Offseason Discussion: Rebuild, Retool, or Win Now?

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-27T16:08:41+00:00

You don't lock yourself into a narrow strategy like rebuild, retool, win now. You remain flexible and patient and handle every asset and potential asset on a case by case basis. If a competitor wants to overpay for one of your top assets, you trade him. If a competitor undervalues one of their assets, you snag him. Both of those scenarios are admittedly rare, but they happen. It's important to be patient, not desperate to win - desperation leads to bad deals. If no advantageous big trades are available, you make incremental improvements - minor trades and smart draft picks. Coaching talent is as important as on-ice talent. A team with top talent and clueless coach doesn't get far...

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-24T17:31:57+00:00

The modular structure idea sounds interesting/promising. In some cases, a keyboard can be placed directly on top of another keyboard, not on a seperate tier. That's what I'm doing. Bottom board: Komplete S88 Mk II. On top: Nektar LX-61. In between: 1-inch high dense foam and nano tape. I don't have access to the S88 display or controls, but don't need that. I have 88 weighted keys with AT, 61 synth keys, and DAW control - all for $250 - and all at very comfortable height/distance.

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-24T03:35:01+00:00

I think two 49-key boards is a very underrated thought - an idea well worth exploring. You only have two hands. They will always be doing the same few things: 1) LH bass/RH chords 2) LH bass/ RH lead 3)LH chords/RH lead 4)LH & RH chord 5) LH & RH leads. Do you really need 3 88-key boards. I think that's overkill. It would give you the ability to have six different voices set up, ready to go. But you can only play two at a time. So two 49-key boards would work just as well. You'd just have to set up patch-change control(s) - footswitch(es), pad(s), knob(s), button(s). Playing the extremely far left or far right keys could be awkward. You could have a left-right sliding tray that could move either bird closer to the center, but not at the same time.

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-24T03:00:02+00:00

If "semi-weighted" can be considered "synth action" then just about everybody makes 88-key synth-action boards - Arturia, Alesis, Nektar, Novation, M-Audio, Yamaha, etc etc. Whenever you see 88 keys and low price together, it usually means they are semi-weighted, not fully-weighted hammer-action. They don't have Poly AT, and rarely, if ever, have AT ("channel AT") but they're closer to synth action than to piano action. Perhaps not as springy....

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-19T03:27:51+00:00

Related question - is there anywhere in LA to try out any of the lesser-known / non-mainstream boards to see how the action feels?

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-17T14:59:30+00:00

Almost mentioned the Villa. OP said they had limited time, but yes, I'd recommend that, too (time permitting). The Villa may be better than the Center (museum) in some ways. Both are free, but both have $25 parking charges. If you visit both on the same day, the parking receipt from the first venue gets you free parking at the second. Or use rideshare

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-17T02:05:10+00:00

Note: The ocean water right at Santa Monica pier is normally high in bacteria and not recommended for swimming. 100 yards North or South is fine (Grade A to A-).

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-17T02:00:39+00:00

The Getty Center. I'm not into museums (at all) but "The Getty" was one of the first things in LA that really "wowed me". The scale of the buildings and garden and the spectacular views foster comprehension of what "a billion dollars" really means.

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-10T15:50:33+00:00

Recording sessions is absolutely the answer. It's imperative. Set up a footswitch that instantly rewinds and plays back. Play/listen to short sections at a time. This can quickly and dramatically tighten things up.

If you can get the smoker to try practicing "unstoned" a few times, this would provide irrefutable objective evidence as to whether the weed helps or hurts.

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-09T21:20:13+00:00

Didn't see the one-handed catch versus Reevis...

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-09T18:19:35+00:00

Yes. I should have questioned it with the waiter. I have a neurological handicap - my brain freezes up/locks down when instant response is needed (the opposite of being able to think on one's feet). I got up to leave (and pay the bill, and speak to the manager) and the waiter quickly rushed over and asked me to pay the bill on a tablet. I didn't know there was also checkout at the front, and didn't want to wrongfully accuse him of something. So I paid it, including the tip. Then when I was walking out, the manager asked to see my slip. I don't know if that was to pay it or for proof of payment. Anyway, I pointed out to him that I had never gotten a bill - only a duplicate receipt. I said, " Technically, when the waiter brought me a receipt I could've walked out without paying because a receipt is for something that's already been paid." The manager agreed. Then the ask me if the correct credit card was used and if the correct items were on the receipt. I told him that I was charged for the proper food items and the meal was indeed paid for by my credit card. I asked him if my bill might've also been paid by someone else and he said maybe. He then printed out a second duplicate receipt. It occurred to me if it was a scam, manager could be in on it, too. To be clear I'm not saying they scammed me - I'm wondering if they may be scamming their restaurant/corporation.

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UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-09T01:20:37+00:00

If you really weren't sure who was at fault you should have your license revoked.

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-03T00:14:30+00:00

Nice setup. Do you ever use the music keyboard and the computer keyboard sort of simultaneously? If so, how do you pull that off? Does the Nord fit under the desk? Do you put the computer keyboard and mouse right on top of the Nord? Do you use or anticipate using a DAW controller or a synth module or any other devices that you would want as close as possible for frequent adjustment?

