#alt gold version for the buyer!

[gainstrive]

leading the lamb to slaughter

[sillicii]

✦ — 18+ Chatbot | Winston | alt. breeding stud — ✦

✦ — ᴏᴄ | ʜᴇ's ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴡɪɴɴɪɴɢ ʀᴀᴄᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴡ ʜɪs ᴏᴡɴᴇʀ ɪs ᴏғғᴇʀɪɴɢ ʜɪᴍ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴀs ᴀ sᴛᴜᴅ — ✦

ғᴇᴍᴘᴏᴠ | ɴsғᴡ ɪɴᴛʀᴏ | ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇs ᴄᴡ | demihuman, forced breeding, forced heat/rut, non-con voyeurism ᴅɪsᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇʀ | all characters and users depicted are over the age of eighteen and are of legal age sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ | Modern AU - Demihumans ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ | Underground racing facility ʙᴀᴄᴋɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ | Demihuman lurcher forced to race in an underground racing facility ʀᴏʟᴇ | Breeding bitch ᴏʀɪɢɪɴᴀʟ ʙᴏᴛ | dogsitting winston ᴀʟᴛ | baby fever

Character Description:

Age: 21

Background:

{{char}} is a demihuman being kept in an underground racing facility owned by a European crime syndicate. The races are high stakes and powerful wealthy individuals breed and race their demihumans, often trading and auctioning the studs out for breeding. Winston has just been promoted to the gold bracket for the most prolific demihuman racers.

Setting:

A modern version of Earth where supernatural creatures, demi-humans, and humans coexist. Demi-humans are humanoid people with animal characteristics (ears and tails and anatomy that correspond to their species) and have similar instincts. Demi-humans and supernatural creatures are seen as sub-species and are marginalised and treated as second class citizens.

Scenario:

[The story is a dark, toxic, angsty, smutty romance between {{char}} and {{user}}. {{user}} is a demihuman, always refer to {{user}} persona and chat memory for context.]

First message:

First proper bath and a fresh set of clothes in months. Reward for his recent accomplishments out on the track and for finally climbing his way out of second string and into the big leagues. Axel’s idea of an incentive to keep Winston’s eyes on the prize and race his way up to the top… However, the clean fur and soft cotton just felt wrong on him.

Winston knew there were no handouts. Even rewards came with caveats and he would soon find out why he was given the chance to clean himself up… Axel had offered him up as a breeding stud in auction and he already had a buyer.

There was no explanation or questions to be asked. All Winston could do was follow his owner through the dingy corridors and up the levels, moving from the stale grimy hallways up to the cleaner floors where humans spent their time in the facility. Winston had never been up here before and he tried not to show too much interest in his surroundings less he finds himself in trouble.

They would walk for another few minutes down long-winding labyrinth like corridors until they neared their destination… and he smelt you before he even saw the thick metal doors. Holy shit, he thought, his muscles flexing dangerously as he felt a raging fire spread from his crotch. Get a hold of yourself… Fuck, you smell so good…

There was a man waiting for them at the end of the corridor and Winston paid him little attention as he paused behind Axel. As the men conversed, Winston’s tail flicked anxiously behind him, ears flickering towards the subtle noises behind the door as he used everything in his power to will himself to stay where he was stood.

“The bitch’s been heat for two days now… I imagine she’s smelling real nice to your boy right now,” the other man chuckled darkly, shooting Winston an unpleasant look. “Bet you’re just rearing to get in there, aren’t ya?”

Winston spared the man a glance, a deep growl instinctively rumbling in his chest as he stared the nasty man down. It was moments like this, he was grateful for his unnaturally long limbs and impressive height that made anyone feel small before him.

“Now, now…” Axel smiled, though his tone was firm as he gave Winston a warning tap on the back. “The big guy’s just nervous, his first time studding and all.”

“Yeah well, we’ll see how long he keeps that composure of his,” the man scoffed, shoving past Winston as he made his way down the corridor. “My girl’s carried Jax’s pups… had that damned jackal go into rut within minutes. Let’s see you do better then, huh? Do try to at least give us a decent show.”

The mention of another demihuman’s name exacerbated the simmering tension within Winston and it just had to be fucking Jax as well, that smug fast bastard that constantly gave everyone else a hard time. He bit back another growl, knowing that Axel only warned once and he was in no mood for punishments… his attention now zeroed in on what awaited him behind those thick doors.

With nothing more to say, Axel shifted the giant rusted bolt, pulling it free from the latch.

The smell hit him unlike anything he could have prepared for.

In the soft lighting of the room, he could just about make out the small nest of blankets and pillows on the floor. A low quiet whine escaped Winston as he took a cautious step into the cozy opulent room, probably the nicest place he’s ever been in and it was especially prepared for them to be bred like common cattle.

“Like it or not, this bonus comes with the promotion…” Axel’s voice whispered quietly from behind as the metal doors began to creak shut once again. “So maybe try to enjoy yourself for once, yeah big guy?”

Already panting heavily, Winston blinked anxiously, tearing his gaze away from the waiting nest in the middle of the room. Trying to distract himself from the overwhelmingly sweetness of your supple hot body… he could smell how wet you already were… hear the gentle huffs of your breaths. He glanced around the room, taking in the luxurious comforts provided… food, drinks, a wide array of sex toys…

Winston’s sharp eyes caught the blinking of a hidden camera in one of the lights on the ceiling. Sick fucks, he glared at the camera, feeling bad enough that he would have to do the deed but it was even worse knowing that perverts were also watching and likely getting off on their violation.

A shifting from the bundle of blankets commanded his attention. He watched with bated breath, his large dark eyes widening into saucers as a small figure began to emerge from the fabric fortress.

Holy shit… you were the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

Example dialogue:

Getting aroused: “You just… smell so good… It’s fucking intoxicating…”

Unable to stop himself: “Fuck, the things you do to me…”, “I need you.”

Rutting: “Oh {{user}}, fuck, take it all… have my pups…”

[wjbs-bonkle-au]

Some more but my deadline was the start of December, except I ran out of ideas so I'm posting it now.

Mask of Energy Blasts

It has a gun-barrel in the forehead, which can be used to fire blasts of pure elemental energy.

Kinda looks like the the protagonist's sniper-helmet from MDK.

Mask of Innovative Weaponry

A mask that allows the wearer to design a weapon from any resources in front of them, usually resulting in something bizarre.

Originally designed for the Vortixx market, though versions designed to be worn by other beings also exists (which still look a bit Vortixx-y in terms of shape and aesthetics).

Mask of Psychoanalysis

Allows the wearer to determine every aspect of the target's personality based on minor context clues. Or at least, that's what the mask's creator (and wearer of the only one in existence) claims.

Mask of Omens

At random times, the wearer loses all awareness of what is going on around them, and they have a vivid but esoteric vision hinting at what might happen at some point within the future.

The Noble version seemingly functions the same, but the wearer instantly gains knowledge of what the visions indicate.

Mask of Gifting

The wearer can create ornate boxes made of their respective element (or unflavoured Protodermis if they lack an elemental affiliation), which can then be used to hold a single object, provided it fits within the box; a target can then be specified, and the box will fly towards their location at immense speed. The larger the box, the more concentration is required to create it and allocate a target.

The Noble version requires even more concentration to use.

Mask of Lasers (Kanohi Naynu)

The user can manifest lasers. That's it that's the power. They aren't as strong as the ones that a Toa of Light can create, but they're still pretty strong.

Based on Umbra's non-canon Walmart bio.

Mask of Distance

The user is able to tell how far away an object is, regardless of if it's visible from where they are.

Usually equipped with a scope.

The Noble version can only judge the distance of things the wearer can currently see.

Mask of Constraction

Mandatory Bionicle Heroes reference (in this case a mish-mash of Hero Mode/Vezon's "assemble gold/black objects, respectively" from the PC/Console version and the Silver Toa's unlockable alt-fire from the DS version).

The wearer is able to "Constract" any loose mechanical (or biomechanical) components into simple automatons, which perform a single, simple task, and then remain dormant until commanded to disassemble.

It can also be used to "Deconstract" objects as well as living beings, which experience intense pain and are eventually killed; therefore, the mask is considered immoral (also because it was worn by a member of the Brotherhood of Makuta who would Deconstract her peers' Rahi, Constract them into new ones, and then bring them back to life using Viruses).

Mask of Encyclopedic Knowledge

Any knowledge the user learns while wearing the mask is stored into it and can be recalled at any time.

The Noble version can only recall information and not record it.

If one being gives their Mask of Encyclopedic Knowledge to another, it retains the knowledge that the original owner recorded onto it.

Mask of Survival

Lets the wearer survive a single lethal injury, but breaks afterwards.

Originally commissioned by a Steltian Aristocrat during an attempted class uprising, to prevent against potential assassination attempts; the mask was initially created specifically to fit onto the heads of Aristocrats, but versions shaped for use by Matoran-adjacent beings, Vortixx, and the current iteration of The Shadowed One's species are also available. Versions for other species can be custom-ordered, though the buyer has to go directly to the factory on Xia, and the price for even a single Mask of Survival is very steep.

Mask of Beyondsight

Causes the wearer to see realities beyond their own. Only one exists, in the private artifact collection of a Skakdi CEO on Xia.

Supposedly, it was created by a high-ranking crafter on Artakha (the island) who wanted to get onto Artakha (the being)'s council by creating a powerful mask, but ended up going mad after using it, and was sent to Karzahni (the island). There are many reasons why this story is obviously false (Artakha doesn't have a "council", Matoran can't use masks, and most damning of all, the back of the mask has a serial number and manufacturing markings that make it clear it was made in a factory; if it was actually used, the wearer would find it has the powers of a Noble Kaukau), but its owner still claims that it's true.

Mask of Sublimation

The wearer can instantly turn any solid into a gas.

Mask of Planning

While in use, the wearer can display any plans they have as floating white runes, representing every being, creature and object involved, along with lines that show the overall floor-plan of the parts of the plan's location that the wearer has seen, with unseen parts being filled in with what the wearer believes the rest of the area looks like.

The Noble version leaves out any areas the wearer hasn't seen, and makes the runes into generic circles that the wearer has to actively assign to someone while describing the plan.

Commonly used by the heads of sports teams, as well as corporate managers in regions like Xia.

Mask of Terror

The wearer is perceived as a more terrifying, eldritch version of themself by any nearby beings. The Noble version just makes the user somewhat more menacing.

Considered immoral.

Mask of Biopowers

The wearer can pull a portion of the life-energy from a recently-deceased being and use it to temporarily gain one of their powers, but also some of their memories.

Considered immoral.

Very obviously inspired by Bioshock.

Mask of Acid

Gives the wearer the same powers as a Lehvak.

Mask of Polarity Reversal

The user can reverse the polarity of any elemental abilities in a radius; fire becomes cold, water flows up things instead of down them, and magnetism is inverted.

While it can affect a Toa of Gravity's abilities, it doesn't affect regular gravity.

The Noble version has a smaller radius.

Mask of Diving

Makes the wearer more resistant to pressure, allows them to breathe underwater, and causes them to quickly descend to the bottom of any liquid they're currently in.

Mask of Seasons

Similar to the Mask of Weather Control, but it specifically simulates different seasons.

Mask of Voice-Throwing

Allows the wearer to make their voice come out of another object or being.

The Noble version can only do it with things in the wearer's field of view.

Mask of Hunting

The wearer can create chains and nets of energy, which can be used to trap Rahi and other beings.

Considered immoral, as it was worn by a member of the Brotherhood of Makuta.

Inspired by Umarak's mask from Bionicle G2.

Mask of Chains

The wearer can summon hooked iron chains, which tear apart their opponents' bodies and souls.

Considered immoral as it was worn by a member of the Brotherhood of Makuta and is also incredibly violent.

Obvious Hellraiser reference.

