tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94157612011-10-25T02:25:23.955-05:00Standard "oh this is nothing" false humility to hide the embarrassing fact that I think these posts merit exposure to the entire World Wide Web.banzainoreply@blogger.comBlogger2041100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-79013083283161504202010-07-07T11:14:00.002-05:002010-07-07T11:16:38.401-05:00

Watch this clip all the way to the end - the infographic at the end is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-july-14-2004/the-boys-in-the-ban

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-17061710070152579772010-06-24T01:59:00.011-05:002010-06-26T09:38:14.439-05:00

This experience last night at 2am had me both extremely pleased and somewhat profoundly depressed.I dusted off my Sony HC3 HD camcorder. It had been retired because it--gasp!--shoots on magnetic DV tapes. Yecchh. Tapes. What a pain. I had moved on to a snazzy Canon HF100 that writes to SDHC cards. Pop the SDHC card into a card reader and, voila, video files are ready to go.But this seemingly

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-73293017822025819062009-07-24T14:43:00.003-05:002009-07-24T14:54:40.189-05:00

"I was once present when the poet was asked by someone, 'Sophocles, how are you in sex? Can you still have intercourse with a woman?' 'Silence, man,' he said. 'Most joyfully did I escape it, as though I had run away from a sort of frenzied and savage master.' I thought at the time that he had spoken well and I still do. For, in every way, old age brings great peace and freedom from such things."-

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-17125877207756683592009-01-04T20:42:00.003-06:002009-01-04T20:56:23.618-06:00

Pointless entertainment gossip site E! Online's report of the death of John Travolta's son includes this excerpt:Travolta, wife Kelly Preston and their chidren, Jett and daughter Ella Bleu, arrived in the Bahamas on Dec. 30 and were joined by friends and family before Jett's death for a long-planned party over the holiday week.Many of the friends are from Florida and nearly all are staying at Old

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1532860981139628442008-12-29T11:19:00.005-06:002008-12-29T15:01:28.733-06:00

Use the usual password to access:View each video at vimeo to see my comments (click on the name of each video in the lower left). Not all vids have comments though.Min - doubles from Keith Mukai on Vimeo.Emily - fulls from Keith Mukai on Vimeo.Jenny - giants from Keith Mukai on Vimeo.Callie - front giants from Keith Mukai on Vimeo.Darek - handspring-front from Keith Mukai on Vimeo.Emily - tsuks

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-51833769630909777372008-12-23T01:36:00.003-06:002008-12-23T01:40:45.253-06:00

A friend in my M.Ed. program responded to an email thread in which I said that some of the worst inner-city schools really do need to be shut down. I listed off some of the deep, systemic problems I observed first hand. He responded:"and that's why we go teach out in the burbs. the schools that really don't need us."That got me a little pissed. Here's my response:I know you said "we" but I think

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-85904841625585174332008-12-22T22:26:00.002-06:002008-12-22T22:37:20.836-06:00

Emily - Pak Saltos from Keith Mukai on Vimeo.Jasmine - Arabian fronts from Keith Mukai on Vimeo.Tyler - Back Fulls from Keith Mukai on Vimeo.Molly - Laid out front #1 from Keith Mukai on Vimeo.Molly - Laid out front #2 from Keith Mukai on Vimeo.Molly - Laid out front #3 from Keith Mukai on Vimeo.Molly - Laid out front #4 from Keith Mukai on Vimeo.Jasmine - Beam handstand power down from Keith

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-56727009984100772482008-10-07T03:30:00.006-05:002008-10-07T03:52:37.400-05:00

Puh-lease. Bill Ayers is hardly my favorite person on the planet but here's a fact to chew on: I've spent more time with Bill Ayers in the last decade than Barack Obama has.There I've said it. I admit to it fully and willingly of my own accord.Bill Ayers is currently a professor at UIC. I'm an M.Ed. candidate in UIC's College of Teacher Education.Ayers was invited to debate my English 557

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-9340017693336423442008-10-02T14:34:00.005-05:002008-10-07T20:39:35.220-05:00

Thanks to Sal's video presentations on the economic crisis and the bailout plan I think I finally get what's going on here. But what I don't get is why the Fed, the president, the Senate, and even Warren Buffet are supporting the Paulson plan. It seems like only a half solution that is fraught with risk.I think it would make a lot more sense to take an equity stake in failing banks rather than

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-58428391630530696672008-10-01T15:47:00.005-05:002008-10-01T16:35:13.501-05:00

Okay, forget my last post. It is a good primer but it makes everything seem deceptively rosy if you don't know how the one piece it talks about fits into the broader picture.What you need is a crash course on finance and then a specific discussion on where we are today and exactly how Paulson's plan would affect the situation.A friend and former co-worker of mine, Sal Khan, has posted a series of

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-23421041694492866132008-10-01T11:40:00.002-05:002008-10-01T11:47:59.644-05:00

I found the post linked below to be immensely helpful in understanding the economic recovery plan. It is NOT a bailout plan. No one is getting free money they don't deserve. The irresponsible banks and CEOs are not profiting off of this either; they would be selling their troubled loans to the government for a loss.Bailout or bonanza? Part 1: what do you do?I think almost nobody understands the

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-45574681242569192602008-09-29T13:35:00.007-05:002008-09-29T13:54:36.800-05:00

Let me get this straight: House Republicans slowed the weekend meeting at the White House and prevented the $700bil banking credit relief plan on the table then from being approved.They rightfully expressed their disagreement and engaged in their own bipartisan House discussions.After days of work, both Dem and GOP House leaders thought the compromises were good enough to put the bill before the

banzainoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-64920036906476807772008-08-26T00:40:00.010-05:002008-08-26T02:23:44.041-05:00

