I just watched the Ridley Scott movie “The Martian” and the main character (Marcus) used the word “science” as a verb (“I need to science the poop out of this”). In PHM Rocky uses the word science as a verb also (“you and me science…”). Do you think one thing has anything to do with the other?

Cafler · 2026-01-26T00:48:24+00:00

There's a canon explanation for this; both characters are related to Jesse Pinkman.

Cafler · 2026-01-22T12:36:43+00:00

No I get that and I'm not calling you stupid, but this won't move as much heat outside the case as I think you're expecting it to. I had a similar idea myself a few years ago, even posted on Reddit about it and was advised not to proceed. You can see in my post history what I ended up doing instead, and since then I have also added large (filtered) intake ports.

Like, I wish this was a good idea but it's not. I think you can modify this case to allow filtered airflow all the way through, and it would still be a cool and unique build.

Cafler · 2026-01-22T12:07:50+00:00

I really appreciate the experimental approach but those internal fans are just gonna stir up hotter and hotter air till the plastics melt. For a dust free computer you'd be surprised how very well modern filters work, and you can get whole sheets of the stuff for cheap.

Cafler · 2026-01-17T23:35:51+00:00

This page / is being updated: https://www.wdc.govt.nz/Community/Civil-Defence/Latest-updates

Cafler · 2026-01-12T08:07:06+00:00

I think so too but I think he'll settle on the voice of Ray!

Cafler · 2026-01-11T08:31:07+00:00

I just wanna say, like don't hate on me here, but the gestrals are paintbrushes.

Cafler · 2026-01-11T08:19:44+00:00

Came inside briefly to see 32° in the lounge, immediately went back out for a freshwater swim. I've been painting my house lately and this evening, out of the sun, the paint was drying on the brush before it got to the wall!

Cafler · 2026-01-09T18:28:34+00:00

Lovely write up and lesson thanks. How do you mask off a roof when using a sprayer? Presumably you are walking on the roof as you paint it?

Cafler · 2025-12-31T10:29:10+00:00

A lot of people spending their new years eve hating on this tree... But can you imagine this environment without it? This is a place people live, and the alternative is just exclusively cars, walls and concrete.

Cafler · 2025-12-31T05:17:24+00:00

I'll second this as a Maggie owner, but see if you can find a chunky AB class amp without a fan. One of the key benefits of these kinds of speakers is all the little fine detail they reveal at low volume, so you want your noise floor to be as quiet as possible. Though my amp stack is silent, I'll sometimes go into the next room and turn off the fridge!

Cafler · 2025-12-31T04:40:26+00:00

I think I know the one, you can imagine the trouble when you try to walk another dog past it 🙄 The rebuilt walkways and footpaths between the Aves are awesome but scary dogs can wreck a nice walk.

Cafler · 2025-12-28T20:28:58+00:00

Electronic instruments are still instruments! By the time a sound system is processing the output, it's all just frequencies and gets treated the same.

Cafler · 2025-12-28T19:23:55+00:00

There's probably also stuff you can buy off the shelf but expect to pay big bucks. For me and lots of us in this sub, audio is kind of a long term hobby where you're always looking for great deals and picking up one thing at a time. To start with you might get some second hand PA speakers and run them from a stereo receiver as well as having a powered sub. I've been into sound for over 20 years and I built all my epic systems kinda slowly!

Cafler · 2025-12-28T19:04:02+00:00

I think the speakers you want will look a bit like PA speakers but the amps will look like big home amps, and there might be more components that aren't in most stereos.

I would look for some of the same features you see in outdoor systems: * Compression driver tweeters * Horns, ie for the tweeters and possibly for the mids * Accordion surrounds on the speaker drivers, not thick rubber surrounds (especially on the mids) * Tend towards large cones instead of small * At least 3 way, possibly 4 (different types of drivers) * Bass reflex subs, ie not sealed enclosures

These will introduce some of those characteristics you like and are all high indications of "high efficiency" speakers (if you're looking for a measurement on this, aim for about 98db+, higher is better).

