What I learned from the failure of a single tube

This morning I woke up thinking about my friend Dan Boul.  OK.  That may be a bit misleading.  I love Dan like a brother but ....   

I had a huge dinner which may have contributed to weird dreams.  Could that have contributed?  My Facebook friends are aware of the dinner I had last night as a side note.

The thought was about the day The Whiskey died a few weeks ago.  

Probably got your attention by now?  Possible man crush?  Amp failure?  Click on "Read more" below to continue.

I spent the evening on Skid Row

Last night I spent the evening on the streets of Skid Row in Los Angeles California.  Los Angeles is home to the highest homeless population in the nation.

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Oak Tree Gun Club and Armatix

Oak Tree gun club is a popular shooting facility in Southern California.  I shoot there a number of times each week.  Currently there is a dialogue on their Facebook page in reference to their business relationship or lack of a business relationship with a company, Armatix, who develops "smart gun" technology.

Maybe some of you have heard about "smart guns" or micro-stamping technology.  Some of you may be aware that at least two major firearms makers have stopped shipping firearms to California due to being required to use this technology in products sold in California.

In any case, I thought I'd take a moment to include my own thoughts on this subject of the relationship between Oak Tree and Armatix.  This Armatix incident is not the only example of the way Oak Tree does some of their business.  I like the place and many of the employees but they need to put attention toward some of the business practices, operating procedures and executive management. 

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Genalex - Gold Lion N709 / EL84 Power Vacuum Tube

Just when you thought vacuum tube production could not get any worse ....

Have I mentioned that I feel the current state of affairs regarding vacuum tubes is not very good?

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KT-150 Tung Sol vacuum tube

Test results and observations on this new tube offering.

Tube Depot ( great folks) says that a pair will produce 300 watts yet the max plate dissipation is spec'd at 70 watts.  I don't understand that 300 watt figure.  A KT88SV as a side note is 50 watts and a regular KT88 is 42 or so watts.  They run $90 per tube.  

I will be looking at these asking myself ... is there a reason?  How do they sound when driven to distortion?  (A KT88 distorts in a lovely way but a 6550 distorts in a quick and raspy way that is not too pleasant).  Do they last at voltages on the spec sheet?  Most tubes today do not.  How long will they keep going at full rated voltages?  (My standard series of life tests.)  What do their traces REALLY look like?  Design spec drawings are often not close to being accurate.

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Super Bowl Sunday and Super Bowl Parties

Andy Bales, the CEO of Union Rescue Mission just posted a few photos on Facebook.  His caption read:  

Starting on a batch of chili for 1000 for the big game today-should I say Souper Bowl? I'll post finished product!

Union Rescue Mission.  What a great organization.  Andy Bales.  Their CEO and one heck of an amazing man.

Superbowl Sunday will not see as many homeless folks go hungry, or miss the game if that is of interest.  You want to impress folks with your Superbowl party where you feed ten ... twenty .... fifty?  It won't impress me much.  Andy and is crew will feed over 1,000.

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Sale price my butt ....

In the past I used the products from these folks.  Last time I was given one price on the phone when the order was placed when I was told the amount my credit card would be charged.  A few days later the charge came which was higher than the amount I was told would be charged.  In four orders this was the first time this happened.  I was always charged the posted price.

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Are You Young or Old?

Are you young or old?  Debated.  Argued throughout history.  The answer is easy.  It is not open to interpretation.

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Relationship Advice

Perhaps the thoughts of my last three wives?

But .... to continue .... Some humor perhaps, some advice too .....

The other day I posted my status on Facebook which I often do:

Recap of the past 24 hours. 

Click on "Read more" if you wish to .... read more ;)

Respect Our Government

How should we treat some of our government leaders in DC now that they have cost this nation so much money, disrupted the lives of so many and accomplished less than nothing? 

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/assessing-the-cost-unnecessary-damage

First, I think that everybody that passes most of "them" on the street should spit on them.  That is my personal reactive response but the action below is a better idea.  It is more productive and will make a statement each time a government official was refused service in a restaurant and asked publically to leave.

Second, I feel restaurants should exercise their right to refuse service to many of them. I feel that the publicity a restaurant would receive for doing that would increase their business ten fold and put the American public squarely behind their eating establishment. 

Now, some PR firm feel free to grab my idea and run with it.