#(These icons take. like. hours apiece.)

[perpetualxfire]

About the Muse

Legal Name: Katelyn May Church Nicknames: Carolina, Kate, Katie May Date of Birth: May 16th, 2522 Gender: Cis Female Place of Birth: You know I'm still not sure? Usually Raleigh, North Carolina (or the 'modern' equivalent of the region in this universe) Currently Living: Iris, a livable moon orbiting the planet Chorus

Spoken Languages

English

French (At a very moderate skill level, not fluent, but can hold a conversation and communicate key concepts)

ASL (or in-universe equivalent; a little rusty, but decently fluent in, like, a hearing person kinda way; my HOH people who sign know what I mean lol;; also, for the record, this is a self roast- I'm trying guys)

Education

Dual Degree; BS in Applied Physics and BFA in Dance (Yes, this was a colossal pain in the ass)

ROTC Training during college

Did NOT go to Officer Training School; Halo lore in this particular area seems to make it difficult to compare modern infrastructure for early military careers with in-universe infrastructure, so, lacking more thorough explanation in this subject, elected to follow research into an education/career path that is feasible now, today, IRL, instead of mentioned/implied/listed alterations in universe.

Physical Characteristics

Hair Color: Red; Somewhere between Deep Red and Auburn. Eye Color: Vivid Green Miscellaneous: 'Beauty Mark' along jaw line near right corner of lip. Height: Safest Bet: 5'10 Frustratingly Verse and Writing Partner Dependent. My Default: 6'3" Weight: See above- Depends on Height. Well muscled, but lean.

Relationships

All Relationships Listed as of Last Known Point in the Timeline

Epsilon ("Brother", Partner in Crime, Confidant)

Agent Washington (Similar to Epsilon; Brother-like relationship)

Reds and Blues (Friends..? Hard to put to words)

Doctor Emily Gray (Notably Respected - not an easy status to earn. Never spell her name the same way twice in a row because you gotta keep 'em guessing.)

General Vanessa Kimball (Well Respected; in my mind, there's a HARD unrequited crush with an ace woman, but, you know, that's just shipping)

Director Leonard Church (Deceased; Male Parental Unit; It's Complicated)

Allison "Finch" (Deceased; Last name head canon (changing your name SUCKS ASS); Female Parental Unit; Died in 2528; Only Listed due to relevancy to Tex)

Agent Texas (Deceased; 'It's Complicated' aka I never actually watched the 'Final Season' because I haven't had the emotional energy and I know it's relevant thanks to the synopses I've been working off of but not specifically how because I also want to have SOMETHING to watch when I finally get to it)

Agent New York (Deceased; 'The One That Got Away'; Ma'am you barely even KNEW him-)

Other Freelancer Agents (Deceased; Once believed to be good friends and comrades; would rather let those memories stay that way, but regularly has to reconcile these memories with present day reality)

Orientation: I write her Bi as fuck Relationship Status: Single; Emotionally Unavailable to Men, Incapable of Expressing Her Feelings to Women

tagged by: @thestupidmeanone tagging: tbh just do it, dude. I spent like three hours on this double checking my information and reminding myself how much I hate inconsistency lol but it's good to remind yourself of the baseline stuff about your muse from time to time

[theolsentimes]

Ashley Olsen Spills Her Secrets

The personal-style icon and force behind two thriving fashion lines gives us a peek into her closet, and her life.

Written by Lucy Kaylin (Marie Claire, 2009)

VIEW GALLERY

There's something genius about seeing the chicest girl in New York all dolled up in tacky cowgirl fringe. I'm sitting with Ashley Olsen at a table in her Greenwich Village town house, looking through a scrapbook—compiled by her great-grandmother—that pretty much tells the story of her and Mary-Kate's blistering rise. The pages are filled with gently yellowed clippings from local newspapers chronicling their toddlerhood on the sitcom Full House through their early years as a two-headed pop-culture juggernaut: the Olsen twins on the publicity circuit in genie costumes; in fairy costumes; in terrycloth robes; in penguin suits; in trenchcoats; in mini-mogul drag; in, yes, cowgirl fringe ... "I look back at the things that we did and the clothes that we wore, and I think, Wow, we really were troupers," says Ashley—although, gazing at some hideous flowered overalls she was put in at age 6 or 7, she has to admit, "I remember really loving those." What comes across in the photos is the degree to which the girls' lives were engineered. "It was almost like I was in the army," Ashley says. "School, work, homework, fly to New York, get in at 2 in the morning, do a morning show at 5 a.m., then another one at 7, then a radio interview at 10, you know?" Cutesy, coordinated outfits were just part of the drill. The pressure was intense and the scrutiny even more so — "That's why I look at Britney, and I'm surprised I didn't end up like her."

To see Ashley now, it's difficult to fathom that part of her life. At 23, she is very much the master of her own fate, and an icon of defiant personal style. Today she's wearing beige corduroys made exponentially cooler by the fact that she's ripped them up the side seams from hem to shin—and the fact that she's owned them since she was about 15. (Understand: She never, ever throws out clothes. The genie and penguin costumes? All stashed in storage units in L.A. warehouses.) She's paired the beige cords with a signature piece from her and Mary-Kate's fashion line The Row—a supersoft white T-shirt with an artfully stretched-out neck, the short sleeves of which she likes pushing up over her shoulders. Add black flats without socks, tuck the fine blonde hair up under a floppy skateboarder's cap, and the look—at least on her—is just hip and effortless and right. "I think you're either born with a sense of style or you're not," Ashley says in her small, soft voice, giving her knuckles a loud crack. "Either you care or you don't. And we"—she and Mary-Kate—"love fashion. When we were going to NYU, I think that was the first time we were aware of the power of our personal style. Not the power of it, but the result of it. Between the big sunglasses and the Starbucks cup and the big sweaters, the hobo-chic thing, we were more shocked than anything"—by the endless commentary and tabloid coverage. "I get it; we were fortunate enough to have really nice clothes, and we put them together in this raggedy way. My mom wears glasses this big"—she mimes massive goggles—"from the '70s, and you wonder where we got it from?" She laughs. "The dark eyeliner, the scarf around the head—it's just so interesting and natural." Her family, she says, was "very bohemian." "Mary-Kate and I are very aware of trends and style, but at the end of the day, we don't even think twice about it. It's just, What do I feel like wearing today, and how do I want to put it together?" To some extent, Ashley buys the theory that years of being manhandled and styled bred an intense desire in both girls to dress themselves. Eventually, that meant cutting down and altering designer pieces to suit their petite frames—a habit that persists rather feverishly to this day. "The amount of beautiful things we've ruined—not having the patience for a tailor and cutting everything ourselves … My sister once took an Alaïa dress of mine and just cut the whole thing, and then she was like, 'I cut it too short.'" Ashley has to laugh. "Mary-Kate and I don't think about fashion as these clean, beautiful objects. We just kind of wear it and live in it"—and make it their own. When she bought the Daytona watch that's currently on her wrist, she promptly changed the white face to black and the gold links to a crocodile band. In other words, fashion is a way the otherwise elusive Olsens express themselves—most notably through two clothing lines that are somehow thriving despite the cataclysmic retail climate. Ashley and Mary-Kate collaborate closely on Elizabeth and James (named for their siblings), a line that commingles softness and toughness—for instance, slouchy boyfriend jackets and shirts with a flirty ruffle. The idea is to create "a tug-of-war in something with a masculine spirit and a feminine attitude," says Neiman Marcus Fashion Director Ken Downing. "The girls keep nailing it season after season after season. And they single-handedly brought the legging back into fashion." While Mary-Kate tends to conjure the overriding concepts—playing with movie references from Oliver Twist to Hook for the fall '09 collection—Ashley hones in on zippers and buttons and fit. "Nothing gets by them," says their Elizabeth and James partner, Jane Siskin. The Row, meanwhile, speaks more to their desire for a closetful of what Ashley calls "high-end basics": the perfect blazer, the just-so T-shirt, the cashmere sweater that sort of melts in your hands—with intriguing twists like a seam running up the back. "I just really wanted to make beautiful things," she says. "An educated garment." According to Debi Greenburg, owner of Louis Boston, "Because Ashley's a bit of a type A personality, there's perfection in the way the clothes fit, the way they're cut, that translates on the body beautifully. The Row has become one of my stellar collections here." Ashley leads me through a few rooms of her town house, haphazardly decorated in battered leather chairs with arms worn down to the stuffing; on the walls are a rare Basquiat self-portrait and three works by Keith Haring that she got at a pawnshop for $30 apiece. In the corner is a drum kit from the Wii game Rock Band, Ashley's new obsession (she plays it at least two hours a night). "I swear to you, it's brought out this whole new thing in me," she says. "I can be a very serious person, and I take my job very seriously, but at the end of the day, I need a break." Her boyfriend, The Hangover's Justin Bartha, also helps in that area. He just called from a press junket in Europe; Ashley signed off with, "Keep your phone by the bed" and "I love you." To say the least, it's been a relief for this pillar of self-sufficiency to have someone she can count on, who puts her ambitions in perspective. "It's more important than anything else in the world," Ashley says.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

THE TROUBLE WITH THE NERDS

It may look Victorian, but a famous speaker. But in addition to such indirect competitors, I think you only need two kinds of solutions to this problem. Founders who succeed quickly don't usually realize how lucky they were. Theory: In US presidential elections, the more admirable it is. Those companies were apparently willing to establish subsidiaries wherever the experts wanted to live. But barring emergencies you have a specific idea you want to reach users, you do it consciously you'll do it even better. If another country wanted to establish a mediocre university, for an additional half billion or so you could have a great one. That's what you're addicted to. If Jessica was so important to launch fast is not so much that they've done work worth tens of billions of dollars, but that a applies to any mobile phone, and b avoid the danger of fooling yourself as well as negative. Few would be willing to claim that it doesn't matter much either way. In fact, it's suspiciously hard to find a field of math that truly has no practical use.

The cause must be external. There are things I know I learned from Paul Buchheit: it's better to start with no more than an outline of what you need to reproduce is those two or three founders sitting around a kitchen table deciding to start a silicon valley; you let one grow. With a startup, I think it's because they seem so formidable. Hype doesn't make satisfied users, at least not for something as complicated as technology. The degree of courage of past or present union leaders are somehow inferior. And even then they rarely said so outright. Next year you'll have to explain how your startup was viral.

Physics progressed faster as the problem became predicting observable behavior, instead of releasing a software update immediately, they had to submit their code to an intermediary who sat on it for a month and then rejected it because it contained an icon they didn't like? We thought Airbnb was a bad idea. Quiet is another matter. Com, which their friends at Parse took. He couldn't have afforded a minicomputer. But powerful as they are, they're not drifting. He was like an explorer looking for a territory to the north of him, I at least don't have any regrets over what might have been. As for the theory being obvious, as far as I can tell it isn't.

The ups and downs were more extreme than they were prepared for.1 Instead of version 1s to be superseded, the works they produced continued to attract new readers. It is, in some ways. And the fact that they have to be high, and if they try to be creative. One developer told me: As a result of their process, the App Store approval process is broken. On the subway back from the airport she asked Why is everyone smiling? This could become more common. Once you acknowledge that, you stop believing there is nothing else you could be called.2 Everyone knows you're supposed to buy when times are bad.

Their denial derives from two very powerful forces: identity, and lack of imagination. The record labels agreed, reluctantly. My oldest son will be 7 soon. But you have to pay as much for that. No doubt it was a waste of time to try to reverse the fortunes of a declining industrial town like Detroit or Philadelphia by trying to seem legit. So tablet makers should be thinking: what else can we give developers access to? A great university near an attractive town. People only have so many leisure hours a day, and TV is premised on such long sessions unlike Google, which prides itself on sending users on their way quickly that anything that takes up their time is competing with it. The iPhone and the iPad have effectively drilled a hole that will allow ephemeralization to flow into a lot of founders are surprised is that because they work fast, they expect everyone else to.