I've been trying to come up with a definition of sports ever since my racecar driving ex-roommate argued for car racing as a sport.After watching just five seconds of rhythmic gymnastics, I find the question screaming in my head again. I may not be able to define what a sport is, but I know this sh*t sure ain't it.Defining "sport"Rule 1: CompetitionFirst of all there has to be a competitive

banzainoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-62618399124815701412008-08-23T15:06:00.000-05:002008-08-23T15:06:30.282-05:00

If you're interested in learning more about what documents have been uncovered concerning the now-controversial age of Chinese gymnast He Kexin, see:Stryde Hax: Hack the Olympics!I don't know if the above sleuthing is the primary reason for the IOC finally pushing the FIG (the international gymnastics oversight body) to investigate the Chinese gymnasts' ages, but it's pretty interesting

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-77480528749268612152008-08-14T15:36:00.002-05:002008-08-14T15:46:32.691-05:00

There's a mini-controversy about the age of members of China's gold medal-winning women's gymnastic team. The fishiest age is that of gymnast He Kexin, whose age varies between 13 and 16, depending on the source.see: Earlier state media report listed gymnast He's age as 13My cynical side immediately leapt to her reported birthday: January 1st, 1992.January 1st? If the Chinese government

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-50709251250598606422008-08-05T16:28:00.004-05:002008-08-05T16:42:35.707-05:00

My favorite audiophile cable company, bluejeanscable.com, has been accused of patent infringement by consumer grade audio conglomerate Monster Cable. But first, who is bluejeanscable.com? I'm not sure how I first heard of them, but I quickly came to really like and appreciate bluejeanscable.com for their honesty and pragmatism. With the exception of my custom-made high-end power cables, my entire

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-83069949201755820212008-07-16T00:32:00.007-05:002008-07-16T00:52:15.192-05:00

My writing hero, Joss Whedon, has just launched his new Web-only project and, as the LA Times says, it's proven a "site-crashing success"The whole point--other than to entertain us with more Joss goodness--is to try to reinvent the entertainment distribution model. Can good work be produced without major studio control and financing? Can non-studio projects make money on the Web?Acts I through

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-12687579960070381752008-06-29T14:25:00.002-05:002008-06-29T14:29:37.314-05:00

An amusing post on a discussion thread that was bashing and praising Pixar:"Yeah, Cars was my least favorite. Still, that's like saying I have a least favorite child. I mean, you do, but you still love it."see: A.V. Club InterviewsAnd my own take on WALL·E:banzai's review of WALL·E

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-18269944599576471702008-06-27T17:18:00.003-05:002008-06-27T17:22:22.841-05:00

A profile headline from Match.com:"hello, hello!!! I 'm going to try this!!!maybe is going to work maybe not...who know's...any way you can ask me more..."Any adult woman that can make two egregious grammatical errors and a third less severe error in the span of two lines is pretty impressive.I think I'll send her a flirty message: "High their."

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-44631722875258209632008-05-29T15:10:00.001-05:002008-06-11T13:32:34.878-05:00

I saw this snippet in an interview on Sony's 4k digital cinema initiative:"we’re taking the Cell workstation, a hyperspeed engine developed for PlayStation 3, and targeting the deployment of that into the 4K DI process, so you have 4K rendering in real time. Right now, 4K rendering takes close to forever. We believe we can create functional 4K DI processes based on the Cell workstation that will

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-78289530949038044722008-05-28T14:43:00.004-05:002008-05-28T14:50:05.847-05:00

Lisa and Dan are hard at work building out their new chiropractic office.view photos of the work in-progressMy minor contribution was their Website:see: www.HealingHandsOfSkokie.comMostly this post is just to provide another Web link to their domain name. The way Google works is that the more that other sites reference a particular site, the more prominent that site is considered in the search

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-37738785622934935722008-05-20T11:26:00.001-05:002008-05-20T11:27:03.492-05:00

see: Photographer speared by javelin at Utah meetThe best part:Ryan McGeeney of the Standard-Examiner was spared serious injury in Saturday's mishap, and even managed to snap a photo of his speared leg while others worked to help him.

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-40431643895950831232008-03-16T22:19:00.002-05:002008-03-16T23:07:48.091-05:00

I used my annual bonus to finally complete my stereo system. I'd been holding off on buying a subwoofer until I had the money to spend and until I had a place where I could actually let a sub crank away without disturbing neighbors.I'd originally decided to get the Velodyne DD-15 but saw a good deal on a DD-18--the monster big daddy of the line--and figured what the heck. It's in cherry and very

banzainoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-11530733888604049092008-02-10T01:05:00.000-06:002008-02-10T01:22:26.172-06:00

I spent about four hours today working on the second solo from "Sweet Child O' Mine".It's pretty easy but I can't figure out the last bit; I've got the tabs but they make no sense to my ear so far.listen: Sweet Child O' Mine solo 2I can just barely do the half-step bends, though you'll hear some sourness in there. The whole-step bends are too much, so I have to change them to hammer-ons or

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-57335702143721909332008-02-07T01:34:00.000-06:002008-02-07T02:01:56.923-06:00

I have two minor musical victories to share.I'm not saying these are earth-shattering performances--I'm not even claiming that they're good!--but considering that I'm starting from nothing, I'm psyched and my progress makes me happy.listen: "And I Love Her" soloI know it's a little choppy, but it's getting there. Notice all the fun slides. The solo itself isn't terribly hard but it's very

banzainoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-31570449281876650822008-01-18T13:20:00.001-06:002008-01-18T13:40:03.237-06:00

