A little more information

The two main activities in my life: Helping the hungry in the late hours of the night and helping guitar players sound better one amp at a time.

I always try to remember that in order to do good one has to take action and actually do something.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I have watched the city and Southern California change for well over half a century.

I can be found on facebook at www.facebook.com/mylesr or on twitter at www.twitter.com/myles111us

As of late 2019 the music related links and prints noted on this page which had their links to by GAB (Guitar Amplifier Blueprinting) website are no longer accessible. I grew weary of updating my GAB website and let it go away. You can contact me on Facebook. Saunders Stewart Models continues full operation but we are not accepting new clients without a referral.

Los Angeles Architectural History

Los Angeles Architectural History
1935 Art Deco at some of its finest: No. 168 - Griffith Observatory- (click on the photo for information)

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Are You Young or Old?


Are you young or old?  Debated.  Argued throughout history.  The answer is easy.  It is not open to interpretation.

Click on "Read more" for the story


Sunday, October 27, 2013

Relationship Advice

Perhaps the thoughts of my last three wives?
But .... to continue .... Some humor perhaps, some advice too .....

The other day I posted my status on Facebook which I often do:

Recap of the past 24 hours. 

Click on "Read more" if you wish to .... read more ;)

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Respect Our Government


How should we treat some of our government leaders in DC now that they have cost this nation so much money, disrupted the lives of so many and accomplished less than nothing? 

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/assessing-the-cost-unnecessary-damage

First, I think that everybody that passes most of "them" on the street should spit on them.  That is my personal reactive response but the action below is a better idea.  It is more productive and will make a statement each time a government official was refused service in a restaurant and asked publically to leave.

Second, I feel restaurants should exercise their right to refuse service to many of them. I feel that the publicity a restaurant would receive for doing that would increase their business ten fold and put the American public squarely behind their eating establishment. 

Now, some PR firm feel free to grab my idea and run with it. 


Thursday, October 3, 2013

Government is too big. I am now convinced



I am a simple minded man that is not very well informed when it comes to politics or political science.  

This Government shutdown thing.  I don't get it.  Maybe somebody can explain.  It must be more than this.

Click on "Read more" for the rest of the story

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Turning a blunder into a learning experience



As some of us get older we hone our abilities and skills to turn a tragedy into something positive .... a study... a learning experience.

A few minutes ago I was swapping old an empty toilet paper roll for a new one.  The new one dropped in the toilet.  (I generally close the lid when working around the proverbial potty but did not do so today).

So .... What did I do?

Observed how much the water line in the toilet dropped pre and post potty tragedy.  Took the new roll of TP and weighed it to compare to the new roll that fell in the toilet.  I am still thinking how to include this in a vacuum tube report.  Question to self .... do 12AX7s float?  Long plate versus short plate?

Monday, September 23, 2013

President Obama - You have lost one more Democrat

President Obama - you should bow your head in shame
Using the Naval Base tragedy to further your own agenda


I just wrote our President.

I have done this in the past.

I have NEVER received a reply even though others I have written have had the courtesy to send me back a simple form letter.

This is my latest:

I voted for you.  Twice.

I felt you have done some good things for the country and some not so good things.

Your approach to reduce violence by restricting firearms ownership is nothing short of shallow thinking and setting up a platform for people whose thought processes are simplistic at best.

You are not addressing mental health, the economy or the myriad of other aspects that contribute to violence.

You show inconsistent logic on a regular basis.  Strict gun laws to limit, restrict or make unavailable sporting arms one moment and expecting us to bomb Syria the next.

The recent tragedy at the Naval facility was a lack of security.  It was a result of a sick individual.  How dare you use this tragedy to support your own agenda when it has nothing to do with the facts.  

Shame on you.  You may be President of the United States of America but I have lost respect for you as a human being and person.  

What are you going to do if somebody tosses a ammonia gas bomb in a public place at some point?  Outlaw cleaning products?  Outlaw bleach?  

Criminals will continue to pay no attention to laws and will continue to procure weapons of many types on an illegal basis.  Your reaction to that is to take weapons away from those who legally procure them and remove the defensive capability of the citizens that follow the law.  When trouble is seconds away the police take minutes to arrive.

I am a registered Democrat.  In the future I intend to vote against the Democratic party unless the actions and past performance of a candidate is clear to me.  If undecided I will vote against the Democratic candidate.

I find your actions detestable.  Revolting.  Disgusting.

You have lost one more Democrat.

