Saturday December 31, 2022 3:04 PM CST -- The Tooth Fairy Made An Appearance --
In our ongoing search for programs of experimental music and the like we came upon UBRadio Salon, a 2-hour hosted program of unexpected music, the show we sampled starting off with an episode of 'The Tooth Fairy' by the Dick Orkin Players also known for 'Chicken Man'. The series is proudly added to our daily lineup at KDX.

Saturday December 31, 2022 12:37 NOON CST -- Giving Words the Sniff Test --
The famous 7-dirty words you can't say on the air:
You can't say the S___ word but 'crap' gets said all the time. You can't say the F___ word but you can say 'congress', 'intercourse' or 'carnal knowledge'. Don't say the C____ word but 'vagina' is good. Never say T___ but 'mammary glands' shows bodily knowledge. No no on P___ but 'bed wetter', 'leaky pants' and 'pee' slip by. The word 'penis' isn't on the list but I don't recommend saying it on the microphone. Which brings up something just heard on the radio... the blue pills have come to be known as 'weenie wakers'. What would the FCC think?

Saturday December 31, 2022 11:33 AM CST -- A Complaint Has Been Made On Your Behalf --
Radio station KDX does not permit 'explicit language' but some outside programmers occasionally use prohibited words. As a service to the listening public KDX follows up with a self-complaint to appropriate authorities, thus saving you from the need to trouble yourself, as you're probably not aware of the process nor of the fact that by complaining you ear-mark yourself on suspicion of attempting to tarnish the reputation of your competitor for which there are steep penalties including jail time. 

Saturday December 31, 2022 10:48 ASM CST -- A Zara Moment --
Radio stations operating with Zara Automation Software have various hazards to watch for and we just learned a new one here at KDX. Earlier this week while loading programs into our Zara Playlist we noticed a sudden drop in level of the show currently airing, but did not detect an explanation and continued for several days operating with lowered sound level. This morning we randomly happened to notice the green button on the lower edge of the Control Panel was depressed, and this was our answer. It is the 'Talk Over' button, designed to lower the program level while turning on the microphone for speaking live on the air. By unclicking it our air volume returned to normal. We do not have a microphone connected, but if we did it would have been 'live' and everything we said for two days would have been audible.

Saturday December 31, 2022 9:37 AM CST -- NTR: New Time Radio --
Most radio dramas come from the days of OTR: Old Time Radio, but the art still gets practiced once in awhile, and here's one for you. We all know Senator Al Franken both from his time as writer/comedy actor on Saturday Night Live and as a well remembered Senator in the U.S. Congress, who in the present day produces a weekly podcast as heard on KDX dedicated largely to conversation with top figures from both of Franken's previous careers and sprinkled now and then with radio skits such as the one we share here.
A few FCC banned words get said, but when the President utters profane words does the FCC have jurisdiction?

Saturday December 31, 2022 6:05 AM CST -- Daily Stream --
Blog visitors have come to know that this blogger begins the day by visiting around the throng of streams selectable through the Icecast Directory, this morning landing on KUAZ, an NPR outlet in Tucson, Arizona. Besides being an FM station at 89.1, KUAZ has the unusual addition of an AM voice at 1550 kHz with 50,000 Watts, but daytime only. Furthermore there's the 250-Watt AM translator station on the FM dial, and a 10-Watt FM booster. The programming is blocked all around the clock-day with the usual NPR fare plus many additional public radio type shows not heard on some other such stations around the country, we guess in lieu of anything local. Stream quality is excellent.

Saturday December 31, 2022 5:47 AM CST -- Fragile Power Grid Against Devastating Weather --

Thursday December 29, 2022 4:16 PM CST -- Last Remnants of Snow Gone --
Never did find the oatmeal, but got into a creative roll by auditioning a group of Creative Commons free licensed podcasts searched under the 'shoegaze' genre and so far approved 3 out of 4 for future use on KDX. As it's getting darker the mood has shifted toward steamed vegetables, canned salmon, and a streaming movie titled 'London Fields', a crime thriller based around a femme fatale and just yesterday I wrote an essay on the subject of femme fatales, so I checked the actor list and recognize two names: Amber Heard and Billy Bob Thornton. As I recall from the Johnny Depp Trial Ms Heard was more fatale than femme in his life, and my impression was that she could pose for hours just like a femme fatale, only losing the spell if she talked. And Billy Bob is one of the outstanding male actors of our time, so it should be good. You can wait here until I return with more blog.

Thursday December 29, 2022 8:09 AM CST -- Mystery of the Lost Oatmeal --
I'm having trouble getting control of myself, but it didn't start out that way. While it was still dark outside I fingered a warning letter received from the county with large all caps telling me the fees, interest, penalties and handling charges I'd have to pay on top of the property tax unless I paid the bill by midnight new years eve. I won't be awake at midnight on new years eve so I thought maybe paying it now would shore up the next eviction free year, but first I needed to crunch some numbers on the calculator to make sure that the funds existed to make the pay off so they can maintain their castle full of armed assassins and dungeons. My hands were shaking as I obediently typed away my money as at a car jacking, which reminded me of a time at age 16 when a girlfriend noticed my hand shaking as I set the tone arm on a romantic LP album while contemplated a game plan for advancing toward her gravitational pull. First I'd hold her hand, if that went well there could be some kissing, and if all the lights were still green there'd be the hand on the knee. I had no idea what women thought when they saw a shaking male hand. Well, anyway, I felt better when the protection money was paid to the county's money laundering syndicate and set about preparing hot oatmeal with cranberries but ran short of oatmeal, so planned to open the reserve box which was waiting right over there by the, but, it wasn't where I thought it was so I did a complete tour of everywhere where it might possibly be and continued not finding it but circled again and several times and then obsessively still not finding it. In the process I did discover some red grapes, paused for some of those then a banana, but always darting the eyes over nooks and corners for that box of oatmeal so strong in my belief system. Writing some blog is helping break the search pattern.

Thursday December 29, 2022 5:24 AM CST -- Wrapping Up the Year at Expiration of the Old Calendar --
I have nothing special to say at the end of this year, but here's what I said in 2019:

>>>FLASHBACK<<<
Tuesday December 31, 2019 1:36 PM CST -- When Tact Collides with Political Correctness --
Political correctness does more harm to speech and conversation than a gag order from a court. When I got expelled from the ALPB in a hostile takeover it was because a former chairman had illicitly retained his webmaster security password and was able to erase everyone from the forum site that failed to adhere to his brand of political correctness: very conservative, right-wing, white nationalist and authoritarian. But that event only serves to make a point and is not the subject under discussion right now. I'll switch to a different example.

A couple years ago I was trying to make a place in the KDX schedule for an excellent comedy group that offered a weekly podcast from Chicago satirizing and parodying all kinds of societal & political targets. What posed a difficulty for us was their frequent use of language prohibited on radio by the FCC. It seems I was the first over-the-air station they'd ever dealt with, previously being heard only on internet outlets where language has no limits. I haven't gotten to the point.

Point is, although I dislike being in the position of saying this, it was a black comedy group, which KDX would prefer not to mention because for us there is only one race - the human race. But, a racial tone came into the telephone conversation when the term "person of color" came up. I was about to learn that the expression "people of color" is presently the only politically allowed frame of reference acceptable to... people of color. I made the mistake of saying that I dislike the term because it seems (to me) racist in itself by declaring the black race in an overly cumbersome way. Latching onto "color" would only have specificity if a diversity of color were displayed: today red, tomorrow blue, the weekend chartruse or crimson. And if "those of color" take ownership of color what are others: "People of grayscale"? Gays have the rainbow flag. They are the real "people of color". We are all (no doubt) "people of earth" but downward division occurs when we group off as "people of looks" or "people of brains" or "people of hair".

