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Man, have I missed out on all the fun here? I have no excuse, my home office serves double-duty as my blast shelter, so even when my windows shake from Iron Dome detonations I can certainly post. I can't share all the tea here on an open forum, but I'll make a point to pop by and represent the USG perspective on what is going on. This is obviously a subject that arouses very strong feelings in many (myself included), but as a paid propagandist working in exactly this area I think I'm uniquely qualified to stick my neck out.

Just had my final autocross in the Macan . Finished 8th on PAX (time adjusted by class) in a field of 42 cars! Easily my best finish. It helped that it was cold and rainy so the GT3 and RS cars on semi-slicks were having grip issues. Weather conditions are part of racing though so I make no apologies for finishing ahead of all but one of the GT3 drivers. There was another older gentleman in his 80s driving a '21 Macan as well who smoked me and finished 3rd on PAX (missed first by 0.2s!). He was 2.5 seconds faster on about a 60 second course, so the gap was substantial. I was able to ride along with the guy and he was an amazing driver. You learn so much riding right seat when a good driver is behind the wheel. Funny thing is, he left traction/ESC control full on! He just was incredibly smooth with pedal inputs and knew how much force he could put on the steering wheel without understeering. Assuming all goes to plan, I will soon be trading the Macan in for the Boxster. She has been an amazing car, but the Boxster should be a lot more suited to the kinds of driving I want to do! I've never owned a convertible before so open top motoring should also be interesting to live with. I feel like I am going to have a lot of bad habits to un-learn after 10 years of driving AWD cars, but should be fun. 718 platform with the mid engine seems to be about as forgiving as a sports car that fast gets.

The One O’Clock Lab Band The top band out of the University of North Texas. Fantastic show, shitty venue.

Indeed. From https://www.mylondon.news/whats-on/whats-on-news/outrageous-life-notorious-chef-marco-21602394 "Allegedly, Marco even once made Gordon Ramsay - renowned for being a tough chef who regularly causes jaws to drop on shows like Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares - break down in tears. Australia's news.com.au reports Marco trained Gordon at his restaurant Harvey's, and "exposed [him] to daily rituals of humiliation, foul language, flying knives and almost unbearable pressure," according to a 2006 profile in The Telegraph. Marco said: "I can’t remember what it was about, but I yelled at him and he lost it. The next thing I knew he was sobbing in the corner, holding his head in his hands, with tears rolling down his cheeks. "He was saying things like, 'I don’t care what you do to me. Hit me. I don’t care'." The problem is that the bullied and humiliated become the bullier and humiliator. I've had two bosses who fell into that category, alas (Both now safely dead). The poet Philip Larkin wrote a bleak poem called "This be the Verse" that describes this sort of process: They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do. They fill you with the faults they had And add some extra, just for you. But they were fucked up in their turn By fools in old-style hats and coats, Who half the time were soppy-stern And half at one another’s throats. Man hands on misery to man. It deepens like a coastal shelf. Get out as early as you can, And don’t have any kids yourself.

Two items: First, Bridgeport has landed and I've got about 100 listening hours into it. It's big and beautiful and I love it. I'll share pictures when it's moved out of my bedroom and into my office. Second, there is a Torpedo III for sale elsewhere: https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650094412-ecp-torpedo-iii-amplifier/?utm_campaign=saved-searches-alerts&utm_source=notification&utm_medium=email

More culture. https://marinsymphony.org/tickets-events/2023-24-season/set5/

Blueberry pancakes Lots of blueberry pancakes 🥞 🥞 🥞

How Wireless Charging Works and Why It's Terrible - iFixit:

Axpona is always a blast. Spent quite a bit of time with a view of @naamanf’s head. Lots of good “small scale” rooms (too many to list). Notable highlights for me this year were the big Stenheim room on the ground floor, Jeff Catalano’s High Water Sound room with the upgraded Cessaro horns, MBL, and Bill Parish with the Vivids. Bonus photo of the SAT turntable I’d never encountered in person before.

I want my MTV

I was drunk at the time... and apparently craving chocolate 🫣

For those who haven't watched it, OJ: Made in America is my favorite documentary I've ever watched. Just a masterful piece of documentary filmmaking.

Oh shit! You will be missed Sir. I don't think the AB band could have carried on after Dwayne's passing without Dickey.

Peaky Blinders

That would explain all the warm air on my neck.

