#Motor Breakdown Cover

[queerdiazs]

no one else on earth | 4.4k, complete

written through @911actions for ollie!

Josh’s ringtone chimes. He snatches the phone off the counter, sees who it is, and giggles like a schoolboy; he grabs his coffee and rushes out of the break room, answering the call with a, “Hi, Buck,” that makes Eddie’s head pound.  He sighs, stands off the stool he was perched on, and makes his way to the coffee pot to pour himself a cup. It sloshes out, thick like used motor oil, and he reckons he could put it in his pickup if he was in a tight spot.  Sugar usually fixes most everything, so he finds the tub and spoons out a couple heaps, stirring it around with a plastic spoon. “I hate that bitch so much,” he mutters beneath his breath, shaking his head. “This is ridiculous.”  From the other side of the room, May barks a sharp laugh and then covers her mouth. “Who are you talking about?” she asks, giggling. “Josh?”  “Mhm.” He takes a drink of his coffee and pulls a face; the sugar didn’t help so he rummages through the refrigerator for the special creamer he and Linda hide behind the big ass bottle of ketchup. “He can’t even make good coffee, May. Coffee. That should be a mandatory skill for this job.”  “Your breakdown really changed you, dude.”  Eddie shoots her a half-hearted glare. “Watch your mouth.”  She squeaks, chortling with laughter again. “Eddie,” she begins, higher than normal, “don’t take this the wrong way, and please understand where I’m coming from, but are you homophobic?”   He frowns. “What? No.” He adds another pinch of sugar in his coffee, hoping it’ll mask the burnt taste, and stirs in the creamer, too. “I hate Josh because he’s Josh, not because he’s gay.” 

read the rest on ao3

[tf-animated-out-of-context]

One last round of trivia:

"The Stunti-Con Job" exists as both a comic and a BotCon script reading; the plots are the same, but the script reading added a subplot featuring Minerva, a medibot determined to meet Ratchet at all costs, who's somehow dragged Warpath along on her quest. (She does also appear in the comic version - see below.)

The script reading also featured a musical interlude - a duet sung by G1 and Animated Grimlocks. I don't think it went according to plan.

Like the story's title, the comic's original cover pays homage to the classic British comedy film "The Italian Job". (As do the picture captions on the relevant TFWiki page.)

Sideswipe and Breakdown share a body-type (first seen on Rodimus Prime) - possibly a callback to the G1 episode "Masquerade", in which that iteration of Sideswipe was disguised as Breakdown. (The same applies to Jazz and Dead End, and, more or less, to Optimus and the Motor Master.) In-universe, all the Stunticons underwent spark transplants into Autobot frames - except Toxitron, who's a clone of Optimus. Not a very successful one.

Cheetor, meanwhile, is a retool of Blurr - a fact Sideswipe remarks on four BotCons later, in "The Return of Blurr". which takes place at about the same time as "The Stunti-Con Job". Hence Blurr's appearance in the latter, in the High Council box alongside Cliffjumper - still cubified, and no doubt still talking twenty-four to the dozen.

Strika's Team Chaar, seen at the very end of this story, has undergone a reshuffle since "Transwarped" - Oil Slick is still there, unfortunately, but Cyclonus, Blackout and Spittor have been replaced by Mindwipe, Sky-Byte, Scalpel and Blot.

As for Autobot cameos, there are too many to list, but most of them are here:

(Botanica is also in this frame, but further up in the High Council box. TFWiki claims that Tap-Out is somewhere in the crowd; I can't see him, though.)

[voidsentprinces]

Void, your AU doesn't sound so bad.

List of things that are happening in Voidsent AU:

Voidsent Prince exist imagine the Archfiends able to just summon the swarms of Voidsent they call on but all across Eorzea like Lightwardens do. The only saving grace is most of the Princes are cognitive and have control over these mass swarms. But if one were inclined to do so, they could overwhelm an area in a bell. While five of these Princes are said to been hunt down by the Void Hunter's Guild. Wrath and Sloth have been missing. No one has spotted or met them but they are speculated to exist since the others introduced themselves as Envy, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, and Pride.

There is a fog over the northern sector of the Central Shroud. No one who goes into it, no matter if its a skilled adverturer, explore, or a Garlean Legion ever come out. If they do, they are catatonic or incoherent. It is impossible to reach the Haukke Manor or cross over to the Fallgourd Float area from here. Even the gate's watchmen have to be changed out every 2 - 4 days or they have a psychological breakdown. At the same time this fog mysterious descended, the Padjal and Gridania loss all communication with the Elementals.

The Sahagin are at war with one of the Voidsent Princes, Envy. Who has been going on one-man raids against the Breeding Grounds. Slaughtering entire clutches of the Tribes out of spite. Limsa Lominsa can't really send a parlay in to aid the tribes without drawing the ire of the Prince. And the Leviathan and Titan summonings from Kobolds in reaction, have become increasingly more and more desperate. Threatening to wipe La Noscea off the map from earthquakes and tidal waves.

Ishgard has "fallen" for 20 years after a cult known as the Sanguine Court, rose up and over threw the Holy See. Only a few of its Noble Houses escaped to Gridania in the process. It would be bearable if the Sanguine Court sent out hostile forces to attack Gridania or Idyllshire or any of the surrounding area. But after the initial take over, its just been dead silence. Nothing comes out of Ishgard, nothing goes into Ishgard. Garlemald sent a few legions to go test its defenses and a few spies to information gather. None ever came out.

Recently a skirmish in Eastern Shroud near Baelsar's Wall turned into a route. The Knights of Ishgard Exiled and the Twin Adders were pushed out of the region as Garlemald pushed its way fully into the Shroud proper. They razed the Slyphlands after Gridania and her allies were forced into a retreat.

Gridania is completely isolated. During the Battle of Carteneau it revealed a being they aided in stopping most of the damage of Dalamud's Fall with the aid of Louisoix. But in revealing such a being who also survived, where Louisoix perished, it alienated Ul'dah and Limsa Lominsa from dealing with Gridania. Forcing them to face Garlemald, the mysterious fog, and the occupation of Ishgard by the exile's foes on its own.

All of this is troublesome. But worse of all, at random intervals for seemingly no reason. Something has occasionally taken over bodies of people. Male, Female, Beast Tribe, Soldier. Garlemald, the East, Thavnair, Sharlayan, La Noscea, etc. It doesn't seem to matter. From time to time, it just...occurs. The person's eyes with be covered in black as they bleed black out of their orifices. They will go into a fit for a short period. Before, whatever it is, takes over motor controls. It will either grow extremely hostile trying to kill everything around it or it will drop dead soon after. The few who survive a run in with it say the person possess will just keep asking the same question over and over: "Where is my, son?"

[furby-science]

The Sterling Saga: The Hardest Part is Getting Started...

I'm what the kids call a Scorpio/Sagittarius cusp. It gives me the worst qualities of both, but the Sagittarian ones are especially irritating. I can handle living a life of hermitude and psychological trauma (I'm missing out on a fireworks show as I type this). What I can't handle is constantly being haunted by the ghosts of my own dumbassery.

I know they're there. I anticipate them. I do everything I can to keep their rattling chains out of my halls.

...so you would think that, even with my tendency to get an idea in my head and then haul off and relentlessly pursue, I would at least have had enough sense to back up my talking furby on fucking Google Drives or something.

...I did not. Thus begins our next great adventure!

Let me give you a little breakdown of how Sterling works. His main computing system is a Raspberry Pi Zero W attached to a speaker and motor controller. His programming is stored entirely on a microSD card. This is the primary copy of his data. His old backups were stored on an old computer of mine which I no longer have, though the hard drive is still in my possession. I hope. I haven't gone through my moving boxes yet.

So, I can take two routes when it comes to retrieving Sterling's data: I can either go through a million boxes, find that hard drive, get an adapter, plug it into my wimpy-ass Lenovo Yoga and get to the data that way, or, I could pop Sterling open, pull out that MicroSD card, pop it in a card reader and back up the primary copy onto the Yoga and the cloud for safekeeping.

