TheInvisibleDan

Socks,

Thanks for the excellent advice- the neck bolt-on screws were indeed a tad loose, as well as some of the srews holding on the tuners. In fact, some of the tuner screw holes felt stripped - I'll need to either fill and re-drill them, or use slightly longer screws. We'll see. Considering the condition of a couple of the old tuners, I think a new set might still work wonders.

DMiller - nice mandolin!

I've also been considering the Gotoh tuners as well, priced about the same as the Grovers, but presenting a few more choices in style. Unfortunately nothing as stylish as your mandolin tuners.

I adjusted the truss rod awhile back, when I replaced the strings, and I'll need to replace the strings again. I recall last time I went with lighter strings, but the feel is a bit flubby. I may go with some medium strings, or a combination of medium and light strings to get the right mix.

Chas, replacing the pickups and doing a overhaul on the pots & knobs will be on my things to do list.

The pricier Rick toaster pickups look very nice, though I might do just as better with some P-90s, which look about the same size as the old ones.

Waysider & Kathy - excellent advice on saving the old parts, and trying to maintain the guitar's original appearance.

Danny

Over the past month, I had pulled out a no-name, old 12 string semi-hollow, sunburst electric guitar that I've had in my closet for years. Its body style a 335 copy. It ended up with me years ago through a friend of a friend of a friend. Strange how some guitars end up finding me. I hadn't messed with it all that much because it never stayed in tune. Which is why I think the previous custodians never did that much with it either, and passed it on. But it has a helluva sound, a certain, jangly "mojo".

I finally learned earlier this evening via ebay what kind of guitar it is. A Univox "Custom" 335 copy made in Japan dating circ. 1968 if not earlier.

I'm thinking that a change of machine heads might do this instrument wonders (The machine heads on there are ancient for goodness sakes, and were probably cheap back then) - I'm thinking of switching to some Grover Rotomatics. Any other suggestions for machine heads/strings for a guitar this age? the neck and fretboard are straight, and the action good. Changing the nut in this is probably overdue too.

Danny

This is what happens when these scientists smoke dope ... travel to the stars ... sure ...

Well if I was Stephen Hawkings I would most certainly smoke dope if I could.

I bet you would too.

Do any of the phone companies carry a direct line to Hell?

They'll need to change their "bad name" first in any effort on their part to turn that around.

And I doubt that would even do it, so long as the "Cafe" remains open.

"The Way International" is indeed a "bad name" that carries way too much baggage.

That's why all their efforts to even advertise on TV will come to nought. Just one look at a search engine will bring people here.

It wouldn't surprise me if they try to change their name sooner or later.

It's much easier than actually changing themselves.

We should've had a station on the moon by now.

And have had astronauts to Mars a couple of times already.

Little wonder some people doubt that we've ever had people

on the moon.

So the future is here - where's the flying cars?

The moving sidewalks?

The tin foil jumpsuits?

The modern Jetson houses?

Robots!!!?

I'm quite disappointed in this present future.

likeaneagle,

Over the years I've also enjoyed watching Dr. Scott on late night TV, and listening to his show on the shortwave. He was a brilliant man; quite the character and a very entertaining lecturer.

I think exposure to his broadcasts (as to the work of others) made it all the more easier for me to leave the Way in 87. There was far better stuff out there.

His lectures on Demonology/Atlantis/Amityville Horror/Pyramids/Bermuda Triangle/Roswell are a trip. In certain ways, perhaps even trailblazing so far as the presentation of supernatural subjects presented through the media. For example, in the mid 80s, I heard Dr.Scott's teaching "The Spear of Destiny", - the relic reputed to have been the Roman lance used to pierce Jesus at His crucifixion - which centuries later, Hitler had sought. Scott's teaching was my first exposure to that legend.

Well years following Scott's teaching, the subject of "Spear of Destiny" could be seen making its rounds through a number of "supernatural" documentaries on "The History Channel", Geraldo! and others.

He was the kind of preacher I would imagine sitting at a campfire telling good, scary stories (lol). As I said, very entertaining.

I just recalled reading a "MOJO" music magazine months ago devoted to the late Johnny Cash, who made mention of watching Gene Scott, and practicing his rite of communion.

Danny

Another year to entertain once again a plastic, light-up "Mithra" for my front lawn.

Do they still have in stock any of those "Gumby-Wierwille" statues they came out with a few years ago?

I went WOW twice. Technically. The first time was in '78. I had just taken the class the month before, and got intoxicated by all the Home-WOW-mania during the Rock. The post-Rock training was an unusual experience by itself, I'll give it that. It was weird to wake up in the middle of the night in a circus tent to hear it reverberating with hundreds of people snoring on their cots at the same time.

I wish I had a tape recorder for that.

Of course, when I returned home, and got back into my old self, with a little space between me and the Bible cheerleaders, the excitement faded, along with the woeful weightiness of the big COMMITMENT.

Soon someone called wondering why I wasn't present at "the home WOW meeting".

I uttered something to the effect that I didn't want to get involved with "an organization" at this time.

The leaders kept calling and calling (St*ve St**peck), and I kept avoiding their calls and hiding in my comfortable nowhere town.

Damn, that should have been the end of my magical cultic experience.

But no...I had to get involved again later on.

That might also make an interesting poll - what's the record for people leaving the Way and going back?

