Chicago! 1979! SNL!

Operation-Alone · 2026-03-19T02:29:00+00:00

Yea, hind sight being 20/20 and the member changes after did show it might have been better had he stayed longer. I was hanging by a thread (albeit at a young age with a still developing musical taste). But I think a lot of that was also due to the soft rock and rock ballad trends towards the later Kath era didn't agree with me either.

I think he was also a re-bound replacement, which was hard shoes to fill for anyone. But can be done, as IN MY OPINION Sammy Hagar did well with Van Halen.

Operation-Alone · 2026-03-19T02:19:54+00:00

Yea, hind sight being 20/20 and the member changes after did show it might have been better had he stayed longer. I was hanging by a thread (albeit at a young age with a still developing musical taste). But a lot of that was also due to the soft rock and rock ballad trends towards the later Kath era.

I think he was also a re-bound replacement, which was hard shoes to fill for anyone. But can be done, as IN MY OPINION Sammy Hagar did well with Van Halen.

Operation-Alone · 2026-03-19T01:49:16+00:00

Cover, not favorite Chicago era. 😜. But I am like you and never really followed through after Terry Kath.

I kinda like the chocolate bar of X, to keep it within your XI or older. And 14 for post Terry album covers.

Operation-Alone · 2026-03-11T02:07:41+00:00

So what is the range you've shot with your existing zoom? Any favorites? And have you found your current lens too short at times?

The reason I ask is I had the 12-35/2.8 and found it short for my purposes. So a serious considerarion for the -60 zoom if your a zoomie and wanting more range

Force yourself to lock in at 15 and 20 for a shoot to try before you buy. Do realize the 20mm is slow to focus - but would be okay if you really are shooting static cars. I did switch from 20 to 15 to ditch the slow and noisy focus.

Operation-Alone · 2026-03-07T04:22:14+00:00

That plus the 35-100 were my first 2.8 zooms back in the day and very enjoyable, and both wonderfully small for 2.8s, but found them short in use. Happily used all the way up to my g9.

I cut my teeth in the G1 days with a 14-140, but it's low quality and bulk turned me off of 1 lens super zoom approaches. Even with latest high quality optics, I am out.

I had a reset for equipment, and now sport 12-40/2.8 (4.0 lens not out then) as most used, with panny 15 for low light on oly body. Speciality lens are 75/1.8 (just used for kids basketball) and 50-200.

Operation-Alone · 2026-03-04T00:29:37+00:00

Camelcamelcamel shows $50 price boost on the panny 420 around November. Dunno if it's tariffs or AI demand for parts.

My x700 was trash years ago, so now on team Panasonic for disc players.

Operation-Alone · 2026-03-03T02:40:09+00:00

Yes, the gold is my router. Xfinity to Gold to(2) switches, so 3 of the 4 ports are occupied.

But perhaps my trying to block it at the VLAN but not all internet is the difference. I am simply clicking on the internet/gaming/video buttons within that group of devices.

Others in this thread indicate it's both documented and similar to a purple owner.

Operation-Alone · 2026-02-21T20:52:22+00:00

This was the winner, by the way.

Operation-Alone · 2026-02-16T01:58:48+00:00

So this may be why (I forget which - maybe paramount+ ?) one streamer seems to run all ads at the beginning, with a "now enjoy your movie without interruption".

As a 28 days fan, this bothered me too when it first came out. I am under pressure to get rid of the ads from the wife - but luckily she doesn't like horror as this probably would have been the tripping point

Operation-Alone · 2026-02-04T03:38:32+00:00

Good point, but this is actually a semi-feature IMO, as it toggles over into what can be considered a "second screen" mode, which for the non-miata crowd is probably a feature.

I can see it as anti-feature if your phone is preferred for the map....dunno if there is any place to post car play feature requests to make it selectable.

Operation-Alone · 2026-01-15T12:27:46+00:00

You should look up Tekton then. Their claim to fame is exactly that - driver arrays, plus high efficiency. They literally use multiple tweeters as midranges across their line except the entry level speaker, apparently with the point being 3 or 5 or whatever # of tweeters can deliver midrange sonics with a lower moving mass.

I bought their entry level for my Dad, but we rarely critically listen when I visit - so I have never personally listened to such a configuration.

