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saultrunner48-theicebreakers · 3 years ago

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BLOG NUMBER 8

Thoughts on Lots

Grretings from Auburn, Alabama!

(Photo courtesy of Auburn Universtiy Alumni Association)

No, I didn't transfer to this august learning institution: we are trapped here in town. Yes, it's a long story.

We left Fayetteville around 4:30 am on Monday for a five-day visit to New Orleans, but were thwarted by our car breaking down on I-85. But as Fortune would tease mere mortals, our Ford conked-out one mile from an Auburn exit that happened to be the location of the community Ford dealer. Ah, but Lady Fate hadn't completed her deeds as we learned that coolant was leaking into our engine block causing loss of coolant as well as engine lubrication.

(photo: https:/www.flickr.com/photos/70251312@N00/9713492320)

The verdict: the repair parts will NOT arrive until Wednesday and the number of hotels willing to accept guests with two little dogs is limited. Let's just say that we are NOT currently staying at the Hilton! Unfortunately the stress has adversely affected my spouse in his long-term recovery from pheumonia, although the forced diversion has been good for our relationship as well as providing quality time working on my essay (yes, there is WiFi here!).

Though my essay research has generally ended, I find myself in comtinuing fascination with the concepts of the lyric essay and, specifcally, with the ideas associated with the "Braided Heart" approach as an essay form.

(photo: Tori Avery)

Why the fascination with the two essay concepts? Because the needs for the Path to Shine program and the reasons for participating as a mentor in this program have become nearly indecipherable as I continue to review and examine the information I have collected to date. I truly believed that I would have an answer that would clearly explain the needs and the reasons that the Path to Shine Prgram was successful. I don't!

The relatively constrained Georgia region (metro Atlanta) where the Path to Shine programs are initiated has a population estamated at 6.5 million persons if one includes the larger Macon, GA area. Hence, the number of public school students, assuming that elementary school kids are approximately 43% of the total public school population, is inexcess of 270,000 (State of Education in Metro Atlanta Report - 2019). Given that the Path to Shine programs combined include no more than 180 or so children, one faces the stark reality that our efforts in these programs are, regardless of their isolated degree of success, are statistically insignificant when compared to the whole population in need. These approximations, when faced head-on, are gut wrenching.

Several of the people I interviewed referenced the existence of apathy among the segment of folks who were affected by the failings of school systems and, surprisingly, among the educated segment of the population that is aware of these failings. A recent article in the Atlantic Magazine indicated that, while Americans generally assign poor grades on the parformance of public schools, they remain typically ignorant of what is going on in those schools ... this ignorance, in my opinion, is yet another form of apathy. A video on the failure of Dtroit Public Schools places the blame at the feet of white people who flee their neighborhoods as non-white residents move toward them.

youtube

Another question that I face as I construct my essay is the reason I and others commit our time and energies in a school program that, while having meaning for us mentors and for the students we serve, as those programs provide insignificant overall impact on the greaer student population. This realization of insignicance is, to say the least, disheartening. Why do we do it?

My interviews with mentors will provide clues to our individual rationales. Yet my writing this essay has forced me to examine my personal reasons for participation. Some of the reasons play into the "braided heart" approach to writing essays: my rationale (and that rationale is multi-faceted) weaves in and out of my existence like the threads that hem the very shirt on my back.

As a teen I recall my often disapproving mother approaching me with a non-specific crtitcism of my person. I can't recall the exact situation or how I failed in her estimation. But she looked at me forbiddingly and said something that has jarred my soul since, "WY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO DIFFERENT?"

Mind you, neither she nor I realized that, at the time, I was what folks would later call "gay", so the nature of my behvioral violations were not sexual or sexual preferenced. Although the extent of my shortcomings persisted in a wordless void, she accomplished something: SHE MADE ME FEEL LIKE A FREAK ... I BEGAN TO VIEW MYSELF AS AN ALIEN in the world of normals. Those words still burn!

The nature of the Path to Shine Program is to form meaningful bonds with children devoid of beneficial relationships. Through a non-judgemental approach we aim for character building and sound self-images. As tears ready for a roll upon my cheeks, I ponder in realization that I did not receive the Path to Shine approach from my mother. I do recall receiving this approach from another person: I speak of her later. No, I am not not bitter; however, I damned sure want to provide that approach to another human being in a formative period of life.

There are other threads!!

#Youtube

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leverage-ot3 · 4 years ago

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notable moments from The Maltese Falcon Job

leverage 2.15

Hardison (checking phone): Guys, they are ripping through Nate and Tara's cover stories. All their financials are blown. So look, until I know what they know, no credit cards, no debit cards, no ATMs, nothing that can be traced back to us. OK? Cash in hand only.

- - - - -

Nevins (on phone): No, not a safe house. Interpol wants Culpepper someplace off our system. We're taking him to the Governor Hotel.

Nate: OK, that's it. That's where we're gonna hole up.

Tara: The Governor Hotel?

Nate: Yeah.

Tara: The hotel crawling with FBI?

Eliot: FBI and Interpol.

