Jim Willis http://jimwillis.org Red Bank, NJ posterous.com Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:05:31 -0800 reboot your Onkyo receiver (fix the blinking red light problem) http://jimwillis.org/reboot-your-onkyo-receiver-fix-the-blinking-r http://jimwillis.org/reboot-your-onkyo-receiver-fix-the-blinking-r I was playing some LPs the other day and my newish Onkyo A-9555 receiver made a popping sound and shut off. When I turned it back on, the red light just blinked and the volume light never came on. After taking the unit apart to look for a blown fuse--only to discover the fuse was fine--I searched for a copy of the manual online and found this gem:

How to reset: To reset the A-9755/A-9555 to its factory defaults, while holding down the [PURE DIRECT] button, press the [LOUDNESS] button, and then release both buttons. The input selector indicators light up for one second, and then the A-9755/A-9555 enters On mode.

So, after doing that, everything's fine. I noticed a lot of people on various HiFi forums whining about the blinking red light problem and how they had to pay ridiculous sums of money to get their amps fixed after experiencing the same issue. Before shelling out money, you may want to try the above. 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Wed, 27 Jul 2011 04:28:18 -0700 Don't be ashamed of the homely thought/That whatever you might do elsewhere/In the time remaining http://jimwillis.org/dont-be-ashamed-of-the-homely-thoughtthat-wha http://jimwillis.org/dont-be-ashamed-of-the-homely-thoughtthat-wha Don't be ashamed of the homely thought
That whatever you might do elsewhere,
In the time remaining, you might do here
If you can resolve, at last, to pay attention.

That's from a great poem I read this AM by Carl Dennis called Drugstore.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Tue, 19 Jul 2011 06:24:40 -0700 my first 2 minutes with spotify http://jimwillis.org/my-first-2-minutes-with-spotify http://jimwillis.org/my-first-2-minutes-with-spotify a REALLY deep catalog of interesting classical and jazz. At $10/mo it's a no-brainer. However, typical of most music service software, it's made for people who listen to tracks and not "works" or albums.

It took me a few minutes to figure out how to play Beethoven's 5th piano concerto and this is a limitation of most music software, especially iTunes. A quick search for Rubinstein's version of the Emperor returns the tracks sorted by popularity. Playing from this point would get you the concerto all out of order. You need to visit the "album" page and then go ahead and play the tracks in the right order.
Seems like a small deal and if you don't listen to a lot of classical works it may not be a big deal but imagine if you're listening to some Grateful Dead and it keeps getting China->Rider out of order. Lame, right? Same thing with classical works.

Pastedgraphic-1

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Tue, 12 Jul 2011 06:59:55 -0700 Thoreau's Birthday - read something excellent today! http://jimwillis.org/thoreaus-birthday-read-something-excellent-to http://jimwillis.org/thoreaus-birthday-read-something-excellent-to As always, his essay titled Walking is my favorite piece to read again and again: http://thoreau.eserver.org/walking.html

But if you prefer something a bit more in keeping with our 21st century attention span, there's always this: http://blogthoreau.blogspot.com/

And as  a bit of a bonus, here's some video of my own private Walden. See if you can identify where I shot it.

walden.m4v Watch on Posterous

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Sat, 25 Jun 2011 11:34:08 -0700 Dead Bank tonight at Jamian's. http://jimwillis.org/dead-bank-tonight-at-jamians http://jimwillis.org/dead-bank-tonight-at-jamians Shaping up to be a big night. Hope to see you there!

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Tue, 21 Jun 2011 06:13:05 -0700 Morning ride http://jimwillis.org/morning-ride http://jimwillis.org/morning-ride
My_hipstaprint_0

Sent from my iPhone

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:57:24 -0700 Red Bank Primary School http://jimwillis.org/red-bank-primary-school http://jimwillis.org/red-bank-primary-school
Today is the kids' last day of school and this wraps up the second year of us sending our kids to the Red Bank Primary School. 

I could not be happier about the quality of education my kids are getting at their school. And the warmth and sense of community we feel there is exactly what I image most parents dream their kids' school environment could be.


I found this video of RBPS sent around on twitter yesterday. It's nice to see Red Bank getting some positive recognition from the rest of the country for the quality of its public schools.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:53:12 -0700 updated pic for kelly's website http://jimwillis.org/updated-pic-for-kellys-website http://jimwillis.org/updated-pic-for-kellys-website I haven't taken many photos over the past few month. Have just been too busy. But Kelly relocated her practice to Shrewsbury Ave recently so I took the opportunity to update her site with a new headshot: http://www.wilder-willis.org/ Shot in the backyard with a piece of white poster board to do some light reflection.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:36:00 -0700 we're hiring. http://jimwillis.org/were-hiring http://jimwillis.org/were-hiring

Digital music company is looking for an on-site developer(s) to write/upgrade existing software used for:

- downloading digital audio files from record labels
- converting those files to MP3 and FLAC
- apply metadata from Rovi/AMG to the files
- uploading to Amazon S3
- running multi-currency pricing scripts to update shopping cart backend
- update solr index

if you have experience with audio conversion, Rovi/All Music Guide, Amazon S3 and SOLR, please see this craigslist posting for contact info: http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/sof/2430300838.html


These scripts are written in PHP. If you don't have at least 5+ years in PHP don't apply for this position. If you have not written your own set of PHP utility libraries for one or more of the above technologies, please do not apply for this position.

