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I have been wanting a MOPAR B-body restomod for some time. Thought I would buy a partly built project or the like and built to suit. Couldn't pass up this 1969 Road Runner that was on auction and local. The wheels could use some work, but such is life... Not much of a show car guy so I need to put some miles on her... HS

I've going over my collection, filling in any items I'm missing, I felt I really should have a modernized version of the Sigma. I came across a rather abused normal bias set which needed new drivers but wanted to try something different... so here is the SR-Sigma 507: The housing was very discolored so I wanted to try my hand at painting it. The frame was primed and painted satin black but I left all of the other parts in the primer color. The plan was to make them gloss white but this looked too cool so this is how they stayed. The drivers and cable are from a 507 so it took a lot of work to get this right. The drivers are in the cage that Stax introduced with the x07 series so I glued the drivers and fitted spare metal grills to them. In terms of sound, this is the best Sigma I've ever heard. The bass is overblown, as is always the case with Sigma's, but it has some real power to it and is more controlled than every other I've heard. The top end is nice and clean and the midrange is just sublime. A fun addition to the collection.

Dinner tonight was at Javalina Indigenous Dining at it was excellent. We had a variety of dishes but the only one I snapped was the elk fry bread with a significant pile of pulled elk, arugula and pickled onions on fry bread. Delicious. At the front counter, there was a basket of whistles for anti-ICE protests and support of the targets of this fascist aggression.

Smoked bologna

From last night. I was dysregulating last night something fierce, so I performed one of my comfort activities -- learning to wok.

Dusty, half this family isn't Jewish, but they bought in....to celebrating Jewish family and events, as well as the Shiva mourning. Call it Shiva or not, to me it's a good thing. There is a lot of formality to a Shiva, many times it is not followed 100%. Personally, I find it the beginning of healing. Family and friends come to pay respect, connect, tell stories, and eat. The formal period is 7 days/nights. When Karen passed, I was tearfully surprised by one of my two best friends flying in from California and spending all the days/nights of Shiva visiting (3 days for us). It's that type of love and connection that helps the healing. It's just a good thing, no matter what it's called, what religion it follows, etc.

I meant kick-start the HC travel team back into being, whether or not Marc has Red Oxx bags.

William Eggleston’s Lonely South https://archive.ph/2026.01.24-204543/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/william-egglestons-lonely-south https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/william-egglestons-lonely-south

Courtney Marie Andrews - Valentine https://open.qobuz.com/album/hny90dvm03jlc She has a, Joni Mitchell, Aimee Mann, expressive innocence, and her songwriting is equally great. It grows on you the more you listen as well. Simply put, I has a new favorite.

Thanks, all! I was doing exactly what you could guess I’d be doing on my birthday!

In the last 36(ish) hours I flew out to Denver and back to check in on a friend that had a particularly rough second half of 2025 along with three other friends. When we learned he wasn't going to be able to come out east during the holidays we decided it was time to head west. So yesterday I got up at 4am, drove through the snow to Boston, hung out for 24hrs and flew back this evening. I am, exhausted.

Not a ton of info, but if anyone is interested, here’s an interview with Mr. Zhou, of Light Lens Lab, on their recreations. I’m lucky enough to have several of the lenses discussed, including the 8-element, 1966 “Noctilux” (one of my faves), Z21 Angénieux, and the recent Double Aspherical. Big fan.

‘We get a lot of requests for it be used in sex scenes’: how Goldfrapp made Ooh La La https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/jan/26/sex-scenes-how-goldfrapp-made-ooh-la-la-baudelaire

No clue. I sincerely doubt the build has seen much outside of a few drives and some shows. 700 miles on the build and I really need to do some more work on the Holley Sniper EFI system...WIP. HS

Smoky Moroccan Chickpea Soup (formerly Stew) a la Mishka Makes Food

It’s definitely a thing here. A good bark on a bologna chub then pan fry a 1” thick slice makes for a tasty sandwich.