My thoughts on the NRA can be viewed (along with four videos) at
 http://la-economy.blogspot.com/2013/09/nra-national-rifle-association.html


Sunday, September 15, 2013

NRA - National Rifle Association



When I was a young teen I was a Junior Member of the National Rifle Association.

I attended firearms safety classes, marksmanship classes and a few years later when I entered military school I was on their shooting teams.  A few years after that I entered military service and was a member of the Navy Rifle and Navy Pistol Team.  In 1984-1985 I was a member of the Sheriff pistol team.  But .... I had let my NRA membership lapse.  Until 2012.

I wonder if our elected officials look at the percentages of letters, calls and communications they receive each day and compare those that say well done versus those with complaints?  One reason I re-joined the NRA is to add one more voice to an organized group and support them financially as well.

The actions by our government at the State and National level were of growing concern for me on many subjects, not just firearms.  Budget changes can take years to make a change but how our elected representatives respond and act on firearms legislation gives an immediate picture of their views.

I joined the NRA in 2012 as I stated about and now spend time as a very active member writing our representatives on a regular basis, calling their offices and posting on social media such as facebook, twitter, reddit and on this blog which has been read almost 15 million times.

You can read more of what I have posted on social media and learn my own thoughts by clicking on "read more" below.


Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Homelessness in Los Angeles Increases

Recently the Los Angeles Times printed a story showing that in spite of the economy improving for some, perhaps the wealthy more so than the general population, the number of homeless on the streets of Los Angeles has increased.

I applaud the story from the Times.



This is the first story I have seen that agrees to what I personally see on the streets each week.  My counts of the homeless which have been documented and which I have posted in real time on social media are also in agreement with this Los Angeles Times story.

Click on "Read more" to continue

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Here we go again. Syria.



Here we go again?

One of my friends on facebook posted some commentary on the possible strike on Syria.  I have my own thoughts on the subject and won't even bring up the issues of getting involved on foreign soil while we have so many issues here at home.  I did comment on the history of the subject.

When I was very young I was told that the reason they teach history in the school system is so we can learn from our mistakes. 

Click on "Read more" for the complete piece.

March Against Corruption


If you are not comfortable with the actions of our government take a few minutes to watch the video.  You may find it interesting.


Monday, August 12, 2013

A last act of consideration



A last act of consideration.

The decades pass yet if I could change my age or the year I was born I would not give the thought a moment of consideration.

Growing up in the sixties I drove my 1958 MGA down Sunset Blvd from the strip to the ocean more times than one could count.  I bought the car when I was 16.  It was used in actual years but new to me in 1966.  LSD was still legal and the worst consequence of fooling around with the wrong person was a side trip to the Venice Free Clinic.

The only bad aspect of the era was Vietnam perhaps but even during that period we had Woodstock in 1969.  Woodstock had it's downside I suppose.  From my own personal point of view there was Joan Baez.  Some thought she was a genius and talent.  I thought she stunk.  In August of 1969 she talked about her boyfriend David and wrote an album about him as he sat in prison for draft evasion.  She tried to make a hero out of him.  My personal belief was that he burned his draft card in front of authorities to get tossed into the big house to get away from Joan Baez rather than try to explain to her why he wanted to get away.

This decade was a great one for me even with military service.  Most reading this were not even born yet.

The following decades I sailed the sea and lived on my boat for years.  Again, most reading this were not alive.

Where did all this thinking come from?  Just dusting my place and came across a few of the things I have saved over the years other than a few vacuum tubes, guitars and amps.  As I age I toss stuff that is just "stuff" with little purpose.  I suppose that in the back of my mind I feel that my family and friends will have less stuff to throw away when it comes time to throw what is left of me away.  A last act of consideration.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Dish Network - Next on the list of bad customer service?


The screen snapshot here pretty much sums up the issue so far....

The story at this point ....

(click on "read more" to continue)

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

JENN-AIR: Bad equipment, even worse customer service


I will be adding to this blog by inserting a write up from a close friend in regard to Jenn-Air products and their customer service at a later date.  I will give a bit about my own point of view on these folks as a preface.

I have a friend who is a wonderful chef and has fed me more meals than I can begin to count.  Her joy in life is cooking.  Two years ago she totally remodeled her kitchen as the focal point of their home.  Island, custom counters, built in furnishings.  The works.  No expense spared.  It was a gathering place for family and friends.