But none of the startup world. It was a place people went in search of something new. Bureaucrats by their nature are the exact opposite sort of people who opt out of the closet and admit, at least 3 years and probably 5. That's how it happens in books and movies, because that's why it's structured that way. Dangerous territory, that; if anything you should cultivate dissatisfaction. The main complaint of the more successful founders: The immense value of the startup hubs has: not San Francisco, Boston, Seattle. They treat iPhone apps the way they framed the question.

Notes

But core of the people who are good presenters, but its inspiration; the defining test is whether you have is so valuable that visitors should gladly register to try to ensure that they probably wouldn't even exist anymore. Starting a company just to load a problem if you'll never need to import is broader, ranging from 50 to 6,000 sestertii apiece for slaves learned in the case. Does anyone really think we're as open as one could aspire to the modern idea were proposed by Timothy Hart in 1964, two years investigating it. Actually no one is now the founder visa in a situation where they all sit waiting for the sledgehammer; if they stopped causing so much pain, it may be whether what you learn in even the flaws of big corporations found that three quarters of them.

Throw in the long tail for other kinds of menial work early in the 1980s was enabled by a central authority according to certain somewhat depressing rules many of the statistics they use the standard career paths of trustafarians to start some vaguely benevolent business.

Thanks to Tad Marko, Patrick Collison, Geoff Ralston, Sam Altman, and Mark Nitzberg for reading a previous draft.

[johannstutt413]

(requested by anonymous)

“Doctor?” Pramanix glanced up from her shrine bench. “Are you here to pray?”

“Nope. Figured you’d be free to talk about now, so I took my lunch.” The Doctor’s hood and mask were down as she squatted to be on Pramanix’s level.

The priestess shrugged. “We can talk. What’s going on?”

“Your brother’s what’s going on. He doesn’t know I’m a woman, and he’s made it his mission to have me continue the blood with one of you.”

“...Son of a bitch.”

The Doctor smirked. “Are you allowed to say that as a priestess?”

“I’m on break.” Pramanix shook her head. “If he knew you as well as I do, he’d probably want you for himself. He’s gotten real greedy since he left Kjerag.”

“Yeah, he’s a handful, but I think Kal’tsit and I know how to deal with him. Besides, so long as he thinks I’m a guy, he won’t have any issues with the two of us hanging out.”

The priestess shrugged. “You know all I do is priestess stuff and sleep, right?”

“And drink coffee...which, if you’re free now, I think we should go do.” The Doctor smiled. “C’mon, whaddya say we blow this popsicle stand and get some coffee, hmm?”

“I would, but I’m really comfortable where I am right now.”

She pouted. “Aww, come on, Pram-”

“Sorry,” Pram smiled. “But I’ll pay you to get coffee for me and bring it back.”

“...I decide how you pay me back.”

“Okay.”

The Doctor nodded and sprung to her feet. “Double-caff, five sugars, four creamers, shot of vanilla and a dash of cinnamon?”

“Yeah? Doctor, did you memorize my-”

“Yep!” She dashed off. “I’ll be back!”

In less than half an hour, the Doctor returned with four cups of coffee and a white paper bag. “Two cups apiece and some donut holes to go with them. The ones with Ds on them are mine.”

“Thanks, Doctor...mmm, it’s so sweet. Just perfect. Am I paying you back for both cups?”

“If you want to; you only need to for the first one, second one’s a gift.”

Pram smiled. “Alright, if you say so. Can you pass me the bag?”

“One sec.” The Doctor grabbed four donut holes, holding each between two fingers, before handing over the bag. “You can have the rest.”

“You’re so generous, Doctor. So, how did you want me to pay you back?” The priestess popped a perfect sphere of glazed donut dough in her mouth with a serene smile.

She smirked. “Yeah, that bit...it can wait, honestly.”

“If I’ve learned one thing from my brother,” Pram replied, “it’s that interest on debts can only ever be a bad thing. Let’s settle now, while it’s still fresh on my mind.”

“If you say so...I want a kiss.”

Pramanix sat perfectly still for a moment before taking one more sip of her first cup and setting down. “I’m guessing you’d take my brother up on his mad idea, then, if he was right?”

“It’s not about that.” The Doctor blushed. “I just...I really like spending time with you. You’re always out here, minding the shrine, and even if that’s just sitting here relaxing on a good day, you still come out here to do it. You’re literally the highest religious icon of a nation, and yet you’d rather spend your time here, at Rhodes Island, helping us with our work when we need you. Whenever I’m around you, I feel completely free to be myself and speak my mind, which I don’t get to do a lot working HR and battle strategies - whoever thought that was a good combination of duties should be shot - and I...I dunno. I’ve always just kind of wondered what it’d be like to be even just a little more than friends, you know? Like, not even friends with benefits, just friends who kiss each other good night or...something...Am I digging myself into a hole here?”

“I...I don’t know.” The priestess was staring at her cup of coffee.

She sighed. “Brilliant.”

“It’s not like that, Doctor - I’d love to follow through with your idea, but the problem is that as the Karlan Priestess, I can’t just play around like that. We’d...we’d have to get married.”

“Seriously?” The Doctor chuckled. “Just to kiss you, I have to wed you?”

Pramanix nodded. “And even though my brother would obviously agree, if we don’t have any children, he might get suspicious, and then he could use his power to try and break our union apart...and then I might not be able to stop myself from freezing him solid.”

“Woah. Like, that’s a bit extreme for an imaginary marriage.”

“Maybe...but it’d be nice if it wasn’t imaginary.” She looked over at the Doctor. “Doesn’t Rhodes Island have some connections with Rhine Labs?”

She nodded. “Yeah, we do.”

“And they’ve done some work on genetics, if I remember correctly?”

“Um...sort of?” The Doctor sighed. “I’m not sure where this is going-”

Pramanix smiled. “Doctor, there might still be a way for me to have your baby.”

“I- wha- hang on- That- I- You-...you really want to be with me that badly?”

“It’s...yes.” She nodded. “On a different day, I might not have told you, but after such an honest confession, I couldn’t help myself. So...what do you say?”

The Doctor blinked. “Is this the most casual marriage proposal ever?”

“It’s us, Doctor. What would you expect?”

“...Fair.” She turned to Pram. “Of course I’ll marry you.”

Pramanix clapped. “Hurray! Now you can have that kiss.”

“Wait, so was it the betrothal and not the...I’m confused.”

“Oh, that’s easy.” She left her spot and walked over to the Doctor, leaning over with a bright smile as she cupped her face. “I needed my goddess to say yes first~”

[writingonjorvik]

Ideas w/ Amelia

I haven’t really been up to a full-fledged Can We Discuss lately, but I didn’t want to just vanish for a while with my move coming up without posting anything. So, here’s a smattering of ideas I think would be cool for SSO.

Change the transport system for Jorvik’s overworld to work like Jorvik’s city, clicking on locations on the map to go to instead of scrolling through the list.

Fix the prices between the Friends app and the website so that they’re the same on both. Also reduce the price of Star Coins so they make sense with other pricing in the game and in the industry.

Co-op wagon races where one person maintains the horses and the other controls the wagon.

Make a permanent version of the Cloud Kingdom with a Mario Kart style race with pickups and other items for more interesting multiplayer racing, then bringing the system down to a select number of regular races, like the Big 7 (the seven races that are always for birthday races and the most iconic).

Switch to an expansion based model instead of weekly updates to reduce major burnout and turnaround on the dev team, since the weekly update model is regarded to be extremely demanding by the industry as a whole. Or instead of expansions, have quarterly updates that add a large amount of quests and content, with weekly patches being for events and bug fixes.

Make a forum or a subReddit to host more AMA style events, particularly since it seems the devs are now responding to all kinds of feedback, positive and negative, and I really appreciate this and want to be able to engage more with them outside their emailing system. Having a forum for ideas would also reduce the influx of emails they have to respond to and simplify the reporting system.

Have an ingame reporting system for players with a prompt and drop down dialogue before reporting to reduce spamming, but also overall simplify the process. Also, as illustrated by the photo mode, being able to screenshot from inside the game is totally an option now.

Allow players to change their emails without contacting support.

Update all horse models that have two to just having the new one. This will help simplify the image of the game and also open up space in a lot of cluttered stables. It also will reduce the feeling of SSO just making new horses to sell more horses, which considering that they cost $30 USD apiece, feels grimy. It also reduces the amount of modeling the devs have to do when coding for all the old models as well as new ones. Long term benefits.

For “luxury”/expensive models, have more breed specific races. If you’re spending $30+ USD on a horse, you ought to get some other content. That’s as much as some game’s expansion packs.

Now that jumping is free, leading should be too. I said this before, and I’ll say it again, being able to use leading in content is an outstanding option and it shouldn’t continue to be locked behind a pay wall.

Now that jump is free, expand the free to pay area to include all of Silverglade. Don’t expand the quest list, but expand the area. Considering SSO’s two main features are its story and exploration, being able to explore all of Silverglade, make friends, look around, and meet NPCs feels like more of an incentive to buy membership than having such a restricted region. If there’s no increase to quests or dailies, being a free member is still less exciting than having membership, and they won’t have access to other areas like the Harvest Counties or South Hoof. But being able to see the areas they could unlock feels like more of an incentive to buy than the area that they have now.

Add an experience multiplier based on player level to horse experience. This gives players more of a reason to level, and it also helps balance out experience gain for higher level players who tend to have lots of horses. It also reduces the need for the devs to balance out experience gain. Also this tech is already in the game as shown by the old system where the starter horse received more experience in races than any other type of horse.

Give the player the option to have multiple character slots. This provides the game with so much replay-ability with out the price tag of additional membership.

Allow players to make up their own character name, and change it. There would need to be a new team dedicated to approving names, and players could have temporary names in the SSO system in the meantime, but it would allow players to personalize their characters more, and for players who joined before a wide range of names were an option, allow them to pick names they would actually want.

Update races with set pieces, like the Baroness Race Track. SSO adds new set pieces all the time for races, having two versions of the Baroness Race Track shouldn’t be that hard. If parts of the map can be reworked to have temporary obstacles for championships and races that only affect the racers, then this should be possible for this race too, and other old races.

Bring back the Scarecrow Hill Race. Again.

Update the Social tab.

Update the Help tab.

Capes, cloaks, and hoodies that take up shirt and hat spot, with the option to remove the hood.

Full body dresses and robes that take up the shirt and pants slot.

More mane hair styles. This one has been promised for a while.

Have official social media correspondents on Twitter and Tumblr. It’s almost 2019 and your Twitter is dead. It’s marketing 101 to have correspondents on all major platforms, and you don’t. This is your best access to community and marketing, why aren’t you doing this?

Stop with the “Girls > Boys” mentality. All genders are equal, and what you’re actually doing isn’t helping the feminist cause and it’s pandering. Take one from Shannon Hale on this. Boys can enjoy feminine things, and pressing this divide only hurts the argument. It also drives away potential customers.

Take the time to release new areas properly. South Hoof and Mistfall are aesthetically beautiful, but are barren gameplay wise, and we’re now going to have to wait years to see them finished.

Stop adding factions if players can’t 100% them.

Rebalance poorly balanced factions like the Sunfields and the Goldspurs.

Allow players to make their own orienteering races with friends using the waypoint tech.

Update inaccessible locations on the map list of locations. Some of these locations have been inaccessible for over four years now, like the “Not all that glitters is gold” location in Dino.

The player almost never takes damage. There’s no need for two health bars.

Make the library at the Winery useful and let us reread lore books to help remember story info between when that story info was used last and when it’s being brought back into the story.

A thrift store that lets you buy back items from quests, using the tech from the Lifetime store.