The comedy team turned me down and no longer wished to be on KDX. The irony is they wanted unchecked freedom of speech but expected me to tone down mine.
>>>End of Flashback<<<

Wednesday December 28, 2022 5:16 PM CST -- If the Second Try Doesn't Succeed --
One day I announced that I did not want to meet a woman who smoked.
The next day I met a woman who smoked.

On another day I let it be known that I didn't want to meet a woman with tattoos.
The next day I met a woman with tattoos.

So I took some time away to reconsider my priorities.

Finally, I came back and told everyone that I didn't want to meet a woman with a million dollars.

Wednesday December 28, 2022 10:45 AM CST -- What a Podcast Is --

Wedenesday December 28, 2022 7:28 AM CST -- Here, Smell This T-shirt --

Wednesday December 28, 2022 5:18 AM CST -- Get Your Radio History Calendar --
CAVEAT:  The 2023 Radio History Calendar appears to be SOLD OUT and there does not seem to be a printable version offered so far as we could tell. If you know anything say anything.

Try This One!

Railroad calendars are very nice. But most of these seem to be sold out and we don't know about any free online printable versions.

In bygone years we received a free Sante Fe Railroad Calendar in the mail every year, but they are no longer free..

Hey, this would be nice!

Tuesday December 27, 2022 6:27 PM CST -- 1956 Rule On Static-Causing Devices --
Mark questions:

What!!? 1956? Why doesn't that apply now?

- Mark

The FCC will probably blame it on the landlord.

Tuesday December 27, 2022 2:27 PM CST -- Powers On Low Power --
The Richard Powers Report of the Day:

Carl, do you know anything about 1950s refrigerators? The attached article is from April 3 1956, and in it a list provided by the FCC, of home appliances and devices that are known to cause interference.. On that list is "home refrigerator butter compartments".
The butter compartment? I'm dumfounded.


You mentioned the show "Between the Lines",  I last listened to an episode a few years ago but was disappointed how much the format had changed compared to prior years. The earlier episodes focused on a variety of topics and guest, it was entertaining. It might be about bird watching or volcanos or living legends or whatever, but not political.
If I recall correctly, all his episodes (hundreds) going back decades are available for download from his website covering a wide subject matter, and the majority of the content not particularly dated. Also confirmed as part 15 friendly.

Lately I've been fiddling around listening to shortwave. It's all because of this $20 AM, FM, SW, &Bluetooth speaker housed in a genuine woodgrain plastic portable rechargeable radio I bought on Amazon a few months ago. It's designed with a retro antique look. Anyway, on some days I can pick up a lot of SW stations very clear and bold. A couple days ago listened to one station (wish I knew which) as it aired  different half hour shows, unrelated to each other, back to back - for example, one was hosted by "UFO Joe" who provided reports and rambled.. The next half hour was some preacher or something, next a show about squirls I think.. I really can't remember exactly all of what programs aired but four shows played in the two hours I was listening, and I thought it all to be more entertaining than anything I could find on AM or FM in the middle of the afternoon.

I think I lost track of what I was talking about. But there's some entertaining stuff on SW. No internet required.

Shame on you for not airing the Stuph Files Christmas Episode! I always liked it and I'm an adult, or maybe just a really old kid.

Why don't dogs live longer?
Thats a really good question.

- Rich

Hello Richard. I remember that my family had a refrigerator and also kept butter inside it in the 1950s. I recall a compartment on the inside of the refrigerator door that had its own lift-up hatch for a space the size of a block of butter. I do not know of any special electronic characteristics for preserving butter.

FYI here's the skinny on the Media News Magazine Between the Lines:
We should all spend more time not only listening to but also broadcasting on shortwave. WBCQ and WRMI are two very versatile U.S. stations and there are others, but closings continue to happen as countries discontinue shortwave and use internet. It would be good if the FCC balanced things by giving part 15 a bigger green light on shortwave.

I'll make a deal with you regarding the Stuph File Christmas Show starting next year: I still won't schedule it on KDX but I will put a link to it here on The Blog. That way it will be easily available to our readers. In fact, let's get it started now!
 As far as dogs are concerned they can't afford to lose any of their short life expectancy, but humans also have cause to be anxious... I heard that the average lifespan of humans has been reduced from about 80-years to around 76-years. 

Monday December 26, 2022 9:02 PM CST -- The Shambles At Part 15.org/.us --
Mark gives an assessment:

No, Mr Janze has not to my knowledge done or said anything. I never communicate with him. It got even worse after the last off time. He hasn't even been on the site for the last 2 months when I check the members list. Oh yes you also can't see the most recent posts when you go on.
To see them I have to go to the forums and look down the list of categories and see the most recent ones that way.
And where it says most recent posts the links are anything but.
Yes it needs some technical repairs firstly; as it is now is a turn off for many I think.

- Mark

Monday December 26, 2022 3:20 PM CST -- Desolation Across the Landscape --
Before I talk about the emotional darkside I want to make it clear that I am not personally down-spirited, but a keen awareness of the grim side has recently been awakened in me by consequence of a dream which astounded me with its incredible symbolism, and set me on a course of studying and trying to know how one's dreams could have the power to open bleak deeply rooted feelings that seem somehow ancient and lurking at all times just out of view even on the brightest of days. There are centuries of lore relating to dreams and scientific studies continue to probe the mysteries but dreams are like mortality itself in which no one has yet figured out whether death is final or possibly a passage to a different form of existence. So far my inquiries have begun by consulting 'The Oxford Companion to the Mind', but all it had to say about dreaming is to list various superstitions, beliefs and a few inconclusive research findings. Next, I experimented with trying to reconstruct my dream for presentation to an interested audience by way of a verbal narrative, but the resulting account fell short of conveying the true undertow so I switched to music and believe that a non-specific representation is possible, looking first to Rodion Schedrin's ballet music 'Anna Karinina', but my audiofile recording is misplaced in other harddrives somewhere and I limited the choice to something readily available, which turns out to be the 4th Symphony of Jean Sibelius, as stark and remote as anything around. From the warmside of the big picture window we look out upon the Arctic remains of the cyclone bomb that ended lives all at once one weekend, right at Christmas. What better time for a warm snack?

Monday December 26, 2022 3:08 PM CST -- Resurrected Part 15.org (.us) --
Artisan Radio is ready to back Rich Power's plan:

I would wholeheartedly support a resurrected Part15.org by Richard Powers.

As a suggestion, but he should probably look at Mastadon as a hosting
platform.  The software is free, the site would be ad-free, and it would
be readily accessible to the entire Mastadon Federation if that is desired.

The only potential downside is cost.  Unless you're running Linux (and
in particular, Ubantu) and have the necessary hardware & internet
bandwidth, you'd have to use a VPS and other third party platforms which
would potentially be somewhat costly.  I looked at DigitalOcean, and it
looks cheap, until you get into the finer details.  You'll end up paying
for internet traffic (understandable), which could add up.  Mastadon
does provide an installable iso for a DigitalOcean droplet (virtual
machine).

Installing the software on your own hardware looks somewhat challenging,
but you'd have complete control over everything, including potential costs.

Just a thought, anyway.

