Random Photos

[jtbell]

 

[jtbell]

Today I was at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds for a coin/stamp/postcard show. Nearby was one station of the "State Fair Flyer" chairlift ride. I noticed the station's name is "Wilbur".

Hmmm. I thought, I bet the other station's name is "Orville". I hiked to the other end, and sure enough...

 

[berkeman]

Well clearly I'll need to do more reading about this encoding...

 

[Ibix]

Well clearly I'll need to do more reading about this encoding...

One channel pushes the needle left/right and the other up/down, IIRC. I think the arrows may be trying to point out vinyl structures that are "mostly a ridge" and "mostly a joggle".

Edit: or possibly the orthogonal directions are the two diagonals - that might make more sense.

Edit 2: apparently it is the diagonals: https://www.stereophile.com/content/how-does-stereo-vinyl-record-work.

 

[jtbell]

And in the 1970s there were quadraphonic (4-channel) LPs, with the four channels encoded into the two physical LP channels in such a way that they could be decoded on playback. There were several incompatible schemes for this, and so the whole concept was never very successful commercially.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadraphonic_sound

IIRC some audio receivers or preamplifiers had multiple quad decoding circuits, with a selector knob that you set according to the type of quad LP you were playing. This was high-end stuff that I couldn't afford in my poor student days.

 

[Rive]

Well clearly I'll need to do more reading about this encoding...

One of my previous workplace tried to dabble into touchless digitalization of wax recordings. (Some 20+ years ago, when it was still relevant/revolutionary). Not something simple...

 

[Ibix]

There were several incompatible schemes for this, and so the whole concept was never very successful commercially.

The neat thing about the stereo system in @berkeman's photo is that both diagonal channels have a component in the horizontal direction that a mono player expects. So if you only have a mono player you get an average of the two channels, but a stereo player plays the two independently. So I think it still works for the less affluent customer. I'm guessing the quadraphonic system did not...

 

[nsaspook]

 

[DennisN]

A caiman/crocodile cub:

Author: Tambako The Jaguar, License: CC BY-ND
Source: https://wallpaperscraft.com/download/caiman_crocodile_cub_1030676/5357x3013

 

[jtbell]

On my way home from Raleigh today, I stopped in High Point NC. This is billed as the "World's Largest Chest of Drawers".

Just outside town, the Furnitureland South complex has what looks like an even larger chest of drawers, but it's only a façade.

Nearby Thomasville has "The Chair".

If one could climb on it, it would be a great place for railfans to sit and watch trains.

 

[Averagesupernova]

I obviously can't take credit for this gif but the large chest of drawers posted by @jtbell sure made me think of Seinfeld. Room for more than just a tourist per drawer.

 

[jtbell]

the "World's Largest Chest of Drawers"

has some history behind it:

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2148

 

[Rive]

This is billed as the "World's Largest Chest of Drawers".

With already half pairs of socks looks authentic enough

 

[DennisN]

A pretty nice castle!

Photo by Cederic Vandenberghe, location: Eltz Castle, Wierschem, Germany
Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/closeup-photo-of-castle-with-mist-21DP3hytVHw

 

[docnet]

A pretty nice castle!

View attachment 341801
Photo by Cederic Vandenberghe, location: Eltz Castle, Wierschem, Germany
Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/closeup-photo-of-castle-with-mist-21DP3hytVHw

That's the Hogwarts School from Harry Potter! Too bad I didn't get accepted. I read the lunch banquets are incredible there.

 

[BillTre]

 

[nsaspook]

A little bit of Texas style smoked corned beef for my great-great grandpappy, on my mothers side.

To make a proper corned beef and cabbage later and a few drinks waiting for that to be done.

 

[nsaspook]

 

[Andy Resnick]

Sunny weekend in the woods, good opportunity to break out the macro lens and see what's out-n-about:

[Edit: scale bar error...]


This one came out pretty good, too...

 

[morrobay]

Always a photo after a cappuccino.

 

[docnet]

Always a photo after a cappuccino. View attachment 341966

So... What is it?

 

[morrobay]

Part of grab food ad poster on bus. Looks like the same girl.

 

[jtbell]

 

[DennisN]

Two different photos taken recently...

Leaves in spring sunlight:

...and a car in hard rain:

(luckily I had my weatherproof camera with me at that time )

 

[jtbell]

So much for our hoped-for "upset of the century" in the first round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament...

 

[berkeman]

luckily I had my weatherproof camera with me at that time

Did it startle the driver when your flash went off? I'll bet they thought they had been caught by a speed camera...

 

[DennisN]

Did it startle the driver when your flash went off?

No, I didn't use flash (a fast lens (f/1.4 in this case) and high ISO is often sufficient for me). Actually I almost never use flash.

Edit: By the way, I also like to draw as little attention as possible to myself when I'm shooting (and flash is pretty much the opposite ). One thing I have clearly noticed after I started shooting with system cameras is that nearby people very often take notice of me.

I guess nowadays people are so used to smartphones so when the see a system camera they may think, well, he's doing something unusual. And in fact I've been asked quite a few times what I am doing .

And if I'm going around in the city with a big zoom lens, it's even worse, then people REALLY take notice .

And it does not fit my personality at all, I usually don't want to be noticed. But no pain, no gain, I guess.

 

[berkeman]

By the way, I also like to draw as little attention as possible to myself when I'm shooting (and flash is pretty much the opposite ).

I take the opposite approach...

 

[DennisN]

I take the opposite approach...

View attachment 342175

Another genius troller :

(from https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-trolling/)

 

[nsaspook]