A little more information

The two main activities in my life: Helping the hungry in the late hours of the night and helping guitar players sound better one amp at a time.

I always try to remember that in order to do good one has to take action and actually do something.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I have watched the city and Southern California change for well over half a century.

I can be found on facebook at www.facebook.com/mylesr or on twitter at www.twitter.com/myles111us or on my own Guitar Amplifier Blueprinting website at www.mylesrose.com

Los Angeles Architectural History

Los Angeles Architectural History
1935 Art Deco at some of its finest: No. 168 - Griffith Observatory- (click on the photo for information)

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Current Production 12AX7 Tubes - Twelve of them

Click on this image for a larger image

I have been promising a current test of some of the current production 12AX7 / ECC83 offerings and have just completed my testing.

150 tubes were tested. 15 of each type.  The above lines on each tube are the average of that particular tube.

Click on "read more" to continue.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Los Angeles - Highest Homeless Population in the U.S.

This is the April 2013 update from Union Rescue Mission.

I have written about URM and Andy Bales their CEO since 2009.  Some of my other pieces can be found here:

http://la-economy.blogspot.com/search/label/urm and here http://la-economy.blogspot.com/search/label/homeless




You can help.

Update today 5/8/13.  I posted this on facebook:

Congratulations to the folks at Union Rescue Mission and their CEO Andy Bales and their VP Jacqui Groseth. The latest facts and figures are in from Charity Navigator, the folks that investigate and rate all the charities. URM received 4 stars out of 4 for Accountability & Transparency. A score of 67 out of 70. 

Back in 2009 I wanted to align myself with one of the homeless support organizations in Los Angeles. I spent a lot of time visiting facilities and asking questions. In the end I picked URM. Looks like I made a good call.

In the end there are many great organizations in Los Angeles but it makes me smile when I look at these independent reports and find that URM came out ahead of the two other Los Angeles missions that I also feel do great work.


Monday, April 29, 2013

I hate Jane Fonda




I just posted this as a note on facebook:  The other day Jane Fonda was on television news putting her hand prints next to her father's at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.  I was offended.  Thanks to the friend and fellow vet who sent this to me.

Click on "read more" for the full story.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Sprint - The Worst Service in Burbank.


I have written posts on ATT in regard to their technical issues and service issues.  Over the last few years they have improved dramatically.  In the case of Sprint, things have declined.

Sprint has the worst product services AND the worst customer support when I compare ATT, T-Mobile, Verizon, Metro PCS and Sprint.  This includes technical service in regard to the performance of their product offering and customer service.

Sprint has the worst coverage in Burbank California.  Some places are not very good at best but many spots are worthless.  Sprint also has the worst customer service and problem resolution record for a single specific problem of any business I have written about here.

LTE promised in your area?  Just a warning, they cannot even make 3G work.

Click on "read more" for the complete story and details.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Union Rescue Mission - March at a glance


Los Angeles has the highest homeless population in the United States.

Union Rescue Mission is the largest homeless facility in Los Angeles.

URM (www.urm.org to learn more) relies on people like you to help them serve the homeless.  It is an overwhelming task.  If you want to follow their CEO Andy Bales you can find him on facebook and on twitter @abales.

You can help.  Visit the URM website.  Your fully tax deductible donation in any amount will help.  There are many ways to donate or help.  They even accept Pay-Pal.  Too busy?  In less than 30 seconds you can feed five people a full meal from your cell phone.  $10 will feed five people.

To donate $10 to Union Rescue Mission, text the letters URM to 85944. You will receive a confirmation text message. Reply with the word YES to complete the transaction.  

I'd like to list a few highlights of this month that were accomplished over at URM.  They are more than just a meal, a bed, a shower, clothes, programs for recovery and change, support ...... and more.  They are ....

Total Mental Health Clinic Sessions - 143
Total Health Center Visits - 386
Total Dental Clinic Visits - Individual Patients Seen - 555
Total Legal Clinic Visits - 31 (slow month, 404 this year)
Total Volunteer Hours - 4,252
(You can help in many ways)
Total Meals Served - 50,900
Yes, meals in ONE month
Total Nights of Shelter (per individual) - 21,307
Total Nights of Shelter (per family) - 1,725

You can help.  www.urm.org

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Today I wrote my elected officials



Today I wrote my California elected officials.  I also sent a copy to our President and the people in Washington.  Below is a copy of my letter.

I have lost all faith in our California elected officials.

The subject of firearms is a topic that is a current focus of attention in our nation.  Looking at some of the items in process it makes me ask myself if some of these folks are actually serious, do they have any logical thinking ability?  Or, is this just a very efficient media stunt to get their name into the press?  It seems the latter is the case.  I had never heard of many of these folks until their antics started using the subject of firearms as a foundation.

Assembly Bill 760 (Dickinson) imposes a sales tax of .05 cents per ammunition component (complete cartridge, bullet or case).  - Does this dick(inson) have any basic math skills?  A box of 50 rounds of .22LR ammunition that is usually around $2.50 would now be $5.00?  The most popular cartridge used to teach young people how to safely handle firearms.  A premier target cartridge.  Well, I know this fellows name now and if I see him run for any office I will do my best to bring his lack of ability to the public via social media.