Here is a URL that describes how to set up a mastadon server. This is
the first of several screens, accessed by the pane on the left (about
halfway down).
Upon going through the screens in more detail, it's really not all that
difficult.  It's been a while since I've used UNIX and Linux, so it
would probably be easier if I remembered more.

I think I'm going to use a spare desktop computer and attempt to install it.

- Artisan Radio

Monday December 26, 2022 2:52 PM CST -- Rich Powers and Part15.org --
Mark responds to the news of Rich Power's takeover idea:

Me as current moderator (at the present part15.us/org) with nothing to really moderate, to Rich Powers here's what is technically wrong with it (at this time):
For one, the part 15 logo stays right in the middle of the page you are trying to view.
Next, ads may be necessary but why are they in the middle of the posts?
And third, the site takes a very long time to load each page. About 30 seconds to one minute each time you want to see/do something else. Very frustrating.
Also some people such as Timinbovey who has been posting for years quit because for an unknown reason gets the message the post needs moderation and had to explain that I have no control over this, all I can do is approve it when I get the message. He got pissed off and so there's another forum member gone. Only new posters with a first post are supposed to wait for moderation.
That's just the technical things that need fixing that don't help matters in trying to keep it alive.

Maybe yes it would be better if someone active in part 15 was the owner as it is with the other forums. Unfortunately, maybe not me but Rich Powers sounds good. Maybe you and Rich could join forces?

- Mark

Thank you, Mark. Of course I will be a supporter of any new effort, if needed. I have a question for you... Has Mr. Janze had anything to say about the current state of affairs?

Monday December 26, 2022 7:33 AM CST -- Universal Radio, Inc. --
A couple years ago the major radio supplier Universal Radio announced they were going out of business. This morning I took a look to see if they'd disappeared, and found them still open and selling radios. But their 'About' page lets it be known that 2023 will be the final year.

Monday December 26, 2022 5:52 AM CST -- Just Below the Ice --
The temperature at the moment is 28-degrees, much better than the more zeroish temps of the past days. What I don't know is whether today is a holiday. Although it doesn't matter because the only thing of even the slightest importance would be the matter of mail delivery. There was no mail at all last week, as Leroy DeJoy has succeeded in demolishing the Postal Service with no resistence from the Biden team. We've been cattle-prodded into an online world where internet is the last communicational means we have for participating in modern life, which is why ISPs are charging ten times more than other world democracies. Oh, and over here on my other ear an NPR voice just mentioned that today is in fact an official holiday. Well, that was my one big question heading into this last week of the year. 

Sunday December 25, 2022 4 PM CST -- Our Savior --
Richard Powers takes charge:

Carl, the VOA calendar link worked fine for me, so I've attached a copy to this email for your viewing pleasure. Each month features a famous US island.. Tybee however is not featured. Guess our 2 mile island is too small to be recognized which is fine because we can't handle the parking for the tourists we get every summer anyway.

On another matter you asked "Where did we come from? Where are we going? What does it all mean?"..
My response is that I came from Oklahoma (they say that I was born there, but I really don't remember), I've been living on Tybee over 40 years and not likely to be going anywhere, and what it all means doesn't really matter because all that is has been before and all that will be is only a distorted reflection of whatever presently is.
I hope that clears things up.

I'd like to purchase, repair, and revive part15.us site if it's for sale, but any potential transaction would have to wait till summer. I personally believe the major flaw with the site is that it is totally choked up with an extreme overabundance of irrelevant and mispositioned ads which is not only a constant annoyance to anyone that visits, but also causes the site to operate at a crawl.
I don't really know who owns it now, but I kind of wonder if he also owns a lot of other unrelated sites which in reality are nothing more than foundations to build an automated ad-revenue on... Not saying that's the case, but that's the only scenario that seems to explain it. It appears the site was purchased primarily as an ad-revenue platform. Is the owner even a part 15 broadcaster?

Mark asked if part 15 AM was even around in 1965.. The answer is part15AM had been around since 1938 and its first public-broadcasting use began in 1939 with Halsteads Traffic Control AM transmitters. But during the1940s the largest use of part 15 AM was teenagers utilizing the already existing wireless phono-oscillators or building transmitters from scratch using plans published in magazines.
The 1950s was when hobby transmitters began hitting the market (like the Knight kits and Radio-Vox, and numerous miscellaneous cheap knock-offs).  It was the extreme popularity of part15AM amongst teenagers during those years which prompted the FCC to create a new specific category in part15 in 1956... All types of part 15 devices up to that point were classified as RRDs (Restricted Radiation Devices), but in 1956 the alternate rule (15.219) was created to make it easier for the teenagers to be compliant - However the new alternate rule could not technically be classified as a RRD because it was governed by power input and antenna length (not field strength), so the FCC created an appropriately named special category called "Low Power Communication Devices" - And that's what we operate under today.
Never found out what the outcome was with that kid in 1965, but the articles give the impression that the FCC never even paid him a visit.. I tried to find out but found nothing more about it.

Well now we've got something going! The Blare Blog 100% supports you, Richard Powers, as the prospective Part 15 Webmaster and want to see you do an Elon Musk and obtain Part15.us! To my knowledge the site is owned by Jon Paul Janze and Moderator Mark will know his email. Mr. Janze is not a part 15 hobbyist but has made the web server available to voluntary moderators a couple of whom used it to impose their own brand of strict tyranny which did harm to the hobby, as we've talked about.

Oh, and the VOA Calendar works now, just click on the first paragraph of Rich's message.

Sunday December 25, 2022 10:15 AM CST -- Quiet Moment --
All of a sudden the guests have seen themselves out the door and we are left with a very wet floor from all the snow that got tracked inside. We had little luck trying to thaw the sardines only ending up with clumps of shredded fish still bound to chunky ice. Marjorie Taylor Green was seen approaching the entrance but we were able to latch the door and conceal ourselves until she finally went away. Jarad and Ivanka Kushner pulled up in their limousine, idling briefly in the parking lot, driving away without exiting the vehicle.

Sunday December 25, 2022 10:03 AM CST -- Moments Later --
Congressman Schiff asked for directions to the rest room. I asked him to be sure to keep the faucet dripping because of the pipes, but he didn't seem to understand. The temperature is up to 14-degrees but a pipe could still burst. I see other familiar faces milling in the crowd but I am not sure of anyone's name so I'm sort of standing back until someone comes up and introduces themself. Many are leaving when they realize there's no wet bar nor any other kind of bar.

Sunday December 25, 2022 9:59 AM CST -- Open House --
The January 6th Committee has stopped by for our KDX Open House and Congressman Adam Schiff is walking toward me right now so I need to stop blogging and visit with him, but I'll be back to tell you what we talked about.

Sunday December 25, 2022 5:45 AM CST -- Exclusive Invitations --
It's up to 10-degrees and our carefully monitored water drip to keep the pipes from freezing seems to have done the job and I decided to celebrate by holding a semi-open house today for some of our close associates. A gift table has been set up in the multi-purpose hallway and we hope to serve sardines, if we can get them thawed. Somebody left them in the car and they've become can-shaped blocks of ice. We've been on the phone placing personal invitations since 3:30 this morning. The first call went to Senator Kyrsten Sinema to ask her to be the guest of honor, as I'd like to offer free desk space so she'd have a midwest office and free consultation which I could provide if not too busy with transmitter maintenance. Call ahead to make sure you're invited or you'll be turned away.

