Welcome to DaviSound "NEWS UPDATES" !
Copyright ©1999-2025 by Hayne Davis, DaviSound
Powered By
* ATTENTION ! * For best viewing of this page...
PLEASE turn your mobile/handheld device sideways
to LANDSCAPE view position!
NEWS UPDATE ... from Hayne Davis ...January 21, 2025... February 4, 2025 ...
eMail- DaviSound at DaviSound dot com ... Text- 803 - 944 - 7972
PAGE INDEX:
January 21, 2025 - DaviSluggish DaviStart for 2025 I February 4, 2025 - DaviStretching to DaviSoapBox ! I
TO DAVISOUND MAIN INDEX TO DAVISOUND NEWS ARCHIVES
February 4, 2025
'' DaviStretching to DaviSoapBox '' ...
This is a very EARLY monthly update for a change ... and it may (or may not) be followed up with a second one around the end of the month. The main reason for this being so early is to announce a new ''DaviStretch'' that some of you may (or again, may NOT) be interested in hearing about. I have just launched another new little website. Since I have VOWED to keep most non-audio, or media, related topics OFF this DaviSound News Updates page from now on, and since I just simply can NOT sit back and watch what is happening to our country these days without comment (raising hell to try and call attention to the seriousness!), I decided the best way to meet both objectives was to simply start a new website devoted entirely to my ''editorial commentary''! Then, at the same time, concentrate on more appropriately relative content for the DaviSOUND news page henceforth.
The name of this new little ''DaviSoundOff'' website is DaviSoapBox.com and that link will take you right to it if you are curious enough (and brave enough) to check it out (and I truly hope most of you will be!).
I do NOT plan to let my occasional attention to that new project in any way diminish my efforts with DaviSound or this News Updates page. Why start something else when you already have a hard time making progress on what you are already behind on? ... I hear you asking. Well, let's just say that I do it mainly to, and this is sincere, to KEEP MY SANITY as I navigate through this increasingly insane world. The things happening to America now are just too serious to ignore and they affect me deeply, as they should all of us I believe! That being so, and being one who just has to ''do something about it'' when something affects me, documenting my observations and feelings helps me to get through it all with the hope that some of my insights just might inspire one or two others to be motivated to speak out ultimately creating a domino effect. Maybe, eventually, enough concerned Americans can collectively raise loud enough voices to actually help prevent the full destruction of American democracy, our constitution, rule of law and the United States Government in general. That is my hope and true motivation anyway and I think it important enough that ANYONE who can contribute ANYTHING needs to go into action NOW! It is certainly, as I see it, the most socially important situation to exist in my lifetime!
So... I will continue to pour all my energy and efforts that I can muster into DaviSound and it's various projects, including ongoing ideas and work for another written project - ''DaviSecrets'', the Tech Reports replacement - which I have been dabbling along on for so, so long but finally getting close to completion. At the same time, when I ''just can't take it anymore'' with the sabotage of democracy going on all around us, I will take an hour or so to dash off some relevant thoughts, and/or provide some new outside links/recommendations, as I ''DaviSoundOff'' on DaviSoapBox.com
Now, you will NOT be subjected to my ''editorializing'' about the political situation on THIS web page and, only if you are interested, there will be a dedicated place for you to check out from time to time (I will not be posting on a regular schedule but just as often as opportunity permits and/or circumstances demand).
So thats it...my new ''DaviStretch'' which I wanted to call to everyone's attention early on this month.
Most of you recall that I did a lengthy piece about ''A I'' (actually mentioned it in several posts) last year (you can find them in News Archives if you missed it). Naturally, being from the ''old school'' I am definitely NOT enthused about anything artifically generated taking the place of human talent in ANY way shape or form! I am TOTALLY and completely against it!
That being the case, naturally I was intrigued by this email received this morning from one of my news feeds from The New York Times. It was an opinion piece from Susannah Meadows, Senior Staff Editor and I surely hope that she won't mind me ''forwarding it'' here to all of my readers-
By Susannah Meadows Senior Staff Editor
One of the joys of talking to Hank Azaria is being talked to by Hank Azaria. In normal conversation, he’ll often burst into one of the over 100 voices he’s created for characters on “The Simpsons.”
In 2023, when we were working on his first guest essay for Times Opinion, I confessed to him that my kids made fun of me for doing a terrible Snake Jailbird impression despite having grown up in Southern California. He immediately offered me a Snake voice tutorial — in Snake’s voice. (As generous as he was as a teacher, I flunked “Simpsons” class.)
