New Sound System

 

A perfect storm of circumstances occurred for me to upgrade to a new sound system. I've always loved loud music, and bought my first receiver and tower speakers when I was in junior high. This system produced house-shaking sound and I spent many nights rocking out and enjoying my system. However, I was in junior high in the middle 1990s, so the connectivity to my receiver was limited to speaker wire and RCA cables. The Nakamichi receiver made it to the mid 2010s until it finally crapped out. By that time we had already moved into our current house and I had my basement TV & audio system set-up. Due to the lack of connectivity of my receiver, I had a bit of a fudged setup that largely bypassed the sound system. I had RCA cables from my satellite receiver going to the stereo, as well as an HDMI switch for my Playstation that would send sound & video to the receiver for rocking out. Generally speaking, though, I didn't utilize my system because it involved extra remotes and extra clicks with the HDMI switch and generally was cumbersome.  This situation got worse when we switched to Apple TV because it only has HDMI outputs, no component outputs, meaning there was no way to connect it to the receiver. This limited downstairs rocking out to YouTube videos on the Playstation. However, once the old Nakamichi receiver died, I replaced it with an Onkyo receiver with all of the modern connection options. I just needed motivation to setup a new system.

The motivation came about 5 years after buying the Onkyo receiver. Over the past couple of years, I have really become interested in Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I've never been one who goes to the movies often, but I enjoy a good movie, and with Disney+ and all of the streaming options to watch and rent movies, I have been watching more movies recently than I did in the past. Additionally, the girls and myself have started a Fun Friday tradition where we watch a movie every Friday. Because of this new routine of movie watching and access to movies, the motivation to setup a new system began. Now, I just needed a spark to light the motivation fire.

From the first time I listened to music from Klipsch speakers, I loved them. They produce a unique, crisp sound that is clean and just fantastic. Plus, I think they look amazing. I also like that they are based out of Indianapolis, so it feels like I'm supporting a local company (although they are a subsidiary of a larger company not based in Indy). My office manager's husband is a sound engineer at Klipsch, and this is how I was introduced to their speakers as he has provided us with open-box speakers for our office in the past. They've been on my radar for several years.

A few months ago, I noticed my right Cerwin-Vega tower speaker rattled with dialogue on movies. You couldn't notice it when listening to music at louder volumes, but it was certainly noticeable when using the speakers while watching movies. I did some research on the internet, and discovered that likely the cause was a seal around the woofer that had degraded. This makes sense as the speakers were around 25 years old at this point. I searched for speaker repair stores and found one that would look at the speaker for $75. Who knows how much it would cost to repair? With the speaker being so old, I was a bit reluctant to pay for the repair, especially considering that it was only a matter of time before the other speaker had an issue. Plus, while I love those Cerwin-Vega speakers, they are designed for bass-thumping rocking out, and are not necessarily the best speakers for cinema. I was looking for speakers that were a little more balanced for music and movies. This whole scenario is what opened the door for upgrading my system.

I added two tower speakers, a center channel speaker, and a powered woofer to my wish list - all Klipsch. A few weeks ago, Klipsch had a 50% off sale, and I was able to get the tower speakers and powered subwoofer for half off. I'm still waiting for the center channel speaker to go on sale before I buy it to replace my current Cerwin-Vega center channel speaker. I was waiting until I got a PS5 before I re-wired my system to include the receiver for sound, but that still hasn't happened and the new speakers were motivation enough to do so. I've got my PS4 and Apple TV running directly to the Onkyo receiver, which controls the sound and video going to the speakers and TV, respectively. With HDMI linking, pressing the home button on the Apple TV remote turns on the Apple TV, receiver, and TV with one button click which is super nice (needing to utilize multiple remotes was a scenario I was wanting to avoid). Because of the simplified setup, we now use the receiver and new sound system every time we watch TV in the basement. I made some adjustments to my TV's picture mode as well, which I think has improved the way movies look. The speakers look fantastic as well (see above).

Onychocryptosis

On the list of medical conditions I did not want to get, having an ingrown toe nail is right up there with cancer and diabetes for me. The thought of having to numb my toe so that a piece of nail that was jabbing my skin could be removed terrified me. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened.