Both options are time consuming, but one of them is the fun kind of time consuming and the other is the boring kind of time consuming. So, I'm going with option 2. If option 2 ends in tragedy, I can still hopefully buy a new rig and do an emergency recovery of the data that exists on that hard drive. Hopefully it won't come to that - if I was smart enough to put him together, I should be smart enough to take him apart, right...?

"How in the hell did I do this...?"

After unceremoniously cutting open the zip tie and pulling off his fur, I was met with a sight I vaguely remember: the non-electrical wire that holds the bottom of his carapace in place, covered by insulating tape, and above that, the wires leading to his touch sensors.

One interesting thing of note is that the wire actually goes into his shell, rather than being wrapped around the outside of it. I have no idea why I did this. Surely, there must've been a reason. To keep the battery hatch in place when the hardware wouldn't fit, maybe? I'm not entirely certain, but why else would I take such an approach? Running that metal wire so close to the hardware is just asking to short circuit something otherwise, unless it was positioned just right.

I undid the wire with some pliers, and this is the part where I chickened out. I don't have a screwdriver well suited for unscrewing him, or needle and thread for his ears for that matter. Not to mention a MicroSD card reader (besides my phone that is). After suitably defiling him, I put the old man back together the best I could and made a shopping list of supplies for tomorrow.

The current plan is to get the necessary supplies and very carefully extract that card, ideally without harming Sterling's hardware. Though if I do, it's not a huge loss: I can easily replace aluminum tape or a speaker. I can't easily replace three months' worth of nonstop, agonized coding - or a friend, for that matter.

And so he sits, like a sleeping Buddha unfazed by the ever-shifting cycle of samsara while I scramble to purchase an appropriately sized screwdriver.

If only I could be so enlightened...

[decomposited]

ANATOMICAE

This post is supposed to be a (hopefully) thorough breakdown of the physiology and anatomy of segments and a primer for their general functions. Not required reading, but I thought it would be interesting to record my headcanons and theoretical biology ramblings somewhere for easy reference. And besides, reading through is likely easier than taking one of them apart yourself. The contents here will potentially be updated or edited as new ideas come to mind.

I. INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM

The integument, in this case, refers to the skin, hair, and nails, and the structures associated with them. Segments do (perhaps surprisingly) have “real” genuine human skin, hair, etc. It is derived from a human source, but not anyone unwilling. The organic components of all segments are directly cultivated from the original Dottore’s various “donations” and therefore at a base level all share the same default genetic profile. This results in them, for the most part, having the same phenotype (skin/hair color, eye color, etc.), barring any mutations or epigenetic changes while growing (or any bodily modifications made later).

For context, when speaking about parts being grown vs built, some of their organic parts are cultured separately in tanks (think of an oversized specimen jar) as a unit, whereas others are grown on top of their skeletal frame (which we will be addressing shortly) in their own independent holding tank.

Much like humans, the nature of their skin results in the same sorts of properties and identifying features: scars, birthmarks, freckles, moles, etc. Scarring is rarer due to the usage of panacea for more detrimental injuries when available, but more minor (and perhaps major) wounds can leave behind scars if allowed to heal normally. Without any additional help, they heal at about the same rate as an ordinary human being. 

II. SKELETAL SYSTEM

The skeleton of segments is made of metal, or more specifically titanium. Because of this, it is extremely sturdy, and resistant to corrosion and chemical interference. Basically as strong as some steels but less dense and therefore less heavy. It’s very hard to break their bones, so adjustments for intentional access exist (for example, a locking hinge system on the ribcage so it can be opened). Going for the joints is the most easily accessible option for dismemberment or dismantling.

Speaking of the joints, they are shaped and perform about how you would expect human ones to do so. However, an important caveat is the existence of powered systems to exert more force, independent of muscle involvement. Smaller joints have “electric” (loosely) actuators, converting energy from stored panacea into movement. Larger joints associated with carrying more weight have hydraulic actuators. The hydraulic fluid used to power those motors (and other fluidic systems) will be covered in the circulatory section. 

III. MUSCULAR SYSTEM

Normal muscles here, folks. Sorry to disappoint. Nothing particularly special, because like the skin, they’re grown from existing cells. The key point is that they handle all lesser or more delicate motions in the usual manner (muscles moving skeleton), but if more intense force is required, they can switch to relying on the actuators in the skeleton, which results in it moving on its own and pulling around the muscles instead. Most of a segment’s strength is reliant on the skeleton rather than their muscle mass. 

IV. CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM & CIRCULATORY SYSTEMS

The heart is one of the organs that has a mechanical replacement, and is arguably the most important one. Quite a few things need to be pushed around the body, so an organ that could both handle the strain and exert the requisite power was required. It is located where one would typically expect a heart to be, and acts in association with the lungs.

Segments have a synthetic blood replacement, which works similarly to human blood in the sense that it carries out essential processes (moving nutrients and oxygen, removal of metabolic waste products) throughout biological portions of the body. Visually, it looks quite similar to normal human blood, being red in color, but an observant individual might notice it looks particularly dark, even before it dries. The shade is a very deep red, almost approaching black, and upon drying it turns fully black, rather than rusty red or brown. It coagulates somewhat faster than human blood, but not anything too dramatic. Since they don’t have bone marrow, they don’t produce blood cells naturally. Instead, they have an accessory organ that manufactures the blood and replenishes their system when they are running low. This blood organ (if we wanted to call it that) is somewhere in the abdominal cavity.

Outside arteries, veins, and capillaries, they also have very fine tubing for carrying other materials around the body, like hydraulic fluid or panacea. These can easily be differentiated by the differing colors of the contents and the fact that they are more heavily concentrated around mechanical features of their anatomy. 

Since having hydraulics means there has to be a reservoir and pump for that as well. The main pump is attached to the heart. It is part of a closed system, only handling hydraulic fluid rather than interacting with the usual heart functions. It pumps fluid independently of the heart beating. The hydraulic fluid reservoir, meanwhile, is located near the liver. 

V. RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Two lungs, one on each side of the heart. For completely sensible reasons, the segments do actually have to breathe. That is mainly a side effect of their partly organic nature, but also does a lot of work to make them appear a bit more convincingly “human”. The lungs are enclosed by the pulmonary pleurae. 

VI. NERVOUS SYSTEM

They have a human brain stored inside the skull (where it is supposed to be). Don’t ask how he pulled it off, but Dottore somehow managed to copy his brain, in detail, without destroying it entirely. Since all the structures are identical, the segments share the memories of the original, up until the moment their brains were “finished”. Because of that, their individual paths (and the connections their neurons made) began to diverge from the template when they became conscious and started existing independently. 

Most nervous structures are matched or equivalent to the human body simply because of their inclination to grow in that way, but there are also sections where they blend into wiring and vice versa to make sure that signals are shared appropriately. The spinal cord is enclosed inside the spinal column, and still serves as a connection between the central and peripheral nervous systems. 

Internally, some areas and systems are less innervated than others, in order to minimize pain and discomfort during typical (or extracurricular) investigative procedures and maintenance. Their skin and underlying layers of muscle and fascia are perfectly capable of feeling pain as deeply as any other person. The exterior of organs, however, tends to feel sensation more neutrally, rather than indicating visceral pain. 

VII. OTHER ORGANS

Included in the “basic organ systems” package is a digestive tract, albeit slightly more efficient than normal. They don’t need to eat as much/often as an average human in the same height/weight range. Nutrients derived from food contribute to keeping all the organic parts going, but considering how much is mechanical, they could likely remain functional for a decent amount of time before expiring from starvation. Abdominal organs are enclosed in the peritoneum (a membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity) as would be typical in a human. Filtering/processing organs like the liver and kidneys are mechanical.

While they have secondary sex characteristics (that affect appearance and external traits), they don’t have internal reproductive organs. How they present, and what that even means is dependent on the segment. 