Saturday December 24, 2022 3:52 PM CST -- No, It's Not Just You --
On his Artisan Radio Blog Artisan Radio wrote:
Is it just me or does anyone else find the comments in multiple posts over at Hobbybroadcaster, about a female actress who played a teenage superhero, uncomfortable, stupid and sexist?
Carl adds his own remark about it, and says:  If it quacks like a cuck...

Saturday December 24, 2022 2:45 PM CST -- Recycled Gifts --
Every year I like to offer a bundle of Blare OnAir Christmas Specials from our 'Lite' Collection, where each show is 10-minutes. This is your opportunity to stock your station's Holiday Goodies to an absolute frenzy.

Saturday December 24, 2022 12:33 NOON CST -- Bible Prophesy Revision --
Our station Religious Adviser has an Important Update to the Second Coming. Here is the Reverend David Douche:

Saturday December 24, 2022 6:41 AM CST --

Friday December 23, 2022 12:17 NOON CST -- Outdoor Living --
It takes a weather emergency to bring homeless people to public attention when the news photographer steps out of a warm media truck long enough to grab a photo of a homeless veteran packed into his wheel chair being offered a ride to a warming shelter by a public service worker. We read further that some of the outcasts opt for the streets because of personal reservations about the shelters which consist usually of being sardined together in a large common enclosure. One example tells of a woman whose asthma became critical because of dense tobacco smoke resulting in an ambulance to the emergency room. Her words upon release to a back-alley dumpster, "At least now I can breath". This infuriated me as I'm unable to believe that some social worker couldn't enforce a no indoor smoking rule. Those feral anti-social belligerents need to be escorted away for criminal air pollution and tattooed with a reject symbol. Some homeless people actually are undesirables and should be put outside city limits.

Friday December 23, 2022 10:23 AM CST -- Heavy Duty Labor --
Two recent experiences got me thinking about the field of heavy labor requiring top notch physical condition to accomplish essential work. First in mind are the railworkers recently in the news over a looming possibility of a rail strike, then came electric line crews who climb and maintain the power poles per a two-day project right out the window where we got attached to a new transformer. These are occupations known as 'public works' and deal with extra-large systems that mechanize and enable modern civilization. A list of such professions includes all of the utility services, tower climbers, bridge and road crews, the river industry, seafarers, coal miners, space and aviation, etc. Then there are the rest of us, the softies who benefit from the large infrastructures but provide comfortable indoor functions such as throwing a few switches and moving a lot of paper. Luckily there are enough women to go around on all sides, providing the companionship that helps make work rewarding.  

Friday December 23, 2022 7:49 AM CST -- Morning Roll Call --
We are still here. Are you still there? The main thing for us, as we note that 'The Flag Is Still There', is the cold. It hangs at -5^o F with a powdery 1" layer of white stuff and slight breeze, dragging the wind chill, or what I would call the 'effective radiated temperature', down somewhere around -30. Most of the United States is in similar or worse circumstances. Against it all millions of willful brain-frozen zombies are forcing their way into unwise travels out through the raw elements putting the men and women of the transportation industries into inadvisable service across dangerous miles only to celebrate a symbolic custom that has no true historic or imovable necessity. It would be sensible to postpone gatherings until a more propitious time and depend instead on the ubiquitous availability of electronic contact by phone and internet. Lives will be lost and gifts left unopened. I meant to use the word 'fool' somewhere in my diatribe. Carl Blare, from the Hunker Bunker.

Thursday December 22. 2022 10 PM CST -- Night Report --
Deadly temperature -5 with windy overnight 29 MPH gusts up to 40. Approximately 1" very dry snow being blown around. I'm 'tuning' the water system for the right amount of drip to protect pipes. Indoor temp at 64^o. In faith that the electric power will remain steady we've elected to keep the radio services including website on for the overnight, always having in mind the slight heat blowing from the servers. How is your life raft coming along?

Thursday December 22, 2022 3:20 PM CST -- Mid Afternoon Report --
At least so far into the day the weather has not been as fearsome as earlier predictions called for. There's been a slow accumulation of snow up to an inch, the temperature has floated down to present 7^o, and although still in the weather bureau's forecast, we have witnessed no significant winds, tree limbs not waving around. Delivery trucks continue to make the rounds, the bold delivery personnel deserving our praise and mail trucks are zipping around, although the mailman would be forgiven if he stayed warm and remembered us on a better day. Automobiles are scarce, evidence perhaps of wise common sense.

Thursday December 22, 2022 10:28 AM CST -- Looking Around --
While Artisan Radio explores the potentials of Mastadon.social (visit Artisan Blog), we have taken an interest in blogtalkradio.com. Both platforms offer interesting and creative ways to define one's own category and purpose.

Thursday December 22, 2022 9:35 AM CST -- Sturm and Drang --
The predicted winter storm is arriving more slowly than earlier forecast. We were anticipating full-on force of the coming weather event by this time, but a revision gives us most of the afternoon before full confluence of wind, snow, and temperature drop. It all translates into more online time for The Blog, the website, and the radio signals being sent through this keyboard. We return you now...

Thursday December 22, 2022 6:35 AM CST -- How to Soundproof a Room --

Thursday December 22, 2022 5:34 AM CST -- BLIZZARD WATCH --
Present weather conditions on the campus of home school college are as good as they'll be for the day with temperature 35^o F and resembling a veritable still-life with tree branches holding motionless, but the future-casters tell us that around 9:30 AM Central Time the furies of Hades will descend upon us with temperatures nose-diving toward zero and gusty winds 40 MPH coupled with thick snowfall. When it starts to happen KDX will enter security mode by closing the website until the wind subsides. The weather front is massive and expected to impact much of the U.S. Stand back and protect your pets. All sales are final.

Wednesday December 21, 2022 8:05 PM CST --

Wednesday December 21, 2022 1:49 PM CST -- THE STATE OF THE STATION 2022 --
On this occasion of the Winter Solstice, shortest daylight of the year, it's time again for the Annual State of KDX Address, delivered this year on The Blare Blog. Looking back over the past 12-months it can be said once again that Radio Station KDX has fulfilled its mission of providing excellent programming to its sole listener, namely myself. This means a great deal in my daily routine as I savor the companionship of radio voices delivering fresh information not generally available on local licensed stations. The reality of the baron dial situation was brought home very starkly this morning when KDX was silent during a three-hour period while the electric company installed a new power transformer serving our facility. During that time we found ourselves limited to two commercial talk stations or NPR. One of the commercial hosts was delving into details of local sports, the other was women talking about their Christmas habits over the years and NPR was drawing out an endless narrative from a guest who started a Vietnamese-Restaurant in her hometown. The remaining stations never worth hearing are wall to wall Christian repeats of repeats, right-wing-conservative hate stations, or permanent fixation on everything about sports. When KDX was finally able to come back online we joined the live Thom Hartmann Program which will be followed by the foremost computer program, Security Now, with Leo Laport and Steve Gibson and we'll hear 'Between the Lines, offering news not covered mainstream media. Throughout each week we hear some of the top personalities in the field, Ralph Nader, Al Franken, Adam Curry, John C. Dvorak, Harry Schearer, Maria Gilardin, Tommy Mischke, Peter Anthony Holder, Michael Harrison, Dan Barker, Annie Laurie Gaylor, George Hrab, Seth Andrews, Michael Moore, and various others. KDX-AM reaches the entire outdoor campus of the Internet Building where we enjoy good radio while working landscape, KDX-FM providing excellent indoor signals for monitoring, KEGO-FM an all purpose utility station used for audio editing, YouTube and movie audio, and our early morning DXing of other streaming radio stations. KDX-VORBIS and KDX-MP3 stream what we do to the entire globe, The Blare Blog takes its place as yet another medium designed to reach the community of low power broadcasters many of whom contribute regular articles from their experience, including Artisan Radio, Brooce, Moderator Mark, Richard Powers, Tha Dood, and others. There are always technical projects in the works, such as the recent addition of a C.Crane FM3 Transmitter, and continual reports on current and future projects, such as our thoughts about restoring a carrier current signal, progress on completion of a shortwave outlet, and design and build of a longwave beacon. We keep an eye always on developments in the low power arena and report about it for our readership. They say, if it works don't fix it, and KDX works very nicely. We plan to keep it the way it is in 2023.