First, a little bit of historical background. My toenail on my right big toe has been damaged for a decade. I don't remember kicking anything or dropping anything on the toe. I was at a concert at Deer Creek in the lawn, which is an incline so that as you get further away from the stage you can still see. I think standing on a hill for a prolonged period of time was enough to cause some damage to my nail, because the next day the nail was black as if it had blood pooled underneath.

For years I lived with a nail that was thick and discolored but never caused pain. It was unsightly, but otherwise wasn't causing any problems. That changed this summer when it became ingrown. I fought with it for about six weeks. I would do occasional soaks along with every other day nail cuts, trying to remove the jagged nail from my skin. I was chasing my tail, as it would improve for a day or two but would soon return to being uncomfortable. One day, it started hurting to the point that I was limping around the house. I was tired of dealing with it and so scheduled an appointment to have it taken care of.

The procedure was not nearly as bad as I had imagined. Anesthetizing the toe was mildly uncomfortable, but after that I couldn't feel anything. Essentially the discomfort resolved after the procedure. I had some minor sensations in the toe for about 5 days after the procedure, but those have since resolved and I have only had minor, intermittent symptoms since. 

The Grand Tour: Lochdown

 The Grand Tour gang recently released an episode filmed during the pandemic where they were driving through Scotland trying to determine why American cars never became popular in Britain. A year or two ago they discontinued having seasons of episodes and instead decided to release periodic specials. I have been fine with this decision because their longer special episodes have historically been their more enjoyable shows, and I've seen Captain Slow drive slowly and Jeremy Clarkson do power slides more than enough times.

Two things about this episode stood out to me. First, and briefly, was Scotland. Not counting the continuous rain, the country looked absolutely stunning. From the rural areas to Edinburgh, the landscape was picturesque and with the castles and architecture looked like a land forgotten by time.

The second thing that stood out to me was the cars. They picked a Cadillac Coupe de Ville, a Buick Riviera, and a Lincoln Continental, all from the 1970s. The cars were absolutely massive, both in length and weight. They had huge engines - V8 and several liters in size - with a shockingly low amount of horse power. I grew up with General Motors cars from the 90s, many of which were crap, so I have a biased view on most American cars (with the understanding that they've improved a lot and they do make some really cool cars). I got a kick out of the scene where Clarkson's door literally ripped into two pieces, one that fell off the car and the other that was stuck closed. I also got a kick out the scene where May's caravan was flooded with water, knocking him down when he opened the door. On the other end of the spectrum, these cars featured power windows and auto climate control, which was impressive for a car that old to have that technology.

In the end, in typical Grand Tour/Top Gear fashion, I'm not sure they completely answered the question they set out to answer. I think the final conclusion was that most American cars were obnoxiously large, and while some cool cars were made, they either never made it to Britain or owning one made such a statement that most people didn't bother. Despite the lack of clear answer, arriving at the muddy conclusion was enjoyable as always.

2021 SI Swimsuit Issue

 

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue has nostalgia value to me, so I still check it out every year. Up until the past couple of years, the issue had been released in February. Then they decided to release it in May, which happened for exactly one year. This year and last year, May came and went without the issue being released. Presumably Covid had something to do with this. At some random point in the summer the issue was released, making it somewhat of a guessing game as to when it would be available. Personally, I was fine with the familiarity of having a February release. Maybe I don't like change?

Another change they've made more recently is having multiple models on the cover. Not simultaneously, but actually having different covers. I'm not a huge fan of this change either. Who was on the cover was always an important aspect of this issue. Having multiple covers de-values the cover shot, in my opinion. This is the 3rd year in a row they've had multiple covers, and have had multiple covers every year since 2016 except for one. 

