Interestingly, he found using just a random arrangement of monitors apparently doesn’t won’t work. The array is carefully calibrated to display a two-dimensional code on each monitor, then photographed in order to understand “the positional relationship between monitors.”
To self-test a Roland MT-32, turn the unit on while holding down the 3 button, Volume and turn on the unit to enter test mode. You can check all the keys and play some test tones. To test the midi, you need to have the midi cables plugged in. To play a demo song, just hold just Master Volume. The “MIDI Message” light should flicker if it receives data.
OldMapsOnline lets you look at anywhere in the world, set the year, and see a map of the area. It’s always amazing to see how fast things have changed over history.
Reporting a backdoor Roth conversion isn’t always easy on your taxes. Turbotax requires a 2 part solution where you enter it as a 1099-R conversion, then characterize it in your income section as a conversion within 60 days.
As of Jan 2025, the form has *already* changed again; but this is the closest set of dialogs that matches what you need to do:
Rosie Broadhead has an idea – what if fashion could become skincare. She has experimented on obvious ideas like controlling odors, but she has gone further by working with a microbiologist with embedding bacteria into clothing to create probiotic textiles – despite the scientifically dubious efficacy.
Mr Kitters is a kitty with a webcam attached to him – and many of his adventures are posted on his youtube channel. It’s interesting to see how many adventures a normal outdoor kitty can have with his neighborhood friends.
Traveling in Japan is one of the safest, most fun experiences I have had. I love visiting and traveling in Japan and have nothing but wonderful experiences. But like any place, there are seedy folks out to get your money. Seedy areas in Japan are usually easy to spot and can easily be avoided. However, scams in Japan are kind of interesting and worth knowing about so when your warning radar does go off, you can more readily identify them.
Ever go into a bar and walk out with a bill for $27,000? You might in Japan’s more famous red light districts. Bottakuri is the practice of scam pricing where you may only have 2 or 3 drinks and find out you spent hundreds, or thousands, of dollars. The first drink might be $10, but they won’t tell you the second and onwards is $100 each. Even worse, there is a good chance that you might get drugged and wake up with thousands of dollars in charges on your card. This has happened enough that the US embassy has issued warnings about the practice in Kabukicho for years.
Are you an aspiring influencer? You can also run into problems with the yakuza if you start filming in red light areas they control – and you will find yourself extorted for money and may even find yourself surrounded by police on the take.
Drug possession is also a very quick way to land yourself in serious hot water. Japan has a zero-tolerance policy – there is no distinction for personal use. Possession is immediate arrest. If you have a run-in with the police or are identified by an informant that you used drugs – police may force you to have a urine or blood test. If you fail a drug test, that counts as possession. Even if you took the drugs a week ago in your own country.
You will be forced to sign a confession and run the serious risk of years of jail time. Even with the most lenient sentences where you sign a confession, you’ll likely spend a minimum 21 days in jail and then be deported with a 10 year to life re-entry ban. There is no fooling around. Your embassy can do little to help you. Marijuana jail time can reach 7 years and harder drugs up to 10.
It’s interesting to watch them try to capture some of the feel/look of 90’s rave and techno scenes. Remember when you were super cool? It’s fun to know that all the people in this game are now in their 50’s and 60’s.
If you want more 90’s techno nostalgia fun, James Hill captures a lot of the 90’s techno with his Ukulele…