VIII. MISCELLANEOUS

Teeth/gums/tongue/other mouth stuff are natural(ish). The core of the teeth and the part that’s attached to the skull is all metal, but they have enamel on top to correct the appearance. This means they have a powerful bite strength. Use this information responsibly.

Additional body modification is typical among segments, and not frowned upon so long as they don’t physically alter the brain or certain other components. They have a tracking chip located somewhere, and that may or may not also function as a self-destruct switch. They specifically aren’t allowed to mess with that. Some segments are more interested in becoming more mechanical than others, or trying out other additions. Epsilon himself is extremely close to the “base” default build. 

Mechanical organs usually have a small glowing piece somewhere on them to indicate how much energy they have in reserve. Think of it as a bit like a rectangular HP bar. Full is optimal. The shorter the glowing section gets, the closer they are to needing a recharge (or more specifically, a panacea refill).

They do have immune systems (but don’t ask how that works). They’re very carefully calibrated to be strong without being too eager in attacking parts of themselves. So they can get sick, but unless it's something very virulent, they'll likely clear it. There is also the possibility that their bodies might occasionally sequester particularly resilient invading organisms and end up carrying them latently.

Segments don't age, exactly. They shed and replace cells, but their telomeres are modified in such a way that they appear to exist indefinitely as the same age they were "born" as. 

As a side effect of having a human brain, they also have to sleep. They should probably get as much as any other person, but that is extremely unlikely. 

[dystini]

Indycar - Social Media

Who, what, where to follow.

Social Media

NTT INDYCAR SERIES YouTube - videos go back 15 years. Twitter Instagram TikTok

Team Penske (Josef Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin, Will Power) YouTube - a mix of all the series Penske runs in. Go look for the Penske Games - they're hilarious. Twitter Instagram TikTok

Andretti Autosport (Colton Herta, Kyle Kirkwood, Romain Grosjean, Devlin DeFrancesco, Marco Andretti) YouTube Twitter Instagram TikTok

Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team (Pato O’Ward, Alexander Rossi, Felix Rosenqvist, Tony Kanaan) By far the most active and on-trend of the Indycar teams. YouTube Twitter Instagram TikTok

Chip Ganassi Racing (Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Alex Palou, Marcus Armstrong, Takuma Sato) YouTube Twitter Instagram TikTok

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Graham Rahal, Christian Lundgaard, Jack Harvey, Katherine Legge) YouTube Twitter Instagram TikTok

Juncos Hollinger Racing (Callum Ilott, Agustin Canapino) YouTube Twitter Instagram TikTok

Ed Carpenter Racing (Rinus Veekay, Ryan Hunter Reay, Ed Carpenter) YouTube N/A Twitter Instagram TikTok N/A

Dale Coyne Racing (David Malukas, Sting Ray Robb) YouTube N/A Twitter Instagram TikTok N/A

AJ Foyt Racing (Santino Ferucci, Benjamin Perdersen) YouTube N/A Twitter Instagram TikTok N/A

Meyer Shank Racing (Helio Castroneves, Simon Pagenaud) YouTube N/A Twitter Instagram TikTok N/A

Indianapolis Motor Speedway YouTube Twitter Instagram TikTok

Indy NXT (Indycar Junior series) YouTube Twitter Instagram TikTok

Media/other

RACER YouTube Twitter Instagram TikTok N/A

Marshall Pruett YouTube Twitter Instagram TikTok N/A

INDYCAR on NBC YouTube Twitter Instagram TikTok

Nathan Brown (IndyStar) YouTube N/A Twitter Instagram N/A TikTok N/A

Dalton Kellett (former driver) YouTube Twitter Instagram TikTok (tech explanations)

Speed You Later YouTube N/A Twitter Instagram TikTok N/A

TikTok

Misc Caterina Masetti Zannini (Callum Ilott's girlfriend) Behind the scenes and Indycar tech explained, some F1 content. James and Becky Hinchcliffe (hasn't been updated in some time) Honda Performance Development - features all series that use honda engines so you'l have to search for the Indycar stuff.

Drivers Pato O’Ward Conor Daly Callum Ilott Christian Lundgaard Alex Palou

Instagram

Misc PitFit (The gym a lot of drivers use)

Podcasts

Racer's Roots - A deep dive into the history of motorsports and the genealogy of the racers we know and love.

The B1tch Stop is a podcast about motorsport hosted by Charlotte, Almay and Steph: an exasperated sports fan who'd make a better team principle than half the paddock, someone that reads about the aerodynamics of cars for fun, and a woman with a lot of opinions and no driver's licence. Follow for biweekly breakdowns of major race series (including F1, 2 and 3, Formula E, W Series, F1 Academy and IndyCar), the judgement of professional drivers based on their birth chart, and very valid and correct opinions about which drivers would catfish each other.

The Race IndyCar Podcast Race reviews and analysis from the fastest circuit racing in the world. Jack Benyon hosts, ex-Indycar racer JR Hildebrand adds expert knowledge, while a host of special guests bring colour and insight. Join us for the ride!

The Week In IndyCar The Week In Indy Car features one or more guests to weave through the latest news in North America's premier open-wheel series and its related junior formula. Like The Week In Sports Cars show, it's an interactive affair driven by listener questions submitted via social media.

Motorsport101 - covers F1, MotoGP and FE as well as IndyCar

Did I miss anything? Have a podcast to recommend? Send me a message.

[grandgobbobarb]

Gonna try doing a solo apocalypse world thing again AZ a writing exercise.

Brainstorm timr...

I like Waterworld apocalypse, so we have that. The skies are crisp. The water is clear. And salt. Everywhere. Fuel is scarce and water must be distilled to be drinkable. The salt gets into everything. Land is rare and jealously horded. Storms rage without warning and can wash fleets under.

I'm going to make two PCs: A Waterbearer and A Chopper.

Initial sitch under cut

First, the cutter. I decided they would have adopted the name of a sea God, but didn't want Poseidon. So I opened Wikipedia. Scrolling looking for cool names I saw someone unexpected: Indra as God of Storms. Yes.

So Indra Stormlord, the Chopper. Cool +2, Hard +2, Hot -1, Sharp +0, Weird -1. Of ambiguous gender, they are wirey, weathered, with eyes scorched by sunburn scars. Their hair is bleached grey by sun and salt.

I'm replacing the motorcycles with sort of high performance individual sailboats. Almost surfboards with sails. Gonna call them seaskimmers. Each has a gasoline motor, a sail, and room for one comfortably. Except Indra's. His is a large flashy sailboat painted with Lightning. Slower than his gang's seaskimmers, it has a powerful gas guzzling engine. Powered up it has Speed+1.

Indra's gang is well armed and disciplined, but the sea-skimmers are fragile and in constant need of maintenance. (3 harm 1 armor small gang vulnerable breakdown). A couple standout gang members are Bullet (Indra's second in command), and Diamond (the best merchant in the gang).

Indra themself wears a 1 armor leather overcoat with mask, an smg (2 harm close area loud), a machete (3 harm hand messy), and a large amount of polished stone jewelry worth 2 barter. Their moves are *pack alpha*, which let's them order their gang around, and *fucking thieves*, which let's them check if their gang has stolen something they need.

Then our Waterbearer. The sample names include Deer, which I adore. She's going to be very tall, skinny, and skittish, with darkly tanned skin covered in scars, and wild eyes. Cool +2, Hard -1, Hot +1, Sharp +0, Weird +1.

Their water source is the only source of clean fresh water around. It's in a grotto on a small island choked by lush vegetation and full of birds. She calls it the Den.

There are three laws in Deer's Den, all punishable by permanent Exile:

Leave all weapons on your boats.

Leave all grudges on your boats.

Do no violence.

Because water is life, and the Salt is the corruption of humankind's violence.

To guard her Den, Deer carries the ceremonial hunting rifle of her office (2 harm far loud), the only weapon allowed on the island. Otherwise she wears little, just a hand woven read skirt, and a series of ivory bangles worth 4 barter.