Jenny's personal trainer has her doing a run/sprint/walk cycle - 2min run, 1min sprint, 2 min walk.Here are my results:(click to expand)The horizontal axis are laps. The watch only records one reading per lap so I counted each run/sprint/walk section as if it were a lap. It would be better if the horizontal axis were scaled by time, but Polar doesn't give that option. Oh well. What they do

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-47404517909845310432007-12-02T23:58:00.000-06:002007-12-02T23:58:12.755-06:00

see: YouTube - Cowbell Hero

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-89934135173476675352007-12-01T12:51:00.000-06:002007-12-01T13:07:06.378-06:00

Automated announcement: "This train is operating approximately nine minutes late due to heavy passenger load."One assumes this means that there are more passengers than usual and all those bodies are putting more strain on the engines and resulting in lower traveling speeds.However--owing to the beautiful vagueness in the English language--it could also mean that the delays are due to a load of "

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-55646588622097815542007-11-17T13:36:00.000-06:002007-11-17T13:43:37.888-06:00

Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner has called the writer's strike "stupid" because it's partially over online revenue. He says revenue from online sources (iTunes sales, free content streams supported by ads, etc) are in fact "a nonexistent (revenue) flow." He criticizes the writers for sacrificing "today's money for a nonexistent piece of the future."Is that true?The studios are telling the

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-68959953019585668602007-11-17T13:27:00.000-06:002007-11-17T13:31:38.713-06:00

Pretty cool idea. I've logged my support for Heroes, Lost, Pushing Daisies, The Daily Show, Battlestar Galactica, and--just 'cause--Firefly.see: Whedonesque: Arise and Seize the Pencils...excerpt from Joss Whedon: This week, United Hollywood (the blog) met with a group of showrunners who have particularly vocal fan bases. We discussed the fans’ eagerness to put their energy to use in a unified

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1768701216415106812007-11-10T11:06:00.000-06:002007-11-20T21:54:29.867-06:00

The current Writer's Guild of America (WGA) strike is a good thing. They are not being greedy. They are simply tired of being taken advantage of by large corporations that have no interest in an equitable partnership with writers.First of all, do writers matter? If you think that "Heroes" or "Lost" or "Grey's Anatomy" would be just as good with the actors making stuff up on the spot, then I can't

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-81017927445027704372007-09-05T14:13:00.000-05:002007-09-05T14:30:03.724-05:00

I placed an order from sonystyle.com for a 60GB PS3 early last week, only to discover that they were backordered. I thought it wouldn't be a big deal, until I saw this report:see: Sony out of stock on US 60GB PS3Sounds bleak:Sony has run through its stockpile of 60GB consoles, SCEA senior director of corporate communications Dave Karraker stated, "We no longer have any inventory in SCEA

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-16446389475924943822007-08-16T13:19:00.000-05:002007-08-16T14:07:25.034-05:00

A few stats:Distance: 2145.61miDay 1: LA to Flagstaff, AZDay 2: Flagstaff to Albuquerque, NM to Amarillo, TXDay 3: Amarillo to Oklahoma City, OK to Springfield, MODay 4: Springfield to St. Louis, MO to Schaumburg, ILTime: 28.7hrsSpread over four days. Does not include lunch breaks, bathroom breaks, etc. 28.7 hours of pure driving time.Avg Speed: 74.8mphThis is a pretty fast average speed. I was

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-58953034935290665722007-07-31T00:50:00.000-05:002007-07-31T01:20:39.321-05:00

My car was towed last night. My trunk doesn't always latch properly--it looks closed but isn't actually latched tight--and it eventually triggers the car alarm. I always double-check the trunk when I close it, but apparently on this occasion it slipped my attention. I parked way out of hearing range of where I'm staying and the alarm was apparently going off from 11pm until 1am, at which point it

banzainoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-5363362312356507082007-07-23T12:10:00.000-05:002007-07-23T12:10:30.633-05:00

see: Why al-Qaida wants you to think your Muslim doctor is the enemy. - By Eboo Patel - Slate MagazineAnother good article that helps to illuminate the Muslim viewpoint and how it relates to our anti-terrorism approach and rhetoric.

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-12037767218282182742007-07-21T20:18:00.000-05:002007-07-21T20:18:53.594-05:00

see: Bush Still Doesn't Get It - washingtonpost.comDon't let the anti-Bush title get you up in arms (if you're one of the 28% that still approve of him). The article is really about the perceptions and opinions of Muslims worldwide. It helps sort out who is a threat to us and who isn't and lays out a pretty clear picture (sure, perhaps too simplistic) of how and why our foreign policy is a

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-11518537524056727412007-07-12T15:42:00.000-05:002007-07-12T15:42:44.070-05:00

see: Discovery Channel :: News - Human :: 'Ginormous,' 'DVR' Added to DictionaryIt is a glorious day for the word "ginormous" but a sad day for me; the fun and kitschy-ness of using an obviously made-up, somewhat anti-intellectual word has now been spoiled by its legitimization.I'm sure its akin to skaters who get a bigger rush illegally skating in a stranger's drained backyard pool than at a

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-47367625488783320352007-07-12T15:31:00.000-05:002007-07-12T15:45:12.584-05:00