Click on "Read more" to continue

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Gun Control



Our state government in California continues to propose, pass and enact one law after another as they follow an agenda to ban firearms of any type.  Most of these proposals are never put on a ballot or voted on by the public.  New restrictions are enacted.  New taxes are implemented without representation of the residents of our state.

I wrote this in response to legislation such as Assembly Bill 187 (Bonta) imposes an additional ten percent sales tax on ammunition and Assembly Bill 760 (Dickinson) imposes a sales tax of .05 cents per ammunition component (complete cartridge, bullet or case).

In a few cases individual citizens have proposed legislation which has been placed on the ballot for the people to vote upon.  Same sex marriage.  Legalization of marijuana.   Some people use the system to take action in perhaps the only way that our elected representatives in California understand.

I am asking for somebody to write up the following concept to place on the next ballot.  This is my proposal but I have no experience in Constitutional Law and this may need a work over by somebody with that sort of expertise.  I would think that the NRA may be helpful in collecting signatures that may be necessary to make this happen.

Please read this and if you agree, please share the link on every social media application you can even if they do not live in the State of California.  It could be an example for your own state to follow.

click on "read more" below

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Firearms Problems in California - Not the obvious type


There are three gun stores on Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank.  Gun World is one of them.  The focus of this piece is on Gun World.

Click on "Read more" to continue.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Current Production 12AX7 Tubes

Click on this image for a larger image

I have been promising a current test of some of the current production 12AX7 / ECC83 offerings and have just completed my testing.

Gain and Transconductance. Some folks confuse these two things. Maybe this will help explain:

Gain is the factor by which an amplifier multiplies a signal. It is the product of the output voltage at the plate divided by the input voltage at the control grid. Gain is a unit-less factor since both measured signals are voltages. (voltage)

Transconductance is a measurement of the ability of a tube to transmit current. It is the product of the output current in amps divided by the input voltage at the control grid. Transconductance is significant in that it shows us the difference in current capability that is generated by variations in plate impedance between tubes. (Current)

When I test tubes I also measure standing plate emissions current for preamp tubes that will be used in the phase inverter position. Plate current is one factor that many tube testers do not measure.


150 tubes were tested. 15 of each type.  The above lines on each tube are the average of that particular tube.

Click on "read more" to continue.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Los Angeles - Highest Homeless Population in the U.S.

This is the April 2013 update from Union Rescue Mission.

I have written about URM and Andy Bales their CEO since 2009.  Some of my other pieces can be found here:

http://la-economy.blogspot.com/search/label/urm and here http://la-economy.blogspot.com/search/label/homeless




You can help.

Update today 5/8/13.  I posted this on facebook:

Congratulations to the folks at Union Rescue Mission and their CEO Andy Bales and their VP Jacqui Groseth. The latest facts and figures are in from Charity Navigator, the folks that investigate and rate all the charities. URM received 4 stars out of 4 for Accountability & Transparency. A score of 67 out of 70. 

Back in 2009 I wanted to align myself with one of the homeless support organizations in Los Angeles. I spent a lot of time visiting facilities and asking questions. In the end I picked URM. Looks like I made a good call.

In the end there are many great organizations in Los Angeles but it makes me smile when I look at these independent reports and find that URM came out ahead of the two other Los Angeles missions that I also feel do great work.


Monday, April 29, 2013

I hate Jane Fonda




I just posted this as a note on facebook:  The other day Jane Fonda was on television news putting her hand prints next to her father's at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.  I was offended.  Thanks to the friend and fellow vet who sent this to me.

Click on "read more" for the full story.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Sprint - The Worst Service in Burbank and Irvine


This piece was started in 2013, the issues have continued for over five years.   For the most current problem please scroll to the bottom of this audit trail on Sprint service and support.

I have written posts on ATT in regard to their technical issues and service issues.  Over the last few years they have improved dramatically.  In the case of Sprint, things have declined.

Sprint has the worst product services AND the worst customer support when I compare ATT, T-Mobile, Verizon, Metro PCS and Sprint.  This includes technical service in regard to the performance of their product offering and customer service.

Sprint has the worst coverage in Burbank California.  Some places are not very good at best but many spots are worthless.  Sprint also has the worst customer service and problem resolution record for a single specific problem of any business I have written about here.

LTE promised in your area?  Just a warning, they cannot even make 3G work.

Click on "read more" for the complete story and details.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Union Rescue Mission - March at a glance


Los Angeles has the highest homeless population in the United States.

Union Rescue Mission is the largest homeless facility in Los Angeles.

