[daves]

Kyle, we could use a large fruit medley/ watermelon!
The Fairchilds await.

[daves]

A few more items have been donated to next Sunday's auction.  These items come from Keith Herron of Herron Audio.  They include:

Tektronix 468 Digital scope.  Starts at $100

Tektronix R7704 scope.  Starts at  $125

Tektronix 7603 scope.  Starts at $110

BK Precision Function Generator.  Mike Stehr, Klipsch Forum, $50

Instek Frequency Counter.  Starts at $65

NAD C516BEE CD Player with remote, manual.  $10

Tandberg Reel to Reel Stereo tape deck, Model 64X.  Needs new belts, which are included.  Might have other issues.  DaveS, $15

Sony Digital Audio Processor PCM-501ES.  Believed to be in working order.  No way to test. $50

Belkin AC Line Conditioner, Model AP 41300-10.  Nice looking unit with 13 total conditioned outlets.  $75

Sony 24 inch LCD Monitor.  $10

[daves]

We went out to an estate sale this morning in pursuit of a cool mid 1950s mono speaker, and it is now rolling some tunes downstairs with our mono integrated Eico HF12. You will hear this tomorrow in the main den. It is a circa 1958 JBL C38 Baron, with a D130 15" woofer, and an 075 bullet tweeter, with an ebony veneer cabinet and Herman Miller spun aluminum thin edge stiletto legs.

[Baumli]

Apologies to JohnH12 for not seeing your post earlier.

Of course I am always on the prowl for new audio delights, especially when they are as virgin as what comes off your drawing board.

And thank you for the squiggly lines. You did a 4th-order crossover?! That was brave, and I assume it worked, or you wouldn't have put it out. Congratulations. Why didn't you tell us you're a genius?

Come to think of it, I dated a female named Rhonda when I was a senior in college. She had squiggly lines too, if you can figure out what this means. At that point, I was a thoroughly liberated man and knew I was supposed to love a woman for her mind. Rhonda's problem was that she didn't have much of a mind. Or vocabulary. Most of her utterances were just one word long.

Last I saw her was about five years ago just before her mother died. At this point she had been divorced 7 times and was having an affair with a married man. I am not kidding. Trust me, I kept my distance.

I'll see you tomorrow!

Very best,

Francis Baumli

[Baumli]

Dear folks,

People keep asking what is on the needed foods list. Thank you for asking because this year we are trying to take the burden off Dave and share it as an old-fashioned potluck. If everybody brings but one covered dish, or similar food contribution, then we will have more than enough to eat.

My suggestion, at this point, with so many people already having committed to bringing sweets--cupcakes, brownies, etc., is that you bring something a little more healthy, or filling, or substantial. A simple casserole, some sliced meat, or that sort of thing. Out of respect for my olfactory sensibilities, you might do me the favor of not bringing sushi.

Oh, and one other thing. If you plan to do some heavy-duty testing of the whiskey samples, or to gorge on the food, bring a servant with a wheelbarrow to take you back to your car.

Thank you in advance!

Francis Baumli

[daves]

Francis, we are picking up a gaggle of New Orleans muffulettas(6) from Blues City Deli, which will help on solid foods.

[Baumli]

Dave,

I have never before even heard of a muffuletta. The word sounded disgustingly wimpy, when I first encountered it. But I looked it up, and note that it is of Sicilian origin. Since there is nothing wimpy that is Sicilian, well then, ... .

Edified,

Baumli

[Baumli]

Dear people,

I doubt I'll have time to check this site in the morning before heading for Dave's. I just wanted to call people's attention to a couple of curiosities in the bidding. I am surprised that no one has placed a bid for one or both of the Cardas cables, given their quality and what a deal this is considering that they are brand-new and have the Furutech ends. Second, I am surprised no one has bid on the Tice power cord. With this in mind, I have lowered the opening bid to $90 because I would rather it stay in Saint Louis than get sold on eBay. Of course, if no one else buys it, then under the rules I have levied on myself, I suppose I could buy it. Truly it is the best power cord for front-end components I have ever heard in my system.

Lordy, the food that is coming in! Home-made brownies, home-made cupcakes, a fruit salad, and more sweet-potato pies were all promised this evening. We'll be so orally sated that being aurally sated will no longer matter to us.

If anyone shows up and doesn't know me, please introduce yourself. I'm easy to spot since I'm the ugliest man in Missouri.

Humbly,

Francis Baumli 

[mjmsound]

Had a good time. Got some good stuff. Missed a lot of the gassers. Where were all of you?

[Scott F.]

We had our grandson's 5th birthday party so we weren't able to make it. Sounds like I won a few auction items though.

WooHoo 

[mjmsound]

Happy birthday to Scott F's grandson.

