From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V2 #217 Reply-To: alloy@smoe.org Sender: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. alloy-digest Tuesday, October 14 1997 Volume 02 : Number 217 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: Alloy: Re: Admin: Read this please. [electrix ] Alloy: Pass the nootropics please [Sam Rauch ] Re: Alloy: The Party Room Is Ready! [Melissa Jordan ] Re: Alloy: The Party Room Is Ready! [Lem Bingley ] Alloy: Dolby in the News [Lem Bingley ] Re: Alloy: Frisco Concert [Elaine Linstruth ] Re: Alloy: ALLOY: England in '98 or bust [Elaine Linstruth ] Re: Alloy: Dolby in the News [Frank ] Re: Alloy: ALLOY: England in '98 or bust [Frank ] Alloy: Re: ALLOY: England in '98 or bust [RThurF@aol.com] Alloy: RE: Robin - suggested listening settings & CTHUGHA [John Schofield] Alloy: Keith's party I got locked out of [RThurF@aol.com] Re: Alloy: RE: suggested listening settings & CTHUGHA [RThurF@aol.com] Re: Alloy: Keith's party I got locked out of [Keith Stansell ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 22:32:25 -0700 From: electrix Subject: Re: Alloy: Re: Admin: Read this please. Paul Baily wrote: > > Dear Alloids, > > This is actually addressed to electrix. I think this indiscrete: I'd have > preferred to have a quiet chat offline with him about this, but the > gentleman clearly wanted you to see what he and I have to say. Apologies > in advance. > > electrix, I'd hoped my initial post would have cleared up any > uncertainty, but it doesn't look like it, so let me spell this out. > > It's my task to make sure Alloy runs smoothly and that everyone enjoys > themselves in a relaxed environment. The atmosphere of late has become > strained, confrontational, and at times outright picky, mainly due to > some of your well chosen words. There is no question about the 'group > dynamic': the people here simply don't want it this way. > > As a result I've had several of Alloy's most valuable and most patient > people contact me saying their noses have been put out of joint, and > expressing doubts about whether they want to stay with the list. > > electrix, I'm confident that deep down you have some valuable views to > offer and can appreciate and accept it when others offer you theirs, but > it doesn't show. So, I want to make this clear: /you/ are most welcome > here, but your abrasive attitude is not, and my patience for it is about > to run out. > > You are a guest here, and a new one at that. I'd have hoped that, as with > any person joining in a new group, you'd have taken a little time to > listen first so you could get a feel for the people here, but it seems > you don't much care how others perceive you or who's toes get trodden on > in the process. > > I will tolerate many things here, but lack of consideration for others' > feelings is not one of them. > > So, you have four choices: > > 1. You can mistake this message for a discussion like you did the first > one, and take me to task for every unjust remark you think I've made in > which case I'll escort you to the nearest exit, > > 2. You can take your grievances about same to Jeff in which case he'll > likely show you the same exit, > > 3. You could decide Alloy doesn't suit your own particular style of > communication, and politely and gracefully excuse yourself (send an email > to majordomo@smoe.org with UNSUBSCRIBE ALLOY in the body of the message), > or > > 4. You could pleasantly surprise everyone here by losing the attitude, > adding some maturity and showing people the same courtesy and respect > they afforded you when you first arrived. > > So, what's it going to be? Unsubscribe Alloy ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 02:49:36 -0400 From: "Stephen M. Tilson" Subject: Alloy: Frisco Concert Elaine, > Same Dan Hicks of "I Scare Myself" fame? Yes. Stephen P.S. Frisco? I dunno, I was always taught that was an insult, = although I am sure you didn't mean it that way. See how I am? ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 23:41:41 -0700 (PDT) From: "Charles E. Kemp" Subject: Alloy: Once again, all is right in the world... > > So, what's it going to be? > > > Unsubscribe Alloy * Tom Slick "YAY" comes from the crowd * Now that that's over, back to All Things Dolby (tm) ****** Charles E. Kemp ****** cekemp@netcom.com ****** (812) 597-5950 ****** Just for the sake of it make sure you're always frowning, it shows the world that you've got substance and depth. - Neil Tennant ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 18:09:37 +-1100 From: John Schofield Subject: RE: Alloy: Once again, all is right in the world... I second that !! John the lurker (well actually I've been on annual leave and only just read the 1000's of back-posts on Alloy) Hi to all. john @police.tas.gov.au >>---------- >>From: Charles E. Kemp[SMTP:cekemp@netcom.com] >>Sent: Monday, 13 October 1997 10:41 >>To: alloy@smoe.org >>Subject: Alloy: Once again, all is right in the world... >> > So, what's it going to be? >> >> >> Unsubscribe Alloy >* Tom Slick "YAY" comes from the crowd * >Now that that's over, back to All Things Dolby (tm) >****** Charles E. Kemp ****** cekemp@netcom.com ****** (812) 597-5950 ****** >Just for the sake of it make sure you're always frowning, it shows the >world that you've got substance and depth. - Neil Tennant ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 00:06:41 -0700 From: Frank Subject: Re: Alloy: Once again, all is right in the world... At 11:41 PM 10/12/97 -0700, you wrote: >> > So, what's it going to be? >> >> >> Unsubscribe Alloy > >* Tom Slick "YAY" comes from the crowd * > >Now that that's over, back to All Things Dolby (tm) > >****** Charles E. Kemp ****** cekemp@netcom.com ****** (812) 597-5950 ****** >Just for the sake of it make sure you're always frowning, it shows the >world that you've got substance and depth. - Neil Tennant > > The best news I've heard in years. I join in on the rousing "YAY". Frank My Web Sites http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/6745/index.html http://members.tripod.com/~WheelerF/index.html Home (Page) Improvement!! Remember, I'm just a kid in the candy store. Little by little I'm getting there. Join me on the ride. El Franco ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 00:21:36 -0700 (PDT) From: "Charles E. Kemp" Subject: Alloy: Yet another rehashed Bio... I was born a poor black child... Wait, that was Steve Martin. Actually, I'm just a whitebread kid, born in a whitebread town to whitebread parents and a whitebread house in the country with a whitebread two car garage, with a whitebread edition of Encyclopaedia Brittanica as my best friend. And that's when things started getting weird. I had read through the whole set when I was 5, then showed up for first grade and immediately became bored with academic life. Unfortunately, my techers didn't think I was gifted, just lazy...so I daydreamed my way through the first 7 years of school since reality was no challenge at all. Then I finally began running into topics that were able to hold my interest. But not for long. Fast forward 3 more years, and you'll see me realizing I better start getting to work, or college would not be a reality. Ah, an acceptance letter from Ball State University. Yep, finally a chance to get a serious education. Never mind that the only notable graduates of that fine institution are David Letterman, Red Skelton, Joyce DeWitt (Three's Company), and Jim Davis (Garfield Creator). That's right. I was gonna get serious about learning at a school that just produces Funny People. I wanted to get my BS and MS in Economics. After falling asleep in class for the first two weeks of the required Accounting class, I realized that Econ was not an option. I needed something a little more interesting to do for a living. And so I chose Criminology. It was interesting enough, but when I was just one year away from my BS, I decided that becoming a cop wasn't such a good idea...there ARE better things that one can do for 25k/year than become a cop and get shot at. Luckily, during my time at BSU I went from a die hard metalhead to a lover of all music synthesized. And so I eventually stumbled onto the work of TMDR. I guess the best way to describe why I love electronic music is this: There is no greater musical feat than taking a computer and making music with it. What a challenge! Take the most inhumane thing you can find, and make the most humane thing possible out of it. Breathtaking! The Ultimate Challenge! And I was re-born. But, it takes more than loving music to but food on your table, so I decided to go ahead and make a living as a meatcutter. Unfortunately, my company decided it would be a good time to downsize just months after I quit school. As Scooby would say, "Rut roh Raggy". So, I decided to get into the computer biz, since I had all this wasted school time that I spent on the Net before it