Login
I’m back from a trip to both Fredericksburg, Virginia for Reclaim Open and after that Long Island, New York for some extended family time. All of that coming off several days in Lisbon, Portugal, so I was feeling the effects of being on the road for a bit. I have a lot to say about Reclaim Open, and that will begin here shortly, but before that I need to ease back onto the blog, so I’ll highlight some of my recent work in the bavacade.
Turns out the arcade work can also do double-duty as a kind of re-entry therapy. My bipolar gets pretty acute when I’m on the road and away from the family for a while. If I’m not mindful my thoughts can begin to spiral. So for this re-entry—before blogging or jumping headlong back into work—I took some time to tinker on a few games. I usually lug a bunch of arcade parts, repaired boards, chassis, etc. back from the US, and this trip was no different.* On top of the random parts, I also retrieved a few game boards I had shipped during my last trip to the US in February (including Sidam’s Condor, Exidy’s Cheyenne, and Nichibutsu’s Moon Cresta). On top of that, I took a few with me from Italy, namely a Moon Patrol bootleg board with sound issues, a Bagman with sprite issues, and my back-up Yie-Ar Kung-fu board. So, in short, a lot of boards to be looked at, and below is the tale of the tape for board repairs:
That’s a fair amount of board work, but as of now there are no bad boards,. This will be a short-lived victory, but I’ll take it.
Next up is monitor chassis repairs. I have two G07 cap kits (Robotron and Condor) I need to do, as well as a K4600 capkit for the Centuri Challenger. After that, the final project is the Hanterx Polo, which has been drawn out way too long, so I’m trying to resolve that sooner than later.
The other work happening has just been some random testing of parts and boards I brought back, such as testing a 15-pin Williams power brick for Make Trax: it works fine. I’ve also been testing boards like Condor (looks and sounds amazing) Bagman (working again and power adjustment fixed the power-induced sprite issue), Dig Dug (works perfectly), and Zach reported back Moon Cresta is all systems go. So Cheyenne, Moon Patrol, and Yie-Ar Kung-fu are the last boards to test, but two out of the three will need to wait until the games are back online. That leaves Moon Patrol, and I’ll be testing that here soon.
This weekend I fell down a repair rabbit hole. I picked up a degaussing coil in the US, and brought it back to add the final touch to Exidy’s Venture (one of my absolute favs) which had a bit of discoloration on the CRT. The degaussing fixed the issue, but soon after the game was freezing and eventually it seemed the monitor was cutting out. When I adjusted voltage the screen came back, but this time with mono-chromatic colors and it was out of sync. Major bummer. I started troubleshooting which lasted deep into Sunday to finally learn the monitor’s fine, but one of the chips that controls the color and sync (chip 13C) needed to have the solder re-flowed. I did that and re-seated everything and the game started working again and looking better than ever. That was a small, but rewarding, win.
It all becomes pretty consuming for me (which is true of most everything I do), but I find that focused attention and tinkering to solve small, elusive problems can be just what the doctor ordered when trying to return to a much needed work/life rhythm. Arcade therapy! But not so much playing the games these days as fixing them which is a really pleasurable, if unexpected, consequence of getting into this hobby.
_______________________________
*I even found all my Dungeons & Dragons maps and guide books feared lost, but that is a post for another day.
(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
If I must leave the house, and unfortunately I often must, I take comfort in knowing I can bring a bit of my desk with me. I think that's why I like bags so much, and why I like experimenting with clever bag designs. Bags like the Sun-Star Delde Tote Backpack intrigue me with their engineering and versatility, so I'm always excited to take a closer look at how they function.
Bags with convertible carry methods always catch my eye because sometimes I want a tote! And sometimes I need a backpack! Get you a bag that can do both, right? This bag does do both, though not as well as I might like.
We'll start with the positives, though. The bag is made of a nice polyester canvas material that has some water resistance. The hardware is gold-toned, which looks great with the black. The zippers are metal and smooth. The interior fabric is a silky brown fabric that is well secured inside the bag, so it isn't floppy.
