At some point just a few minutes ago, I realized that my Sunday — and my weekend — were pretty much over before I even quite realized they had begun. I guess I got a lot done, but I’d like a couple of hours back now, please…
Month: July 2009
It’s Less Than Two Grand, At Least
I always wondered how much my old apartment in San Francisco would go for once I finally moved my rent controlled ass out of it. And now I know. It astonishes me that anyone would pay that kind of rent for a small and rather drafty apartment of less than five hundred square feet. But at least it has a garbage disposal now.
I’m happy for my old landlord and all, but jeez…
Better TV Through Splitters and Loops
I ran across this oddity from thirty years ago while scanning things for work yesterday, and thought it might be entertaining in light of the recent DTV switch. In 1979, the Triad got its first commercial UHF station (there had been a PBS station on channel 26 for some time, but apparently no one cared) and they placed ads showing the uninformed masses how to get the signal. Sound familiar?
I love strange old technologies like these, especially when they’re suddenly back in demand. Those UHF loop antennae are hot items again, since most TV stations in the digital era are broadcasting in the UHF band, even though their “virtual” channel numbers have not changed.
Walter Cronkite, 1916-2009
Broadcast news will never see the like of Walter Cronkite again. And that’s very sad.
Randomly Friday
Randomly Friday:
- Farewell to archiectural photographer Julius Shulman, who is responsibile for much of the way we think of Los Angeles.
- Speaking of architecture, here’s an intersting post on Greensboro and brutalism. I’ve never really thought that adding doodads after the fact was a particularly effective way of repurposing unfashionable buildings or of giving a nod to historic preservation, but that’s just me.
- Speaking of Greensboro, if you don’t vote for him, this guy will cut you. While I’m at it, why do all gangs (and, ironically, the Klan) have such stupid fucking names for their subgroups and leaders? North Carolina Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation? Please. Who’s in charge? The grand exalted cyclops or the kleagle?