became the cool thing to do. I applied at the local Best Buy, and then found out that I was a far better recreational geek than professional one. Then I discovered the wonderful world of major appliances. Washers, dryers, refrigerators, that sort of thing. It was amazing. Something so seemingly bland can become enthralling, all one has to do is be exposed to it. and the die was cast. I left Best Buy for a local retail chain that was a bitter rival. I had found my calling, I was to forever be a Retail Slave. When a former co-worker presented me with an opportunity, I left that job, but before I could start my new job, it disappeared. After six months of trying in vain, I finally got a new job a week and a half ago. So I'm now a sales drone for Circuit City. Once again, I am the Duke of Dishwashers and I couldn't be happier. Ok, so I'm lying. That annoying "I'm single" thing is still there, but one thing at a time! Oh, and please e-mail me Mary...we're so out of touch since your move. ****** Charles E. Kemp ****** cekemp@netcom.com ****** (812) 597-5950 ****** Just for the sake of it make sure you're always frowning, it shows the world that you've got substance and depth. - Neil Tennant ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 09:30:11 -0500 From: Sam Rauch Subject: Alloy: Pass the nootropics please Electrix, Don't know if you're stateside or not, but I have been intrigued by nootropics for several years now, and have yet to be able to get my mitts on any. What's your source, and how do you go about purchasing them? I'm most interested in Piracetam and Vasopressin. Have you any experience with these pharmaceuticals? Thanks for any and all help - Sam ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 11:03:33 -0400 From: Melissa Jordan Subject: Re: Alloy: The Party Room Is Ready! At 09:52 PM 10/12/97 -0700, Keith wrote: >The Thomas Dolby Birthday Party Chat room is now decorated for the >party. >I've set the party time for 7:00 PM Mountain Daylight Savings time on >Monday October 13th. Coolness! I'll try to join you, but I don't know if I'll make it - I'm trying to get my apartment "mom-proofed" before my mother's arrival for a two-week visit tomorrow (she's coming out for the dedication of the Women in Military Service Memorial at Arlington National Cemetary.) If I don't make it, hope y'all have a fab time. I hope you get a nice group tonight -- it would be a real shame if Keith were, after all, the sole inhabitant. Hee. Back to the tar pits... Cheers, Melissa Melissa R. Jordan Special Projects Manager International Programs Office Goodwill Industries International, Inc. (301) 881-6858, ext. 4567 (301) 881-9435 (fax) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 16:52:31 +0100 From: Lem Bingley Subject: (LONG) Re: Alloy: Biographies At 05:15 12/10/97 -0400, you wrote: >Hi Lemuel, > >Did I mention you share my g-g-grandfather's name? Nope. And did I let my full name slip through sometime, or are you just guessing? I tend to be quite thorough about being just Lem. >Earlier I heard you mention a doctorate in the physics of sound! >Would you care to be more specific? I surely would be interested. Getting me started is easier than stopping me :-) I got into ultrasonics through an interest in robotics. For the practical project during the final year of my undergraduate degree in electronics, I designed and built an ultrasonic robot 'vision' system. That project was lots of fun, and I got it to the point where a robot arm could scan an environment and interpret the shape of objects and determine whether they were specular reflectors (acoustically 'shiny' surfaces which tend to create reflections) or dull surfaces. Specular surfaces make it harder to tell what shape an object is as the reflections create false images - by moving the arm and taking another 'look' you can (sometimes!) work out whether you're seeing a real object, or a reflection, at a given point. That went well and I was asked to stay on and work on similar problems with a type of commercial sonar system called a bathymetric sidescan sonar. These systems work well in deep water, but not in shallow water, as echoes from the surface bouncing off the bottom tend to drown out other signals - I was supposed to find a way to stop that happening. I was funded by Marconi to begin with and planned lots of practical work - I learned to scuba dive and had some fun putting together models in a tank, etc. But after about 9 