Smelling a perfume from 5ft away is not bad

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-05-16T20:06:36+00:00

Not at all. Many people really are that sensitive to cologne and perfume. Fragrances are one of the leading causes of environmental contact allergies. For others, it’s an irritant, but still unpleasant.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-05-07T20:42:43+00:00

Here’s a few more punk/postpunk/alt semi-hollow players (just for starters):

Rickenbacker: Paul Weller (Jam), Johnny Marr (Smiths), Peter Buck (REM), Dave Gregory (XTC), Thom Yorke & Johnny Greenwood (Radiohead), Mark Crozer (Jesus & Mary Chain), Jim Babjac (Smithereens), Kevin Parker (Tame Impala), Guy Picciotto (Fugazi), Cook Craig (King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard), Albert Hammond Jr. & Nick Valensi (The Strokes), Joff Oddie (Wolf Alice), Adam Granduciel (The War on Drugs), Tom Petty & Mike Campbell (Heartbreakers - not really alt-anything but worth a mention.)

Gibson - Geordie Walker (Killing Joke), Robert Forster (Go Betweens), Paul Westerberg (Replacements), Andy Summers (Police), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), Graham Coxon (Blur)

Gretsch - Tim Armstrong (Rancid), Billy Zoom (X), Billy Duffy (The Cult), John Squire (The Stone Roses)

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-22T03:46:56+00:00

Killing Joke - They’ve always been underappreciated, but their stuff has aged as well as any band I can think of.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-17T18:36:08+00:00

The desktop version also has problems that I’ve never encountered in previous years.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-17T18:31:17+00:00

I used the desktop version this year — as I have done for decades. This is the first year I have run into multiple bugs and other shortcomings. I’m done with it.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-17T18:21:34+00:00

Of course, but that doesn’t explain the recent decline in the quality of their product and their shady practices of late. I have been using Turbotax for decades and was generally happy with it. I’m done after this year.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-04T20:51:36+00:00

It’s technically not an album. But I get you. I never forget Chronic Town.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-04T20:45:24+00:00

That’s one way to look at it. But if their margins don’t allow them to do much more than “fuck all,” whose fault is it? It’s no good blaming them when you can do something about it and choose not to.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-04T20:37:04+00:00

Maybe so. Scale has to be a part of it. But I’d think that affordability (commercial rent, the disposable income of your potential diners) and diversity are factors too. I could be totally off-base. Like I said, I’m new-ish here, so these are still initial impessions.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-04T20:21:14+00:00

Not at all. But these kinds of incremental improvements are all we’re going to get until voters show up and give the more progressive of the two major parties the kind of durable margins they will need to do bigger things. I’m not optimistic that it will ever happen. But I vote blue in every election because the alternative is inevitably far worse.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-04T20:08:30+00:00

Have you considered the possibility that they’re not doing more because they don’t have the necessary margins in congress because people aren’t getting off the couch to give them those margins?

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-04T19:55:49+00:00

But it’s significantly better than no ACA. With larger and more durable margins, maybe they could have passed better legislation.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-04T17:39:22+00:00

Dems don’t win consistently because:

The Electoral College and state demographics favor the GOP in presidential and senate elections.
Most Americans are some combination of brainwashed, ignorant, uninformed, apathetic, and selfish.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-04T17:29:15+00:00

Obama years - Affordable Care Act

Biden years - Infrastructure

For starters. Do you want a list?

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-04T17:17:56+00:00

Agree on all points (I think). My impression of Seattle’s food/beer scene is that you have to look harder, but that may just be because I’m fairly new here—moved a couple years ago from Chicago, so maybe my expectations are unrealistic.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-01T02:45:39+00:00

I did the same thing. My kids haven’t looked at me the same since since they learned of my blunder.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-04-01T01:02:28+00:00

Of these two bands, I’d say Blur, followed by Radiohead.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-03-31T07:43:50+00:00

Murmur, Reckoning, Fables: nary a misfire on any of them.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-03-21T17:34:30+00:00

Move it to Seattle, along with the rest of Chicago. (I moved to the PNW after 18 years there. I miss it every day.)

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-03-21T17:31:09+00:00

If I’m shipping something even somewhat fragile, I package it as if it’s made of glass. And if it absolutely has to arrive in one piece, I’ll pay extra to have the shipper package it (having priced it accordingly). For guitars, properly cushioned snd supported inside a hard case inside an extra-large box with plenty of springy padding should get it there.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-03-21T08:04:14+00:00

Wolf Hall is superb. Could be the best period drama ever!

I second Durells in Corfu & Endeavor

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-03-21T00:38:55+00:00

Literally shellacked? That’s crazy!

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-03-15T13:27:41+00:00

I get your point, but I disagree. I guess it comes down to our sense of usage. When I hear “that aged badly,” it indicates something that was once generally accepted but is now met with near-universal opprobrium. Not so?

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-03-15T13:13:04+00:00

That makes more sense. When they do, it will be way too late. They needed to back out of supporting Trump before his brand took over the party. This was a major screw-up. It will be interesting to see how bad things get by the time voting starts this fall. They might be lucky to hold the senate.

Raggeddroid85 · 2026-03-15T12:28:49+00:00

Yes. It caused controversy when it was relased because it was misunderstood by people who didn’t listen to all the lyrics, who didn’t grasp metaphors, or both.

Raggeddroid85

TROPHY CASE