"A Newsweek poll released last week found 41 percent of Americans still believe Saddam Hussein was directly involved in financing, planning or carrying out the September 11 attacks, though no such connection has been found."That's from a Reuters article posted TODAY - July 12th, 2007. Unbelievable.Another excerpt, about why we should stay in Iraq:"They came over here on our land and took down the

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-20934010480568558912007-05-15T14:57:00.000-05:002007-05-15T15:53:27.020-05:00

One of the most frustrating things in this supposedly standards-based technology era is figuring out if your two high tech devices will work properly together. Bluetooth is a great example of the great failure of technology standards; assume nothing when it comes to Bluetooth interoperability.This post, should the Google gods deem it index-worthy, shall address the question of whether my two

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-35851340398714065592007-05-11T11:06:00.000-05:002007-05-11T11:53:43.605-05:00

I decided that I wanted to get a Sprint mobile broadband card for my laptop so that I won't be tied to random little wi-fi hotspots. I've also been meaning to upgrade my old phone to one that supports bluetooth so that I can field calls through my portable GPS unit.So I call Sprint and start going through the process of upgrading the phone. The CSR's computer was having issues so everything took

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-73988468832502486362007-05-06T19:38:00.000-05:002007-05-06T19:48:05.604-05:00

Greg Norman(Limestone Coast, Australia)2004 Cabernet-Merlot (80%/20%)Rating: 8.5/10Surprisingly intense, rich fruit flavor behind a slightly strong initial harshness. After breathing a bit the flavor emerges even further, but don't wait too long; this wine doesn't need much time. Quite enjoyable, even without breathing. Should be good with or without food. Makes me want to try Norman's pure

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1166477915425351352006-12-18T15:29:00.000-06:002006-12-18T15:42:48.710-06:00

The first batch of photos are up on my Website:http://www.ebanzai.com/view_gallery.jsp?gid=544More photos will hopefully be coming out in the next day or two.HOWEVER -- my server will soon be packed up and shipped out. That means my online photo gallery will be nonexistent for about a week.THEREFORE -- I've uploaded the photos to Costco's photo center. You can view them all there and order prints

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1165115084038684572006-12-02T21:04:00.000-06:002006-12-02T21:04:44.130-06:00

see: Beach volleyball bikinis shake up Asian Games in Qatar - CNN.comWomen's beach v-ball bikinis are totally unnecessarily small, but, frankly that's also part of what makes it one of the best sports on the planet. The games are exciting, the rallies are spectacular, the athleticism is amazing, and--in general--the women are tanned goddesses wearing next to nothing.And with so many elite-level

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1164833744289226462006-11-29T12:59:00.000-06:002007-01-03T16:42:51.036-06:00

I'm writing this ahead of my farewell to LA party because I don't want to spend the whole evening explaining my reasons for moving.There isn't any one reason that is either pushing me from LA or pulling me towards Chicago. It's more like a collection of reasons that all seem to point in that direction.If this gets long and boring, stop reading or take it in chunks if you have to; just don't ask

banzainoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1164658938571668402006-11-27T14:22:00.000-06:002006-11-27T14:22:18.660-06:00

see: The amazing electric sports car, the Tesla RoadsterExcerpt: "One spin in a Tesla made me realize that the gas engine might finally be on its last legs—and not because electric cars will help wean us from Saudi oil and save us from global warming. Rather, the Tesla Roadster is a rolling demo that proves electric cars now outperform their gas-guzzling counterparts in comfort, convenience, and,

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1163621501750540792006-11-15T14:11:00.000-06:002006-11-15T14:13:19.530-06:00

see: Global Orgasm to Change the WorldAmusing. I actually heard of that Princeton lab while I was there but never saw it for myself. My roommate at the time, George, said he was actually in that lab watching some of the experiments so it sounds like it does actually exist. The lab's URL is, apparently, from the .princeton.edu domain so that also seems legit, though I don't know how easy or

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1161800787421139912006-10-25T13:26:00.000-05:002006-10-25T13:27:37.546-05:00

Researchers reveal ‘extremely serious’ vulnerabilities in e-voting machinesIf anyone was going to reveal how crappy and not secure these things are, it was going to be Ed Felten. He's just The Man when it comes to high profile, high stakes security issues.

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1161197621780519602006-10-18T13:40:00.000-05:002006-10-18T23:50:02.896-05:00

Miracle. NFL record-setting. Blah blah blah.It's simple: The Bears' offense was so bad that the only way to win the game was to keep the ball out of their hands.At the end of the third quarter, with the Bears trailing 3-23, rookie defensive end Mark Anderson forces a Matt Leinart fumble. But the Bears' defense, cognizant of how terrible and turnover-prone their offense had suddenly become, knew

banzainoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1159580998249122902006-09-29T20:26:00.000-05:002006-10-03T12:43:06.330-05:00

The fallout continues...ABC News: Fox Chief's Tables Are Turned and Attitude is DifferentExcerpt:Fox News Chief Roger Ailes says Bill Clinton's response to Fox anchor Chris Wallace's question about efforts he made to pursue Osama Bin Laden was an "assault on all journalists.""If you can't sit there and answer a question from a professional, mild-mannered, respectful reporter like Chris Wallace,

banzainoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1159488808495020292006-09-28T18:47:00.000-05:002006-09-29T12:58:27.303-05:00

Fox News' Chris Wallace has officially become the first person to make my Sh!t L!st after his interview with Bill Clinton on Fox News Sunday.Conservatives stay with me for a moment. I'm not ranting with my head on fire. I'm a reasonable person. I promise a cool-headed, rational argument.And if you don't know what I'm talking about, watch the interview.Let's start with the question that sparked