Nate: Yeah, you know, it's the one place in Boston they won't be lookin' for us. Come on, we just gotta get there first

smart

- - - - -

Tara: Oh, thank God! I just stepped out to get the paper and then my door closed behind me and I tried to find a house phone, but you guys don't have those anymore. (drops towel) Oops.

Man: Uh...

(Eliot and Parker look down the hall, then at each other, then down the hall)

parker, g i r l, close your mouth

they were both slightly Into It™ and you can’t change my mind

- - - - -

Hardison: In-room checkout. (sits down on bed with keyboard) OK, look, this means that I have access to the hotel's billing computers. It's a big ol' backdoor in every hotel room in America. (hacks system) As of right now, we've been here for a week, and our reservations are good for another week, courtesy of this man's platinum card, Mr. Ogden Shields, who has spent a lot of time in the adult section of pay-per-view. I mean, did he even leave the room?

Parker: In-de-panties Day?

~ a few moments later ~

(Parker takes keyboard from Hardison’s hands)

Eliot: All right, I'm gonna go get some keys made. I'm goin' to the gym. Make sure I can charge stuff on the room.

Hardison: I gotcha.

(women moaning on TV)

Parker: Wow, she really wants that car clean.

Hardison: That’s-that's enough of that

parker is baby and hardison wants to protect her from that nastiness

- - - - -

Nate: Why do we care about him?

Hardison: 'Cause he's big on the surplus weapons market.

Eliot: (laughs) That's just a polite way of saying arms dealer.

Tara: His specialty's buying cheap guns from Third World countries and reselling 'em.

- - - - -

Nate: Don't worry about Sterling.

Eliot: Did you just say, "Don't worry about Sterling?"

Nate: Yeah, don't worry about Sterling. What you don't think I can beat Sterling?

Eliot: I think in the last six months, Nate, I've heard you talk about beating the Triads, beating the Russians. All right? Maggie's boyfriend. Huh? How'd that work out? We all said that meet was a bad idea, right? But you got a taste for taking down this Mayor and you can't resist.

Nate: You wanna walk away? Walk away.

Eliot: I'm not walkin' away. It's not my job. My job is to get your back. And, Nate, I'm gonna do it. All the way down. But I need you to do your job.

Nate: And what's that?

Parker: Be Nathan Ford. Be the person we came back for

PARKER BABY she showed emotion I’m so proud of her

- - - - -

(Eliot holds up the piece of paper taken from Bonanno’s house that reads ‘Maltese Falcon’)

Eliot: That's still bugging me, man.

we love to see eliot confiding/leveling with hardison

- - - - -

Parker: Ooh! But, uh, I have mini-bar.

her in the maid outfit with the french accent

+ HER WINK IM GAY

- - - - -

Nate: You help Tara and Parker. I'm gonna stall Sterling.

Hardison: How?

Nate: I'm thinking.

(Sterling gets into an elevator. Nate heads up the stairs, stopping at every floor to push the elevator button. Sterling begins to get irritated when the elevator stops at every floor but never sees Nate, who gets progressively more tired as they go upward)

[Hallway]

(Sterling gets off on the 14th floor. Behind him, Eliot pushes his cart into the elevator. Sterling glances at him but the door closes before he can get a good look. Sterling approaches the door the FBI agents are guarding)

petty and fucking ICONIC I wouldn’t have the stamina for that but neither would nate tbh and honestly he was probably running on pure spite to make that happen and I respect him for that

- - - - -

Parker: Housekeeping!

(she goes inside, pulling her cart in behind her. Once in the room, she finds Tara and Hardison in the window. Hardison is tangled in his line, and Tara is trying to help him)

Hardison: Ow. That's... Stop. Hey, I got this. Stop. I don't need help.

Tara: Clearly you do.

Hardison: I got this. I got this. Go.

LMFAO E V E R Y TIME

we love to see the running bit of hardison utterly FAILING at anything rappelling related

- - - - -

Culpepper: Where are the agents? Where are the agents? There should be two FBI agents standing at the door.

(Eliot walks in with Parker thrown over his shoulder)

Nate: Did you have to?

Eliot: She saw our faces.

Nate: OK. Yeah, put her in the tub with the others.

(Eliot takes her into the bathroom)

- - - - -

eliot can always knock a bitch out with one (1) punch

- - - - -

Sterling: So, I'm gonna make you a deal. You find Kadjic, tie him to the guns, I'll give you a free pass. Just this once, you get to walk away with your record wiped clean.

Nate: My team?

Sterling: They go down. Every last one of 'em. They deserve to go down. They're criminals, Nate. Thieves. So that's the deal. You bring me Kadjic and the guns, and I cut you and you alone loose. Because at the end of the day you're always right. You're not a thief. This is your second chance.

(Sterling picks up the flask and walks away)

this was actually really interesting to see. sterling leveled with nate. he knows nate, knows how he works, thinks he knows who nate really is on the inside. they have a Past™

- - - - -

Nate: Yeah. No. I... I, uh... Listen, I need you to come back. Um... I need you. Uh, I need you.

