June 19, 2015

Yesteryear
One year ago today: June 19, 2014, what’s iconostasis?
Five years ago today: June 19, 2010, a rotten drum box.
Six years ago today: June 19, 2009, evening at the Barn.

MORNING
           This is a Panasonic videocam. I went through around fifteen models, moving up in price until I found all the features I needed. Most common reasons for rejection? Difficult to find files, weird file formats, complicated or strange menus, bad default settings, and flimsy plastic construction. I got into the $900 range before finding anything I liked--but I don’t like Panasonic. That’s one of the brands that has already let me down.

           These cameras are always a risk because there are no standardized formats. For example, I have Sony avi files that cannot be edited with avi software. Or mp4 files that won’t play on anything but Quicktime. Hence, this price tag means nothing to me. There were camera representatives on duty at the store, but they could not answer questions about file formats. These and similar questions.
           I also caught a whiff or two of the “you’re supposed to know” attitude. When faced with these barriers, I often re-analyze what it is I’m looking for. I need a camera that takes decent video with sound. I want it to accompany me on trips so I can save and upload my photos and keep up with my blog entries. My fancy Sony laptop turned out to be too large to fit into my travel bag. It requires a suitcase.
           My conclusion is that Alaine’s iPad does most of the job. It’s larger than the cameras I had in mind and is tiny compared to the laptop. What’s more, I see ads for keyboards with a prop-up stand making a get-up that resembles a small laptop. I’ve never word-processed with one of these but I’ve typed on chiclet boards before. It works in a pinch. And I know I’ve seen a word-processor icon on Alaine’s model. Anything would work for me, as my demands are basic.
           Hence, time to take a closer look at a tablet with a keyboard. The right model could be a nice compromise. I know to keep away from Android and Win 8 type systems. There has to be something out there. Meanwhile, I still use the desktop at home for all serious work. Check back for developments.

NOON

           “Never become so clever that your brains go to your head.” --Anon.

           Here’s a shot of that Pegasus and the dragon statue over at Gulfstream. I remain devoid of information whether it symbolizes anything around here or is just an attention-grab. I got out of the heat and read the Herald, that terrible paper I buy because it has two crosswords. And nobody is supposed to notice that all the roundups of the Medicare scam gang all have Cuban heritages. And if you do notice, you are racist and that is a hate crime. So don’t nobody say nuttin’.

           And another mass shooting, this time in a church. Somebody should tell these Millennial punks to come up with something original. Shooting doesn’t shock us any more. And tell them who the real targets are, tell them who is responsible. The bad guys are not the blacks, but the bureaucrats with 150 year old guilt complexes. It is not the immigrants who are bad, but the bureaucrats blocking the laws to seal off the border. That’s who you go after.
           There was an article about some Caribbean island rounding up its illegals and deporting them. The accompanying text said US officials opposed deportations. That’s sticking their noses where they don’t belong. They lack the cajones to get tough on illegals and they are out of line criticizing those who do. So that nobody gets the wrong idea, be aware that these US government officials do not represent the American people. Over, eighty percent of Americans want the illegals shipped out. Last I heard, that is a majority.

NIGHT
           Music again. I saw a demo of a bass chorus by Fishman, the musical mad scientist. Yes, he really does stay up all night designing weird gear. But I wish he’d design a real guitar accompaniment machine that can follow a bass. If I knew how, I’d have designed something like that twenty years ago. A simple guitar strumming machine that picks out the root bass note and plays to it. Ideally, it would strap onto a real guitar.

           But the Fishman Fission Bass Powerchord has the sound of a harsh, distorted guitar. See lousy picture. I’ll check one out at the guitar store because these days it is entirely likely all the videos were made by clone personalities. I need a nice, mellow, melodic strum. Not a fuzz box.
           The way I’d like to make such a machine would be simplicity defined. There are seven basic types of guitar playing, that is it, folks. If I could find a guitarist who could strum three or four of those, I'd be happy. You think it's easy? You haven't tried.
           And most of the rhythm patterns are pretty stock. American rock plays the strum on the second beat of the measure, so it would seem to be easy to have the rhythm follow the pressure on the bass note, which normally occurs on the first beat. Same goes for 99.99% of blues music and most country.
You know, maybe I should take another look at that possibility. Last time I brought it up, I could not be sure I’d ever know enough about robot construction to consider such a thing. But now, for example, I know exactly how to interface pressure pads with the Arduino. Alright, alright, you talked me into it. I’ll have a look.
           As for the tablet, the most likely contender for now is the cheap and gutless 7” Samsung. But pictures, video, and word processing represent most of what I do on a computer. Double that when I’m traveling. As long as it can perform those tasks, I shall investigate further. That would be the tablet computer with a Bluetooth keyboard. My budget is $200. It must accept normal video files and be easy to interface with my existing XP equipment.


Last Laugh


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