Chinese New Year, 31 January 2014

Year of the Horse

Mozart's Birthday Anniversary

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791)
The MP3 below expired on 02-01-2014.
Click here to play the current selection.

Mantovani and His Orchestra (1955)
- Minuet from Divertimento in D, K.334 (Mozart)

Preparing for the End of Windows XP Support

For those of us who are still using the Windows XP platform, the days are numbered. This time it is for real. Come April, Microsoft will no longer provide supports and monthly security updates to this dated desktop/laptop operating system. This is fine by me. By and large, I am leaving much of the weighty computers tethered to the AC outlets and all things Windows PC.

Over the last few years, I have been amassing all variants of the Apple iOS devices. With one or more in each of iPod, iPhone, and iPad. With the exception of old iPods, all other iOS devices I have are retina display systems installed with iOS 7. The newest addition to my collection is the iPad Mini with Retina display.

All home-computing and Internet access can now be done on the iOS devices 98% of the time.

These devices are tasked to:

1. manage files - creating, renaming, moving, deleting files and folders. Zipping and unzipping (including .rar) files with password protection.

2. launch internal URL schemes - for essential app actions by function or app category.

3. serve as WebDav servers - on the home network. One of the 60 Gb iPods is designated as a primary WebDav servers.

4. by-pass iTunes syncing - books and music can be loaded directly into the iOS gadgets from the cloud. Correspondingly, files can be deleted on the devices with swipes.

5. accessing the cloud - for storing, viewing, sharing, and editing common productivity app extensions created using, say, free Microsoft Office 2010 suite, or the Apple Numbers and Pages that came with iPhone 5s and the mini iPad-Retina . Media files can now be streamed, shared, or downloaded to one or more iOS devices concurrently. PDF can be annotated, highlighted, and shared as well. Desktop iTunes syncing one device at a time is no longer needed or required.

Not quite as the fate befallen the Maytag Man, the XP systems are still being used to do three things, though not exclusively:

1) iTunes app backups (for faster restoration if the need should arise), and profile management,

2) in-depth account updates -as still are required by some firms to do on the computer- for profile, payment methods, labeling and filters management, and

3) tax preparation with deductions


Strategically, I am migrating away from the stodgy Microsoft products to Apple-ware. Windows operating systems of any sorts are not in plan. What has been accomplished thus far with the Apple mobile devices sets the stage for the second phase of the plan - Macs.


- a L'envoi iPad 3 post
Zaggfolio augmented

Ernest Chaussen's Birthday Anniversary

Ernest Chaussen
French romantic composer
(20 January 1855 - 10 June 1899)
Here is a candlelight and roses orchestral version of
Chaussen's Op. 25, Poème
The MP3 below expired on 01-27-2014.
Click here to play the current selection.

Eric Hammerstein conducting
London Promenade Orchestra (1987)
- Poème (Chausson)

Stormy André

We need winter rain in our neck of the woods...

André Kostelanetz
and His Orchestra (1958)

"Stormy Weather" (Arlen)
Click here to view this L'Envoi YouTube.

Looking Ahead in 2014

Andre Kostelanezt and His Orchestra (1996)
- On A Clear Day (Lane and Lowe)

A Poem for the New Year

  Cradled in ice, and swathed in snows,
    And shining like a Christmas rose,
  Wreathed round with white chrysanthemums;
    Heaven in his innocent, brave blue eyes,
    Straight from the primal paradise,
  Behold the infant New Year comes!

  His looks a serious sweetness wear,
    As if upon that unseen way,
  Those baby hands that lightly bear
    Garlands, and festive tokens gay,
    For but a glance,—a touch sufficed,—
  Had met and touched the infant Christ!

  And lingering on the wing, had heard,
    Sweeter than song of any bird,
  Of cherub or of seraphim,
    The notes of that divinest hymn,—
    Glory to God in highest strain,
  And peace on earth, good will to men.

  Oh, diamond days, so royally set
    In winter's stern and rugged breast,
  Like jewels in an amulet,—
    Your light has cheered, and soothed, and blest,
    The want and toil, the sighs and tears,
  And sorrows-of a thousand years!

  The bells ring in the merry morn,
    The poor forget their poverty,
  The saddest face grows bright with glee,
    And smiles for joy that he is born;
    The fair round world shines out with cheer,
  To welcome in the glad New Year.

  Oh ye, whose homes are warm and bright,
    With plenty smiling at the board,
  Remember those whose roofs to-night,
    Nor warmth, nor light, nor food afford,
    Still make those wants, and woes your care,
  And let the poor your bounty share.

  For yet our hills and lakes along
    Echoes the herald angels' song,—
  Peace and good will!—oh look abroad,—
    In every nation, tribe, and clan,
    Behold the brotherhood of man,—
  Behold the Fatherhood of God!

  Peace to our mountains and our hills,—
    Peace to our rivers and our rills;—
  Our young Dominion takes her place
    Among the nations west and east,—
    God send her length of happy days,
  And years of plenty and of peace!

--Kate Seymour Maclean (1868)