[Interior Helicopter]

Sophie: No, no, no. Speak up. I'm traveling and...

[Leverage Headquarters]

Nate: Not the team. Me. For me. Not for a con. I just... Listen, I... I don't know who I am anymore, Sophie. And, ah... When, when I was chasing you and everything and we were doing cons, I knew who I was, but not anymore. As crazy as this sounds, I need you to tell me, tell me when I'm goin' too far. I mean, it just... It gets out of control and I just don't know who I am and, and you've always been... .y compass. And, you know, I care about you more than yo-you'll ever know, because I lo... I lo...

lmfao when the signal is lost? tragic

- - - - -

eliot is wearing a flannel in the final scenes

- - - - -

the obama portrait very visible in the background of the government building? we love to see it

- - - - -

eliot DING DONG WE’RE HOME spencer owns my whole (whole) heart

- - - - -

Nate: What are you doing?

Eliot: Countin' all the guys with guns.

Nate: How many?

Eliot: A lot

smart and TOTALLY an eliot thing to do

- - - - -

Parker: Don't worry. No one's ever died going in through an air duct.

Tara: Oh, this is comforting.

Parker: I mean, worst case, you slip and fall. Break your legs. Lay there for days, scratching on the metal. It's like a long, metal coffin with wind. (excited) Let's go!

(Parker runs across the roof)

she’s baby and I love her. never, ever change parker

- - - - -

Computer: Match identified.

Hardison (bending over keyboard): Damn, you finally found something, half-pint?

HE CALLS HIS COMPUTER HALF PINT ??? ICONIC

- - - - -

Hardison: Parker, where are you?

Parker: Sorry, had a buzz from the alarm system, I couldn't hear a... thing. What?

(Parker’s face hardens and she heads for Tara, who is putting the rappelling gear back in the oxygen tank)

Tara: Parker, what's wrong?