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1157913294100401902006-09-10T13:25:00.000-05:002006-09-10T15:05:03.773-05:00

Bob and Jess organized a rock climbing day yesterday morning at Point Dume in Malibu. There are anchors already set at the top of the climb (and a path so you can walk up there) so they set up a 60ft top rope climb. The person at the bottom holds your weight the entire time as the rope loops up and around the anchor at the top.I wasn't going to climb but after Kassia did the whole climb (she's

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1157917486491643642006-09-08T22:44:00.000-05:002006-09-10T14:44:46.490-05:00

...coming soon

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1157745849668553862006-09-08T14:47:00.001-05:002006-09-10T14:43:41.636-05:00

I did figure out how to at least grab HDV->DV footage... but only by going to my downstairs Win2k machine. Finally, I can get the footage and work with it as DV in my editing rig upstairs. But, of course, there doesn't seem to be any way to get HDV->HDV footage in Win2k. Whatever, I'll deal with that later at this point.The whole point of buying the camera was to capture everything I could down

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1157744443924110932006-09-08T14:21:00.000-05:002006-09-08T14:47:05.796-05:00

DV and now HDV camcorders plug straight into a computer in order to digitally transfer the footage. In theory. If you're running WindowsXP. But probably not if you've got Service Pack 2 (SP2). Unless you had a fresh install from a disc that included SP2. Assuming you don't have any other hardware that conflicts with the firewire controller card. Or if you have a Mac.My camera outputs footage in

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1157743236878274772006-09-08T13:50:00.000-05:002006-09-08T14:20:36.960-05:00

Driving Ariel home on 3.5 hrs of sleep wasn't actually as bad as it sounds. Coming back home and falling asleep on the living room floor until 2pm was way better than it sounds.I finally roused myself by remembering that my new HD camcorder had just arrived yesterday and I was all eager to grab some test footage in glorious 1920x1080i HD. And living in Santa Monica, four blocks from the beach

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1157741156792895392006-09-08T12:51:00.000-05:002006-09-08T13:50:21.216-05:00

Only now, Friday, have I recovered enough to write about my long, crazy weekend.It started with celebrating Ariel's b-day last Friday. She invited a bunch of her friends to dinner who in turn invited other friends to join us and our nine-person dinner quickly became twenty. Of course everyone was late though so four of us were sitting at a table for twenty with the waitress eyeing us with some

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1156186956671248512006-08-21T12:51:00.000-05:002006-08-21T20:17:54.433-05:00

Wow. Last night was... unique. It was like West Side Story meets acrobatics meets a Roshashana parade. And let's not forget the barnyard animal theme.As usual I had been out at the gymnastics park on Santa Monica beach all Sunday afternoon. As the sun started going down the usual beach crew starts making plans to grab dinner together. I'd been wanting to spend more time with all these friends

banzainoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1155023187510667082006-08-08T02:37:00.000-05:002006-08-08T12:47:45.820-05:00

My final paper for my survey class of English Lit from 1660-1832 was very well received by the TA, Sam. However, his handwriting was a bit of a challenge to read. My sister and I spent a shocking amount of time trying to figure out one word in particular:(click for a bigger view)Here's the full surrounding text:(click for a bigger view)(even bigger: full-size scan 1.14MB)My sister's best guess

banzainoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1153420374093950102006-07-20T13:09:00.000-05:002006-07-20T13:51:30.586-05:00

Let's see now:I'm taking three classes which incur a total of 13.5 hrs of class time each week.I'm using my vacation days from work to take 1.5 days off each week in order to attend my morning/afternoon classes and do my shoulder rehab. That leaves me with 28 hrs of work as opposed to the usual 40.I'm doing my 2 hr shoulder rehab/strength twice a week for a total of 4 hrs.I have shoulder

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1150411384351758812006-06-15T17:30:00.000-05:002006-06-15T17:43:04.366-05:00

My shoulder surgery was December 19th, almost exactly six months ago.The last couple of days have seen a number of new milestones for my shoulder recovery.I wandered into the gymnastics gym at UCLA and couldn't resist playing around a bit in there. I took it slow and careful but I ended up chucking a round-off, laid-out back flip with only a little pain. I've been able to hang on a high bar for a

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1145557335630487942006-04-20T12:58:00.000-05:002006-04-20T13:23:36.116-05:00

My wi-fi (802.11b/g) network sucks. Connections tend to drop out at random times and it often gets completely killed whenever someone uses our 2.4GHz cordless phone. My building and the buildings on either side of me are multi-unit dwellings and there are plenty of other wi-fi networks overlapping. I figured between all the networks and all my neighbors' cordless phones, it was probably

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1145555912363754952006-04-20T12:33:00.000-05:002006-11-09T04:56:48.046-06:00

First of all, the phrase "parabolic reflector" is just damn cool. "So what'd you do today?" "Eh, just made some homemade parabolic reflectors to boost my wi-fi network signal."Secondly, parabolic reflectors LOOK damn cool.Third, they really work.While researching how to make my wireless network more reliable I came across a link with information on making cheap, effective antenna boosters.first

banzainoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1144868350342481382006-04-12T13:59:00.000-05:002006-04-13T16:12:17.670-05:00

see: Depeche Mode RemastersDepeche Mode's landmark "Violator" album has been remastered and re-released as a special Hybrid SACD + DVD package in the UK. Note that the above link lists the US release date for April 25th... but without the hybrid SACD. The US release will be a standard CD and not a hybrid SACD.You can order the UK release from various stores in the US as an import, but it costs

