Interesting experience today. Man came to fix my car alarm. I heard his accent and turns out he's Egyptian. We talk about it. So, I pay him. He's leaving and tells me he has to pray on the mat he brought for under the car. I thought he was joking. No, I looked outside and he was serious. Not an everyday Florida thing... or maybe I've been away a long time.

P.S. join me in this thread for an extension of this discussion to piano music: https://wtf.coffee-room.com/topic/3960/two-different-versions-of-clair-de-lune

For those who enjoy puzzles, I have recently become obsessed with Murdoku. They are kind of a cross between sudoku and a logic puzzle. I have two of the books (a third is in preorder). You can also try them online. I did online first and then ordered the books (trying to stay off devices). I find them easier to do on paper. I highly recommend them! https://murdoku.com/?lang=en

Not for a few years now. My partner sold his house about 5 years ago and of course the observatory went with it. I still have a very nice Astro-Physics refractor but it might be going away soon as well. Another good friend wants to buy it from me and move to Nevada. I don't use it at all as our night skies have fallen prey to sever light pollution. The new Casino that is due to open up this fall is about 1 mile from us as the crow flies. It is going to make things a lot worse. I have lost all motivation to even set it up.

Watching A Spy Among Friends on Prime Video. There are six episodes in the series.

Fun!

Pig squealing contest in France. https://x.com/MarioNawfal/status/2087431388253524443/video/1?s=46

Very nice! Would make an interesting project.

"He doesn't really mean that." Is what many said before they voted for him. What preparations for that are being done? I have no faith in the DNC.

That's what I thought, but wasn't Air Force One the plane that WAS properly outfitted against attacks?

@wtg thanks for this. My most recent hotel stay was actually on a university campus, so I used the campus wi fi service (which is called eduroam and should be very secure). But I have a lot of conference travel coming up this fall and next spring, and most of those are massive hotel/convention center places.

RIP Jackie. At a campground last week we got to watch an eagle fishing in the lake. He had a mate, whom we could see with binoculars, but he did all of the fishing. Magnificent bird, elegant and majestic, who never failed to capture the fish he dove in to catch. A real pleasure to view.

@DougG

Regarding washing machines, Miele get my confident vote. My good friend has had his for over 20 years, recommended the brand and we've had ours for about 15 years, and it moved house with us. This last year the machine has been washing for two households... it ran 6 washes today!

Air travel continues becoming even more dismal.

Latest excellent series of Van der Valk, starring Mark Warren https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/van-der-valk-season-4-release-date-itv/

Well I played a bit today badly of course; tuned and left out on a stand, so fingers crossed. Back in the 1990s in Malaysia, a brother in law who plays with a bannd lent me a cassette (I think it was called 3.5 Hours) by David Qualey. It had an acoustic version of Scarborough Fair like this earlier version: https://cover.info/en/song/David-Qualey-Scarborough-Fair I loved his playing so much it ended up me buying one of his guitars! The steel string I have was bought because of this: https://m. Link to video Although it's not a 12 string, the tuning would drive me crazy. If I ever indulged again, I'd like a really small deep bodied one like this, I think its Japanese, hand made yamaha? https://m. Link to video

How kind. Thanks so much Dol and jon.

It's all about priorities.