(Parker grabs Tara by the throat and pushes her back until she is leaning over the edge of the building)

~~~

Tara: You're really strong.

Parker: Yeah. I hang from buildings with my fingertips.

Tara: It's not what you think. I was setting up a meeting!

Parker: Actually, that was exactly what I was thinking. Bye now.

Tara: Not for myself

- - - - -

ANNIE KROY IS BACK

- - - - -

(Eliot, his hands tied, is being led to some stairs by two goons.)

Man: I'll get the hatch.

(one man moves ahead of Eliot while the other stays behind him. When Eliot doesn’t follow the first man up the stairs, the second pushes him)

Man 2: Come on.

Eliot: Thirteen.

(Eliot and the second man struggle, sending gunfire rifling across the ceiling before the second man is knocked down. The first man comes back and kicks Eliot in the face. Eliot kicks him in return)

Eliot: Come here!

(Eliot swings his hands across the first man’s face, knocking him back)

Eliot: Twelve.

(Eliot knocks the first man out)

Eliot: Eleven.

(Eliot starts up the stairs, but hears someone else coming and waits around a corner. After a brief struggle, he knocks this man out as well and breaks the zip ties on his wrist)

Eliot: Ten. (heads up the stairs

HOOOOO BOY

MARK ME DOWN AS SCARED AND HORNY

also if parker and hardison know what he was doing? they’d be marked down as the same

- - - - -

Tara: All she asked was that I report back to her every now and then. Are we sure this is the fastest way?

Parker: Yeah, look. (looking at car GPS) There's no traffic this way. So, you were spying on us.

Tara: I was not spying. I was an early warning system. Sophie just, she was worried Nate might go off the rails. So, if it ever looked like he was spinning out of control, I was supposed to call and let Sophie lay in a backup plan just in case.

Parker: Yeah. Why not us?

Tara: Because you were too likely to forgive him.

Parker: I suppose gettin’ busted by the FBI and trying to bring down arms dealers while kidnapping a mayor does qualify as out of control.

Tara: So, anyway, I used my contacts to get Sophie set up as a buyer for the guns. You know... You actually had me worried for a second that you were gonna drop me.

Parker (laughs): That is silly

- - - - -

(Hardison is carrying a large monkey wrench and smiling. He hears noises and goes to investigate, seeing Eliot starting up a ladder)

Hardison: Hey. It took you long enough.

Eliot: What?

(Eliot starts toward Hardison, but a man points a gun to his head)

Man: Freeze.

(Eliot grabs the gun and knocks the man out)

Eliot: One.

Hardison: What

hardison if he knew what eliot was doing: hot damn

- - - - -

(the team gathers together. Parker hugs Sophie)

Sophie: Ooh. Parker touching.

Parker: Kinda, yeah.

- - - - -

Eliot: There's not that many ways out of here.

Sophie: Eliot, when I arrange a rescue, I do it properly.

(a helicopter lands on the docks near the ship. The team heads down the stairs, but Nate hesitates, looking down at the blood on his hand from his side. He goes down the ladder to join the team on the lower deck)

- - - - -

Nate: I've destroyed all the evidence the FBI has on Culpepper and Kadjic. You have no photos, no tapes, you don't have anything. You don't have a case on anybody, unless you arrest me. And only me.

Sophie: Nate?

Nate: I agree to turn state's evidence. I testify to what Kadjic told me, how he put the hit on Bonanno. Hell, I'll even give you Bonanno's evidence against the gunrunning.

Eliot: Nate, I can take these guys.

Hardison: It's just ten more yards to the chopper, man.

Nate: Listen, guys. I got you into this mess. This is the only way to get you out.

eliot is still ready to fight for his family no matter what and hardison just wants them to leave because they’re SO CLOSE

- - - - -

Nate: Come here.

(the team moves closer to him)

Nate: You guys are the most honorable people I have ever met in my life. You've become my family. My only family. I won't forget that. (looks at Eliot) Now get 'em on the chopper. Please. Now!

Eliot: Let's go.

(Eliot nudges Parker and she reluctantly heads for the gangplank. Eliot touches Hardison’s arm)

Eliot: Let's go, man.

(Hardison walks away. Eliot hesitates a moment, shaking his head, then follows the others, hesitating at the top of the gangplank near Sterling)

nate trusts eliot, and only eliot, to be the one to be able to get the rest of the team out of there and into the helicopter. he knows eliot and how much he cares for his family and will do anything to make sure they’re safe, and nate is betting on that to get them out of there

eliot has to be the one to make parker and hardison move because they’ll listen to him and also there would be a good chance that they’d try to stay with Nate otherwise

his gentle hands leading them away have my whole (whole) heart

- - - - -

(Sophie and Eliot get on the helicopter, Eliot hesitating one last time before getting in)

this hurts eliot so much because he’s the RETRIEVAL SPECIALIST and he’s supposed to get everyone safe and never leave anyone behind I’m-

- - - - -

Agent: Who the hell is this guy?

Sterling: I don't know.

Nate: My name's Nate Ford, and I am a thief.

(more sirens are heard. Nate begins laughing as the helicopter lifts off and more police cars and agents arrive, surrounding Nate and the dock. Nate watches the helicopter fly away)

MAJOR character development for nate this season (2.01 had him refusing that he was a thief and in multiple other episodes in this season)

oh and also, y’all, just like last season, if I had to watch this go down like that with my own two eyes and have that be the end of leverage (because they close every season like it’d be the last) I would have fucking R E V O L T E D

#leverage #leverage 2.15 #leverage 2x15 #the maltese falcon job #leverage season 2 #season 2 #notable moments #mine

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absynthc · 4 years ago

Photo

BASICS.

Full name: Sofi Sayid, but she hasn’t gone by that in almost two decades. Nicknames (if any): Ripley to most. Rip to a rare few. Gender / Pronouns: Cis female & she/her Classification: Human Abilities (if any): She wishes. Age: Thirty-six Occupation: Farmer. Dealer.

PERSONALITY.

Traits: Strategic, blunt, secretive, sarcastic, arrogant, obsessive, loyal. MBTI: INTJ – The Architect Zodiac: Capricorn. Character Inspiration: Theo Crain ( The Haunting of Hill House ), Lia Haddock ( Limetown ), Tommy Shelby ( Peaky Blinders ), James “Sawyer” Ford ( Lost )

