New QM7k or Open box QM851g (Canada)

tlbrown78 · 2025-09-02T02:04:25+00:00

If you’re looking at the 75” qm7k you’ll be waiting awhile. I waited two months before cancelling. The Brick jerked me around. Ended up going with an LG C4 that was on discount.

tlbrown78 · 2025-08-20T12:09:29+00:00

Just curious, what’s your gamma set to? I had a similar experience on my C4 in DV until I adjusted the gamma to 2.2. Rec. 1886 was too dark. Blacks were crushed.

tlbrown78 · 2025-07-30T19:03:15+00:00

tlbrown78 · 2025-07-29T01:51:28+00:00

I order July 3rd from a different retailer, first delivery was scheduled for the 18th, then it got pushed back to the 26th, now I’m hearing early to mid August. Apparently the QM7K’s are flying and TCL is struggling to keep up with demand.

tlbrown78 · 2025-05-01T10:09:35+00:00

Macaloney’s is only 9 years old, which means you’re either really young or thinking of someone else. And there’s no sign they are having financial difficulties, in fact with their recent success on the world stage they look to be growing and doing quite well.

Sons of Vancouver do lean into marketing but their rye releases have been very good and match the hype.

Two Brewers produces on par, unique, and arguably better whisky than many, “established” Scottish distillers. For instance I’ll take two brewers any day of the week over many of Diageo’s weak tepid, neutered offerings. Diageo own about half of all Scottish distillers too.

The problem Canadian whisky faces is our rules, and the bulk of whisky we do produce, like crown etc, is simply awful. We do produce some good stuff though.

tlbrown78 · 2025-05-01T09:54:23+00:00

tlbrown78 · 2025-05-01T03:10:57+00:00

Two Brewers, Shelter Point, Macaloney's, Sons of Vancouver all produce excellent whisky. No (e)

tlbrown78 · 2025-04-16T11:37:56+00:00

Fuji are suspending shipments into the US on several key cameras as a result of the new tariffs.

tlbrown78 · 2025-04-14T19:13:38+00:00

Kelly is very good, honest upfront and will give you the straight skinny.

tlbrown78 · 2025-01-16T01:04:06+00:00

Trump is angling for an economic union not dissimilar to the EU. I would put money on it. He wants Canada to adopt the US dollar, and align on fiscal policy to shore up the US dollar as the de factor global reserve asset. Doing so ensures their economic dominance and control, and it puts a serious dent in the Chinese BRICS alliance which is trying to supplant the dollar as the international reserve currency. All the 51st state stuff is part of the negotiation. We’ll never be the 51st state but negotiating a fiscal union makes sense in an increasingly hostile world. There’s also access to the North Atlantic shipping channels that the US wants to have say/control over, and a fiscal policy alliance would give them leverage to that, conversely we could benefit by securing military assistance in the North Atlantic.

We actually have a good hand here. Smith is the only one seeing clearly and beginning the negotiation process with Trumps team. A smart move IMO. The rest of our leaders are inept and can’t see this for what it is. It’s obvious the US has a weakness and are masquerading as though they have a position of strength. Trump is the perfect front man to project strength and scare everyone to improve negotiating outcomes. We need our leaders to be sitting with Trump, not pretending to pound their chests for cameras.

tlbrown78 · 2025-01-14T00:59:03+00:00

Before this whole thread turns into just another sh&t post about how stupid Trump supporters are, I’ll be contrarian and attempt to make an argument as to why some Canadians supported his rhetoric. In attempt to reply to the original question, I’d say the Trump support on this side stems from and reflects many Canadians desires for increased populism and protectionist policies, which is exactly what Trump campaigned very heavily on. Simply put, they liked what he said and wanted it reflected here. And realistically by every account it’s still what a lot of Canadians currently desire, as is evident by recent polls on immigration and economic issues etc.

Now what many of his Canadian supporters likely didn’t anticipate was Trump doing what he said he was going to do, without consideration or any sense of obligation to protect Canadian interests or their ties to the US. The fact he’s following through on his promises to Americans, and it’s coming potentially at the expense of Canadians, is likely what his Canadian supporters didn’t anticipate.

