Stan Stops UFO Research

RIP Stanton Friedman (84), the father of UFO research. He just retired from the circuit. We lost a great one.

Stanton was a nuclear physicist who brought science to the UFO field, first concentrating on Roswell. His firm allowed him to lecture at work and elsewhere. Did you know there are over 400 people on record regarding Roswell?

Stanton accurately described the denizens of planet Earth as a 'primitive society whose major activity is clearly tribal warfare.'

He was a funny guy, said to be quite nice, by those who met or interviewed him. He referred to people like Bill Nye and the SETI folks as Noisy Negativists, for taking an opinion based on nothing and ignoring the evidence. In honor of a lifetime of work, I suggest we rename Area 51 to The Stanton Friedman Memorial Roswell Research Center.

Read his books and check out some videos on YouTube.
Who knows - maybe he has the answers now...



Dear lefty

• How do they make oven-proof glass?
• From boron, you moron.

After a philanthropist got an honorary degree and picked up the tab for the entire class, Oprah was called out for not doing the same.

What's the matter with these people?
You're not allowed to tell someone how to spend their own money. I'm not an Oprah fan, but this applies to everyone. I think the guy's a hero, but haven't demanded anyone else do the same. Oh, wait, this was on social media. That explains everything.

Hmmmm... maybe ThermionicEmissions readers could make some demands:

• Faceyspaces' Mark Zuckerberg should donate generously to the presidential re-election fund.
• Google should send a few billion to the Electronic Freedom Foundation.
• The RNC should donate to the Freedom from Religion Foundation

The kilogram has gotten more accurate by changing what it's related to.

It has traditionally been tied to the English Prime Minister's shoe size. It will now reflect a more static value - the amount of countries currently on the moon.

• Canada is using cardboard cop cutouts to catch speeders.
• Last year, the cardboard shot 8 people - 7 more than the real police.

Let's watch some morning news:
FOX: this is the damage caused by multiple tornadoes in Oklahoma. Ted Cruz says Yale unfair to Christians... and conservatives.
CNN: We need to impeach Trump: here's a democrat to tell you about it. The president talks like a mafia boss. Maine's lobster industry is concerned because of Trump's trade war.

I want to watch news. What's happening? Did I miss something important overnight? Anything coming up? International stories? The Broken Needle Networks are worthless.



On the issue of abortion (I'm for it, sometimes mandatory), many people say that it's the woman's business, not the government's (I agree). Why, then, is everything else the government's business? Alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sex work, vaccinations, medicines, etc. Let's be intellectually honest and apply this across the board.

• After the revelation of barbaric treatment of England's mentally ill. the government has rushed into action and put together a program to stop people from jumping into the Thames River. With signs. Maybe a fence.
• Other suggestions included putting a rubber pool cover over the river, and making it illegal to jump.

Florida (we can't go too long without mentioning FL) man accused of threatening to behead another man and several police officers, then eat their tongues and eyes. 

Man apologizes. What he meant to say was, "The job situation in the country is looking up."

• Here's a feelgood headline: Flight Grounded for Hours with Body Inside After Passenger Dies Mid-Flight. I'll bet they charge him the freight rate also.

IMPORTANT:
Make sure your operating system and programs are patched. There's a particularly nasty Windows vulnerability that uses Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). RDP allows you to connect to your pc from inside or outside of the network. NEVER EXPOSE RDP to the internet. There are other ways to access your home pc remotely. RDP has no security and anybody can hack in.

40 Years Gone

I watched Dan Rather interview Robert Plant.
Dan's in his later 80s and is a solid interviewer.
Fortunately at the bottom of the screen, they referred to Robert as "Led Zeppelin singer", because some of us might not know that.

It seems like last year that I heard Robert's young son, Karac, died.
Per Robert, it's been 40 years. My heart bleeds for him and family.
Where the #&@) did time go?
Remember - when you're in school, bands are a religion. You had to have their likenesses all over your books and clothes. You argued with your friends. You paid even more outrageous prices for good tickets, sometimes camping out. Am I dating myself? Do I put out on the first date?

The Zep is one of my favorite bands - you can't deny them. They paved the path, sometimes through hotels and bars. The whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. RIP John Bonham, rock's greatest drummer.

