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Now that I have some in-house comparisons, I can see the D700 greatness even more. (Sorry about colors, not made with it...) The NIB one on the right might just rest in its box or in a display cabinet until the end of time out of respect. Rest will probably have to go, but a user D700 is always good to have, just can't name any camera with a better out for that kind of money. Older cameras are still fun, but it must have felt like a quantum leap with regards to AF, handling and responsiveness from any previous model. And they've made various changes to later ones, which weren't really improvements overall, while also loosing the 'picturesque magic'. Keen to re-visit the 5D Classic, less weight will be welcome, but AF, metering, sensor performance etc. will be a big step back. Also got the Canon R8, one of the best compact photo/video travel cameras out there around the 1000$ mark. Some may find it a bit minimalistic compared to a R6 (II), but all the gripes I had with the RX1RII are not a problem with this. I just wish that beautiful Zeiss lens could be carried over somehow, and I need to use ES mode for silent operation.

Normally they make a track-focused special, so maybe one more exclusive derivative, that would be the most desirable unobtainable collectible one, although I wonder if any extra aero is going to ruin the looks. https://autozine.org/Archive/Ferrari/new/F12.html#812 I would be very surprised it if hasn't improved a bit further from the previous gen, which was already a 5-star driving car, the 'electronic' driving experience has started a long time ago, and people got used to it. I would assume they've sorted out the handling, but still an extra 90 hp on top of that... So the 'natural feel' at speed when stepping on the loud pedal is probably scary. Even with all the driving aids, in less-than-ideal conditions, this much power can overwhelm the rear, so we will eventually see premiership footballers crashing it. Another notable thing is that they also had to clamp down on the outside noise due to some stupid regulations and use the interior to amplify it on the inside. Aftermarket exhaust makers will have a field day with this one.

Hi Carl! It would be great to see you hanging round this joint a bit again.

My best friend from high school popped up out the blue. I got a Smugmug message from him. He passed though town on other business and we spent a few hours monopolizing a table at the Southport. I had kind of forgotten that it was from him that I got my, ahem, sense of humor. (although he claims it was the other way around). Which made me realize that it's been way too long since I've even lurked here. So I'm posting and promising to do better

It's a travesty that these guys aren't in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! They sold a phenomenal amount of records.

The Carnegie Hall Concert by Alice Coltrane (2024) (recorded - Feb. 23, 1971) https://album.link/i/1727474137 Example: This has been on the top of my queue since it was released in March. After the tribute above, I took the time to give this as good listen. I was interested in the story of this as well, not being released until now. But with -- Three percussionists (Ed Blackwell, Clifford Jarvis, Kumar Kramer), two saxophonists (Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp), two bassists (Jimmy Garrison, Cecil McBee), a vocalist (Tulsi Reynolds) and one bandleader, harpist Alice Coltrane. How can I not listen? The example is one of the 4 tracks of the 1 hour 20 minute recording. It is the most melodic compared to the higher level of entropy of the other three tracks. It is on the edge of my musical taste, and knowledge, but I really liked it. I will spend some time with it again to dig a little deeper as to what is going on.

In my next life I want to be you!

And the Weber is good for snacks...LOL HS

All bookcases completed. And the other project I alluded to... This Walnut cookie was cut from a tree on Al's Brother's property, where now stands his new house. This table will now sit on the covered veranda, not far from where the tree originally stood. Al found the base from a seller we've used before for table legs. Hard to see from my poor photography skills, but there's lots of burl in this piece.

So Thursday we drove to Manchester, VT and toured Hildene for most of the day and then went to dinner at The Copper Grouse where Karen had a super Coq au Vin and I had an excellent orange duck. On Friday we attended a one-day Fly-fishing course at Orvis which was a hell of a lot of fun. After the course was over we used our 20% off coupon to buy two of their mid tier fly-rods and reels. Then we went for dinner at The Reluctant Panther and had an excellent lobster and Brie fondue appetizer. Karen had a nice, thick bone-in pork chop and I had an excellent lamb sirloin steak. Drove home on Saturday and picked up the dogs from the doggie pet resort. Nice relaxing mini vacation that we both needed.

The Femmes show was a lot of fun and they were just as rough around the edges as ever. They have never performed their albums start to finish but it worked well. They played Hallowed Ground first and then their self titled first album after a brief intermission. Three songs made up the encore and sent the aged crowd home happy. The giant sax is apparently a Contrabass Saxophone and sounded like a fog horn even compared to the baritone sax that Blaise Garza also played. The other unusual instrument was the Weber kettle bbq that the drummer played.