Have increased option control for players with good gaming rigs, like allowing for an increased render distance or being able to decide how many players are rendered at once and to what detail. SSO already has a loading period for adding detail to players, so for players with less advanced hardware, being able to lower down this detail rendering would make it easier to visit higher population areas. And for players with better rigs, it makes the game prettier.

If the devs want to promote less populated servers, then host events on those servers.

Redo Nic’s camp to use the Rescue Ranch system. Generally add more Rescue Ranch style quests in other areas.

Let the player jump while on foot. It adds almost nothing to gameplay, but it makes them feel like clunky. It also would help community classics like foot races.

Add left saddlebags.

Stylists should be able to mirror mane styles, so that the mane can fall on either side.

Players should either have to read quest dialogue after level 9 to know what they have to do or they shouldn’t. Quit waffling.

Achievements should have rewards, like titles, unique clothes, or access to hidden quests.

Bring back hidden quests.

If there are going to be cold resistant horses, then there should be other horses with abilities like that. Heat resistant horses, horses good at climbing with pass that only they can climb at full speed, horses that can cross bodies of water without a meter. If you’re going to make a system like that, then you gotta flesh it out.

And now I’ve been working on this list for over two hours, so I’m gonna leave it there so I still have something to talk about in Can We Discuss. Cool. Bye.

[orbemnews]

Mardi Gras parades got canceled by Covid-19. So New Orleanians turned their houses into floats Like so many, the mom and insurance manager had known in her gut that the weekslong fête would take 2021 off. Revelers of all ages packed at least three deep along routes that wind for miles seemed the textbook antithesis of social distancing. “So, I kinda made a comment: ‘Well, that’s fine, I’m just going to decorate my house,'” said Boudreaux, who invited her neighbors to turn their homes, too, into stationary versions of the ornately designed floats that populate the four dozen or so parades that roll in the city each year. This way, she figured, partiers could stay 6 feet apart while visiting outdoors and enjoying the artistry of the annual countdown to Lent. The idea, like a splay of bead strands hurled skyward toward an endless carousing crowd, has spread. There’s a home with a sign that beckons, “Welcome to Wakanda.” Another features a Night Tripper theme in homage to funkman Dr. John. One house honors a health care worker alongside giant ivory beads. On a balcony, a cutout of the late chef Leah Chase stands, spoon in hand, at an enormous pot. Just off the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line, a giant model dinosaur in a top hat grazes. Elsewhere, a set-up pays tribute to Alex Trebek with a “Jeopardy!” board, playable using a posted QR code. Human-size Lego figures approximate a float rolling by parade-goers on a front porch. A wooden pelican the width of two men perches at another. All across town, papier-mache or cardboard and foil flowers of every hue, plus bunting of purple, green and gold and strands of beads the size of beach balls, adorn the homes where so many have been in retreat from the coronavirus since just after last Mardi Gras. That’s when 1.5 million people — including international visitors — converged on the city, almost certainly fueling viral spread that made the region an early hot spot. Indeed, the purple-and-white house icons that dot a map on the Krewe of Float Houses website cover the city’s entire main footprint like a sidewalk littered with doubloons, those collectible metallic coins tossed by riders from traditional floats. “In its essence, it’s not much different than when people drive around with the kids in the car and look at the Christmas decorations, holiday lights,” said Doug MacCash, who’s chronicled the house float movement for the local newspaper, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate. “Except this year, in 2021, it has such a spirit of triumph, such a spirit of defiance. It’s like, ‘Sorry, ‘rona. We’re not just giving up.'” “Mardi Gras by no means is dead; it’s just different,” said City Councilman Jay Banks, who’s cast his own house — already painted yellow and black — with other trademark representations of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club, the city’s preeminent Black Carnival organization, over which he once reigned as king. “And what we’re forced to do this Mardi Gras, with Covid as the No. 1 consideration, … is how this whole house float thing got started,” he said. “And let me tell you, I am just giggly about it.” How to turn your house into a float Do-it-yourselfers — many already armed with hot-glue guns and glitter by the gallon for crafting annual Mardi Gras costumes — have embraced the home-design effort in earnest. Two private Facebook groups with more than 14,000 participants spew inquiries at all hours, most swiftly answered by a hive mind eager to collaborate after months of stay-at-home orders. “Any recommendations on securing this? It’s top heavy,” one poster asked, referring to a photo of a homemade Lysol can prop standing several feet tall. From another: “Has anyone had luck with using cardboard to make house float decorations? I already used some and painted and sealed with mod podge acrylic sealer but am wondering how it will hold up in the elements on a French Quarter balcony! Is there a better way of waterproofing, etc.?” The exchange is not unlike in the bleak months after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when neighbors connected to trade recipes for bleach or baking soda concoctions to remove mold from items soiled by the flood. Others looking now to gild their homes have turned to a regional cottage industry built over decades for precisely this sort of venture. “Part of the consternation about canceling Carnival had to do with, well, there are people (for) who(m) Carnival is their livelihood — a lot of people: float builders, bead- and costume-makers,” MacCash said. “Some of the Carnival artists who find themselves out of work at what would have been a real scrambling sort of time, what they’ve done is they’ve found employment decorating houses.” In a normal year, René Pierre right about now would be finalizing the books on some 75 floats that his company, Crescent City Artists LLC, decorates using lightweight utility canvas, bright house paints, hard coating, wood and Styrofoam, he said. This year, Boudreaux’s house float vision, which Pierre caught on a local news report, proved to be his “ticket out” of a toned-down Carnival — and one that follows his and his young daughter’s recovery from Covid-19. “Oh, man, in about three weeks, we were booked all the way up until today,” Pierre said last week of his house-decorating customers. “My wife and I were trying to sleep one night, and we kept hearing notifications coming from the website. It was like, “Ping ping ping ping ping.’ It was like, ‘Oh, my God.’ It was like instant success. It was incredible.” The couple inked 53 house float contracts ranging from $1,500 to $3,000 apiece, a sum many riders in the city’s biggest parading groups typically would spend on bead strands and other “throws” to toss in a given year. “It has really pumped my business into full steam,” Pierre said, noting he hired his cousin, a recording artist, to help manage the crush. “We have made more money in six weeks … and talk about Mardi Gras spirit.” Of the commissions, Pierre’s favorites are a trio of painted pups fashioned after the homeowner’s own pack, a Buddha-themed display and one highlighting the Grateful Dead dancing bears. Boudreaux, known as “Admiral B” of the house float fleet, aptly did her house in a maritime motif. “I don’t know if I want to know how much I spent,” she said: “definitely more than I meant to, less than a lot of people.” How to lead (or join) a house float krewe Beyond her own decor, helming this nascent krewe (local vernacular for a festival group) has become a second full-time job for Boudreaux. There are exchanges with lawyers over decorating rules in historic districts and weekly logistics meetings with the mayor to game out how to handle homeowners who want to, say, hire a band. There are now 50 captains, 39 subkrewes, a communications team and an effort to gather and edit together dozens of dancers’ at-home videos into a performance masterpiece for the website. Yet another to-do list item got added shortly after the krewe named a New Orleans bounce star as its grand marshal, Boudreaux said. “Now Big Freedia’s house is a traffic jam. The house is so popular that even guerilla photograph-style, it still drew a crowd,” the one thing the Krewe of House Floats wants urgently to prevent. The krewe also has launched a campaign to donate $100,000 toward those facing unemployment and food and housing insecurity largely because of this year’s Carnival limits: artisans, service industry workers, musicians, Mardi Gras Indians and other culture-bearers. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, “this year plants the seed” for what’s already becoming an annual event, to endure long after the coronavirus is vanquished, MacCash said. (At last count, Pierre already had 28 house-decorating contracts set for 2022, and preregistration is open for next year’s Krewe of House Floats.) For now, Chris Volion is looking forward to safely welcoming on Fat Tuesday, February 16, revelers who pass by his New Orleans home, adorned with enormous black birds inspired by local crows and Edgar Allen Poe in his personal Krewe of Nevermore. Volion, an institutional research analyst, and his wife, Janet, are making some themed throws to hand out and plan to join neighbors for king cake-flavored Jell-O shots. “While it feels different, there’s still that excitement going on,” he said. This year, instead of swapping parade plans, “the conversation has shifted to: Have you been to such and such a block, or have you see this house? It’s so beautiful to see that the energy is still there.” For Banks, the city councilman, the house floats offer a glimmer in an especially bleak season. In his own circle, Covid-19 has taken 23 lives and killed 17 members of the Zulu organization, he said, not to mention relatives and friends of the club. It’s stripped New Orleans — and the world — of the chance to socialize in person and to observe customs in the typical way. But as is so often the case, he said, the city’s response in this dark moment offers a message far beyond its borders. “We’re showing the rest of you that there is light at the end of the tunnel,” Banks said. “As screwed-up as Covid is, we will not let it defeat us. … The lesson of New Orleans for the world is: You play the cards that you’re dealt.” Source link Orbem News #Canceled #Covid19 #floats #Gras #houses #Mardi #MardiGrasparadesgotcanceledbyCovid-19.So #NewOrleaniansturnedtheirhousesintofloats-CNN #Orleanians #parades #turned #us

[junker-town]

What to watch at the U.S. Olympic marathon trials

Des Linden is trying to become the first woman to make three U.S. Olympic marathon teams. | Photo credit should read RYAN MCBRIDE/AFP via Getty Images

With three Olympic spots up for grabs, both the men’s and women’s race are set for high drama in Atlanta.

Every four years, elite marathon runners in the United States gather for a one-shot race to earn one of three spots apiece on the men’s and women’s Olympic teams. On Saturday in Atlanta, more than 700 of the fastest marathoners in the country will take aim at one of those coveted berths.

Not every country has a trial race. In fact, most have committees that simply pick qualified runners and send them to the Games. The U.S. race is a uniquely democratic competition in a sport filled with stifling bureaucracy.

For a time there was some concern about whether the American way of doing things would survive a change in Olympic guidelines established by the International Association of Athletics Federation. However, in July, the IAAF announced the American trials would serve as a “Gold Standard” event. Translation: the Americans could keep their qualifying race.

Running has lots of rules and governing bodies, many of them arcane and arbitrary. But in Atlanta, things will be much simpler. The top three male and female finishers earn a spot on the Olympic team. Of course, just earning the right to race is a major accomplishment.

To qualify, male runners need to clock a sub-2:15 marathon. That’s the “A Standard,” which is the top tier. The “B Standard” allows runners who ran 2:15-2:19 to gain a spot in the field. Additionally, runners who knocked out a half marathon in 64 minutes or less also qualified.

For women, the A Standard is a 2:37 marathon with B Standards coming in at sub-2:45, or less than 73 minutes in the half. By any standard, these are some seriously fast people who have earned the opportunity to run the race of their life.

Here’s who, and what, to watch for Saturday.

The shoes

For the whole history of the marathon, from Pheidippides to Haile Gebrselassie, the 2-hour marathon seemed an insurmountable barrier. Then in October, Eliud Kipchoge ran into history wearing gaudy neon shoes called Alphaflys. They were an updated prototype of Nike’s Vaporfly, the shoe that has led to an astonishing string of record-breaking performances.

Kipchoge had previously set the official marathon record of 2:01.39 in a version of the Vaporfly and Brigid Koseigi was wearing Vaporflys when she shattered the women’s mark that had stood for 16 years by a staggering 81 seconds with a 2:14.04 marathon in Chicago.

Independent research has shown the shoe delivers a measurable boost in performance, which gets to the heart of a major philosophical argument in running circles: Is technologically-enhanced performance worth the price of competition?

There are parallels between the fast kicks and those full-length bodysuits swimmers wore in the 2008 Olympics when they smashed records. Those suits were subsequently banned and there was some thought the shoes would come by the same fate.