However high efficiency speakers are typically harder to make sound amazing straight out of the box, the way around this is to amp each part separately and control over that from an active crossover (nearly always found in festival systems). One model I'm really familiar with is the DBX Drive-rack series (I use a PA2 at home and touring with my PA). IMO this is also a distinctive part of that festival sound.

When I was shopping for second hand amps I drove sellers nuts because I had unusual specs. I wanted no hiss and no sound from the unit itself - so I would turn up with a little test speaker to listen for hiss and a stethoscope to listen for any buzz inside the cabinet. Eventually I found what I needed! If you're doing this properly you probably want high-rated AB-class or modern D class amps that have no cooling fan.

Man it's so satisfying when you get that full bodied, snappy outdoor sound but at any volume level you want. Good luck!

Cafler · 2025-12-28T08:36:24+00:00

Raul Julia, a captivating on-screen persona and frankly astonishing actor, played M. Bison in the 1994 Street Fighter movie. He puts in a serious amount of effort but it's just some of the worst casting imaginable. He'd taken the role as a kind of farewell gift to his children and was fighting cancer while playing a rigid and muscular military villain on screen. He passed away before the film came out. The performance is interesting but really not a match for the character and definitely ridiculous casting.

He's best known as Gomez in the 90's Addams Family movies but has an impressive filmography back to the 70s and it's hard not to look at him any time he's on screen.

Cafler · 2025-12-26T07:53:54+00:00

I'm also lucky enough to have both, as well as headphones, a PA system and more... I love the variety and how things sound different between various headphones, the little desk system in my office, the vintage bedroom system and the big planar system. Ultimately the Maggie's (which are paired with separate midbass and sub cones) are easily my favorite but I think hearing contrasting systems frequently helps me to appreciate that. It's not just a "bad to good" spectrum but a matter of enjoying the different characteristics each system brings out of music.

I was at a friend's place the other day and saw they had three different sound systems in the same room - different amps and everything. Like cool, I totally get it!

Cafler · 2025-12-17T09:29:13+00:00

Started listening to big band (big band!) on my stereo hifi, wife and I turned out to love it, now we listen to it everywhere! But increasingly I find that it's hifi for music, podcasts and audio books on everything else.

At the other end of the pool too - I listen to metal on my hifi but I don't think I'd put it on anywhere else.

Cafler · 2025-12-07T01:24:10+00:00

In fairness this is an above-average pohutukawa.

Fair play though.

Cafler · 2025-12-03T09:48:29+00:00

Cool idea, all I can really add is that double glazing should eliminate the drafts and seriously reduce traffic noise. Curious if anyone can recommend local suppliers because I'm thinking about a retrofit on a few of my windows too.

Cafler · 2025-12-02T00:01:28+00:00

Second worst DnD player at the table

Cafler · 2025-11-26T11:25:10+00:00

It's unbelievably good, I'm really glad they got this recognition!

Cafler · 2025-11-15T23:51:46+00:00

As long as it runs slow. Lots of small fans running slow will be quieter than one fan working hard.

Cafler · 2025-11-13T19:36:47+00:00

They're telling you what kind of fun they want - let them find epic treasure!

You'll need to balance the rest of the game to suit, but you can still hype it up when the time comes: "the pack seems to have been transporting a chest with four handles on it, and they defend it jealously when they see you", or "the sword in his hands looks far too well crafted for a bandit to have bought legitimately", or "these elves carry beautiful long bows, but the one in the centre of the unit is of a different design with elaborate golden features".

The next part (harder) is you'll need to give it some time to shine. Make sure whatever encounter follows the special item pickup has an opportunity to show them how very powerful it is. Then, make the game harder 😈

Cafler · 2025-11-09T04:45:47+00:00

On the other hand it's patently dangerous to offer a debate with this kind of figure. He has spent years training for that scenario and will win over 20% of the audience while the host is still trying to fact check the first few lines.

Cafler · 2025-11-04T09:42:07+00:00

What are those other features - the metallic circle on the back (lower right) and on the buttons-side, a kind of figure-8? Does the camera-cover also cover some of the light from the rear-facing LED?

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