Planet Waves NS Pro Capo Review

I’ve used a few different kinds of capo.  Most of my experience has been with the standard trigger design, but I have used the strap on kind as well.  A few weeks ago I lost the trigger design capo that I have been using for years, I wasn’t to upset because I had never been happy with it.  You see, the standard trigger design capos tend to have too much tension which can really affect the accuracy of your intonation.  I always found mine adequate for acoustic guitar, but just horrible on electric.

I picked up the Planet Waves NS Pro Capo from my local music shop while I was on my way to a jam session.  It’s first duty was to hold down the fourth fret of my open-G tuned telecaster for a play through the Rolling Stones’ “Tumbling Dice”.  I was immediately impressed with its performance.   It was easy to put on with one hand, you just put it over the neck at the desired fret and tighten the knob until the strings stop buzzing.  This allows you to apply just the right amount of tension to the strings, therefore giving you accurate intonation.

The capo is sleek-looking and very light.  I didn’t even notice the extra weight on my neck.  It also seems very durable, but only time will be able to tell for sure.

I would recommend this product to any guitarist who wants an affordable, easy to use and very precise capo.

Why I bought an iPhone: A Story of Impulse Purchases and Addiction

In order to truly understand why I bought an iPhone we must start about two years before my purchasing decision.

I was in search of a simple cell phone to keep in contact with my family, friends, and colleagues easier. After not so careful consideration I settled on Rogers as a carrier. Looking past the smart phones I spied a cheap Sony Erickson flip phone; 0$ on a 3 year contract. I was sold. It was a simple cellphone with a built-in mp3 player, and low-res camera. The sales consultant graciously gave me the details of the contract. I listened and signed where he told me too. I drove home that day happy that I had taken a step towards easier communication. There was one thing I didn’t think of as I walked out of that store. What if the phone broke before my contract was up.

One day it happened, I flipped open my phone and all I got was a blank white screen. The phone was past its one year warranty by a few months and at that time I did not feel like buying a new phone.

A few months passed without my cellphone. I wasn’t completely devastated without it, I could have managed. What I wasn’t managing well was continuing to pay a $40 dollar bill every month for a mobile plan I couldn’t use. Another few months passed and I caved.

On impulse one day to drive to the local Rogers store to get a replacement for my defective phone. I was determined to get a cheaper phone like the one I already owned, preventing an increase in my contract period. While standing in line waiting for help I spied my soon to be object of desire across the room, my plan to purchase a cheap phone went out the window.

I walked out of the store that day with an iPhone. I now had a more expensive cell phone bill, a longer contract and the makings of an addiction.

Sony MDR-V150 Headphones Review

It finally happened, the headphones I’ve been using for the last two years broke.  I was listening to one of my favourite live albums, the Rolling Stone’s “Get yer ya yas out” (1970) and half way through the nine minute long performance of “Midnight Rambler” I lost the entire right channel.  Now don’t get me wrong, I love the stuff going on in the left channel on that tune, particularly Mick Taylor’s guitar work, but losing Keith Richards’ guitar part was unbearable.  After jiggling with the wire for a while trying to get the right channel to kick in, I decided to concede defeat and buy a new pair the next day.

I had been planning on purchasing a new set of headphones in the near future, but these broke at an inconvenient time finance wise and I had to go for a cheap set to hold me off until I can afford a nicer pair.  After careful consideration of my budget ($20 CAD) I decided on a set of Sony MDR-V150s that happened to be on sale where I work for $17.49 CAD.

Sony advertises these headphones as “Studio Monitor Headphones” and while they look somewhat like a set of studio monitors, the sound quality isn’t near high enough for that purpose.  They are however well suited to everyday use for non-audiophiles.

I found the bass a little weak, but a quick tweak of my EQ helped a bit.  The Highs are excellent for a set at this price.  I honestly wasn’t expecting much out of a $20 set of headphones.

Overall, I found these headphones adequate for the time being.  They will certainly make a great backup set when I finally get some extra spending money.

Top 5 Questions I get Asked Everyday at Work

I sell home electronics at a big box retail store.  I get asked alot of questions in the run of a day, but some stand out more than others.

I decided to make a list of the top 5 questions I get asked.  I also gave an explanation of what I would like to give as an answer to each, but can’t for obvious reasons.

- Can you tell me where the bathroom is?

I would never tell a customer this, but it’s actually quicker for them to hop in their car, drive to the nearest convenience store and use the bathroom there.  You see, our bathroom is located all the way at the other end of the store.

- Do you work here?

No, I just enjoy hanging out at stores all day in nice clothes.  I also enjoy stealing the employee’s name tags and wearing them for shits and giggles.

- Can I speak to a manager?

Sure you can, but honestly you would have been outa here a lot quicker if you would have let me help you with that price adjustment.  Most customer issues where I work don’t require a manager to solve.

- Is that price the best you can do?

Does this look like a fucking flea market?  Unfortunately asking big box retail stores to haggle on price is like asking a vending machine to drop its price on a bag of spicy nacho doritos.

- Can you change the channel to the Insert random sports team game?

As much as I enjoy watching the occasional sporting event on TV, if I wanted to watch said event you wouldn’t have to ask me that question.

Facebook- WTF is this?

Is it possible that facebook may have moved beyond being a useful social-networking tool into the realm of useless piece of garbage?

The concept of a site used to keep in contact (and regain contact) with friends that you may of otherwise fell out of touch with is excellent.  The problem with facebook is that it has become the center of everyones lives, they rely heavily on facebook for all their social needs.

Want to know what someone is doing every five minutes of every day? I sure don’t.  I don’t need to know that you’re trimming your toenails, or eating a fucking pizza pop then going for a walk.  Sure, your my friend and I care about your life, but do us all a favour and stop this madness while I still have a shred of sanity left.

Fuck you farmville