This year's issue wasn't overly memorable, much like last year's issue. They were at various locations throughout the United States, but to me all of the locations looked the same. Also, they featured a lot of social media stars and I don't know that I care for that either. I understand what they are trying to accomplish by pointing out great work some of the non-models are doing, but let's not overthink this issue. To be fair, they have featured non-models in the past. Beyonce was on the cover one year, as an example. The highlights for me were Olivia Culpo (above) & Haley Kalil (below). Both have been in the issue a few times at this point, and are becoming my new favorite regulars (now that all of my old favorites have moved on, like Marissa Miller). There were a couple of rookies that stood out as well. They had social media backgrounds, so we will see if they appear in subsequent issues.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch

 

The Bad Batch begins as Order 66 is being executed. While in battle, the clone troopers turn against their Jedi leaders, while the members of the Bad Batch are confused as to what is going on. All of the members except for one: Crosshair. Crosshair joins the rest of the clone troopers in attacking the Jedi. After allowing Padawan Caleb (Kanan Jarrus from Rebels) to survive, the Batch return to their home base of Kamino. With Order 66 executed, the Clone Wars come to an abrupt end. Back on Kamino, the Batch discover how quickly the galaxy has changed. The Galactic Empire has already infiltrated Kamino, taking over the headquarters of the clone factory. The Empire is suspicious of the Batch's subordination of Order 66, and sends them on a mission to see how well they follow orders. The Batch fail their mission, choosing not to execute women and children affiliated with members of Saw Gerrera's missionary group, sending them on the run from the Empire. As they exit Kamino, they are joined by a young girl named Omega, who is also a clone.

The Bad Batch are a group of genetically imperfect clone troopers. Also known as Clone Force 99, they are maverick clone troopers, following their own orders and generally working separately from the Jedi or any military leader. The Bad Batch is not a show that I would consider essential Star Wars watching. They had a 3 or 4 episode story arc in the Clone Wars animated series, but otherwise most viewers are unlikely familiar with the group. Also, since the main protagonist is a group of people instead of one person, main character development is mostly absent (aside from Omega). However, that is not to say the show is bad. I will buy anything Dave Filloni is selling when it comes to Star Wars. The art and visualization on the show is spectacular. It also shows how quickly the Empire take over after the Clone Wars end, which to me has been the most interesting part of the show. For the first several episodes, the show wanders a bit as the Batch are now lost without having battles to fight or a home to go to. It is difficult to know the actual objectives of the show. However, as Omega's character develops and it becomes clear that she is valuable to the Kaminoans for her genetic material (she is a pure clone of Jango Fett, just like Boba), the Batch have a very clear objective: protect Omega.

As the show progresses through season 1, a bit of a repetitive theme occurs: The Batch are forced to take jobs in order to make ends meet. Most of the jobs are high risk, and opportunities present to the Batch to help people who are in need. Most of the Batch don't want to take additional risk, but with minimal arm twisting by Omega, the group reluctantly decides to help, even if the reward isn't really worth the risk. This presentation of the plot got a bit tiresome as the season went on. 

Overall, I enjoyed The Bad Batch, despite never becoming attached to any of the individual characters or really to the group. While nothing hugely important seemed to happen, the most interesting part of the show to me was the storytelling on how quickly the Empire was able to take over the galaxy after the Clone Wars. This is similar to the book Catalyst. Visually, the show looked great. As season 1 ends, we witness the Empire destroy the clone research facility on Kamino, with the Batch barely surviving the attack. We are left with the cliff hanger that the Empire now has Nala Se working for them, a story that will for sure be further developed in season 2. 

Star Wars: Catalyst

 

Catalyst is a prequel to the Star Wars movie Rogue One. It takes place as the Clone Wars ends and the Empire gains control of the galaxy. Galen Erso is a brilliant scientist specializing in energy and research around Kyber crystals. His longtime friend Orson Krennic has joined the Empire as an engineer and director of the Advanced Weapons Research division of the Empire. The Empire is in the beginning stages of building the Death Star. A weapon of that size requires tremendous technology in terms of energy generation and storage, a task that only Galen Erso is capable of achieving. The trouble is that Galen wants nothing to do with the Empire. Orson uses his friendship with Galen to manipulate him into doing the research on Kyber crystals to generate the power for the weapon, telling him the research will be used to power cities and planets.