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1144794219361517862006-04-11T17:06:00.000-05:002006-04-11T21:26:12.303-05:00

The Illinois Basic Skills Test was never going to be a big problem. Anyone who wants to be certified to teach public schools in the state of Illinois has to pass the test. Even kindergarten teachers have to be able to pass this test. No disrespect to kindergarten teachers (I sure couldn't do that job!), but that tells you something about how difficult this test is; no one demands kindergarten

banzainoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1144718438611443792006-04-10T20:20:00.000-05:002006-04-10T20:21:54.726-05:00

see: Tom Toles on Yahoo! NewsFunny stuff. This is, of course, in response to this recent finding that helps flesh out the fossil record linking fish with land creatures:see: Fossil Fills Land-Sea Animal Gap

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1144705217205416192006-04-10T16:20:00.000-05:002006-04-10T16:41:44.993-05:00

Eric Clapton, "Slowhand" - Hybrid SACD.Audiophile Audition's reviewThis is an exceptional album both for its content and for its recording quality. This album features a very blues-rock Clapton with well-known hits "Cocaine" and "Wonderful Tonight". The remaining songs are all excellent and are well-worth owning. I previously only owned Clapton's "Unplugged" and 1998's "Pilgrim" and have found "

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1144703949199621972006-04-10T16:11:00.000-05:002006-04-10T16:19:09.200-05:00

MOZART: Violin Concertos Nos. 3 & 4; Adagio K.261; Rondo K.269 - Julia Fischer, violin / Netherlands Chamber Orchestra / Yakov Kreizberg - PentaTone multichannel SACD.Audiophile Audition's reviewAh, now here's a small ensemble that is excellently recorded. The recording still isn't mic'ed quite as closely as I'd prefer (I want to hear the fibers of the strings on the violin!), but the dynamic

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1144702654718371532006-04-10T15:44:00.000-05:002006-04-10T16:01:41.936-05:00

BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor; Tragic Overture; Academic Festival Overture - London Philharmonic Orchestra/Marin Alsop - multichannel SACD - Naxos.see: Audiophile Audition's reviewAudiophile Audition loved this SACD both for Marin Alsop's direction of the London Philharmonic and for its audiophile recording quality.I am a Brahms neophyte and haven't had enough time to really absorb the

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1144697711462540392006-04-10T14:09:00.000-05:002006-04-10T14:35:11.576-05:00

I built another set of homemade power cables using Chris VenHaus' "Flavor 1" and "Flavor 2" recipies.see: DIY Power Cables - VHAudio "Flavor 1"see: DIY Power Cables - VHAudio "Flavor 2"The new analog Flavor 2 cable will power my second PS Audio UPC-200 line conditioner while one of the digital Flavor 1 cables will power my Proceed PDSD (the second Flavor 1 cable was an economies of scale I'll

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1144694340478080242006-04-10T13:39:00.000-05:002006-04-10T20:43:30.076-05:00

I ordered the Rolling Stones' Hot Rocks greatest hits collection from CD Universe last week. All of ABKCO's remastered releases from 2002 are Hybrid SACDs, meaning that they play in regular CD players but also contain a hidden high-resolution SACD layer for players that support the format.However, rather than confuse the market, ABKCO simply released these remasters as if they were regular CDs

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1141171798924753322006-02-28T17:47:00.000-06:002006-02-28T18:21:43.313-06:00

People who have gotten into blogging know a bit about RSS but most folks haven't even heard of it before.It stands for Really Simple Syndication and all you need to know is that it's a standard form of communication on the Web that allows for the syndication of content. And what does that mean?Let's say you run CNN. You have a new article to publish to the Website. Putting the article up on

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1141065429674495692006-02-27T12:37:00.000-06:002006-02-27T12:46:20.933-06:00

My writing hero, Joss Whedon, was asked, "If you knew you were going to spend the next 10 years on a desert island and could only take 5 books with you, which books would you take?"His answers:Assuming they're books I've already read: 1) A Little Princess 2) Dombey and Son 3) Dune 4) Hitchcock by Truffaut 5) Pride and Prejudice Joss Answers Questions - FIREFLYFANS.NETIt's #5 that stands out,

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1141005564473261712006-02-26T19:30:00.000-06:002006-02-26T21:44:51.766-06:00

Atwood wins the award for narrative ambition and complexity. This story is told at five different levels:1. Iris in the present at age 82.2. Iris' recounting of her childhood and early adult life.3. Newspaper clippings of various events relating to Iris' life.4. "The Blind Assassin" - a novel within the novel telling the story of two lovers.5. "The Blind Assassin" - the lovers' complex sci-fi

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1141003791467550302006-02-26T18:56:00.000-06:002006-02-26T19:29:51.536-06:00

A bit longer than it needs to be (especially the extraneous third, bookend piece) but overall an enjoyable exploration of two generations of a Scottish family and the lives they touch along the way. The novel is divided into three sections that mimic, in Glass' own words, a "triptych" where you have a main panel flanked on either side by smaller supporting panels. The main panel depicts a scene

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1141001689871626782006-02-26T16:51:00.000-06:002006-02-26T18:54:52.416-06:00

There's a famous experiment where a person is told a happy story and then shown an image of a person with a completly blank expresion. The viewer is then asked to describe the emotions of the person in the photo. Generally viewers describe the face as happy.Another group of viewers (or perhaps the same) are told a sad story. Then they are shown the exact same photo of a person with a blank

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1140211919053586332006-02-17T15:12:00.000-06:002006-04-10T13:46:20.020-05:00

