Update: 9:51 pm Sunday

The mail server upgrade was completed about an hour and a half ago...and everything appears to be back to normal. We're waiting for the mail delayed during the transition to catch up...but that should happen overnight.

Thanks for your patience during the upgrade.

-----------------------------

Update: 9:18 am Sunday

The web server upgrade went fairly smoothly, although it did take a bit longer than expected. But since the wee hours of Sunday morning tend to be the time of the week when we get the fewest visitors, the disruption was minimal. The web site is back in full operation with the exception of services that rely on mail.

The mail server upgrade went well, but there are a lot of data to be moved from the old mail server to the new server before mail can be turned on again. (Mail has to be shut down during the transfer process or the two machines would get out of synch - with the strong possibility that some mail would be lost. Once the files are transferred from the old to the new, the new mail server will go live and service should return to normal.)

-------------------------

justFRED.ca will go dark for about an hour around midnight Saturday as we begin the upgrade to new servers. The outage could be longer - or shorter - depending on the time it takes to transfer files and get the new system into operation.

The mail server upgrade, however, is expected to take about 18 hours (again - it could be more or less depending on a number of factors) so we will be unable to send or receive email during that period. This will also have an impact on mail-related web services, such as online purchases, our contact form and so on.

Our blog system is on an entirely different network and, in the event there is anything new to report, we should be able to post updates once the web site is back in service.

Thanks for your patience. The objective, as always, is to make justFRED faster and more reliable for our steadily growing number of regular and intermittent visitors.

Cheers,

George

justFRED.ca

Update 10:00 pm

A faulty network card was the cause of the mail server problem early Friday morning. Once the card was replaced, the old mail server was put back into operation and will continue running - we hope - until the planned upgrade on Saturday night.

The migration to the new system will take place overnight and we expect to be back to normal by sometime on Sunday. (Yes, we can hear the Internet gods laughing...let's hope it's only laughter they inflict on us.) But we won't know the extent of the service interruption - which may or may not include the web site - until it's all over.

Wish us luck...

--------------------------

UPDATE: 9:34 a.m.

The switch to the new mail server required a temporary shutdown of several other servers on the network. That delayed our usual overnight home page update and temporarily halted the ad server and the database server. What fun. Apologies again for the disruptions.

The end result should be an overall improvement in performance...but there's likely to be a bit more pain before we get to the gain part.

----------------------

NOTICE: 6:00 a.m.

A system upgrade planned for this weekend is now underway due to a failure of the main mail server overnight.

We will resume full service as soon as possible.

Apologies for the disruption.

Cheers,

George

justFRED.ca

Joel Plaskett Emergency wins six 2008 East Coast Music Awards at 20th Anniversary Celebrations

Dave Gunning, The Rankin Family and Jamie Sparks each pick up two

(Fredericton, NB) – Joel Plaskett Emergency was the big winner tonight, winning six 2008 East Coast Music Awards at the ECMA Music Gala at the Aitken Centre in Fredericton, New Brunwick as part of the 20th Anniversary Celebrations; with Dave Gunning, The Rankin Family and Jamie Sparks winning two each.

The 2008 East Coast Music Award winners are:

McDonald’s Entertainer of the Year: George Canyon

*** This makes Canyon the winner of the Fans' choice Entertainer of the Year award for the fourth consecutive year

FACTOR Recording of the Year: Ashtray Rock (Joel Plaskett Emergency)

Female Solo Recording of the Year, sponsored by Memorial University of Newfoundland: If You Were For Me (Rose Cousins)

Group Recording of the Year, sponsored by Stantec: Ashtray Rock (Joel Plaskett Emergency)

Konica Minolta Male Solo Recording of the Year: House For Sale (Dave Gunning)

CBC Galaxie Rising Star Recording of the Year: Brand New Skin (Stephanie Hardy)

*** This award comes with a cheque for $5,000.00 from Galaxie, CBC’s Continuous Music Network

Vibe Creative Group Single of the Year: "Fashionable People" (Joel Plaskett Emergency)

SOCAN Songwriter of the Year: Joel Plaskett for "Fashionable People" (performed by Joel Plaskett Emergency)

Video of the Year: "Fashionable People" directed by Randall Thorne (Joel Plaskett Emergency)

Pattison Outdoor DVD of the Year: Back Stage Pass (The Rankin Family)

African-Canadian Recording of the Year: It’s The Music (Jamie Sparks)