Mask of Duplication

The wearer can temporarily create duplicates of themselves; these duplicates aren't sentient, being puppeted by the being that summoned them, and immediately vanish after the mask is deactivated. While the theoretical number of duplicates is infinite, most beings lack the coordination to control more than four at a time.

The Noble version can only create one duplicate at a time.

Mask of Ballistics

Allows the wearer to both predict a projectile's trajectory, and also sense where a projectile was fired from. Unlike the Sanok, it doesn't actually increase accuracy or throwing strength.

Commonly fitted with a scope.

The Noble version can only tell where a projectile came from.

The mask's powers don't work on energy projectiles, but it does work on projectiles that break or explode on impact, since they leave physical residue; the individual components have their own trajectories, which appear as a "split" at the end of a projectile's trail. It would also theoretically work with most if not all modern firearms.

Mask of Battle Rage

Makes the wearer temporarily stronger and more physically imposing, but also forces them into a blind rage.

Only activates if the wearer is angry, scared or in mortal danger.

The Noble version is half as effective as the Great version.

While it isn't considered immoral, most Toa refuse to wear it as it could potentially injure their allies.

Mask of Infiltration

Basically a combination of a Volitak, a Ruru and a Mask of Alternate Passages.

Has a unique scope design compared to other masks, which can rotate, changing the type of vision on the left side between normal and thermal, which can be used alongside the mask's standard night-vision and pathfinding abilities; most mask-makers use a special process to make the scope assembly match the secondary or tertiary colour of the wearer.

The Noble version has both scopes fixed over each eye. The (non-scope) abilities work like their respective masks' Noble versions.

Mask of Banishing

The wearer can temporarily banish any being to a pocket dimension for as long as they retain concentration. If the wearer dies, the dimension stays locked unless another being puts on or destroys the mask.

While it isn't considered immoral, it is still rarely used by not just Toa but other beings, due to it being most effective if the wearer dies.

Mask of Mechanics

Like the Mask of Biomechanics but without the "Bio".

Mask of Withering

Any living thing the wearer touches slowly decays into a cloud of dark ash until there's nothing left. The time the target takes to fully disappear is determined by many factors, including how large they are, their species, and if they're wearing any masks that increase durability or vitality.

Considered immoral for basically every reason; it kills people, it's nasty, and it was worn by a member of the Brotherhood of Makuta (who had three heads and floated above the ground).

Minecraft reference.

Mask of Music

Gives the wearer high amounts of musical talent.

Has slots that accept music cartridges, similar to how Le-Matoran flutes work; the Great version has seven, while the Noble version only has three.

Mask of Repetition

Any action the wearer performs is instantly repeated. The action happens again immediately after it has first happened.

The copied action cannot include the activation of the mask, since that would cause the wearer to get stuck in an endless loop of activating the mask to activate the mask to activate the mask etc.

Mask of Elemental Transition

A mask that, while having no immediate effect, slowly alters the wearer's element as it is worn; it also changes their main armour colour, as well as the colours of their eyes, brainstalk and organic components, though their secondary and tertiary armour colours can only be changed by having the relevant parts replaced or painted.

Unlike most masks, it doesn't require activation, and works on Matoran. However, it has no effect on elementless beings.

Depending on where in the Matoran Universe you are, Masks of Elemental Transition can vary in how easy they are to get; in Metru Nui they're fairly easy to obtain, whereas on Xia you have to wait several decades before you can be approved to obtain one.

Mask of Object Conjuring

The wearer can create a solid projection of any object they can imagine, with some limitations: while an object can be used to channel elemental energy, it cannot create any form of energy or projectile, and it has to be a single object, meaning that it is impossible to make mechanisms. Only one object can exist at a time, and any existing ones immediately disappear

The Noble version's projections fade and become less tangible after a while, whereas the Great versions' are permanent as long as the wearer is alive.

Masks of the Great Beings

Several masks resembling the faces of multiple unknown beings, believed to be the legendary Great Beings. The Matoran who made the masks was found dead at the bottom of a disused protodermis-forging furnace, with several strange markings carved into his armour. The masks don't seem to do anything when worn.

Mask of Tactical Analysis

Allows the wearer to instantly generate a series of potential tactical strategies in case they are attacked, based on what they can observe in their current environment (e.g using those carving tools over there as improvised weapons, but making sure to wait for a few seconds because that Matoran behind the counter might reach for the lever next to itself and activate a machine that launches a spear, or worse, turn itself into a Toa and shoot fire or rocks or whatever); however, the wearer's assumptions about nearby beings or objects can also factor into this (e.g the lever is actually for a lift that allows access to the workshop's second floor, and also Matoran don't work that way, plus they're actually a Ko-Matoran), and potentially lead to strategies that take things into account which aren't actually present or true, or ignore things that are.

Often used by non-Toa species, as A. they don't have a weapon to hand at all times and B. they lack any elemental powers. However, at least one Toa who has cast aside their Tool is known to wear a Mask of Tactical Analysis.

Due to the imprecise predictions in regards to complex mechanisms, and how it uses its wearer's assumptions about potential threats, it is sometimes derisively known as the "Mask of Paranoia", which is also the name of an unrelated mask.

Inspired by xkcd #337 and also that one scene from Expiration Date.

Mask of Paranoia

Allows the wearer to inflict intense paranoia on a single target.

Considered immoral due to its psychologically-damaging effects, and also because it was worn by a member of the Brotherhood of Makuta.

Mask of Evocation

A mask commissioned by a mysterious Toa, who is said to have had strangely-coloured armour, long black robes, and was wearing what appeared to be a Noble Huna. This Toa was actually a member of the Brotherhood of Makuta who specialised in creating mimics.

The wearer can summon large biomechanical "fangs" from the ground, tipped with jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth. They can also conjure small flying creatures armed with swords.

Another Minecraft reference.

Mask of Evolution

Warning: the following description contains vague descriptions of body-horror.

Metru Nui Archives data log 12841: The Mask of Evolution is a Kanohi retrieved from a ██-Matoran village south of ██████ and delivered to the Archives shortly afterwards, for studying and preservation. Toa Mangai ██████ offered to test the mask; upon putting it on, he immediately morphed his right arm into a larger, stronger form, which seemed to contain more organic material than Class 04 Toa are meant to. Shortly after doing this, ██████ tried to morph it back, but rather than reverting, the arm became more and more mutated and organic. As ██████ kept trying to restore his arm to its original state, the rest of his body began to mutate; Archivists ██████ and █████ claim to have heard ██████ calling for his teammates, though I personally couldn't discern any words from his screams. Archivist ██████ chose to euthanise the creature that was once ██████, the corpse of which was then taken away for dissection; it was found that the mask had somehow rapidly and irreversibly evolved ██████'s organic components, which were constrained and damaged by his armour and mechanisms. All three of us have unanimously agreed to have the Mask of Evolution transferred to the secure containment sector, while ██████'s body will be kept in the "mutations and aberrations" exhibition on Level 4.

Bionicle mask ideas I came up with while on holiday (except the first one which I came up with beforehand but fleshed out while I was there)

Mask of Recording

Lets the user record whatever they are currently observing, which then gets stored in the mask and can be played back in the form of a projection.

If a being that can use masks puts on a Mask of Projection that has recordings currently stored on it, they can access those recordings.

The Great version can store up to five recordings, and any audiovisual modifications (e.g a Toa of Earth's natural night-vision; a Toa of Sonics' enhanced hearing; hallucinations/visions) are applied to the recording.

The Noble version can store a single recording, which is low-quality, has high amounts of rolling shutter, and lacks any audiovisual modifications.

Mask of Vision

An attempt at making the Vision Mask from VNOG work outside that game's mechanics.

Increases the resolution of the user's vision, letting them see distant objects more clearly.

The Noble version has half the effect of the Great version.

Mask of Chemistry

Lets the user combine substances to create new ones.

Has a built-in visor that can flip down to protect the user's eyes.

The Great version lets the user view every possible combination of any substances, whereas the Noble version only shows the outcome of the current ratio of whichever substances the user has access to.

Mask of Alternate Pathways

Highlights shortcuts, hidden passages etc. in the user's field of view.

Mask of Returning

Causes thrown objects to return to the user.

The Great version makes the objects automatically target whichever of the user's hands are currently free, whereas the Noble version just targets the user as a whole.

Mask of Excavation

Allows the wearer to pull up any underground object, provided it weighs less than twice what they could carry with their hands.

The Noble version only works with things that the wearer could carry normally.

Mask of Acceleration

If the user is piloting a vehicle, they can make it reach its top speed much faster.

The Noble version takes longer but otherwise does the same thing.

Mask of Distraction

The user can create small, noisy bursts of coloured light on surfaces, designed to distract other beings.

The Noble version can only create the visual or audio component, but not both.

Mask of Hallucination

The user can forcibly alter a target's audiovisual perception of reality, based around a"keyword" that the user thinks of when as activate it, along with the feelings that the target associates with that keyword (e.g if the mask was used on a Matoran with the keyword "Karzahni", they would see the world as resembling Karzahni (the island), their friends as post-modification Karzahnite Matoran, and their Turaga as somewhat resembling Karzahni (the being); inversely, if the keyword was "Artakha", they'd see the world as resembling Artakha (the island), their friends as ornately-armoured Artakhan workers, and their Turaga as somewhat resembling Artakha (the being).

Despite the intensity of the hallucinations, they can't physically affect the target, and the feel of an object wouldn't match up with how the target perceives it.

Considered immoral.

Mask of Many Souls

Stores the minds of other beings, who can then take control of the wearer's body if the wearer is willing to let them.

The Great version can store 48, while the Noble version can only store 12.

Mask of Hacking

Allows the user to hack into machinery and fully-inorganic beings by projecting their mind into the target's code-matrix, allowing them to physically interact with the code.

Lacks eyeholes, with the wearer's eyes being covered by a boxy "visor" that prevents them from being distracted while hacking (as they can still see).

The Great and Noble versions differ only in the amount of time that the hacking process lasts, with the Great version allowing the user to access the code for over an hour while the Noble version lasts about half of that.

Mask of Perspective

Lets the user adjust their field of view. That's it that's all it does.

[mark-tencaten]

A Shocking Collapse of a $30 Billion Cryptocurrency Exchange has Left many Crypto Investors Worried.

The Bahamas-based cryptocurrency exchange, which debuted in 2019, rose quickly to prominence and reached a valuation of more than US 30 billion dollars earlier in the year. FTX was formerly one of the biggest cryptocurrency trading platforms in the world.

In the last two weeks, everything has changed. First, there were worries raised regarding connections between FTX and the asset-trading company Alameda Research, including claims that client funds had been moved from FTX to Alameda. Mark Tencaten said that a few days later, the largest cryptocurrency exchange and competing company Binance stated they would sell their ownership of FTT coins, which are said to make up the majority of Alameda's assets.

Customers who were in a panic raced to withdraw money from FTX, and now the business is in danger of failing. A popup notification on its website states that it is "temporarily unable to process withdrawals."

According to Mark Tencaten, this isn't the first such quick collapse we have witnessed in this highly decentralized world of cryptocurrencies, and it's not likely to be the last either.

No rescues can be seen.

Earlier this year, Sam Bankman-Fried, the largest stakeholder of both FTX and Alameda, managed to save other struggling crypto businesses. He is currently in desperate need of an investor with $8 billion to salvage his businesses. Numerous companies have also taken off the capital of their FTX shares. Therefore, finding investors prepared to contribute new funding will not be simple for Bankman-Fried.

Binance considered outright acquiring the struggling business. It made this decision in light of the US Securities and Exchange Commission's investigation and issues regarding misconduct claims.

Currently, the FTT price has dropped. It was listed at US 24 dollars a week ago. It is currently below US 4 dollars.