If you've spent time listening to Plant's lyrics, you might guess that interviews are 'interesting', and this one was. The answers tended to go on. I tended not to understand some of it... a combination of flowery and over my head. It's odd for my 69 year old hero to refer to Tony Bennett.




Dear lefty:

• What do you call a fat, bloated, actively nasty, expensive parasite that does nothing?
• Congressman

The current legislative hoo-ha is around allowing males who identify as females (or transexuals) to play on women's sports teams. Tennis luminary Martina Navratolova says it will kill tennis. Since men have a physical advantage, it seems reasonable to keep the genders separate.

If I identify as black, will I be more talented at sports? Or talented at all? Will my wife enjoy the bonus?

• Google stored plaintext passwords since 2005.
• Now Google has all your information and everyone else has your password.

Washington is the first state to legalize human composting.

So let's hurry up and get those bodies in the ground. Ignore the screaming.

• North Korea called Joe Biden an imbecile for Kim criticism.
• keep him away from your wife and kids, Kim.

When thinking about politics and laws, think of this simple statement: You own yourself.

It's News Time again!

FOX: We're here on an aircraft carrier for Fleet Week, made from 9-11 steel.
CNN: Democrats consult professor of psychology - says Trump losing grip on reality
CBSN: Harriet Tubman won't be on any currency

Apropos of nothing, the US has no test for aging or sickness or mental state on the Supreme Court or Congress.  While one would assume they're all crazy, there is no test or requirement for sanity. Witness Justice Ginsburg falling asleep, Hillary's tremors and tripping, and Pelosi's gaps and halting speech. And Harry Reid's black eye.

• A Mississippi lawmaker punched his wife because she undressed too slowly
• If only there were a law for this...

The Patriarchy Strikes Again:

According to the UN, female artificial intelligence voices reinforce existing gender biases.

• I don't know if this should worry me, but QVC just called to ask how Mrs lefty is doing.

Taleban supporter John Walker Lindh is being released from prison after 17 years. What to do?  Accuse him of selling drugs so he'll be put away for life.

A Florida (YES!) man did not pull over for police because his passenger was giving him sexual favors. There's a man with his priorities in order!

Why can't I fly with my Comfort Elephant?

A small town in Oregon is experiencing cougar sightings.
People are afraid and are being warned to avoid them (here, kitty).

No word on the whereabouts of the Real Housewives of Oregon.

• One of the airlines has decreed that comfort animals can only be dogs or cats. I'm going to complain under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The president has set up a GoFundMe for private contributions to building The Wall. In two days, the donations total about $20 million. 

Sorry, Mr President, but the government gets way too much of my money already. Bring all of our troops home and take it out of the defense budget. With the invasion of the illegals, we have a real defense security issue, unlike Iran or Afghanistan.

Dear lefty:

• Why do I have so many headaches in the morning?
• Mixing beer and wine, and hitting yourself on the head with a shovel.

• I can't go an hour without hearing someone say 'Mongolian gynecologist'. You?

Politics

A Danish politician put an ad on Pornhub, seeking votes. He explained that 'you have to be where your voters are.'

A bright light in the cesspool of politics.

The Texas state House has introduced a bill that would fine men $100 for masturbating. Hopefully they mean outside.

Ever try finding a news station?
CNN: Trump sucks
Fox: Trump rules
NPR: We've convened a panel of experts to tell you what Trump did wrong today
NBC: Hi, we're the propaganda wing of the DNC
RT: We have an interesting mix of actual news and propaganda
Local news: varies, some more interested in social media than news, less overt bias than the nationals.

"We read what we're told, right from the script."

• With the final episode of Game of Thrones comes news that 10 million people are expected to call out sick from work. We are a nation of morons. But wait!!!! At least one website is offering counseling. But there's always someone working to take advantage - it's the American Way.

So we're minding our own businesses, as we do, when we hear a loud CRASH. The two of us and the dog are on the couch. In the kitchen, an iron skillet, placed safely on a counter, tried to commit suicide by launching itself to the floor. By itself.

• South Korea's government is switching to linux.
• If North Korea does, we're in trouble.

Tonight at the Wells Fargo Center: The Cancerous Cockers

Please update your operating systems and everything else you use. A ton of vendors have released patches for serious vulnerabilities.