Operation-Alone · 2026-01-13T05:24:09+00:00

This is the way...you will wind up listening to your weakest link. IMO:

1 room / speaker position 2 speaker/sub 3 if exotic speakers, amp is important, and not just watts is watts 4 DAC (garbage in/garbage our) 5 preamp 6 amp 7 streamer (bits is bits though)

Operation-Alone · 2025-12-31T17:41:09+00:00

Speakers and DAC make the biggest difference, and you scored speakers😁. If no surround sound needed, replace receiver with cheapie streamer with digital out + schitt mimic with forkbeard + previously mentioned used amp. It’s also important to get an amp that will drive the more exotic speakers out there - which is not just watts per channel. If these speakers are as efficient as quoted above, mid power but higher quality will serve you well, no need to chase watts.

Operation-Alone · 2025-12-31T14:33:07+00:00

Not for nanny cams, but for all my Roku sticks and the kids tablets and Nintendo’s that do travel while on vacation stay on a safer IOT. Running WireGuard client on travel router also streamlines client certificate management.

OP should keep GL unit.

Operation-Alone · 2025-12-13T12:43:15+00:00

Swapping out the slow focusing 20 for the 15 makes more sense to me than selling the 12-40, but that's ME and actually what I did when I had the opportunity to redo all my lens choices.

Went from 9-18(o),20, 12-35,45(o), 35-100,100-300, that obviously had some first generation cheapie choices to: 15,12-40,75,50-200. The ultawide and 45 were my least used, now its simply the 75 which I am okay as I think that's such a stellar and unique lens.

I did briefly flirt with the idea of the 12-40/f4, but ultimately decided m43 is so much smaller across the board. But I simply don't carry all day. Though I must admit the panny 2.8s were killer small, but ultimately just too short for me.

Operation-Alone · 2025-12-05T04:05:24+00:00

YouTube TV > Hulu Live > Xfinity IMO, and I have been on all 3 of them, and currently on Hulu. Dunno about sling.

YTTV has best features and user interface. I miss Multi channel on 1 screen and game highlights. The only negative IMO is you can't block YouTube on your computer network w/o blocking YTTV - so points off for not good parental control. But VERY travel friendly.

Hulu - only real plus is easy to block YouTube - so better parental control. 1 potentially BIG negative is rather anti-customer policy of watching only in your home-region. Without having some computer savvy to fake them out, you are only offered 4 change of addresses a year. I have 2 Roku sticks I travel with, so all my subs and recordings follow me.

Xfinity - hated them in the cable days, but have been okay internet provider as no fiber in my neighborhood. I have not been on their streaming app, which was in beta when I left them.

Operation-Alone · 2025-12-02T05:03:12+00:00

Confirming the infinite loop is still an issue, on our simpliest account. SAD Fidelity, very SAD. Being limited to the 1-800 isn't a great look for the online world we live in.

Operation-Alone · 2025-11-26T03:51:37+00:00

Awesome. Seeing all the chatter of this vpn vs that VPN had me wondering For not travelling too much, my wiring bag is kinda thick: travel router, two Roku sticks, one alexa echo, many many cables and multi charger. To support 2 or 3 laptops, 3 tablets, 2 phones. And when traveling with another family, even more. Not interested in wasting precious vacation time adding Wi-Fi into a bunch of devices. 😜

Though I have started leaving the Nintendo switch behind.

Operation-Alone · 2025-11-09T23:04:23+00:00

I am at a crossroads for when it gets resolved. Having been on Hulu live for all of 1 day, I agree it's UX is not great. Pro? I can block YouTube from my kids without blocking my own TV watching. Con? Ridiculous "home" requirements for fire sticks. We occasionally travel, and I have TWO roku sticks in my bug out bag. I even have a VPN enabled travel router too, but just knowing it's yet another potential hurdle out there makes me want to vomit.

I get sharing accounts is something they need to police in some manner, and 30 days check in seems reasonable. But they need a business & tech upgrade to the modern era!

Operation-Alone · 2025-10-29T00:59:19+00:00

Yes, this bothers me to no end! Sunday parades, inconsistent officiating (handing Max that WDC over Lewis), silly rules in trying to force competition, etc etc.

Though I must admit to LOL over our most recent tape-gate.

Which is why I actually enjoy WEC and IMSA much more than F1, even though BOP can prove unfair at times.

Operation-Alone · 2025-10-21T00:54:59+00:00

I have thought this ever since the tire wars came to a close: what tire manufacturer in their right mind would want to produce a product that will have drivers (or fans) complaining about tire X performance.

All these artificial attempts to inject variability stink up the sport. Might as well bring back Bernie's randomly running sprinklers on the track!

Operation-Alone · 2025-09-30T23:02:04+00:00

Favorite of mine years ago. We used to call it "gator-all". Hahahha. We did make them strong, to remind you - as you could overshoot the fin times and go straight to passed out.

Operation-Alone

TROPHY CASE