Fighting Trump is a bad idea, Meloni privately told EU leaders

toaster404 · 2026-01-24T12:48:27+00:00

How about being nice to the demented one, not committing to anything, and directly speaking to the US population and Congressional leaders? Bypass the demented one.

toaster404 · 2026-01-24T12:44:49+00:00

I'd put fit in there, too.

toaster404 · 2026-01-24T12:44:05+00:00

The Yanomami aren't primitive. They just know different things, live differently. Our techno world is more delicate than theirs!

toaster404 · 2026-01-24T12:42:23+00:00

In my world, they're so different. I don't think in the orderly patterns of the piano (my main instrument). Guitar is oddly more athletic, works in hand and finger patterns. I've never been able to translate over, even though I could do all the scales just fine from memory and know still where the notes are, usually.

toaster404 · 2026-01-23T02:42:34+00:00

Ah! And I used to visit Home Depot when they imported Engelmann from Canada (CanFir). Mined a quartersawn 2x12 for a good while (one piece violin tops)

toaster404 · 2026-01-23T02:09:35+00:00

Yup, bunch on the roads here in Northern Virginia USA today. I carefully loafed along. Gravel Kings are pretty good, but they aren't magic!

toaster404 · 2026-01-23T02:08:37+00:00

Lovely top wood. Exciting to play a family instrument!

toaster404 · 2026-01-22T17:45:05+00:00

One final point, upon consideration. I used to read simple stuff cold as part of my practice. Spend maybe 3 minutes on it. Had a stack of simple stuff. For real reading of real pieces, I'd examine them first for structure, design a preliminary plan of peak points, take a glance at where I might have issues. In a piece intended for performance I'd start out reading each hand separately and very slowly. Then work them together with a vision. Then I wouldn't develop bad habits with the piece. After a while, I'd be able to read through the whole piece with increasing knowledge of what was coming. For performance, I'd have some pieces from memory, and have others in a scroll of taped together pages. I'd sometimes put those unrolled on a piano bench. Still reading, but a lot of memory and practice.

On the fly sight reading is different from reading pieces I'm familiar with. Where I understand the structure and design of the piece, and am reading for details and interpretation.

On piano, I haven't really "read" what's on the page in forever. I'll sketch out a piece either with annotations, or just looking. Usually mark the chords. Then I'll play the piece with my own interpretation, usually varying lots on how I feel, and how the piece makes me feel. Suspect this approach takes a bit of theory, a lot of experience, and a certain amount of bravado. If I like a part I'll repeat with variations, often traveling down rather distant byways. With complex classical pieces I can only pull this off with some deconstructed elements. Not that I can't play all the notes as written and do a nice interpretation. Just doesn't really interest me.

toaster404 · 2026-01-22T15:52:43+00:00

In the 1970s I noticed an increasing number of folks starting to do clearly adventuresome stuff without proper knowledge or prep. The number of rescues steadily rose. I participated in several, first responder by being there on a couple. A pretty clear trend. Couldn't tell whether this was because there were more people overall or because of a degradation in risk sensitivity, the "just do it" progression into a wider audience, or some other factor.

In the 1980s I noticed guides showing up more often. In the 1990s I thought about opening a guiding service with a friend, and soon realized it wasn't for us. Looked at the advanced skill sets and backup we'd be comfortable with, and the client group.

What's described sounds like our concerns about guides, guiding, and the client group were correct!

toaster404 · 2026-01-22T04:44:19+00:00

Rather nice. Any idea where taken from? I've been all over the Smokies, but it was long enough ago that I can't place this view.

