Leaderboard

Not really buildling anything today but repairing. One of my COVID projects, the DIY Bluetooth Executive Speaker from Partsexpress, had stopped charging. I figured it was probably because I'd let it sit too long and the battery pack had dropped below the minimum charge level or it had a bad cell (it's a 3-cell pack). So it had sat, for like a year, languishing in the closet. I was just about to order new cells when I figured I should at least try getting in their, testing the cells and seeing if I could jump-start the cells back to the point where they'd charge again. In the end the hardest part was finding a charger that wouldn't over-charge the 3.7V cells. So a few cycles of charging the individual cells and I'd bumped each of them over 2V, got them back in the battery holder and plugged the speaker back into the charger. Bloop bloop bloop, it came back to life. I'm going to park it on the charger overnight (it's been 6 hours already without issue) and hopefully the cells will hold a charge and be back to life. One cell removed All cells back in and charging, yay!

I've said similar myself Knucks.

Used to own some Philharmonic Audio BMR Monitor speakers. Sold them to someone who has remained a friend. They just came out with a "Super" BMR Monitor, using (my favorite) Purifi woofer; bass down to 32Hz +/- 2db! Their finishes are quite lovely, including the one below. My Evoke Audio Eddie's are in the shop for blown tweeters. Apparently, the CSS Tweeters used aren't made anymore, so they're looking for good replacements. But I could even see these replacing them eventually!

Mildly NSFW: Today marks the 50h anniversary of Tom Waits' album Small Change. While not my favorite release of his by a long shot, I sure listened to it a lot in the early 90s. The cover art is legendary, and quite risque at the time of its release. I follow Tom Waits on Facebook. The page is very well maintained and posts lots of vintage photos and historical information. Today they posted an alternate shot from the cover photo session: There's a longstanding urban legend that the stripper is Cassandra "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark" Peterson. It isn't. Bonus: The same Tom Waits FB page posted this photo last week: Check out the Folger's can(s).

I'm about to have a bowl of "Red" that I cooked recently. I love chili but have to take precautions. I've taken 3 antacid tablets an hour ago. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. If I'm up all night with reflux, at least I have tomorrow off.

As I am fond of saying, the size queens have a point.

No reflux! 😎

Trust me, if he never extended an olive branch I'd have been completely OK with never reaching out. Maybe he was putting things in order. If that's true, I'm happy I gave him that opportunity. I like the guy I am today, but I haven't always been a great human being. I've made mistakes I'm embarrassed about. I decided many years back to make a real effort to be a better man. People gave me an opportunity to atone for my wrongdoings.

Condolences, Steve. You're a better person than I. I've totally blocked every Russian I know, including my sisters. And my ex, who isn't even Russian, but IS MAGA. Your welcoming part of your story is something that will never happen in my life, if I can help it. I don't ever want to have anything to do with those people ever again. I do wish I was stronger than that, but I ain't.

Dolly - Peace Train

My condolences, Steve. David Christiansen, may you truly rest in peace.

Wow, what a story! I'm sorry to hear about his death, and glad you found your "balance" in the relationship. RIP David (and Shirley as well).

Who cares what the Maryland State Fair awards it's photography prizes to, but for your enjoyment... ‘With 850 photographs submitted this year, Chamelin says it is difficult for volunteers to determine how every entry was made. He claims that he did not know that AI had been used to modify Alston’s photograph when it was submitted into the competition.’

Vienna Teng, Inland Territory Music on TIDALVienna Teng - Inland TerritoryListen to Inland Territory on TIDAL in exceptional sound quality, or on your choice of service(Super smooth transition from Camille, by the way.)

1 hour and 48 minutes of new Camille! Lots of vocal overdubs with minimal additional musical accompaniment. Music on TIDALCamille - The Sound of MilkListen to The Sound of Milk on TIDAL in exceptional sound quality, or on your choice of serviceUnholy carp, I recognized the bass from two decades ago.

Patio dining with the Brits.

I play it on my gamepad, same as with Forza Horizon 4 and 5. It runs excellently, since the Forza series came from the Xbox originally. I have tried it with my racing wheel and pedals and it works, too, but, I prefer the controller for casual racing.

Toyota's new GR GT and GT3 race car are coming next year - I've been "driving" it in Forza Horizon 6 already:

This stuffed-zucchini-boats-mushroom.pdf

Avoid Hifiman for chirst sake.

Reasons. Duncan Sheik by Duncan Sheik (1996) https://open.qobuz.com/album/0603497998852 Example: Originally found Duncan on the Soundtrack for "The Saint" movie. It was overshadowed by Duran Duran, but I liked the layering of the vocals and the overall production sound around the good lyrics. I picked up and listened to the first album a lot. I Also picked up the 1997s - Humming. But by time the 2001 release came along I had lost track of him. Missing completely that he was involved in a musical. Sad it takes his passing (56yo too young) to find his work again. RIP...