There are many glorious pockets! There is one zipper pocket on the front for quick-grab items, and while it shares some space with the interior, the front piece of fabric allows a surprising amount of space for storage. Either side of the bag has a water bottle/umbrella pocket, though these are quite narrow and won't fit larger water bottles. There is a hidden zip, with black hardware instead of gold so it blends in, on the left back side that allows quick access to the main interior of the bag. Inside the main compartment, there are two slip pockets and one small zipper pocket made of the lining material.
This is a great pocket layout, with all the essentials accounted for. The main compartment is quite large. It claims it can fit up to a 14" laptop, but my 14.5" did not fit at all, and it looked like it would need more than an extra .5" to be practical. For smaller laptops or tablets, though, there is some padding in the back panel and bottom of the bag that would help keep it safe. It may not be big enough for a commuter bag or a student, but for an afternoon outing, it's perfect. It would also be great as a diaper bag.
The bag looks good, and it's classy enough to go from the board room to the park and look like it belongs. The design is well thought-out and the materials feel like they'll last.
There are a few negatives to consider, however. The most critical negative is that the straps are not adjustable. To use the bag as a tote, you pull the full length of the strap fabric through the metal slots at the top of the bag, which retracts the backpack straps all the way. The drop on the handles is not very deep (about 7"), so if the bag is fully loaded and at its full width, there's barely enough room to fit an arm through the tote loops. It can be carried by hand, but not easily over the shoulder, unless you like your bag all up in your armpit.
The same issue applies when the bag is in backpack mode. To activate backpack mode, pull the straps at both the top and bottom to retract both handles, then slide the strap cushions to the top. The mechanics are clever, but without an adjustable strap, you get what you get as far as length goes. You can't make them shorter, as they'll just pull through the hardware to full length either way, and you can't make them longer. It fits okay for me, though I'd adjust it if I could. My spouse can't wear the bag at all in either mode. If you have a larger frame, this bag may not work for you, and that actually makes me a little mad. One shouldn't have to worry about size inclusivity when buying bags, of all things.
So that is my main criticism of this bag. The other issue is a nitpick--the top zipper is one of those that insists on going straight across instead of following the curve of the bag, so you get floppy zipper antennas on either side, along with a fairly large gap where water can get in and items can fall out. It does allow for the bag to be fully opened, but it's a design feature I personally dislike.
In the end, my final impression is that this is almost a great bag. If it had adjustable straps, it would be a very good bag. With its limitations, it's still very useful, but not for everyone, and that's a shame.
It is priced well at $64.75 at JetPens, where it's available in several colors. For the materials and features, I would have expected a higher cost.
And there's some bonus wisdom from Delde right on the front of the bag: "It's important to be yourself, how it looks and handy." It leaves us with much to consider.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
Over 9600 tonnes (~10582 U.S. tons) of waste is rotting away in the streets and sidewalks of Paris, as garbage collectors continue to strike. The sanitation workers are protesting President Emmanuel Macron's decision to raise the country's retirement age from 62 to 64, and theirs from 57 to 59. — Read the rest
Imagine setting out to explore a distant barren alien landscape, or somewhere earth bound like the “tortuous” glacial-carved topography of Sarek, Sweden, all accompanied by an electronic score composed by the likes of Carbon Based Lifeforms. Your imagination might very well conjure adventuring accessories similar to the Teenage Engineering’s Field System, a collection of functional bags and accessories equipped for exploration, earthly or otherwise.
The monochromatic collection is characterized most notably but its all-white minimalist theme, one realized in nylon 66 shell fabric complemented by black detailing across closure and zipper lines. The nylon material is both fire retardant and backed with polyurethane leather offering the wearer a 3000mm water repellent rating, affording confidence the contents within remain safe regardless whether you’re climbing up to investigate volcanic activity, plumb the depths of a glacial carved stream… or simply make it back to your car in the rain in this extremely wet winter.
The series is designed to go anywhere, with dry water repellent Japanese mini ripstop nylon accessorized with aluminum alloy hardware, including zips and rings.
Numerous pieces of the Field Series collection, like the Field Medium OP–Z Bag and Field Large OP–1 Bag, are designed specifically to secure Teenage Engineering’s catalog of synths and other musical devices, but are also adaptable for carrying all shapes and sizes of gear.
