YARDCRAP

NEW YEAR - NEW FUN

I hope all had a good Christmas. I did. I do love December. Our YardCrap blog is fun but we needed more. We needed a message board to interact on. The New Year is the kick off date for ours. This has been tough for an idiot like me to get up, but I now have up a working board that will improve with your suggestions. This is the official launch of the new YardCrap Message Board. If you don't see your favorite interest, it can be added. Right now you cannot read until you register as controlling spam is a bitch these days. Even registering is hard. Not a big deal for my friends, just email me and I will put you on the board.

Click here and join the party:

YardCrap

MERRY CHRISTMAS BIRDS

               

Don't forget to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to your birds.  Here is an easy cup cake recipe to make them some treats.  The easy way is to take a cup of "crunchy" peanut butter and melt it in the micro wave.  Also melt a cup od lard or Crisco.  When they are liquid, mix them together, and pop the pot back in for another 3 minutes.  It works to melt them separately as less stirring is needed.  When you have the mixture really hot, dump in 5 cups of self-rising corn meal.  Mix good and pour into cupcake tins.  Small tupper ware things work good also.  Decorate with some seeds, peanuts, rasins, etc and slide them in the fridge.  They will harden up nicely.  Attached is the recipe I found on the web a few years back.  It makes a nice color flyer to print off and add if you give some to your friends. 

Download Bird Cupcakes

Good Music vs Good Music

            

I used a coupon and got a copy of Fleetwood Mac's "RUMOURS" in Flac at 24 bit.  Like most, I am  very familiar with the album having first bought it many years back as a record.  I also have the first release of the CD which is ripped into my server (16 bit).

While many would not call this an audiophile reference album, it is perfect as a test between 16 bit and 24 bit since I know it by heart.

Sitting out here on a nice sunny day doing the test,  I can jump back and forth to compare songs with one mouse click. My porch system is very good.  I would guess the retail around $8k (I assembled it used for much less) consisting of music server -> DAC -> crossover -> amp/subwoofer -> speakers.  I use good cables, have a dedicated power line, etc.  Over all, it puts out a better sound than most systems. All speakers are arranged to make the "sweet spot" my Adirondack chair. The system has a "clear" sound that picks up everything, so poorly recorded or compressed music sounds worse here than places like in my truck.

The test went on for several song comparisons, and now I have them all on shuffle trying to guess which is which as they come up. I can.

Can I hear a difference?  Yes, and anyone who actually sits and listens to tunes as opposed to using them for background could.  The difference is not earth shaking. The 24 bit sounds like more music is there.  Maybe "fuller" would be a way to describe it.  The detail is a little better.  The players apear more apart and less blended into one sound.

Both sound quite good.  There is no need to run out and upgrade.  For future purchases I will buy 24 bit if available, but will not buy it often for Red Book CDs I already own - maybe for a few that I play often.

A side note is I have a very good Benchmark Dac-Pre. DAC   If you don't have a decent Digital Audio Converter, no need to buy 24 bit recordings.  Most computers can play 24 bit with the right players installed, but asking one even with a higher end sound card to make a difference is asking too much.

Hope you enjoyed hearing about my unscientific experiment.  Post questions and comments below.

BUsY DAYS

Most claim Christmas creates busy days.  I guess, so, but here is hoping all your "busy days" are also added "fun days".

Today was sunny, clear,  68 in the shade, much warmer in the Sun.  I got a lot of garden clean up done.  I hope to keep at that task next week. 

Most of my friends, and I suspect most who read this blog 'lean' Christian due to the disparity in numbers.  Many of my friends 'lean' Jewish.  I don't have many Pagan friends.  It is all about the numbers.  To be honest, I am not as religious as my parents would like me to be. If I am a Christian, I am a poor one and have work to do.  I find that is true of my Jewish friends, and even my Pagan friends. We do the best we can as we work it all out.

If you never have, celebrating Hanakah is fun.  It begins on Dec 20th this year, but that changes year-to-year.  I wish more Christians did Hanukkah and more Jews did Christmas. Here is a candle lighting guide. http://www.chabad.org/library/howto/wizard_cdo/aid/597113/jewish/The-Menorah.htm Many years I have had fun doing it that way, and some years I  just light all the candles when I get the chance to be outside on a night.  I have 'gelt' and a 'dreidel' given to me years back by young Jewish girls.  I treasure them. (the gelt is aging, you girls send fresh when you read this).  I have an excellent CD I picked up in 1993 covering some history and music of it all.  It is just excellent!! One night out and you get the feeling of it all. I believe a movie is being made about it now, but we know how stupid Hollywood is.  This is a great CD.  I have partied in the night with Jews who agreed it is a fun CD.  Email me for a copy.  Of course as with everything, I do Hanukkah in the garden.  I'll post some garden menorah photos from the past and maybe from this year next week.  I also have some good Hebrew beer in the fridge.

Winter Solstice is a Pagan holiday.  To be honest, all these holidays over lap and borrow things from each other. I look for any excuse to go out side, burn some candles, think on the past and the future.  I wish all did the fun Pagan days. Many from all camps delight in it all as there is no harm unless you fear being taken over by some evil spirit or devil.  The equinox days are made to order as they might actually be older than all other December party days.  A glass of good wine, a big fire, maybe a few fireworks, and you have a recipe for a good night in the garden.

My advice is to give in, give up and enjoy the entire season. December should not be a competition.  You get out as much as you put in, and most times -> more.  If you can open up your mind and take a leap of faith, you can have some fun with holidays you might be missing out on.  No matter your beliefs, learning new things and new ways to share in the fun of December is a good thing.  I am not trying to convert anyone here, so don't send those angry emails. Helping your neighbors and friends celebrate is a good thing even if you are not on board with all their beliefs.  As you look into things you will find there is a hell of a lot more you have in common than you would have believed.
As an long time party guy, I advise all to open up their heart and let December in!


