Craig Sawyers

What does a peasant sound like?

The great thing with Beyerdynamic is their legendary stock of spare bits and after sales support. I have a pair of DT990's that I bought many decades ago. Now they still make the DT990 in various guises, but they have been through umpteen design changes in the meantime. Now my venerable DT990 had shot earpads, the soft bit of the headband was shot, and I'd stood on them at some point and the cup pivot plastic bits were split. Beyer had absolutely no problem in sending me (well - selling me) all the bits needed to get them back into as-new condition. I was well impressed!

Congratulations Jacob! You both look great.

Have a great day Dinny - happy birthday!

Not sure how Beyerdynamic managed to swing the term Tesla Technology for their headphone drivers past Elon Musk. I can't imagine that a discussion did not take place! The T51P, much cheaper than the DT1770 has the same driver technology.

Apropos the last image - there happens to be a place in the North East of England called Longbenton Meanwhile you can spend $1k and buy Nathan Myhrvold's new five-volume book "Modernist Bread: The Art and Science". I think I'll pass on that purchase.......

Most Scottish whiskey distilleries are pretty remote. This one was, well in the middle of nowhere. And yes - the weather was pretty much solid rain all day. In fact that was the first day, from Milngavie (pronounced Mulgei) to Drymen (pronounced Drummen) of about 12 miles. We didn't get the chance to visit the distillery (boo hoo), but you can just about make out the path to it, going in the direction of the end of the warehouses. Just think of all the nectar stored in those warehouses!

OK - 210 units of booze and 420 fags a week is sure going to take its toll. My dad was a 60 a day man (much less booze though). Had a femoral artery bypass at 65 and died at age 72 in 1995 through heart failure. Every photo I have of him (dozens and dozens) he has a fag between his fingers. I only kept one small item of furniture, and when we moved it in, I washed it And that is what Clarkson is heading for.

Thought you might be interested in a picture of the Glengoyne distillery, taken when we were walking the West Highland Way.

He's four years younger than me. Yeesh. Just goes to show that money and fame count for nothing.

Wow - congratulations Jacob! Details - we want details.....

Was at Newquay, Corwall (UK) to watch Bloodhound SSC doing its first public runs. Just using the Eurofighter Typhoon jet engine to propel the 5 ton vehicle to >200mph in 8 seconds. It was bloody awesome. In no uncertain terms it was bloody awesome. Next year, using the the jet engine and one rocket there will be a straightforward land speed record attempt of around 800mph, and in 2019 the full >1000mph once they have put in a cluster of three rockets. This is a long video, but the first section is well worth watching, as is Andy Green's commentary on his supersonic record 20 years ago. The first hour and a quarter is about yesterday, and then 2h to 2h15 is about the supersonic runs 20 years ago.

Happy Birthday - have a great one!

The current generation Rb units put a whole lot more Rb in to give a much higher lifetime. For example Stanford Research's PRS10 has 1mg load rather than 100ug http://www.thinksrs.com/products/PRS10.htm and 20 year lamp life. Leapsecond have done their usual comprehensive tests http://www.leapsecond.com/museum/prs10/ But the ultimate in Allen Variance is the BVA version of an SC cut crystal; the only currently available one is the RA-14 from Rakon http://www.rakon.com/products/families/ocxo-ocso . It was previously available from Oscilloquartz until it was bought out (spec attached) But you need to be determined to get one - they are around ten grand new. Oscilloquartz BVA.pdf

Happy birthday Dusty! Have a superb day! And just for you, some Dusty Chalk

I've heard the YG Anats at length in an ex-friend's home. They sounded stunning.

Jeeze RIP Gord

I copied this to my brother in law. He said "I actually witnessed a guy try this on a Stag Day I was co-hosting a couple of years ago (yes, in Denmark they last all day and all night). We were on Islands Brygge esplanade in the middle of a wonderful, warm, sunny and surprisingly dry afternoon and it “seemed like a good idea at the time”. Two major flaws in his plan, though. 1. He used an espadrille instead of a shoe and 2. He tried to get the cork out in one huge hit. Result? Smashed bottle of wine + glass embedded in espadrille inner sole lining = dickhead goes barefoot all day + no wine until a visit to a local shop"

Wow - well done digging that out! I'd lost track of the years that had passed since I built my T2

Cats have simple rules. Meow cuddle me. Meow let me out. Meow feed me. And that is about the limit of their vocabulary and needs. The 3am madness seems to stop once they get a bit older - at least that was the case with ours. Granted there is another level of dialog comprising purrs and chirps, and a particular type of meow which means "I've caught something, and I want to bring it inside and give it to you"; as if we need yet another mangled rodent or frog.

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday!

Wow - you go away for a week or two and there is so much to catch up with! California burns. Bloody hell, what a mess. So many dead, so much destruction. Cats, Jacob? What prompted that? I'd have thought you were a dog person. We got our two back from the cattery after our time away and they are going though the cycle "I want to be out, I want to be in, I want to be out...." repeat maybe ten times until they settle back in. Here, the remains of hurricane Ophelia came across the Atlantic and went mainly through Ireland and Scotland yesterday. 100mph wind. Three dead and widespread damage. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41627442 . A bit gusty where we live, but we are 400 miles South of the route, so we're OK.

For some reason that reminded me of this http://www.darwinawards.com/legends/legends1998-10.html