[jonathan c]

As someone who lives in PA, Hershey's really isn't very good, it has an odd taste to it. Sarris (in Western PA) and Wilbur's in Lancaster are both significantly better. Not tried the others, will have to give them a go.

.... I'm giving the nod to Redstone Candies - in Republic, PA. Their chocolates eclipse those of Sarris & Wilbur's.

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

 

[Derrick Swart]

Oh no, this is Texas, not California. They're used to building homes.

• Cali: 7 years, including public hearings and city supervision of the entire construction process (that we paid for) and engineering reviews and threats to rescind all approvals to date based on disagreements with contracted inspectors and fights between various county and city agencies and utilities.
• Texas: about 18 months, 6 of which is because we took a wrong turn on the home design to start, and 0.36% the cost vs California in permits. These are for similar "difficult" homes--on a sloping lot, weird features, nonstandard layouts, full custom design, etc.

And to be suuuuuper clear, it's different. CA you're gonna be buying in a tract, unless you're an entertainment mogul or tech bro (or live WAYYYYYY out from any city). Texas has tracts and lots and defined builders and lots with free choice and just plain old pieces of land that you can do whatever you want with, it's more of a continuum. There are many billboards in Texas saying, "Got land? Let's build!" I have literally never in my life seen a billboard for a custom home builder in California. Literally. Never.

Again, let's not make this political. Both states have great things and crazy things. But if you're comparing building a custom home, no contest.

Ain't the geographical situation also a big part of the difference?

 

[Erratic Gravy]

This album is an auditory masterpiece

Thanks for 41m15s of wow, @sixergixer

Queued for the big system, tonight!

Yep is an astonishing work - I have always admired David Bowie for his sheer well ' Bowieness !! ' very missed

 

[Bowmoreman]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I preferred the previous iteration (before the 24 model) more streamlined and less complex looks. And re looks let’s not talk about Asian designs. In any case, my post was not driven by looks but a suggestion of a performance platform for someone who enjoys sport driving. And not only engine power but rather outstanding chassis performance and handling.

Oh, I hear you on (all of) that!

I’ve just long lamented that - to me - the Porsche AWD “SUV” type vehicles have long been uniquely ugly (again to me). The performance is, of course, non pareil! I rode in one in Germany about 8 years ago or so with a business colleague… and, further back, I’ve rented 911’s for two week vacations in Germany, Switzerland and Austria (I speak passable German). And, have long been a VW/Audi/Porsche group guy (20+ years of Audi’s, first VW was back in 1987, most recent/last VW left the stable in 2022)…

But now, I’m “converted” (likely due to impending retirement and concomitant reduction of income) to ONLY “super reliable” and “super comfortable”… hence wife and I are now confirmed/committed Toyota/Lexus. My LS460 (bought used for the paltry sum of $15K with 50K miles on it in 2019!) has almost 400HP and it’s more than fast enough for me. That said, it isn’t the canyon carver my old GTI, or our 1994 Corvette C4/6 speed were/are…

Horses for courses.

Oh, and I (mostly) agree about the Asian “copiers copying copiers” designs are (mostly) churning out. I much prefer the lines/looks of my 2008 Lexus LS to the new ones. That said, the newest one is sorely tempting to me (except to me it is heresy they abandoned that world-class V8 for yet another twin turbo 6 - yawn!)…

But yeah, if one wants a good sports/performance platform AND an SUV/SAV type form factor, the Porsche is up there. I would just shudder at life-cycle costs (extrapolating from experience with VW and Audi, and friends experiences with Bimmers, etc.)

 

[cricket]

Yep is an astonishing work - I have always admired David Bowie for his sheer well ' Bowieness !! ' very missed

I never followed him or bought his music, but his passing slammed me harder than any other artist before or since. My only explanation is that his music was always present in some way; always original and timeless.

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

WOW ....

 

[US Blues]

 

[Erratic Gravy]

I never followed him or bought his music, but his passing slammed me harder than any other artist before or since. My only explanation is that his music was always present in some way; always original and timeless.

yep exactly my experience - I could not think why his passing hurt so much

 

[Oveja Negra]

I never followed him or bought his music, but his passing slammed me harder than any other artist before or since. My only explanation is that his music was always present in some way; always original and timeless.

I think another reason is the way he died (just a few days after releasing Black Star). Everybody was applauding another gem from him when suddenly the news about him passing away left everyone like "Are you kidding me? he just released another amazing album. He is fine, this can't be true".

I still remember at first I was sure it was some kind of dark joke. Then the news began to appear everywhere and that's when the shock came: David Bowie is gone.

It's almost like he chose when and how to die, saying good bye with a new album. An artist until his very last breath.

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

Music/song is something magical, sometimes it has no effect on someone, sometimes it struck the string deep inside your heart, either the tunes or the lyric, or both .....

 

[RCBinTN]

This link is fun, and pretty good for discovering new artists. FWIW - No sign ups, no email adds, no issues that I have had over two years playing with it.

https://www.music-map.com/

I use it, too. There is another one for literature ... type in an author's name to get similar authors. https://www.literature-map.com/

 

[sixergixer]

Oh, I hear you on (all of) that!

I’ve just long lamented that - to me - the Porsche AWD “SUV” type vehicles have long been uniquely ugly (again to me). The performance is, of course, non pareil! I rode in one in Germany about 8 years ago or so with a business colleague… and, further back, I’ve rented 911’s for two week vacations in Germany, Switzerland and Austria (I speak passable German). And, have long been a VW/Audi/Porsche group guy (20+ years of Audi’s, first VW was back in 1987, most recent/last VW left the stable in 2022)…

But now, I’m “converted” (likely due to impending retirement and concomitant reduction of income) to ONLY “super reliable” and “super comfortable”… hence wife and I are now confirmed/committed Toyota/Lexus. My LS460 (bought used for the paltry sum of $15K with 50K miles on it in 2019!) has almost 400HP and it’s more than fast enough for me. That said, it isn’t the canyon carver my old GTI, or our 1994 Corvette C4/6 speed were/are…

Horses for courses.

Oh, and I (mostly) agree about the Asian “copiers copying copiers” designs are (mostly) churning out. I much prefer the lines/looks of my 2008 Lexus LS to the new ones. That said, the newest one is sorely tempting to me (except to me it is heresy they abandoned that world-class V8 for yet another twin turbo 6 - yawn!)…

But yeah, if one wants a good sports/performance platform AND an SUV/SAV type form factor, the Porsche is up there. I would just shudder at life-cycle costs (extrapolating from experience with VW and Audi, and friends experiences with Bimmers, etc.)

Yep, Porsche SUVs (can) go like stink but sadly just look like stinky poos.

I enjoyed a couple of hot laps around Portland International Raceway back in the day in a 1st-gen Cayenne Turbo driven by a professional driver, and driven at maybe 9/10ths of flat out (judging by my arseometer sat in the passenger seat), that beast had zero problems keeping up with the more nimble and much lighter 911s and S4s on track at the same time. 'Tis an engineering marvel, that Teutonic beast.

 

[RCBinTN]

My favorite Steely Dan album is Gaucho.
I just received my Acoustic Sounds UHQR 45 rpm copy of this fine album and gave Babylon Sisters a spin.

Tomorrow, I'll play it against my original MCA, promo copy of the same lp which is a marvelous pressing of this record.

Curious. Any other forum members order a copy of the UHQR Gaucho lp? And if so, how do you like it.

For me it's "Pretzel Logic" but I like all their music. Nicely snarky with talented musicians, well produced.

 

[sixergixer]

LOLOLOL!

Alternative:
He was only a domestic beer drinker,
But she loved him still.