Art Spiegelman is featured tonight on PBS American Masters.
Bill Griffith makes an appearance in the documentary. In what is perhaps not coincidental timing, Robert Crumb is featured in this week’s issue of The New Yorker.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/04/21/r-crumb-looks-back
The ass kissing is what matters to him. At least he didn’t claim that Congress doesn’t have authority over tariffs.
“You don’t negotiate like I negotiate.” Can’t argue with that. Caving on the electronics tariff proves he has no idea what he’s doing, and there is no strategy.
I have read many varying opinions of original Thorens turntable belts vs. Thakker belts. Using an RPM phone app, I made my own comparison.
The Thorens belt in my TD-166 MKII has been installed for about six months. It spins 0.49% fast above 33.33 rpm.
The new Thakker runs 0.73% slow, while the graph appears to show less flutter than the Thorens belt. Running slightly fast is generally considered to be preferable to slow on a belt drive turntable. The reason why would take too long to explain.
My direct drive Technics table doesn’t have a quartz-locked motor to guarantee speed accuracy. It spins just a tiny bit slow, with noticeably less flutter than either of the belt measurements.
Turntable belts always stretch with use. I’ll leave the Thakker installed in the Thorens table and check the speed periodically.
Those graphs are reminding me to make one of my occasional Kardia heart checks. No flutter here!
Zollfrei Aus Deutschland! (Duty-free from Germany!)
I’m surprised to see that Thakker has the discontinued Ortofon Super OM 20 in stock, and at a very good price.
https://www.thakker.eu/en/pickup/ortofon-super-om-20-cartridge/a-5112/
With its nude (solid) diamond stylus, the Super OM 20 is my best, and favorite, cartridge.
You can say that again, Cowardly Lion! April snow makes May flowers grow?
Former New York Times columnist Paul Krugman says, “I had always been lightly edited at the Times, until the last year. And then the editing became extremely intrusive.” That is very disappointing to hear.
Krugman is now very actively self-publishing, unfettered on Substack.
https://paulkrugman.substack.com/
So far, I’m a freebie subscriber. Krugman undoubtedly has incidental costs, but I have yet to fully embrace the idea of paying a Nobel Prize winner $5/month. I assure you that Prattling Before the Pratfall will always cost you exactly what it’s worth — nothing! 😉
Correction: It’s $7/month to be a paid subscriber, or $70/year.