When OpenAI revealed its voice assistant last year and it sounded very much like Scarlett Johansson, I reached out to Azaria to see what he thought of A.I.-generated voices. As one of the all-time-great voice actors, he would know better than anyone what the new technology would mean for his art. We talked about what went into a voice performance and what audiences stood to lose if generative A.I. took over from humans.
In a new feature, Azaria argues that voice acting is more than a sound; it’s the sum of a lot of things, including an actor’s body and soul. And though Azaria can imagine some potential upsides to A.I.-generated voices — perhaps the ability to direct and fine-tune a re-creation of his beloved Bugs Bunny — he still wonders how machines could ever deliver the humanness that brings a character to life.
Nothing makes the human case better than seeing and hearing Azaria conjure his “Simpsons” characters. So we invited him to The Times to film his body — and perhaps glimpse his soul — at work. He performed all of our favorites — Moe the bartender, Chief Wiggum, Snake, Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel, Professor Frink, Superintendent Chalmers, Comic Book Guy, the Sea Captain and Duffman — so you can make your own conclusions about the difference a human makes.
At least for me, seeing Azaria at work makes it hard to imagine A.I. winning this fight. I just don’t see how something that can’t laugh could ever make us laugh.
Read, hear and watch more here:
Hank Azaria and his “Simpsons” voices vs. the machines
I thought some of you just might enjoy checking that one out. AND GOOD LUCK HANK!
Meanwhile...a few more ''DaviSouvenirs'' for you ...
Early last year, when I was posting a few photos of my new work room, I called attention to a few special ''antiques'' that are sitting atop my computer desk cabinet. Here is another look ...
I said that I would try and locate the photo of him in that car, a 1914 ''Model T'' Ford. I got a comment or two about that so I figured it was a good motivation to look for an old photo which needed to be located anyway. I found it but, unfortuately, it is VERY faded and difficult to reproduce. But, I did what I could and here it is ...This is the old ''side light'' kerosense lantern that I mentioned was from my grandfather's first car, which was the third car sold in Newberry County, SC.
26 year old William HAYNE Franklin
in his new car, 1914.
And, while looking for that photo, I found another historic photograph, this one a bit better quality. This photo has been reproduced and located in various businesses around Newberry over the years including ''The Grill On Main'' and even as a large wall mural in the Newberry Pizza Hut.
Malcom Oxner is standing beside the tractor and Joe Carter is standing in front. It has been suggested, but not verified, that the little boy sitting to the front on the curb is Irvine B. Leslie, founder of Leslie & Leslie Architectural Associates, a Newberry landmark business for decades.
My grandfather was a partner with Mr. Mack Oxner in the sawmill/lumber business and they also built and ran a cotton gin as well. Unfortunately, he had a severe stroke, was crippled, and later died all too soon in his early forties. I never got the chance to know him. The steam tractor became a historical yard display by the Oxner family and remained with them, restored, throughout most of my lifetime until finally bought by another Newberry farmer who relocated.
To further ''pinpoint'' the Main Street location, the white street sign barely visible in the mid-upper left of the photo marks the intersection of Main and Glenn Streets.
Well, I didn't mean to imply that I would stop posting ALL non-media, personal stuff in these News Updates whenever I feel it is of some significance ... just no more ''political''! I do think most of you might enjoy viewing this little bit of my heritage and I look forward to your comments!
As I have mentioned in my ''DaviSummation'' last year, my first order of business, before finishing the last two big mixing console projects, is to get that rebuilt, rebuilt and rebuilt DS-1950-TB, fifty year commemorative Tool Box ...REBUILT AGAIN. I will likely present a photo or two of it as I hope to get it shipped somewhere around the end of the first quarter. I am also working on finishing the installation of my full test/proofing area and the first utilization of it will be to repair/upgrade a pair of DaviSnakes awaiting attention.
Since it is also ''Short Wave Radio'' season, I may devote some space to that topic next update also and revisit some of my original radio circuits. So, if you are at all interested in the ''magic'' of late night winter time radio reception (or know someone who is), look for a bit of that next time also.
As always, I THANK YOU ALL for ''tuning in'' (Stats are inching back up a bit by the way! 2,333 visits to this page so far as of last month's update !) and I hope you will continue to do so throughout the future! Don't forget to send me an email or text ANYTIME as I ALWAYS enjoy hearing from you and answering any questions or comments personally!