However, the shoes were deemed legal for competition in January when World Athletics, track’s governing body, released what it called modified rules that placed limits on stack heights (40 millimeters) and embed plates. This gets very nerdy, but those limits just so happened to closely mirror the Alphafly’s specs.

The ruling, not surprisingly, sparked controversy. In a long, fascinating post, the sports scientist Ross Tucker wrote:

The failure to regulate “super shoes” hurts running. It undermines one of the sport’s most valuable qualities, namely that the outcome, the title, the victory, goes to the athlete whose physiology is optimized through training and genetics, then enabled by tactics, to cross the finish line first.

Is it the shoes or the runner that make the race? The marathon trials will offer clues.

The women’s race is wide open

In 2016, only 198 female runners qualified to run in the Olympic trials. This year, there are more than 500 competitors. You’d be hard-pressed to find a favorite in the crowded women’s field where more than a half-dozen runners could claim that mantle.

Among them: Des Linden, best known for surviving dreadful conditions in 2018 to be the first American to win Boston in 33 years. Linden is also trying to become the first U.S. woman to make three Olympic marathon teams. She’ll have competition from Sara Hall, whose relentless schedule is the stuff of legend.

The accomplished Molly Huddle, owner of 28 national titles and American records in the 10,000 meters and half marathon, seems poised to record a breakthrough marathon. Her training partner and fellow Providence Friar, Emily Sisson, ran a sizzling 2:23 in London in her first marathon.

It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Jordan Hasay, Amy Cragg, or Kellyn Taylor earned spots. Emma Bates, who lives off the grid in Idaho, is an inspiration for runners who would rather be nowhere than anywhere in particular.

The elite men

Galen Rupp, one of the country’s greatest distance runners ever, won the trials in 2016 in his first-ever marathon and earned a bronze in Rio. He is considered the favorite despite several setbacks including recovery from Achilles surgery. Rupp was also coached by Alberto Salazar, the disgraced former head of Nike’s Oregon Project who received a four-year ban by the US Anti-Doping agency.

Leonard Korir has only one marathon under his belt, but it was the fastest debut ever by an American: 2:07.56. That was the second-fastest qualifying time behind Rupp.

Another 2016 Olympian, Jared Ward, happens to run for Saucony. He will be an interesting test case for whether the Vaporflys provide an unfair advantage. Ward and friendly rival Scott Fauble dueled at both Boston and New York last season and it would be a treat to watch them battle again for an Olympic spot.

A pair of 40-somethings — Bernard Lagat and Abdi Abdirahman — are sentimental choices for this 40-something runner.

The course

Atlanta offers an interesting layout in two respects. Rather than going point-to-point for 26.2 miles, it’s an eight-mile loop run three times with a finishing kick through Centennial Park. Running loops can be something of a mental challenge, especially if a particular section gives you trouble. You know it’s waiting for you again and again.

Also, there will be hills with 1,389 feet of climb and 1,382 of descent. There isn’t a lot of flat on the Atlanta course, so runners will either be going up or down for the duration.

That’s markedly different than say, Chicago, which is notorious for being flat and fast. Boston, known primarily for the soul-crushing Heartbreak Hill, is actually a downhill course with the climbing back loaded toward the end.

The unique layout of the Atlanta course may benefit one runner in particular ...

The outsider

Jim Walmsley is the closest thing ultrarunning has to a crossover star. He’s torched courses, setting records in 50 miles (4 hours, 50 minutes) and at Western States in back-to-back years, the oldest and most iconic race on the circuit. Walmsley has never run a road marathon, but he qualified for the trials with a 64-minute half in Houston.

Road runners and trail junkies have lots more in common than they’d like to admit, but there’s some goofy tribal battles between the two camps. Obsessed as they are with splits and trying to shave seconds off their times, road runners view ultra runners as weirdo hippie amateurs, while ultrarunners think road warriors should chill and take it down a notch.

Because of his elite speed, Walmsley has the potential to bridge the two worlds. To be sure, it would be a long shot if he made the Olympic team. Still, no one in the field puts in the kind of training he does — 200-mile weeks at altitude with thousands of feet of climbing. In a recent profile in the New York Times, Walmsley offered a quote that sums up the ultrarunner ethos.

“A lot of people train to have their best day ever,” he told the Times. “In ultra­running, you learn to train for your worst. I’m looking to get to the most painful spot I can.”

Anyone else?

Yes. Shoutout to my friend Brian Harvey who qualified for the trials running a 2:17.50 at Sacramento. A seriously good dude who runs/commutes to work and makes a mean butternut squash risotto, Harvey is the kind of hardcore semi-pro runner who makes this event so unique.

[judefan834-blog]

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Tesla’s cars and trucks aren’t ideal– here are all their most disappointing features

The Tesla Model 3. not quite best.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

Tesla’s lorries are usually outstanding.

However they aren’t ideal. The Design 3, Model S, Model X, the initial Roadster, Model Y, and Cybertruck all have frustrating defects.

Here’s a rundown of whatever I do not much like about the automobiles, from charging times to confined seats to weak design.

Visit Company Expert’s homepage for more stories

No car is.

In Tesla’s case, I went back over all the cars I’ve driven or assessed in some way and rounded up their flaws.

Here’s the rundown:

I’m a huge fan of Tesla’s vehicles. I’ve driven nearly all of them, and I in fact think the Design 3 might be the most idea-packed auto ever produced.

Tesla Design 3.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

The ultra-minimalist Model 3 interior sets a tone. If you like an uncluttered life, it’s for you. If you delight in some buttons and knobs due to the fact that they’re simpler to utilize than touchscreen technology, then you’re going to have a stuffed relationship with the Design 3.

Tesla Model 3.

Tesla.

The Design 3 has a wonderful glass roof, however to make it work, the fastback hatch is compromised. Thus, the Design 3 has a truck cover with a large cutout.

Tesla Design 3.

Hollis Johnson/Business Expert.

Which remains in exchange for a beautiful stock 15 cubic feet of freight capability.

Tesla Design 3.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

The front trunk, or frunk, makes up for it. But that does suggest you have two hatches to handle.

Tesla Design 3.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

The Majority Of the Model 3’s automobile functions are combined in a central, landscape touchscreen that beings in the middle of the lorry’s dashboard.

Tesla Model 3.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

In a week of testing, I grew tired of constantly having to communicate with screen. It didn’t damage my total impression of the Design 3, but to this day I long for more buttons whenever I evaluate a vehicle that’s following the Design 3’s lead.

Tesla Design 3.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

The Model 3 has an aftermarket wireless charging option that owners can acquire, but the stock 3 does not have the function, which has become fairly standard on high-end cars.

Tesla Model 3.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

The Model 3’s guiding wheel removed many multifunction buttons that are now typical. Instead, you get 2 thumb-wheels, which have to carry out a number of tasks apiece. Some folks enjoy the iPhone-ish simpleness of this plan. I’m not one of them.

Tesla Design 3.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

The Model S, in some methods, is Tesla’s masterpiece: it’s the very first clean-sheet style, introduced in2012 Not much to grumble about, however …

Tesla Model S.

Tesla.

… the Design S gave us both Ridiculous velocity mode and later Ludicrous Mode. These features are remarkable. Ludicrous Mode yields a 0-60 mph time that’s faster than some supercars. This is a SEDAN! Unless you want to tie whatever down, your Ridiculous runs may end up being more scarce.

Tesla Model S.

Mark Ralston/AFP.

The Model S is a slow, slow charger when you’re utilizing a fundamental wall outlet. It’s true “trickle” charging, about one mile per minute. In practice, unless you have a great deal of time to kill, it’s hardly worth it.

A Tesla Design S juices up behind a shed.

Matthew DeBord/Business Expert.

The Design X is Tesla’s most remarkable, modern lorry. It’s specified by its upswinging, falcon-wing rear doors.

Tesla Design X.

Tesla.

They are cool. After a few days of testing the Model X, I found myself wanting there was a more simple, old-school door alternative.

Tesla Model X.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

The Design X has a third-row choice. But since the SUV isn’t a proper full-size ute, there’s almost no space back there for normal-sized adult people.

Tesla Model X.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

Charging for Teslas is both a virtue and a curse. The business’s global Supercharger network is prevalent and enables fast-charged journey that surpass its cars’ currently significant range.

Tesla Design X.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

However the fastest charge can still consume an hour, depending upon how depleted the battery is. And while Teslas can compute how long to charge, based on how a trip has actually been outlined, it’s constantly longer than a five-minute fill-up in a gas-powered cars and truck.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

Like the Design 3, much of the Model X’s functions are handled through a substantial touchscreen, with a portrait design much like the Model S. And like the Model 3, one establishes a love-hate relationship with the setup.

Tesla Model X.

Matthew DeBord/BI.

The initial Roadster was Tesla’s first automobile, and it was groundbreaking: sexy and quickly, miles beyond the glorified golf carts that electrical cars had actually been.

The original Tesla Roadster.

Matthew DeBord/Business Insider.

However it likewise had maybe the worst infotainment system in all of cardom, even by the standards of the early 2000 s.

The initial Tesla Roadster.

Matthew DeBord/Business Insider.

The Roadster was also a relatively pure cars: heavy steering, a stiff flight, and absolutely no versatility.

The original Tesla Roadster.

Matthew DeBord/Business Insider.

The Model Y is Tesla’s newest lorry– and the crossover SUV is the company’s first unsightly effort.

Tesla Design Y.

Tesla.

Compact crossovers tend to be unimpressive aesthetically, anyway. However compared with Tesla’s current lineup, the Design Y is the ugly duckling.

Tesla Design Y.

Matt Debord/Business Expert.

I’m of two minds about Tesla’s semi-self-driving system, Autopilot. On the one hand, it has incredible capacity, although I don’t believe it’s now a lot more than innovative cruise control.

Benjamin Zhang/Business Expert.

The problem is that it’s rather tiring to use.

Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider.

The system is also lagging some of the much better highway-only hands-free offerings, particularly Cadillac’s Super Cruise tech.

Tesla.

The extreme brand-new Cybertruck has a questionable style, but I invited it. With the Design Y, the company has fallen into a rut.

Tesla Cybertruck.

FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP through Getty Images.

Still, the Cybertruck echoes the Model X in having actually made complex, retractable bedspread for its “vault.”

Tesla Cybertruck.

Tesla.

Bed covers– or “tonneau” covers– are a familiar pickup-truck option.

Jeep Gladiator.

Matthew DeBord/Insider.

The Cybertruck likewise has a stainless-steel construction. That may sound outstanding. But there’s a factor we don’t have any stainless-steel cars and trucks– and haven’t since the unfortunate DMC DeLorean. Hmmm … also gull-wing doors.

A DMC DeLorean.

Timothy Morris/Getty Images.

Finally, while Tesla’s battery style allowed it to conquer the EV world early, it’s something of a long-lasting drawback. It consists of thousands of lithium-ion cells, all wired together in packs. The layout is inefficient– and highly lithium-dependent.

The inner guts of a Tesla Design S.

Cadie Thompson/Business Expert.

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More:

Features BITranspo Tesla Tesla Take

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[kuwaiti-kid]

How Long to Beat The Most Popular Video Games

Quarantine has left all of us with a lot more free time on our hands. More specifically, free time at home.

This spike in free time has significantly increased the amount of time people have to spend playing. So, to help you navigate the vast world of available games to play, we’ve created a list of our favorite games and how long they take to beat. Enjoy!

How Long to Beat…

Death Stranding

Death Stranding was a major title in 2019, and it was Hideo Kijima’s—one of the minds behind the Metal Gear franchise—big project. The game is highly realistic, and while the main storyline takes a solid 40 hours to complete, all of the available side quests and exploration will take much longer.

The lore is fascinating and mysterious. Players will get to see a star-studded cast, beautifully scored music,—Death Stranding has won several awards for its music—a fantastic landscape, and genuinely creative storytelling in this one-of-a-kind game.