Krennic handles his relationship with Galen very delicately, not being too pushy in his desire to have Galen develop the weapon. Galen gradually goes from resistant to open to the idea to agreeing to do the research. The book spends quite a lot of time on this process. The trouble I have with this is that we all know how this ends - Galen does the research and the Death Star is built - so spending 100 pages on the process seemed a bit much, though the writing was good.

There are a few minor plot twists along the way. Lyra, Galen's wife, is suspicious of Orson and Galen's research from the beginning. Orson knows that keeping Lyra happy is key to Galen's success, so he sends her on a mission to search for Kyber crystals which turns out to backfire as she discovers planets essentially destroyed by the Empire in the process of mining materials to build the Death Star. There is frequent tension between Galen and Lyra as their opinions differ regarding Orson's intentions. Additionally, Orson uses a smuggler pilot named Has Obitt as a pawn in his schemes to manipulate Galen and Lyra, and later to manipulate Moff Tarkin. Obitt and freedom fighter Saw Gerrera were involved in a rebellion and Obitt was captured by Moff Tarkin. Obitt agreed to spy on Orson for Tarkin in exchange for his freedom. However, instead he arranged the rescue of Galen and his family with the help of Saw. 

My favorite part of this book is its description of the galaxy immediately after the Clone Wars end. Despite all of the Star Wars movies, books, and shows, there has not been a lot of attention to this part of the timeline. It's fascinating how quickly the Empire exerts its power over the galaxy, and how ruthless they are in doing so. Interestingly, the show The Bad Batch also takes place in the same era, so we get to see some of this visually as well in that show. More on The Bad Batch in an upcoming post.

Time Machine - Part 2

 

I've been aware of Time Machine for quite some time, but never used it for two reasons. The first reason is because it required an additional hard drive that I didn't want to pay for. The second, and larger reason, is because using it would eliminate my control over what was going on with the backups. Interestingly, this is a selling point of using the software. I have a touch of digital OCD, and like to know what is being backed up and when. However, after the copying errors I received in May exploited the vulnerability in my once monthly start from scratch backup scheme, I knew it was time to ease up a bit on my control and allow for some help in the form of software. Enter Time Machine.

For the first issue regarding needing an additional hard drive, it's a good thing hard drives these days are large and cheap. I originally had 6 terabyte of online storage - 2 terabyte for OS and apps, and 4 terabyte for files. I had an additional 4 terabyte offline that was used for backup purposes. Time Machine makes hourly backups, so I knew I would need a hard drive at least as big as my current drive if not larger. I read that utilizing a drive 1.5 to 2 times as large as your current drive was appropriate. I was able to get a massive 10 terabyte drive for just a few hundred bucks. This expanded my total online storage to 16 terabyte, 10 of which is reserved for Time Machine. This should be adequate space to make backups as we move forward.

Time Machine couldn't be easier to setup and use. When you plug a hard drive into the computer, most of the time the OS asks if you want to use it for Time Machine. If not, going to the Time Machine section in Settings will accomplish the same thing. Time Machine keeps hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for all previous months. Once the disc becomes full, it erases the oldest backups. Obviously, there is no way that I could keep such a meticulous backup schedule. The best part about Time Machine is that it is able to perform these backups completely in the background. I went ahead and added the Time Machine icon to the task bar. Its symbol changes when Time Machine is performing a backup. Otherwise, I would have no idea the software is doing anything. 

Regarding my second issue with Time Machine and control, I got around this with a compromise. Time Machine's hard drive is plugged in constantly so that it can perform its frequent backups. However, I still have my mirrored drive that remains offline except for once per month when I erase that version and copy my current hard drive for a backup. This allows me to keep a mostly up-to-date version of my system offline incase of electricity surges, theft, etc. 

Having Time Machine's frequent backups available completely eases my mind in terms of data loss, and should eliminate the major vulnerability that is present when I erase my offline drive to make a fresh backup. Knowing that I can go back into time to retrieve files or versions of files that existed every day for the past month or every week for as many months as the drive can store is a fantastic feature that my offline mirrored backup approach cannot replicate. Of course, I will only truly be able to see how well it works if I have a hard drive failure or a bugged file that needs to be replaced. Hopefully I never have to use it, but knowing it is there just in case makes me less anxious about failures.