 

MESSAGE FORUM

            


For the new year, I hope to add a Message Forum to the YardCrap family.  The main blog is well read and the YardCrap Boomer Tunes section is gaining attention. 
I got a lot accomplished on the forum today, even added a chat feature.  Soon we can all play on it.
In the old days, we had to write all the code, now computers do much of that. Anybody here ever write all the code for a page? 

Still, there is much work to be done.
For a launch date of Jan 1, could use some help.  If you don't have the skills or time for that, a message of encouragement would be welcome. Even the top blogs (which make money) like to hear a "yea" or "nay".  It is the same here.

I have ideas as to the forum, but all is up for discussion.  Many read my blog.  A few comment and many email.  To that end, as the Forum starts out, you will have to register to read or post. (I will change that later)  Most forums allow readers to swell the pot to skew statistics. I am not selling anything, so to play you will have to sign in.  No advertisements, no hidden agenda.
I hope many of my YardCrap friends will take a look at it in Jan, and those that can lend a hand now --will.

More info in January.

SHERLOCK

           

I grew up with heroes.  Not the kind they have now who muddy the water.  My comic books and TV shows had good guys and bad guys, and I loved and learned from them all.  I collected them as did we all.  In the day before computers, we were all junkies for guys like Superman, BatMan and The Lone Ranger.  They were straight "A" guys.  Later on, how many times do you think Matt Dillion did less than the right thing?

In later years (maybe 14) when I was reading more, discovered Sherlock.  Sherlock had a twist to his thinking on it all.  Make no mistake, Sherlock was a Super Hero.  His talent was mental.  He was always so far ahead of his peers that it was a joke.  I liked the magic of Green Lantern a lot, but Sherlock was my favorite.  If you don't think of Sherlock as a Super Hero of the highest order, you need to pick up a book.

Sherlock has been in video for many years.  I like most of them, even the funny spoofs.  For me, Jeremy Britt is Sherlock.  Each generation has a favorite "Sherlock" and JB is Sherlock in every way as only the British can do. He is as true to the books as I have seen. He is a real artist.   I also really like this new kid - he is just excellent as he interprets Sherlock.   http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Sherlock-Series-1/70151278?strkid=1907902267_0_0&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strackid=4c92fd7f02f819e0_0_srl&trkid=222336

On the other hand, part two of Robert Downey as Sherlock is out for me.  Unlike my my Bride, not a Downey fan.  I do think he was very good in the Iron Man movies. 

My review on Sherlock II will have to wait.  To date, have not watched part I.

As I understand it, they turned Sherlock into an action hero.  I can't go there.  I have never seen 'Sound Of Music' because I heard Mary Poppins kisses a guy there.

Sherlock is the best and he is not an action figure.  I suspect the new generation will never read the books and accept Downey as Sherlock Holmes - that is as sad as a list I just saw of the 50 greatest movie heroes and Mel Gibson was not there.

FRUIT CAKES

The tv shows make fun of fruit cakes.
I don't agree as they rank in my top 5 foods.

Back in the day when women could and would bake, my Mom made fruit cakes every year.  It was a chore and was a family affair. A lot of family work went into those. We had to gather and crack the nuts.  All that fruit stuff had to be made or at least cut up.  Mom made different types.  She used different  recipies for different cakes. One even cooked in the fridge.  My favorite was 'all of them'.  She wrapped them in cloth and kept them moist with coconut milk and a little home made wine for a few weeks.  No one could touch them until Christmas was near.  People who make fun of fruit cakes never had a real one.

These days I try get by with Claxton which is OK, just bought two more.

Wireless Signals

                     

Just read a article on how to extend your WiFi range.  There was nothing new there.  WiFi is good today and cheap.  In the old days, the biggest problem was being geek enough to set the damn thing up.  Now it is plug and play with good range.  Even in the middle of the lake, my net book logs into some idiot's signal who never heard of security.

This was a timely article as I just put one in again for my Bride's Kindle.  She likes that Kindle.  Just for that, hooked WiFi in to my router. Now I have it all again.  I don't need it all.

Years back, put up WiFi and then tossed it. As good as WiFi is, it can't touch a land line.  Cat 5 cable is cheap.  I ran it all over my house. WiFi is good, but you can buy a router for less and run cable.  On the other hand, many WIFi routers now allow you to do both, so do both.

CHRISTMAS ANYONE

I am having trouble finding Christmas this year.  I might not make it.
Days late, just played my first Christmas tune.  I still have yet to put up a Christmas light.  I was going smaller this year, but none is really small.

I got in 'Dave Koz and Friends'.  I already had that, so played it today to refresh my memory.  It is OK.  I played another I had by him - 'Ultimate Christmas' and it was much better.  Maybe the bottle of good beer made one seem better than the other.

Still, I am not in the mood to crank Christmas up yet.

Does anyone like Dave Koz?  The guy knows his way around a horn.
The first to email me an address gets the extra copy, still sealed.   Maybe we need to do that on other CDs as I have a lot of duplicates as do we all.  Should we trade or give?  I have a couple things ready to mail next time I get off the plantation to Steve and Rick.  I have not forgotten the Phoebe I promised Rabbit or the m LP I have ready for Vance.  I'll get it all to town in time for Christmas.

First email in on Dave Koz gets this one.  I wish I could say first comment gets it, but you people are too shy for that.  You email and complain (I like that) if I don't post, but will not add a simple comment for all to read.  I allow fake names, so lie and join in.  On the plus side, got in my first fan from China.  I am in a lot of countries.  I don't know why.