Outer Worlds

Outer Worlds answers the question of what if Fallout took place in futuristic space?

It is no surprise that there are similarities between the Outer Worlds and Fallout since the makers of Fallout: Las Vegas also made this game. The main storyline will run the average player around 15 hours, but if you want to explore, then double the amount of time you’ll need.

Laugh, fight, and explore unfamiliar worlds in Outer Worlds.

Borderlands 3

Borderlands 3 is what happens when a shooter looter lets its players run wild. The game doesn’t require daily quests and instead allows players to co-op to their heart’s content.

Players generally need 30 hours to sow their mayhem and complete the game. Gather some friends, play online, and discover new legendary gear in the ever-engaging Borderlands 3.

Red Dead Redemption 2

If you’ve ever wanted to relive your childhood games of cowboys and Indians (ahem, Native Americans), just with more violence, then Red Dead Redemption 2 is the game for you. Its massive open world and variety of quests mean that players can spend hours and hours exploring.

The main story will take players anywhere from 40-60 hours, depending on how experienced a player is. Players can also explore Red Dead Redemption 2 Online, which despite a rocky start, has made improvements on this online open-world RPG. Either option—console or PC—is great for hours of non-stop fun.

Kingdom Hearts 3

The Kingdom Hearts franchise is wildly renown and for a good reason. The games combine our love of magic and Disney with our passion for action-adventure games. Kingdom Hearts 3 is loads of fun and offers between 30-50 hours on the primary questline.

Gather your Keyblades and fight-side-by-side with some of your favorite Disney characters in this new addition to a beloved franchise.

God of War

The God of War remake is all the things that fans love about the God of War franchise, upped to a whole new level for the PS4. Fans get to see their favorite Spartan in an entirely new light and a completely new setting.

Kratos rocks the Norse warrior look, and getting to deep dive into Norse mythology is loads of fun. Players could spend around 20 hours completing the game and about 50 doing a full exploration.

Resident Evil 2

Capcom has been busy in recent years with creating remakes of their popular Resident Evil franchise. The zombie slasher is iconic, and this remake is gorgeously done.

The storyline takes about 15 hours, but to complete everything available in the game, you’ll need about 60 hours. Resident Evil 2 is the perfect game to hone your zombies fighting and evil corporation thwarting skills.

Resident Evil 3

Resident Evil 3 was the next remake Capcom offered. The story takes place in the same timeline as Resident Evil 2. Resident Evil 3, however, has Jill Valentine—which is an instant bonus, in my opinion.

The game is significantly shorter than its predecessor, with players only needing an average of 5 hours for a complete playthrough, making it the quickest game on our list. The draw for Resident Evil 3 is the fact that players need multiple playthroughs to access all of its content.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a fabulous addition to one of Nintendo’s most iconic franchises. It was one of the launch games for the Nintendo Switch. The story is terrific, and the graphics are fantastic.

The game takes about 60 hours to complete, and it is worth every minute. Breath of the Wild is a breath of fresh air to the Zelda series.

The Witcher 3

The Witcher is one of the most popular video game franchises ever. Between the books, the Netflix series based on the books, and the actual games, few people haven’t heard of this series.

The game is massive!

To play, the main questline is around 50 hours, and the two DLCs offer an extra 30 hours. To really explore the game, players can sink about 130 hours, if not more, to complete all of its content.

This action-adventure RPG is fantastic, and if you’ve never played a game in The Witcher franchise, The Witcher 3 is a great place to start.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake

Easily one of the most highly anticipated games of 2020, the Final Fantasy 7 Remake is amazing. The graphics are beautifully done. The game is technically only a fraction of the original; the game offers a deeper look into Midgard and its people.

Players can explore the different sectors of Midgard like never before with over 30 hours of gameplay needed for completion. The best part is that Square Enix has stated that there will be more parts to the remake in total, so by the time the full remake is out, there will be a lot more than 30 hours.

Spider-Man (PlayStation 4)

Everyone’s favorite wall-crawling web-slinger is back! Spider-Man is back and better than ever in this new adaptation available on the PlayStation 4.

The storyline is a mash-up of the comics and the movies, and it takes about 16 hours to complete. As a bonus, players get to be more than just Spider-Man, other playable characters include Mary Jane and Miles Morales. Three DLCs will run you about 2 hours apiece, bringing the total playtime to 22 hours.

See New York as you’ve never seen it before with this new addition to the Spider-Man video game library.

Far Cry 5

Far Cry is well known for its open-worlds and cheeky dialogues. Far Cry 5 is the latest installment in this open-world RPG series. The story is fresh, and there is no shortage of cultists and ‘Bliss’ users to battle.

With animal companions and hilarious NPCs, Far Cry 5 will give gamers plenty of distractions during the quarantine. Players can devote around 18 hours to the main storyline and roughly two-and-a-half times as long exploring the whole thing.

Bioshock: The Collection

Are you looking to marathon three games in one?

Then you need Bioshock: The Collection. The game contains all the solo-player content from Bioshock, Bioshock 2, and Bioshock: Infinite all remastered for the PlayStation 4.

The collection offers 45 hours of gameplay for all three storylines.

Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey

Assassin’s Creed is from the same developers as the Far Cry series, Ubisoft. If there’s one thing Ubisoft does well, it is open-world action-adventure RPGs. Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey is the newest installment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise.

Set in ancient Greece, players get to choose between two main characters, Kassandra or Alexios, and battle cultists, visit ancient ruins and become a true master assassin. Players will need to devote around 60 hours to beat the main quest, but to complete the full array of side quests, players will need to devote at least twice that if not more.

Grand Theft Auto 5

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is a pretty popular series, well known for its open-world, lawless chaos, and variety of quests. GTA 5 is one of the largest worlds in the GTA universe.

Players can count on spending at least 30 hours on main quests alone, but full exploration will run you around 80 hours. Players of GTA know that 80 hours offer plenty of time to engage in all the car thefts and abundant chaos your heart desires.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is another big name for published by Nintendo. The game was the headliner for the Nintendo Switch Lite.

This remastered classic is masterfully redone. It takes all the things that players loved about the original and improves on them. With between 15 and 20 hours of adorable chibi fun, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is a highly recommended addition to anyone’s Switch library.

Control

Control is an exciting and fresh take on third-person sci-fi action shooters. The game features a main character named Jesse, who enters a very special building called, The Oldest House.

The Oldest House is the headquarters of a secret government agency, The Federal Bureau of Control. While in the Oldest House, Jesse gains psychic abilities that allow her to fight an evil mind-warping infection called the Hiss—trust me, psychically flinging thing at your enemies is as much fun as it sounds.

Between the main game and the DLC, players can count on roughly 15 hours of playtime. Named, IGN’s 2019 Game of the Year, Control is definitely worth adding to your ‘to play��� list.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an action-adventure game set in the Sengoku Era of Japan. Players get to be a rogue shinobi—a shinobi is a ninja for you non-Japanese speakers.

If you are a Dark Souls fan, then you will love this new game by FromSoftware—the developers of Dark Souls. Sekiro showcases what the developers of FromSoftware excel at, gritty, grueling combat, and a unique setting. Battle yokai—monsters from traditional Japanese folklore—for around 30 hours and master the art of shinobi swordplay in this satisfyingly challenging game.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Have a Switch and love JRPGs? Then Fire Emblem: Three Houses is the game for you.

Enjoy 50 hours of main story gameplay, and if you find yourself with extra free time, this game has got you covered. Full completion of Fire Emblem: Three Houses will run you for about 200 hours, easy—it is the longest game on our list with five different routes for players to pursue.

With charming anime-style graphics, turn-based combat, and strategic player interactions, Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a fantastic game and worth every minute of gameplay.

Luigi’s Mansion 3

Luigi’s Mansion 3 is yet another fantastic game to add to anyone’s Switch library. The game focuses on Mario’s scardey cat brother, Luigi. In this game, Luigi must save his brother, Princess Peach, and the Toads from a hotel full of ghosts.

The game is nothing but good, wholesome fun, which will fun players anywhere from 15 to 20 hours. There was recently a DLC released for this game.

However, given how new the DLC is, there is little data about how long it takes to play. We have written a full review of Luigi’s Mansion 3, which you can read here.

Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon Zero Dawn is hands-down, one of the best open-world RPGs ever. The game is so popular that even three years after its release, people still want to see this game be available on the upcoming PlayStation 5.

The game takes the best things about action RPGs, post-apocalyptic timelines, and robot enemies and rolls into 35 hours of main story gameplay and 8 hours of DLC gameplay. However, exploring this open-world is the best part of this game.

The graphics are the very definition of eye-candy, and with the average gamer taking 100 hours to explore both the DLC and the main game setting, there is nothing but fun for players everywhere.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been one of the most popular games of 2020 so far. The game is an absolute delight! Cute villagers, adorable avatars, and endless customizations are the hallmarks of this game.

The actual storyline requires upwards of 60 hours, but players have reported spending double that.

How Long to Beat Popular Games

Quarantine has been hard on all of us, and spending your time exploring new worlds is a great way to make things easier. These games are perfect for anyone regardless of what system you favor.

Players of any game style will find something to enjoy on this list. Beat the quarantine blues and immerse yourself in an engaging storyline and stunning graphics.

The post How Long to Beat The Most Popular Video Games appeared first on Your Money Geek.

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Woodstock Artist's Pay 1969

How Much Woodstock Performers Were Paid 50 Years Ago — and Who's the Richest Star Now Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/heres-much-woodstock-performers-got-193016216.html

Before Woodstock was a cultural phenomenon, it was a financial fiasco.

Organizers behind the legendary music festival in upstate New York, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer, said they wound up $1.3 million in debt after the historic 1969 event—roughly $9 million in today’s dollars. But they eventually broke even years later thanks to album and movie ticket sales.

In addition to basic problems like miles of traffic jams and a lack of sanitation and food for a colossal crowd estimated at over 400,000, Woodstock organizers failed to adequately fence in the concert area. As a result, many fans attended without paying for admission — which was $18 for the three-day festival, the equivalent of about $125 today. That meant festival producers had even less money than expected to pay Woodstock’s performers, several of whom reportedly demanded twice their usual pay rate, upfront.

How much did bands get paid for playing at Woodstock in 1969? The amounts varied widely, according to generally accepted reports that have surfaced over the years and trace back to an old story in Variety. The disparity in some of the paychecks is dramatic: Woodstock headliner Jimi Hendrix was paid over 20 times higher than another guitar icon, Carlos Santana, who was mostly unknown at the time.

Woodstock organizers were inclined to pay top dollar to artists like Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Jefferson Airplane because they were desperate to put well-known talent on the bill. Leading up to the festival, top acts like the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, John Lennon, and Bob Dylan all declined to perform at Woodstock. Some on-the-spot improvisation was also necessary for Woodstock producers: In order to get stars like Jimi Hendrix on stage, organizers reportedly convinced a local bank to open up after hours during the festival and took out an emergency loan.

Here’s how much performers were paid for playing at the original Woodstock festival in 1969, along with some updates on who is the richest rock star now.

Jimi Hendrix: $18,000

In the two years before Woodstock, Jimi Hendrix had put out three studio albums that each reached the top 5 best-seller list in the U.S.: “Are You Experienced,” “Axis: Bold as Love,” and “Electric Ladyland.” The latter peaked at No. 1 on Billboard in late 1968 and remained in the charts for 40 weeks.

So it was certainly justified that Jimi Hendrix was billed as the overall headliner at Woodstock in 1969, and that he commanded the highest paycheck of all performers. Hendrix was paid $18,000 for appearing at Woodstock, which is the equivalent of about $125,000 today.