URM (www.urm.org to learn more) relies on people like you to help them serve the homeless.  It is an overwhelming task.  If you want to follow their CEO Andy Bales you can find him on facebook and on twitter @abales.

You can help.  Visit the URM website.  Your fully tax deductible donation in any amount will help.  There are many ways to donate or help.  They even accept Pay-Pal.  Too busy?  In less than 30 seconds you can feed five people a full meal from your cell phone.  $10 will feed five people.

To donate $10 to Union Rescue Mission, text the letters URM to 85944. You will receive a confirmation text message. Reply with the word YES to complete the transaction.  

I'd like to list a few highlights of this month that were accomplished over at URM.  They are more than just a meal, a bed, a shower, clothes, programs for recovery and change, support ...... and more.  They are ....

Total Mental Health Clinic Sessions - 143
Total Health Center Visits - 386
Total Dental Clinic Visits - Individual Patients Seen - 555
Total Legal Clinic Visits - 31 (slow month, 404 this year)
Total Volunteer Hours - 4,252
(You can help in many ways)
Total Meals Served - 50,900
Yes, meals in ONE month
Total Nights of Shelter (per individual) - 21,307
Total Nights of Shelter (per family) - 1,725

You can help.  www.urm.org

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Today I wrote my elected officials



Today I wrote my California elected officials.  I also sent a copy to our President and the people in Washington.  Below is a copy of my letter.

I have lost all faith in our California elected officials.

The subject of firearms is a topic that is a current focus of attention in our nation.  Looking at some of the items in process it makes me ask myself if some of these folks are actually serious, do they have any logical thinking ability?  Or, is this just a very efficient media stunt to get their name into the press?  It seems the latter is the case.  I had never heard of many of these folks until their antics started using the subject of firearms as a foundation.

Assembly Bill 760 (Dickinson) imposes a sales tax of .05 cents per ammunition component (complete cartridge, bullet or case).  - Does this dick(inson) have any basic math skills?  A box of 50 rounds of .22LR ammunition that is usually around $2.50 would now be $5.00?  The most popular cartridge used to teach young people how to safely handle firearms.  A premier target cartridge.  Well, I know this fellows name now and if I see him run for any office I will do my best to bring his lack of ability to the public via social media.

Senate Bill 47 and 108 (Yee) - I had no idea who this fellow was a year ago.  I am now personally embarrassed that he has anything to do with the state where I was born. 

Senate Bill 53 (DeLeon) requires persons to buy an annual ammunition purchase permit, requires the registration and thumbprint of the purchaser for each ammunition purchase, and bans online and mail order sales of ammunition to Californians. - More paperwork here and more taxes from the joker above.  You folks are doing a heck of a job driving business out of California.  Between the taxes and paperwork it is a wonder why any business would want to reside in this state.  You folks mismanage the money you are given and a year later ask for more.  The voters pass a measure to raise taxes for teachers and a few months later layoff notices still go out to many teachers.  You are all scoundrels, liars and dishonorable by any standard that I was taught when I went to school in Los Angeles back when you did not need to take a test to graduate to affirm you could read or write. 

Senate Bill 293 (DeSaulnier) bans the sale of conventional handguns, if the Department of Justice approves the sale of “Owner Authorized – Smart” handgun technology. - You folks really cannot see the path this is leading to?

Senate Bill 374 (Steinberg) expands the definition of “assault weapons” to BAN the future sale of VIRTUALLY ALL semi-auto rifles (including rimfire cartridges) that accept a detachable magazine, requires NEW “assault weapon” registration, requires registration of ALL those semi-auto rifles that are currently possessed to retain legal possession in the future, and subjects these firearms to all other “assault weapons” restrictions. - Steinberg. Feinstein. When they talk of the Jewish homeland of Israel where they fight for the country I hope they check your passports to assure they are on the NO ENTRY list.  I am Jewish and you both offend me personally.

Senate Bill 396 (Hancock) bans the possession of any magazine with a capacity to accept more than 10 cartridges, including currently legally possessed "grandfathered" large capacity magazines. - Legal one day and outlawed the next.  Thankfully our government trained many of us in the past, some of us extremely well.  Many of us are now at the age where we have led a full and productive life and are not concerned with possible consequences.  The DHS can buy all the ammunition and light tanks it can with the taxpayers money but if you folks cannot sleep at night it is no mystery to me.

Senate Bill 567 (Jackson) changes the technical definition of a shotgun, which would turn all handguns into short-barrel shotguns that are illegal to own. - I really need to talk to this fellow.  I want him to change the definition of "automobile" so my car can then fly over the traffic here in Los Angeles.