Content warnings for suicidal ideation, drugs, addiction, grief, death, depression, implication of self-harm, allusions to police brutality.

AESTHETIC.

Sitting on your balcony alone, smoking a cigarette at one in the morning. Biting into a ripe peach, the juice dripping down your chin. Collecting old sci-fi movies from before the world burnt. The smell of rose water and honey. Calling the voicemail of someone gone just to hear the sound of their voice. Hiding your profits in the walls of your apartment. Biting down on your knuckles to muffle a scream. The crispness of cold sheets. Flickering neon signs pointing to narrow back alleys. Always paying in cash. Always.

(BRIEF) HISTORY.

tl;dr everyone rip has ever loved has either died or gone missing, and she’s convinced she has the power to talk to the dead, she just needs to figure out how to “activate” it, so that’s why she’s trying to amass wealth via dealing synth (my fun lil punny drug idea for metropolis) because money = power baybeeeeeee

Ripley grew up as a part of the working class of District Two. She’d never met her father, who disappeared mere weeks before she was born. No one knows why. It was as if he vanished into thin air, and her mother, Nairi, never talked about him.

Nairi worked at the Farm, and she did so tirelessly, legitimately believing the old adage that if you work hard, it will lead to a better life. Ripley saw time and time again how Nairi tried so hard to do everything right, do everything honestly, and how she was rewarded for her sincerity with scraps, while the Chancellor and her Watchers paraded around the city like tyrants.

And the ultimate cherry on top came when Nairi died in an accident on the Farm, killed by a wound that festered, by an infection in her blood, something that never would have happened had they been in a different district. But Ripley wasn’t able to grieve. At fourteen, she was an orphan, with no means of supporting herself, and all she could do was take up her mother’s job at the Farm in the hopes that one day, she’d make it out of here. One day, she wouldn’t have to do this anymore.

She was twenty-three when she met Joy, a technician at the Farm. It was a short courtship that led to a long marriage, and for a while, things were better. Ripley started getting used to the idea of happiness, started believing it was possible for her... only to have it all ripped away. The Watchers came, ransacked their apartment, took Joy away, interrogated Ripley for hours, told her that her wife was a traitor to Metropolis. After that day, she never saw Joy again.

Until she did, one night at the Boneyard. After her mom died, she started coming here, convincing herself she could feel her mother’s presence. And then, she started feeling Joy’s presence too, and that was all the proof she needed to herself that the one person she’d truly loved, the only hope at happiness she ever thought she’d get, was dead.

She started using. More than just casually, as she’d done her whole life. Methodical, addictive, meant to numb every feeling she’d ever had. And she had every intention of wasting away the rest of her miserable life until – a rumor overheard at Bliss, the idea that you could trigger powers within you...now that captured her attention.

She was singleminded in her pursuit of her “power” – which, she believes, is necromancy, the capacity to speak to the dead – because all she wanted was to say one last goodbye to the people she’s lost. It’s selfish, really, but she convinced herself, maybe she can use it for the greater good. To understand the future is to understand the past, and secrets disappear from the world with the dead.

Ripley was fucking tired. Tired of being a cog in the wheel of a broken machine, tired of being stepped on by the boot of the world, and in order to get where she needed to go, she needed power, money, and influence. What better way to do that than to control the stream of drugs into Metropolis? It was a slippery slope from using to dealing, but she made the most of the fall, and now, she’s created a tiny little monopoly for herself, pocketing almost all of the profits and trying not to get too greedy. Because it’s all in service of a larger goal, even if she refuses to acknowledge that she threw off one set of chains just to put on another. New game, same rules, and the stakes are much, much higher.

FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE.

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

THE CLIENT’S ALWAYS RIGHT – This is one of Ripley’s regulars. Maybe it’s her favorite customer, someone she has an easy repartee with. Maybe it’s someone Ripley feels conflicted about selling to, for whatever reason. Maybe it’s someone she cannot fucking stand, but hell, they’re paying her, so what does it matter. Regardless, give Rip some clients and populate her business!! Walter White, who?

RUBBING ELBOWS WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE – Ripley’s trying to advance her own agenda in terms of activating the power she believes she has. Maybe this person has information she needs, and she’s willing to pay to get it. Maybe she thinks she can manipulate this person to get to someone she actually wants to meet. At the end of the day, Ripley’s taking her first stab at “playing the game” of Metropolis, and boy is she vastly underprepared for what that means.

FELLOW FARMER – Ripley still works the fields as a cover for what she’s actually doing. This can be someone she’s known for years, maybe even her whole life, or it can be someone who just started working here last week. I’d imagine Ripley’s one of those people that’s become a staple of the Farm, someone everyone thinks will always be there and someone who tries to take the new kids under her wing a little bit, give them the advice she never got.

(WO)MAN OF GOD – While she isn’t inherently religious, Ripley has a strong affinity towards belief systems, and she believes with absolute certainty in her bones that she’s right about how she sees the world. Most specifically when it comes to the idea of her having powers. This is someone who believes the same thing as her or could be inclined to be swayed over to Ripley’s way of thinking. Maybe a new friend, a welcome reprieve from the cynicism Inkwell is always giving her. Someone who’ll go down this rabbit hole with her.

HEADCANONS.