There was also a clause in his contract stipulating that no one could perform after Jimi Hendrix at the festival. Because there were so many delays and miscues at Woodstock, Hendrix didn’t wind up on stage until the morning of day four of the three-day festival, Monday, August 18, 1969. By that time, the vast majority of people had left — meaning that most fans didn’t even see the Woodstock headliner perform, including his legendary version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Side note: His performance at Woodstock represented the only Grammy nomination Jimi Hendrix received while he was alive, and he didn’t win.

Blood, Sweat & Tears: $15,000

Blood, Sweat & Tears had a No. 1 album in 1969, and the band’s biggest hit, “Spinning Wheel,” was peaking during that summer. That’s why Blood, Sweat & Tears received the second-highest paycheck at Woodstock, $15,000 — or $105,000 in today’s dollars.

Creedence Clearwater Revival, Joan Baez: $10,000 Each

The folksinger and activist Joan Baez was 28 years old and six months pregnant when she took the stage at 3 a.m. on the first night of Woodstock. Decades later, she told the New York Times that she had been incredibly shy, suffered severe stage fright, and had no idea what songs to perform.

“Not everybody knows me, and my music isn’t rock ’n’ roll,” Baez recalled, noting that she didn’t really fit in at the scene in upstate New York. “I was a political activist, and there were not many of those at Woodstock.” Baez wound up singing the traditional spiritual “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released,” among other songs.

The Woodstock setlist for Creedence Clearwater Revival, led by singer-songwriter John Fogerty, includes many classics still played on the radio today, including “Born on a Bayou,” “Suzie Q,” “Bad Moon Rising,” and “Proud Mary.” CCR went through an ugly breakup in the early 1970s, but the band’s full performance from 50 years was finally just released as an album this summer, “Live at Woodstock.”

Joan Baez and Creedence Clearwater Revival were among the highest-paid performers at Woodstock, receiving $10,000 each, or about $70,000 today, after adjusting for inflation. According to Celebrity Net Worth, John Fogerty has an estimated net worth of $70 million today, while Joan Baez’s net worth is roughly $11 million.

Jefferson Airplane, The Band, Janis Joplin: $7,500 Each

In the next tier of highest-paid Woodstock performers come some of the top music stars in the late 1960s, who received $7,500 apiece (equivalent of about $52,000 today). Janis Joplin put on what many consider her breakthrough performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, and two years later at Woodstock she played crowd favorites like “Piece of My Heart” and “Ball and Chain.” Both Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix died due to drug overdoses a little over a year after Woodstock.

The Band, best known at that point for their song “The Weight” and for playing regular as Bob Dylan’s band, were actually locals who lived in the area where the festival was held. “After three days of people being hammered by weather and music, it was hard to get a take on the mood,” The Band’s Robbie Robertson wrote in Rolling Stone 20 years after Woodstock. “We played a slow, haunting set of mountain music. We lived up there, near Woodstock, and it seemed kind of appropriate from our point of view.”

Jefferson Airplane, the quintessential 1960s San Francisco psychedelic rock band, were well-known for top 10 hits like “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit” when Woodstock took place. Part of band, led by singer Grace Slick, was reborn as the Starship in the 1980s, when it released pop songs that topped the charts like “We Built This City” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.” Grace Slick has an estimated net worth today of about $20 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.

Richie Havens, Sly & the Family Stone, Canned Heat, The Who: $6,000 – $7,000 Each

A band called Sweetwater was supposed to be the opening act at Woodstock, but they were stuck in traffic when the festival was scheduled to start. Richie Havens and his bandhad driven up to the festival site from New York City early, and after hopping on a short helicopter ride to land near the stage, they wound up opening Woodstock on Friday evening. Havens played for nearly three hours, and his extended setlist included several Beatles songs and the memorable improvisation known simply as “Freedom.”

Of the other Woodstock acts that received reported payments of $6,000 to $7,000 ($42,000 to $49,000 today), the best known by far is The Who. A 1969 report by Rolling Stone said that The Who’s manager collected $11,200 before the band’s performance at Woodstock, but that’s believed to be an exaggeration. The Who singer Roger Daltrey did confirm, however, that it demanded upfront payment before the band began its set at 5 a.m., after waiting around backstage for some 14 hours.

“Woodstock wasn’t peace and love,” Daltrey recalled to the New York Times recently. “People were screaming at the promoters, people were screaming to get paid. We had to get paid, or we couldn’t get back home.”

The British band, which released “My Generation” in 1965 and the historic rock opera “Tommy” in 1969, was still a big enough deal in 2010 to be asked to play the Super Bowl halftime show, and they are working on a new album expected to be released in 2019. The two core members of The Who, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, are probably the richest Woodstock performers still alive today, with net worths estimated at $85 million and $105 million, respectively.

Sly & the Family Stone, whose music blended funk, soul, and rock and has been sampled abundantly by rap artists like Dr. Dre, A Tribe Called Quest, and Arrested Development, received $7,000 for performing at Woodstock in 1969. They didn’t go on stage until 5 a.m., band member Rose Stone recalled later in an NPR interview. “The sun started to come up and all of a sudden all we could see was just a sea of people,” she said. “I think it was like an apex of our group.”

Arlo Guthrie, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: $5,000 Each

The second time that Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young played live as a band, it was in front of hundreds of thousands of people at Woodstock. Neil Young had recently been asked to join the trio of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash, who had released their first album in the spring of 1969. At Woodstock, the famously prickly Neil Young refused to be filmed and most of the band’s acoustic set featured just Crosby, Stills & Nash, who opened with their epic “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.”

Arlo Guthrie, the song of folk music icon Woody Guthrie, was only 19 years old when he played at Woodstock. He was expecting to perform on the festival’s second day, and he indulged in plenty of champagne backstage on the first night because there was no food and nothing else to drink, Guthrie later recalled. Then Woodstock organizers suddenly asked Guthrie to play on the first night. “Richie Havens has been up there playing for hours. There’s nobody else and you’ve got to play now,” they told him.

Guthrie played a short set, and by most accounts it wasn’t a particularly good performance. He didn’t play his best-known song, the 18-minute-long antiestablishment saga “Alice’s Restaurant,” which was released in 1967.

Arlo Guthrie and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were paid $5,000 each for playing at Woodstock, about $35,000 today. Neil Young, who has had decades of success as a solo artist and leader of other bands outside CSNY, is now the richest star in this group, with a net worth currently estimated at $65 million.

The Grateful Dead: $2,500

Perhaps no band is more closely associated with the hippie movement and the kind of crowd drawn to Woodstock than the Grateful Dead. But members of the band admit that the Grateful Dead’s set at Woodstock, played while the rain poured down and consisting of only five songs, was a disaster.

“The stage was wet, and the electricity was coming through me. I was conducting! Touching my guitar and the microphone was nearly fatal,” the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir told Rolling Stone. “It was probably the worst set we’ve ever performed. And to have performed it in front of a crowd that size was not an altogether fulfilling experience.”

Santana: $750

Here’s the rest of the low end of the payscale at Woodstock in 1969, according to Variety:

• Ravi Shankar: $4,500 • Johnny Winter: $3,750 • Ten Years After: $3,250 • Country Joe and the Fish: $2,500 • Incredible String Band: $2,250 • Mountain: $2,000 • Tim Hardin: $2,000 • Joe Cocker: $1,375 • Sweetwater: $1,250 • John Sebastian: $1,000 • Melanie: $750 • Santana: $750 • Sha Na Na: $700 • Keef Hartley: $500 • Quill: $375

Of these artists, two performances in particular stand out for how memorably they played — and how little they were paid. The British singer Joe Cocker’s iconic version of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” closed his set and probably summed up the vibe at Woodstock as well as any song.

Then there’s Santana. Few people at Woodstock had heard of Santana, which in the summer of 1969 was a mostly unknown band led by 22-year-old Carlos Santana, a guitar phenom who performed in his teenage years at bars and strip clubs in Tijuana, Mexico. Santana received $750 for playing at Woodstock — about $5,000 in today’s dollars, and 24 times less than Jimi Hendrix’s paycheck — and it was money well spent. Carlos Santana was high on mescaline when the band took the stage on Saturday afternoon, and by most accounts they blew people’s minds with electrifying performances of songs like “Evil Ways” and “Soul Sacrifice.”

Three decades after Woodstock, Carlos Santana was an established rock god and released the album “Supernatural,” featuring collaborations with the likes of Lauryn Hill, Eric Clapton, and Rob Thomas. The Santana-Thomas song “Smooth” became one of the biggest-selling singles of all time, and Santana collected multiple Grammy Awards in 1999. Today, Carlos Santana is 72 years old and has a net worth estimated at $50 million.

[thisdaynews]

USA 13-0 Thailand: United States claim biggest ever Women's World Cup win

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/usa-13-0-thailand-united-states-claim-biggest-ever-womens-world-cup-win/

USA 13-0 Thailand: United States claim biggest ever Women's World Cup win

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Women’s World Cup 2019: Watch as world champions USA demolish Thailand 13-0

The United States recorded the biggest ever victory in the Fifa Women’s World Cup as they crushed Thailand 13-0.

The 2015 winners were 3-0 up at half-time, scored four times in 10 minutes in the second half and then added six more goals in the last 16 minutes.

Alex Morgan scored five times for the United States with two goals apiece for Rose Lavelle and Samantha Mewis.

Lindsey Horan, Megan Rapinoe, Mallory Pugh and Carli Lloyd also scored to beat Germany’s 11-0 win over Argentina.

The United States’ previous biggest win in the tournament was a 7-0 success over Chinese Taipei in 1991, while Germany’s thrashing of Argentina came in 2007.

US head coach Ellis ‘in tears’ after record win

Relive how the United States thrashed Thailand as it happened

Alex Morgan – a Women’s World Cup icon

How the goals went in

1-0, 12 minutes: An unmarked Alex Morgan nodded in Kelley O’Hara’s cross.

2-0, 20 minutes: Rose Lavelle’s powerful strike was helped into the net by the keeper.

3-0, 31 minutes: Lindsey Horan scores from six yards out after Wilaiporn Boothduang fails to clear Tobin Heath’s free-kick.

4-0, 50 minutes: Samantha Mewis’ deflected effort gave her the 800th goal in Women’s World Cup history.

5-0, 52 minutes: Morgan tucked in after Thailand failed to clear a free-kick.

6-0, 54 minutes: The ball bounced kindly to Mewis in the box and she struck another.

7-0, 56 minutes: Mewis turned provider this time for Lavelle, who placed in the seventh.

8-0, 74 minutes: A neat turn and finish from Morgan completed her hat-trick.

9-0, 79 minutes: Megan Rapinoe timed her run to perfection and completed a flowing move.

10-0, 81 minutes: Morgan hit a cracking strike from the edge of the box for her fourth of the night.

11-0, 84 minutes: Substitute Mallory Pugh rounded the goalkeeper and rolled the ball in.

12-0, 87 minutes: Morgan’s brilliant flick and powerful finish delivered the best goal of the night.

13-0, 90+2 minutes: Carli Lloyd raced through the middle and slotted in from close range.

Ruthless USA do not let up

The USA players refused to take their foot off the accelerator in the closing stages, taking an 8-0 lead into the final 12 minutes before adding five further goals.

Several of Thailand’s players were clearly upset at the final whistle, with tears streaming down forward Suchawadee Nildhamrong’s face, while some members of the USA team attempted to console their opponents.

Five-goal striker Morgan said: “With the scoreline tonight, we have to look at the group stage as every goal counts.

“It was important for us to continue to go. We knew every goal could matter.”

The defending champions have lost just one international game since July 2017 and have now won seven games in a row, scoring 36 goals in the process, and not conceding in five matches.

