Dave Garrett

Obit from the Freep: Al Kaline, Detroit Tigers legend, dies at age 85

WebEx is a tested and proven product. I've used it nearly every workday for the past several years, although we typically only use the audio and screen-share functions, not the video. Looks like they've significantly upgraded the free version to remove some of the limitations it previously had compared to the paid subscription tiers. I'd be wary of Zoom as well - they've got all the buzz right now but it's apparent that they're having to scramble to manage a huge and rapid uptick in the user base.

https://twitter.com/Wayne_Shorter/status/1245500483978047489

I'm not sure what the process is if you have a linked bank account and then unlink it. They typically require a linked bank account for security/verification purposes, but if you've already been verified and then unlink the account, I don't know if you will subsequently be required to re-verify or not. Some sellers/vendors require a linked bank account in order for you to pay using Paypal. Also, bear in mind that getting money in and out of your Paypal account becomes more difficult and takes longer if you don't have a linked bank account to effect such transfers. True enough, and it's why I'm very reluctant to sell items that are associated with a high incidence of fraudulent transactions (like electronics or cell phones), but also why I will frequently not hesitate to buy something I've been searching for even if the seller's behavior or the way the listing is worded raises a red flag. If the item doesn't show up, or was misrepresented, I know getting a refund will be as simple as filing an eBay or Paypal claim, so the risk is minimal. Also true as to music sellers that overgrade, although I haven't had too many problems in that regard as I haven't actively collected vinyl for many years, just CDs.

I've used PayPal almost since their inception, and continue to do so, but with certain caveats. Unless things have changed, they are not a bank, so they are not subject to the same regulations that banks are (many of which are for the protection of depositors/customers). Also, I do not have my main bank account linked to my PayPal account, but rather keep a separate account that is only used with PayPal, with only a small amount of money in that account to keep it active from the bank's perspective. I use PayPal primarily for eBay transactions, and although I rarely sell on eBay these days, both eBay and PayPal policies strongly favor buyers (a primary example: buyers now have 180 days - six months! - to file a claim, so as a seller, you are essentially providing a six-month warranty at no cost during which time a buyer can change his/her mind about the purchase). If a seller winds up on the losing side of a dispute, and doesn't have a sufficient balance in their PayPal account to cover refunding the buyer, PayPal can claw back the balance from their linked bank account. Hence the recommended use of a PayPal-specific bank account to which money is regularly swept from the PayPal account, then withdrawn/transferred to another bank account that PayPal does not have access to. Unscrupulous buyers can work eBay/PayPal's buyer-oriented systems to their advantage, and there are plenty of stories from sellers who've had it happen to them. Of course, I would not expect such things to be much of a concern in smaller, more collegial environments like this one.

The West Coast house was in Oakland, and doesn't appear to have been an actual Case Study House. Bev Thorne: Brubeck Home Designer

I tracked this 1979 TV special down on Youtube a couple of months ago after running across a period review of it. It caught my interest not so much for the music, but for the fact that quite a bit of it was filmed in Crockett, Texas, where Kenny's mother lived. If you ever wanted to see a time capsule of Crockett in the late 70s, this is your show. Crockett's a place I have more than a passing familiarity with, as my mother's family is from that area, and her late brother has a brief appearance in this special - he's the deputy who reminisces with Kenny about how he used to have coffee with Kenny's father every day. RIP.

Last time this topic came up I recommended the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 (two-channel plus a subwoofer). I have never heard better sound from any computer speaker in its price range (and they outperform some that are considerably more expensive). I've had them for many years, but in the currently-available version they appear to have made some changes to the design, which most Amazon reviewers seem to think hasn't affected the sound quality. Coincidentally, the technology columnist for our local paper just praised these to the skies in his weekly email column - he just bought a new set after the subwoofer died in the set he'd had for almost twenty years. They are more expensive than the Bose set - Amazon is currently selling them for $229, but you can get them directly from Klipsch for $150: https://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-ProMedia-Certified-Computer-Speaker/dp/B000062VUO https://www.klipsch.com/products/klipsch-promedia-2-1-thx-certified-computer-speaker With some patience you may be able to get an even better deal. I think I paid around $120 for the ones I have when Best Buy had them on sale.

The film is definitely one of the weird historical curios of the 60s. WFMU's blog had an interesting article about it back in 2007: https://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2007/04/you_are_what_yo.html And if that piques anyone's interest further, it's on Youtube:

Several links of interest that contain the most useful information I've run across, and that are being updated on an ongoing basis: Don’t Panic: The comprehensive Ars Technica guide to the coronavirus Coronavirus: Why You Must Act Now PSA: A Note of Caution Regarding Covid-19 Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Interactive Map

The backstory on those emails, from the guy who wrote the copy for them: The most successful email I ever wrote

I think this site has been mentioned here in the past: http://www.jazzonfilm.com/

That is a damn fine playlist. Been listening to it for the past couple of days. Thanks for pointing it out.

I think some judgment is certainly called for when trying to determine if something's safe to eat. As long as it doesn't smell or taste "off", I might be OK with it if it was somewhat out of date. Decades out of date, like some of the examples in the article, not so much. I don't automatically toss something just because it's past the date on the packaging, but on the other hand I'm not going to risk getting violently ill if there's even a slight question as to whether something might not be safe to eat.