months of work, the 'peace dividend' kicked in, and Marconi withdrew funding. I had to either quit, or cut back the practical side. So I ended up doing theoretical research in the computer room - building a mathematical model of the physics of sound propagation in shallow water and using that to help design better sonar receivers. I spent about three years doing that, and was awarded my doctorate in November 1993. I basically showed that to improve reception the receiving equipment had to be about four times as complex (and thus 4X as unweildy and expensive) as current designs, so my work is yet to be put into production! And in my defence for including all that I'd just like to say that with better sonar fewer submarines would go missing. See, a Dolby relevance :-) And re-opening an old discussion, having both taught and studied at Uni, I have to side with the_copse's pessimistic view of the average student. People who spent at least a year earning their living demonstrably appreciated the opportunity of further ed more than their straight-from-college colleagues. But then I'm biassed cos I took a year out myself (working in an effluent processing plant - yum). >And earlier still there were rumblings from across the Pond about a >visit to San Francisco in the near future. It may yet happen, and it'll be a year-long secondment rather than a visit if it does. It's looking more like Mountain View than SF at present. I'll keep you posted and thanks for the invite! Lem. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 16:57:30 +0100 From: Lem Bingley Subject: Re: Alloy: The Party Room Is Ready! >I've set the party time for 7:00 PM Mountain Daylight Savings time on >Monday October 13th. That's 1.00am Tuesday my time! Have fun, I shan't wait up. Lem ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 17:14:50 +0100 From: Lem Bingley Subject: Alloy: Dolby in the News http://www5.zdnet.com/zdnn/content/zdnn/1010/zdnn0001.html A report from his recent talk, with soundbyte recording. L ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 10:17:05 -0700 (PDT) From: Elaine Linstruth Subject: Re: Alloy: Frisco Concert A thousand pardons! All I have to go on is the Jack-In-The-Box Frisco Sourdough Chicken Sandwich, mine for a limited time. Who knew? So, did ya go? - -- Elaine Linstruth Palmdale, CA (USA) On Mon, 13 Oct 1997, Stephen M. Tilson wrote: > P.S. Frisco? I dunno, I was always taught that was an insult, > although I am sure you didn't mean it that way. See how I am? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 11:17:29 -0700 (PDT) From: Elaine Linstruth Subject: Re: Alloy: ALLOY: England in '98 or bust Hey Robin, Just in case you're still looking for ideas: (Sorry for the use of the old post) -- if you alter your trip to include July of '98, you can make a side trip to France and catch a World Cup game or two! Slowly accepting the fact that I won't be able to afford the same trip, - -- Elaine Linstruth Palmdale, CA (USA) On Wed, 23 Jul 1997 RThurF@aol.com wrote: > Dave and I are going to England next year, in August of '98. Does anyone have > any bizarre suggestions of what we might do or visit while we're there? > Anyone want to come with us?? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 14:46:06 -0400 From: Tim Dunn <113203.2623@compuserve.com> Subject: (LONG) Re: Alloy: Lem's omission! C'mon Lem, don't be coy - what about your moonlighting as rap lyricist extraordinaire?! the_copse ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 11:54:50 -0700 From: Frank Subject: Re: Alloy: Dolby in the News At 05:14 PM 10/13/97 +0100, you wrote: >http://www5.zdnet.com/zdnn/content/zdnn/1010/zdnn0001.html > >A report from his recent talk, with soundbyte recording. > >L > My God what an experience!!!!!!! I at first thought 'I don't want to spend an hour and a quarter listening to his speech, it's just too long', but I quickly changed my mind once the audio started. That man TD is something else. I listened and was completely enthralled by content and style. And then I became angry with myself because so much was over my head. But if others can learn, so can I. Do any of us realize what TD has done for sound, he and his co-developers? It is incredible. And I appreciate his modesty. As he emphasizes, it is a team effort. And I sure do agree with his closing statement. It is a great time to be alive. Go for it TD, and may your efforts be continually rewarded. Your San Diego booster Frank