She hass three special moves: *lawbringer* which let's her attempt to be lenient with enforcing the laws, *embargo* which let's her go aggro to Inflict d-harm by denying water, and *peacemaker*, which let's her call rivals to Deer's Den to negotiate peace.

Deer's Den has three major NPCs: Stag (Deer's guardian), Sparrow (who keeps a library on the island), and Doe (Deer's lover)

In the past Deer was the first person to stand up to Indra's gang, cowing them into submission. Ever since, Indra has served Deer's Den as a sort of field enforcer, keeping the small island safe. (Indra HX+3 with Deer. Deer Hx +2 with Indra)

Next part: initial threats facing the Den.

[thisaintascenereviews]

Bilmuri - American Motor Sports

Let me ask an honest question to open this review up, because it’s something I’ve noticed a lot the last year or so — what’s up with everyone and their mother becoming a country artist? Hell, Post Malone has a new country album coming out next month, MGK dropped a Zach Bryan cover recently, and Shaboozey’s new album (that I absolutely love) is a full blown country / folk album, and even some alternative artists are getting in on it. Bilmuri, the longtime project from former Attack Attack clean vocalist and guitarist Johnny Franck, just put out a new album, entitled American Motor Sports, and this album is one of my favorites of the year.

This was my proper introduction to his music, as Franck has put out so many albums over the course of the last decade, it’s always hard to figure out a good starting point. I figured this would work, because this is a 28-minute album, and he’s also signed to Columbia, at least according to Apple Music. I don’t know JC this is his debut project with the label, but that’s huge. I did hear bits and pieces of the opening track, “Better Hell,” and I was excited, especially if the rest of the album shared that track’s sound: metalcore-meets-country. It’s “yallternative” if I’ve ever heard it, and my god, it rules. American Motor Sports is the perfect summer album, because of its sound, its catchiness, and its energy. It’s also just a great album, through and through.

The funniest thing is that this album is really nothing unique, but as I always say, it’s the execution. American Motor Sports is really fun, catchy, energetic, and written incredibly well. The hooks are absolutely infectious, the breakdowns are some of the crunchiest I’ve heard in awhile, Franck’s vocals are fantastic (as well as the few guests that pop up), and the lyrics are surprisingly poignant a lot of the time. Bilmuri is known for making memes, especially about himself, but the lyrics don’t reflect that, so you can look at this album at face value.

Seriously, if you want some wonderful hooks, you’ll have them for days here. Almost every track is an earworm, especially “Better Hell,” “Emptyhanded,” “All Gas,” “Spinnin’ You Around,” or “2016 Cavaliers (Ohio),” this is one of the catchiest albums I’ve heard in a long time. This is just a lightning in a bottle type of album, where everything came together in the most perfect way. Even the guests are pretty good, which include country singers Dylan Marlowe and Mitchell Tenpenny (the latter of which also appeared a couple of years back on State Champs’ Kings Of The New Age), pop singer Knox, and pop band A R I Z O N A.

It’s Franck that really makes this record shine, and his vocals are impeccable, but his songwriting is so sharp, catchy, and clever, you can’t help but love it. This is one of my favorite albums of the year, and I doubt it’ll change. Some of my favorite albums of this year that I had on the list, let alone real high, have either gone down, or fallen to the wayside (despite still really enjoying them), kind of just because something better came along, but this album is a mainstay for sure. I really, really love this album, and I’ve been listening to it constantly, especially with every song getting stuck in my head. I just have so much fun with this thing, I can’t help but really love it. This is one of the best albums of the year, and if you haven’t listened to it yet, you really need to get on that, because it’s killer.

[spookysaladchaos]

Global top 13 companies accounted for 66% of Total Frozen Spring Roll market(qyresearch, 2021)

The table below details the Discrete Manufacturing ERP revenue and market share of major players, from 2016 to 2021. The data for 2021 is an estimate, based on the historical figures and the data we interviewed this year.

Major players in the market are identified through secondary research and their market revenues are determined through primary and secondary research. Secondary research includes the research of the annual financial reports of the top companies; while primary research includes extensive interviews of key opinion leaders and industry experts such as experienced front-line staffs, directors, CEOs and marketing executives. The percentage splits, market shares, growth rates and breakdowns of the product markets are determined through secondary sources and verified through the primary sources.

According to the new market research report “Global Discrete Manufacturing ERP Market Report 2023-2029”, published by QYResearch, the global Discrete Manufacturing ERP market size is projected to reach USD 9.78 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 10.6% during the forecast period.

Figure.   Global Frozen Spring Roll Market Size (US$ Mn), 2018-2029

Figure.   Global Frozen Spring Roll Top 13 Players Ranking and Market Share（Based on data of 2021, Continually updated）

The global key manufacturers of Discrete Manufacturing ERP include Visibility, Global Shop Solutions, SYSPRO, ECi Software Solutions, abas Software AG, IFS AB, QAD Inc, Infor, abas Software AG, ECi Software Solutions, etc. In 2021, the global top five players had a share approximately 66.0% in terms of revenue.

About QYResearch

QYResearch founded in California, USA in 2007.It is a leading global market research and consulting company. With over 16 years’ experience and professional research team in various cities over the world QY Research focuses on management consulting, database and seminar services, IPO consulting, industry chain research and customized research to help our clients in providing non-linear revenue model and make them successful. We are globally recognized for our expansive portfolio of services, good corporate citizenship, and our strong commitment to sustainability. Up to now, we have cooperated with more than 60,000 clients across five continents. Let’s work closely with you and build a bold and better future.

QYResearch is a world-renowned large-scale consulting company. The industry covers various high-tech industry chain market segments, spanning the semiconductor industry chain (semiconductor equipment and parts, semiconductor materials, ICs, Foundry, packaging and testing, discrete devices, sensors, optoelectronic devices), photovoltaic industry chain (equipment, cells, modules, auxiliary material brackets, inverters, power station terminals), new energy automobile industry chain (batteries and materials, auto parts, batteries, motors, electronic control, automotive semiconductors, etc.), communication industry chain (communication system equipment, terminal equipment, electronic components, RF front-end, optical modules, 4G/5G/6G, broadband, IoT, digital economy, AI), advanced materials industry Chain (metal materials, polymer materials, ceramic materials, nano materials, etc.), machinery manufacturing industry chain (CNC machine tools, construction machinery, electrical machinery, 3C automation, industrial robots, lasers, industrial control, drones), food, beverages and pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, agriculture, etc.

[ironheartedfae]

Timing: Current Probably Location: The streets Feat: @mayihaveyournameplease & @ironheartedfae Warnings: None! Summary: :)

Everything was irritating. The way the air was too warm, the way it made her clothes stick to her skin, the way her hair was falling on her forehead. Far more grown out than Darya had ever let it get. Ren wasn’t really ever in a good mood but today was particularly bad. And it was about to get a lot worse. At least for a bit. She’d have to listen to that awful man, hear the voice coming from his mouth rather than imagined through the text he put online. Thankfully, it wouldn’t be for long. 

Twitchy gloved hands fiddled with the knives in her pockets. Her two trusty balisongs, then several others hidden around. Just in case. You could never be too prepared for a hunt. Certainly not with something as devious and obtuse as the creature going by the (probably stolen) name Beau Bueford. He’d named the place, and she was going to be on time. She might even smile to try and sell the act she’d come up with. Lure him in closer. Make use of that awful fae bond that was supposed to make her feel all warm and welcome even if it only ever made her feel nauseous and empty. 

The lamplit street was mostly empty. Good. There were several alleys for the deed to be done, and several rooftops she could escape to. If all things went well, she’d be home before midnight. And no more names would be stolen by this unruly beast. 