Ripley named herself after Sigourney Weaver’s iconic Ellen Ripley of the Alien franchise. It was the only movie they had at home growing up, and Rip watched it again and again, can still recite it verbatim to this day.

Ripley’s got a fair amount of tattoos, all of them courtesy of Inkwell. No, she will not tell you why she got them. Sometimes a cow’s just a cow.

Since starting her little drug empire, Rip’s developed a gnarly caffeine addiction. It wasn’t something she could afford as a lowly farm worker, but now that she knows what a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee tastes like, she’s absolutely done for.

Ripley’s hair is always up if she needs to focus or if she’s working. A tight, sleek ponytail, a low bun, but most commonly, a long braid down her spine, just like how Nairi would do it for her when she was a young girl. She rarely, if ever, wears her hair down, despite it being so long.

There’s stray cat in her apartment complex that Ripley stared feeding. Since he’s so orange and so massive, she started calling him Cheeto. Cheeto now has his own litter box in Ripley’s apartment... and yet, she still calls him a stray and refuses to admit she owns a fucking cat.

Ripley takes pretty good care of herself physically. Her favorite form of exercise is boxing, and she doesn’t get nearly enough practice with sparring partners, just punches a bag she set up behind her building, so if you’re trying to Fight, hit me up.

And last but... not... least.... can’t sit properly in a chair because she’s gay....

#{ about }#{ edits }#{ i am living at the center of a wound still fresh }#2120intro #im terrible at connections pls dont look at me pls just write w me thank u

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kadobeclothing · 5 years ago

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10 Men Who Redefined Style In The 21st Century

When we look back on photos from the first two decades of the 21st century, it will perhaps be tougher than ever to pick the era from the clothes. These were decades of constant change; when trends cycled in and out more quickly, and men discovered a new appreciation for what they wore and why they wore it.Those shifts were thanks to these 10 men, who inspired guys the world over to try new things with their wardrobes. It wasn’t all good, and it certainly won’t all look good in the pictures. But god damn it was exciting.André 3000André Lauren Benjamin entered the 21st century in clothes as flamboyant as his rhyming style. And for the next 20 years, he continued to push boundaries lyrically as well as sartorially. Long flying against rap’s prevailing style winds, he fashioned a hip-hop spin on golf attire a decade before Tyler, The Creator. With his pocket squares, tie pins and wide-brimmed hat, he also set the template for the #menswear movement (although he wore it with a knowing irony that the Pitti Peacocks never managed to emulate). Tom FordTom Ford left the 2010s the same way that he started the 2000s; in a black suit with a white shirt, unbuttoned almost to the navel. In the intervening period, he proved not just the power of having a uniform, but also the importance of flexing it – he tried his signature look in double denim, in suede and in all kinds of velvet. Uniforms were big in the first two decades of the 21st century, but unlike Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerburg and Barack Obama, Ford showed that it’s about embracing consistency, not a sartorial straitjacket. Jay-ZThe archetypal bad boy done good, Jay Z’s transition from New York coke dealer to world’s wealthiest rapper came with a commensurate shift in his wardrobe (not that we’re saying the two are linked). At the start of the century, his Rocawear label helped define mid-00’s rap’s loose, sportswear-inspired aesthetic – the one we all adopted a decade later. As we did, he shifted to boss-worthy suits from a bevy of in-the-know designers: Dries van Noten, Alexander McQueen, Alessandro Michele’s Gucci. Yet again, it’s time to steal his moves. You might have 99 problems, but your wardrobe needn’t be one. Kanye WestNot content with reinventing what streetwear meant, Kanye finally made good on years of boastful lyrics and became a bona fide fashion icon, both on the runway and in the street. For all the trends sparked by Mr West, perhaps the most enduring is the colour palette he’s lived in since founding his Yeezy line. With shades of dusty pinks, drab olives and military-inspired khakis locked in, he’s been free to experiment with silhouettes and fabrics, which have helped him carve out an aesthetic that’s distinctive, but also always shifting. David BeckhamMore than anyone else, David Beckham was responsible for a generation of men taking an interest in what they wore. Perhaps it was because he came to style from the hyper-masculine world of football, but Becks seemed to polish away the feminine gloss with which fashion had, unfairly, been painted. He broke trends on the front pages of newspapers, could make particular items sell out overnight, and almost single-handedly kickstarted the male grooming industry. We all moisturise now, and we’ve got David Beckham to thank. Ryan GoslingIn the opening act of the 21st century, men’s fashion took on a level of theatricality it had never had before. Through it all, Ryan Gosling became one of the best-dressed men in the world by taking a leaf from the Hollywood stars in the mould his own career was forged: Steve McQueen, Paul Newman et al. His look, with its elevated workwear, fitted suits and occasional curveball knits, was classic menswear with a modern twist, which sampled from every decade since the 1950s to create something that felt completely current. A$AP RockyIn the 2000s, high fashion’s relationship with hip-hop shifted from outright hostility to begrudging acceptance. By the close of the following decade, the two were intimately entwined, with brightest names fronting campaigns for the biggest houses. That shift was largely thanks to A$AP Rocky, whose blending of runway fashion and authentic streetwear transcended both, to become arguably the defining trend of the last half of the 2010s. Even if you never wore a Dior suit made from patchwork denim, you almost certainly embraced his rule-breaking attitude at some point. Harry StylesGender-fluidity was fashion’s buzzword in the 2010s, but it rarely transitioned from the runway to the real world except in genderless jeans. But