Thanks!

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Thu, 26 May 2011 05:44:42 -0700 Yesterday was Ralph Waldo Emerson's birthday . . . http://jimwillis.org/yesterday-was-ralph-waldo-emersons-birthday http://jimwillis.org/yesterday-was-ralph-waldo-emersons-birthday Yesterday was Ralph Waldo Emerson's birthday and The Atlantic (the magazine he helped to start), has links to some great material:


Emerson_seatededit-thumb-600x3

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Thu, 19 May 2011 20:05:59 -0700 Just one of the MANY joys of paying through the nose to live in Red Bank http://jimwillis.org/just-one-of-the-many-joys-of-paying-through-t http://jimwillis.org/just-one-of-the-many-joys-of-paying-through-t Look at that delicious water!

Photo

Sent from my iPhone

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Tue, 10 May 2011 17:01:23 -0700 Masterpiece Mystery's Sherlock (2010) is on Netflix Watch Instantly http://jimwillis.org/masterpiece-mysterys-sherlock-2010-is-on-netf http://jimwillis.org/masterpiece-mysterys-sherlock-2010-is-on-netf Definitely check out this too-short series if you haven't done so already. Fantastic:

http://movies.netflix.com/Movie/Masterpiece_Mystery_Sherlock_Series_1/70151278

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Tue, 12 Apr 2011 07:27:13 -0700 reading library books on my iPad http://jimwillis.org/reading-library-books-on-my-ipad http://jimwillis.org/reading-library-books-on-my-ipad I just checked out a book from the Red Bank Public Library for reading on my iPad. It was the most un-Apple like experience I've had thus far on my iPad.

Checking out the book requires a dedicated application from a company called Overdrive for checking out digital media from the library and then an additional account creation with Adobe to read the epub format. There is no way that checking out ebooks from the library will ever be widely adopted until it is as easy as buying something on the kindle. Note that it's not our particular library's fault that this is such a broken process. It seems to be something endemic to libraries in general.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:15:42 -0700 Red Bank gets a bike/ped "czar" http://jimwillis.org/red-bank-gets-a-bikeped-czar http://jimwillis.org/red-bank-gets-a-bikeped-czar we've made some good headway recently here in Red Bank with our bike/ped advocacy:

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:07:00 -0700 Knowing that Nature never did betray . . . http://jimwillis.org/knowing-that-nature-never-did-betray http://jimwillis.org/knowing-that-nature-never-did-betray

The heart that loved her; 'tis her privilege,

Through all the years of this our life,

to lead From joy to joy: for she can so inform

The mind that is within us, so impress

With quietness and beauty, and so feed

With lofty thoughts, that neither evil tongues,

Rash judgments, nor the sneers of selfish men,

Nor greetings where no kindness is, nor all

The dreary intercourse of daily life,

Shall e'er prevail against us, or disturb

Our cheerful faith, that all which we behold

Is full of blessings.

[today's taste of spring was just sensational and I had wordsworth's lines, above, from Tintern Abbey running through my head all day]

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:51:58 -0800 Dead Bank tonight http://jimwillis.org/dead-bank-tonight http://jimwillis.org/dead-bank-tonight At Jamian's on Monmouth St in Red Bank, NJ


Sent from my iPhone

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:29:36 -0800 Blowing the kids' minds with issue #1 http://jimwillis.org/blowing-the-kids-minds-with-issue-1 http://jimwillis.org/blowing-the-kids-minds-with-issue-1 of the contest of champions cover.

Photo

Sent from my iPhone

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:23:57 -0800 Vinyl! This is a big hit with the boys, http://jimwillis.org/vinyl-this-is-a-big-hit-with-the-boys http://jimwillis.org/vinyl-this-is-a-big-hit-with-the-boys as it should be!

Photo

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:42:32 -0800 Any vinyl listeners in Red Bank? http://jimwillis.org/any-vinyl-listeners-in-red-bank http://jimwillis.org/any-vinyl-listeners-in-red-bank
Picture

I picked up a vintage Sansui turntable the other day. I replaced the belt and it has been an absolute joy to delve into my vinyl collection again. I think the turntable needs a new stylus and I also think I need an alignment and tone arm adjustment. Does anyone in Red Bank happen to have a stylus force gauge and/or a cartridge alignment tool? Drop me an email if so.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis Mon, 06 Dec 2010 09:41:00 -0800 Flickr Set - Early Winter at Tatum Park http://jimwillis.org/flickr-set-early-winter-at-tatum-park http://jimwillis.org/flickr-set-early-winter-at-tatum-park
I've re-upped my Flickr Pro account which I let lapse for a year or so and was quickly reminded how much I like posting new sets right from Aperture! 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/521023/surly_profile.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4aAOXyoyL99D Jim Willis sjwillis Jim Willis