— 

Beau felt good about himself. He was doing community service, practically. The youth of today all wanted illustrious jobs at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and here he was setting up to be a mentor for one of those youths. Truly he was the most eligible bachelor in Maine at the moment. After helping the kid with her resume he’d get her to pose for a selfie together. Then he could write an essay for the town website about how good with kids he is, how much he cares for the future, and how he wants to see each and every youth of the day succeed. Truly he would be a masterpiece of a man to all the single women and men in the town. They would see how delightful he was and flock to him. Beau was practically beaming by the time he arrived at the meeting spot as he imagined the mayor of the town awarding him with a medal for service to the town. All because he went out of his way to help some kid he didn’t even know. 

There had been a little bit of surprise on his end when the girl had suggested they meet in the dead of night, on a near abandoned street. But that was okay. He understood she didn’t want anyone stealing his expert advice. Besides, he’d already told her she was way too young for him. Arriving at the location, Beau saw the shock of red hair illuminated by the street light. “Lali-ho!” He called out, raising a hand in greeting. Beau examined her, hands shoved into her pockets, a slight jitter to her movements like she was waiting for something to happen. Beau let his charming smile pull across his features. “No need to be nervous, I know not everyone’s resume can look as good as mine. Don’t worry dear, I’m going to help you the best I can.” He held out a hand. “Now how about you give me your resume and your name so we can get started?” 

— 

No such lofty  or gracious feelings had been shared by the young thing staring back at Beau. Ren felt nothing but fire in her veins as the swell of magic alerted her that this was the right man. He was fae alright. Bright green eyes scanned each inch of Beau Bueford, just as he was doing the same to her. His cheery demeanor was saccharin, sickly, and shiny. Quite a bit too sweet. Artificial and amplified. If Ren had ever been familiar with cars, and their salesfolk, it might have reminded her of that. Instead, her mind went immediately to a breakdown of strategy.

Intricate swirling tattoos covered nearly every bit of exposed skin not on his face. Though, even there by the ears not quite round enough to be normal, small tattoos had been littered about too. Spriggan. Ren sneered. Thief. Weak little pest worse than the entomae, worse even than the pesky little fae parasites who take things from people's homes. Spriggan were habitual thieves, they couldn’t help it. This one had an obvious affinity for names and that just wouldn’t do. The only way to put an end to this was to get her iron blades buried deep. Knock that smug look right off his face. 

There wasn’t time to give herself any specific protection (like flipping her clothing inside out, what a strange thing to fear…), though Spriggan weren’t exactly known for great fighting prowess. Just a lot of illusions and fuckery. But Ren could keep up with that. She could feel the vibrations, she could know which was real and which was an image. At least better than a human. Though she appeared to have caught him off guard enough, he didn’t suspect much. He was just so annoying. The more he talked the more Ren’s heartbeat kicked into gear, she couldn’t help herself but growl before lunging– 

“The only thing I will be giving you is quick death.” 

—

It was very delightful that his special youth project was another fae. Not only was he giving back in the human community's eyes, but the local fae community would really see him stepping up. Maybe a hot muse would find that very inspiring of him. He'd always had a thing for the muses. There was just something about them that inspired him. Hard to put his finger on exactly what it was. Beau would have kept his asinine talking up, but the fae child wasn't behaving right. A quick death? What could she mean by that? They were both fae, why would she try to kill him?  

Oh, she was actually trying to kill him. Beau fell to the ground as he tried to duck out of the way. What was he supposed to do if someone wanted to kill him? He'd only ever been in one fight with the warden. He'd talked his way out of this one. Beau steeled himself. He would just have to talk himself out of this one. But with another fae? That was the part that confused him. Beau started crawling on the ground, trying to caterpillar away from the crazed fae. 

A fence to a building was in front of him. The grating of the fence was crisscrossed in a tight pattern. Maybe tight enough to keep a knife from poking through. Beau rolled behind it, shutting it tight. "Hey! Hey now!" Beau said, still cowering in a fetal position behind the fence. "We can talk this out. You're really passionate about that BMV job, I get it! I would be too. You don't need to kill me for it! Tell you what, I will personally get you a job there if you help me. It's a great job for a fae like us. We can steal as many names as we want. We can even look at the names before we steal them. Super easy. You'll love it, kid, promise." 

—

As small as she was, Ren had to put every ounce of her weight into every throw to make them land. The force of lunging didn’t stop the way it should have. Of course it didn’t, because there was suddenly nothing to stop it. The man had crouched at just the right angle at just the right time that he ended up table topping the attacker, sending the angry nymph toppling over her own two feet. Gravel dug into the parts of Ren’s skin that hadn’t been shielded by the large jacket and as she rolled to right herself, she silently thanked Emilio and the fact that she had managed to patch things up with him. He wouldn’t like what she was doing right now though. Not at all.

But… maybe this was different. Taking out something like Beau was a boon to society. Her head whipped around, seeing his shadow dip behind the metal fencing. Worse, she heard his voice come straight through. “I do not care about the stupid BMV you LOUD imbecile!!” Any more fire and she would have to become an oread or hesperidae just to keep up. Everything he said riled her up more. Ren gritted her teeth and shot an arm through one of the holes in the fencing. She was certainly tiny enough to do so, but once again her knife only found air. “There is no we, filth.” 

— 

“You don’t care about the BMV?” Beau was indigent. What did this girl mean she didn’t care about the BMV? The BMV was the most magical place on the earth. He had to be hearing that wrong. He shoved a finger in his ear, squishing it around for good measure.  A good bit of ear wax came out with the action. He wiped it against his pants. “It’s the most magical place on earth!” Beau added, repeating the words in his own head. “No we? Little darling, we’re both fae. The we is literally the fair folk. We’re defined by it.” Beau ducked out of the way of another blade shove, crawling a little farther away. “Did I steal someone’s name, you know? I can’t return it. If you kill me it’ll never go back.”

“Okay, okay!” Beau was pushing himself up to his feet, holding his hands up in the universal sign of I am absolutely no danger. “Let’s talk about this! Let’s have a conversation like fae. Why don’t you give me all the reasons you want to harm me?” That was the same trick he’d used on the warden. The same warden. The warden had forgotten then why he wanted to harm Beau, but Beau being Beau had given him a new reason. He’d taken his name. That was why the warden was still hunting him. 

— 

Ren rattled the fence like an angry dog trying to bite the mailman. Too angry to fight smart. None of the others had been this talkative. None of the others had been this infuriating. They were different things (Betrayed, angry, sad,) but not this. Nothing like this. He was trying to appeal to Ren by offering her a kinship in their shared ancestry. It was perhaps the furthest thing from what the girl wanted to hear. 

“This is not personal.” In a movie, this would have been a cool line just before the hero takes down the bad guy. In a movie it would have been so much clearer where the rights and wrongs lay. Instead, it was life. Ren didn’t even have the context to understand what she’d said was practically a trope. Instead, she vaulted herself upward, scrambling up the side of the fence so she could pounce down. End it. Stop his stupid voice, and the stupid words coming from his stupid face. “Monsters like you are why no fae is safe.”

Ren was seeing red. Not thinking clearly. Not thinking about the way anger bubbled up inside her and turned into words that clambered out just as her foot cleared the top of the fence. “I want to kill you. Not Harm. Kill.” She shouted, knives at the ready. An assassin in the streetlight. “I want to kill you Beau Bueford, for hurting humans!!” It slipped away. “For stealing names!!” That too. “For all of the awful mean-spirited things you do!!” The response left her lips and sent her head into a dizzy swirl. Momentum betrayed her for the second time that evening. Propelling the nymph over the top of the fence and hurdling downward. A fugue state falling star. Careening right at the spriggan of the hour. 

— 

An angry fae was a dead fae. That’s what Beau always said. Well, actually he’d never said it before this particular moment. It seemed fitting though. The angry fae who was set on hunting him truly did give him all the reason she wanted him dead. Just like that the threads that held all that information snipped into bits, tearing it from the quilt of her life and sewing it into Beau’s ever growing collection. It was funny. The girl carried so much anger with her, that when push came to shove she dealt her hand too early. Falling for a classic fae trap. 