Best efforts,
Hayne
PS- And, please don't forget, if you share my VERY DEEP CONCERNS about the ongoing destruction of our country, please visit and SHARE DaviSoapBox.com ! THANK YOU!
January 21, 2025
'' DaviSluggish DaviStart for 2025 '' ...''Ignorant voters elect ignorant politicians...it's that simple''- George Carlin
''Happy New Year'' ? ... ...
Well, I've started the new year off with ''long COVID'' (2nd covid bout in 8 months) working on me since 4 days after my last post ... and I have just endured the innauguration of a perpetual pathological lying, semi-literate, ego-maniacal, self-serving bully, convicted felon con man (I could go on although even one of those traits should have been deterrent enough) as the 47th president chosen by the majority (albeit SMALL majority- certainly no ''landslide'' as claimed) of mind-numbed American voters ... I didn't know a near 77 year old (next month) man could be so ''happy''!
Well, at least at this juncture, I do have about HALF my senses of smell/taste returning and I am breathing better with more energy the last few days- so, YES, I truly am happy about that for sure! I know, it seems you loyal readers have to spend WAY too much time reading about my assorted health issues month after month but, since that IS the ''NEWS'' as it happens, I have little choice but to post it as it affects everything else. It does seem to be one thing after another but they tell me that will be the ''DaviStruggle'' I will be dealing with from here on since my now 40 per cent heart ejection fraction will continue to make my immune system somewhat compromised and worsen with age. That's why I now spend a great deal of my time researching ''anti-aging'' therapies and supplements ( I take dozens daily!). I have always inherently practiced the ''new fad'' of ''intermittent fasting'' only eating twice a day- mid day and early evening. I basically adhere to the ''Mediterranean diet'' and I try to get a good balance of exercise and rest. So, no one can say I am not doing everything in my power to stay around for as long as possible and to stay as healthy and as active as possible along with it!
I know, too, that those of you in the seriously cold climates will scoff at my next comment that this ''ungodly'' cold winter (extremely cold for my southern location) has also contributed to nearly ''freezing'' (pun optional) any productivity on work projects , along with being extremely weakend by the bug. In regard to the extreme cold, I sometimes get a ''kick'' out of the ridiculously ignorant comments of the right-wing politicians using that as their excuse for further global warming denial. These shallow idiots don't realize that while we're enduring the extreme record cold, the other hemisphere is enduring the exact opposite extreme....record HEAT! But, then, that's the way it is with just about EVERY OTHER TRUTHFUL FACT that these morons never realize either!
As for my projections for activities on the DaviSound front for '25, I covered most of that in last month's post. That and all of the News Updates for 2024 have now been moved to the NEWS ARCHIVES area as we do at the beginning of each new year. This entry here is, of course, the very first post on a new ''DaviSlate'' for our monthly ''News Updates'' for 2025. Along with the plan for more substantive, current audio topics, I will also be linking to select past entries from time to time especially when a reader inquiry relates to a prior post topic that must have been missed. I just received such an email a couple of days ago asking about my ''DaviSnake'' microphones and whether they were still available. Of course the answer to that availability question is ''yes'' which is documented on it's own The DaviSnake Microphone site area (as well as in the CURRENT PRICES area). Then, in relation to the prior post topic which included the latest update info on the DaviSnake, you will find that post here- DaviSnakes News .
There is one small caveat to that general availability assurance however. The ''snakes'' are not IMMEDIATELY available since I am still setting up/wiring up the area in the new work room that will facillitate the thorough testing/matching of the new elements and the proof of performance testing after fabrication. This is on my priority list for the first quarter but still very much a work in progress.
I guess this will wrap up my first post for '25 and I do hope/expect that February will be a bit more productive (and warmer!) than January (although I have always enjoyed our, relatively mild, winters, these consistent lows in the low 20s and highs in the low 30s are NOT my thing!). As always, I thank all of you ''oldsters'' who hang in there loyally with me each month as well as the newcomers that I hear from each month! I look foward to working with all of you during the coming year and invite you to ''tune in'' here again next month for more ''News'' from DaviSound.
Hayne
CLICK HERE ...
to see "old news" from the DaviSound News Archives ...
Selected past, informative "News Updates".
DaviSound
