WTF-Beta

@Mik said in Back from Detroit: Jim's was still excellent in 2010. I'm glad to hear that. Big Al

@RealPlayer said in Canada is not the United States: Here is a NY Times article from this morning. Should be a gift link. Trump’s Canada fixation is about more than tariffs. Apparently well publicized in Canadian media, but not here. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/world/canada/trump-trudeau-canada-51st-state.html?unlocked_article_code=1.2E4.Wl1s.HkMjJ0CPOYAR&smid=url-share I didn’t realize it wasn’t being publicized in the US. It definitely is well known here. That’s why we are so mad.

Another vote against reusing old strings - ultimately going to cost you more over the long haul. I know Chicago is a different market from yours, but you might want to explore and see if another institution or individual might have a suitable piano replacement. Over the past 3 years I've seen some amazing things offered here. In one case, it was Baldwin SD10 for $1,500 - and in better than decent shape - but they needed it out - IMMEDIATELY. I thought wrong thoughts for a moment. In another instance, someone literally offered two Steinway Ds for free - allegedly - but who knows - in useable condition. Still, you might want to put the word out to techs in the community if there's an older philanthropist who might have a suitable instrument that could be used. You could either keep the current D until you have funds to do more work - or sell it to someone who could restore it to its old glory. When I'm no longer able, I would like to donate my piano to someone with talent but without funds - and even provide some funds to maintain just to see it have a happy home. Of course, that assumes that our current President doesn't ruin the economy - and we have to trade the piano for eggs.

Have a look at late night TV commentary shows. Seth Myers. John Oliver. Colbert. You don’t have to stay up late, they’re all on YouTube the next day. Might be the most honest news commentary available.

@wtg Lovely Thank you

@Big_Al Lots of great ideas. Please thank Mrs Big Al for me!!

@wtg and @Steve-Miller well that’s a relief!

@wtg said in Puppy !: If your dog is missing, check @Mik 's house. I think he has a sweet spot for border collies. Yeah, I do like the working and sporting breeds. But they all need a job to do or they'll find mischief.

I agree with you! But I'm going to make a point of looking through their scores more often, if for no other reason than I can listen and follow along, which I always love doing. Plus, I'm paying, soo....

@CHAS said in A musical update: Can you find out why the others cancelled? Probably but I don't want to bother the organizer too much. I suspect that maybe some of them are sick, and others maybe just weren't ready (they're college students in the music program here). It sounds like this concert had a smaller number of performers to begin with, so maybe the Nov. concert will be ok since there are more people on the program...

Could be real stone, ribbed marble, but I'm guessing man made. In hot climates like the photo suggests you'd take off footwear at the door. Soles of your feet are non-slip. Cool marble is lovely. In-laws in Malaysia have marble floors throughout the ground floor, and even wearing socks isn't a slip problem (but you sweat & could get foot rot and quickly learn not to). Though dress shoes with new leather soles are a bit slippery on marble.

What Bernard said. All of it. Thanks, Bernard.

PD the law allows the president to grant a one-time 90 stay if he believes a prospective sale is in the works. It doesn’t go into detail about any conditions that need to be satisfied so I am quite sure he can just do it. But only once, and only for 90 days.

I think it is fun! I would love to attend a party there. No way would I want to live there. Oh, and that blue and white check area rug goes with nothing. I am wondering if the house, stripped of all the byzantine gilded garbage, actually has good bones. Impossible to tell from the photos. Obviously they have an insane amount of money to be able to irrigate a lawn like that. I suppose it is possible they are in a less desertified area of AZ, but still.

@Steve-Miller Didn't think of that. Also a possibility.

You might expect American winemakers to be popping bottles of California sparkling wine these days. With President Trump's tariffs on the European Union, U.S.-made wine now has a greater price advantage over Italian prosecco and French Champagne. This is a classic case that protectionists make for tariffs: They help domestic producers. But the American winemakers we spoke with are more sour than bubbly about Trump's tariffs. "To me, it's awful. There's no upside," said Adolfo Hernandez, owner and winemaker at Monroy Wines in Sonoma County, Calif. So, why aren't tariffs a big win for American winemakers? We spoke to a bunch of them around the United States, and what they told us challenges the assumption that tariffs will help domestic industries. https://www.npr.org/sections/planet-money/2025/04/17/g-s1-60718/tariffs-make-sour-grapes-american-winemakers

I would seriously consider moving there if I were younger. I read the language much better than I speak it. Was surprised to get a passing grade in a college French class. Did much better in a reading only class.

Oh, no. As others have said, you're leaving with your values intact, but what a loss for all of us. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

Just think, today's students will be perfectly prepared to work in today's Health and Human Services Department.

Birds are quite good fun really, certainly in comparison to the rest of nature; entertaining to watch flying, perched or walking, they come readily to food, come in lots of different sizes shapes & colours, and are very fragile short lived animals with a very small brain as I am reminded everytime one sadly flies into our windows. And a perfect reason to invest in quality binoculars, one of our greatest inventions.