You folks are pathetic and anything but leaders.

I await my form letters as your typical response.

Monday, March 25, 2013

"Genalex" Gold Lion 12AX7 / ECC83




Some of you have been asking if I could make some of my tube testing available again.  This is the first report that I have put out to the public for a while.  I will continue to put reports on this blog.

To see the full report just click on "read more" below

Saturday, March 23, 2013

The Day The Music Died?

Any image in this piece may be clicked on for a larger image.

It had been a while since I spent the day in Hollywood visiting some of my friends and some of the music stores.  My thought many times during the day was a lyric by Don McLean in the song American Pie ... the day the music died.

Back in the mid 70s through the early 80s we were treated to Disco.  It took time (way too long from my personal point of view) for Disco to die.  

I talk about the state of vacuum tubes and how there has been a steady decline over the last decades.  Today there are more "types" than ever and the offerings are worse than they have ever been.  As sad as I have been over the state of vacuum tubes the state of guitar amplifiers seems even worse.

Click on "read more" to continue ....

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Asshat of the day award - Fidelity Investments

Today I received a notification that there was an iPhone update to my Fidelity mobile app.  My app had been working fine in the past and I always downloaded the latest update.

Bottom line - big mistake.

I tried to log in many times.  It said my password was invalid.  I went to my desk PC and all worked fine.

I deleted the app and downloaded it again.  Same problem.

I called Fidelity.  They confirmed there was indeed a problem.  They had no estimate on when the issue would be resolved.  

This financial app is a bit more important than something like "angry birds".  People rely on the Fidelity tools for their investments.

Click on "read more" to continue

Sunday, February 10, 2013

President Obama. One very smart cookie?


I am going to point out some FACTS.  Take this or leave this.  Put the pieces together or walk away from the compelling evidence.  

It is clear to me that our President and his administration are masters at working the system.  There are none better at working the media.  They have no equal in history at leveraging tragic events to put the nation back on track to prosperity and growth.

Click "Read more" to continue.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Friday, February 1, 2013

Obama. Has he finally gone insane for real?



Say what you will about our President, Obama.  Was he born in the USA?  The debate continues.  But .... there is one thing that cannot be disputed.  He is now clearly insane and it may be time for Vice President Biden to step up to the plate.

What the hell am I talking about?

How many folks realize that our President is considering the Mayor of Los Angeles a candidate for Secretary of Transportation?  If this does not show that our President is insane I don't know where one could find a better example.

First off, our Mayor never had any education in traffic patterns.  All the work done here in Los Angeles has been done by others, not by him  We continue to have some of the worst traffic in the nation and considering the size of our city one of the worst public transportation systems in the nation.

Our Mayor also allows major streets such as Sunset Blvd to be impacted by road work during the height of traffic.  This is one more area that shines a spotlight on the man we have elected as our Mayor and the man we have elected as our President.

Well Mr. President, I am ashamed to say that I voted for you the first time and due to two horrible options in the last election I voted for you again BUT .... next time I may just vote Republican based on the antics of many of "my Parties" recent behavior.  As far as the Mayor of Los Angeles?  The guy is a media clown and I have personally seen him act one way when the cameras are not running and another way when they are turned on.  The guy is an asshat and fart face on more levels that one can imagine.

http://www.governing.com/blogs/fedwatch/gov-next-transportation-secretary.html 

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Need Glock parts? Here is a bit of a warning.


You may want to think twice before
considering doing business with these folks

I have written a number of pieces on customer service in this blog.  I have seen some of the  best and some of the worst.  I may have found the worst at this point.

These folks advertise themselves as the number one parts supplier for Glock pistols in the world.  I will venture to guess that a year from now this will not be the case if this statement is even true at this point in time.

I understand with the current firearms issues in this country that certain items are hard to keep in stock by vendors such as this one.  The issue that they, the largest of these vendors, does not note on an item by item basis, what is out of stock when one places an order.  Folks like Brownell's and dozens of other vendors do this.  In face, I cannot find ANYBODY who has online ordering that does not do this, other than these folks.

But, that is NOT the main issue.  The main issue is their lack of customer service, lack of response, phones which are never answered and the general run around.

Yes, these folks in my book are currently the #1 folks in my book but not as a parts vendor. They are #1 in the position of holding the worst customer service award.

Here is a bit of dialogue I sent to these folks .... click "read more" to continue.