Monday December 19, 2022 11:15 AM CST -- Aircraft, Rail and Marine Radio --

Monday December 19, 2022 8:31 AM CST -- Radio Listenership --
More listeners are tuning in with mobile devices than with conventional radio receivers. This is important for independent streamers whose part 15 transmitters cover very small areas but whose online presence jumps right over local licensed stations and can potentially be heard anywhere.

Sunday December 18, 2022 4:28 PM CST -- The Jury is In On House Music --
Our day of House Music on KDX has been on the air for the past hour and it's likable, has steady rythym, is lively, mixes well with ongoing activities, and will blend nicely with all the other genres we've been using. Another excellent choice by your local area program director, to speak well of myself.

Sunday December 18, 2022 3:15 PM CST -- Train Video Radio Audio--
Today I wanted to enjoy the warm cover of being indoors listening to programs on KDX Worldround Radio and also  wanted something to look at other than the chilly view out the window, so I linked to the live Railfan cam in Flagstaff, Arizona, and watched tracks. There are many of these live realtime cameras on the Railfan system, but I figure it's warm in Arizona so that explains the choice. While enjoying Mischke's Roadshow about his history with pet dogs one train headed east pulling a mile of empty flats and minutes later a westbound came rolling along fully loaded with stacked storage containers. Plenty of road traffic stopped at the gates, probably shoppers.
After an hour of viewing the scene I began realizing there was snow covering the ground in Flagstaff! So much for warmth.

Sunday December 18, 2022 1:45 PM CST --
I can't get the pages to turn on the VOA calendar. It must be real... VOA wouldn't offer a fake calendar.

Sunday December 18, 2022 7:16 AM CST -- Up Comes House Music --
The Nation Magazine attributes the rise of house music to the 1990s, but we here at The Blare Blog didn't notice it at the time because we were still shy of retirement and absorbed by commercial affairs what with an audio/video studio and corporate taxes. But these years later we have waded hip-deep into the genre muck and are just catching up. The inquisitive "so what(?)" finds its answer in today's bold plunge into hours of house music following the talking portion of the program day on KDX. If you listen you'll have the same experience we will be having: what's it like?

Sunday December 18, 2022 6:47 PM CST -- A Personal Message from Your Blogger --
It's the time of year when we ask the big questions: Where did we come from? Where are we going? What does it all mean? Is there another life after this one? Where is our soul mate? Why don't dogs live longer? But at the end of the day there's only one thing that's truly important: What have you gotten me for Christmas? 

Saturday December 17, 2022 4:41 PM CST -- Secularism Rising --

Saturday December 17, 2022 3:38 PM CST -- A Fine Xmas Tale --
If your radio station is looking for more Christmas material, here's a good one. It's an original story written and read by Seth Andrews.

Saturday December 17, 2022 10:06 AM CST -- The Extinquishing Light --
Days are getting shorter, but if past trends are reliable we expect daylight to start increasing once we're past the solstice on Wednesday, marking the resetting of the astronomic clock. As part of our yearly recognition of the occasion we'll deliver the Annual State of the Station Address to report on the past year's events as an international radio station serving humanity since 2007. At the same time KDX is preparing for the holiday period that follows during which we'll again duck and dodge the same old type of programming done by most other radio stations over again each year. As a secular station KDX is sanitary where religious fare is concerned and being noncommercial we also sidestep the jingoistic retail sales aspect by cleaving closely to usual programming as heard the rest of the year, but not entirely. Every year Peter Anthony Holder deviates from his ordinary format on his 'Stuph File' show to repeat a happy tunes children's Christmas episode recorded years ago by two child relatives, coming up against another thing KDX is not, that being a kid's station. Our demographic target is the adult population on the intellectual upper side. Then there's Harry Shearer's 'le Show' every holiday delivering a festive music concert generously gifted by top musicians from among his close friends, the quality being so professional we are honored to let it get past the censor. Also unavoidable are the anti-Christmas episodes from the Freedom From Religion Foundation when Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker ridicule Christmas and Seth Andrews, 'the Thinking Atheist', delivers Christmas tales from a non-believers point of view. Another atheist, George Hrab, host of 'GeoLogik', is a working musician who admittedly likes Christmas and does his own performances of original holiday songs. Last and probably least is me, when every year I schedule a performance of the 'Christmas Cantata' by Arthur Honegger, a Swiss composer and passionate Believer in the Christian Tradition, whose peice is so exquisite as to rank highest in my estimation of what might be called 'sacred music'. That's the way it's been and continues to be every year around now.

Saturday December 17, 2022 8:36 AM CST -- DIY Keep Heat During Power Out --

Friday  December 16, 2022 11:08 AM CST -- Twitting and Tweeting --
I'm inclined to be approving toward Elon Musk even though I don't know him nor do I have insight to his methods. One thing I enjoy about him is his unabashed inclination to talk about anything that comes up. The more ordinary 'captain of industry' tends to be more aloof and reserved perhaps politically cautious in allowing themselves to be known, most often through the filter of public relations departments and a chain of command that keeps him unreachable behind layers of lower management. Musk is obviously a high achiever with a stated interest in solving large public obstacles including transportation both on earth and in space, energy complexities through battery research and development, and most recently mass communication evidenced by his Twitter acquisition. To some degree it seems to me that his endeavors amount to giant toys for his personal play pen, and I believe he knows he's learning on the job by fiddling with tweaking mechanisms. His many critics are loudly vocal yet themselves have achieved nothing comparable to what he's accomplished. As far as Twitter is concerned I have never used it and don't know much about what it is or does and I'm apathetic about looking it up at Wikipedia, so there's no way I'd know whether his hands-on diddling with the platform amounts to good or bad decisions, but since Twitter is basically a hub of public discourse I am not qualified to have a clue about riding herd over an uncouth public consisting largely of ignoramuses. If I had the slightest notion of how to govern blow-hards I'd start a part 15 radio forum.

Thursday December 15, 2022 5:07 PM CST -- Civilization is a House of Cards On Eggshells --

Thursday December 15, 2022 11:54 AM CST -- Observations From the Train Window of Life --
Happened to watch a movie called "Cuck" and had to check the definition of the word which was not familiar to me. The character portrayed in the film could just as easily been tagged 'Incel' because one of his problems was inability to develop agreeable relations with women and then blaming women rather than realizing his approach was flawed. But the expression 'incel' is slightly inaccurate and I sort through etymologies in the attempt to have accurate views about the experience of life. 'Incel' is based on the phrase 'involuntarily celibate' founded on the belief that 'celibacy' means 'going without sex'. But reaching deep into word origins we learn that the first definition of 'celibate' is 'unmarried' and the true and proper word should be 'chaste' meaning 'without sex', therefore "Inchaste" would stand for 'involuntarily without sex', however the dictionary allows that a secondary definition of 'celibate' is 'sexlessly'. So now I have to rearrange the vocabulary department in my head to allow imprecise English. All right, so what about 'cuck'? "One who meekly and submissively acts against their own interests, or those of their own race, gender, class, religion, etc." I don't know about that. I mean, doesn't that describe humans in general?