The Field Backpack includes a field keychain carabiner and even a sitting pad.
Embroidered graphic patches further play up the Interstellar-themed designs.
Beyond bags and carrying cases, the Field Series full range also includes t-shirts and sweatshirts emblazoned with mission/music oriented graphics, water bottles, notebooks, and bottle openers starting from $9 with the entire collection available now at TeenageEngineering.com.
Guest post by Niloufer Siddiqui and Erum Haider
In 2021, in the midst of national political turmoil resulting from increasingly polarized politics, by-elections in the Pakistani mega-city of Karachi were being tightly contested over a seemingly mundane issue: access to water.
That water should become an election issue was perhaps not surprising. Karachi “faces an absolute scarcity of water,” with experts estimating that demand for water exceeds supply by twice as much. Most of Karachi’s residential areas are connected through pipes managed by the state-run Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB); however, given vastly inadequate supply, some of these physical connections only provide water once or twice a month. Problems are compounded in Karachi’s many low-income, informal settlements, which have little established infrastructure for water supply. Households in these neighborhoods often rely on low-quality water sold at exorbitant rates by private water vendors.
Water in Karachi involves a large number of actors with complex, often bewildering links to one another. In addition to the state-run KWSB, public benefit corporations direct water at certain neighborhoods at the expense of others. Sometimes the paramilitary Rangers step in by operating tankers. Licensed private water companies also provide water at a cost. All of these providers operate legally, but there is also a shadowy water mafia in Karachi that illegally siphons off water from the main supply and uses it to fill its own fleet of tankers and operate its own hydrants. The mafia sells this water to rich and poor consumers alike—anyone willing, or desperate enough, to pay for it.
In interviews conducted in July 2021, we were told that control over water from the city’s depleting freshwater sources has become one of the most lucrative arenas in a mega-city already saturated with criminality and political violence. The people we spoke with reaffirmed what others have found: that the water mafia operates often with explicit links to and assistance from political figures and representatives of the state. And because ethnicity remains central to how political and social life in Karachi is organized, many Karachi citizens believe that ethnic links are critical to how water is directed and prioritized.
That access to a commodity as vital as water should be determined by political ties and who can pay is not unique to Karachi. Where state capacity is weak, the provision of goods and services is often taken over by non-state actors, including criminal and illegal organizations. Scholars, journalists, and activists have chronicled this phenomenon in contexts ranging from Medellin to Baghdad to New York City. These often illicit actors step in to provide security in the presence of a weak state, but also provide citizens with essential public goods—at a price.
In December 2021 and January 2022, together with the Pakistan Institute of Public Opinion (an affiliate of Gallup International in Pakistan), we surveyed 2,000 people in Karachi to understand how voters in this ethnically-polarized city evaluate political candidates based on the candidates’ ethnicity and their claimed links to water resources.
We found that, while a majority of respondents preferred candidates who share their ethnicity, ties to the water mafia seem to do little to increase the appeal of even a co-ethnic candidate. Indeed, co-ethnic candidates with mafia linkages are seen as significantly less credible and helpful than those with state water linkages. Most people preferred candidates who share their ethnicity, especially when they have links to state water resources.
These results surprised us. It is often assumed that politicians use connections to the water mafia to direct water to their political constituencies as a vote-getting strategy. What we found, however, is that voters appear skeptical that politicians’ connections to the water mafia will directly benefit them, and so those connections do little to boost votes.
For politicians, manipulating the source of water is a profitable business opportunity. “Water provision ‘is more lucrative than drugs’” and, as one former National Assembly member told us, selling public water to tankers is “the easiest racket in town.” Rather than benefitting voters, water access is used by politicians to “fill their [own] swimming pools, water their lush lawns, bestow on friends, or indulge in their own tanker business on the side.” It is also used to curry favor with groups other than voters. Where water mafia connections do result in patronage, it appears to be primarily targeted towards political workers linked to the party apparatus rather than ordinary citizens.