Went to a Shiva visit tonight. Facebook friend's father (94 years), I went to HS together with said FB friend's sister-in-law. Found out today that he also went to a Summer camp with my oldest brother. A wonderful celebration of life, and I caught up with my HS friend and her husband, haven't seen them in over 15 years! As much as one doesn't want to catch up with people at a funeral/Shiva, it was a life well-lived, and it was great to re-connect. It will NOT be another 15 years before we see each other again!

I listened to it this morning after you posted a song last night. Thanks for linking and promising! Her more simple, more country-leaning 2020 Old Flowers was HUGE here as we stumbled through early pandemic feelings. You may want to give it a listen if you haven't already. Al saw her, if I remember correctly, as the silly audience ignored the stage.

https://www.speedtest.net/result/18750860321 Even the natives seem impressed

Just so good.

I saw this too. Although I believe the best way to cook bacon is with a bacon weight. Been doing it this way for about 7 years.

Smoky Moroccan Chickpea Soup (formerly Stew) a la Mishka Makes Food

Mal Waldron's Breaking New Ground Ex. Suicide is Painless (M*A*S*H) https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/arts/music/mal-waldron-jazz-music.html?unlocked_article_code=1.HFA.-b1C.SIYIipEJh-Y8&smid=nytcore-ios-share

@grawk - does it have a first name? I used to think poorly of bologna until a butcher friend made me a sandwich with their house made stuff. I STFU after that.

It's been a day. Got up this morning and came downstairs to the thought, "man, it feels cold on the first floor of the house." First call was to the boiler guy, praying that a circulation pump had crapped out overnight. Verdict - WRONG ANSWER. He quickly determined the boiler was doing it's thing but the pipes for the zone that heats the first floor were not. Shit. Phoned a friend whose husband is a plumber. Started chasing frozen pipes a little before 11am. Finally found the culprit at 2pm. Had it fixed and flowing heat again by 2:30. All told, it felt like a bargain at under $1000 given that a pipe could have burst and we've got another 10 days or so of freezing temps ahead of us. Still managed to make scones for Lily's best friend who slept over last night and turns 18 next week (JFC) and also still made dinner - pork chili verde with cast-iron-skillet cornbread. There will be barrel strength bourbon in my future. Oh and we've already got almost a foot of snow and I've cleared the driveway once. I believe I will sleep tonight.

The results from last night -- very tasty, but the other brand (Nature's Soy) was spicier and had a delightful málà taste to it.

I feel that. My sisters and I "sat Shiva" (not sure that's the right way to phrase it, since we're all gentiles) when my mother passed away. It was nice -- don't know how else to phrase it. We weren't dancing around or anything, just very...sober, for lack of a better word, but not morose or mourning.

The original bag lady

I’ll add one more Rob. Feels very 2025/6. Cons and Clowns.

Megadeth - Rust in Peace (1990) Some of this album was re-recorded for the 2004 remaster, according to internet hearsay.

Two meals from the new year. First up is a chicken dish from Samin Nosrat's Good Things cookbook. I don't think I've ever had a cookbook recipe come out looking this close to the photo. It was also delicious, along with the saffron rice Claire made and a Samin salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and quick pickled red onion. Last night was the first pizza of 2026, in the form to a Detroit style with pepperoni, red bell pepper and mushroom. I need to find a local source for brick cheese.

Hope you had a great one Adam! Cheers!

Happy Birthday!

Happy belated birthday!

Belated Happy Birthday, Adam! Looks like it was pretty good.

Happy Birthday!

Nice - Happy Belated.. - cheers

Hope it was a great one.

Happy belated Birthday!

Happy belated Birthday, Adam!!! I wish it was a great one

Happy belated!!! Hope Satan brings you a new home this year! #Rule12

Happy Belated Birthday Adam. Hope you "Enjoyed" the last year of our Glorious Leaders reign. What a Birthday present! Here's to a better next year.

Happy Birthday, Adam!

Couple of coats of high temp engine paint. Looks like poop, but it is protected and ready to go. Ran it at max temp for a while to cook of any vapors, then smoked a salmon. I'm back...

Went from Via To They say that moving is a major life stressor. I can believe it. It's almost like I feel a year older! Time for bed!