Thursday December 15, 2022 10:37 AM CST -- Objection Overruling Upheld --
Mark speaks for the Majority Opinion of the Hobby Appeals Court:

If this was back in 1965 the kid was most likely on AM as then AM was king and not many listened to FM.
The only transmitters back then were hobby kits from Heathkit or similar from Radioshack that you could be deejay around your house and be your own radio station. With a little know how and a 10ft outside antenna that the kid was using you could be heard for 300ft as stated. 200 listeners that is claimed my be exaggerated unless he had a large apt. building next door and then how good would the signal get in the building. Was part 15 AM in effect in 1965? Even if it wasn't the Knight, Heathkit, Radioshack transmitters were on the market and marketed as legal to sell for a radio hobby many kids did back then, me included! He was only doing it 3 hours 1 evening a week and the FCC should just leave him alone. He could be out getting into trouble but no, he has a hobby and it doesn't hurt anyone. As for royalties.....really? In Canada there is no music royalties required for an over the air RSS-210/BETS-1 unlicensed station. Back in 1965 a kid with a hobby that goes only 300ft...come on.
Leave the kid alone I say. By the way, what was the outcome with the FCC?

- Mark

I have to agree with Mark on all the points he makes. I worked for an FM station in 1965 and was downtrodden that no one admired me because people just didn't know about FM back then and the girls weren't impressed. And I find it implausible that the kid had 200-listeners because number 1, how could he know? And number 2, there aren't 200-people living within a 300-foot area anywhere on land, and on a ship out on the ocean the walls are made of steel and wouldn't pass RF signals nor would the FCC have jurisdiction. There should be no music royalties for the radio medium which cannot measure the audience.The ratings services that claim to measure radio audiences are only a magic act.

Wednesday December 14, 2022 3:31 PM CST -- Objection Overruled --
Judge Richard Powers of the Hobby Radio Appeals Court hereby, thereby, and bye-bye Overrules the Blare Ruling Against the Kid:

"Carl spouts an objection that hasn't yet been said... if PeeWee Steven is really getting 200 listeners with oldies music he is a music copyright pirate and should be sued by the royalty police."...

It could be argued that his part 15 station was a non-profit and therefore not bound by any copyright laws. This was the case with college stations during that era (the 1960s) which also operated under part 15 with no requirements of paying any copyright fees, as pointed out in the 2013 publication titled "Use of Copyrighted Music on College and University Campuses" on page 5:

"...Prior to 1978, colleges and universities were exempt from many of the requirements of the Copyright Act due to a provision that gave copyright owners control over the public performance of their musical compositions only if the performance was “for profit.” The Copyright Revision Act of 1976, which became effective on January 1, 1978, eliminated the not-for-profit exemption...".

Its worth noting, (so far as I've been able to determine) that no part 15 station has ever been cited for copyright infringement at any point in history, and it seems unlikely it will ever happen. However, that doesn't change the fact that a part 15 radio broadcast receivable at even a half a block away can clearly be considered a "public performance", so fees are required  for the use of any copyright material used.

I think it's pretty evident that the majority of part 15 AM broadcasters don't bother - understandably so, because.. well.. is it really a "public performance" if the only one listening is the one who is broadcasting it? But there are P15 music stations out there with an audience, in which case paying the fees is a prudent thing to do.

As for the kid back in 1965 with 200 listeners - which potentially certainly could have been achieved legally with a compliant 10ft install from a strictly technical standpoint (but not from the intended 300ft distance limit the FCC intended it to be capable of)... uh.. I lost my train of thought.. oh yeah!, as for the kid with 200 listeners, more power to him!

I had to stop myself, I was beginning to ramble.

Later Carl.

- Rich

Very well-reasoned Argument for the Defense, Rich!

Tuesday December 13, 2022 2:50 PM CST -- I Can't Think About This --

Tuesday December 13, 2022 2:32 PM CST -- This Could Be Important --

Tuesday December 13, 2022 1:41 PM CST -- Solving the Problem of Flammable Batteries --

Tuesday December 13, 2022 11:33 AM CST -- FCC Reports B&H Photo & Video Sells Illegal FM Transmitters --
The Rolls HR70 is among several transmitters cited, a device recently asked about in part 15 circles.

Tuesday December 13, 2022 9:30 AM CST -- Hamtramck Radio History --
Richard Powers from the clipping room:

Must have been a really enjoyable radio station. Unfortunately even their web address has gone off.

Tuesday December 13, 2022 9:01 AM CST -- Local vs. Regional --
Humans naturally tend to be most aware and concerned about what is close at hand, in a space we could call 'super local'. But radio 'broad'casting has the magical ability to make the distant become local. But far regions, although reached and brought local by radio sorcery and although including multi-localities within the broadness of it, depersonalize the individual listener by blurring him into the mass audience.

Tuesday December 13, 2022 8:48 AM CST -- The Case for Analog --
Unpopular first because of my defensive attitude about monaural sound, I am further out of step with my fondness for analog audio.

Monday December 12, 2022 12:10 NOON CST -- The Intervention --
CARL:  We are pleased to welcome Doctor Sigmund Psickie to The Blare Blog, from Psickie Psyche Services and the Mental Health Counselor for KDX Worldround Radio. Is this your holiday visit, Dr. Psickie?
DR. PSICKIE:  Cahl, I vus quite alahmed to ride yo pos dis morn'n attacking yo weeders over der demans for Da Blog! I taught you might need quik innervenshun to keep from krackin up!
CARL:  Oh heck, na! I'm fine. But you know, I get a bit testy every year with the holidays, the short daylight, lack of a love life, short on cash, the pressures of life at the top. But what about you, Dr. Psickie? You look like heck. What's wrong in your life?
DR. PSICKIE:  Vell, I falls in luff.
CARL: You fell in love? But that sounds very nice. What's wrong with that? We should celebrate.
DR. PSICKIE:  Der's some pwoblem. She no in luff wid me. She marriet, she lebonese, she wanta by da pleese fer attempta murder, and she iss client a mine.
CARL:  Holly bijesus, Siggy! You need a friend!
DR. PSICKIE: Unt her 'husban' iss a 300-pound feminist army sargeant who out lookin fer me. Say, dis ain goin inna blog, iss it?
CARL:  I wouldn't worry about that, Sig, because no one will understand your accent, but, I must ask, are you German or perhaps Swiss?
DR. PSICKIE:  No, Caul, I from Pittsburg.
CARL:  One more thing... you said she is 'lebonese'... do you mean lesbian?
DR. PSICKIE:  Ya! Lebonese.