Senate Bill 47 and 108 (Yee) - I had no idea who this fellow was a year ago.  I am now personally embarrassed that he has anything to do with the state where I was born. 

Senate Bill 53 (DeLeon) requires persons to buy an annual ammunition purchase permit, requires the registration and thumbprint of the purchaser for each ammunition purchase, and bans online and mail order sales of ammunition to Californians. - More paperwork here and more taxes from the joker above.  You folks are doing a heck of a job driving business out of California.  Between the taxes and paperwork it is a wonder why any business would want to reside in this state.  You folks mismanage the money you are given and a year later ask for more.  The voters pass a measure to raise taxes for teachers and a few months later layoff notices still go out to many teachers.  You are all scoundrels, liars and dishonorable by any standard that I was taught when I went to school in Los Angeles back when you did not need to take a test to graduate to affirm you could read or write. 

Senate Bill 293 (DeSaulnier) bans the sale of conventional handguns, if the Department of Justice approves the sale of “Owner Authorized – Smart” handgun technology. - You folks really cannot see the path this is leading to?

Senate Bill 374 (Steinberg) expands the definition of “assault weapons” to BAN the future sale of VIRTUALLY ALL semi-auto rifles (including rimfire cartridges) that accept a detachable magazine, requires NEW “assault weapon” registration, requires registration of ALL those semi-auto rifles that are currently possessed to retain legal possession in the future, and subjects these firearms to all other “assault weapons” restrictions. - Steinberg. Feinstein. When they talk of the Jewish homeland of Israel where they fight for the country I hope they check your passports to assure they are on the NO ENTRY list.  I am Jewish and you both offend me personally.

Senate Bill 396 (Hancock) bans the possession of any magazine with a capacity to accept more than 10 cartridges, including currently legally possessed "grandfathered" large capacity magazines. - Legal one day and outlawed the next.  Thankfully our government trained many of us in the past, some of us extremely well.  Many of us are now at the age where we have led a full and productive life and are not concerned with possible consequences.  The DHS can buy all the ammunition and light tanks it can with the taxpayers money but if you folks cannot sleep at night it is no mystery to me.

Senate Bill 567 (Jackson) changes the technical definition of a shotgun, which would turn all handguns into short-barrel shotguns that are illegal to own. - I really need to talk to this fellow.  I want him to change the definition of "automobile" so my car can then fly over the traffic here in Los Angeles.

You folks are pathetic and anything but leaders.

I await my form letters as your typical response.

Monday, March 25, 2013

"Genalex" Gold Lion 12AX7 / ECC83




Some of you have been asking if I could make some of my tube testing available again.  This is the first report that I have put out to the public for a while.  I will continue to put reports on this blog.

To see the full report just click on "read more" below

Saturday, March 23, 2013

The Day The Music Died?

Any image in this piece may be clicked on for a larger image.

It had been a while since I spent the day in Hollywood visiting some of my friends and some of the music stores.  My thought many times during the day was a lyric by Don McLean in the song American Pie ... the day the music died.

Back in the mid 70s through the early 80s we were treated to Disco.  It took time (way too long from my personal point of view) for Disco to die.  

I talk about the state of vacuum tubes and how there has been a steady decline over the last decades.  Today there are more "types" than ever and the offerings are worse than they have ever been.  As sad as I have been over the state of vacuum tubes the state of guitar amplifiers seems even worse.

Click on "read more" to continue ....

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Asshat of the day award - Fidelity Investments

Today I received a notification that there was an iPhone update to my Fidelity mobile app.  My app had been working fine in the past and I always downloaded the latest update.

Bottom line - big mistake.

I tried to log in many times.  It said my password was invalid.  I went to my desk PC and all worked fine.

I deleted the app and downloaded it again.  Same problem.

I called Fidelity.  They confirmed there was indeed a problem.  They had no estimate on when the issue would be resolved.  

This financial app is a bit more important than something like "angry birds".  People rely on the Fidelity tools for their investments.

Click on "read more" to continue

Sunday, February 10, 2013

President Obama. One very smart cookie?


I am going to point out some FACTS.  Take this or leave this.  Put the pieces together or walk away from the compelling evidence.  

It is clear to me that our President and his administration are masters at working the system.  There are none better at working the media.  They have no equal in history at leveraging tragic events to put the nation back on track to prosperity and growth. 

This piece will probably generate some comments from others when it is posted on the Internet.  The "haters"  may not be able to put the pieces of this simple jigsaw puzzle together and if that is the case they should turn to their children as an option.

The facts.

There was a horrific and tragic event at a school where innocent lives were taken.  The news media reported this event and were possibly working closely with The White House. Steps may or may not have been put into motion to leverage this event for the benefit of the current administration.

Unemployment was at a high point in the last few years. Fact.

People have been complaining that small business was suffering while large corporations, those Fortune 500 companies, were being given preferential treatment.  Fact.