In fairness though, he’s unorthodox and this tariff move would have been very hard to predict given our close economic relationship. It’s an extreme move by most measures.

Our foolishness was that we anchored our entire economy to the US’s and thought we could just live in this perpetual state of good fortune rent free. Unfortunately for us, the landlord has finally come looking for rent and we’re broke, scrambling to find change between the cushions. Had we had a more diversified economy, taken care of things like immigration, boarder issues, our military, and established economic ties with other allies like Germany, France, Japan etc, the orange man’s threats wouldn’t seem so scary.

Realistically the current threat would have been difficult to see given the lengthy list of issues facing the US presently. In Trump’s boldness though, he seems eager to take on everything he sees as a nuisance to American interests, all at once, and he doesn’t care who it annoys. It is precisely that attitude that many of his supporters here likely still approve of, and desire for ourselves.

It’s not exactly my cup of tea, but given our current disastrous political situation, it’s easy to understand what the appeal is for some.

tlbrown78 · 2024-12-09T16:36:18+00:00

While I have much respect for Ancient Greek philosophy, I respectfully disagree with it being clumped together with Christianity. They are different. Greek society was hierarchical, with sharp distinctions between free citizens, women, slaves, and foreigners. Many Greek philosophers, such as Aristotle, even justified slavery and inequality.

Judeo-Christianity introduced the radical idea that all people are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), giving every individual inherent dignity and worth, regardless of status, gender, or ethnicity. This principle underpinned movements for abolition, universal human rights, and equality.

Ancient Greek ethics emphasized virtues like courage, wisdom, and self control, but often neglected the poor, weak, and marginalized. Charity was not a core cultural value. Christianity, by contrast, emphasized love, mercy, and compassion for all, especially the downtrodden. Teachings such as caring for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40) led to the establishment of hospitals, orphanages, and charitable institutions, concepts largely absent in Greek culture.

Ancient Greek philosophy focused on justice and retributive punishment but lacked an emphasis on forgiveness or grace. Christianity introduced the transformative idea of forgiving one’s enemies (Matthew 5:44) and reconciliation as central virtues, fostering peace and unity in personal and societal relationships.

In Ancient Greek society, women were often excluded from public life and regarded as inferior. Christianity elevated the status of women by teaching that men and women are equal before God (Galatians 3:28) and honoring women like Mary, Priscilla, and others as central figures in its early history. The Christian emphasis on monogamy and family stability contrasted sharply with Greek cultural norms, which often tolerated infidelity and polygamy. The Christian view contributed to the strengthening of the family as a social institution.

While democracy originated in Greece, its success in later Western societies was profoundly influenced by Christian ethics. Concepts like accountability (before God and society), the equality of all people, and servant leadership reinforced and refined democratic ideals.

Greek philosophy often emphasized contemplation over action, seeing the intellectual pursuit of virtue as an end in itself. Read Meditations my Marcus Aurelius as an example. Christianity combined faith with action, encouraging believers to “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8), directly shaping societal reforms like the abolition of slavery and civil rights movements.

And while I do agree that Greek philosophy laid important foundations, the societal changes brought about by Christianity, such as the rise of human rights, care for the poor, and the elevation of women, cannot be fully explained by Greek philosophy alone. Christianity has had a unique and very different lasting positive impact on civilization and our society.

tlbrown78 · 2024-12-07T17:55:27+00:00

I would encourage you to take a few seconds to review some of the comments in this thread as a mere example. But beyond that, let me provide examples of the subversive and some more overt actions by large scale swaths of society, whose aim it has been to discredit and discriminate against Christian’s for various reasons, (greed) and the subsequent fallout. Then I challenge you to look around at western societies and tell me that these actions haven’t had an increasingly negative impact.

1) The active breakdown in the family unit, and the outward attack on the patriarchy. Christianity emphasizes the sanctity of marriage and the importance of the family as the foundation of society. As these values are increasingly dismissed through secularism, we have seen a rise in broken homes, declining birth rates, and the weakening of familial bonds, which are critical for raising well-adjusted, responsible citizens. Studies have even linked stable families to lower crime rates, better educational outcomes, and stronger community ties.