by channelling Prince and Bowie, Harry Styles reinvented himself post-One Direction in a succession of flared, ruffled and pussy-bowed outfits, mostly custom Gucci, but also courtesy of Vivienne Westwood, Burberry and Charles Jeffrey Loverboy. In doing so, he proved that the most masculine way to approach your wardrobe is to embrace your feminine side. P-DiddyThe original rap mogul, Puffy’s Sean John clothing label wasn’t just instrumental in ensuring the fashion industry took rapper-helmed lines seriously; it also (alongside Rocawear and Ecko) set the template for what hip-hop looked like in the first years of the millennium. Granted, there’s more than a few looks that should be left back in the noughties – ankle-length fur rightly isn’t as aspirational these days – but Diddy ticked off logomania, double denim, oversized outerwear and sharp tailoring, long before those trends hit the runway in the 2010s. Alex TurnerWhen the Arctic Monkeys first emerged as an exciting but underground band, the band’s frontman, Alex Turner, looked exactly like what he was: an indie lad from Sheffield. But a few years on, as they cemented their place as one of the biggest acts on earth, Turner swapped the skinny jeans, feather cuts and sports tees for a modern spin on rockabilly, all Cuban collar shirts, wide-lapelled suits and even two-tone brogues. He helped set the tone for a decade in which style felt more fluid; now, a man could switch between aesthetics like he changed his haircuts. Source link

source https://www.kadobeclothing.store/10-men-who-redefined-style-in-the-21st-century/

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princessgracekelly1956 · 6 years ago

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Philadelphia Daily News, 29 May 1981

By Larry Fields

Gracing the wedding

The first team was there last night when they married 54-year-old former City Councilman Jack Kelly off at the swank Wharton Sinkler Estate in Wynd-moor. There was his sister. Princess Grace of Monaco; her husband. Prince Rainier and two of their Serene Highnesses' three children Princess Caroline and Prince Albert, who graduates Sunday from Amherst College in Massachusetts. Princess Stephanie, who just turned 16, remained at home. 'Someone had to stay behind and protect the throne in case the new French Socialist government decides to go crazy and take over the smaller-than-Fairmount Park principality that Rainier and Grace rule, courtesy of the benevolent former French government.

There were four of the groom's six children from his former marriage. There was Eagles' owner Leonard Tose and his wife, Caroline; former Secretary of the Treasury William Simon; Mayor William Green and his wife, Pat; City Representative Dick Doran; Rolls-Royce dealer Marty Keenan and his gorgeous wife, Joanne; champion skier Suzy "Chapstick" Chaffee a doll Kell used to date; John Lehman, U.S. secretary of the Navy and Kell's cousin; and of course, Stanley Green and his wife, Agnes - because what party would be complete without them?

OH, YES, THERE WAS ALSO THE BRIDE - Sandra Lee Worley, 34 years old and a vision in white for her first time at the altar. The wedding was performed officially by Common Pleas Court Judge James J. McDermott, a candidate for justice of the Supreme Court. McDermott, who officiated in his usual magnificent manner, was perfect for the part he's sent many a man to his doom.

Although it must be acknowledged that life with Sandi Worley can only be considered a delight and the groom was convicted of nothing more than good taste.

McDermott, a widower - and this columnist's candidate for any office he seeks, including emperor of the United States - did not seem too lonely for lovely female companionship himself. His date at the affair was a wonderful-looking woman named Deirdre Mecke, a divorcee whose former brother-in-law was Theodore H. Mecke Jr., a Philadelphia native who served as a vice president of the Ford Motor Co. before his death.

Prince Albert, heir to the Monaco throne, was handsome and charming and one of the few men at the wedding not wearing a tuxedo.

"I hope you'll be getting married soon," I said to Albert, who recently was linked romantically to TV actress Kathy Lee Crosby.

"Why do you say that?" he asked me.

"I love your country," I explained. "But it's too expensive for me. The only way I’ll be able to visit it again is if you get married and my paper pays for me to go to Monaco and report on the event"

"Well" he said. “I would not plan on visiting Monaco then for at least three years - minimum, I’m not planning to marry soon."

PRINCE ALBERT SAID that after his Sunday graduation from Amherst he intended to spend a few days in New York, then some time in Paris, and then in Monaco. "Marriage for me is quite a long way off," he said.

His older sister, Princess Caroline, wearing a short black dress, cut low enough to almost see Heaven, did not appear to be recuperating too well from her recent divorce from Parisian playboy Philippe Junot She was there at the wedding, but the expression on her pretty face was sad and sullen. She resembled, slightly, a spoiled doll from Bustleton who was trying to get over a broken heart.

Her dad. Prince Rainier, just seemed bored. He was there at the wedding, it seemed, because his wife dragged him there. It appeared that he was in the United States to attend the graduation ceremonies for his son and there just was no way to avoid mingling with his in-laws.

Basking in the spotlight was nothing new to the groom, of course, and he as usual was cordial and friendly to the pushy press and photographers. The bride was another story. She seemed genuinely upset by an the commotion.

BUT SHE LOOKED lovely dressed in virginal white, wearing a veil, and seemingly proud to be the second Mrs. John B. Kelly. Jr.

The bride, who had announced that her parents would be at the wedding, caused a minor stir when they did not appear and she was “given away" by the groom's brother-in-law, Donald LeVine, a horse trainer.

Pleasant Colony - winner of this year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness - should look so good.

Princess Grace, no stranger to public and press attention, seemed to be the most composed at the affair. After Judge McDermott pronounced Jack and Sandra "husband and wife," she directed the line of traffic waiting to wish them well.

"You're in the wrong line," she snapped at me.

