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The Bass Zone / Sisters of metal
« on: September 30, 2018, 05:52:09 PM »Bass player steals the show.
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The Outpost Cafe / Going green on the backs of children
« on: August 08, 2018, 06:05:00 PM »
I find it ironic after I started doing research on cobalt. At my new job I am in charge of magnet product development and safety, so I am learning all this stuff about nickel and cobalt - alnico magnets.
Cobalt prices have been really going up, so I did some research out of curiously about cobalt.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cobalt-children-mining-democratic-republic-congo-cbs-news-investigation/
It turns out the republic of Congo hold 90% of the world’s supply of cobalt that is used in just about every rechargeable battery.
Not all cobalt is mined by children, but there is little control of anything in the war torn Congo.
There are strict world mining regulations on every metal except cobalt.
I just find it ironic all these people driving Nissan Leafs, Tesla’s etc, feeling like they are doing something great for the environment, possibly built on the back of child labor.
My I pad battery is low, I better go charge it....
Cobalt prices have been really going up, so I did some research out of curiously about cobalt.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cobalt-children-mining-democratic-republic-congo-cbs-news-investigation/
It turns out the republic of Congo hold 90% of the world’s supply of cobalt that is used in just about every rechargeable battery.
Not all cobalt is mined by children, but there is little control of anything in the war torn Congo.
There are strict world mining regulations on every metal except cobalt.
I just find it ironic all these people driving Nissan Leafs, Tesla’s etc, feeling like they are doing something great for the environment, possibly built on the back of child labor.
My I pad battery is low, I better go charge it....
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The Outpost Cafe / Japan as a race heading toward extinction
« on: August 08, 2018, 05:36:28 PM »
https://www.businessinsider.com/demographic-time-bomb-clock-japan-2016-9
They are closing schools, collages and cities filled with empty playgrounds.
They are closing schools, collages and cities filled with empty playgrounds.
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The Bass Zone / California Prop 65 warning
« on: August 05, 2018, 04:23:43 AM »
Guitars that have nickel plated/chrome hardware will have to carry a warning Label sold in California.
WARNING; This product contains nickel which in known to cause Cancer and birth defects in the state of California.
Are you going to buy your kid a guitar that says this guitar causes cancer?
In our day and age of Online sales where distributors do not want special labeled products for California only, they want everything for everyone labeled which is going to effect the sales of a lot of products, plus signed legal documents that say manufactures are compliant with prop 65.
The state is not enforcing it, but bounty hunter lawyers are, so companies fear lawsuits so they are enforcing it. The list has 900 + thing listed!
Lawyers typically threaten then force a settlement between $20,000 - $50,000.
We have to dispose of all our dimes, nickels, and quarters.
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/general-info/cancer-warning-labels-based-on-californias-proposition-65.html
WARNING; This product contains nickel which in known to cause Cancer and birth defects in the state of California.
Are you going to buy your kid a guitar that says this guitar causes cancer?
In our day and age of Online sales where distributors do not want special labeled products for California only, they want everything for everyone labeled which is going to effect the sales of a lot of products, plus signed legal documents that say manufactures are compliant with prop 65.
The state is not enforcing it, but bounty hunter lawyers are, so companies fear lawsuits so they are enforcing it. The list has 900 + thing listed!
Lawyers typically threaten then force a settlement between $20,000 - $50,000.
We have to dispose of all our dimes, nickels, and quarters.
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/general-info/cancer-warning-labels-based-on-californias-proposition-65.html
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Bill's Shop: Projects, Mods & Repairs / Years later I find this article🦂
« on: July 07, 2018, 07:54:27 PM »8
The Outpost Cafe / Something new and old from the Eastern Front!
« on: May 02, 2018, 07:04:32 PM »
These old birds still make my heart flutter.
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The Outpost Cafe / What are you tooling around in now?
« on: April 25, 2018, 03:44:05 PM »
I finally got out my MR2!
Time to enjoy life!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/07AYd0UEmT83dnCV2
I forgot how archaic posting pictures on a web page are!
What do you guys drive or ride for fun.
Time to enjoy life!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/07AYd0UEmT83dnCV2
I forgot how archaic posting pictures on a web page are!
What do you guys drive or ride for fun.
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The Outpost Cafe / Baby Metal Kami Band
« on: April 14, 2018, 06:01:05 AM »
A few years ago I dragged my son to Babymetal in Chicago.
More like Blue Man group as far as being more a production, not a real “band”. However it was an amazing show.
Like everything Japanese they do everything better than in the West, but never in originality for the most part, other than them not understanding western culture and doing weird things with it, but that is another subject.
My son commented that it was one of the best shows he has seen. The guitarist recently died, fell of a balcony. RIP
More like Blue Man group as far as being more a production, not a real “band”. However it was an amazing show.
Like everything Japanese they do everything better than in the West, but never in originality for the most part, other than them not understanding western culture and doing weird things with it, but that is another subject.
My son commented that it was one of the best shows he has seen. The guitarist recently died, fell of a balcony. RIP
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Bill's Shop: Projects, Mods & Repairs / Shau Sugi Ban
« on: April 11, 2018, 05:37:52 PM »
It would be cool to try this on a bass?
Certianly would be a lot of fun like raku?
Certianly would love to do it to a fence?
Certianly would be a lot of fun like raku?
Certianly would love to do it to a fence?