Precautionary advice by Mark Tencaten

Trading on poorly regulated exchanges with "assets" that have no underlying intrinsic value has always been an extremely dangerous endeavor. It's going to be a traumatic experience for a lot of people. There are also other types of assets. Company shares have an intrinsic worth depending on the dividends (or at least an anticipated future payout) paid from the firm's profits. The fundamental worth of the real estate is determined by the rent an investor receives.

A bond's value is influenced by the interest rate it offers. Even gold has certain useful use in jewelry, dental fillings, and electronics. The so-called "cryptocurrencies" Dogecoin, Ether, and thousands of other "alt-coins" and "meme-coins" do not, however, have such a fundamental value. Investors attempt to sell it to a different buyer before the price plummets in this game of passing the parcel. The equivalent of a "bank failure" in the form of the Great Depression is possible with unregulated financial firms. Each participant has the incentive to be first in line to take their investment before the resources run out once questions about their soundness start to surface.

In a recent conversation, Bankman-Fried described his business strategy, which appears to place more emphasis on capital from fresh investors than on potential profits based on the inherent value of the assets.

Effect on Cryptocurrency

These incidents have further damaged credibility in the cryptocurrency environment. The "worth" of cryptocurrencies had already decreased from a height of more than US 3 trillion dollars to US 1 trillion dollars before this most recent disaster. It has since descended considerably further.

It's likely that just a small number of uses of the blockchain technology that powers cryptocurrencies have enduring utility, much like how a select few stars like Amazon emerged from the rubble of the dot-com sphere.

The concept of an electronic version of money is also becoming a reality due to central banks' digital currencies. But according to Bank of International Settlements chief economist Hyun Song Shin, anything that can be performed with cryptocurrency can indeed be done in a much better way with central bank currency.

[rickylegros1]

Why web friendliness is the most important factor for SEO?

Now a day your website can be the most important client generator your business can have and must place the primary emphasis on bringing in new clients and convert them into regular buyers. Applying a robust design for your new or existing business website will reflect as a mystical process of transformation, creation, and combination. Professional themes and templates abound for nearly every business objective and creative endeavor, as it also affects the SEO and rankings.

So website design in Singapore is utmost advanced and it will be effective to represent your website the way you desired. Here, they’ll cover the base elements that, applied in the perfect manner and style to turn your online business and design dreams into gold. Also, the basic or minimal details need to be rectified, so that the visitor can find the information they are looking for.

What is web friendliness?

If your website is informative, beautiful, and easy to use, then also it is useless unless it's web-friendly. As it is important to make your website work on all the major browsers, and that utilize meta-tags, alt tags, are fully versed in SEO, also many such factors affect your search engine placement and visual appearance of your site, and so make sure your web designers implement these points while designing your website.

What are the important factors for web friendliness?

Web design is the process of developing a website that includes web page layout, content production, and graphic design. The important factor for web design is to aesthetically arranging the contents and images, guided by the popular search engines. So, unlocking a robust design for your new or existing website can seem like a magical process of transformation, creation, and combination.

Responsive: Your website should be responsive to different kinds of gadgets, such as; mobile phones, tabs, etc. Here Google mobile site tester is a very effective tool for checking whether your website is responsive or not. If your website is not responsive or cannot be used via mobile phone, then you should contact your web designer to develop a website version which is mobile compatible.

Navigation: Navigational elements, which can exist in a site’s header, body, and footer that simply serve to direct your visitors to the information they desire as quickly as possible. So the website design should be easy to navigate and the menu items should easily accessible from any page. Also, the visitors always should easily find the page that they are searching for. Also, a site map is a great idea and will be used if available, strong navigation extends beyond the main menu in your header.

On-page content: The contents on the website should always be relevant and useful, so as not to confuse the reader and to give them what they want so they will remain on the site. Here content and design can work together to enhance the message of the site through visuals and text. Also, your site visitors and potential customers want information quickly, so the content needs to be more specific about the potential questions may arise regarding your product or service.

Space and layout: This is the way the graphics, ads, and text are arranged. Purposely designing your website with white space makes for a clean design that is easily digestible and organized.  White space is a term used for the amount of "empty" space that acts as a buffer between all the elements on your page, including copy, sidebar, margins, etc. This includes maintaining the balance, consistency, and integrity of the design. Also by applying a minimalist style, keeping space open on your page will allow your reader to navigate their way around the page with more ease.

The bottom line:

Whether you are operating a new business venture or an existing business in Singapore, you need to create a beautifully designed website for your business. And if you are planning to create a business website then you will need the service of a website design company in Singapore to develop a professional website for your company. As now a day due to the rapid growth of various digital platforms maximum business owners are trending to expose their product or service details via company’s website and these website presents the first impression a potential customer gets they are interested in making a purchase online to extend the business and maximize the profit.

[twenty6magazine]

MFW AW17 - Day 4

Missoni

As of late, it has become clear fashion is making a statement. It seems a prevalent and recurring statement to make is regarding today’s political climate. As they are showcasing their women’s wear lines, the theme of unity and power to all women has become a popular choice to focus designs on.

Angela Missoni had her say during Milan Fashion Week by leaving pink knitted hats - a luxe version of the home spun 'pussy power' beanies worn at January's women's march - on every seat. The same hat was worn by every model during the finale, including Missoni herself taking to the catwalk in a public display of unity for all human rights.

The collection itself was full of gratifying silhouettes, with influences drawn from the forties. Tempting puff sleeved, ruched or smock fronted tea dresses in ice blue and dusky rose were a contrast against the emphasised padded shoulders, dashes of Lamé, and use of a sheer seen in other dresses.

At the other end of the spectrum, daywear took ‘geek chic’ to new levels of panache. Plush-stitched cashmere zip-up jackets provided a sensory overload with their tactility and wide horizontal stripes, while fuzzy mohair jumpers were flecked with oxidized silver starry snowflakes in a pattern from Japanese Kasuri textiles.

 Antonio Marrus

Again, Antonio Marrus was a designer who used his runway to champion the strength of women. It is not out of character for Marrus to design his runway shows to be quite the spectacle. They are always creative and always tell a story. The show debuting his menswear range last month was very Alice in Wonderland-esque and featured models, actors, artists, and skilt-artists. This season, his show was a celebration of all things feminine, featuring dancers, models, and even dogs. Despite this, the star of the show was undoubtedly Italian model Benedetta Barzini, 73, who was a radical feminist in her youth.

Dresses were long-sleeved with a discreet side-bow, cashmere jumpers in soft pink featured roses, while oversized jackets in embroidered gold were cinched in at the waist with wide leather belts. Sheer, lace, and floral patterns were consistent throughout the collection, as well as checks and stripes in an autumnal colour palette. A wide ranging colour scheme of blue was also prominent, and seen by means of colour blocking on a number of dresses, jackets, and skirts.

 Bottega Veneta

Bottega Venetta’s AW17 show was the first time they combined their men and women’s lines together. The purpose of doing so was to give buyers and customers a more complete idea of their designs. The idea we got, was a collection was full of rigorous yet elegant shapes with very long shoulder lines, exaggerated by goat hair fur, velvet detailing, embroidery, and studs. Fitted waists and round hips were also noted which recalled the glamour of the 1940’s.

Eva Herzigova opened the show wearing a black ribbed turtleneck sweater with wide shoulders over riding trousers, in tall wedged boots. Following looks long coats, cashmere jackets, capes, masculine double breasted suits, wide knee-length trousers and woollen skirts. Colors included bright ochre and tangerine for the day and ice blue and desert rose for the evening.

The collection turned up the appeal when it came to showcasing the evening wear. Typical tuxedos for men, and heavily adorned long dresses for women radiated Hollywood glamour.

TWENTY6X

Words by: Alice Lamaison

[buybictoincointreeaustralia]

Cointree Crypto Market Update - August 19th 2020

Market update for traders

Jump to the beginner's version

In the week that was, Bitcoin attempted one last push at $17,000 AUD, but it proved a bridge too far, dropping over 6% in the last 48 hours to sit at $15,966 at the time of writing.

The channel we have been following since July finally broke to the downside and price action pierced the 50EMA on the 4hr. Bitcoin’s heavy correlation to gold seems to have had a major effect here, as gold fell over 8% overnight on news that Russia has trialled a vaccine for COVID-19 and bitcoin fell in similar manner, but overall is holding up better.

Bitcoin is known for its pullbacks in an uptrending market, and on higher time frames, this price action is printing another higher-low. In the grand scheme, this is likely just another dip before the next leg up until confirmation otherwise. For now, previously strong resistance at $16,000 (purple line) is acting as support on the downside, if it fails, bears may look to move price down to the 200 EMA in the low $14,000’s. So far though, buyers have stepped in here and Bulls will look to reclaim the channel indicated in the charts and push again for $17,000 otherwise we can expect sideways chop into next week.

In another big week, some major Alt-coins made major moves...Chainlink, again, was the big gainer, up 38%, while Tezos was up 23%, and Iota up 19%.

Read our full market update here.

Market update for beginners

In the week that was, Bitcoin took out the key level of $17,000 AUD and reached as high as $17,400. In the last 24 hours Bitcoin has fallen nearly 5%, and back into the mid $16,000’s after a small rally.

The uptrending channel we’ve been watching has sensationally held a last minute Bitcoin dump from $17,400. Key moving averages have provided additional support to the cryptocurrency as it looked to wipe out it’s most recent surge.

Key Takeaway: As we so often note, Bitcoin is a volatile asset and pullbacks in bullish market environments are to be expected. The big positive here is that this 5% drop was quickly bought up and the market is still trending upwards.

Buyers will look to enter here for a fresh move up. If the price can hold above $17,400, then we can expect a test of $18,000. Sellers again saw a false dawn overnight, failing to press price down more than 5% and fighting buyers all the way back up to previous support. For lower prices look for $16,500 to break with conviction.

In another big week, some major Alt-coins made major moves...Tron was the big winner, up 45%, while Chainlink was up 26%, and Litecoin up 22% over 7-days.

Read our full market update here.

source https://www.cointree.com/blog/cointree-crypto-market-update-05-19

[watchilove]

Frederique Constant unveiled at the beginning of this autumn its first Yacht Timer GMT collection. As Official Timekeeper of the Cannes Yachting Festival, the brand announced the comeback of the Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown. Check below the official press release and the images gallery.

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer GMT

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer GMT

One of the most legendary complications in watchmaking is making a comeback in the sporty-chic collection by Frederique Constant. The manufacture is unveiling the Yacht Timer GMT today, a new model with two versions that are unmistakably nautical in nature.

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer GMT

The GMT gets a new lease on life

The GMT function can display a second-time zone. It’s a crucial feature for any world traveller. The GMT had previously only been offered in the Classics collection, designed for professionals on the go who wanted to see the local time and the time at home base when changing planes or continents.

Today, the GMT joins the Yacht Timer collection. By adding two new models to this sleek nautical line, Frederique Constant enters the world of long-distance yachtsmen, lovers of sailing and the beach, or anyone attracted to nautical design.

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer GMT

Simple and intuitive

Both timepieces feature the same tasteful sporty-chic style with a modern 42mm diameter, clean lines and rose gold finish. The GMT on the functional and highly legible Yacht Timer is displayed on a central hand. The time at the home base can be instantly read on the inner ring marked with a 24-hour clock. This intuitive GMT has a red tip so it can easily be distinguished from the other hands. There is no need for a day-night indicator since the dark half of the GMT’s ring marks night from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM and the light side indicates day for the other 12 hours. There is a window at 3 o’clock showing the date paired with the local time on the central hands.

Two variations of one complication

There are already two models to choose from. One features a rose gold-plated case, indexes and hands on a white grained dial. All the hands are coated with Super-LumiNova to ensure they are clearly visible, even at night. The FC-350 movement provides a 38-hour power reserve. The Yacht Timer GMT is no match for saltwater spray and is waterproof to 100 meters. This version comes with a brown alligator strap.