There are many examples around the world where criminal gangs have been able to garner local support by stepping in where the state fails, providing health, education, and myriad other services. Think Hezbollah in Lebanon, gangs in Rio de Janeiro, and militant actors in Iraq. In Karachi, the water tanker mafia is perceived as contributing to, and emblematic of, overall state corruption. When respondents in our survey were asked who they believed was responsible for the water mafia in Karachi, about 53 percent blamed the provincial government and nearly 10 percent blamed the KWSB. In this context, then, it is likely that a politician with ties to water tanker networks would not be seen as an attractive candidate to alleviate the respondents’ water problems but rather seen as responsible for Karachi’s water crisis itself.
The case of the Karachi water mafia is emblematic of an increasingly common paradox in cities where weak governance and criminality plague the provision of basic services. On the one hand, rich and poor citizens alike are frustrated with illegal water provision, which many see as linked to corrupt practices within the state apparatus. On the other hand, illegal water services fill a gap created by inadequate state provision. Many individuals, particularly the poor in underserved neighborhoods, depend on these services. But just because they rely on illicit actors doesn’t imply that they are happy about it.
Niloufer Siddiqui is an Assistant Professor at the University at Albany-State University of New York. Erum Haider is an Assistant Professor at the College of Wooster.
This post is the first in a series on illicit economies, organized crime, and extra-legal actors and came out of an IGCC-sponsored conference hosted in October 2022 by the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy.
The authors acknowledge funding from the International Growth Centre in support of this project.
These were all purchased with my own pennies and I just wanted to share the experiences with you!
If you enjoy and/or appreciate it and you want to lend your continued support, please do check me out on Patreon. You can pledge your support and/or undying love for as little as $1. You are in no way obligated to do so. I appreciate your readership, viewership, and your support so much - thank you!
Twenty years ago, Italian designer Stefano Giovannoni debuted ILBAGNOALESSI, a modern bathroom collection designed for Laufen in collaboration with Alessi. The series garnered mass attention and acclaim for its reinterpretation of typical bath products as the designs were soft and sculptural, like objects of art instead of just objects of necessity. With the evolution of materials and technology, Giovannoni decided to revisit and innovate upon the collection.
Since the collection’s original debut, Laufen has continued to conduct ongoing research and evolve its technology and materials. A new ceramic material named Saphirkeramik has made it possible to create thin, malleable forms that are still extremely durable. Giovannoni used Saphirkeramik to reinterpret the Tuna washbasin which now features a slimmer profile, a reality that would not have been possible two decades ago.
The new freestanding tub is made with Sentec, a mineral composite that feels velvety to the touch. In a manner similar to the washbasin, the tub has a subtle asymmetry as its borders widen on one end to provide a headrest or surface for objects.
To learn more about the ILBAGNOALESSI collection, visit laufen.com.
This morning’s loadout.
So the people have asked, and I have answered. I teased a photo of my Rickshaw “Banzai” Bag - designed specifically for pen people - and which makes a great carry-all for pen shows and meetups. Despite it’s relatively small size, the Banzai Bag holds an astounding number of pens, in addition to notebooks and tablets up to A5 size. Enjoy the unpacking!
The thing that I love about this bag is its versatility. This was a “Pen Club Saturday” loadout, with three separate pen cases, my Plotter A5, plus some highlighters and my Kindle Scribe for some Saturday afternoon reading.
The Banzai Bag is slightly larger than A5 length-wise, and is capable of holding several notebooks and similarly sized tablets in the center, plus accessories in the three interior pockets: two pockets on one side, a single pocket on the other.
Four pen cases that I regularly carry, clockwise from top: Rickshaw six pen roll/wrap, three-pen coozy in tweed, Lochby Quattro in Brown, and a Rickshaw x Nock Co. Sinclair Model R. You can check out the full selection of Rickshaw cases and sleeves here, and see below for some options on how I arrange the different pen cases.
In addition to the pen cases show, I’m able to fit two A5 notebooks (my William Hannah A5 and Plotter A5), as well as a Kindle Scribe.
Everything fits! I put one of the notebooks (the Plotter A5) in the single side slot and the rest in the center.
All packed up and ready to go to the Baltimore Pen Show!