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The Outpost Cafe / Now for something poppy
« on: January 19, 2018, 08:53:47 PM »
Something Poppy ?
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The Outpost Cafe / Long winded update
« on: January 13, 2018, 09:38:05 AM »
I am sorry I have not been around, but I have sailed on life’s journey and will share my experience.
I do miss Uwe, but everyone else I keep in touch with on social media.
Anyway, as some of you might remember 4 years ago my sister died from blood cancer, I had to put my dog down, and I lost my company.
So I took a step back and re-evaluated my life. Realized I can’t play bass anymore due to my unorthodox style which was giving me carpel tunnel and tennis elbow.
So I always like sports cars and some guy near me offered to sell me his 1985 Toyota Mr2 for a crazy price. I bought it without my wife’s blessing. She read me the riot act and I decided to pay for it by selling all my basses, but this is its own story for another day.
I found in my industry- Toys, no one wants to hire anyone over 50, at least not without relocating, which I did want to do, since I would more than likely get laid off . Also I would rather live near my kids.
I got hired by another toy Invention studio that lasted 3 years, but the owner decided to liquidate the company and its staff.
So I was unemployed once again. My bank account was trickling down so I took a job selling Windows inhome. Guess what?
I loved doing it, it was a great experience and did fairly well. Now don’t go all sorry for the inhome sales guys, they make big money, some make 6 figures!
I also was really good at it because I didn’t care if I sold them. They had a sales training system that really worked. Each sale took at least 4 hours!
They taught us all these negotiating tactics, but I rarely used them, because they would all say (the ones who really were serious) - John I really like you and I know I told you I never buy anything on my first quote i’ll do it!
It was crazy!
It was good money too, but creativity I felt empty and felt like I was faking my life.
I would drive all over Chicago and get to meet all these cool different people, enter their houses, see their decorating styles, see cool new neihborhoods, and hear their life stories. I bonded with these people like I was family in the end. I could tell you about their grandpa, their dogs name - which I would stop anysale when they had a dog and just play with their dog.
If a sale was not going well I would say to my sell f*** it and try something crazy, and it work 90 percent of the time.
I also learned sales is an emotional rollercoaster. When you sell a big order of Windows for a house, say $46,000 for window doors etc and get 15% it’s intoxicating. However when you can’t sell it is really depressing. You can tell right away when it’s a waste of time.
I had 2 weeks of no sales and started looking at jobs again.
I found a local company that does children’s Educational products and they hired me!
It’s been one year and things are going well.
I handle all their product Development, and they are a great company. So far so good at least.
We got two new basenjis (yes I need my head examined), my son got married and moved out of town and my daughter graduated collage and moved back home.
She bought a bearded dragon that is an anazimg pet. Who knew they like to be with people and are almost dog like.
That’s my long winded story.
I you want to know what it’s like, watch the first couple of episodes of white powder on Netflix.
I do miss Uwe, but everyone else I keep in touch with on social media.
Anyway, as some of you might remember 4 years ago my sister died from blood cancer, I had to put my dog down, and I lost my company.
So I took a step back and re-evaluated my life. Realized I can’t play bass anymore due to my unorthodox style which was giving me carpel tunnel and tennis elbow.
So I always like sports cars and some guy near me offered to sell me his 1985 Toyota Mr2 for a crazy price. I bought it without my wife’s blessing. She read me the riot act and I decided to pay for it by selling all my basses, but this is its own story for another day.
I found in my industry- Toys, no one wants to hire anyone over 50, at least not without relocating, which I did want to do, since I would more than likely get laid off . Also I would rather live near my kids.
I got hired by another toy Invention studio that lasted 3 years, but the owner decided to liquidate the company and its staff.
So I was unemployed once again. My bank account was trickling down so I took a job selling Windows inhome. Guess what?
I loved doing it, it was a great experience and did fairly well. Now don’t go all sorry for the inhome sales guys, they make big money, some make 6 figures!
I also was really good at it because I didn’t care if I sold them. They had a sales training system that really worked. Each sale took at least 4 hours!
They taught us all these negotiating tactics, but I rarely used them, because they would all say (the ones who really were serious) - John I really like you and I know I told you I never buy anything on my first quote i’ll do it!
It was crazy!
It was good money too, but creativity I felt empty and felt like I was faking my life.
I would drive all over Chicago and get to meet all these cool different people, enter their houses, see their decorating styles, see cool new neihborhoods, and hear their life stories. I bonded with these people like I was family in the end. I could tell you about their grandpa, their dogs name - which I would stop anysale when they had a dog and just play with their dog.
If a sale was not going well I would say to my sell f*** it and try something crazy, and it work 90 percent of the time.
I also learned sales is an emotional rollercoaster. When you sell a big order of Windows for a house, say $46,000 for window doors etc and get 15% it’s intoxicating. However when you can’t sell it is really depressing. You can tell right away when it’s a waste of time.
I had 2 weeks of no sales and started looking at jobs again.
I found a local company that does children’s Educational products and they hired me!
It’s been one year and things are going well.
I handle all their product Development, and they are a great company. So far so good at least.
We got two new basenjis (yes I need my head examined), my son got married and moved out of town and my daughter graduated collage and moved back home.
She bought a bearded dragon that is an anazimg pet. Who knew they like to be with people and are almost dog like.
That’s my long winded story.
I you want to know what it’s like, watch the first couple of episodes of white powder on Netflix.