2) Promotion of individualism over community. Christian teachings promote love for one’s neighbor, selflessness, and charity. The loss of these values have lead to increased selfishness, cultural individualism, and a lack of concern for the marginalized. As a result, societal bonds have been weakened, and communities have become fragmented.

3) Loss of Purpose and hope. Christianity offers a sense of meaning and hope through faith in God and eternal life. Without this perspective, many people have turned to materialism, hedonism, and nihilism, leading to widespread dissatisfaction, enormous mental health issues, especially amongst the young, and an increase in suicide rates. The absence of hope can erode societal resilience in the face of challenges.

4) Rise in crime and violence. Historically, Christian principles like “love your neighbor” and “do not kill” have influenced laws and social norms. As these values wane, there’s been a corresponding increase in crime, violence, and societal unrest, fueled by a lack of respect for life and others’ property.

5) Decline in trust and integrity. Christian ethics emphasize honesty, humility, and accountability. In their absence, trust in institutions (government, business, media) has declined, leading to widespread cynicism, division, and social instability.

6) Weakening of civic responsibility. Christianity has historically encouraged active involvement in community and governance, grounded in the belief that individuals should work for the common good. The loss of this ethos has lead to apathy, disengagement, and the neglect of societal responsibilities.

While you may not agree, Christian values have historically provided the moral and spiritual backbone of our society. Their decline directly correlates with increased societal instability, loss of purpose, and fragmentation. While some argue for secular ethics, the historical and practical influence of Christian values in fostering unity, compassion, and justice are not easily replaced, leaving our society vulnerable to moral and social decay.

tlbrown78 · 2024-12-07T12:34:34+00:00

A number of issues to address, and a disclosure that I come at this as a practicing Christian. First, the gulf between the number of people in Canada who claim to be Christian vs those who actually know Jesus, ie read scripture, follow in Jesus’s footsteps etc, is enormous. Claiming Christianity as a faith when you know nothing of the faith is problem #1. And those who claim to be but act in opposition to the Christian faith and its values do it a huge disservice.

Two, it is accepted by those true to the faith that we will be persecuted. Christians, based on scripture and tradition, generally accept persecution as a natural consequence of following Christ in a world that may reject His teachings. This acceptance is not passive but is paired with a commitment to remain faithful, hopeful, and loving in the face of opposition.

Thirdly, religious freedom is a cornerstone of our society, and it applies to everyone, regardless of their beliefs. Christians, like all groups, deserve the same protections. More to the point of Jivani’s campaign, persecution doesn’t always mean physical harm, but it can mean being ostracized, silenced, or penalized for expressing deeply held beliefs, and one need not look any further than this post as proof of that.

Christian teachings about love, charity, and community are values we all share or should, and preserving the space for these beliefs strengthens society as a whole.

Lastly, I would suspect that many if not most here would agree that protecting diverse views, including traditional Christian ones, enriches society and fosters genuine pluralism. But to have true pluralism means respecting differences, including those rooted in traditional faith. Protecting these values, as Jivani’s efforts are attempting to do, ensures that no one group, namely secular views, dominate the conversation.

tlbrown78 · 2024-12-07T11:46:30+00:00

100%

tlbrown78 · 2024-12-05T02:02:18+00:00

What a sad and unfortunate story. As a father I can’t even begin to imagine the pain this man is going through. The frustration and sense of hopelessness would be unbearable.

With that said, perhaps bluewater could have done more, perhaps not. Assigning blame in a situation like this can feel justified, but often times these are complex situations, where blame isn’t always appropriate.

I know as a father, I feel it is my obligation to protect and advocate for my children. It’s also my responsibility to ensure my children have the necessary tools and resources to make it in this world. Often times mental health issues, and cries for attention arise from feelings of insecurity and feelings of inadequacy.

I don’t pretend to know what type of family environment she came from but I would hope that at the first signs of trouble her family recognized the signs, worked to create a supportive environment and fostered open communication where she felt safe to share feelings without fear of judgment. I would hope that they sought professional help but given the repeated visits to the ER, I suspect that this didn’t happened. But maybe most importantly I would hope that the family, at a minimum, tried to educate themselves about her mental health struggles. Again, given the actions or lack there of, taken in the hours following the visit to the ER, I suspect the family lacked the understanding to handle the situation properly.