After reviewing the series, I've decided that the Lifetime Achievement in Acting Award should go to John Astin, for his portrayal of Gomez Addams. He simply was Gomez. Even in other roles, he was still Gomez.

Curious, I looked Lurch up. Ted Cassidy's biggest role was Lurch, but he acted in other shows and did a lot of voiceovers. He was also a newsman, reporting during the JFK assassination. At 6'9" (259 grams British), he towered over other actors (and most other things, except certain tall trees and Alec Baldwin's ego).



Dear lefty:

• What did it take to be a successful musical comic?
• After spending over 15 years in the business, I have no friggin idea. I'll let you know, should I become one.

Signs You're Getting Old

You find yourself watching ancient reruns of Laugh-In. And they refer to the future as 1990.

You discover a tv station that runs 1970s game shows. And you watch it.

As a teen,  you had the LOUDEST stereo in the entire city. Now you scream, "TURN THAT NOISE DOWN!"

Dazed and Confused is no longer a Led Zeppelin song - it's your reality.

You remember Cher's original face

You know Robin Williams said "Nanoo nanoo."

Social Media involved a modem and dialup bulletin boards (BBSes)

You had to look stuff up in a strange building called a library.

Yes, of Course

If you get a chance, check out the Yes, Live at the Apollo video.

It was a very pleasant surprise... featuring Rick Wakeman, Trevor Rabin, and Jon Anderson. Who the hell knows how many different versions of Yes there were.  Rabin was excellent - I had no idea. He handled Steve Howe parts, as well as his own stuff, with grace and accuracy. Everything the members did was spot on and I'm not a rabid Yes fan.

If you're not fond of Yes, I highly recommend avoiding it.

• How is the current cancerous cocker? Penny is a little subdued the day after her chemo, but doing well. 

WTF is going on with the Boeing 737 Max crashes and the FAA review?

Don't we all have a 100% interest in keeping the planes in the air?

Boeing claims no knowledge of the flaw in testing.

Some pilots claim they spoke to Boeing before the crashes.

I've heard it said that Boeing failed to explain a feature/function to pilots, but don't understand the whole story well enough to say.

• Congrats to our president, for refusing to sign an international agreement on curbing 'hate speech' and extremism on social media. It's freedom of speech, plus the government has no business there.
• On the other side, the president asked for stories of censorship on social media. Again, the government has no business there. They are private entities.

Certain things we don't need to see on tv or magazines:

Underwear and lingerie for fat women (Curvy is the PC term).

Bladder leak panties on a model.

Cellulite hiding products, featuring a large woman with cellulite.

Cosmetic products claiming most people felt it did what it was claimed to do. In small letters, they disclose that it was 77% of 32 people. It didn't even have to work - the people just felt it worked.

Iqbal Goes to the Circus

Enriched uranium and neptunium 237 were detected at an Ohio middle school, which will be closed for a year.

The child made a nuclear reactor. If you don't want the kids doing great work, don't encourage them.

• A diabetes drug may cause an infection that destroys the genitals.
• "I'd give my penis for well-regulated sugar."

In Florida, they're seeing 88 degrees today. Here it's cold and rainy.
Yesterday it was 94 in Miami. Here it was cold and rainy.
Why the unrelenting gloom and rain on the east coast?




Dear lefty:

• If you hate the weather so much, why don't you move?
• Because Arizona pays me to stay away so their climate doesn't go to hell.

A Texas man blames the West Nile Virus for infecting him, causing him to distribute child porn.

Next up: the West Nile Virus assassinates a public figure and raises taxes.

• Keep an eye on the 'Iran Crisis'. Trump has already suggested a huge armed force to deal with it. The warmongers are winning. 

The US Navy warned that 5g phone service is likely to interfere with weather forecasts. The FCC did the only thing it could do: started auctioning off the 5g frequency spectrum.

UK Snowflakes

England's Jerry Springer, Jeremy Kyle, just had his show shut down. Why? A week after taping, a guest killed himself. The episode was not aired.  It featured a man accused of cheating on his fiance, who took a lie detector test and failed. She left him, he killed himself.