Flickr has been heavily promoting their MODE conference for ages now. It took place this weekend and was ...a completely and utter fizzle, Trumpian in its proportions: Day two has photos. It's sad. I hope this doesn't bankrupt the company.

I have a Cousin from Texas that I've had a rocky relationship with. I attended his wedding when we were both 18. I loved his wife. She had the ability to find humor in bad situations and disarm people with laughter. Honestly she was the sole reason that my Cousin and I had any shred of a relationship. He belonged to an odd and small church. I believed them to be a cult. We got along fine as kids and later when I was in Texas my first year of college. Once I came out that changed. He wasn't aggressive about it, just believed like so many that I had made some type of choice, and would be going to hell because of that. I didn't correspond with him for many years. Later, while I was commercial fishing in Alaska, I took my Mom on a trip during my two months off. We flew to Seattle, rented a car and slowly made our way to Walnut Creek, CA. to visit a good friend. During that trip she told me that my Cousin David was battling cancer. He was stationed in Merced, CA in the military. She wanted to visit him. Honestly I would rather have eaten a gallon of earthworms, but I could see the concern in my Mother's eyes and in her voice. So we made the short trip to Merced. He was gracious and I felt sorry for his situation. At the same time, I had met his 4 y.o. Son for the first time. As boys will do, he quickly decided to see if I was friend or foe and within minutes was treating me like a jungle Jim. I could see the concern in David's face. My Mom tried to explain to him that I loved kids and was happy to entertain his Son as they caught up. What my Mom couldn't understand and what I understood immediately was that the concern was not about the boy annoying me. It was a look I'd come to know all too well when innocent child play meets adults that equate gay men with pedophiles. I was absolutely fuming inside, but kept my feelings hidden. Then just like on command his wife Shirley recognized his distress and immediately put me at ease while making him look ridiculous all at the same time. She invented new games and initiated more roughousing between us. I loved that woman! My Mother completely oblivious to the whole interaction. Honestly, she made my uncomfortable trip fun and I chuckled to myself about her understanding and good nature. I had seen them on a half dozen occasions or so while in Texas. Especially when first our Grandmother took ill. And again later with our Grandfather. Fast forward to about a year ago and his wife Shirley passed away quickly and unexpectedly after a massive heart attack. She was his whole world and again I found myself feeling sorry for him. Then about 6 months ago or thereabouts he called me out of the blue. He told me he was planning to visit his Son in Arizona. The same Son. We had developed a friendship, while he and his Father had become estranged. I had built the Son Logan a custom gaming desk when he was a teen, and we shared several interests and ideologies. Anyway, David called and asked if he could drive up and see me after visiting his Son. I almost said no thanks, but my Mom hadn't been gone for that long and I thought about how that would've made her happy. So I once again uncomfortably agreed. He visited for two days. We went to his favorite winery in Sonoma, had a few meals together and I honestly had fun. He seemed a bit lost but had plans to travel some and was in generally good spirits. I can't ever remember laughing with him more than those two days. And he fell in love with my dog Maki. Financially he was in a good place. Owned several rental homes. A nice home in San Antonio, TX and a summer home in Cloudcroft, NM. About a week ago I got a call from my favorite Aunt (his Mom was a fun Aunt too, but had passed a year or so before my own Mother). She informed me that they had found him in one of his rental homes. He had committed suicide and had been dead a few days. I was shocked! He just didn't seem the type to ever even consider suicide. We weren't the best of friends and he was full on MAGA, but I am really glad that I welcomed him out to visit. R.I.P. David Christiansen I'm not a religious person. I don't believe in a God. But I'm smiling a little bit thinking that he's just entering his "heaven", and it's full of rainbow flags. They've assigned Harvey Firestein to be his guide and mentor.

RIP Duncan Sheik I have a song in my head that I thought was written/performed by him, but cannot find it in my searching. But another loss of a talented singer/songwriter....

Gerrit Graham, ‘Phantom of the Paradise’ Actor and Grateful Dead Collaborator, Dies at 77

NPR editor and reporter (mostly culture and arts) Rose Friedman dies at 38 from cancer. Fuck cancer. NPREditor Rose Friedman, who helped shape NPR's cultural cov...Friedman was in her early 20s when she landed her first position as an editorial assistant at NPR. She became an editor and reporter, and a co-creator of the annual Books We Love reading guide.

RIP photographer Ian Berry. So many great shots over the years. https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/photography/photojournalism/rip-ian-berry-the-magnum-photojournalist-who-shot-the-only-photos-of-the-sharpeville-massacre-and-who-spent-more-than-seven-decades-working-hard-being-humble-and-insisting-the-job-was-never-about-the-gear https://www.all-about-photo.com/photographer/1228/ian-berry And for Dylan fans Also https://www.magnumphotos.com/theory-and-practice/ian-berry-intimate-portrait-serge-gainsbourg-jane-birkin/