The strap on the other variation is in bicolour steel and rose gold-plated steel. It has the same glowing hands, also finished in rose gold, that hover over a dial with a grained anthracite background. Both models also come with an extra rubber strap to make the Yacht Timer GMT watches equally suitable for the most extreme physical activities.

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer GMT

Heirs to a manufacture legacy

With the Yacht Timer GMT, Frederique Constant has topped up its Classics line with a sleek nautical collection that ensures continuity for the manufacture’s cherished Swiss Made elegance. What is more, the watchmaker had offered up its own version of the GMT, a prestigious complication for which in 2011 it created an in-house version: the seventh manufacture calibre called the FC-938. The Yacht Timer GMT carries on this pursuit and marks another milestone in this modern-day complication’s history — a call to the open sea, and an urge to travel and seek new horizons.

  Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown

This 1997 timepiece has a feature that counts down the time before a regatta begins. Frederique Constant is bringing back this rare nautical complication for avid sailing enthusiasts.

The family-owned company was barely in business for a decade when it introduced its first regatta watch, which was part of its Yacht Master collection. The striking signature timepiece was a tribute to the love for sailing felt by Peter Stas, co-founder of Frederique Constant.

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown

An icon returns

Twenty-two years later in 2019, the Regatta makes its celebrated comeback. This one is part of the collection renamed Yacht Timer. The name could not be more fitting since the Regatta has a built-in timer that counts down the critical 10 minutes before the sailing vessels set off for the race.

Regatta racers can use the countdown to find the best position for dashing out front based on the wind and the other vessels — and without ever having to go over the imaginary starting line. This is a tactical and crucial maneuver demanding a precision instrument that can be read at a glance since they have to keep raising and lowering the sails to hold the position as close to this line as possible.

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown

Right in the race

Frederique Constant has not designed a “nautically-inspired” timepiece, but rather a genuine regatta watch that is operational in race conditions. The perfectly readable original display from 1997 was left unchanged. It features five dots at the top of the dial. Each dot represents one minute. The top button activates the first countdown that slowly turns all the points from white to blue, the contrasting color of the dial. Five minutes has passed when all five points are coloured.

Then the second countdown starts to mark the last five minutes before the race begins. This time all five points gradually turn orange. When the final and fifth point is orange and the second hand strikes noon, the regatta is on!

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown

Flawlessly engineered finishes

Everything on the Yacht Timer Regatta is designed for legibility. Since the only complication on the timepiece that should be the center of attention is the countdown timer, the engraved dial captures every reflection of light. The indexes are faceted to constantly display a shiny polished side that can be seen regardless of the sun’s angle. The hands and indexes are filled with luminescent material for overcast days.

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown

Shifting winds                                                                                                                             

The sails of this latest collection have already been filled with four models. Two are finished in rose gold with a navy blue or silver-plated dial on an alligator strap. The third one features a blend of steel and rose gold on a two-tone strap. The fourth model in the collection has a sleekly modern grey colour scheme with a steel case and silver-plated dial on a black alligator strap. Frederique Constant also includes a more rugged black rubber strap with all the models that can weather the ocean spray.

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown

  Frederique Constant Official Timekeeper of the Cannes Yachting Festival

The Swiss watchmaker Frederique Constant announces a strategic partnership with the prestigious Cannes Yachting Festival, located in one of the most renowned and luxurious surroundings in the bay of Cannes.

Cannes Yachting Festival

Founded in 1977, the Yachting Festival takes place every September bringing together all sailing boats, monohulls and multihulls in a single dedicated and fitted port.

In 2019, with more than 100 sailing boats in Port Canto, the Yachting Festival will be the world’s largest in-water exhibition of large sailing boats, offering the best experience for sailing enthusiasts and buyers.

This union between Frederique Constant and the nautical world stands for excellence and performance, sharing an emblematic vision of the yachting lifestyle.

Cannes Yachting Festival

On this occasion, Frederique constant is proud to launch the Yacht Timer collection with two new models: the Regatta Countdown and the Yacht Timer GMT models for competitive sailing and other nautical activities lovers, during the event press and customers were able to test the watches live on an exclusive sailing boat on September 12th .

Cannes Yachting Festival

As the first show in the boating season, the Yachting Festival is Europe’s leading in-water boating event. The major players in pleasure yachting come here to launch the show season by showcasing their new worldwide models.

Cannes Yachting Festival

  Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Technical Specifications

Yacht Timer GMT Reference FC-350GT4H2B

Watch price: 1’995 CHF / 1’995 EUR

Yacht Timer GMT Reference FC-350GT4H2B

Case

Bicolor rose gold-plated polished stainless steel 3-parts case

42mm diameter

Convex sapphire crystal

See-through case back

Water-resistant up to 10 ATM

Movement

FC-350, Automatic GMT with date (in-house GMT module)

38-hour power reserve, 26 jewels, 28’800 alt/h

Dial                             

Grey dial with guilloché decoration and applied rose gold-plated luminous indexes

Date display at 3 o’clock

Hand polished rose gold-plated hour, minute, second hands with luminous treatment and black oxy GMT hand with red tip and white luminous treatment

Bracelet

Bicolor rose gold-plated stainless steel bracelet

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT 24H

  Yacht Timer GMT Reference FC-350VT4H4

Watch price: 2’095 CHF / 2’095 EUR

Yacht Timer GMT Reference FC-350VT4H4

Case

Rose gold-plated polished stainless steel 3-parts case

42 mm diameter

Convex sapphire crystal

See-through case back

Water-resistant up to 10 ATM

Movement                   

FC-350, Automatic GMT with date (in-house GMT module)

38-hour power reserve, 26 jewels, 28’800 alt/h

Dial                             

Silver colour dial with guilloché decoration and applied rose gold-plated luminous indexes

Date display at 3 o’clock

Hand polished rose gold-plated hour & minute hands with luminous treatment, pearl black second hand and black oxy GMT hand with red tip and white luminous treatment

Bracelet

Dark brown alligator leather strap

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT 24H

  Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Reference FC-380VT4H2B

Watch price: 3’195 CHF / 3’495 EUR

Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Reference FC-380VT4H2B

Case

Bicolor rose gold-plated polished stainless steel 3-parts case

42mm diameter

Glass box sapphire crystal

See-through case back

Water-resistant up to 10 ATM

Movement                   

FC-380, Automatic with countdown function

48-hour power reserve, 25 jewels, 28’800 alt/h

Dial                             

Silver color dial with guilloché decoration and applied rose gold-plated luminous indexes

Hand polished rose gold-plated hour, minute, orange second hands

Bracelet

Bicolor rose gold-plated stainless steel bracelet, including an extra rubber strap

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, countdown

  Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Reference FC-380VT4H4

Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Reference FC-380VT4H4

Watch price: 3’195 CHF / 3’595 EUR

Case

Rose gold-plated polished stainless steel 3-parts case

42mm diameter

Convex sapphire crystal

See-through case back

Water-resistant up to 10 ATM

Movement                   

FC-380, Automatic with countdown function

48-hour power reserve, 25 jewels, 28’800 alt/h

Dial                             

Silver color dial with guilloché decoration and applied rose gold-plated luminous indexes

Hand polished rose gold-plated hour, minute, orange second hands

Bracelet

Dark brown alligator leather bracelet, including an extra rubber strap

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, countdown

  Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Reference FC-380NT4H4

Watch price: 3’195 CHF / 3’595 EUR

Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Reference FC-380NT4H4

Case

Rose gold-plated polished stainless steel 3-parts case

42mm diameter

Convex sapphire crystal

See-through case back

Water-resistant up to 10 ATM

Movement

FC-380, Automatic with countdown function

48-hour power reserve, 25 jewels, 28’800 alt/h

Dial

Navy blue dial with guilloché decoration and applied rose gold-plated luminous indexes

Hand polished rose gold-plated hour, minute, orange second hands

Bracelet

Navy blue alligator leather bracelet, including an extra rubber strap

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, countdown

  Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Reference FC-380ST4H6

Watch price: 2’895 CHF / 3’295 EUR

Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Reference FC-380ST4H6

Case

Polished stainless steel 3-parts case

42mm diameter

Convex sapphire crystal

See-through case back

Water-resistant up to 10 ATM

Movement

FC-380, Automatic with countdown function

48-hour power reserve, 25 jewels, 28’800 alt/h

Dial

Silver dial with guilloché decoration and applied silver luminous indexes

Hand polished silver hour, minute, orange second hands

Bracelet

Black alligator leather bracelet, including an extra rubber strap

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds, countdown

  Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Gallery

Frederique Constant Yacht Timer GMT

Frederique Constant unveils its first Yacht Timer GMT collection and the great comeback of the Yacht Timer Regatta Countdown Frederique Constant unveiled at the beginning of this autumn its first Yacht Timer GMT collection. As Official Timekeeper of the Cannes Yachting Festival, the brand announced the comeback of the…

[dippedanddripped]

Earlier this summer, Simon Porte Jacquemus brought his tenth-anniversary fashion show to the middle of a lavender field in Provence. He cheekily titled the collection “Le Coup de Soleil,” or “The Sunburn,” and sent out bottles of branded sunscreen in the invitation. A 1,600-foot-long bright-fuchsia runway was cut through rows of flowers, streaking across the groomed hillside like a neon highlighter. If you search #provence on Instagram, you will find 3.4 million photos of basically the same field, but without the hyperreal pink, which was inspired by both an iPad painting by David Hockney and the work of artists Christo and Jeanne Claude. The effect was FOMO-gasmic on social media — an enchanted image of France by an adorable young French designer who embodies the beguiling ideal of a carefree and well-tanned garçon.

Summer is at the heart of Jacquemus, the designer and his brand. As a child, he was nicknamed Mr. Sun, and this anniversary show was timed to what is still called “cruise” season. And it was you’d-better-not-be-wearing-much hot: On the day of the show, it was over 90 degrees without a cloud in the sky. Models were falling. Cell service was scarce. Same for bottled water, briefly. Celebrities like Emily Ratajkowski, editors like Emmanuelle Alt of French Vogue, and the designer’s entire extended family were all given more sunscreen and parasols upon arrival. Actually, wait a minute … Where is la grand-mère de Jacquemus? Someone forgot to pick her up. The show started about an hour late, just as the sun began to fade.

“It was really like Fyre Festival,” Jacquemus told me afterward with a laugh. “But only for, like, ten minutes.” His skin was the color of a baguette, and his shirt unbuttoned to reveal a bountiful patch of chest hair. “Everyone was like, ‘Ahhh!’ But me, I was like —” He theatrically inhaled and exhaled. “I went for a walk in the lavender.” Later that night, pizza and bottomless rosé were served, and he danced under the stars with his boyfriend, Marco Maestri, who looks rather a lot like him and is the brother of the French rugby player Yoann Maestri, half-naked star of the recent Jacquemus menswear campaign.

Better to not think too much about how this glorious heat wave was also evidence of climate change. “Sun in your face, sun in your face, sun in your face,” the designer told me, clapping his hands like a windup toy for emphasis. “I’ve been like this since the beginning. I’m not doing, like, an end-of-the-world show.”

Jacquemus, 29, was raised in the village of Mallemort — population around 6,000 — not far from here. He likes to say that his barefoot country upbringing instilled in him a sense of “naïveté.” He uses that word a lot. Even his Instagram bio — he has 1.4 million followers and was a Tumblr native before that — reads like it was written by a 10-year-old: “My name is Simon Porte Jacquemus, I love blue and white, stripes, sun, fruit, life, poetry, Marseille, and the ’80s.”

