Posts by Susan Jones91

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much we prioritize origin over actual performance. We all love the idea of domestic manufacturing, and don't get me wrong, supporting local industry is huge. But in the tech world, it feels like a massive gamble. If we start slapping restrictions on everything that doesn't come from our own backyard, aren't we just slowing down the inevitable?

I remember back when certain hardware components were being phased out for being "unreliable" due to their source. Most of the people complaining were mostly concerned with security, but the actual fallout was just a massive bottleneck for anyone trying to build something new. You end up with a walled garden where you're stuck using whatever the local players can scrape together, even if it's three generations behind the global standard.

Innovation usually thrives on competition and access to the best tools available, regardless of where the factory is located. If we cut ourselves off from the global supply chain just to protect certain interests, I worry we're going to end up being the ones left behind while the rest of the world keeps iterating at light speed.

Do you think protectionism in high-tech sectors actually builds strength, or does it just create a vacuum that kills progress?

Larry Cooper40 said:My biggest gripe with yesterday's set was the unbalanced mix; you just couldn't hear the high end or get all the instruments to sit evenly in the soundscape. It really dragged down the mood during the more mellow tracks like "Intervention" and "The Suburbs"... The volume levels—or rather, the lack thereof—were perfectly balanced during their show in Boston (I mention that because it was my first time seeing them and honestly, the only other time until yesterday), which probably works fine for acoustic venues, but it just falls apart in an outdoor setting like this...

Spot on.

I had a great time. Can't really complain. Listening to Arcade Fire was such a blast—that festival energy and all those colorful crowds... truly priceless. 😉
The only thing was, I felt a bit overwhelmed by Jamiroquai. Then again, his sets have never been particularly intense for me...

Grace Garcia7 said:But paying that much for such crappy beer $6.75 is just way too much. Plus, you get a free headache the next morning for good measure 👎

I was convinced—totally certain—that the beer $5.00 because that’s exactly how it went last year! She went up to the bar for me and my friend, handed over 40 tokens, and then ended up arguing with the guy because he actually owed her 10 tokens! And he gave them back! 😬

Who knows? 🥳

briskhawk40 said:I haven't made it to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival yet, so I have a practical—maybe even stupid—question. Is there any realistic chance (with a massive amount of luck, or maybe even some bribery) that I could snag an autograph from someone in Grinderman? Or should those of us heading there just give up hope and leave the CD sleeves at home?

Some friends of mine managed to track down Ellis in Vienna, so I'm curious what the vibe is like at the Santa Monica Pier.

🙂

I go to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival year after year, and I’ve always spotted our local regulars hanging out in the crowd. (People stay to watch the international acts, though some people harass them for photos so much that the poor artists can't even enjoy their own set.) But I never see anyone chasing the foreign stars. 🤷
Personally, I've never really made it a mission to hunt down autographs.

Anyway, whether I get an autograph or not, it will be fun, fun, fun! 🙂

So, is "Day Zero" officially off the table now, or are we still sitting in limbo?

I’m currently on an information diet, so please, fill me in. 🍿