The System

Roger Nichols

Yet another audio industry luminary, now 100% life free.  I wrote about him long ago, and others have just penned his obituary.

Dr. Sid Harman

Not just an audio industry luminary, but to a large extent its owner (and the recent owner of Newsweek!).  Gone.

Not to Mention

Bruce and Owsley.  All in the last few months.  And at the NAB show, I discovered that early competitor and audio pioneer Carl Countryman had passed almost without any notice about five years ago.

With the exception of Harman who was much older, those listed were contemporaries and almost certainly had met and were mutual friends or acquaintances.  I, still living as of this writing, am in the same age group.  Is there a subSystem trying to do away with us?  No, of course not.  It's the same old system I've been complaining about for years, although it does have an auxiliary branch.

Am I glooming and dooming so quickly after my sunny disposish exhortation?  Hell no!  Whining and complaining, perhaps, because I hate the waste inherent in all this death stuff, but I try to keep perspective by remembering how many remain alive, a task made simple by going to and observing the vastness of the NAB convention.  We still have blinking lights, strange and interesting ideas, spring, and, of course, our associated humans who remain healthy and hopeful, often with good reason.  I even believe that we (speaking generically) will outlast The System, although it may take a while.

Did the Sinagua Gloom and Doom?

If you were a member of the Sinagua tribe of Arizona, you might have lived your life in the side of a cliff in a place that has been (erroneously) dubbed Montezuma's palace.  It is a tourist attraction off the road between Flagstaff and Phoenix.  Your "windows" would have been very drafty indeed, and would have violated many housing laws regarding the safety of young children if such laws had existed at the time.

One of the more interesting facts about the Sinagua is that they disappeared.  Nobody has any idea why.  Did they gloom and doom before they left?  Did they die out?  Intermarry with other tribes? Or just move for better opportunities?  As I said, nobody has a clue.

And I Thought Zzyzx Road Was Obscure

Zzyzx road leads to Zzyzx, CA, and has its very own highway sign and Wikipedia article.

Where does Uvx Road go?  For all I know, you'll find the Sinagua tribe living happily at its end.