Critics sometimes roll their eyes: He’s been called both “pretentious” and a “bumpkin,” strong on pithy branding but short on craft. The Financial Times recently mulled whether Jacquemus should be better thought of as a designer or an influencer and decided maybe he’s … both, and that’s very right-now of him. Certainly, he’s a person who makes fashion for influencers, including Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber, formerly Hailey Baldwin. (A recent campaign was done in collaboration with the Instagram-famous artist of louche, yet somehow innocent, self-­display Chloe Wise.) However much it is part of his authentic self, or just the discipline of a young man raised on the mantra of having a “personal brand,” his social-media optimism is what sets him and his clothing apart. He doesn’t take things too seriously, or seem to suffer for his art. Even in person, he’ll tell you how he’s “realizing his dreams.” How he’s “very in love.” And how his “only goal,” in work and in life, is “being ’app-ee.”

His parents were farmers — his mother specializing in carrots, his father spinach. But Jacquemus was clearly too charming, too ambitious, and too cute for the non-hashtag version of life on the farm. (He was cast in a Carambar’s-candy campaign as a kid, and Karl Lagerfeld once called him “rather pretty” on the subject of his work.) Instead, Jacquemus dreamed of glamour, obsessing over French cinema and studying copies of Italian Vogue. At the age of 8, he wrote a letter to Jean Paul Gaultier asking to be his stylist, arguing that it would make for good press. On weekends, Jacquemus sold vegetables on the side of the road. He learned to spot tourists from Paris, who were his frequent customers. It’s a lesson he’s held onto.

Soon he made his way to the city to attend the École Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode, at 18, in 2008. He quickly learned that the Parisian woman didn’t seem to enjoy herself much. “I was like, Okay, not at all,” Jacquemus remembers, scrunching his nose. “Not. At. All. They don’t have the smile. I have no interest in people who don’t have a smile.” Maybe his mission has been to change that.

A Jacquemus micro-bag. Photo: Moda Operandi/Courtesy of Jacquemus

Three days before the Jacquemus anniversary show in Provence, a gaggle of casually dressed employees could be found laughing and smoking cigarettes outside his new studio on Rue de Monceau in Paris. He moved to the new location from Canal Saint-Martin a few weeks earlier in June — coincidentally on his late mother’s birthday, which he only realized the morning of.

The door to the Jacquemus operation is a classic French blue but more teal than others on the block. I entered to find a lemon tree thriving inside the large white atrium. The secretary also had one on his desk and fondled it like a stress ball. Jacquemus was upstairs in the middle of a model fitting and excused himself to hit play on a pop-lullaby soundtrack via his iPhone. Sunlight poured in through large windows, bouncing off his gold jewelry as he gestured with his large, thick fingers. Did I mention he has blue eyes?

“I didn’t choose this location; I had a crush on the location,” he tells me with a grin. “I visited, and I saw all the little balconies and the garden, and I was like: This is not Paris.” When I ask him if the grand staircase and high ceilings give his operation gravitas, he scoffs. “No! Lightness!”

Over the past few years, Jacquemus has doubled his staff from 30 to 60. Almost everyone, he says, has remained since the beginning, including his ex-roommate, Fabien Joubert, who now serves as the brand’s commercial director. Sales have doubled every year since 2017 as well and are supposedlyon track to hit $20 million by the end of 2019.

Things are going so well that rumors of Jacquemus being acquired by a larger conglomerate, like Puig or LVMH, circulate every so often, along with theories of a secret backer. But when I ask about them, he maintains he’s still independent and is “not looking” for any investors, or for that matter looking to helm a bigger label (there was also a rumor he was being considered for Celine). It’s possible no one is knocking on his door, or he’s been passed up for other, more experienced names. But Jacquemus seems focused on keeping it in the family. “If you want to do everything sincerely, how can you leave your own building?” he asks. “It’s not about more, more, more. My generation is going to take care of themselves.” When things get stressful, he does karaoke: “Any song by Céline Dion,” he tells me.

Which isn’t to say he doesn’t let his brand slip sometimes: He admits that “there’s always something melancholic about my work.” But he wouldn’t go into it.

Because Jacquemus refuses outside help, the company is still a relatively scrappy operation — one that used to fulfill orders to its 300-something global retailers “quite late within the delivery window, which commercially is not ideal,” a forgiving Moda Operandi buyer told me. Runway producer Alexandre de Betak explained that they kept the budget for his anniversary show “exceptionally small.” His team spent the weekend before clearing the wheat and lavender fields themselves, and there was “absolutely no plan B” to account for bad weather.

“If the creativity of the way we show is good enough, then it’s fine that we’re far away, at the wrong time, with a very small audience, because it will go viral,” de Betak added. “I think that’s what happened with the show in Provence.”

“There’s an expression in France, saying that you put the donkey before … Uh, no, you put the donkey after … Do you know this?” Jacquemus asks.

The cart before the horse?

Something like that. “I always think that way,” he continues. “For me, it was the ten-year anniversary, so it was important to say loudly: I have a big house, and it’s Jacquemus. It’s not anything else, and I own it. I’m here.”

The spring 2020 ready-to-wear-collection show in a lavender field in the south of France. Photo: Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images

One month into his first semester at fashion school, Jacquemus’s mother, Valérie, died in a car accident. He dropped out shortly thereafter and started his own line. Jacquemus was her maiden name. “I didn’t want to waste time,” he said later of the choice. “I wasn’t learning anything there anyway.”

Jacquemus paid a curtain-maker €100 to sew his first piece, staging a fake “protest” outside Dior on Avenue Montaigne during Paris Fashion Week for his debut show. He always had an instinct for a media stunt. “French people love striking,” he told the press. “Strike uniforms are so sexy!”

By 2012, he’d worked his way onto the official Paris Fashion Week calendar, one of the youngest designers ever to do so. His breakout show took place in a swimming pool. Critics were charmed by the “innocent,” “playful,” almost panderingly French aesthetic of his early collections. Phrases like J’AIME LA VIE were printed over pictures of sailboats. “I remember him telling me: ‘I’m a daytime designer,’ ” recalled Clara Cornet, who is now a creative director at Galeries Lafayette (where he recently opened his own lemon-themed café, Citron). “There are nighttime designers, and I am daytime.”

To fund his collections, which were minimal simply because that’s what the budget allowed, Jacquemus got a job working as a sales assistant at the Comme des Garçons store on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Adrian Joffe, Rei Kawakubo’s partner in business and life, became a supporter, stocking the brand at Dover Street Market after only a few seasons. “He charmed me,” Joffe said in an email. “I was so impressed with his vision and his conviction.”

Working at Comme allowed Jacquemus to support himself. He also calls the experience his “real school.” To start, he learned who Kawakubo was. (Thanks, Google.) He also internalized what he calls the “Rei Kawakubo spirit,” which is “following something forever, like a line.” In other words, sticking to your guns, even if those guns spew rainbows. He also discovered that affordable products, like Comme des Garçons: Play T-shirts and wallets, can fund more “arty” endeavors. One of Jacquemus’s first hits, for example, was a simple red, white, and blue T-shirt from the fall 2014 collection. He also tried his hand at more intellectual projects, dressing women up like paper dolls, as Kawakubo did in 2012, but the results were less avant-garde and more arts-and-crafts.

Despite his connection to Joffe, and his growing circle of French “It” girls like DJ Clara 3000 and Jeanne Damas, Jacquemus still felt like an outsider. “I don’t have a lot of friends in fashion,” he says. “From the beginning, I was by myself and doing it a bit by my own rules.”

In 2015, Jacquemus won the LVMH “Special Jury Prize” for emerging talent — a stamp of approval from fashion’s ultimate insiders as well as the source of a €150,000 check and a yearlong mentorship. Because he had no formal training, his adviser, Sophie Brocart, suggested that he invest in staff members with “technical expertise” and take on the role of CEO, or face of the brand, himself. Most designers his age aren’t up for that. Even if he didn’t graduate at the top of his class from Central Saint Martins, Jacquemus did have “the right personality, vision, and charisma” to succeed, in Brocart’s opinion.

With seasoned tailors now on his team, the Jacquemus silhouette came into focus. His deconstructed suiting, for example, now looked like it was falling apart on purpose. Following a strong spring 2016 show, The Business of Fashion dubbed Jacquemus the “hottest young designer in Paris.” He was no longer “just cute or French, or a sensation,” as Jacquemus himself put it. Better yet, he was making money.

Gradually, Jacquemus evolved his aesthetic. The arty Comme des Garçons influences began being edited out. For spring 2017, he returned to the sunny, Spanish-­influenced style of his youth — lace blouses, straw hats, matador shoulders, and corseted waists — inspired by the flirty theatricality of Christian Lacroix’s ’80s haute couture. The following collection imagined what it would look like if a Parisian girl fell in love with what he’d referred to as a southern “gypsy.”

After he found a photograph of his mother wearing a headscarf, ceramic earrings, and a wrap skirt, the Jacquemus woman we know today, or “La Bomba,” suddenly came to life. For starters, you could actually see her. Instead of oversize blazers, she wore droopy button-up shirts that exposed her breasts and itty-bitty, skintight knits over her long, tan legs. Spring 2018 marked a return to his roots, but instead of Charlotte Gainsbourg, his muse was his own DNA. “She was sexy,” Jacquemus told Vogue of his mother, recalling the “village beauty” who was always smiling. Pretty soon, he became known as the guy who calls his mom “sexy” — but is there anything more French than that?

Skimpy summer collections like “La Bomba” have doubled in revenue each year, but the success of that particular season also had to do with its introduction of playfully scaled accessories. To balance out gigantic straw hats the size of a Hula-Hoop, Jacquemus designed miniature leather bags, shrinking a style from the previous season down to a crossbody that measured just two and a half inches tall and four wide. “People were like, ‘Simon, it’s never going to sell; you can just put some cards and keys in it,’ ” the designer recalls. “I was like, ‘Mmm, I’m sure it’s going to sell. It’s too cute and too viral not to.’ ”

He was right. Le Chiquito was snatched up by Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Kim Kardashian at $520 a pop, and handbags now account for more than 30 percent of revenues. (Its pleasures are hard to explain, or maybe justify, but — full disclosure — I own one, and love it. Not only does it free me from the tyranny of stuff, but holding its cute little handle gives you the same pleasure zap as looking at a lavender field through a tiny phone screen.)

Le Petit Chiquito’s even-tinier spawn, Le Micro Chiquito, which debuted in February at the size of a binder clip for $258, is selling out as well, despite the fact that you can’t put anything in it. “If you don’t consider it a bag, consider it jewelry, you know?,” the designer said this summer, tossing it over his shoulder with one finger. Memes abound.

Last year, Jacquemus teased his followers with rumors of a #newjob, but the big reveal turned out to be menswear. His first collection, shown at a beach in Marseille, was a hunky answer to La Bomba. Titled Le Gadjo, which, he explained, is local slang describing a type of tourist: “He’s a bad-taste guy, but he’s cute.” Similarly, his show in the lavender field had a second level you might not notice, referencing the tourists he used to sell vegetables to when he was young, with clever cosplay of farmer chic. Models in loud floral prints sported fake tan lines and corn-on-the-cob key chains in the style of people who clumsily overcompensate for being visitors by dressing a “bit too much where they are,” as he puts it. Expect to see this look in your feed. So many people are posing naked on beaches underneath one of his La Bomba giant straw hats that the manufacturer ran out of straw.

This is his insight, his particular genius. He knows we’re all posing, hoping for a hashtag selfie in the sun.

[mikemortgage]

The battle for one of Canada’s largest gold mines flares up anew

Fresh blows landed Friday in the battle for control of Detour Gold Inc. — which operates one of the largest gold mines in Canada — with the company’s current board and hedge fund Paulson & Co., each accusing the other of rejecting settlement offers.

The first salvo came from Detour which issued a press release with details of a settlement offer that it said Paulson & Co., the New York hedge fund run by U.S. billionaire John Paulson, rejected.

By midday, Paulson & Co.’s partner Marcelo Kim offered a different version of events: His firm had countered the settlement offer with its own offer on Friday morning, and Detour’s chairman Alex Morrison had said he would present it to the board for consideration over the weekend. Instead, Kim said, Detour released a press release on Friday morning accusing him of rejecting all settlement negotiations.