I initially opted to use gold-plated banana plugs to connect my surrounds. Banana plugs are very convenient if you're going to be swapping speakers in and out of your system. However the price of that convenience is a less than optimal signal transfer. Banana plugs just don't have much contact area and the strength of that contact decreases over time as the plug's insertion post loses

banzainoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1140210651602689042006-02-17T14:52:00.000-06:002006-04-10T13:47:00.920-05:00

After the astonishing performance of my standard CD system I was curious to hear standard CDs through my high-resolution system.Note the differences in the configurations: StandardHigh-ResSourceCal Audio CL-15 ($250)Sony 999ES ($600)AmpProceed AMP5 ($2,500)Yamaha RX-495 ($250)SpeakersB&W 703 ($3,000)B&W 602s3 ($600)If you just consider the investment, the "Standard" rig should easily crush the "

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1139771237270461432006-02-11T23:25:00.000-06:002006-04-10T14:52:50.186-05:00

Holy. Crap.This power cord stuff makes a serious, serious difference. If someone were building a new system - even a modest $2k to $3k affair - I'd now strongly recommend that they reserve some budget for their power considerations. This is not some vague audiophile tweak that eludes the ears of your average Joe; A high-end interconnect (e.g. S/PDIF cable) or exotic, expensive speaker cable could

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1139658879395961572006-02-11T04:43:00.000-06:002006-04-10T15:03:03.166-05:00

I've been upgrading the power system of my high-end audio system, adding two PS Audio UPC-200 line conditioners. While thinking about power I decided to also upgrade the power cords in my system.Surely, you say, a power cord couldn't possibly make the slightest bit of audible difference in a stereo, right?I am inclined to wholeheartedly agree... but for the empirical evidence to the contrary.I

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1138390761508047622006-01-27T13:39:00.000-06:002006-01-27T13:39:24.040-06:00

Happy Birthday, Mozart - The child prodigy turns 250.I had seen an ad on the side of a bus a few weeks back advertising a classical music station that was wishing Mozart a happy 250th birthday.My first thought was, "holy crap, Princeton is older than Mozart."During my freshman or sophomore year the school celebrated its 250th anniversary (its bicenquinquagenary - a word I learned that year and

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1138389077677304852006-01-27T12:32:00.000-06:002006-02-26T18:55:31.370-06:00

"Much Ado About Nothing" is a rather appropriate title. Some people have said that the title is the best part of the play. I kind of think it's Shakespeare's coy admission that there's just not much going on here.Much Ado lacks the storytelling complexity and dramatic nuance that is found in his other works. As a comedy it is occasionally funny but it has a habit of allowing its characters to fly

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1138385159661804562006-01-27T11:27:00.000-06:002006-02-26T18:55:49.280-06:00

This 2000 Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of short stories by Jhumpa Lahiri is really quite lovely.Yes, I said "quite lovely".There's really no better way to describe it. Lahiri's excellent prose reflects a serene, charming storyteller. She is patient and at ease, living at a speed that is different from what we're used to. The pacing, style, and quality of her writing conveys the timing and

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1137789285782366292006-01-20T13:26:00.000-06:002006-02-26T18:56:08.243-06:00

"The Merchant of Venice" is a comedic play but it flirts willy-nilly with other genres and occasionally cannot resist more lofty ambitions.It is said that Merchant can no longer be performed as Shakespeare intended. This is because the play's villain - Shylock, the Jewish moneylender - is constantly attacked with anti-Semitic remarks. In Shakespeare's time Jews were known but uncommon in England

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1137785122733883032006-01-20T12:36:00.000-06:002006-02-26T18:56:27.496-06:00

warning: spoilers aheadThe Age of Innocence is an excellent, multi-layered look at late ninteenth century (circa 1870) high society in New York City. It's a love story, but it's not a romance novel. It's more concerned with painting an incredibly detailed, accurate picture of a rigid society that traps and confines everyone in it. Love cannot flourish in such an environment, which should give you

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1137782168594803262006-01-20T12:13:00.000-06:002006-01-20T12:36:14.450-06:00

"This Side of Paradise" was written by a 21-year-old Fitzgerald and often reads like it was written by a 21-year-old.The story follows Amory Blaine, a gifted product of upper class American society of the early 20th century. His ego and self-assurance guide him through prep school and Princeton, navigating and conquering social hierarchies one after the next. But outside of school, in post WWI

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1137442507754323152006-01-16T14:10:00.000-06:002006-01-16T14:15:07.756-06:00

Thanks again for all the kind words before and after the surgery.I saw my surgeon yesterday and he said I'll have to let the repair heal for 4-6 months while doing rehab. So no sports for me until mid summer. But he did clear me for jogging so at least I won't get totally fat and out of shape.For at least the next four weeks (when I see the surgeon again), and perhaps for the next few months, I'm

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1137442090813726182006-01-16T13:47:00.000-06:002006-01-16T14:09:03.926-06:00

I talked to the surgeon the next day.He said that part of the labrum was torn and he was able to repair it.He said that part of the labrum had also been torn away from the bone and he was able to reattach it.And he said that there was some "fraying" that he debrided.I was very happy to hear that he had found definitive injuries in there and that he was able to repair all of them. I was very

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1137440690177107052006-01-16T13:41:00.000-06:002006-01-16T13:44:50.180-06:00

Part Two: The SurgeryArthroscopic surgery is a 90-minute out-patient procedure.I had mine done at UCLA's Ambulatory Surgery Center in Westwood.I got there at 6:30am Monday morning, two hours before the scheduled surgery time. They asked the usual questions about three different times. I met about four different doctors, two anestheticians, and two nurses (one of which was very cute I'm happy to