Have 'Twangy' Guitar Will Travel by Duane Eddy (1958) https://album.link/i/217699746 << - is this site defunct? - I have been noticing a lot of omissions. But then again I am mostly pretty far away from mainstream music. But I assume it is just a pile of API's collecting info. Anyway... Example: Long live twangy guitars....

And on the other end of the quality scale:: So, I wrote a prompt to AI: I need a comparative sarcastic review of The Carpenters - Space Encounters 1978 and the Star Wars Christmas Special. (( It got it mostly right. I didn't feel as awful after this as I did the SW special - At least there is Karen's singing )) -- The Force Awakens...of Cheesy Holiday Cheer: A Comparative Review of Space Oddities Buckle up, space cadets, for a clash of the titans...well, maybe not titans, but two contenders for the most bizarre holiday space experience. In one corner, we have Karen and Richard Carpenter, armed with synthesizers and questionable fashion choices, blasting off on Space Encounters of 1978. In the other corner, it's the ragtag crew of the Millennium Falcon forced to endure a nonsensical holiday variety show in the Star Wars Holiday Special. Let's see who wins this battle of the bewildering. Musical Merit: Space Encounters: Karen's voice soars like a spaceship on helium, while Richard tinkles on his synthesizer like a toddler discovering a Casio for the first time. The result? Earworms that burrow into your brain and refuse to leave, but undeniably catchy earworms. Star Wars Holiday Special: Let it be known: the galaxy far, far away has some truly dreadful musicians. Imagine elevator music trapped in a broken blender. This is where musical careers go to die. Special Effects: Space Encounters: Prepare to be dazzled by…a shimmering disco ball and some flashing lights. Hold onto your metaphorical spacesuits, folks, it's a wild ride. Star Wars Holiday Special: A low-budget fever dream. Lumpy creatures cavort around in what appears to be a forgotten corner of Mos Eisley cantina. Just be thankful they don't try to sell you those itchy-looking bathrobes. Plot Development: Space Encounters: Essentially non-existent. We just kind of…float around in space with the Carpenters, pondering the mysteries of the universe (and possibly regretting our life choices). Star Wars Holiday Special: Chewbacca's family celebrates Life Day, a bizarre intergalactic holiday involving singing vegetables, a barely coherent Boba Fett cartoon, and a bar brawl almost as confusing as the plot. May the Force help you understand any of it. Redeeming Qualities: Space Encounters: So bad it's good. A campy classic that will have you laughing (or groaning) along. Perfect for those nights when you need a good dose of the absurd. Star Wars Holiday Special: Uh…well, it's a collector's item for die-hard Star Wars fans? And a cautionary tale for future holiday specials, perhaps? The Verdict: This is a close call. Space Encounters offers more entertainment value with its sheer awfulness, but the Star Wars Holiday Special wins for pure nonsensical weirdness. Ultimately, the choice depends on your tolerance for cheese and your love for the bizarre. Just remember, there's always the fast-forward button.

I'm not surprised by the price hike at all. This will be a very small volume of cars, probably sold over a shortened life cycle until the hybrid or electric variants take over. The subjective reviews should be interesting - has Ferrari made the driving experience too electronic, or does it feel natural at speed?

I like seeing retro nods to past models which I think this one certainly accomplished. Overall, I like it. The engine compartment somewhat reminds me of a Dodge Viper (V10) but with the engine clearly set further back. Owning Italian is not for the light hearted or those on a budget...LOL. HS

"But one thing is inevitable: price hike. At an estimated €400K / £400K / $420K, it will be a whopping 60 percent more expensive than the 812 Superfast went on sale 7 years ago." Design analysis:

R.I.P. Secret Agent Man.

Found this interesting.

Duane Eddy https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/may/03/duane-eddy-obituary I mourn. One of my inspirations as a baritone guitar player. I have his Gretsch Bass6, which I am keeping.

I really regretted not being able to do my radio show last night. I'd 100% have ended it with CSNY's "Ohio"

For what it’s worth that’s my alma mater and so strange to see the echoed actions of some school administrations this year.

54 years ago today:

I like the way it looks - I wasn't sure at first, as most new "electric-era" cars seem to be similar-looking. I'm not sure about the reliability of the electronics and systems in the long run. No doubt it will be very fast, but I wonder how thoroughly they test these things. Obviously, flagship V12 grand tourers are mostly low-mileage showpieces, but I really wonder how they hold up with more driving on long trips. I thought they'd have a higher list price considering current inflation, but they might have achieved more efficiencies in their manufacturing processes.

Finally found more info on them: http://statex.pro