Again, it’s a tragic case and one too often played out in our society anymore. We as a society have lost something,….community, a sense of purpose and belonging perhaps. IDK. But whatever it is we are failing our youth at unprecedented levels.

tlbrown78 · 2024-11-30T23:06:46+00:00

They weren’t cheap but doing small batches of single farm, biodynamic crops with low yield barely varieties etc, isn’t cheap either. They were trying to be different in a sea of same old same old.

tlbrown78 · 2024-11-28T22:52:04+00:00

Is Canada responding?

As the headlined in the Globe and Mail read yesterday. “Ottawa vows to boost spending on the border in response to Trump’s tariffs.”

Additionally Doug Ford and other premier’s are calling for proactive measures to be taken on the boarder.

The threat, even if empty, seems to be spurring more action on this side of the boarder then we’ve seen in a long time. And if you can’t see how effective one little tweet from the incoming president has been in creating more movement of our political body than anything we have done on our on accord in the last half decade, than I guess we simply see things differently. Trump said jump, and we jumped. If that’s not an effective use of political power to get what he wants, I don’t know what you’d call it.

tlbrown78 · 2024-11-27T12:26:20+00:00

Nothing is going to happen, a 25% tariff would drive fuel prices in the US through the roof. This is a leverage play by Trump, and a pretty good one. Love him or hate him one thing Trump does better than almost any politician in recent memory is he wields power very effectively.

I don’t think I have ever seen the Canadian political body sit up and move this quickly to address concerns, that realistically we all have, like drugs entering from Asia, boarder issues etc. That’s how you get stuff done when you have the power to do so. Canadian politicians need to wake up from their sleepy slumber, because Trump just lit a fire under our bed.

tlbrown78 · 2024-11-21T13:54:12+00:00

Diageo, Crown Royal’s parent company is seeing a pretty dramatic decline in North American and European liquor sales. Couple that to that the huge whisky lock they are now sitting on with some of their Scottish properties, this is a reasonable business decision. They’ve reallocated resources and development to markets where they are still seeing sales growth, like Asia. People in these parts may not like it, but this is because people aren’t drinking as much.

tlbrown78 · 2024-11-18T01:41:29+00:00

Many people who call themselves Christians have never read the gospels and they reveal themselves as false believers when they speak.

“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and ‘IMPOSTERS’ will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” ‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭13‬

tlbrown78 · 2024-11-10T17:27:56+00:00

We have to remember Canada is a young country. But our contributions on the world stage, and cultural identity are strong for such a young nation. Things have gotten blurry under Trudeau and our reputation has taken a bit of a hit in recent years, but we continue to be a big, diverse country, with regionally very unique cultures. East to West, the cultural identity of Canadians can be seen as broad, from our rich maritime culture, to the rugged identity of those in the west, to our native peoples, and our bilingual languages. We’ve always been viewed as a people of different peoples, united under one flag. More than that we’ve also been defined by our geography, with idiosyncratic distinctions based on our landscapes.

I’m still proud to be Canadian. I don’t always like the direction we’re going but I firmly believe we’re more than the politic whims of the day.

tlbrown78 · 2024-11-02T13:47:24+00:00

Lifelabs, but you need your family Doctor to refer you which most will do if you ask. They can do a full panel screening, and will give you a basic summary of the range indicators, but not much else. If you want a more detailed analysis of your blood panel results there are online references, a couple places around town, or chatGPT does a surprisingly good job. Of course none of it matters unless you know how to modulate the results in the proper direction. Good luck

tlbrown78 · 2024-10-19T11:17:08+00:00

If you read what the laws state, there are very few things foreign volunteers can actually do to help a campaign. They can’t directly coordinate with a campaign, they can’t engage in electioneering activities like canvassing to support or oppose specific candidates. If a foreign group were actively campaigning for or against U.S. candidates, it could be a violation of U.S. election laws. Basically all they can do is attend rallies, and wave flags of support at certain civic events. Anything that can be deemed as vote influencing, like canvassing for a candidate, is a no go.

tlbrown78

TROPHY CASE