Wheeler My Web Sites http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/6745/index.html http://members.tripod.com/~WheelerF/index.html Home (Page) Improvement!! Remember, I'm just a kid in the candy store. Little by little I'm getting there. Join me on the ride. El Franco ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 11:56:55 -0700 From: Frank Subject: Re: Alloy: ALLOY: England in '98 or bust At 11:17 AM 10/13/97 -0700, you wrote: > >Hey Robin, > >Just in case you're still looking for ideas: (Sorry for the use of the >old post) -- if you alter your trip to include July of '98, you can make a >side trip to France and catch a World Cup game or two! > >Slowly accepting the fact that I won't be able to afford the same trip, > >-- >Elaine Linstruth Palmdale, CA (USA) > >On Wed, 23 Jul 1997 RThurF@aol.com wrote: > >> Dave and I are going to England next year, in August of '98. Does anyone have >> any bizarre suggestions of what we might do or visit while we're there? >> Anyone want to come with us?? > > Sure, if you pay the way! Ha! The cheapskate. Frank My Web Sites http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/6745/index.html http://members.tripod.com/~WheelerF/index.html Home (Page) Improvement!! Remember, I'm just a kid in the candy store. Little by little I'm getting there. Join me on the ride. El Franco ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 18:30:34 -0400 (EDT) From: RThurF@aol.com Subject: Alloy: Re: ALLOY: England in '98 or bust Thanks for the suggestions for our trip!! Sadly, we may have to postpone things. We will now definitely be moving in the summer of '98 for Dave to start school, & very likely won't have enough bank account to go around to cover a trip as well. And, there's been some talk of our going to Alaska either before or after the England trip, since we want to live there one day. Still, I love to hear suggestions for future use. France is one of my dreams, except I don't speak ANY French. I am good at charades though (didn't the French invent these?) About listening to Dolby: my graphic equalizer is so fascinating to me lately. Is there any way us listeners can get the numbers "right", to hear it fairly close to the way Dolby intended? Perhaps if a little "suggested listening" diagram were included. . .though I'm sure every graphic equalizer is slightly different - and I know a lot of people are touchy about their equalizers. I seem to adjust it according to my mood, but every now & then I hit on something that sounds particularly well-suited to the piece. Robin ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 14 Oct 1997 10:35:04 +-1100 From: John Schofield Subject: Alloy: RE: Robin - suggested listening settings & CTHUGHA - ---------- >About listening to Dolby: my graphic equalizer is so fascinating to me >lately. Is there any way us listeners can get the numbers "right", to hear it >fairly close to the way Dolby intended? Perhaps if a little "suggested >listening" diagram were included. . .though I'm sure every graphic equalizer >is slightly different - and I know a lot of people are touchy about their >equalizers. I seem to adjust it according to my mood, but every now & then I >hit on something that sounds particularly well-suited to the piece. >Robin Robin, First, a disclaimer. I am no expert on the science of accoustics. It is my belief that a 'suggested listening' setting for your graphic equalizer would not work because of the different accoustic qualities of each listeners' environment (size, shape or room - furniture, wall & floor surfaces - coverings, curtains etc.). Also, as you suggest, every equalizer is a little different and probably each persons perception of these sounds is a little different (I'm sure someone out there has a better knowledge of how these things work than we). Slightly off subject - another way to enjoy the work of TMDR that I have tried. It is called 'Cthugha'. If you have a CDROM and a half decent sound card then this is for you (and its free). Go to http://www.afn.org/~cthugha/ and find the download area and get yourself a copy of Cthugha. It plays music cds from your cdrom (nothing new there) but interprets the sounds as patterns, shapes and... well seeing is believing. Try it - you'll love it. It's better than MTV. Regards, John, john@police.tas.gov.au ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 21:38:10 -0400 (EDT) From: RThurF@aol.com Subject: Alloy: Keith's party I got locked out of Keith's party wouldn't let me in with my Netscape Navigator Gold 3.0, and the web browser wouldn't get me even past the front gate. . .so I couldn't come to Thomas' party even though I have been looking forward to chatting with my fellow Alloyers since this morning. Now Dave insists on taking me out for ice cream to make me feel better. I couldn't be on the tape, and now THIS! Well. . .maybe I have a birthday candle in the cupboard somewhere that I can blow out. . . HAPPY BIRTHDAY anyway my dear Thomas, from your conspicuously absent yet sincere admirer, the ever hapless ROBIN!!! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 23:26:57 -0400 (EDT) From: RThurF@aol.com Subject: Re: Alloy: RE: suggested listening settings & CTHUGHA In a message dated 10/13/97 10:21:58 PM, John wrote: <> Thank you for this suggestion! I'm saving it to my personal folder. We are Mac users until January when we can invest in a PC - then we can do all the fun things we have thus far been underequipped for. Sound is the FIRST thing I want to delve into. You're so right, Cthuga sounds like something I'd love! Does a cd on the CD ROM maintain a more or less ideal sound quality for listening through headphones I wonder, or can this be adjusted also? Robin ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 21:16:18 -0700 From: Keith Stansell Subject: Re: Alloy: Keith's party I got locked out of I'm sorry for anyone who tried to join but was locked out. Aparently the chat program has trouble with....Netscape Gold3.0, Netscape 3.0 on Mac OS (IE is OK), Web TV, and IE 4.0 beta preview release. Otherwise, you're ok. The party was, well, I wasn't the Sole inhabitant, Beth Meyer and Jose' Gomez (I think- nickname gogo) joined in and we had a good time - ask Beth how she single handedly brought a P.I.L. concert to a halt. No TMDR, but I really didn't expect him. Now, we need to start needling him to join us and do this again. Wasn't it he who wanted suggestions for chat software? I'm sorry again for anyone who tried to get in and couldn't (Robin). I guess you'll need to download Netscape 4.0 or IE 3.0 (you don't have to give up the 3.0 Gold to do this, I have all three on my computer). So, lets try again another day. Here's the address for the room if you'd like to test out your browser: http://www.concentric.net/~kasman/chat.shtml And here's the address for the F.A.Q. on the chat software: http://parachat.webpage.com/faq/chatters.htm Now again the sole inhabitant -- Keith Stansell Denver, CO __________________________________________________ http://www.concentric.net/~kasman - -- Keith Stansell Denver, CO __________________________________________________ http://www.concentric.net/~kasman ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 14 Oct 1997 15:14:50 +-1100 From: John Schofield Subject: Alloy: re: CTHUGHA - ---------- >Thank you for this suggestion! I'm saving it to my personal folder. We are >Mac users until January when we can invest in a PC - then we can do all the >fun things we have thus far been underequipped for. Sound is the FIRST thing >I want to delve into. You're so right, Cthuga sounds like something I'd love! >Does a cd on the CD ROM maintain a more or less ideal sound quality for l>istening through headphones I wonder, or can this be adjusted also? >Robin Robin & other fellow Alloyites, There is a Mac version of Cthugha although it will be of absolutely no use whatever without a sound card of some sort. When you do get a pc I personally would recommend using the DOS/Windows version as opposed to the '97 version - unless you have a very fast machine with some type of 3DFX video card. The DOS/Windows version runs great in Windows and DOS on my 486DX4-100. Take a look at the Cthugha gallery for a sample of the screen shots. As far as adjusting sound output quality with pc sound cards - just about all sound cards have software to handle the basics : volume, bass, treble, left/right balance etc. : and Windows95 has a generic version of this. Cthugha also has controls that allow you to do the same. Sound quality, I find, is as good as my regular cd player. Those with better systems may notice the difference - I can't. And don't forget you can plug your pc into your regular stereo amp & graphic equalizer anyway. I'd better stop raving and get back in my box again... Regards, John john@police.tas.gov.au ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V2 #217 ***************************