I'd like to know how a creationist can think that evolution was the mechanism that God used to create the animals. Evolution involves death, yet the animals were created before death came into the world according to Genesis. :blink:

Jerry

Which begs the question: what would carnivorous creatures - if created and designed by the Demiurge as such - have eaten, if death was not in some way essential to their survival to begin with?

Which also brings to recollection a teaching by a woman minister at one Rock of Ages (early 80s, I'm guessing), choking back her tears over the thought that Jehovah had to personally slaughter some little squirrels or chipmunks to allow for Adam and Eve to cover themselves.

Looking back on that now, how surreal.

Mstar,

I think I missed my calling as a Celebrity Damage Control Consultant.

I could have been something of a "James Baker" for dumb celebrities.

Okay, maybe Kramer in a remake of "Blackula" would be a bit much.

But I bet it would do well in the direct-to-video market.

:)

Danny

Another way he might absolve himself to the public eye is to star in a remake

of "The Jazz Singer". That also would be interesting to see as well.

Fantastic album. I just picked it up this evening.

Feels a bit too long though.

By the time I've reached toward the end of the album, I feel like I've experienced some serious sensory overdose.

"Tomorrow Never Knows"/Within You, Without You" is well done, and "Gnik Nus" - very interesting.

George Martin's "Number Nine".

Danny

He's a dork. But - I digress from the original topic -

Anyway, now those guys can say - "tomorrow I'll wake up and I'll be black but dude...you'll still be Michael Richards".

Perhaps one way Michael Richards might absolve himself -would be to play the lead in a future remake of "Black Like Me".

That would be kind of interesting to see.

Thanks Roy, for reminding me once again!

:) :)

You may have saved my life tonight.

Danny

Glad you're doing better Roy.

And thanks also for reminding me - I gotta take my pressure meds too.

I've totally spaced on that the past couple days.

Danny

Hope you're feeling better Roy.

You have to be in some serious pain to contemplate dialing 911.

By gosh, do it if only to be on the safe side.

Danny

P.S.

I'll have to make certain I pack a lunch, when that happens.

Mark,

Do you have any cats?

And should pet-owners get their animals fixed?

I can tell you from personal experience...without barring nature's course there,

wow, those cats sure multiply.

They take over the house, and I'm almost certain...

they want to rule the world.

BTW, does anyone here want a kitten?

Danny

Twinky,

I would love to get myself accidently locked into Wesleyan's library for an evening or two (lol).

I would happily resign myself to my captivity, and find some good books to read.

:)

Danny

Getting sucked into my local library this afternoon (a common occurrence) I found a well-borrowed 400 page book entitled, “The Trinity – True or False?” by a couple of guys who say in their foreword that “neither [of them] … lay claim to any biblical “scholarship” and their only qualification for this task is a lifetime’s regard for and study of scripture and a desire that its teaching should be correctly understood. In the use and meaning of original Greek and Hebrew words, we have had to rely heavily on standard works of reference…

[snip]

Just reading the foreword and the very last para, it appears their conclusions are that JCNG.

I obviously haven’t read it yet but liked the way they “set out their cart” and announced their antecedents right at the beginning – no pretending to be a research ministry or that they had qualifications in ancient languages; and they acknowledge the help given by others and their sources. Not having my copy of JCNG available, I can’t recall what that contains, but it certainly wasn’t this forthcoming about its basis. Rather, that one is: This is it so just believe it.

It will be interesting to see how these guys get to where they end up, and how they deal with certain scriptures. More on this later, perhaps.

Local libraries are ideal places for getting "sucked into" - better yet, the theological sections of nearby

university libraries that have them- not only for providing the opportunity for examining and/or confirming and/or refuting the beliefs and interpretations you've already held for years, but for becoming better acquainted with other interpretations as well.

If you keep frequenting such places, you may not recognize yourself in about another 5-10 years.

Danny

I saw Elton John in concert at New Haven sometime in the ancient early-nineties.

My wife won some free tickets from some call-in radio contest.

Glad we didn't pay anything for them. In between songs, he would go into hissy fits about how the record company was not paying enough attention to him and his latest album (whatever it was).

The only highlight I recall of the entire concert was the dramatic opening to "Funeral for a Friend", when the band and the lights got to really flex their stuff. That alone was worth the trip to New Haven, I guess. Elton's band had a good guitarist ( Nigel something-or-other, who passed away a few years ago).

Danny

Not to disrespect veterans of wars in any way, quite a few "citizens" here and everywhere had sacrificed much in their lives for selflessly pursuing and contributing toward what they believed at the time to have been a higher cause, a greater good, a "service" dedicated toward improving life for others. No, we weren't always "right", nor did everyone do such for the same noble reasons (no more than each and every person who goes into the military).

I encountered a few jerks in the Way, but years later, I still am pleased to have encountered some of the best people in the world, who cannot be faulted for having done the best they could at the time, despite the limitations of a faulty and corrupt system through which we tried to achieve our ideals.

Our service, our effort, our labor, our love in our hearts to God - all we attempted to accomplish for our Lord and His Kingdom - should not be under-estimated.

Some people here still carry some deep battle scars, while others have even lost their lives.

My hats off to you "veterans". Not everything we did was in vain.

Danny

I am far from being the most punctual person in the world, but in the nature of the business where I work (a supplier of consumable goods for workers in a plant that manufactures aircraft engines),

getting to work 5-10 minutes earlier each day to relieve the previous shift is essential.

People have gotten fired from my workplace for being habitually late.

It still happens in the real world.

Danny