While we here at ThermionicEmissions are sad for this fellow and family, we can't understand why the show needed to be canceled.  Granted, 'free speech' cannot be applied equally to the US and UK, but this is a matter of personal responsibility. Personal responsibility has gone out the window in general, but in the UK, they're more worried about offending someone and 'protecting' people from bad words and antisocial behavior.

We have Jerry Springer. 

I hate Jerry Springer and all the show stands for, but would never insist it be forcibly removed. If he wanted a permanent vacation, though, I'd gladly support him.

Kyle will 'work on other projects' with the network (ITV).

I suggest thinking hard about this to figure out where you fall.

Don't take my word for it.... I'm the guy who would love a tv show featuring people tazing Judge Judy.

• While we're on England, it's illegal to sell certain kitchen knives to people under 18, as well as illegal to carry them. I just saw this on the news.

Hate

Online social sites are under fire for 'hate speech'.

What is hate speech? In the US, there is no hate speech - it's all speech.

Certain snowflaky elements define it as people saying bad things about other people, from anti-LGBTQ to neo nazis. I don't agree with any of these groups (including the snowflakes) but, as an American, I support their right to say it. The precious snowflakes want to limit speech, even in the US. These are the dangerous people.

As a libertarian and American, I know the government cannot make laws moderating speech of private entities: they don't belong there. 

There is a meeting coming up of social media companies in France, asking what can be done about 'hate speech'. It's not their job, but they either want to appear they're doing something, or actually do something. The only problem here is that it's already being applied in a one-sided manner, generally banning the right side, less so the left side. There are constant accusations on both sides. 

Howard Stern had the KKK Guy on his show, as a recurring caller. People were horrified. I think Howard did a great thing, allowing his listeners to hear what this person said and that the KKK is still alive. Plus they got to hear a completely stereotypical southern idiot racist. Keep your enemies in the light, where they can be easily monitored.

Remember: if you silence one group, you are giving approval to silence any group - including yours eventually. You also wind up with a very one-sided echo chamber. Already Faceyspaces, Twitter, Reddit, and Instagram have joined with payment processors like Paypal, in de-platforming right-leaning people and organizations. Of course they have that right, being private entities, but one can't help but notice this is all swinging one way. Eventually the remaining side will start to eat itself, having dug its own grave.

Just because someone says something doesn't mean you have to like it or listen to it.

HP LaserJet Pro MFP M130nw - FURTHER

I'm pulling my hair out faster than it can leave on its own.
I don't recommend it.

I really like my printer, from last February. Only recently it's been giving me a hell of a time. When I need to print something, I have to give 30 minutes' fair warning to the neighborhood, my wife, and the dog. The screaming and invoking Satan's name for several hours isn't conducive to getting things done, plus I keep getting interrupted by police and the SWAT team.

Today I was not disappointed.
Unfortunately neither were the authorities.

Normal people can print things. I'm not normal. I don't want to be normal. But I'd like to be just normal enough to do stuff like print.

When I get really angry and the screaming reaches eardrum-shattering levels, things start going downhill like dominoes. It's not enough that the printer won't print.. every attempt to get it to print other ways failed. I'd turn on another computer, which didn't want to boot. When I got it booted, the printer failed there too. After much re-cabling, it continued to fail and I continued to wrap cables around myself, slip on things, and ram my head, inadvertently, into Large Metal Pointy Things. It goes downhill from there and will continue to go downhill for several hours, including after I've surrendered and wiped up the blood.

TWO operating systems, three computers, and three printer cables later, there was nothing I could do. Every computer told me it couldn't find the printer. I could find the printer - it was next to me, plugged into the usb port, where it always printed. My guess is that the jack at the printer end broke, which means I have to take the thing apart and/or buy another printer. This will have to come out of the Chemo Fund: I hope HP is happy.

Let me say something positive: the copier function still works.


Now I can pull my hair out more slowly.



Speaking of Penny, she's caught and eaten two mice, two birds, and four bumblebees.

I Have Taste - It's Just Bad

A Kentucky teacher has been accused of threatening to cut off a student's penis and shove it down their throat.

Before you get upset, I think we need to find out if this is a valid motivator. Perhaps this teacher's students go on to get better grades.

Since this is Kentucky, perhaps we should encourage them to go back to what they're good at: drunken riding mower trips.


Dear lefty:

• Why do my eyes stare at each other?
• Your mother smoked during pregnancy, didn't she.