Beau stepped out of the way as the girl fell to the ground. Once she hit the ground, Beau crouched next to her. “To be honest kid, I don’t think I can recommend the job for you.” Beau told her, his voice serious and calm. His signature smile was missing in the moment. “I just don’t think you’re suited for a life of customer service. Anger issues, you know? The customers, they’ll do anything. They love screaming and yelling. You gotta remain calm. I have a feeling you have a lot of anger. Probably why your hair is red. It’s full of rage.” Beau patted her back. “It’s okay. You’ll get a different job.” Beau noticed her knife had landed near them. He picked it up by the blade only to immediately drop it. It stung of iron. “What is a fae like you doing carrying around an iron blade?” He asked her, getting to his feet and kicking it towards her. “You’re going to hurt yourself on that thing.” 

— 

The whirring thrum ringing through Ren’s ears was becoming an uncomfortably familiar thing. Showing up nearly every day since arriving in Wicked’s Rest. Or at least, every day that she went into town. Every day she interacted with locals. Every day she went online and saw things that made her head spin, though… she couldn’t quite recall all of them anymore. 

She hadn’t even put her arms out in front of her to stop her fall. She just… what was she doing here? Where was she? There was sound, a voice, behind her. Trying to focus on it was like trying to stare at the sun. All too bright, too much, all at once. “Job.” She repeated, flatly, dryly. “Wh- Huh??” The whole of the conversation that led here, all of it had been whisked away. It left Ren reeling, nauseous, and unable to process any of what was going on. If there was anger left in her, it wasn’t able to gather up enough to become anything. Heat slipped away, ebbing out into the ground below. 

He was touching her. Who… who was he? Did she know him? He was– no. No that’s not… Ren’s shoulders tensed, pitching up like she was having an allergic reaction to touch. To being close to something awful but not being able to pinpoint why it made her so uncomfortable. Fae. Fae. Fae. Whatever it was, what he was– who was he again? Iron blades. Those still registered as hers. Still something she needed. Her hands felt empty without them. But why did she need them now? 

“Who– are you..?” 

— 

A paternal figure might feel bad for the confused kid in front of him. They might want to talk it out. They might have felt the urge to help a fellow fae who was obviously confused. Not Beau. Beau had tried to help and it had landed with him almost getting stabbed. Beau scowled down at the redheaded fae. “No one who cares to know you.” He answered. His arms crossed over his chest. “You should be disgusted with yourself. You’re a disgrace. A fae carrying around iron blades? And you planned to stab another fae with that? You’re a traitor to your kind.” Beau spat on the ground next to her. “I never want to see you again.” 

Beau had done a lot of shitty things in his life. Beau had stolen names from his fellow faes, he’d bragged to them, he’d led a warden to their door steps and endangered them. None of that mattered, not to Beau, not right now. Not when he knew he had a high horse to sit on. Not when he knew he wasn’t fae traitor. The only time he’d actually put other fae in danger had been an accident. He hadn’t known the Warden was on his trail. It was forgivable. Whatever this was in front of him wasn’t. 

“If you really want to hurt a fae, hurt yourself.” Beau was done here. Beau was tired of being here. Beau walked away. As he walked, his usual happy jaunt entered his step. A whistle came to his lips. A joyful tune filled the empty night air. He hadn’t died. That made it a good night in his books. He’d lived an attack and once again added to his collection. He was happy with how this ended. 

[zoobus]

May I ask why you went to what sounds like extraordinary lengths to turn one of your windows into what sounds like a fully sound-proofed and insulated section of wall? Is the privacy just worth more than the light and airflow? How did you even figure out how to carry out the project?

Initially I assumed you stumbled upon a years old post wherein I filled my window with insulation, covered the window with an extremely heavy 4x8 foot rigid foam sound insulation board, then covered that wall with the heaviest blackout curtains I could find:

But now I've realized you probably mean my current set up, which is frankly just a regular blackout curtain with some left over insulation half-assedly stuffed at the top to keep most of the sun out

(sunbeams are brighter than they appear)

The first setup was due to living right next to a highway in a college town (do not do this, ever). It sucked for a multitude of reasons but the biggest? It was so fucking LOUD. I'm sound sensitive in general, but there's no way the noise pollution wasn't killing the whole apartment. Directly facing a noisy courtyard in an area with zero activities for kids older than 8 to do, lonely dogs barking all day long, 2fast2furious wannabe losers taking 5 minutes to start their cars at 7am before peeling out into the 25mph school zone, poorly designed crosswalk intersections that guaranteed the screeches and honks of near collisions, so many fucking motorcycles and muscle cars ripping their motors at ear rupturing speeds at 2am and ONLY at 2am. I've never had so many noise triggered breakdowns in my life.

It was actually a mutual that suggested the sound barrier setup. I installed that shit the same day. It didn't *fix* the original, but it did muffle them enough for survival. I thank her for that.

For the second one, I just can't sleep when the sun streams in. I'm already a night owl with a day job - why risk leaving a sleep-destroying gap every night? Just keep it closed.

Is the privacy just worth more than the light and ventilation?

I walk around naked and I have electricity. Ventilation comes from other rooms

[insuremileblog-blog]

A Comprehensive Guide to Scooter Insurance and Scooter Insurance Renewal

When it comes to safeguarding your two-wheeler, scooter insurance plays a vital role. It ensures financial protection against unforeseen accidents, theft, and damages, giving you peace of mind while you’re on the road. Whether you're buying a new policy or renewing an existing one, understanding the intricacies of scooter insurance is essential. In this guide, we'll explore the basics of scooter insurance, the renewal process, and tips to make the most of your policy.

Why is Scooter Insurance Essential?

In most countries, including India, having insurance for your scooter is mandatory under the Motor Vehicles Act. Besides being a legal requirement, Scooter Insurance offers:

Financial Security Covers repair costs, third-party damages, and personal injuries arising from accidents.

Theft Protection Provides compensation if your scooter is stolen.

Natural and Man-Made Calamities Covers damages caused by floods, earthquakes, riots, or vandalism.

Legal Coverage Saves you from hefty fines and legal complications during incidents.

Types of Scooter Insurance

When considering scooter insurance, you’ll encounter two main types:

1. Third-Party Insurance

This is the most basic form of insurance, covering:

Damages to a third party's property.

Injuries or death caused to third parties.

However, it doesn’t cover damages to your scooter or personal injuries.

2. Comprehensive Insurance

A more extensive plan, it includes:

Coverage for third-party liabilities.

Own-damage coverage for your scooter.

Protection against natural and man-made calamities.

Add-on options like zero depreciation, engine protection, and roadside assistance.

What is Scooter Insurance Renewal?

Scooter Insurance Renewal refers to the process of extending the validity of your existing insurance policy. Insurance policies usually have a tenure of one year, after which they need to be renewed. Failing to renew on time can lead to:

Loss of coverage benefits.

Penalties for driving without valid insurance.

Loss of accumulated No Claim Bonus (NCB).

Steps for Scooter Insurance Renewal

Renewing your scooter insurance is now simpler than ever, thanks to digital platforms like Insuremile. Follow these steps for hassle-free renewal:

1. Check Policy Expiry Date

Always renew your policy before the expiry date to avoid a lapse.

2. Compare Policies

If you’re unhappy with your current provider, compare plans online to find better coverage or pricing.

3. Evaluate Add-Ons

Consider additional covers like:

Zero Depreciation Cover: Ensures full claim on parts replaced without depreciation deductions.

Roadside Assistance: Helps in emergencies like breakdowns or flat tires.

Personal Accident Cover: Provides financial support in case of injuries or death.

4. Choose the Right Insurer

Reliable providers like Insuremile offer seamless renewal processes, competitive premiums, and excellent customer support.

5. Complete the Renewal Online

Log into your insurer's website or app, provide policy details, and make the payment. Ensure to download and save the renewed policy document.

Factors Affecting Scooter Insurance Premiums

The premium for your scooter insurance is determined by several factors, including:

Type of Insurance Plan Comprehensive policies are pricier than third-party plans due to extensive coverage.