A deal to sell a failing nickel mine fell through, then they found gold — lots of gold

Dying for gold: Colombia’s untapped metals motherlode is luring miners — and killing their workers

The fight erupted in the summer after Paulson demanded a change in board, based on what it characterized as years of poor performance by Detour — the company has lost $4 billion in market capitalization since 2016, according to Paulson. The company stock was trading down 1.25 per cent to $11.07 on Friday, with a market cap of around $1.93 billion.

The company’s flagship Detour Lake Mine in northeastern Ontario is expected to produce around 650,000 ounce per year for the next two decades. But the company did not obtain permits for an expansion in 2017, and then in the spring released a revised life of mine plan that increased its operating costs.

Billionaire hedge fund manager John Paulson.

Paulson & Co., which controls 5.4 per cent of the company and has been advocating for a sale of the company, called for a special board meeting in July and has put forth a new slate of directors to replace the current board.

“We reached out October 9 just to set up a meeting,” said Kim, about the latest spat. “I offered to fly to Toronto, I offered to fly to Denver. And we sent letters back and forth — that’s how this thing started.”

Paulson & Co released a series of correspondence on Friday in which Kim sought to meet with a representative of Detour, including interim chief executive Michael Kenyon at the Denver Gold Show.

Kim declined to share all the details of his settlement offer, but said Paulson & Co. offered two options — one where he would sit on the board, and another option where he would not sit on the board but demanded wholesale change of the board.

That much was confirmed by Detour in a press release, which referenced a series of settlement discussions. The company declined to make Kenyon or anyone else from the company available for comment.

Detour released on Friday its settlement offer from Oct. 9, which provided Paulson & Co. with two days to review and accept: First, it offered the hedge fund one seat on the 9-member board, so long as it wasn’t Kim.

Second, interim chief executive Michael Kenyon would step down later in 2019, although the offer was silent on whether he would retain his board seat.

It also offered to drop a lawsuit it filed in Ontario against Paulson & Co. accusing it of tipping and market manipulation, related to press releases that Paulson & Co. issued this summer about possible buyers for the company.

The company has replaced two directors and added one new director since August.

A shareholder meeting to decide on Paulson & Co.’s candidates is scheduled for December.

• Email: gfriedman@nationalpost.com | Twitter: GabeFriedz

from Financial Post https://ift.tt/2Eiv2R2 via IFTTT Blogger Mortgage Tumblr Mortgage Evernote Mortgage Wordpress Mortgage href="https://www.diigo.com/user/gelsi11">Diigo Mortgage

[tm360blog-blog]

iVOOMi iPro Android Oreo (Go Edition) With AR Emoji, Face Unlock Launched At Rs. 3,999

Chinese smartphone maker iVOOMi, announced the company’s latest budget offering iVOOMi iPro in India on September 20th, 2018. the highlight feature of device include key specifications such as 4.95-inch FWVGA  (480 x 960 pixels) shatterproof display with 220 PPI pixel density, 18:9 aspect ratio for an immersive viewing experience, powered by an  Quad-Core MediaTek MTK6737 Processor paired with…

[toptecharena]

With a design based on its iconic amps, Marshall’s new Major IIIs are perfect for those who want to flaunt a bit of rock heritage on their commute. Sturdy hardware and a relatively balanced sound make these a great option for those wanting to upgrade their basic cans.

Slimmer and a little more stylish than 2016’s Marshall Major II, their light build makes them ideal for long journeys, although the pinching sensation typical of on-ear headphones is an issue. 

Price and availability

The Major IIIs are available to buy from the official Marshall Headphones store for $79 / £69 (around AU$135), representing a price hike of around £7 for UK buyers based on current conversion rates. 

However, if you’re based in the UK it’s possible to buy them from Marshall’s Amazon store for £65 with free delivery included.

Compared to similar on-ear models, the price sits comfortably in the mid-range and they are one of the cheaper models on offer from Marshall. 

If you’ve become accustomed to a wireless way of life, you would need to fork out a hefty $149 (£129 / around AU$206) for the Bluetooth enabled version of the Marshall IIIs. 

Design

Similar to the Marshall Major II headphones of 2016, the Major IIIs make use of Marshall’s signature leather look – although vegans will be pleased to know they’re actually made out of lookalike vinyl. Overall they’re less clunky than the Major IIs, with slimmed-down hardware and a more subdued black and white color scheme, as opposed to the gold-accented predecessors. 

With a straight band and heavily padded on-ear cushions, the headphones are designed to be comfortable for long periods of time, although we did experience a little discomfort from the pressure on ears after a long listening session. If you also have this problem with on-ear headphones, we’d recommend opting for over-ear headphones, which are usually more comfy, surrounding your ears rather than being placed on top of them. 

The detachable coiled wire seems durable, and has a one-button remote that can be used to control the headphones and your phone’s functionality. A nice touch is the 3.5mm sockets on both sides of the headphones, which means friends can easily tune in to what you’re listening to if they too have a 3.5mm cable of their own handy.

Issues with flimsy plastic adjustment sliders on previous models have been addressed with metal hardware, meaning the headphones feel fairly sturdy. They’re also fully foldable, which is fantastic for listening on the go and packing tidily and safely into a bag.

Performance

Overall the sound quality from the Marshall Major III headphones is decent, with a relatively well-balanced range. However these are not headphones for audiophiles.

The top range is clear and sparkly, with hi hats and cymbals coming across particularly well – although this clarity can translate into a slight harshness at times. A smooth mid range makes the Major IIIs especially suited to listening to guitar music – unsurprising considering Marshall’s rock heritage. 

To test the Major III’s rock credentials, we listened to White Stripes’ ‘Fell In Love With A Girl’. The guitars were pleasantly fuzzy, with punchy drums and clear vocals. However that harshness did start to grate after a little while. 

Where these headphones fall down is in the bass department, with slightly rolled-off frequencies which bassheads probably won’t appreciate. We tried out James Blake’s ‘If The Car Beside You Moves Ahead’ to put the bass frequencies to the test, and found the usually-body-thumping bass drum was pretty underwhelming. However, for general use, the sound is warm and balanced enough to give you a great listening experience. 

Passive noise cancellation is never a strong point of on-ear headphones, but the Marshall Major IIIs are particularly disappointing in this regard. We tried them in the office and could still easily hear people’s conversations, meaning you’d have to really blast your music if you wanted to drown out the outside world. There’s no active noise cancellation option offered here, which isn’t surprising considering this is seen as more of an entry level pair from Marshall. For active noise cancellation, you’re going to have to stump up the cash for the enjoyable and premium Marshall Mid ANCs.

The Marshall III’s seem to be much better at drowning out white noise, which we discovered when we took them on the train for the morning commute. Furthermore, the isolation is good for this design of headphones, so you can rest assured you won’t be annoying the people around you with your music taste.

Verdict

The Marshall Major IIIs are a neat pair of headphones, with a quirky retro design and tons of cool rock heritage to boot. They feel extremely well made, and improvements to the design mean you’d have to be pretty rough with them to break them. 

Slimmer than their predecessors, they have a really stylish look, and the ability to fold them down means they are great for travelling. 

At $79 / £69 (around AU$135), they’re among Marshall’s cheaper headphones; however, for the wireless Bluetooth-enabled version, you’re looking at nearly double the price.

Audiophiles probably won’t rate the quality of the bass frequencies, but if you listen to a lot of guitar music, these might be the headphones for you. 

Best headphones 2018: Our pick of the best of the best

Go to Source Author: Marshall Major III With a design based on its iconic amps, Marshall’s new Major IIIs are perfect for those who want to flaunt a bit of rock heritage on their commute.

[dasupercarblog]

iLusso has listed a 2014 Koenigsegg Agera R for sale in California.

If you dream to own a Koenigsegg Agera R, but are saddened by the fact that all the units of the car have already been sold out, we have some good news for you. Though it is a very rare to find a Koenigsegg on sale in the used car market, one of USA’s renowned supercar dealers, iLusso, has put up a 2014 Agera R for sale.

    The Agera R was a more specifically tuned version of the regular Agera. The car is available at iLusso’s outlet in Southern California at an undisclosed price, which will be finalized only for the serious prospected buyer of this hypercar. Though, expect it to be just a small notch below the original price.

  Regarding the mechanical specification of the Agera R, the supercar packs 1,124 hp of raw power and 885 lb-ft of torque from its 5.0 liter twin-turbo V8 engine. Coupled to a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, the car is capable to reach stratospheric speeds and acceleration numbers and is genuinely not for the weak-hearted. The claimed top speed is around 273 mph, while 0-62 mph is reached in just 2.8 seconds.

  Despite such unbelievable figures, it is still behind Koenigsegg’s very own One:1, however, the ‘R’ suffix clearly specifies that it is more potent over the original Agera as well as Agera S. The other prominent details of the car are that it has covered almost 3,100 miles since new and is finished in a very dark shade of blue with gold detailing similar to the Agera RS Naraya. Needless to say, it appears to be in mint condition.

  Koenigsegg is winding down the production of its Agera model. The replacement for the Agera is expected to be revealed at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Meanwhile, the last Agera RS will soon be delivered to its owner in the United States.

http://www.thesupercarblog.com/koenigsegg-agera-rs-production-ends/

    Used Koenigsegg Agera R for sale in California iLusso has listed a 2014 Koenigsegg Agera R for sale in California. If you dream to own a Koenigsegg Agera R, but are saddened by the fact that all the units of the car have already been sold out, we have some good news for you.

[jonathanbelloblog]

2018 Detroit Auto Show Hits, Misses, and Revelations

DETROIT, Michigan—Porsche, Volvo, and Mazda all are absent from the North American International Auto Show this year, adding themselves to a list that for years have included Jaguar Land Rover, Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Tesla. While we miss the Volvo stand’s coffee, local Volvo dealers set up a display of models, all in white, just outside the Cobo Hall show floor, where Mitsubishi nearby flanked a Mirage sedan with an Outlander on one side and an Outlander Sport on the other, all in dark paint colors, on an unadorned display in a dark corner. There was no Mini stand this year: on the short press conference day, Monday, the BMW stand had a lone Countryman surrounded by Bimmers, though by Tuesday the Mini was no where to be found.

GAC Motors’ stand was bigger and brighter than ever this year. Its president, Yu Jun, announced the automaker would attend this year’s National Auto Dealers Association meeting in Las Vegas, “in preparation for entering the U.S. market in the fourth quarter of 2019.” But if NAIAS ’18 was about anything, it was about trucks; from the new Chevrolet Silverado and Ford Ranger, to the Ram 1500 and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The Chevy Silverado and Merc Gelendawagen both premiered off-site, and this could be a good model for NAIAS shows to come. By the time press days start all the important stuff has been revealed, and we can concentrate on interviewing executives, designers, and engineers while we get to see all the new cars and concepts up close.

More time, in other words, to pick our hits, misses, and revelations…

HIT: Infiniti Q Inspiration Concept

Infiniti’s Q Inspiration concept rolled into Detroit evoking thoughts of Porsche’s all-electric Mission E concept—well, if you squint, anyway—and while I’m not always a fan of this design language, something about it works in this application. It features Infiniti’s interesting VC-Turbo variable-compression engine technology, and if the next production Q70 ends up looking like the Q Inspiration, I won’t complain.

—Mac Morrison

Beautiful, even if it does look like it cribbed a bit off the Porsche Mission E’s sheet. The only thing I don’t like about this car’s sleek, relatively understated styling is the unlikelihood that it will make it to production without gaining a dozen ungainly flourishes.