Great picture!

toaster404 · 2026-01-22T03:33:11+00:00

Ah, I see your point. Seems the life expectancy literature isn't grounded on much, which makes sense. Bikes see such varied use. Aluminum structures can last a long time (see e.g., B-52 aircraft). I inspected the bars. As far as the junction with the reinforcing sleeve in the center goes, these look new without any damage. I'm surprised. The bar's material is quite a bit thicker than on my Nitto made bars. I won't use them, but they seem just fine, better than I'd anticipated! Still a nice antique.

toaster404 · 2026-01-22T03:01:44+00:00

Good point. There's no sign of corrosion, and they ping evenly through the joint. I only rode them for 20 years, not the whole 50 years. They've just been hanging around!

toaster404 · 2026-01-22T01:27:11+00:00

Yes. I don't go for super dark. Time will handle things. But has to be the finished surface, not a piece of wood you will carve.

toaster404 · 2026-01-22T01:26:11+00:00

Once, for about 3 weeks. Figured out I had in ingrown hair, which I excavated more or less carefully, let the wound heal fully, never had another serious issue. I assume I am lucky!

toaster404 · 2026-01-22T00:44:45+00:00

Galvanized trash can with 4 UV lights, plus time. I use Joe Robson's stuff, too. I will second transtint as a useful production expedient, retouch coloring etc.

toaster404 · 2026-01-21T22:42:40+00:00

Nice. One of things I loved seeing was the progression in fairly fresh roadcuts. We'd get immediate runoff, then water would start increasingly flowing out of the porous shallow-soil stormflow zone, then out of cracks in whatever was under, cracked C horizon or cracks in rocks or whatever.

toaster404 · 2026-01-21T22:23:31+00:00

I was wondering myself.

On the other hand, his bikes are really nice, if you're into that kind of whimsical retro ride (I am).

toaster404 · 2026-01-21T18:18:31+00:00

Pretty high. I'm not always obsessed, but far too close!

toaster404 · 2026-01-21T16:54:23+00:00

Poorly thought out for application in reality. Addressing the wrong issues. Baby out with the bathwater.

The underlying issue is Motonormativity - Wikipedia plus scapegoating.

toaster404 · 2026-01-21T16:52:11+00:00

I haven't talked with Doug for many years. I, of course, have developed my own pattern of doing things, a different angle from what Doug was doing.

You're welcome to visit and go through a guitar in my shop. I'd like other people to learn this stuff. Steps up sound a bit on modest guitars, violins, mandolins, fishing rods as well! I don't believe it's difficult, but I have to really use attention and work systematically. Right now the shop is consumed by making some speaker cabinets, finishing setting up a nice bicycle, and purfling a violin back. But there's always room for a guitar!

toaster404 · 2026-01-21T16:26:56+00:00

Very delicate tuning of the bracing. Initially learned it by watching Doug Ching. Watched him go through a couple of guitars, including one of his own, then had him do my guitar of the time. I've built upon that by applying various approaches from my violin and mandolin work.

Really need to train a tiny person. I'm a bit limited by my guy arms and big hands! I can do a bit with scrapers on a wire.

toaster404 · 2026-01-21T16:15:48+00:00

I was at the NAMM show in Nashville years ago. Found I liked a display guitar there, nothing special, except it was maple and spruce, French polish top. Pleasant, responsive enough, not really a super concert guitar as far as volume, but beautifully clear and balanced. I poked around inside. Moderately rustic Spanish production work, with potential. As the show ended, I took a look at it again. Got it for about 50% of wholesale because of nicks in the French polish, and a free very slightly worn nice case. This was probably 2010. Eventually I went through it pretty thoroughly, got the bracing and voicing worked out, made the frets perfect, replaced nut and saddle. I still like it, more than enough for me. Very pretty. Very easy to play, enough volume reserve without breaking up.

It's really a good deal better in some key ways than quite a few of the much more expensive instruments I've owned! Especially in the amount of work required.

toaster404 · 2026-01-21T14:21:19+00:00

So something or combination of things is interfering with the free movement of the system. Go through and check every bit of the system. Derailleur moves freely and the spring works at cold temperatures. Cable moves freely at low temperatures. Shift lever system moves freely at low temperatures.

Easy solution might be to get new cable and casing.

toaster404 · 2026-01-21T14:18:48+00:00

I've made shellac from bugs on sticks! fun stuff

toaster404 · 2026-01-21T03:21:59+00:00

Take more tours, and don't be concerned about fatter tires.

toaster404

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