Monday December 12, 2022 7:26 PM CST -- The Vast Unblogged --
Only slight traces remain from thoughts had last night between the hours of 9 PM to 12 MIDNIGHT Central Standard Time while I flipped and fluttered between sleep and wakeyness. I'd retired an hour earlier at 8 PM but happened to come awake at 9 because of the 3-gallons of soup consumed for dinner which eventually resulted in 30 bathroom trips. During these moments of sleepus-interuptus I often plan detailed and elaborate bloggings that will get posted the next morning, but never follow through because of how sleep tends to erase whatever is thought or dreamed during the night. But last night was 'Sterling On Sunday' time when the only good radio program is live on local radio and I suffer guilt if it goes unheard but usually does because sleep intercedes. So, last night I managed to get the TECSUN PL-310 radio energized for the big show and heard fragments of it for the hours in and out of sleep. Now, however, the next morning, I only recall the consternation between radio and silence, wakeness and sleepness, and a smattering of dreams mixed in. In the aftermath all I know is that I've had enough of the guilt and ambivalence and henceforth will deny Walter M. Sterling a place in my Sunday plans. The bright side is that if it really matters he can be heard later in podcasts on his website but I do want it clear that Walter is not to blame so much as is this Blog which is always in the background of my mind seeming to require constant feeding with every fact and observation gathered amid the life experience, hounded as I am by you, the insatiable readers who wonder everything and expect my continuing confessions. You've got to accept what trifles get mentioned here and go without knowing everything there is to know. People always expect more than they get and this 'giving season' that's come upon us will not pressure me into enslavement to the keyboard. Freedom of the press also guarantees freedom from the press.

Saturday December 10, 2022 1:29 PM CST -- PeeWee Misunderstanding --
Richard Powers clarifies:

Carl it appears the "peewee station" article I sent you has led to a minor uproar of responses on your blog.. which was kind of cool.. but what no one seems to realize is that article was from the summer of 1965!

I tried to find what became of the situation but all I found was another Ohio newspaper around the same time (The Cincinnati Post and Times Star (Cincinnati, Ohio) · Mon, Jul 12, 1965 · Page 6), with the same basic story except that this one provided a picture of him in his home studio (attached,  love it when there's pictures!).
Neither article mentions that WYNR was (and presumably still is) the call letters of a licensed AM station in Chicago.

The term "Peewee" had evidently been unofficial but common way the FCC referred to part 15 AM teen-operated stations for at least a few decades (I have similiar articles from other areas and years that says that "peewees" was what the FCC called them particularly in the 1950s & 60s, as well as how the kids were often exceeding the 10ft antenna limit. I think the 1960 FCC annual report has a few stories about some specific peewee infractions.

Anyway, for future reference, usually the filename of images I send indicate the original date of the newspaper clippings.

Wish it said what kind of transmitter...  interesting it was outdoors with a 10ft whip - or so it seems to indicate. It seems clear to me it was AM 100mw because of the peewee reference, it would be another 20 years before part 15 FM even came into existence. It's not clear if an agent ever actually examined his installation, only that the red light on the antenna pissed off the neighbor!

Take care,
- Rich

Factoid:  WYNR is now a 97 kW FMer in Waycross, Georgia. WYNR Chicago is now WGRB 1390 AM.
And Carl spouts an objection that hasn't yet been said... if PeeWee Steven is really getting 200 listeners with oldies music he is a music copyright pirate and should be sued by the royalty police.

Friday December 9, 2022 11:16 AM --

Friday December 9, 2022 10:51 AM CST -- Pee Wee DJ --
Artisan Radio sees it this way:

I doubt very much that the radio station mentioned in that article is
running on AM.  If the guy has over 200 listeners, he's covering a
relatively large area and it's most likely over-powered FM.  The
described antenna is probably a Comet vertical or similar.  Even the FCC
wouldn't shut down a station because of a light on top of a 10 foot antenna.

I have little sympathy for pirate radio stations.  They flout the law
and make it more difficult in the eyes of both the public and the FCC
for those of us who follow it.  Would I like the rules to change and
give us more power?  Of course, but let's ask for permission, not
forgiveness.  With that higher power, I'd also expect some additional
level of checking to ensure that those using it know what they're doing
(somewhat akin to amateur radio licensing).

Many pirates have little technical knowledge, and it's easy to cause
interference with over-modulation with anything over micro power
levels.  There are reasons why higher powered stations are licensed and
strictly monitored by the FCC.

- Artisan Radio

And, as always, Carl has something to add: Just because the station is run by a little kid is no excuse for getting 'nice' and looking the other way. It's like a lemonade stand. When children set up lemonade stands on the sidewalk the neighboring adults suddenly overlook health and safety regulations and show the delinquents smiles and patronage. I say shut them down and fine their parents.

Friday December 9, 2022 6:30 AM CST -- Pee Wee Jock --
Mark speaks in defense of the Pee Wee Jock:


Carl jumps in with a few words:  Some neighbors are straight out of a Stephen King horror story.

Friday December 9, 2022 6:20 AM CST -- Radio Inside the Walls --
This prison radio operation is a very excellent program to instill cooperative, communicative and social skills into inmates rather than impose cruelty.

Thursday December 8, 2022 7:47 AM CST -- Rich Powers Clipping Service --
From newspaper pages sent by Richard Powers:

Thursday December 8, 2022 6:47 AM CST -- Rich Powers Hears Voices in his Billboard --
Richard Powers has been scrutinizing newspapers on behalf of the great hobby -
How many drivers canceled their flight, made a U-turn after hearing the pouty lips, and headed straight to the Pink Garter?

Wednesday December 7, 2022 7:25 AM CST -- Radio History Deep in a Gigantic Building --
A large piece of national radio history took place in Chicago's

Tuesday December 6, 2022 2:52 PM CST -- Brain Activity Detected --
Using the Eric Hoffer Method I came up with the answer to a previously asked question. Eric Hoffer was a self-educated popular author who retained work as a longshoreman on the docks of San Francisco because he found that doing manual labor freed his mind to think. And here I am on the shores of radio polishing the studio while coming up with a blanket title for all the musical genres that take so long to list and explain. Hours of the KDX program day are devoted to ambient, experimental, drone, techno, soundart, etc., etc., etc. But it came to me that one description might include them all: disorganized music. And indeed, that's what it all amounts to. Music-like fragments floating around amid soundscapes that are as much sound-effects as they are instruments. Air blown through sewer pipes and tremendous gas releases from large beasts. That leaves the other kind of music, that which is prepared, written down, planned, composed: organized music. As always I'll reward myself with a snack-break and delay further chores until the next day.

Tuesday December 6, 2022 1:51 PM CST -- Why Creativity is Never Finished --
No masterpiece is the end-all be-all. Whether it's a work of literature, a framed-painting on the wall, musical composition,  stage play, motion picture, television program, or radio production, even if it's perfectly rendered in every way, we still wonder - are there other works this good? Is there something even better?

Tuesday December 6, 2022 1:33 PM CST -- Therapy On the Playlist --
Have you noticed that so many part 15 low power radio station operators are mentally healthy?

Tuesday December 6, 2022 8:51 AM CST -- About the C.Crane FM3 Reviews --
Mark says:

Review #4?
Don't know what he is talking about.

- Mark

Carl adds:  Yes Mark. That's the way I read it too. The guy seems to think the FM3 is supposed to improve reception of a station, which is not what a transmitter does.

Monday December 5, 2022 3:50 PM CST -- How Are Things In Your Universe? --
It is easy to believe that the universe seen around us is obviously real through its day/night cycles. But those of us with half-way good thinking skills learn that the universe seen by our eyes is a reflection and not a solid reality. Our eyes act like drops of rain reflecting the world and what reaches our brain is the reflection detected by our eyes. Therefore the 'universe' which seems to exist around us is no more than the reflection in our eyes. But even that is not the full extent of what can be regarded as an illusionary reality. There happens to be a little known form of philosophy known as 'Solipsism' wherein the world we think we see is only a projection from ourselves by which the universe originates in our mind and is projected outward forming what is only a personal appearance of a universe. Given that 8-billion people inhabit the planet and each one of them is projecting a reflected world there are 8-billion such universes and even the people we encounter are part of a self-projected reflection making us very isolated by many degrees of separation. Solipsism is considered plausible because it cannot be disproved. 