Walk into any gun store.  The shelves are bare.  Fact.

Walk into Big 5 Sporting goods, Wall Mart, K Mart or any store that sells .22 LR ammunition.  This is sporting ammunition.  It is used for target shooting.  It is used to teach young children safe firearms practices and basic marksmanship. It is used for hunting small game such as rabbit.  It is used by farmers to shoot rodents who destroy their crops.  It is not a military round and has not been used in any of the recent tragic events.  The shelves are bare.  There is no .22 rim fire ammunition for sale. Fact.

The following facts can be verified in MANY media stories and on many TV news stories.

Gun makers and manufacturers have increased production dramatically. These people are hiring.  Fact.

Ammunition manufacturers have increased production dramatically.  Fact.

Homeland security is buying millions, billions perhaps trillions of rounds of ammunition.  Fact.  Firearms are being purchased in record numbers by this organization.  Fact.

The military has increased purchases of firearms and ammunition at the highest levels in history.  Fact.

Unemployment is decreasing.  Fact.

Employment has increased dramatically at the ammunition and firearms factories.  These are small companies in most cases.  Fact.

There have been many debates where gun owners tried to use the logic that properly trained people should be allowed to possess firearms.  The media said it was generally only criminals, gang members and crazy people that caused problems. Is it possible the Government took steps to counter these arguments?

Let me ask you to think about recent events in California where a highly trained (according to the media) ex-military man and police officer went on a rampage (and is still at large) shooting innocent people and law enforcement officers.  I ask myself if this could be a plot by the government to show that guns should not be in the hands of anybody including trained people?  Perhaps it is nothing more than the media and administration using the timing of this tragic event to their advantage.  Consider some of the facts about this ex-military ex-law enforcement officer.  He was fired for testifying against others for excessive force or something like that.  I may have my facts wrong in this example so please feel free to fact check on your own.  There are two sides to every story and if somebody is hired by the LAPD and has risen to the ranks of an officer in the U.S. Navy and THEN flipped out could there be some other question that need to be asked?

It would not be the first time in history that our government, the media, law enforcement or court system twisted data and situations to support their agenda. Fact.

It is obvious to me what is going on here but I have been trained to look ahead for danger and that is why I am writing this piece.  I am a prophet perhaps.  Perhaps the Oracle of our age?  I am old enough to be either.

How many of you have heard stories about water heaters exploding?  It is more common than you might think! 

How many of you have been burned by hot water?  Hot water is dangerous.  Fact.

I for one believe that there is a task force in the bunker under The White House where a small group sits and plans the next move to turn this nation around, one small business at a time.  There are select media people waiting to jump on the next exploding water heater story.  We may have to wait until the current firearms stories come to an end.  This could be a very long wait as the media can easily find things to exploit in the media.  But .... sooner or later there will be a water heater explosion and whether it is a matter of a child being burned by hot water from the kitchen sink or hot water issues from the failed water heater itself we just may be on the next steps of change in our nation.

Water heaters will be set to be no hotter than 140 degrees by sealed thermostats.  Adjustable thermostats on water heaters will be banned.  

Pre-ban water heaters will be required to be phased out by 2018.

Water heater capacity will be limited to 20 gallons.  Hot water can hurt, injure and in some cases kill.  Fact.  The more uncontrolled hot water the more potential damage.  Fact.

Water heater companies will increase production.  Fact.  Jobs will be created in the water heater industry.  Fact.

You may agree with me or not agree.  If you want to disagree I would like you to propose the argument why President Obama is not the firearms salesman of the year.  If he works things right in the next few years the water heater industry may also hold him in the highest esteem.



Thursday, February 7, 2013

Friday, February 1, 2013

Obama. Has he finally gone insane for real?



Say what you will about our President, Obama.  Was he born in the USA?  The debate continues.  But .... there is one thing that cannot be disputed.  He is now clearly insane and it may be time for Vice President Biden to step up to the plate.

What the hell am I talking about?

How many folks realize that our President is considering the Mayor of Los Angeles a candidate for Secretary of Transportation?  If this does not show that our President is insane I don't know where one could find a better example.

First off, our Mayor never had any education in traffic patterns.  All the work done here in Los Angeles has been done by others, not by him  We continue to have some of the worst traffic in the nation and considering the size of our city one of the worst public transportation systems in the nation.

Our Mayor also allows major streets such as Sunset Blvd to be impacted by road work during the height of traffic.  This is one more area that shines a spotlight on the man we have elected as our Mayor and the man we have elected as our President.

Well Mr. President, I am ashamed to say that I voted for you the first time and due to two horrible options in the last election I voted for you again BUT .... next time I may just vote Republican based on the antics of many of "my Parties" recent behavior.  As far as the Mayor of Los Angeles?  The guy is a media clown and I have personally seen him act one way when the cameras are not running and another way when they are turned on.  The guy is an asshat and fart face on more levels that one can imagine.

http://www.governing.com/blogs/fedwatch/gov-next-transportation-secretary.html