—Nelson Ireson

Karim Habib, Infiniti’s new design chief, is excited about the future of the brand that in many ways has only just begun. Even though it has been around for more than 30 years the company has had its own organizational structure based out of Hong Kong for about the last five years. Habib has a tremendous opportunity to shape the direction of a brand that’s climbing the luxury ladder, to provide inspiration for his team in Tokyo. While Habib said it’s not necessarily a true vision of a specific new car in development, he indicated that there are several strong future design cues on the Inspiration. Too bad it’s not the actual car, because with its mean, chunky mug, massive panoramic glass feature that extends down the rear of the car, its wide, sweeping rear end, and floating four-place seating and console, this is a package that shouts luxury and exudes future cool.

—Mike Floyd

The return of the Infiniti Q ship remains two or three years away, but it’s reassuring that the new car might take after this low-slung concept. After generations of uninspired flagship sedans, the Q Inspiration’s cues promise a return to the spirit of the original Q45.

—Todd Lassa

HIT: Lamborghini Urus

Yes, it’ll cost more than a villa in Italy. Yes, it has a name that sounds hilarious if you put the word “infection” after it. Yes, Lambo snubbed the Detroit show and displayed the Urus off-site. I don’t care, because this thing is fan-friggin’-tastic. I came into the Motor City prepared to write a half-dozen jokes at the Urus’ expense, but after seeing it in person, I’m smitten. From the Periscopo-like wheelarches to the video-game interior, the Urus is sex on wheels—and it has four doors and a back seat to hold the resulting offspring. I drooled to the point that I nearly passed out from dehydration.

—Aaron Gold

HIT: Bullitt Mustang

Pedants will say that it’s just a trim package, but Ford nailed the Bullitt Mustang. It has more power than the Mustang GT, a manual transmission, and the exterior looks sweet. It’s a fitting homage to what is arguably the best car chase movie of all time.

—Billy Rehbock

MISS: Toyota Avalon

There comes a critical point in a designer’s job when, in working to overcome bland styling, he or she must lift the pencil. The new Avalon’s designers overshot that critical point, and the over-designed side surfacing ends in unappealingly bulbous taillamps. Compounding the problem, this full-size sedan suffers from front-wheel-drive proportions, which simply don’t look elegant on a car of this overall length. I wish the remaining participants in this dying segment would all switch to rear-wheel-drive. After all, the Chrysler 300 outsold the Avalon 51,237 to 32,583 last year.

—T.L.

Expect much that is good and right about the Avalon’s underpinnings, making for a cush ride that buyers will love. The clean interior features loads of tech, and there is no reason to suspect this won’t prove to be the best Avalon ever. But that exterior styling … oh dear.

—M.M.

Its grill is truly unattractive. Toyota seems to be pushing the Avalon in a sportier direction when its comfort, dependability, and safety are the reasons buyers go for it. The Avalon misses the mark by trying a little too hard to be something it’s not.

—B.R.

And here we thought the Toyota/Lexus spindle grille couldn’t get any worse. The new Avalon’s front end is like an insect’s bad dream. I don’t know whether to drive it or set it on end and grille hamburgers on it.

— A.G.

HIT: Lexus LF-1 Limitless Concept

You might have arguments about the latest 3-D application of the Lexus spindle, but it works okay on this tall, luxuriously appointed and very nicely proportioned shooting break. If Lexus cuts back on sedans, just like everybody else (except Mercedes-Benz and BMW) in the luxury car world, the LF-1 would nicely fit between IS and LS.

—T.L.

It’s just gorgeous, and aside from the LC500, this is the only other Lexus, concept or otherwise, that I’ve ever said that about.

—N.I.

MISS: Nissan Xmotion concept

Just what the world awaits: a compact crossover (“cross-motion,” not “ex-motion,” get it?) trying to be all butch and modern-day Xterra-like.

—T.L.

This chunky crossover concept isn’t easy on the eyes. The wild body panels and goofy interior are pretty off-putting. The Xmotion’s doesn’t quite tell us anything new about where Nissan is going in terms of technology either, beyond representing a further commitment to autonomous driving.

—B.R.

REVELATION: GAC GS3

I always wondered what would happen if a Volkswagen Tiguan and a Nissan Murano had a love child. Now I know.

—A.G.

HIT: Ford Ranger

Ford calls its new Ranger a “lifestyle truck,” and the pickup doesn’t go into production for about a year. Both points are irritating but, regardless, it’s time for the Ranger’s return. This model is well proportioned, and new Rangers will be available with a host of appealing features. Now, Ford, bring on the long-awaited new Bronco.

—M.M.

We’ve all been waiting for Ford’s reentry into the small-truck biz, and the new Ranger doesn’t disappoint. With its chrome bumper, embossed tailgate, and comfortingly familiar dashboard, there’s enough F-150 lineage to make you forget this is basically an Americanized version of the Euro-Asia-Mexico-spec truck. I won’t be able to attest to the Ranger’s work ethic until I hook up my horse trailer, but my experience with Ford’s full-size pickups leads me to believe I won’t be disappointed. GM has set the bar pretty high—of all the small pickups, theirs is the only one that can tow that trailer worth a darn—but I think the Ranger will give the GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado a run for their money.

—A.G.

MISS: 2019 Ford Ranger

Yep, it’s also a miss. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost seems like a great powerplant for the Ranger. But—that’s it? That’s the only choice? No economy-minded naturally aspirated four for the gardeners? No stout V-6 for the traditionalists? No diesel for us trailer-towers? Come on, Ford. Your F-150 has the most comprehensive engine lineup in the biz. The Toyota Tacoma offers two engines and GM’s Colorado and Canyon offer three. The Super Duty only has two mills, but they’re both gems. As the kids on the Interwebz say: “Needs more.”

—A.G.

REVELATION: Why Ram doesn’t need a new Dakota

In his last NAIAS press conference before he retires this year as Fiat Chrysler CEO, Sergio Marchionne said his company can’t make a business case for a new midsize truck to replace the Dodge Dakota that ended production in 2011, even though Ford is back in the game with a new Ranger to take on the successful Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. More important than their middle size, these are “lifestyle” trucks, and Fiat Chrysler also has its own on the way; the JL Wrangler-based Jeep Scrambler expected within the year.

—T.L.

HIT: 2019 Chevrolet Silverado

Silverado fans get an all-new truck with loads of options, from workhorse models to more high-level luxury trims, and plenty of capability to boot. Reactions were mixed on the show floor to the muscle-car-inspired styling, but there’s no denying Chevy’s new pickup makes a statement, and it grabbed loads of worthy attention in Detroit.

—M.M.

IFTTT

[jesusvasser]

2018 Detroit Auto Show Hits, Misses, and Revelations

DETROIT, Michigan—Porsche, Volvo, and Mazda all are absent from the North American International Auto Show this year, adding themselves to a list that for years have included Jaguar Land Rover, Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Tesla. While we miss the Volvo stand’s coffee, local Volvo dealers set up a display of models, all in white, just outside the Cobo Hall show floor, where Mitsubishi nearby flanked a Mirage sedan with an Outlander on one side and an Outlander Sport on the other, all in dark paint colors, on an unadorned display in a dark corner. There was no Mini stand this year: on the short press conference day, Monday, the BMW stand had a lone Countryman surrounded by Bimmers, though by Tuesday the Mini was no where to be found.

GAC Motors’ stand was bigger and brighter than ever this year. Its president, Yu Jun, announced the automaker would attend this year’s National Auto Dealers Association meeting in Las Vegas, “in preparation for entering the U.S. market in the fourth quarter of 2019.” But if NAIAS ’18 was about anything, it was about trucks; from the new Chevrolet Silverado and Ford Ranger, to the Ram 1500 and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The Chevy Silverado and Merc Gelendawagen both premiered off-site, and this could be a good model for NAIAS shows to come. By the time press days start all the important stuff has been revealed, and we can concentrate on interviewing executives, designers, and engineers while we get to see all the new cars and concepts up close.

More time, in other words, to pick our hits, misses, and revelations…

HIT: Infiniti Q Inspiration Concept

Infiniti’s Q Inspiration concept rolled into Detroit evoking thoughts of Porsche’s all-electric Mission E concept—well, if you squint, anyway—and while I’m not always a fan of this design language, something about it works in this application. It features Infiniti’s interesting VC-Turbo variable-compression engine technology, and if the next production Q70 ends up looking like the Q Inspiration, I won’t complain.

—Mac Morrison

Beautiful, even if it does look like it cribbed a bit off the Porsche Mission E’s sheet. The only thing I don’t like about this car’s sleek, relatively understated styling is the unlikelihood that it will make it to production without gaining a dozen ungainly flourishes.

—Nelson Ireson

Karim Habib, Infiniti’s new design chief, is excited about the future of the brand that in many ways has only just begun. Even though it has been around for more than 30 years the company has had its own organizational structure based out of Hong Kong for about the last five years. Habib has a tremendous opportunity to shape the direction of a brand that’s climbing the luxury ladder, to provide inspiration for his team in Tokyo. While Habib said it’s not necessarily a true vision of a specific new car in development, he indicated that there are several strong future design cues on the Inspiration. Too bad it’s not the actual car, because with its mean, chunky mug, massive panoramic glass feature that extends down the rear of the car, its wide, sweeping rear end, and floating four-place seating and console, this is a package that shouts luxury and exudes future cool.

—Mike Floyd

The return of the Infiniti Q ship remains two or three years away, but it’s reassuring that the new car might take after this low-slung concept. After generations of uninspired flagship sedans, the Q Inspiration’s cues promise a return to the spirit of the original Q45.

—Todd Lassa

HIT: Lamborghini Urus

Yes, it’ll cost more than a villa in Italy. Yes, it has a name that sounds hilarious if you put the word “infection” after it. Yes, Lambo snubbed the Detroit show and displayed the Urus off-site. I don’t care, because this thing is fan-friggin’-tastic. I came into the Motor City prepared to write a half-dozen jokes at the Urus’ expense, but after seeing it in person, I’m smitten. From the Periscopo-like wheelarches to the video-game interior, the Urus is sex on wheels—and it has four doors and a back seat to hold the resulting offspring. I drooled to the point that I nearly passed out from dehydration.

—Aaron Gold

HIT: Bullitt Mustang

Pedants will say that it’s just a trim package, but Ford nailed the Bullitt Mustang. It has more power than the Mustang GT, a manual transmission, and the exterior looks sweet. It’s a fitting homage to what is arguably the best car chase movie of all time.

—Billy Rehbock

MISS: Toyota Avalon

There comes a critical point in a designer’s job when, in working to overcome bland styling, he or she must lift the pencil. The new Avalon’s designers overshot that critical point, and the over-designed side surfacing ends in unappealingly bulbous taillamps. Compounding the problem, this full-size sedan suffers from front-wheel-drive proportions, which simply don’t look elegant on a car of this overall length. I wish the remaining participants in this dying segment would all switch to rear-wheel-drive. After all, the Chrysler 300 outsold the Avalon 51,237 to 32,583 last year.

—T.L.

Expect much that is good and right about the Avalon’s underpinnings, making for a cush ride that buyers will love. The clean interior features loads of tech, and there is no reason to suspect this won’t prove to be the best Avalon ever. But that exterior styling … oh dear.

—M.M.

Its grill is truly unattractive. Toyota seems to be pushing the Avalon in a sportier direction when its comfort, dependability, and safety are the reasons buyers go for it. The Avalon misses the mark by trying a little too hard to be something it’s not.

—B.R.

And here we thought the Toyota/Lexus spindle grille couldn’t get any worse. The new Avalon’s front end is like an insect’s bad dream. I don’t know whether to drive it or set it on end and grille hamburgers on it.

— A.G.

HIT: Lexus LF-1 Limitless Concept

You might have arguments about the latest 3-D application of the Lexus spindle, but it works okay on this tall, luxuriously appointed and very nicely proportioned shooting break. If Lexus cuts back on sedans, just like everybody else (except Mercedes-Benz and BMW) in the luxury car world, the LF-1 would nicely fit between IS and LS.

