Home Entertainment Systems

They are getting out of hand. Kids these days with the Apple Airplay, HDMI stuff, iPods, PS3. Bah! Back in the day, plug this in.

You were done! 

Home entertainment at its finest! 
I carry a albatross. I sold stereo equipment back in the day.

  











At Radio Shack. In 1981.  Yes I did it with a straight face. You know, back when you could actually buy something besides a cell phone from them.

It got worse as I moved to the "high end" audio store.  

I got busted by a young friend when he came by and commented that my current amp said stuff like "VDP, VCR1", etc.

So you used to get a new something or other and stare at the wiring diagram that looked like this.  Then you read the horrible Japrish manual composed of the bad Japanese translation. Then after perusing the manual you run across some footnote that says "if its your stuff, none of these diagrams will help. See appendix W for your instructions."

So, I get a new amp this week.  First disconnect the old Denon. 

 


 





The new stuff has went the other way.  I was sorta insulted as I start the "setup".

 








Then calibrate the new amp.  Seriously?  Yes. It came with a microphone. 

 








Power up and this is the first thing it wants to do:

 








Phone home for a firmware upgrade! Sheesh. An hour. Whats this thing running, Windows XP?

Then finally it all comes together. 

Run the thing with the phone? Check. Even the iPod. The speed of data running around over the home Wi-Fi is impressive. 

 

 

    









Here is the display on the TV at the same time.  

That is impressive. Of course I am easily amused so your mileage may vary. 

Eh, the kids have some good tricks. I will entertain them for a time =)

Inverse HAL

So at the requisite time of '0 dark thirty last night instead of this:





I get the house alarm going off telling me that the garage door is open.  This is strange as this means that the motion detector is not going off nor the heat detector.  The door frame has been moved upward, not a panel kicked in, meaning the door has opened. 

So I break a rule and go to the area.  There is a steel door from the garage to the kitchen. No sounds heard from the kitchen or garage and the alarm monitoring company is now calling. 
  
Hmmm.....  look out into the garage and find...... nothing but an open door.  So I pull the remote batteries from the cars in the garage and the external keypad, lock HAL into "vacation mode" and go to bed. 

Tonight, I release vacation mode and wait.  My perverse version of at the very best a TTL version of HAL has gone rogue it seems.  It will open oh, just about anytime it feels like it.  Sigh.... The opener was here when I bought the house and it looks like I have a project for this Saturday. 

This version of HAL is getting so disconnected! I also doubt it will be singing "Daisy" when I do the deed. 

From the Bench...and Kitchen!

Sorry for the absence. After taking my day off after classes I seemed to have picked up a bug that forced me to the doctor last Wednesday.  I am still getting over it, but at least I heard this conversation. 

Radiologist: "Can you remove those". 

Patient: "Sure. I will require two shots of Tequila, some K-Y jelly and some pliers".

Radiologist: * blink, blink* "No, this will work".

From the Bench?  The proverbial "Bag 'O Gun". A friend brought it to me.  

  
   










I told him that the pain would be great to him because I did not get it this far and now I have to figure it out. 

A Springfield XD something.  I will let it sit here for now. I have other pressing matters. 


Contrary to popular belief, I'm just not fueled with coffee, Camels, and Hoppes #9.  Sometimes you have to do what might be loosely defined as cooking something.

An old comfort food recipe for Veggie beef soup.  You start here with boiling the stew beef. 

Insert British joke here. 

Then, just add this stuff.

Just like me, this soup is pedestrian, functional, and will fill the need but somewhat sorta bland (Sorry Ma!).

Enter my Blog friend Brigid that thoughtfully sent me some Penzey spice bliss some time ago.  

  


   







Just three of these peppers totally changed the recipe.  The smell in the house is wonderful and sampling all night has been wonderful. 

I cannot wait to try these on a traditional South Carolina low country dish, the chicken bog.  I always rely as others on Tabasco or Texas Pete to bring the heat to that dish.  These peppers are awesome! 

     

I'm Toast.

So after 30 new shooters yesterday I had 27 students for concealed carry class today. Record numbers.  We adapted and overcame the challenge. I'm pretty beat up right now but still running on the caffeine I ingested all day. 

So I drag the stuff into the house.  

Just want to get the guns into the safe.  To add to the happiness today guess who shows up? A camera crew for local news. Again.  Link is here for My local story on the Fox channel.  Sigh.  Thanks to my RSO's.  They were awesome!  I appreciate the fact that the owners of the range allow media into the range if all the students and personnel agree.  Most do not.  We have nothing to hide. 


I do my part.  It leaves me without a speaking voice and mentally and physically exhausted. I know that going in and do it.  

So for tomorrow my plan is this.  I will emulate a old friend I miss and do this.

 













Wasabi has been gone for almost a decade but even now I miss this dog.  I will follow her lead tomorrow and do as little as possible!  She loved that spot. Warm in the winter and cool in summer.  So for tomorrow I will try to just enjoy my environment and do very little!  



 

Defender Food!

So I continue to work with the Colt Defender.  I seem to have found some food it and I like for the range.

 

















15 rounds with 10 at 7 yards, 5 at 10.  The reloads with 4.2 grains of Tite Group powder and 230 round ball totally changed the nature of the Pistol.  It fed and fired them without a hitch and turned it into a fun Pistol on the line.  I was not expecting that the gun would function with those powder loads.  Yeah, I pulled the first two rounds to the right as I expected the recoil and tightened my grip before the trigger broke.

So I got an idea.  The Commander is now fully in retirement and I thought that she and I did well at USTC.  Now she looks to occasional range time and will not be carried.  I thought I would be smart and get the CT lasergrips off and put her back to original Walnut grips and put the CT's on the Defender to replace the stock Houge grips.  

 







BZZZT! Wrong!  The compact 1911 platform requires a different model.  I looked around and CT does have a NRA  Instructor discount.  About 40% off retail.  Woo-Hoo! 

In other news it appears that even after people seeing me in HD TV, it did nothing to slow this weekends attendance for Basic Pistol and Concealed Carry Classes.  25 New shooters Saturday and 28 CCH students Sunday. 

I'm ready!  I have my spiffy shirts ready to go! 

 














Wish me luck!  I have never taught this many students before at one time!

QOTD X 2!

So at work today one of my friends is trying to find low brass .12 ga #7 shells for rabbits.  Make no mistake, he and his family eat them.  As his Father comments while they are hunting he says you can get #X shot (I can't remember what number it was) and use it if they are in range. I told him: "Hell, you can use a rock if they are in range".  That garnered some laughter. 

The next one?  A old friend commented tonight on the events of the day.  I will leave you with this one.  "So I served in the Army during the Korea era and they taught me how to shoot a M1 Garand and Carbine and I took an oath to defend the Constitution.  Now they are trying to tell me I can't have a Carbine in my house!  Pound sand!" 

Enough said my friend!    


  

So a Previous Student is Stepping it up!

Remember my student from last summer?  She continues to go to the range and this is one Revolver I don't think I am going to get back anytime soon.


Here is her effort today with it at 5 yards. 

Good work Ma'am!