Beethoven for Three: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 5 by Yo-Yo Ma (2022) https://album.link/i/1590901485 Example: I thought I would put this on as a light listen - and holy smokes is it good. This was the first one released in the B43 series (2022). And the arrangement and performance of the 2nd symphony is shockingly good to me. And well done on Sony's part for the recording. I liked the one that was released this year (posted a bit ago), but not like this. Third listen this week and it is only Tuesday. It may become a staple in my queue.

RIP unknown rock star phishing link something.

Any of you notice this? Apparently going to produce it; a version of Pass' beast of a thousand JFETs for electrostatic headphones. I didn't go to Axpona this year, but apparently it was there. https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/axpona-2024-attendees.411344/page-2#post-7655052

Well not in person Live - but watching One of the 6 stages that they are streaming. https://www.youtube.com/@Coachella Lana Del Rey

Guy on /r/audiophile inherited this setup from his grandfather. He asked "Is this stuff any good? Should I keep it?" I managed to not blurt out "No, it's very bad and in fact dangerous. I'll do you a favor make sure it gets disposed of properly."

My family hunted all the time when I grew up. One place that we camped and hunted had blueberry fields as far as the eye could see. The kids would pick blueberries, and my Mom would make sourdough blueberry pancakes over the campfire. Those are some of my best childhood memories.

Blueberry Pancakes Based on With influences from

Soul Message by Richard 'Groove' Holmes (1965) https://album.link/i/1443137429 Example: We all need a little more "Groove" in our lives. And this RVG master does that very well.

Anthony Garcia - Moonlight

^^ The game kicks ass. I really enjoyed it.

The GT4 is the best I’ve been in but I’m not a serious road course guy that’s been at it a long while. I’m still learning. A whole lot easier for me to win going straight…lol. HS

Post-Medieval illumination - the making of the 2022 Obsidian game, Pentiment, a 2D adventure game - like The Name of the Rose if it was a video game:

"I'm Fine" Compare with

Capricorn One is a pretty good movie if you want to watch OJ get killed.

A Symphonic Celebration - Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki by Joe Hisaishi (2023) https://album.link/i/1680459073 Example: A good set of recordings by DG of the great Joe Hisaishi. I normally don't prefer mixing various works from various movies. But for the most part this works. It mostly groups them together by movie. And of course the recording standards are very high. Makes me want to watch some movies.

Binged it. Loved it. Can't wait for the next (presumably two more) seasons.

And don't forget the whole Kardashian movement wouldn't have happened if OJ wasn't a monster. Another little tidbit in case you think it was just a jealous guy that snapped one night. Nicole's therapist said that she had never had a client that had experienced the level of physical and mental abuse that she had for years.

Pat Martino - Footprints (AKA The Visit) [1972] https://album.link/es/i/1454027946 One of his most palatable and interesting albums, to my (weird) taste. I wish I could do that with a guitar someday.

Indeed.

Maybe the gen 4(?) white Bronco will finally get some peace?

Same about not being very sure, regarding good old Mark https://album.link/i/1718922576

Just a couple of tunes into this new Lizz Wright's album, which I'm finding really good Available everywhere https://album.link/i/1721233663 even Qobuz There's something in good singers and musicians that only blossoms with age.

I honestly enjoy watching people who know how to move. I've recently started following this guy: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5lqcMNJys8/ (itslavik on Facebook; itsslavik on Instagram)

Done. ❤️

It was kind of weird for readers of the books as well. A lot of story threads that happen in the second and third books got brought forward in to this first season.

At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson

The rise and fall of Pitchfork - Indie, Rocked: https://www.theverge.com/24070565/pitchfork-gq-conde-nast-music-industry-change

I just had the most awful thought: the first millenials are now old enough to get married and have children. M:TNG are being born NOW.

Work event this week, with one of the better parties they've thrown (and they're all pretty good, this one at Reggie's Chicago). '80s theme party (though most of the crowd wasn't born then), with a co-worker's Tom Petty cover band, who were very good!

First time seeing the youth Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra tonight. Will be back. G. F. Handel .............................................. Concerto Grosso Op. 6, No. 2 M. Ravel ........................................................... String Quartet in F Major I. Allegro moderato – très doux L. v. Beethoven ............ String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat Major, Op. 74 "The Harp Quartet" II. Adagio ma non troppo A. Dvořák ........ String Quartet in F Major, Op. 96, No. 12 "American" I. Allegro ma non troppo

After almost three and a half months, the KGST is finally in operation, and is sounding great. Thanks to all who have responded to my questions and given guidance. I am really surprised at how good the 40 year old headphone sounds with this amp. Special thanks also to Bigir and Dr. Gilmore for such wonder contributions to the community.