The Weaver Family

I recently got this message after I installed iTunes 8:

ERROR: The registry settings used by the iTunes drivers for importing and burning cds and dvds are missing… Please re-install iTunes

So I did what most users would do and went to iTunes.com which was no help at all.  So I uninstalled iTunes completely and reinstalled.  And I was greeted with:

ERROR: The registry settings used by the iTunes drivers for importing and burning cds and dvds are missing… Please re-install iTunes

So I did what a smart person would have done and Googled.  It seems that iTunes didn’t bother to write it’s own CD/DVD drivers rather it relied on a  third-party called Gear Software.   So I downloaded their drivers.  I rebooted, and was greeted with:

ERROR: The registry settings used by the iTunes drivers for importing and burning cds and dvds are missing… Please re-install iTunes

So I did a bit more digging and found the answer.  So here it is.

• Go To Gears Software.  Go to “Drivers Download” Tab and download and install the correct drivers for your OS.  Restart your computer and then restart iTunes.  If the error message no longer comes up you are done.  Congratulations.

If the error message comes back:

• Open REGEDIT and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} .
• Create a new “Multi String Value” called UpperFilters withing this key.  Double-click UpperFilters in the right hand side and type ” GEARAspiWDM” hit the ENTER key and then click OK.
• Close REGEDIT

Restart iTunes.  Your error message like mine should now be gone.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Who is Marvin Schur?  He was a World War II veteran, a pattern maker, and a widower.  He was 93.  He died a slow, painful death from hypothermia.  He died unnecessarily.

Marvin Schur lived in Bay City, Michigan.  He was found January 17, frozen to death in his home in sub freezing temperatures, by his neighbors.  It seems Marvin got behind in his electricity bill payments; four months behind and somewhere to the tune of $1100.   What is interesting is that the neighbor that found Marvin’s body said that there was money paper clipped to the bills.  So a worker from Bay City Electric Light and Power was told to place a electric limiter on Mr. Schur’s home on January 13.  Apparently this worker never made contact with Marvin to tell him what he was doing, or to make sure he knew how to use this device or what to do if it quit operating.

Now the question is who is responsible?  And I would like answers to some questions.

1. If Bay City Electric Light and Power already left Marvin fall so far behind in his bill, why did they bother to even put a limiter on his home?  Why did they not contact him and find out why he hadn’t paid his bill.  Remember his neighbor said that there was money attached to the bills to be paid.
2. When Bay City Electric Light and Power had the limiter put on Marvin’s home, why did they not make sure that the worker contacted Marvin and explain what was happening.  If the worker contacted Marvin and saw that there was a lack of understanding or that there was dementia further steps could have been taken to get help.
3. Why did Bay City Electric Light and Power feel the need to even cut back on his power during the coldest part of the year.  After four months of non-payment they finally decided to take action against a 93-year old man?  This is a man who most likely has limited mobility and can’t get out easily.
4. Bay City is supposedly a small town atmosphere.  Where were his neighbors?  They felt free to check on him after a couple of days, but by then it was too late.  They knew he was an elderly gentleman.  Winters in that area are hard on anyone, let alone a 93 year old man.

Reading the two articles Bay City Man Freezes to Death and Marvin Schur’s Death Preventable, I am forced to the conclusion that no one will probably be held accountable.  Why?  Because legality, and moral/social obiligations often are on two separate tracks.  The power company most likely did nothing legally wrong.  But morally and socially,  that’s a different story.  And the community.  They were absent too.  That is the worst part of the story.   Everyone’s pointing fingers, no one is going to accept the blame.

Popularity: 1% [?]

If you’re looking for custom (not costume) jewelry, may I humbly suggest J A Sharp Custom Jeweler.  Jude is a fine craftswoman,  of remarkable talent.  She is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Her website is J A Sharp Custom Jeweler.  She’s family I have to confess.  But she is darn good at what she does.  I’ve seen her work, and it amazes me.  People like Jude, who have that much artistry, are just amazing.    The shop is cozy and friendly, not to mention the two friendly dogs, and her partner Sylvia (who is my aunt).

This is just an example of what she does:

18k white gold ring with indicolite tourmaline

Triangle Gypsy Ring with amethyst cabochon

Check her work out, you won’t be dissappointed.

Popularity: 1% [?]

I’m working with WordPress 2.7, and I was looking at Blue Grace, a theme based on Amazing Grace.  Both are by Vladimir Prelovac.  I am planning to switch to Blue Grace, but I didn’t like the pre-packaged pictures in the header.

Luckily for me, Vladimir was nice enough to post a link to a zip file  for an image rotator with instructions by Sven Niemetz.  Only two problems with the instructions.

1. The instructions weren’t totally compatible with WordPress 2.7.
2. The graphics were only setup for Amazing Grace, not Blue Grace.

So I did a little work, not much, made the necessary modifications and the new files are here.

• agmod Amazing Grace Image Rotator for WP 2.7
• bgmod Blue Grace Image Rotator for WP 2.7

No big deal, but if you need it there you go. If you use it, or make an interesting modification could you leave a comment here.  I like to see how things are used and how things evolve.  I would appreciate it.

Popularity: 7% [?]