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Alex Morgan scores a record-breaking 12th goal for USA against Thailand

Biggest wins in Women’s World Cup history 1 United States 13-0 Thailand (2019) 2 Germany 11-0 Argentina (2007) 3 Germany 10-0 Ivory Coast (2015) 4 Switzerland 10-1 Ecuador (2015) =5 Sweden 8-0 Japan (1991) =5 Norway 8-0 Nigeria (1995) =7 United States 7-0 Chinese Taipei (1991) =7 Norway 7-0 Canada (1995) =7 China 7-0 Ghana (1999)

How good did the USA look?

The USA are bidding to reach their third consecutive final and become only the second nation to successfully defend a Women’s World Cup title, after Germany’s 2003 and 2007 successes.

They arrived in France as favourites to win a record fourth title, but many pundits have tipped France, England or the Netherlands to succeed, with Canada, Australia and Sweden mentioned as dark horses.

Head coach Jill Ellis’ side finished second in this year’s SheBelieves Cup to winners England but on Tuesday at Stade Auguste-Delaune they reminded the world of their attacking class in a game in which they could have actually scored many more.

They had 40 attempts at goal, including 20 on target, and were also denied two strong appeals for penalties in the first half.

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‘It’s incredible, I’m speechless’ – Alex Morgan on historic win for USA

Thailand boss urges her side to ‘bounce back’

Thailand, ranked 34th in the world, lost 9-0 in their previous meeting with the USA in a friendly in 2016 and were playing in the finals for only the second time, having been eliminated in the group stage in 2015.

They could still make the next phase but need good results against Sweden and Chile, who played each other earlier on Tuesday with the Europeans winning 2-0.

Thailand boss Nuengruethai Sathongwien praised the attitude of the American players after the final whistle and said: “They saw that our players were very disappointed and they wanted to encourage us to continue fighting. Thank you very much for that.

“We’ve got two more games to play and we need to bounce back. They have their responsibilities and they know what they need to do.

“My players were waiting for this moment and they were really disappointed. “

Another thrashing for Thailand – the stats

The United States’ 13-0 win over Thailand is the largest margin of victory in either the men’s or women’s World Cup.

Thailand have now lost three of their four Women’s World Cup matches (won one). In those three defeats, they have failed to score a single goal while conceding 21.

Since the start of 2018, Alex Morgan has scored 26 goals for USA Women in all competitions, at least 13 more than any other player.

Mallory Pugh became the 32nd different player (excluding own goals) to score for USA at the Women’s World Cup, only Germany have more different scorers in the competition’s history (34).

Only Germany (five) can boast more hat-trick scorers in Women’s World Cup matches than USA, with Alex Morgan becoming the fourth player do so for her country (Carli Lloyd, Michelle Akers and Carin Jennings are the others).

Samantha Mewis’ opening goal for USA was the 800th goal scored in Women’s World Cup matches, with USA responsible for 116 of them – more than any other team.

Carli Lloyd earned her 275th cap for the US in their win over Thailand, moving her to fourth on the all-time list. Only Mia Hamm (276), Christie Rampone (311) and Kristine Lilly (354) have earned more.

Only Brazil midfielder Formiga (37y 99d) has scored a goal in a Women’s World Cup encounter at an older age than Carli Lloyd at 36 years and 330 days.

What next?

The USA will face Chile in Paris at 17:00 BST on 16 June, three hours after Thailand meet Sweden.

Jill Ellis’ side will then be up against Sweden in Le Havre in 20 June, in a game that is likely to decide which side tops the group.

The top two teams in each of the six groups will qualify automatically for the last 16, along with the four best third-placed sides.

Read More

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FootballFanCast.com’s Fixture In Focus coverage is brought to you by 5p0rtz. Try 5p0rtz’s Beat the Streak Predictor and you could win £1million! Click here to play.

Every now and then, shifts in the dynamics of the Premier League move a new rivalry to the forefront of English football. Perhaps the first, most significant one of the Premier League era was Arsenal and Manchester United, while recent years have seen more natural geographical rivals dominate the top flight in the form of Chelsea and Tottenham.

But with historic foes in decline, the level of intensity between Liverpool and Manchester City has steadily escalated in recent years, reaching a point where both are now the best two teams in the English game and both sets of fans feel a genuine sense of animosity towards each other.

They’re set for another collision course this Sunday in a 4.30pm kickoff at Anfield, but how exactly has this rivalry become so fierce, and what journey did it take to reach the pinnacle of the Premier League? Football FanCast take a look back at eleven moments that made the Liverpool vs Manchester City what it is today…

2013/14 – The title race and a 3-2 thriller at Anfield

Very much the prototype for this season’s title bout, Manchester City looked all set to walk their way to a second Premier League crown with bitter rivals Manchester United capitulating under David Moyes but out of the woodwork emerged an unlikely challenger in Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool. And for a short while, the Reds were even in pole position after an epic clash at Anfield made all the more iconic by it coinciding with the anniversary of the Hillsbrough disaster.

City pulled level after Liverpool scored twice early on, but Philippe Coutinho had the final say in a match remembered for not only scintillating attacking football but also Steven Gerrard’s infamous post-match declaration – ‘don’t let this slip’. Slip Liverpool, and Gerrard, did as City eventually beat them to the title. But this was the first time in the Premier League era that Liverpool and City found themselves as direct competitors for the competition’s ultimate honour.

Summer 2015 – Raheem Sterling moves Manchester City

Liverpool certainly didn’t have too many complaints about the £49million fee Manchester City paid for Raheem Sterling but the manner of the departure left a sour taste. That was partly due to Scouse snobbery, chiefly the sheer number of Liverpool pundits who simply couldn’t comprehend the idea of the club’s best young player joining a divisional rival with a better chance of winning trophies, but also Sterling’s incredibly ill-advised interview with BBC Sport in which he explained his reluctance to sign a new deal at Anfield.

Liverpool fans still detest Sterling, Manchester City fans still sing about him being top of the league. Common ground won’t be found any time soon.

November 2015 – Liverpool win 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium

Liverpool’s fear factor over Manchester City is often thought of as a recent development but it most likely harks back to the opening months of Jurgen Klopp’s tenure and his first trip to the Etihad Stadium as Reds boss. With Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho ripping City apart so relentlessly on the counter-attack through short yet sweeping passing moves, this match served as the template for Klopp’s vision of his Liverpool team – one that mercilessly hit key divisional rivals fast and hard.

It also came at a time of the season when City were in first place, but that defeat pushed them down to third and highlighted the frailties of a defence still relying on Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis. They’d eventually finish the campaign in fourth, resulting in Manuel Pellegrini’s departure.

Summer 2016 – Manchester City appoint Pep Guardiola

It certainly doesn’t have the personal bitterness of his rivalry with Jose Mourinho, but in appointing Pep Guardiola Manchester City imported the biggest managerial duel of the Bundesliga to the Premier League. Despite boasting far superior resources at Bayern Munich, Guardiola never quite got the better of his Borussia Dortmund counterpart, both coming out of their eight meetings in German football with four wins apiece.

And since moving to the Premier League, it’s actually Klopp who has the upper hand in this continent-spanning rivalry. He now boasts eight wins to Guardiola’s five, including three on the bounce.

2016/17 season – City and Liverpool finish up as the best of the rest

2016/17 saw Chelsea and Tottenham’s rivalry move to the forefront of the English game, but Liverpool and Manchester City were still bubbling away on the edges of centre-stage. Going through something of a transition during Guardiola’s first season in charge, City could just about manage third place, whereas Liverpool left it late to secure a top four finish as well – the importance of which only became truly evident the season after.

Not exactly a watershed moment for the rivalry, but one that highlighted both clubs as near equals during a season in which their final encounter resulted in a telling 1-1 draw.

September 2017 – Mane sent off as Manchester City win 5-0

It wasn’t exactly billed as a table-topping clash but drama was expected as Liverpool travelled to the Etihad Stadium at the start of the 2017/18 campaign, following a summer in which City had spent big to revolutionise Guardiola’s squad – chiefly in the full-back and goalkeeping departments.

And drama is exactly what we got as an end-to-end opening 37 minutes climaxed with Sadio Mane seeing a controversial red card for a high boot on City’s new No.1 Ederson, who would go on to become a key cog in Guardiola’s title-winning side. Down to ten men away from home, against arguably the most dominant team in Premier League history, Liverpool would lose the match 5-0 as cries of injustice could be heard from Merseyside. The Reds though, wouldn’t have to wait long to get their own back.

January 2018 – Liverpool end Manchester City’s undefeated run

Manchester City went to Anfield in January 2018 with dreams of replicating Arsenal’s Invincibles season, having won 20 and drawn two of their first 23 Premier League games. But in another epic encounter on Merseyside, the Reds brought the Citizens crashing down – this time soaring to a ninth-minute lead and then taking complete control just after an hour with their fourth goal of the afternoon.

City hit back to create a cagey final few minutes, with the final score resting at 4-3. It wouldn’t have any real impact on the Premier League table but certainly inflicted significant psychological damage, announcing Liverpool as the best-placed side in English football to counteract City through their own dynamic and offensive style of play.

April 2018 – Liverpool win Champions League tie as fans attack

Liverpool once again got the better of Manchester City just three months later, this time in a double-legged Champions League bout. The Reds charged to a victory on Merseyside in eerily similar fashion, scoring thrice within the first half an hour, and then made light work of the return leg at the Etihad Stadium – eventually winning 5-1 on aggregate.

It confirmed prior suspicions that Liverpool boasted the psychological edge over Guardiola’s City team and a style of play that ripped through the Spaniard’s tiki-taka philosophy, but perhaps the most significant consequence was the game’s role in taking Liverpool to last season’s Champions League final – the competition City’s owners are most desperate to win.

Likewise, that run in Europe had a transformative effect on this Liverpool team, confirming them as the second-best club in English football and proving that nothing was beyond their reach, even if their domestic campaign resulted in merely another fourth-place finish.

Along the way though, the Anfield clash was marred by Liverpool fans attacking the Manchester City bus before kickoff. Much like the Sterling saga, it added to the bitterness between both sets of supporters, while highlighting the growing hatred that was already there.

May 2018 – Manchester United’s relevance rapidly wanes

With Manchester City dominating the Premier League like never before and Liverpool reaching the final stages of European football’s pinnacle competition, the historic rivals shared by both clubs – Manchester United – suddenly didn’t seem so intimidating or relevant any more. The feeling has only exacerbated in the months since after a poor start to the new season that has mounted pressure on Jose Mourinho, one of the fundamental issues being their tepid style of play in comparison to City and Liverpool.

But everybody needs an enemy, so with United out of the picture and their fates so closely intertwining in recent years, Liverpool and Manchester City have naturally emerged as each others’ competitors.

Summer 2018 – Klopp u-turns on transfer spending

A few years previous, Klopp took a thinly-veiled swipe at Manchester City and Manchester United’s spending, claiming he would quit the game if he ever began signing off transfer fees as large as theirs.

That no doubt irked City fans at the time, but two summers on Klopp was joining the spending spree. Following a world-record deal for Virgil van Dijk in January, Liverpool broke another record for goalkeeper Alisson, eclipsing the sum City had set on Ederson the year previous, while Fabinho and Naby Keita were brought in on big money too.

It gave City fans the chance to cry hypocrisy, but it also provided the injection of quality Liverpool needed to move them to the same level as their new-found rivals.

2018/19 – Both sides enjoy undefeated starts to the new season

So here we are, the point at which the rivalry now stands. Liverpool and Manchester City are both yet to feel defeat in the Premier League this season, both have taken exactly 19 points from their first seven games and both have conceded just three goals.

The two clubs have rarely been closer in terms of talent, depth and sheer entertainment, but what will the next episode of English football’s key rivalry have in store when they take the field on Sunday? We’ll have to wait and see.

[365footballorg-blog]

Why pressure is on 'over-rated' Benzema after Ronaldo's Real exit

“Decent but not great” and “a tad over-rated”.