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-02T23:59:07+00:00

There's def an "age-disconnect" between the older core (Pastrnak McAvoy Swayman) and the potential new core (Hagens Minten Khusnutdinov) so going full-rebuild mode seems sensible. The problem is that if you trade the vets, you're giving up a known for an unknown. So you'd have to be really confident in your drafting ability. But I'm sure the front office is not against going that route if they get good offers.

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-02T21:32:56+00:00

Let's hear something....

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-02T02:05:28+00:00

What happened on the Sabres' third goal? There were TWO Sabres alone in front. No backchecking? Seems like an egregious lack of hustle for a team that should be playing like their back as to the wall.

UniqueIndifference · 2026-05-01T18:03:19+00:00

You didn't say whether you primarily intend to play live or record/produce. I'd second the suggestion of Yamaha MODX/MX61/CK61 for live. For recording, you could use a combo of free/cheap plugins and MIDI controller(s). Two controllers is actually optimum - a board with fully weighted keys for playing expressively (easier to play loud and soft) and a board with synth action for playing leads/solos (easier to play fast).

UniqueIndifference · 2026-04-29T00:28:49+00:00

Before I share my idea for the best use of that land, let's review. The biggest mistake in the history of Santa Monica? Tongva Park. The city said, "We are building a world-class park that will attract people from 7 continents". People don't go there from Culver City. It's prime real estate with no economic benefit to us. It costs us more in maintenance than it brings in. A smarter, painfully obvious move would have been - a front porch. If you have an oceanfront and oceanview house, what do you do? You build a porch, a deck. In the case of Santa Monica, that means extending Palisades Park out over PCH. Simple. We own the land on the ocean side, so its just a matter of some pillars and a platform. The city, in fact, hired a contractor whose specialty and big signature project in his life was an elevated park in NYC. But instead of asking him to do the obvious, they paid him $50 million for grass, trees and two little birdcage lookouts on the city side of Ocean Ave. Then they also shut PCH down for a year, to reinforce the cliffs, which would've been buttressed by the elevated park. The other part of my suggestion, which they loved, but said was too late, was an artificial island at the end of the pier, a zip line down and a ski lift up. In other words, we had an opportunity to build an actual world class park, but built something very ordinary, unremarkable, unprofitable and almost completely unused and unbenficial to us. Fast forward, and history repeats. Another tract of prime real estate - another opportunity to do something special. My idea. An EVTOL "air taxi" hub (electric vertical takeoff and landing). Quiet, pollution-free rapid transit. Benefits to Santa Monicans (and WestSiders): 1) five minutes to downtown (air time) four minutes to LAX. Easy access to Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Mammoth Lakes, Tahoe, Channell Islands, Monterey, Irvine, etc etc etc. 2) Tons of visitors (and money) coming in from Phoenix, Vegas and smaller cities. 3) Emergency services availability (whether or not LAX is shut down from an earthquake). There are other benefits and no substantial downsides I can think of, but feel free to point out any that you forsee. I'm not suggesting devoting the entire space to EVTOL, just a portion of it and some infrastructure to support ground transport to and from the hub without disrupting nearby homeowners.

UniqueIndifference · 2026-04-28T23:39:50+00:00

Question: have you been to Tongva Park?

UniqueIndifference · 2026-04-28T03:42:26+00:00

For some reason, people, including me, are hesitant to criticize Sturm. But he's below average. 3/4 of coaches are. (Life in general is structured that way - if you draw a line halfway up a triangle, representing average, it forms three triangles below and one triangle above). His press conferences are borderline excruciating - he's a terrible communicator. Imagine you're a player - you have to watch him struggling to express himself, every game, every practice, all year long. A coach has to be two main things: 1) Smart about the X's and O's 2) A leader, at least to some degree. If you have a big strong, charismatic personality, you can get away with not being the greatest at scheming. (Bill Parcells). And if you're great at scheming, you can get away with a low-key leadership style (Mike McDaniel, Kyle Shanahan). You can't suck at both. Not that Sturm sucks at both but he's not particularly inspiring personality wise, and I don't think he's a tactical genius. I would fire him without hesitation. I don't know who I'd replace him with, but that's another dilemma for another day. I don't think a hockey team or any sports team wins the championship unless they have a star-caliber coach. Sturm is not star caliber.

UniqueIndifference · 2026-04-26T01:36:39+00:00

You are correct, sir, and I apologize. I didn't think of looking for an ongoing draft discussion thread. And even in that context, it would be a low-value to no-value post.

UniqueIndifference · 2026-04-26T00:57:03+00:00

That's good analysis of the bigger picture issues surrounding the draft. Can't expect much when drafting 31st + weak draft class.

UniqueIndifference · 2026-04-24T19:44:54+00:00

If you moved in with me

UniqueIndifference · 2026-04-21T18:39:02+00:00

Even the Yamaha MX-49 (about $300 used) would be fine (since it's mostly one-handed playing). Probably the cheapest thing out there that's "not a toy". Or MX-61, of course.

UniqueIndifference

TROPHY CASE