My friend's kid plays in the school orchestra: 7th chair violin. This means they have to knock off six other kids before he can be seen or heard playing.  The way he explained it, this will would be a very difficult task. What could possibly  happen to six violinists, perhaps on the way to a concert?

• A Florida woman was found with 7 syringes inside her vagina.
• Birth control

London rail passenger played pr0n noises over the PA system.

Finally, a way to make the morning commute less boring.

• AN Ohio woman was arrested after breaking into a home, petting the dog, washing the dishes, then leaving.
• Why arrest her? She deserves a medal!

Miners in Canada discovered a dinosaur that's almost perfectly preserved, called a nodosaur. It's 100 million years old (like Bernie Sanders).

• Earth Wind & Fire has produced some classic music, spanning genres. I like them, but don't understand 90% of the words. I can't even tell the songs from the titles.

I'd like to welcome the visitors from Russia and say, "The clock floats when the wild elephant snores."

Happy Mothers Day. I get a lot of cards on Mothers Day, for some reason.

You have to feel sorry for my mother.

Don't Use the Trackpad - Use the Nipple!

For reasons I don't understand, our power grid is connected to the internet.
It follows that there were and will be hacks. Think about this... hacking the US (or local) power grid.

A "cyber event" interrupted grid operations in parts of the western United States last month, according to a cryptic report posted by the Department of Energy.

• It's not a heart attack - it's a cardiac event.

Dear lefty:

• What is this pain in my midsection?
• Mommmmm.... Billy got his penis stuck in the vacuum again

The Doobie Brothers, who have been around forever, have never been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This may be because there's no room after Tupac and Janet Jackson.

• While testing for chemicals in rivers, shrimp were found to have traces of cocaine and ketamine.
• how do you snort shrimp?

If you're ever upset about being bored or complacent with life, remember the guy whose doctor found a live spider spinning web in his ear.

• A Maryland man was arrested after attempting to have sexual relations with a horse. Like many women, the horse was disappointed.

Those great humanitarians in Brunai have decided they won't enforce the stoning til death policy for homosexuals. Said the Sultan for Ways to Kill the Gays, "Perhaps we can stone them, but just not to death. That's fair, right?"

• All hail: the Royal Couple has shot out a baby. In the US, it's a celebration for some, but not quite like the UK, where people are really excited. Pageantry Time!
• My British reader is going to kill me.
• There are oddsmakers working on baby names and 24 hour news coverage
• Have they nothing better to do? (asks the guy from the land of the Kardashians)
• The UK news is out of its mind over a name for the baby and the fact that the father held the baby in front of the press. And his nose. No word yet on the Royal Poop Schedule.
• Thorough name analysis, once announced.
• The baby's name is Vice-Poopus Jugears Archibald Silly Hat Better Than You Hyphen-Hyphen

Is that an alligator in your pants or are you happy to see me?

During a Florida (of course) traffic stop, a woman pulled an alligator from her pants.  I told you women have teeth down there....

While we're in Florida, a man was charged with DUI after hitting a police car with his lawn tractor. It's ok though - he claims the police tainted his blood with cocaine.  Small wonder we pay so much in taxes.

• A North Carolina (note: not Florida) woman was arrested after appearing at CIA headquarters four times and asking for Agent Penis.
• Agent Penis says it's really hard being him.

Tragic irony:

A British soldier was killed during anti-poaching operations in Malawi. By an elephant.

Rich Inner Lives

Come to think of it, all of us here at ThermionicEmissions, including Penny the Wonder Barker, have rich inner lives.

Mrs. lefty has multiple personalities, so it's never quiet upstairs. It's described as a playground where everybody's playing Whisper Down the Lane at once.
Penny jumps around and barks in her sleep, so that must be interesting too.
From descriptions, I have the best and most animated inner life.

There was the time Marshall came into bed, walked around on my chest til he found a comfortable spot, then went to sleep on my chest. I have absolutely no knowledge of this. It makes me wonder what other kinds of things happen in my sleep that I don't know about. It might also explain the pains that I get in my.. never mind.

Not comfortable with being a part-time dog bed, I apparently provide no end of audio entertainment. I laugh, cry, fight, and sing in my sleep. This is somewhat confusing, as I can't sing in real life. Can you imagine having to tell the club owner that we have to postpone the show - til I'm asleep?

