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The hobby is fucked, but it also opens up the opportunity for others to come in and sell stuff that isn't bullshit. That's kinda where we see stuff like ES Labs come in (though here in the US the tariffs make it harder, but that's another brand of bullshit). Basically, the old guard can go ahead and price themselves into the stratosphere, but smart people will take advantage of it and outcompete them. Or so I hope. Maybe it's just the booze talking. I'm usually not optimistic.

Not yet open but I have one client, and he just happens to be a bit of a car guy. Every time I show up at his garage some new amazing car shows up. Came in today and these showed up. They also arrived with a new 911 Turbo S, but that was at his house.

That's why they call them spirits...I think.

Deck, Red, White and Blue, Blueberry Pancakes, Nice Cup of Tea. Happy 4th, Y'all Y'all.

"a bit of a car guy" Where did you learn such understatement? Would you like a Nice Cup of Tea?

Only this hobby? I'm at about 32% of my buying power, even though my income has actually increased; on top of a steady pension, i do work for select customers again, complimenting it. And i'm still at 32% of where i was 15 years ago (this in EU). Inflation may be steady in Japan, but prices have skyrocketed everywhere, in everything and impact them too. Was seriously doubting high quality given the MRSP, so this is the one thing i personally won't judge them on. Don't forget it's 2-3 grand in our local currencies, VAT in. In their local currency it's 275 grand. You think folks rush to buy it over there? Brands like Zanden, Kondo, Airtight, Ikeda, they're only for rich Westerners by now.. i'd rather STAX did not follow (no offense to anyone here, most really are high rollers, but the 9000's pricing was an insult to me; nice big middle finger for me to sit on).

RIP to a good one. Such a beautiful tribute by Virginia, who is beautiful herself.

Basically they found ways to make it a cheaper product to produce and are calling it a facelift. Makes sense why they couldn't even bother to make the cable color match. Pathetic. Between this and Audeze deciding to charge $1500 for a space port , this hobby is so fucked.

In the parlance of our times, RIP Bozo. Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, whose ministry was toppled by prostitution scandals, dies at 90.

More the weekend, but we got a fatty mass surgically removed from the doggo, but 2 nights in of course she rips out the stitches AND her drain tube (and most likely ate it lol) requiring her to go back in and get stapled but as you can see she is doing well 🤣

Posted by... the Smithsonian.

Found in France. Maybe you can be Flattop Steve!

Ukraine accuses Putin of humiliating Trump with devastating attack on Kyiv. Russia launches record number of drones and ballistic missiles in seven-hour assault shortly after its leader spoke to US president.

I felt obligated to post this. Drinking Onyx Coffee Lab's Columbia Jairo Arcila Lychee. No....just no. I literally just wrote Onyx. First time in over two decades of making coffee that I very much felt the need to provide the feedback. I believe they added actual lychees during the fermentation process and the result is I will likely toss the remaining beans in the bin. WTH?!? Save yourselves....LOL. HS

RIP Michael Madsen. Only 67. Enjoyed him in Quentin Tarantino movies in particular. https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/03/entertainment/michael-madsen-death

Chad Kassem of Acoustic Sounds is on Marc Maron’s winding down WTF podcast today. https://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episode-1657-chad-kassem