Alternative Recording of the Year: The City Destroyed Me (Nathan Wiley)

Bluegrass Recording of the Year sponsored by Musiplex: Saddle River String Band (Saddle River String Band)

Blues Recording of the Year sponsored by Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline: Into The Dirt (Thom Swift)

Classical Recording of the Year: Forbidden City Tour (New Brunswick Youth Orchestra)

Country Recording of the Year sponsored by Samsung: You Ain’t Gettin’ My Country (The Divorcees)

CBC Galaxie Francophone Recording of the Year: 11 :11 (Vishten)

*** This award comes with a cheque for $5,000.00 from Galaxie, CBC’s Continuous Music Network

Folk Recording of the Year sponsored by National Car Rental: Looking Back - Volume 2: House For Sale (Dave Gunning)

Gospel Recording of the Year sponsored by Taylor Printing: New Beginnings (Chelsea Nisbett)

Instrumental Recording of the Year: Live From the Music Room (Troy MacGillivray)

Jazz Recording of the Year sponsored by Greater Fredericton Airport Authority: For The Record (Bill Stevenson & Tom Easley)

Pop Recording of the Year sponsored by Tony’s Music Box: Little Jabs (Two Hours Traffic)

Rap/Hip-Hop Single Track Recording of the Year: Hard To Be Hip Hop (Classified)

Sirius Satellite Radio Rock Recording of the Year: Ashtray Rock (Joel Plaskett Emergency)

Roots/Traditional Group Recording of the Year sponsored by Western Destination Marketing Organization: Reunion (The Rankin Family)

Roots/Traditional Solo Recording of the Year: Falling On New Ground (Kimberly Fraser)

Urban Single Track Recording of the Year: If You Were (Jamie Sparks)

In addition, the Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to New Brunswick group 1755. The groupwas instrumental in popularizing Acadian music here in Atlantic Canada and have paved the way for many francophone artists over the last 25 years. 1755 was together from 1977 to 1984, having toured successfully in Canada, the United States and France. After they disbanded in 1984, band members Pierre Robichaud, Roland Gauvin, Ronald Dupuis, Donald Boudreau and Kenneth Saulnier went on to achieve success in solo careers or with other bands.

The ECMA Music Gala capped off a four-day extravaganza of multi-genre musical performances, conference events and workshops that attracted more than 2,000 delegates from as far away as Europe, Japan, Australia and the United States.

The 2008 East Coast Music, Awards, Festival & Conference will be featured in a one-hour national TV program titled BARENAKED EAST COAST MUSIC! hosted by Steven Page of the Barenaked Ladies. The special will celebrate Canadian Music, East Coast Style featuring the very best musical performances captured at various locations and events throughout the weekend. Performers include, Meaghan Smith, Jenn Grant, hey rosetta!, Joel Plaskett Emergency, Tom Fun Orchestra, Dave Gunning, and Ron Hynes. It will also include segments from a special ECMA 20th Anniversary Concert featuring Lennie Gallant, Damhnait Doyle, Ashley MacIsaac and Bruce Guthro. The program is produced by Dream Street Pictures in association with CBC and the East Coast Music Association. BARENAKED EAST COAST MUSIC! will be broadcast Sunday, March 2nd at 7:00 pm on CBC Television.

Three acts from Fredericton - Fifth Member, Vegetarian Haggis and

Hilary Ball - are among the five finalists chosen for the ECMA's

opening showcase on Wednesday evening at Musiplex as Soundwaves '08

heads towards a grand prize winner.

Joining them on stage will be In the AM (Saint John) and Posted (Miramichi).

The free performance in the Musiplex Event Centre begins at 7 pm.

Hope to see you there...

- the justFRED Team

PS - And we've just learned there will be a surprise, end-of-show performance. Don't miss it!

Here's a media release we received from the City of Fredericton:

Fredericton, NB – Effective the week of February 4, 2008,
the garbage and recycling schedule for residents living in the general area
bordered by Clark Street / MacLaren Avenue / Maple Street / Fulton Avenue /
Main and Union Streets on Fredericton's north side will change from Tuesday
to Wednesday. The change, as shown in the attached map, will affect the following
streets:

·	MacLaren Ave. (west of Clark St)
·	Crerar Ct., Doone St., Hughes St., Waterford Lane, Cliffe St. (south of MacLaren Ave.)
·	Balsa St., Bowlen St., Hayes St., Union St. (west of Clark St.)
·	St Marys St. (south of Maple St.), Highland Ave. (including Howe St.), Jaffrey St., McKeen St., Smith St., Fletcher Ct., Van Horne Ct., Friel St., Douglas
·	Alder Ave., Cityview Ave., Lynn St., Wallace Ave. (south of Maple St.), Moss Ave., Fir Ct., Oak Ave., Willow Ave., Cedar Ave. (south of Maple St.)
·	Pugh St., Main St. (from Union St. to Hillcourt Dr.), Hillcourt Dr., Raymond Ave. Myrtle Ct.