I'm further informed that one does not want to be in the bed with me.
Actually, this is not news - I've been told for years that women don't want to be in bed with me. The specific here is that I reach out, grab, and occasionally punch the air. Mrs lefty tries not to be the air that gets punched. It may also explain the brick wall down the middle of the bed, and the bloodstains on my knuckles.

This is fairly fascinating to the wife, who monitors me closely while I sleep, perhaps waiting anxiously for my last breath. I thought it was funny at first, but it continues and gets worse: the exorcist was not worth what he was paid.

So that's my exciting inner life.
It's a shame that my real life is nowhere near as exciting. I was thinking of switching places, but considering some of the dreams I've had, I'll keep things as they are for now. No one wants to go Up There and see what's going on.

• Fender sent an email about a Telecaster promotion. Noting the link, I went to check it out. Fender has 36 righty Teles and 3 lefty Teles.  yawn.

Dear lefty:

• Did you know Border Collies are among the smartest dogs?
• Did you know that if you have sex with someone who has a cold and get the cold, it's considered a sexually transmitted disease?

I had to quit therapy - if I got my issues fixed, I wouldn't be funny anymore.

Some would argue that train left the station a long time ago.

• The other day, one of my work systems identified a connection to Microsoft as malware. The computers are finally starting to agree with me!

Jack and Jill went up the hill.

Hills are a tool of white privilege.

• We're going to look back on this period and laugh. 
• But not in a good way.

It's been a long time since I recommended any music.

Let's keep it that way.

Speaking of which, ZZ Top is touring again/still. Talk about some hard workin' men. You should see them - always entertaining. Wave to us - I'll be the one with the hat. Also pick up Billy Gibbons' solo albums.

Seriously, folks, get out there and support your favorite acts. They're getting up there and you never know what will happen. My heroes are all in their 70s. I see them every chance I can, whenever I can get someone to help steer the rocket-propelled Chevrolet.

Marshall CODE 25 - further reviewed

I've been playing with the CODE 25 a little more lately, so I thought I'd share my impressions. This begs the question who I'm sharing with, but let's ignore that for now, shall we?

In case you don't get guitar magazines in your cave in Outer Lower Cockerspanistan, you know this is a recent series from Marshall, of solid state modeling amps, available in (I think) 25, 50, and 100 watts, with different speaker configurations. The test box (this makes it sound like Marshall sent it to me for review, even though I bought it just like everyone else) is a CODE 25, which is 25 solid state watts (tube watts are louder [I'm making this up]) into an 8"(?) speaker.

Let me get this out before I continue: Real Men<tm> use tube amps and combinations of 12" speakers. Now my testosterone will remain intact, hopefully til the end of this segment.

DISCLAIMER: this is my opinion; you will disagree. Put your opinions on yer own blog, Chief.  Better yet, leave a comment and we can discuss it like guitar players (children with expensive toys). I have some expensive toys, so my opinions are informed by them and a long time listening to tones. I am not comparing this amp to a hideously expensive vintage amp unless that's what it claims to sound like.

FEATURES
It's small and light. This alone is worth its weight (sorry).
There's built-in effects.
You can control more than is apparent with the Bluetooth app, via your phone. This is both handy and a gee-whiz, blinky light feature. If you have kids, let them play with the volume control on your phone, so that it makes your amp louder - they'll love it.
You can play with quite a few options, including basic amp, several cabinets, and lots of stompbox effects. I have not studied anything, so my experience is just twiddling knobs and seeing what the app could do. The variety of controls is pretty cool, and in theory, should be very helpful in setting up your tones for studio and gigging.
There's an MP3 player input, a headphone output (both 1/8"), as well as an USB connection.
Very bright, easy to read orange display

Warning: 25 watts is waaaay too loud for the living room


APPLICATION
The amp is used as a living room amp, so I'll see it there and continue to play often. The real amps are in the Amp Vault<tm>. There is no such thing as an Amp Vault<tm>, and even if there was, I couldn't afford one. The last amp to sit in its spot was a Fender Mustang I, an earlier version and Fender's offering of the modeling special. It will not leave the house or sit anywhere else.

