, an Exchange Server, two IIS Web Servers, a SQL Server and the domain server.

 

They will have nobody to make changes to my programming projects which include Storefront 6.0 customizations done in ASP.NET, over 200 ASP scripts in one project alone, a web service that transfers data for the local government's stream level readings, election results which may be changing due to voting machines, an annual human resources survey done in ASP, etc.

 

The owner apparently thinks it is entirely reasonable to hire an intern or somebody to administer 5 server products, take ownership of dozens of programming projects, and handle upwards of 40 clients while continuing to offer the same services as before. She expects to hire a poor sap with those kinds of qualifications for $10.00 an hour. I explained this situation to somebody at a job interview and they could not believe it. The owner thinks her business is all that because she owns a lot of Microsoft software and servers and has many clients. These are not assets when you do not have the technical expertise to make good use of them.

 

Her clients will probably quickly realize that she has jetisoned her technical expertise and can no longer meet their demands. I don't know what they will do then but hopefully one of them will realize that they can hire me.

I've been buying many used textbooks. It is cheaper than going back to college. Higher education has been priced beyond most people's means. The cost of tuition has risen faster than inflation. But textbooks are still affordable and you find them very easily on the internet. I mostly buy college textbooks although a high school textbook would be easier to read.

I don't manage to finish reading very many textbooks because they tend to be thick books and take too long to read. Most college courses would not expect you to read the entire textbook. I like to buy textbooks on many subjects because as a working adult I'm forced to focus upon my area of expertise. I miss the variety of my school days when I would go from class to class and be introduced to the various arts and sciences. It is a shame that most of one's education never goes beyond the introduction. You are given the impression that your life will be rich in sources of stimulation and then you left with a monotonous and limiting existence. But it doesn't have to be that way if you don't let your career define you to the point of narrowing your interests.

I have the luxury of only studying the subjects that interest me. I've bought textbooks on biology, American history, Greek history, many textbooks on literature, many textbooks on art history, chemistry, physics, western civilization, theater, media studies, graphic design, music appreciation, psychology, and abnormal psychology. I prefer the humanities and probably won't finish the science textbooks.

I'd like to buy my old high school and college textbooks and finish reading them but I don't remember what textbooks were assigned and students aren't allowed to keep textbooks. College students have to buy their own textbooks and may keep them but most students need to sell them for the money. That is why you can find used textbooks on eBay so easily. I do still have a few of my computer programming textbooks on RPG, COBOL, and Pascal. Needless to say, I don't use any of those languages in my work.

Some of the textbooks I did manage to finish reading, a real slog, include; History Of Modern Art by H. H. Arnason, Marla F. Prather, Art Fundamentals: Theory And Practice by Otto G. Ocvirk, Robert E. Stinson, Philip R. Wigg, Robert O. Bone, David L. Cayton, A History Of Graphic Design by Philip B. Meggs, and Two Centuries Of Progress by Carlton L. Jackson, Vito Perrone (a high school American History textbook).

By rights, I should be studying in my area of expertise which is computer programming and networking. If I were to study those subjects, I could take some certification tests and get something out of it. I do spend a few hours on the weekend writing up notes on anything that I learn at work. My knowledge tends to advance incrementally in my area of expertise. Unfortunately, you get bored to death with your area of expertise. It is like a college class that takes up your entire day and lasts for years on end. Eventually it is no longer stimulating and you become desperate for a new class. Even showing off one's expertise becomes a bore. Of course, this is not to say that you should start a new career because that would be to lose a considerable investment. I find it refreshing to acquire a little bit of the expertise of another profession. I think you need such stimulation to maintain your interest in continued education.

I've begun to study music. I'm really into some types of music and I revere musicians but music has always mystified me. To play music seems to require incredible skills that should be beyond most people. I don't see how anybody can develop an ear for different pitches or manage the coordination required to hit the right keys or memorize the notes to a piece of music. But I hate to be completely ignorant on a subject so I'm only looking to expand my knowledge of music to the extent that is possible.

It seems that you can at least study music theory to improve your understanding of music without any great skill. I've recently read the book The Complete Idiot's Guide To Music Theory by Michael Miller. I learned how to identify the keys on an unmarked keyboard; C is always the white key to the left of two black keys and F is the white key to the left of three black keys. I've also memorized the position of the notes on the staff; F, A, C, and E are the notes between the lines which you can remember because they spell FACE. I still have to memorize some of the scales.

I've bought the standard college textbook for an introductory course in music, The Enjoyment Of Music, Nineth Edition, Shorter Version by Joseph Machlis and Kristine Forney. It covers music theory and music history with an emphasis on classical music although the latest version of the textbook is very up-to-date with a chapter on internet radio, MP3, webcasting, and Napster. Most of the book's illustrations are of famous artworks making it almost seem like a typical art history textbook. It seems a bit pretentious to me. I bought a used, cheap textbook on Amazon but it did not come with the student resource CDROM or the four music CDs so I have to order them separately before I can get started. The book frequently refers you to a CD to listen to something so you can't read the book very well without the other materials.

There are many web sites for music students. If you need blank sheet music for practicing your notation you can print some out by going to http://www.blanksheetmusic.net/. You can get free music notation software at http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/. There are many tutorials online for music theory http://www.8notes.com/theory/.  If you don't own a musical instrument, you can at least download the Musical Keys program at http://www.bapuli.co.nr/ which is a piano keyboard with 128 instruments.

I've recently read the book Psychology And The Occult by Carl Gustav Jung. The occult phenomenon that he considers is mostly the spiritualism and seances that were popular at the turn of the 20th century. Jung describes how some mediums were found to be unconsciously moving objects via automatic movements, as in table turning, "if a fairly heavy object is moving, the muscular tension is immediately apparent".

 

I've been very impressed by how relevant Jung's observations about the psyche are to my inner life. Unfortunately Jung has fallen out of favor and the current attitude towards the unconscious is to suppress it and fear it. Although I read a lot of books, I have encountered few references to supernatural reverie, entrancing dreams, or other indications of a profound connection to the life of the psyche. You have to read 19th century Romantic poets to find the right sensibilities.

 

There were two passages in this book that I found noteworthy; "When a complex of the collective unconscious becomes associated with the ego it is felt as strange, uncanny, and at the same time fascinating. At all events the conscious mind falls under its spell." This is a good description of a supernatural reverie when the soul seems to fall under the spell of some eerie recollection or a fascinating, poetic vision. Another accurate description is the following passage, "An integral component of any nocturnal, numinous experience is the diming of consciousness, the feeling that one is in the grip of something greater than oneself, a most singular feeling which one willy-nilly hoards up as a secret treasure. This is the purpose of the experiece - to make us feel the overpowering presence of a mystery."  The most interesting point made here is that a numinous experience is treasured, profoundly mysterious, and kept to oneself. Jung genuinely valued the unconscious.

 

Today you will find the greatest interest in the occult, the Romantic poets, and the dark and mysterious depths of the soul in the goth subculture. Although goths don't generally cite Jung, except for the more educated ones, they do show a marked fascination for anything that expresses a certain sensibility. For example, the vampire chronicles of Anne Rice are quite popular because it is the only fiction being written in the Romantic vein, pardon the pun.