Please be reminded that your garbage / recycle should be placed curb side by
7:00 AM commencing on Wednesday, February 6, 2008.



This notice brought to you by Trius Disposal Services and the City of Fredericton.
For information, call 460-2038 or e-mail publicworks@fredericton.ca .

- the justFRED team

Just in case you didn't notice, the East Coast Music Awards arrive in

Fredericton later this week. We're going to be out there with our

cameras, although part of our focus is going to be capturing the four

showcase events at Musiplex, where we've been setting up our new

Fredericton North office.

The action starts for us on Wednesday at 6:30 pm with the Battle of

the Bands at 6:30 for this free concert.

In the galleries, our weekly visit to the market, more

non-traditional offices, the music art opening at Gallery 78, and

more.

http://justFRED.ca/cmine/

In the calendar, the beginning of the ECMA activities, the NB Film

Coops Monday night series, and a lot more...

http://justfred.ca/justfred.forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&day=2008-2-4&c=1

And we've begun adding small snippets to our justFRED News Blogs,

including the tale of the abandoned hares, the decision by STU

administration and faculty to resume classes Tuesday, and the sad

passing of Leo Hayes High School's Mike Fitzgerald.

http://blogs.justfred.ca/justfred-news/

See you at the ECMA's?

Cheers,


George


justFRED.ca

If you're interested in contributing some time and talent to help raise money for Fredericton's homeless shelters, then use this http://justfred.ca/bighearts_08.php">Audition Form to sign up for an audition time on Sunday, January 13th at Musicplex.

So who really does LOVE better? Country or Rock & Roll?

The show is on Valentine's Day - February 14th - at the Playhouse.

Another update: Add happycards2008.com to the list...

And if you're wondering who provides domain name registration to this gang, the answer is RU Centre, based in Moscow.

http://www.nic.ru/about/en/contact_office.html

They're a licensed registrar sanctioned by ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. This is the international body that is supposed to police Internet domain names...but in practice is more like the fox running the hen house. ICANN is run by the companies who register domain names. The more domain names they register, the more money they make. If that means allowing fraudulent registrations by the millions, so be it. As long as the cheque clears, it's good for business.

Sure it means 90 per cent of the world's email is junk, millions of personal computers have been turned into zombies controlled by criminals, and hundreds of thousands of ordinary Internet users have been the victims of various online crimes.

But you know what they say about eggs and omelets: you can't make one without breaking the other.

-----------------

Update: The Storm gang have switched to a New Year's postcard scam to trick users into infecting their own computers. The web site being touted now is called uhavepostcard.com

Details about this 'holiday' caper can be found http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyId=16&articleId=9054119&intsrc=hm_topic">here.

---------------

Original post:

If you receive an enticing email message from a stranger in the next few days - exhorting you to visit merrychristmasdude.com - don't. If you do, you'll likely be very sorry you did.

It's from a criminal gang - known as the Storm gang - that specializes in spreading malicious computer software (malware) with cutesy holiday come-ons. The malware infects your computer - and can be used to steal your personal information and add your computer to a criminally controlled network of computers.

Cheers,

George

justFRED.ca

Frederictonian Jillian Hudgins has won an international award for her research on Moon rocks: the Geological Society of America's 2007 Eugene M.Shoemaker Impact Cratering Award

She is a PhD student in geology at the University of New Brunswick. Jillian has been investigating lunar rocks collected on the moon's surface by Apollo astronauts as well as those that have fallen to earth as meteorites.

Her research has revealed that some of the rocks are over four billion years old!

After 10 years in the wilderness...the information technology sector in New Brunswick has re-surfaced with a bang: ThinkNB was an excellent gathering: well organized, well run, and exuding enthusiasm.

Steve Kelly, the steering committee, and Master Promotions deserve a lot of credit for producing an important event.