As I mentioned yesterday, we will be at the 2023 Baltimore Pen Show in-person! I’ll have this bag (not for sale) and many other items (for sale) at the T.G.S. Table! Since we will be traveling, shipment of shop orders may be slightly delayed until early next week, though as always any orders placed will receive some extra T.G.S. Swag as an apology for any inconvenience. Many thanks for your support, and I hope to meet many of you soon!
The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not include paid advertisements or third-party affiliate links.
I really just wanted an excuse to play with these two pens. I have done a review on the CONID Kingsize. Please check it out here!
The Montblanc Calligraphy Curved nib review.
Montblanc Homage to Homer Part I
Montblanc Homage to Homer Part II
If you enjoy and/or appreciate it and you want to lend your continued support, please do check me out on Patreon. You can pledge your support and/or undying love for as little as $1. You are in no way obligated to do so. I appreciate your readership, viewership, and your support so much - thank you!
Trying out a new video adventure! I wanted to chit-chat about my jacket pocket EDC! Featuring:
Rickshaw Bagworks Diplomat Cupcake Camo
ZTKnives 0450CF
If you enjoy and/or appreciate it and you want to lend your continued support, please do check me out on Patreon. You can pledge your support and/or undying love for as little as $1. You are in no way obligated to do so. I appreciate your readership, viewership, and your support so much - thank you!
Two of the biggest Nordic brands have united to bring us the BASTUA collection, launching globally in March 2023. The limited-edition series of 26 products, created by home furnishings giant IKEA and iconic printmaker Marimekko, brings together Nordic design and self-care rituals. From furniture to glassware to textiles, vibrant patterns reflect nature back at you.
“Collaborating with Marimekko was a natural choice for IKEA as we are both committed to enabling a better everyday life at home, and with the BASTUA collection, it begins with focusing on wellness first,” says Henrik Most, Creative Leader at IKEA. “The collaboration encapsulates the sensations of endless summers and the simple and aesthetic beauty of Nordic nature in furniture and accessories for the home.”
“BASTUA” describes a sauna in Småland, the region in southern Sweden where IKEA was founded. Self-care and Nordic sauna were the starting points of the collection that’s meant to be used when relaxing outdoors in warm weather or simply winding down at the end of a long day.
The launch of BASTUA marks the first time that Marimekko has designed prints exclusively for a brand collaboration. “Capturing the essence of Marimekko’s Finnish roots and its connection to the historic origins of sauna culture was a fundamental part of the design journey and the creation of the BASTUA prints,” says Rebekka Bay, Creative Director at Marimekko. When gathering inspiration from nature, the brand gravitated towards the large, decorative rhubarb leaves that are often found growing near saunas in Finland. You’ll find it throughout the collection, including on the ever-popular FRAKTA bag.
Within the BASTUA collection lies furniture, glassware, and textiles that include robes and towels – and even the first-ever sauna bucket – among other items. These are all things one might traditionally use when enjoying a sauna, or right before or after the ritual. You’ll find elements that can be used during a meal, a place to sit and feel grounded, and even a candle infused with the scents of elderflower, rhubarb, and sweet vanilla.
BASTUA’s furniture pieces are inspired by classic Nordic design. A side table offers a clever feature: the collection’s patterned trays fit perfectly on the top. You may even want to pull up the coordinating bench to enjoy a relaxing moment of Zen.
“Nordic furniture design has always been characterized by clean lines and simple constructions that focus on function” says Mikael Axelsson, Designer at IKEA. “The BASTUA side table is my take on this heritage, as it is made of birch veneer and with a high edge that keeps things in place.”
The BASTUA collection feels like a perfect partnership, neither pattern nor design overshadows the other. It’s a wonderful marriage between two brands that complement one another in harmony.
To learn more about BASTUA, visit ikea.com.
On loan from Appelboom! But may never leave.
If you enjoy and/or appreciate it and you want to lend your continued support, please do check me out on Patreon. You can pledge your support and/or undying love for as little as $1. You are in no way obligated to do so. I appreciate your readership, viewership, and your support so much - thank you!
FreshRSS 