Random Discussion

[WhistlingBadger]

I have a gripe about two things... well probably a lot more than two.

1) TV food ads that make you want something but the place does not even exist in your area. Three examples are KFC chicken which I love but there is not one here. Burger King fast food. I don't often do fast food but I DO like a BK Whopper now and then. Again, they are not here. Marco's and Papa John's pizza. I've never had Marco's but want to try. Papa John's is decent and I've had. Of course neither exist here. While not really logistically possible they should not be allowed to throw up ads for places that are impossible for you to use.

There really isn't a KFC in Sheridan? There used to be; I'm sure of it. We used to go there after work once in a while. I always felt like Sheridan had a strange lack of restaurants, given the population and the large amount of money in the area. A few fast food joints, several top end places for the rich folks, and not much in between.

2) This one could probably be fixed but won't. Switch to a different TV channel and the volume is so low you have to crank up your sound to enjoy. Switch channels again and get blasted out. It should be a regulation that all such broadcasts be the same sound level. This could actually be done but won't happen.

That drives me nuts too. Also, TV shows where the music is louder than the dialog, so you're having to constantly adjust the volume. That's just poor production, but it happens sometimes. Also, commercials that are way louder than the show you're watching. I think they do that so you can still hear the commercials from the fridge or the bathroom.

Hey, we sound like a couple of grouchy old men! YOU KIDS GET OFF MY LAWN!!!

 

[GaryE]

I'm more inclined to be upset at fast food ads for places that DO exist here. That stuff ruins you. But we're used to it as we have some different chains than the US, and we get cross border channels.

My beef is music recordings from the early CD period, when I assume they were having digital analog conflicts and recorded everything at a really low volume. If you crank them up with current technology, they sound very muffled, and in the car, those songs drop in volume. There were some good artists back then, and I wish they'd remaster some of them. If any of you fish people own giant record labels, please have a word with your engineers.

 

[MaloK]

2) This one could probably be fixed but won't. Switch to a different TV channel and the volume is so low you have to crank up your sound to enjoy. Switch channels again and get blasted out. It should be a regulation that all such broadcasts be the same sound level. This could actually be done but won't happen.

Some intelligent TVs have features to equalize sound, They are called: Auto volume, Loudness equalization or Optimized sound.

Check in your TV setup If you can find one of these. If you are using Windows check in your audio output properties enhancement for Loudness equalization.

I have a Stereo system and when the audio is DTS or Pro-Logic, Since I have no center speaker the voice can get lost deep in the soundtrack. Loudness Eq does a great job fixing this.

 

[Fishmanic]

I feel like a PONY today
Today I woke up with a soar throat and my voice is very raspy.
I'm a "LITTLE HOARSE"

​

 

[Fishmanic]

I feel like a PONY today
Today I woke up with a soar throat and my voice is very raspy.
I'm a "LITTLE HOARSE"

 

[jaylach]

There really isn't a KFC in Sheridan? There used to be; I'm sure of it. We used to go there after work once in a while. I always felt like Sheridan had a strange lack of restaurants, given the population and the large amount of money in the area. A few fast food joints, several top end places for the rich folks, and not much in between.

Ya, there used to be a KFC but not for at least 11-12 years. It was shut down by the health department. The franchise owner refuses to sell out of spite and KFC won't issue another franchise as the population isn't large enough for two.

 

[gwand]

I’m reading a book I highly recommend entitled The Brief History of Intelligence by Max Bennett. It weaves the history of computer learning leading to AI with the evolutionary history of animal intelligence. He provides many examples of fish intelligence. I loved that. Fascinating read. As a retired neuroscientist I can testify to the accuracy of the neurobiological paradigms he recounts.

 

[Marc Pozz]

Should I post a pic of my tank for a laugh?

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Should I post a pic of my tank for a laugh?

Sure. We'd love to see it. Everybody starts somewhere.

 

[jaylach]

Just heard a quote I liked.

"You were given two ears and one mouth so you should listen twice as much as you talk."

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Just heard a quote I liked.

"You were given two ears and one mouth so you should listen twice as much as you talk."

Teachers, take note. ha ha

 

[jaylach]

Finally re-homed my fish today. Now I can tear down and setup specifically for Panda Garra. Just need to decide whether to use my existing 20 gallon cube tank or to get a new one without the built in filtration which I don't really like.

I think I'll probably ditch my fake tree trunk that was used as a cave system and just add more wood to go along with existing spider... Actually I already have one extra piece of wood that I couldn't use due to the space taken by the tree trunk. I'll keep swords to hide the air risers for my under gravel filtration. Will also keep some Anubias and Java fern for the front area. Mayhaps a few other plants but not as heavy as current as Pandas like to play so I want more open area. MAY get a few other smaller fish such as guppies and/or mollies (males only! ) but the tank will be mainly for pandas.

 

[jaylach]

Oh, to add to the above... Since pandas like a fairly high water flow and high oxygen I'm thinking about adding one of those bubble bars with its own air pump. Would either place behind the air risers or, as I'm strange, about a third of the way from the back which MAY add a sense of depth to the tank. Between two air risers and a bubble bar I would definitely get enough surface agitation to raise the oxygen level to max or close as water can only hold so much free oxygen.

If I place the bubble bar away from the back I would mostly bury the bar and totally bury the air line.

The reason I'd get another air pump for the bar is that I just don't double up on pump outputs. Right now each of my air risers have their own Whisper 20 pump. Would get another Whisper 20, or mayhaps even a 30, for the bar. The reason I don't double up on pump outlets is safety factor. Even though each pump only drives one riser each has a two outlet valve. If I lose a pump I attach the line to the one still working. This is important with UG filtration as the good bacteria goes deep into the substrate and needs water flow for oxygen.

Another option which may even be better for water flow would be to use both the Whisper 20 pumps on the bubble bar and then go with small power heads on the air risers. The power heads would give much more water flow than bubbles in the risers. This method could even increase oxygen levels if I place the bar close to the outlets for the power heads as the flow from the power heads could likely break the surface tension on the bubbles releasing oxygen directly instead of just causing surface agitation.

OK, I'm done contemplating and thinking out loud.

 

[Rusty_Shackleford]

LOL! I like that. My apartments are senior living, 55 years or older, and some of often refer to it the wrinkle ranch.

God's waiting room.

 

[jaylach]

Good day today. The hosting outfit that holds my sites contacted me and offered a bit of a discount as a sort of loyalty thing as I've been with them since 2010. For the next 12 months my billing just went from $359.40/year to $179.70/year.