—T.L.

It’s just gorgeous, and aside from the LC500, this is the only other Lexus, concept or otherwise, that I’ve ever said that about.

—N.I.

MISS: Nissan Xmotion concept

Just what the world awaits: a compact crossover (“cross-motion,” not “ex-motion,” get it?) trying to be all butch and modern-day Xterra-like.

—T.L.

This chunky crossover concept isn’t easy on the eyes. The wild body panels and goofy interior are pretty off-putting. The Xmotion’s doesn’t quite tell us anything new about where Nissan is going in terms of technology either, beyond representing a further commitment to autonomous driving.

—B.R.

REVELATION: GAC GS3

I always wondered what would happen if a Volkswagen Tiguan and a Nissan Murano had a love child. Now I know.

—A.G.

HIT: Ford Ranger

Ford calls its new Ranger a “lifestyle truck,” and the pickup doesn’t go into production for about a year. Both points are irritating but, regardless, it’s time for the Ranger’s return. This model is well proportioned, and new Rangers will be available with a host of appealing features. Now, Ford, bring on the long-awaited new Bronco.

—M.M.

We’ve all been waiting for Ford’s reentry into the small-truck biz, and the new Ranger doesn’t disappoint. With its chrome bumper, embossed tailgate, and comfortingly familiar dashboard, there’s enough F-150 lineage to make you forget this is basically an Americanized version of the Euro-Asia-Mexico-spec truck. I won’t be able to attest to the Ranger’s work ethic until I hook up my horse trailer, but my experience with Ford’s full-size pickups leads me to believe I won’t be disappointed. GM has set the bar pretty high—of all the small pickups, theirs is the only one that can tow that trailer worth a darn—but I think the Ranger will give the GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado a run for their money.

—A.G.

MISS: 2019 Ford Ranger

Yep, it’s also a miss. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost seems like a great powerplant for the Ranger. But—that’s it? That’s the only choice? No economy-minded naturally aspirated four for the gardeners? No stout V-6 for the traditionalists? No diesel for us trailer-towers? Come on, Ford. Your F-150 has the most comprehensive engine lineup in the biz. The Toyota Tacoma offers two engines and GM’s Colorado and Canyon offer three. The Super Duty only has two mills, but they’re both gems. As the kids on the Interwebz say: “Needs more.”

—A.G.

REVELATION: Why Ram doesn’t need a new Dakota

In his last NAIAS press conference before he retires this year as Fiat Chrysler CEO, Sergio Marchionne said his company can’t make a business case for a new midsize truck to replace the Dodge Dakota that ended production in 2011, even though Ford is back in the game with a new Ranger to take on the successful Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. More important than their middle size, these are “lifestyle” trucks, and Fiat Chrysler also has its own on the way; the JL Wrangler-based Jeep Scrambler expected within the year.

—T.L.

HIT: 2019 Chevrolet Silverado

Silverado fans get an all-new truck with loads of options, from workhorse models to more high-level luxury trims, and plenty of capability to boot. Reactions were mixed on the show floor to the muscle-car-inspired styling, but there’s no denying Chevy’s new pickup makes a statement, and it grabbed loads of worthy attention in Detroit.

—M.M.

IFTTT

[eddiejpoplar]

2018 Detroit Auto Show Hits, Misses, and Revelations

DETROIT, Michigan—Porsche, Volvo, and Mazda all are absent from the North American International Auto Show this year, adding themselves to a list that for years have included Jaguar Land Rover, Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Tesla. While we miss the Volvo stand’s coffee, local Volvo dealers set up a display of models, all in white, just outside the Cobo Hall show floor, where Mitsubishi nearby flanked a Mirage sedan with an Outlander on one side and an Outlander Sport on the other, all in dark paint colors, on an unadorned display in a dark corner. There was no Mini stand this year: on the short press conference day, Monday, the BMW stand had a lone Countryman surrounded by Bimmers, though by Tuesday the Mini was no where to be found.

GAC Motors’ stand was bigger and brighter than ever this year. Its president, Yu Jun, announced the automaker would attend this year’s National Auto Dealers Association meeting in Las Vegas, “in preparation for entering the U.S. market in the fourth quarter of 2019.” But if NAIAS ’18 was about anything, it was about trucks; from the new Chevrolet Silverado and Ford Ranger, to the Ram 1500 and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The Chevy Silverado and Merc Gelendawagen both premiered off-site, and this could be a good model for NAIAS shows to come. By the time press days start all the important stuff has been revealed, and we can concentrate on interviewing executives, designers, and engineers while we get to see all the new cars and concepts up close.

More time, in other words, to pick our hits, misses, and revelations…

HIT: Infiniti Q Inspiration Concept

Infiniti’s Q Inspiration concept rolled into Detroit evoking thoughts of Porsche’s all-electric Mission E concept—well, if you squint, anyway—and while I’m not always a fan of this design language, something about it works in this application. It features Infiniti’s interesting VC-Turbo variable-compression engine technology, and if the next production Q70 ends up looking like the Q Inspiration, I won’t complain.

—Mac Morrison

Beautiful, even if it does look like it cribbed a bit off the Porsche Mission E’s sheet. The only thing I don’t like about this car’s sleek, relatively understated styling is the unlikelihood that it will make it to production without gaining a dozen ungainly flourishes.

—Nelson Ireson

Karim Habib, Infiniti’s new design chief, is excited about the future of the brand that in many ways has only just begun. Even though it has been around for more than 30 years the company has had its own organizational structure based out of Hong Kong for about the last five years. Habib has a tremendous opportunity to shape the direction of a brand that’s climbing the luxury ladder, to provide inspiration for his team in Tokyo. While Habib said it’s not necessarily a true vision of a specific new car in development, he indicated that there are several strong future design cues on the Inspiration. Too bad it’s not the actual car, because with its mean, chunky mug, massive panoramic glass feature that extends down the rear of the car, its wide, sweeping rear end, and floating four-place seating and console, this is a package that shouts luxury and exudes future cool.

—Mike Floyd

The return of the Infiniti Q ship remains two or three years away, but it’s reassuring that the new car might take after this low-slung concept. After generations of uninspired flagship sedans, the Q Inspiration’s cues promise a return to the spirit of the original Q45.

—Todd Lassa

HIT: Lamborghini Urus

Yes, it’ll cost more than a villa in Italy. Yes, it has a name that sounds hilarious if you put the word “infection” after it. Yes, Lambo snubbed the Detroit show and displayed the Urus off-site. I don’t care, because this thing is fan-friggin’-tastic. I came into the Motor City prepared to write a half-dozen jokes at the Urus’ expense, but after seeing it in person, I’m smitten. From the Periscopo-like wheelarches to the video-game interior, the Urus is sex on wheels—and it has four doors and a back seat to hold the resulting offspring. I drooled to the point that I nearly passed out from dehydration.

—Aaron Gold

HIT: Bullitt Mustang

Pedants will say that it’s just a trim package, but Ford nailed the Bullitt Mustang. It has more power than the Mustang GT, a manual transmission, and the exterior looks sweet. It’s a fitting homage to what is arguably the best car chase movie of all time.

—Billy Rehbock

MISS: Toyota Avalon

There comes a critical point in a designer’s job when, in working to overcome bland styling, he or she must lift the pencil. The new Avalon’s designers overshot that critical point, and the over-designed side surfacing ends in unappealingly bulbous taillamps. Compounding the problem, this full-size sedan suffers from front-wheel-drive proportions, which simply don’t look elegant on a car of this overall length. I wish the remaining participants in this dying segment would all switch to rear-wheel-drive. After all, the Chrysler 300 outsold the Avalon 51,237 to 32,583 last year.

—T.L.

Expect much that is good and right about the Avalon’s underpinnings, making for a cush ride that buyers will love. The clean interior features loads of tech, and there is no reason to suspect this won’t prove to be the best Avalon ever. But that exterior styling … oh dear.

—M.M.

Its grill is truly unattractive. Toyota seems to be pushing the Avalon in a sportier direction when its comfort, dependability, and safety are the reasons buyers go for it. The Avalon misses the mark by trying a little too hard to be something it’s not.

—B.R.

And here we thought the Toyota/Lexus spindle grille couldn’t get any worse. The new Avalon’s front end is like an insect’s bad dream. I don’t know whether to drive it or set it on end and grille hamburgers on it.

— A.G.

HIT: Lexus LF-1 Limitless Concept

You might have arguments about the latest 3-D application of the Lexus spindle, but it works okay on this tall, luxuriously appointed and very nicely proportioned shooting break. If Lexus cuts back on sedans, just like everybody else (except Mercedes-Benz and BMW) in the luxury car world, the LF-1 would nicely fit between IS and LS.

—T.L.

It’s just gorgeous, and aside from the LC500, this is the only other Lexus, concept or otherwise, that I’ve ever said that about.

—N.I.

MISS: Nissan Xmotion concept

Just what the world awaits: a compact crossover (“cross-motion,” not “ex-motion,” get it?) trying to be all butch and modern-day Xterra-like.

—T.L.

This chunky crossover concept isn’t easy on the eyes. The wild body panels and goofy interior are pretty off-putting. The Xmotion’s doesn’t quite tell us anything new about where Nissan is going in terms of technology either, beyond representing a further commitment to autonomous driving.

—B.R.

REVELATION: GAC GS3

I always wondered what would happen if a Volkswagen Tiguan and a Nissan Murano had a love child. Now I know.

—A.G.

HIT: Ford Ranger

Ford calls its new Ranger a “lifestyle truck,” and the pickup doesn’t go into production for about a year. Both points are irritating but, regardless, it’s time for the Ranger’s return. This model is well proportioned, and new Rangers will be available with a host of appealing features. Now, Ford, bring on the long-awaited new Bronco.

—M.M.

We’ve all been waiting for Ford’s reentry into the small-truck biz, and the new Ranger doesn’t disappoint. With its chrome bumper, embossed tailgate, and comfortingly familiar dashboard, there’s enough F-150 lineage to make you forget this is basically an Americanized version of the Euro-Asia-Mexico-spec truck. I won’t be able to attest to the Ranger’s work ethic until I hook up my horse trailer, but my experience with Ford’s full-size pickups leads me to believe I won’t be disappointed. GM has set the bar pretty high—of all the small pickups, theirs is the only one that can tow that trailer worth a darn—but I think the Ranger will give the GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado a run for their money.

—A.G.

MISS: 2019 Ford Ranger

Yep, it’s also a miss. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost seems like a great powerplant for the Ranger. But—that’s it? That’s the only choice? No economy-minded naturally aspirated four for the gardeners? No stout V-6 for the traditionalists? No diesel for us trailer-towers? Come on, Ford. Your F-150 has the most comprehensive engine lineup in the biz. The Toyota Tacoma offers two engines and GM’s Colorado and Canyon offer three. The Super Duty only has two mills, but they’re both gems. As the kids on the Interwebz say: “Needs more.”

—A.G.

REVELATION: Why Ram doesn’t need a new Dakota

In his last NAIAS press conference before he retires this year as Fiat Chrysler CEO, Sergio Marchionne said his company can’t make a business case for a new midsize truck to replace the Dodge Dakota that ended production in 2011, even though Ford is back in the game with a new Ranger to take on the successful Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. More important than their middle size, these are “lifestyle” trucks, and Fiat Chrysler also has its own on the way; the JL Wrangler-based Jeep Scrambler expected within the year.

—T.L.

HIT: 2019 Chevrolet Silverado

Silverado fans get an all-new truck with loads of options, from workhorse models to more high-level luxury trims, and plenty of capability to boot. Reactions were mixed on the show floor to the muscle-car-inspired styling, but there’s no denying Chevy’s new pickup makes a statement, and it grabbed loads of worthy attention in Detroit.

—M.M.

IFTTT