Monday December 5, 2022 3:21 PM CST -- Users Comment on C.Crane FM3 Transmitter --
The new C.Crane FM3 Transmitter has been available long enough that user reports have started to appear at the C.Crane website:

    #1 ~5-STARS - Life With C.Crane FM3 Transmitter
    We are pleased with FM3 and also continue to enjoy FM1 & 2.
    Access to frequencies below 88.3 is of special appeal.
    PROS
    Frequencies below 88.3 MHz
    CONS
    Unable to turn off stereo; maximum modulation cannot be adjusted.
    Best Uses
    Sending audio to nearby radios

    #2 ~5-STARS - Just what I needed
    I was very pleased to realize this FM transmitter came with 1/8" jack
    a 5' audio extension cord
    a 1/8 to split 2 RCA adapters,
    extremely thankfully an AC adapter,
    & it works as advertised.

    #3 ~
    PROS
    In an apartment, I didn't want my TV blasting my neighbors all hours of the night so this sends it to my
    CC Radio 3 next to my bed.
    CONS
    I do have to crank up my volume more than I expected.
    Best Uses
    Finally, I can listen to a video while working in the kitchen without blasting the volume in the living room.
    (This was great!)

    #4 ~  It did not work for me this time
    I had one about 10 years ago that worked well. This one, when tuned to the station I want, blocks it on my radio
    rather than amplifying the signal.
    PROS
    It used to work
    CONS
    It seems not to work now
    Best Uses
    It was good for enhancing weak FM radio signals, both in the house and car.

    #5 ~5-STARS - very good
    every thing i had hoped for
    PROS
    works as expected
    CONS
    none
    Best Uses
    hear radio in any room

Monday December 5, 2022 11:03 AM CST --

Monday December 5, 2022 9:41 AM CST -- Looking Normal is a Thing of the Past --
It's been awhile since good friend of The Blog, Buster Boatrocker, has presented an Opinion Commentary, so we invited him to pay a call. Here is Buster Boatrocker:
Buster Boatrocker is Carl's barber from South St. Louis, Missouri, and occasionally gives his Opinion Commentary on The Blare Blog.

Monday December 5, 2022 7:16 AM CST -- Brief Television Career --
Without realizing that I was only dreaming at around 3 AM deep in the night, I was with a group of executives that had just told me I was being hired to present the 7 o'clock morning news on the television station starting immediately. The job was unexpected as I had no memory of applying for it, but accepted without admitting the fact I'd never done on-camera work before and wasn't confident I could do it acceptably. It also troubled me that I wasn't sure I could guarantee my presence every morning at such an early time. But I was bolstered by the unfaltering certainty of the executive team that I was a definite choice. In a way atypical of dreams, which usually fade to unrelated scenes in short order, this dream continued on a progressive track and I found myself reporting for work early the next morning and sat with the production crew which was very friendly and welcoming while my inner thoughts had me wondering how soon it would be 7 AM and no idea of whether I should be preparing something or whether other crew members were handling preparations. No one offered instructions as to the job description and I lacked the simple wit to ask any questions. To my great relief I awoke right then yet the tone of the dream was so strong that I still felt the pressure of needing to be on time for the new job. What would happen when the camera came on and I wasn't there?

Monday December 5, 2022 6:52 AM CST -- How Many Centers Does the Universe Have?
Those are questions to be answered today here in The Blare Blog! Keep watching!

Sunday December 4, 2022 2:32 PM CST -- Lie Down Without Telling Lies About It --
Regardless of my worldviews the earth is being trashed and devastated by the human animal species, therefore any degree to which I favor the plunder that's taking place cannot be used as evidence against me since we're all complicit, even the loud objectors. Getting straight to the point, I am an open and proud advocate of electric power generation by coal and find plastic to be an amazing and desirable substance. Home heating must stay regardless of how it's fueled although we could do with less air traffic and more railroading. No need to go into any more detail because what's taking place is unfolding with or without my input, except that we might want to take the microwave problem more seriously. Oh, just adding that meat consumption is completely natural and there's no need to pretend vegetable concoctions amount to the same thing. We are, after all, made out of meat ourselves.We are quite delicious to bears, wolves, mountain lions, and even dog packs.

Sunday December 4, 2022 1:16 PM CST -- Quibbly Crimes --
World courts are debating whether Russia's deliberate destruction of Ukraine's power grid during sub-zero temperatures constitutes a war crime. The Blare Blog would render the opinion that the war itself is a war crime, obviously and inarguably. But we'll have to leave it at that for the next two months because we are totally preoccupied with spending, sales, bargains, deals, limited-time offers, charge card limits and the prospect of getting as we give. Next month we'll be overspent, deeply in debt, depressed and hungover. If the world wants our involvement with their problems they need to pick more convenient times to hold catastrophes.

Sunday December 4, 2022 8:40 AM CST -- Life On and Off the Air --
Days at KDX Worldround Radio typically start at 5 AM Central Standard Time from FEMA Region 7. Station Master Carl Blare makes sure that KDX-VORBIS and KDX-MP3 are streaming the automated 'Night Noir' schedule of ambient music, but he does not officially start his own radio day until 7 AM when several hours of talk programming begin, providing programs for himself many grades of excellence above what is otherwise available from local area stations. During that two hour period before going on duty Mr. Blare is at liberty to pursue other interests, apart from the on-air obligations. This morning, for example, he visited YouTube to increase his knowledge of instant coffee, his preferred way of consuming the beverage following a lifetime of many coffee preparation techniques. As with everything, there are criticisms to be made of the presenters who submit videos to YouTube, and today the first several coffee videos were made difficult by rushed and jumbled speech, but a third video was nicely put forward by a fellow who compared a range of powdered coffee brands and had things to say about the history of such coffee starting in World War I. Next we came across an excellent film about the cross-Canada railway system and the human side of managing and maintaining the system all along the line.

Saturday December 2, 2022 11:14 AM CST -- Comments On Making the FM Band More Crowded --

Saturday December 2, 2022 10:58 AM CST -- A Blinding Glare of Microwaves from Space --

Friday December 2, 2022 8:08 AM CST -- Walk Backwards for Better Health --

Thursday December 1, 2022 3:27 PM CST -- All the 2nd-Hand Radios You'll Normally Need --

Thursday December 1, 2022 2:49 PM CST -- Radio Not for Rent --
Mark the out-of-a-job moderator has the scoop on 'Hertz':


The person's name who first proved that electromagnetic radiation was in waves was Heinrich Hertz. So the measurement of electromagnetic waves is in his name. 1 Hertz is one cycle(wavelength) passing by a given point in a second.
Maybe the rental company was founded by someone named Hertz also?

-Mark

Thursday December 1, 2022 9:37 AM CST -- What Does Hertz Have to Do with Car Rental? --
When I started in radio we had kilocycles and megacycles and everything was fine until the FM station I worked for went out of business. This put me on unemployment compensation until a new opening got me back on the air but something had changed for now we had kiloHertz and megaHertz. Not wanting to seem ignorant I went along with it but asked trusted confidants what happened to cycles and they advised me to act like I knew about cycles being replaced. They explained that the 'h' in Hertz was capitalized because the name of the car rental agency was capitalized, so I figured that the names for frequency measurement had been commercialized and we might as easily ended up with kiloSears or megaFirestone. I'm not sure who gets paid-off by the Hertz organization, but they have continued the sponsorship ever since.