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1137440471746481832006-01-16T13:38:00.000-06:002006-01-16T14:27:28.873-06:00

(this is salvaged off the swingaring.com message board that is about to be decommissioned)This is both a report to my friends about the results/progress of my shoulder surgery and an information guide to anyone who might be considering arthroscopic shoulder surgery. There are inevitably a lot of shoulder injuries around here, so I figure this info is worth sharing. It's rather in-depth so if you

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1137439770283424002006-01-16T13:26:00.000-06:002006-01-16T13:30:31.720-06:00

(this is salvaged off the swingaring.com message board that is about to be decommissioned)Tape grips allow you to swing with a rip, sort of. Takes some of the pain off and reduces the direct rubbing against raw flesh.Rip off a length of trainer's tape that's more than 2x the length of your hand and wrist:Fold it in half lengthwise:Then curve it around itself, forming a loop at the middle, leaving

banzainoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1137437263772180252006-01-16T11:57:00.000-06:002006-01-16T13:08:18.176-06:00

The 2005 Bears defense: supposedly best in the league.The Bizzaro World defense: surrenders 29 points with a beat-up secondary that plays at the level of a preseason game.The 2005 Bears offense: slow, plodding, ineffectual. Can only score when the defense delivers the ball to them at the opponents' 5 yard line.The Bizzaro World offense: picks up the slack for the defense and answers back three

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1137316864468578542006-01-15T03:08:00.000-06:002006-01-15T03:22:02.870-06:00

I just finished Wharton's 1921 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel in a marathon session tonight.The only word that comes to mind is "heartbreaking". On so many levels. Profound, immeasurable heartbreak. But not the melodramatic, "how can I ever go on" heartbreak. It's a stunned, numbed, resigned surrender. Resignation of the deepest, most noble kind.It's too much to digest immediately. It's going to

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1136776905899463762006-01-08T21:09:00.000-06:002006-01-08T21:23:43.096-06:00

I was out at a local bar with a friend and excused myself to make a bathroom run. My shoulder was aching a little so I had worn the shoulder sling out that night.While waiting in line for the bathroom a guy behind me asks, "what did you have done to your shoulder?"I turn and see this short, scruffy guy who looks familiar. He looks like three-time US Men's Olympic gymnast and silver medalist

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1135719349159473802005-12-27T15:33:00.000-06:002005-12-27T15:35:49.203-06:00

Some of this is redundant, but I wrote up a long, detailed post for my friends who swing on the travelling ring rig down at Muscle Beach in Santa Monica.It includes post-surgery photos and lots of details for anyone considering a similar surgery:swingaring.com message board post

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1135293270496481162005-12-22T16:59:00.000-06:002005-12-22T17:36:05.156-06:00

I had my arthroscopic shoulder surgery on Monday at UCLA Medical Center. The original injury in March (doing a "dislocate" on Still Rings when I wasn't warmed up) never healed on its own nor did a few months of physical therapy make it any better. After an inconclusive MRI (only shoulder minor tendon irritation), the next step was arthroscopic surgery where they stick a camera inside and see for

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1134584126802751412005-12-14T12:10:00.000-06:002005-12-14T12:15:26.803-06:00

My poor audio system...The surround processor that died this week is off to the engineers at Harman/Madrigal... in Massachussets. And, as feared, I had to also send its partner component (the two work as a tandem and each are useless without the other). That meant two 24x24x13 inch 27lb boxes shipped across the country. $62 just to get the equipment to the lab. The repair bill could be as high as

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1134583782242126732005-12-14T11:48:00.000-06:002005-12-14T12:09:43.826-06:00

The banzaifilms.com emailer is back up and running without too much trouble. It did however cost me $20.In order to host my Websites from my apartment over our new Verizon DSL line I had to go through no-ip.com to deal with my dynamic IP address (normally you assign a domain name to a fixed IP, but when your ISP can change your IP at will you need a dynamic solution). They also offer a service

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1134514483298425232005-12-13T16:48:00.000-06:002005-12-13T17:06:58.156-06:00

With my DSL switch to Verizon my home-grown banzaifilms.com emailer no longer works (Verizon doesn't allow outgoing mail relaying which is probably smart). Here are the latest reviews from the last week:Latest Movies Reviewed:Aladdin (1992)The Lion King (1994)[see more reviews]New Full-Length Reviews:Eagles: Hell Freezes Over (1994)Banzai's rating: 9Excellent music, incredible musicians, and

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1134172616434906952005-12-09T17:40:00.000-06:002006-04-10T13:49:07.123-05:00

Well that was brief. My stereo system is dead.My surround decoder (Proceed DSD) is sending bad pops and clicks to the speakers and is giving off a bad odor. Not good signs at all.I opened up the case to see if there was an obvious problem. Looks to me like a capacitor has blown. Damn. This is on the board that outputs to the surround channels but for some reason the pops and clicks are going out

banzainoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9415761.post-1133938634059000292005-12-07T00:11:00.000-06:002006-04-10T13:55:23.750-05:00

I'll augment this with some pictures when I get a chance, but here's a quick survey of the tips I've picked up over the last few weeks:**Speaker wire is measured in "AWG" which stands for something... All you need to know is that the lower the number, the fatter the wire. And the fatter the better. 10 AWG wire is probably the fattest wire one could reasonably afford on a per foot basis (~$0.60/ft

banzainoreply@blogger.com0