[popthinker]

Sounds like I won a few auction items though.

WooHoo 

Glad the Squeezebox Duet found a good home, Scott. I restored it to factory settings.

[Scott F.]

Cool, thanks!

[Baumli]

Dear people,

A big thanks to everyone who helped with the GAS fundraiser for Abbe's medical mission to The Honduras! I waited this long to make a posting about it because I wanted to know how much of promised donations would actually come in. Most is in, and it looks like we made about five-thousand! Debbie Shell and Kent Johnson were instrumental in organizing and getting donations. Dave and Colleen hosted the event, and Dave played the role of guru and auctioneer in getting people to immerse themselves in the auction and move it along cleanly and efficiently. Abbe and I did a lot of preliminary work, and frankly were exhausted by the end of the day (and the next day too), but it certainly was worth it! Aside from the fundraising, just getting to visit with people and have a relaxing time counted for a lot! It was good to see some people I hadn't seen in a long time; and there are people I haven't seen in a long time I sure would have enjoyed seeing. A storm came in amidst the auction, but Dave (with many people's help) managed to get things under cover, and I daresay many people walked away gloating at their new treasures, and not out too much cash getting what they wanted.

Also, we got to hear some of Dave's vintage equipment. That cabinet he got with the JBL D-130 in it with a little .75" tweeter is to die for. I gnawed on my own liver because of audio lust.

Thank you for everything! I admit I was a tad pessimistic, but as matters turned out, everything went easily and money was raised for a worthy cause! Shall we do it again next year?

Gratefully,

Francis Baumli

[daves]

Francis, Abbe, and all the wonderful people going on, helping out, and supporting your 2017 medical mission, we extend a heartfelt thanks for all that you are doing. We were most honored to help out in our own small ways, and we wish this year's mission to be a rousing success. Colleen, Liam, and I all enjoyed hosting again this year. It was again a privilege and honor to see everyone pull together to help.

Also, for those who had other commitments and obligations, feel free to visit the Washington Overseas Mission website and support their endeavor as you can. Click here and make a donation!

Thanks again, Dave

http://overseasmission.org/donate/

[popthinker]

Francis, it was my pleasure to help you, Abbe and the rest of my fellow colleagues. What a wonderful cause!

Abbe, thank you for making your efforts come alive for the rest of us by showing pictures and describing the work.

To add on to Dave's comments, donations are still being taken at the link in Dave's post. If you choose to contribute, please put ‘for the summer mission trip’ or ‘for Guanacaste’ in the comments field on the donation page so your gift goes to the right mission. If you've already contributed, thank you! If you didn't let them know where to direct your money, I'm sure an email to the Washington Overseas Mission could correct the inadvertent oversight.

[Baumli]

Dear folks,

I apologize for being this tardy with an update about The Honduras medical mission trip. When Abbe returned, there were problems at her usual work place, there also was the huge task of getting medical equipment cleaned and stored, and the usual overwhelming amount of "stuff" to do also.

But I can report that Abbe is healthy (it took a few days!), both villages they served are much more stable now after the several years of visits--which only happen once a year, and Abbe felt better than ever about the value and efficiency of what they accomplished.

In truth, the main work involved is fund-raising and the task of preparing many tons of medical supplies to be shipped. This latter part is truly monumental, and you would almost have to participate in it in realize how time-consuming (and tedious!) it is. The fund-raising is essential, always uncertain, but the results of the silent auction at Dave Sheckleton's place did a great deal to make it all possible. Several people there made outright cash donations, as did several people who weren't there. The gentleman who had donated generously toward buying foodstuffs for the two villages did so again, and this somehow warms my heart more than anything because he reasons simply that you can't expect to do good medicine for people who are on a semi-starvation diet.

So thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'm already trying to get donations of audio items for next year, and am running into what I was beginning to encounter over the previous six months. There are fewer two-channel audio stores, and the ones that are pushing along keep very little inventory. So even though unsold inventory can be a lucrative tax write-off,  these stores usually don't have any in stock to donate.

But I'll keep doing my part, and believe I can scrounge some goods for at least one or two more auctions.

Meanwhile, over there in those two "third-world" villages, people are better fed, they are healthier, and the desire for birth control continues--which means fewer mouths to feed, less malnutrition, and children who thrive instead of cry.

Abbe is warmed and grateful for what GAS did for the trip. Her husband is too. "Thanks a million!" as my dad used to say. Specific thanks go to Master Dave and his family for hosting the fund-raising event, and to those individuals who donated some of the equipment we auctioned off. All of us, working together, made it possible. And all of us, not neglecting the possibility, made it happen.

We're doing something right. A whole lot that is right.

Again, a heartfelt thanks!

Francis Baumli