Scooter’s Age and Model Newer and premium models attract higher premiums.

Claim History A clean claim record helps in availing discounts through NCB.

Location Urban areas with higher traffic and theft rates often have higher premiums.

Add-Ons Adding extra covers increases the overall premium.

Benefits of Renewing Scooter Insurance on Time

Timely renewal ensures uninterrupted protection and brings additional benefits:

No Claim Bonus (NCB) Renewing on time preserves your NCB, which provides discounts on premiums for claim-free years.

Continuous Coverage Avoid penalties for driving without insurance and stay protected.

Improved Terms Renewal gives you the opportunity to reassess and enhance your coverage as needed.

Hassle-Free Process Timely renewal prevents the need for inspections or additional paperwork.

Common Mistakes to Avoid During Scooter Insurance Renewal

Skipping Policy Comparison Loyalty to one insurer is good, but always compare policies for better options.

Ignoring Add-Ons Neglecting to evaluate add-ons might leave gaps in coverage.

Delaying Renewal A lapsed policy might require additional formalities or a higher premium.

Providing Incorrect Information Ensure all details about your scooter and driving history are accurate to avoid claim rejections.

Why Choose Insuremile for Your Scooter Insurance and Renewal?

Insuremile offers a seamless insurance experience with features like:

Easy Online Process: Purchase or renew your policy within minutes.

Affordable Premiums: Competitive pricing without compromising on coverage.

Customizable Plans: Tailored options to suit your specific needs.

24/7 Customer Support: Assistance whenever you need it.

Conclusion

Scooter insurance is not just a legal formality; it’s a financial safety net for you and your vehicle. Renewing your insurance on time is equally critical to ensure uninterrupted protection. With platforms like Insuremile, you can enjoy a hassle-free insurance experience, from purchasing a policy to renewing it. Take control of your scooter’s security today and ride stress-free!

[candy-floss-crazy]

Another selection of misadventures from our past history. Keep Them Wheels Turning 2010 When we first started and was operating on a limited budget, we frequently had problems with equipment failures and vehicle breakdowns. As we grew and ended up in a position to buy better equipment, and also put back up systems in place we found that things seemed to run a lot more smoothly. However the law of averages caught up with us the other day, we had quite a busy schedule, calling at a small village in Surrey to apply 125 chair covers and sashes and set up a chocolate fountain, then on to Sevenoaks to set a number of stalls and a couple of catering carts up, back to the first venue to drop two members of staff off, then I continued on to Walton on Thames to operate a candy floss and popcorn cart. As soon as I finished I derigged everything and shot back to the first venue with the intention of picking my staff up to travel home to Yorkshire, grab a couple of hours sleep, load the van up with the rest of the equipment for the Sevenoaks job and set back off down South. Bang Goes The Tyre Everything was going great guns when a bang, signalled that I had a tyre blown out, 'great, just what I wanted on a lane in the middle of nowhere, a tyre change.' In time I ended up wishing I was changing a tyre, because when I crawled under the back of the van I discovered the spare wheel missing (it was a hire van). I rang the owner and ot him out of bed, "ring the AA he said, the van is covered", trouble is when I explained the problem they informed me that under their terms of service, not having a spare wheel meant that I wasn't covered. Rang John again, "Ring a tyre firm he said and bill me". An hour later after ringing every number I could find on the internet I rang John again. After an exchange of ideas, he informed me that he was setting off with a spare wheel, wonderful, the three of us only had to sit and wait in the van whilst John covered the 216 miles to us. Now before John set off he had to nip up to our place and pick up the items I needed for the next day, this included a striker (test your strength machine). On our striker the base unit is made from 20mm steel plate to give it the weight needed to remain stationary whilst being hammered. The base unit is kept on a small set of wheel which allow it to be moved about the yard. When John and my other half lifted it into the van, John had not realised that the wheels were not part of the structure and left his fingers underneath when they dropped it into the back of the van. My wife rang me to tell me that John was running around the yard squealing about his fingers. She wasn't in the mood for sympathy and told him that if he went to the hospital they would only tape his fingers up, and she offered to lend him a roll of tape to ensure he got on his way quicker. When he arrived at our end the first thing he did was show me his fingers, which by then were black and blue and quite swollen. Bloody well serves him right for removing the spare wheel. Mobile Bar Buzz 2010 We recently installed a bar at an event for a major motor industry manufacturer and a games console company. This was a pre paid job with us supplying a fixed package of drinks, including cocktails and one of our Jagermeister tap machines. The event went stormingly with everyone in fancy dress and the room buzzing. Sabine Schmitz (the German female racing driver who raced Jeremy Clarkson around the Nurburgring race track, with Jeremy in a Jaguar S type, and Sabine in a Transit Van, she lost by only 9 seconds. Ms Schmitz and a cohort of German friends managed to consume our stocks of Jagermeister, before moving onto frozen Margarita cocktails with an added shot of Vodka, something our cocktail mixologist insisted you couldn't do, but the Schmitz party proving you obviously could! De Computer Sez So 2010 Quite often nowadays I don't have time to keep this blog updated. Odd occasions I do have time I sometimes struggle for something newsworthy to write. Occasionally however something drops in my lap that I just have to put on here. I recently added a new van to our line up, and insured it with the company that insurers our other CItroen dispatch. In common with our other insurances we pay in a lump sum at the start of the insurance term. A couple of days ago the postman knocked on the door to deliver a registered letter from said company, upon opening it I read a formal notice that as I had not settled an outstanding amount they would be cancelling my insurance unless it was paid in the next 7 days. Now this puzzled me as I know I paid in full at the start of the policy term. Upon reading further down the page, the amount outstanding was in large bold type to make it more noticable. It read that I owed them £0.00 that's right Zero pounds and zero pence. I sent them a very nice email admitting that I owed this amount and asking if they would like a cheque for £0.00 or would they like it in cash in which case I would send them an empty envelope. Amsterdam 2010 February, which is usually our quietest month (although this year turned out to be a busy one), saw us managing to fit a 3 day break to Amsterdam in. I have been there in the past both when I was single, and also spent part of my honeymoon there whilst touring Europe. As is normal nowadays, everything was booked online a few weeks before, with the booking system informing me that actual airline tickets are no longer issued, we instead have E tickets. Anyway a couple of days before we were due to fly I discovered that my other half's E ticket had been issued in her maiden name, and knowing that airlines are particularly picky about names since 9/11 I rang our carriers, KLM straight up. "No problem Mr Moody, said a pleasant Dutch voice, we can change names quite easily." was followed by "Oh, sorry we can't change your ticket". Upon inquiring as to why, I was told that since I had booked them through a travel agent, the agent would have to make the name change request. I duly rang the agents to do this. (No problem Mr Moody, that's quite easy, please hold the line", was again followed by "Oh, we can't do it". The reason this time turned out to be the fact that it was Saturday, and the KLM office which deals with name changes doesn't work weekends. SO we ended up being told that we should get to the airport early, and the ticket desk there should change the name for us. On the morning we were flying we arrived bright and early only to be met with a queue of about 80 people! We informed an airport attendant of our predicament and asked if there was anyway of getting the ticket sorted sooner, upon asking to see our ticket, his reply was "I wouldn't worry about your ticket mate, that flight was canceled last night", turned out that the plane we were supposed to be on didn't land because of fog. Five bloody hours were in that queue for. Mid way through it the rumour seemed to be that the next available flight was the day after.Not wanting to lose a day of a short break, I got my laptop out, connected to KLM's site and booked three seats on a later flight, reasoning that I would worry about refunds later. After booking the seats I was informed that I would have to pay for them at the ticket desk, so I would still have to stand in the bloody queue. Anyway as we reached nearly to the front of the queue I discovered that the ticket agent was in fact booking people on the same plane I had just reserved 3 seats on, great it looked like I would have 6 seats on the flight, but at least one of the 6 would be in my wife's current name. I duly reached the front of the queue to meet the ticket agent, a short stern faced lady who looked like she would make a good concentration camp guard in the movie industry. I was just about to launch into a tirade about waiting 5 bloody hours and not being informed of cancelled flights when a young man dropped a bundle of papers on her desk and exclaimed innocently "These need taking care of when you get a minute", the look she gave him would have welded steel from 40 paces, and her reply of "You know what you can do with those Stephen, shove them up your bloody arse!" seemed to modify my temper somewhat. As she turned that steely gaze upon me I gave her my best smile, what I hoped was a slightly pleading look in my eyes, and informed her that not only did we need our flights sorting out, but my wife's ticket was in the wrong name. Her eyes narrowed, her shoulders tightened and a visible shudder ran through her, taking a hold or herself she sighed loudly, stared towards the heavens, closed her eyes for a long moment then sorted everything out for us. Amsterdam turned out much as I remember it, the Dutch must be the most laid back and pleasant race in Europe, and we spent a pleasant 3 days strolling around the city, with a short trip to the seaside town of Vollendam thrown in. THe first tram we boarded into the city centre, I asked the conductor for the price of the ticket (most locals use pre paid cards much like the oyster system in London), he just smiled and told me not to worry and get of when we were ready. The next day having some experience of the tram system, we boarded the tram outside our hotel and I asked for 3 day passes. The lady conductor smiled sweetly and apologised for having run out of them. "It is not a problem", she said, "Just buy them from a ticket machine when you get off". Can you imagine that, over here it would go like this, "3 Day passes please","Can't do that mate I've run out""Oh, well can I buy them when I get off at the other end""No sorry can't do that you need a ticket to travel""Oh well give me 3 tickets please""Sorry, just told you I've run out!" Mid way through I had a headache coming on so thought I would nip into a chemist for some pain relief. What greeted me must have been one of the barest shelves of painkillers I have ever seen, about the size of a television set, it contained pretty much only what you could buy from a late night garage in this country. Upon inquiring about something a bit stronger I was informed that I would need a doctors prescription. "So let me get this straight," I said, "I can walk into anyone of a million coffee shops and buy cannabis or marijuana, without any problems, but if I want something stronger than 400mg of Ibuprofen I need a prescription?"."That's pretty much it", replied the chemist."Strange country","Yep" came the retort, along with that pleasant Dutch laid back smile. Ready to come home, we reached Schipol airport, and found that they have a fully automated system to book in and be issued with your boarding card. I entered our E ticket number, only to learn that I was booked on the flight along with our daughter, but not my wife. It made me think of a recent case where an immigration official had waved his wife off at the airport in London, went back to work and added her to the known terrorist list of people banned from entering the UK, and then proceeded to live the single life until he was found out 4 years later, in the meantime his wife had spent 4 years stuck in Pakistan unable to find out why she wasn't allowed to board a flight back to England! As it turned out, because of the name change we had made at Bradford, my wife had received a separate reservation, which no one had bothered to inform me of. If you missed them take a look at some of our other old stories here. Read the full article