That was Gary Lineker’s verdict on Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema last October. And, although the former England captain’s tweet – along with Benzema’s angry response (“I’m embarrassed for him”) – generated plenty of controversy, it was difficult to argue against Lineker’s opinion.

Benzema was in distinctly underwhelming form, going through a run of one goal in 10 games. That drought lasted pretty much the whole season, which saw Benzema register a paltry tally of five league goals in 32 appearances.

Increasingly, Lineker’s views were echoed by Real fans, with Benzema regularly subjected to jeers and whistles.

When the end of the season was followed by the departure of coach Zinedine Zidane, who had always been regarded as a zealous protector of his fellow Frenchman, Benzema’s future was looking doubtful.

But the transfer window provided a double shock. Not only did Real fail to make a high-profile addition to their forward line despite being linked with Eden Hazard, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar among others, but they also waved goodbye to the iconic Cristiano Ronaldo.

So Benzema was handed a reprieve, and another opportunity to prove himself worthy of a secure starting spot for the European champions. Can he take that chance? Does he even deserve it?

Saturday’s Madrid derby against in-form Atletico (19:45 BST at the Bernabeu) could provide a big clue to the question of whether the next few months will see Benzema become triumphantly rejuvenated or remain an enigmatic underachiever.

More than just a scorer

The first point which must be made in Benzema’s defence is that he has never been the kind of forward who can be judged by goals alone.

Perhaps more than any other top-level striker, Benzema’s greatest asset is his ability to knit his team together. With a velvet-smooth first touch and a clever, creative range of passing, he adds a huge amount by dropping deep into midfield, often playing as a false nine to selflessly serve his team-mates rather than going for glory himself.

Those qualities made him the perfect foil for Ronaldo, who greatly benefitted from Benzema’s ability to create space for others and gratefully received many of his astute assists (Benzema supplied 10 last season, fourth highest in La Liga).

Benzema’s attributes allowed him to retain his place as an unquestioned starter throughout the reigns of Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti, based on the reasoning that even if he was not scoring goals himself, his approach play and game awareness allowed others to do so – especially Ronaldo.

Zidane has defended that position even since his departure from the Bernabeu, arguing in a recent interview: “Karim was important for the balance of the side. He helped to implement our possession game, makes himself available and is a real team player.”

So Benzema’s name might not sit at the top of the scoring charts, but his unselfish team ethic means he remains highly valued by coaches and colleagues.

Fast start, recent slump

Despite the allowances made for Benzema’s sporadic goalscoring because of his ability to improve the team by linking play, it remains inevitable – especially in the wake of Ronaldo’s departure – that the man wearing the number nine shirt at Real Madrid is expected to weigh in with his fair share of goals.

Having failed to fulfil that obligation over the past 18 months, the new campaign started in a more promising fashion as Benzema netted twice apiece in victories over Girona and Leganes, meaning he had nearly equalled his total for the whole of the previous season by the start of September.

It appeared he was poised to become the biggest personal winner from Ronaldo’s shock departure. The absence of the player around whom everything revolved, along with the patient possession-based passing game favoured by new coach Julen Lopetegui, was allowing Benzema to become something he had never been: a focal point of Real’s attack.

He was not only scoring goals, but also playing a more central part in the team’s build-up play, evidenced by his tallies of 46 and 38 passes respectively in those wins over Girona and Leganes – a major increase on his historical average in the mid-20s.

But it did not last, and the past couple of weeks have seen a dramatic regression. Benzema has not mustered a single shot on target in any of Real’s past four games, and he was substituted around the hour mark in the past three.

His lack of influence during Wednesday’s 3-0 capitulation against Sevilla (no shots on target, no chances created) was especially concerning, and the fact Lopetegui was willing to replace the striker even when his team desperately needed goals is a telling indication that Benzema will not be quite so protected in the post-Zidane era.

Benzema this season (average per game) First three games Past four games Goals 1.33 0 Shots 2.67 1.5 Shots on target 1.66 0 Chances created 1.33 1 Passes 39 24.5

Is Mariano ready to step up?

Real’s lack of activity in the transfer market means the only direct potential replacement for Benzema is the relatively unknown figure of Mariano Diaz.

The Barcelona-born 25-year-old came through Real’s youth ranks and made a handful of first-team appearances, but was sold to Lyon in 2017.

However, Mariano netted 21 goals for the French club last season to entice Real to re-sign him in the summer, and now he is pushing hard for a starting spot.

Although his playing time has been limited, Mariano showed his capabilities by coming off the bench to net a brilliant late goal in the Champions League win over Roma.

He was also bright as a substitute for Benzema at Sevilla, showing far more menace and intent than the man he replaced. Lopetegui must be considering him from the start against Atletico.

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Elsewhere in attack, there is no doubting the identity of Real’s best player so far this season: Gareth Bale.

The Wales star was the only player to emerge from the debacle at Sevilla with any credit, carrying his team’s attack almost single-handedly in the first half and almost reducing the deficit with a fierce drive against the post.

Bale has four goals and two assists in the current campaign and is the only forward whose place is guaranteed for this weekend’s derby.

With Isco ruled out with appendicitis, another likely starter is Marco Asensio. The versatile young winger became the nation’s golden boy with a stunning display (one goal and four assists) in Spain’s mightily impressive 6-0 victory over Croatia this month.

But Asensio’s club performances have fallen well short of those standards, recording only one goal and one assist despite starting every league game.

Like Benzema, a poor performance at Sevilla means he is now uncertain of retaining his place for Saturday’s showdown with Atletico, with hard-working Lucas Vazquez waiting in the wings.

Atletico finding their feet

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What about Real’s opponents in this weekend’s derby? Well, after a slow start Atletico are heading into the game on a much-improved run of form.

Having persuaded Antoine Griezmann to reject the advances of Barcelona and boosted the forward line with the addition of skilful wingers Thomas Lemar and Gelson Martins plus Croatia target man Nikola Kalinic, Atletico started the season surrounded by great expectations – especially after they overcame Real to lift the Uefa Super Cup with a 4-2 extra-time victory in Tallinn.

The early weeks of the campaign, however, were a huge disappointment. A creditable opening-day draw at Valencia was followed by a scrappy 1-0 home win over lowly Rayo Vallecano, a chastening 2-0 loss at Celta Vigo and a fortuitous 1-1 draw against Eibar thanks to an injury-time equaliser.

Throughout that period, things just were not clicking. The partnership between Griezmann and Diego Costa – who has not scored in the league since February – was not bearing fruit, with the duo often on different wavelengths.

The new signings were struggling to make an impact, and even Atletico’s famed defensive discipline was absent as opponents carved out opportunities with alarming ease.

With Diego Simeone at the helm, though, they were unlikely to remain disjointed for long, and the turning point came with the Champions League group opener at Monaco. The hosts struck first, but a good finish from Costa, expertly assisted by Griezmann, and a header from Jose Maria Gimenez allowed them to fight back for three points.

That was followed by another confidence-building victory at the dangerous Getafe last weekend, when a 2-0 victory was secured by Lemar’s finish at the culmination of a slick passing move which suggested Simeone’s men are finding their feet.

Then came a midweek stroll against Huesca, when Costa’s assist for Griezmann’s finish set up a 3-0 victory which allows Atletico to head into the weekend derby date – a fixture they have not lost since 2012 – with their confidence restored.

So Real are under heavy pressure to perform… and nobody more so than Benzema.

BBC Sport – Football

Why pressure is on 'over-rated' Benzema after Ronaldo's Real exit was originally published on 365 Football

[newssplashy]

World Cup 2018: How Roma is using Super Eagles to capture the hearts of Africans

AS Roma have adopted the Super Eagles as the team to support in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, how does this benefit the Italian club?

Following the failure of the Italian national team to qualify for the 2018 FIFA Word Cup, Serie A giants, AS Roma have chosen the Super Eagles of Nigeria as the national team they will be rooting for in Russia.

The Super Eagles, after failing to qualify for the last two African Cup of Nations, played themselves back into prominence when they became the first African team to secure a berth to the global showpiece in Russia. However, it was the famous 4-2 victory against Argentina in an international friendly match played in November 2017 that led football fans globally to suggest that Nigeria have what it takes to ruffle feathers at this year's World Cup.

 Roma recognised the potential this Nigerian team carries, and they are looking to explore it as a tool to achieving one of the club's core objectives which is to "increase awareness of the club's brand." Roma President, James Pallota has expressed his desire to make his team the second-favourite of broader network of football fans and social media will play an important role in that. "Social media is opening up international communication strands that did not exist before," declares Shergul Arshad, digital business director at the club.

ALSO READ: World Cup 2018: Nigeria squad guide, full fixtures, group and key players

How does the Super Eagles come in?

Nigeria is the most populated black country in the world with an estimated population of 180 million people. To say Nigerians are passionate about football is an understatement, in fact football is like a religion in the West African country. However, Nigerians do not only support the Super Eagles, European clubs also enjoy strong following amongst the citizenry. The likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan are very popular in Nigeria.

 The Super Eagles is the biggest national team brand in Africa with array of star players in their squad and they are also the youngest team in the World Cup with an average age of 25 year 337 days. Some of these players are very popular on the continent and indeed in Europe by virtue of the club sides they play for. Team captain, John Obi Mikel needs no introduction. Since breaking onto the scene in the U-20 World Cup in Holland 2005 where he finished as the second best player of the tournament to Lionel Messi, the midfielder has grown into an iconic figure in Nigeria and at Chelsea where he spent over ten years winning two Premiere League titles, three FA Cup medals and one Champions League and Europa League apiece. Mikel now ply his trade in China these days with Tiajin Teda.

Mikel Obi aside, the Super Eagles also have Alex Iwobi, the young Arsenal midfielder who, having represented England at underage levels, ignored the calls of The Three Lions to play for his country of birth. Iwobi is nephew to former Super Eagles legend, Austin Okocha, and is well admired by football fans not only because of his efforts on the field but also his social media life. Another popular figure in the Super Eagles squad is Victor Moses, the Chelsea wing-back has been very impressive for his club for the past two seasons under Antonio Conte.  

 Nigeria win the fashion World Cup

However, the on-field achievement is not the only factor driving the popularity of the team, the Super Eagles have dominated conversations about World Cup kits since the unveiling of their jersey in February this year. From the unveiling to the roll out, Nigeria actually caused a stir on social media and was voted the best World Cup jersey in a poll conducted by Sky Sports.

Indeed, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) claimed that the kit makers, Nike, had received 3 million pre-orders for the jersey, a claim countered by the sportswear company. But it is difficult to discredit the NFF as when the jersey was eventually rolled out, it sold out in less than one hour as fans, including non-Nigerians, queued around the Nike store building to get a purchase.

 The colourful jersey also sparked the debate for fashion World Cup with football fans worldwide voting the Super Eagles as the winner. The Super Eagles have actually made a huge impact on this World Cup without even kicking a ball.

Roma riding the Super Eagles wave

Roma intends to capture the heart of Nigerians as they look to spread their popularity beyond the shores of Italy and Europe, and in Super Eagles, they found a perfect outlet. Roma President, James Pallota, explained that “there are 3 billion football fans in the world, and if I could even bring only 1 per cent to cheer for Roma as a second team, we would have 30 million fans. Going by this declaration, it is clear that Roma proclaiming support for the Super Eagles at the World Cup is a deliberate and strategic attempt to endear football loving Nigerians, and Africans by extension, to the Italian team.

 With a massive population, abundance of stars, passionate football followers, and beautiful jersey, the Super Eagles are a useful asset to Roma's foray into the African market.  

However, while Roma recognised that they might not be the first choice of Nigerian football lovers, given the popularity of the aforementioned European clubs, their friendship posturing towards the Super Eagles could convince Nigerians to adopt them as the 'second-favourite club.'

source https://www.newssplashy.com/2018/06/world-cup-2018-how-roma-is-using-super.html