TEST EQUIPMENT
C'mon - I plugged a guitar or two into it (mostly a Strat). WTF else do you want from me - see how it sounds in the bathtub? With the toaster?

SOUND
This is where the excrement hits the rotating device. I don't have an equal with which to compare it, so I have to put it up against what it claims to do and how it claims to sound.

The amp suffers from some sort of tonal adjustment malfunction throughout the presets, of which there are 99. It's very trebly, to be polite. You'll have no trouble cutting through the din. Unfortunately I don't like this, so there was a lot of playing with the Bass/Mid/Treble knobs. Perhaps it's different with a different speaker in the 50 or 100 watt models, but I'm not going to find out.

There have been serious advances in digital sound and tones over the years. Don't forget - the first digital devices suffered horribly from latency... it took an amount of time for your signal to get from the guitar to the amp (or MIDI device), so there was an appreciable delay. The delay is gone, thankfully.

The amp models in the presets are largely Marshall simulations, as one would expect. They have some resemblance to their namesakes, but not a lot. Usually the presets are the most gee-whiz, over the top sounds you can find, which wasn't really the case here. I have to admit there are some really cool heavily saturated tones, for sitting in the living room and plinking away.

I suspect this would be a good amp to have when you're recording at 1am and have to get some sound to 'tape' with moderate tone. Some of the tones might fit well into tracks, but I haven't tried as yet.

Does it like effects?
No.
Correction: it likes its own effects just fine. I tried a Hughes&Kettner Rotosphere (Leslie emulator pedal) and a Lovepedal Superlead. Ironically, the Superlead is intended to mimic the tone of a cranked Marshall, which it does pretty well (better than some of the amp patches). Gain pedals are just not going to work, whether using a clean or dirty patch, because the amp distortion is all generated digitally, inside the amp, which doesn't operate the same way we're used to with our 'regular' amps. The Rotosphere fared better. I guess if I were into the whole low weight, high convenience thing, I'd use the internal phaser instead, and leave the pedals home.

Is it sensitive to input? Can the guitar's volume make a big difference in tone?
Not really.
I tried a heavily distorted patch that I liked, then tried backing down the guitar's volume. I had to back it down really far and the tone just got skinny and plinky. A less-distorted patch had greater success, but not what I'd prefer to hear.  Some of the patches are sensitive to which pickup you use. Let's say that when you use the front pickup of a Les Paul and the amp sounds like an icepick, you might want to avoid the rear pickup. You also might want to re-engineer the patch.

The amp has a noise gate, which is very tricky to adjust. With a high gain patch, there will be high gain noise (it's physics). The gate starts out adjusted to shut down the signal pretty early, which is a good thing. It's worth playing with, though, because you don't want to shut down too fast.


How does it SOUND, stupid?
For sitting in the living room, it's just fine, thank you.
Against any of my tube amps - NFW.  The amp needs to be more responsive. There's a certain 'give' in a tube amp, where you can alter tone with the way you play and by adjusting the guitar's volume. This is missing entirely. There's no give, no air. If you were to put this amp up against any of my regular amps, you'd hear and feel the difference. There's no dynamics... just a patch. Stated differently, it mimics amps but doesn't do the full impression.

The above is my complaint about non-tube amps from day one.
You can call me a Tube Snob all you like, but why do you think all the manufacturers are trying to make their modern, non-tube amps sound like tube amps? It's part of their advertising pitch - "You get all the tube tone with none of the heat and weight."

Mind you, they've come a long way, and it's perfectly suited as a living room or basic practice amp. If you like the tones, it's just fine for you, even playing live. Make sure you have your patches set up on a footswitch, because you'll need different ones for lead and different songs.

It has long been said that the most difficult tone to emulate is a slightly dirty tube amp - between all out stack and clean. This is absolutely correct and you cannot make that happen with this amp.


LIVE
Would I gig with this amp?
Are you out of your f#&@ing mind?
Obviously I'd need the higher watt version, but that's less a problem than the sound.

I did gig with this amp, sorta. I did one song as a special guest and didn't want to bring a Serious Rig. I instantly regretted it.  The top end emphasis didn't translate well through a p.a. (or onstage).


If you're interested, play one. Your opinion may differ from mine. It may be a godsend to you (and your back).