[johnalexcooper]

Navigating Motability Schemes: Your Essential Resource for Accessible Transportation

Accessibility is a fundamental aspect of modern living, and transportation plays a critical role in empowering individuals with mobility challenges. In Newry, Motability Schemes have become an invaluable resource, enabling people to reclaim their independence and freedom of movement. These schemes provide a bridge to accessible transportation, offering tailored solutions that enhance the quality of life for countless individuals.

If you or a loved one are considering a Motability Scheme in Newry, this comprehensive guide will equip you with all the information you need to make an informed decision.

What Are Motability Schemes?

Motability Schemes are initiatives designed to provide affordable and accessible vehicle solutions for individuals with disabilities. These schemes allow eligible participants to lease a car, scooter, or powered wheelchair, making it easier for them to travel for work, leisure, medical appointments, or daily errands.

By transforming the way mobility is approached, Motability Schemes offer an inclusive path to independence. Participants benefit from vehicles that are adapted to meet their unique needs, ensuring safety, comfort, and reliability.

Eligibility for Motability Schemes in Newry

To take advantage of Motability Schemes, individuals must meet certain criteria. Typically, eligibility is tied to the receipt of a qualifying government-funded mobility allowance. These allowances may include:

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) with a mobility component

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) with a mobility component

Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)

War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS)

It's important to note that eligibility can vary, so it’s advisable to check with the relevant authorities to confirm your status.

How Motability Schemes Work in Newry

The procedure for enrolling in a Motability Scheme is simple. Below is a step-by-step guide to help you begin.

Check Your Eligibility: Ensure you receive a qualifying mobility allowance and have at least 12 months remaining on the award.

Choose Your Vehicle: Choose a vehicle that meets your requirements. Options range from standard cars to adapted vehicles designed for wheelchair accessibility. Motorized scooters and powered wheelchairs are also available.

Sign the Lease: Once you’ve selected your preferred vehicle, you’ll sign a lease agreement, typically lasting three years for cars and five years for scooters or powered wheelchairs.

Enjoy Comprehensive Benefits: The lease includes insurance, maintenance, servicing, breakdown cover, and even tyre replacement. This all-inclusive package ensures peace of mind and hassle-free ownership.

Advantages of Motability Schemes in Newry

Motability Schemes provide numerous benefits to participants, including:

1. Accessibility

Vehicles can be customized with adaptations such as hand controls, wheelchair ramps, or swivel seats. These modifications are designed to cater to specific mobility requirements, ensuring seamless accessibility.

2. Financial Peace of Mind

Leasing a vehicle through the scheme covers all major expenses, such as insurance, servicing, and repairs. This means participants can enjoy worry-free transportation without unexpected costs.

3. Independence and Freedom

Motability Schemes enable people to maintain active and self-sufficient lifestyles. Whether it’s commuting to work or visiting family and friends, the scheme helps participants overcome transportation barriers.

4. Support Services

Participants have access to dedicated support, ensuring they receive assistance with everything from choosing the right vehicle to managing the lease.

Choosing the Right Vehicle for Your Needs

When selecting a vehicle through a Motability Scheme, consider the following factors:

Accessibility Requirements: Does the vehicle need specific adaptations to accommodate a wheelchair or mobility device?

Vehicle Size: Ensure the vehicle provides sufficient space for passengers and equipment.

Driving Preferences: Automatic or manual transmission? Petrol, diesel, or electric? Choose based on your comfort and lifestyle.

Usage: Consider how often and where you’ll be driving. Urban driving may require compact cars, while rural commutes may benefit from larger vehicles.

Many dealerships in Newry offer consultations to help you find the ideal match for your needs.

Maintaining Your Vehicle

Once you’ve received your leased vehicle, maintaining it is simple and stress-free. Regular servicing and repairs are covered by the scheme, ensuring your vehicle remains in top condition. Breakdown assistance is also included, so you’re never stranded in the event of a mechanical issue.

If your mobility needs change during the lease period, consult the scheme’s support team for advice on possible adjustments or upgrades.

The Importance of Motability Schemes in Newry

Newry is a vibrant community where inclusivity and accessibility are highly valued. Motability Schemes play a crucial role in supporting individuals with disabilities, enabling them to contribute to and enjoy the community to its fullest. By providing access to reliable and customized transportation, these schemes eliminate barriers and foster a more connected society.

Whether it’s attending local events, participating in social activities, or exploring the stunning landscapes surrounding Newry, having the freedom to travel can significantly enhance the quality of life.

Getting Started with Motability Schemes in Newry

If you’re considering a Motability Scheme in Newry, take the first step by exploring the available options. Consult professionals to evaluate your eligibility, discuss your needs, and guide you through the process.

Remember, Motability Schemes are more than just a transportation solution—they’re a gateway to independence, empowerment, and an enriched life. With comprehensive support and a variety of accessible vehicle options, these schemes ensure that mobility is a reality for everyone.

By understanding the workings of Motability Schemes in Newry, you can make an informed choice that aligns with your mobility needs and aspirations. Let these schemes open doors to freedom and possibility, allowing you to navigate life with confidence and ease.