"It's the story of my life, your Serene Highness," I admitted. "Please don’t have my head cut off."

HER SERENE HIGHNESS did not seem amused.

Because I do not discuss my wife Andrea, I will state that the prettiest lady present, in my opinion, was Caroline Tose, a vision in gold and diamonds and emeralds.

Mrs. Tose was not too kind to me.

"You," she said, "are a louse. Where is Andrea?" I have written in the past that Leonard had given Caroline a $1 ring from Woolworth at their wedding a few months ago. Now she waved a wedding ring in front of me made up of the Eagles colors green and white. Three separate rings, one of emeralds surrounded by two strands of diamonds. "I want to show Andrea this because I know how much she likes emeralds and diamonds," Caroline said

"I want to show her this and ask her what kind of dum-dum she married that didn't buy her a ring like this," Caroline said.

"SHE MARRIED A DUM DUM who cant afford doo-dads like you've got on your finger," I told Caroline. "But" I made up for it - sort of. I bought her Saudi Arabia."

Jack Kelly and Sandra Worley got married last night. It was a lovely wedding, and I must confess that I didn't notice the bride's ring because scotch got in my eyes. I only hope that they are as happy as Andrea and I - and Leonard and Caroline Tose.

What do they say about misery loving company?

Click! Paparazzi Put Philadelphia on the Map

By FRANK DOUGHERTY

You cannot have a social event without some social outcasts. And the social outcasts roles last night at the wedding of Philadelphia man-about-town Jack Kelly were filled by the paparazzi.

In New York or Los Angeles, it would have been just another media event. But Philadelphia last night got into the Big Leagues with a visit from Europe's legendary and colorful media photographers.

THE PHILADELPHIA PRESS photographers covering the wedding last night were augmented with teams of lensmen from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, along with a couple of European free-lancers who operate out of New York.

A photographic session was arranged after last night's nuptials by bridegroom Kelly and his top security chief, a guy named Mike Carroll, who said he used to be a Philadelphia cop.

Carroll's real job began when the photographers were admitted to the grounds of the Wharton Sinkler Estate in Wyndmoor, about 15 minutes after Kelly and his bride, Sandra Worley, tied the knot.

The Kelly family posed in the foyer of the gorgeous English Tudor mansion while photographers stood in the rain atop a cobblestone driveway and made their photographs as guests watched the show from the 100-year-old hand-leaded windows on the second floor.

AS SOON AS KELLY and his wife appeared, strobe lights began going off like shore batteries and the pushing and shoving quickly followed.

Carroll kept control until Princess Grace arrived in the foyer to pose with brother Jack. The photographers, festooned in Nikons and looking like a pack of lemmings about to plunge over a Norwegian cliff, immediately surged ahead.

"The rain is good for your complexion," Her Serene Highness told the photographers. "It will make your complexions beautiful."

At this point, Prince Rainier appeared in the foyer. And the photographers, with the Frenchmen in the lead, all pressed forward.

The French and American photographers began calling each other names as two United Kingdom free lancers had taken positions standing atop potted chrysanthemums.

The press crowd broke up as the Kelly family ducked out of the foyer back into the reception area. The photographers packed their gear and left - leaving behind small mounds of empty film boxes and canisters, a few broken umbrellas and six destroyed potted chrysanthemums.

#Princess Grace #John B Kelly Jr #Sandra Worley #Prince Albert #Prince Rainier #1981 #80s #Philadelphia Daily News #newspaper #Larry Fields #Frank Dougherty #Susan Winters #Elwood P Smith #Princess Caroline

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detroitsportspodcastblog · 5 years ago

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Detroit Lions News - 7/23/19

By: DSP Staff 7/23/19

Sterling Heights - The Detroit Lions Family Fest takes place this year on Friday, August 2.

Family Fest is free and open to the public. To attend, fans can visit any Southeast Michigan Ford Dealer now to claim a VIP Lions lanyard (limit 4 per person, while supplies last) which will earn them admission to a special reserved seating area, the chance to win autographed items and much more.

For general admission, fans can register for up to 8 tickets to the event by visiting www.detroitlions.com/familyfest.

All guests must have a ticket for entry. Gates open at 4:30 PM, with the Lions scrimmage beginning at 6:00 PM.

The first 15,000 fans will receive a pair of Lions Thunder Sticks and a poster courtesy of the Southeast Michigan Ford Dealers.

For more information, fans should visit www.detroitlions.com/familyfest.

NOTE

The Detroit Lions announced today that WR Tommylee Lewis was placed on the Active/Physically unable to perform list.

The Detroit Sports Podcast Network was founded in 2013, and can be listened to anywhere podcasts are found, including on iTunes, Stitcher and Podomatic

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detroitlib · 6 years ago

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View of two 1958 Edsel Citation cars. Typed on back: "Two Edsels, a Citation two door hardtop and a Citation convertible, dramatically illustrate the new styling concepts that make these the most distinctive and easily recognizable medium price cars on the road. The Edsel's tailored elegance begins with the vertical grille, dual headlights and wraparound turn indicators. A single chrome side spear stops just short of the concave sculptured 'teardrop' side scallop which, in turn, blends into the horizontal tailights. All 18 models of the Edsel in the four series -- Ranger, Pacer, Corsair and Citation -- will be available for public inspection in dealer showrooms beginning Sept. 4. Public Relations Department, Edsel Division, Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan." Handwritten on back: "Edsel, 1958. Citation."

Courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library

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shortnewsbites · 2 years ago

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Ford dealership applies $69554 markup on F-150 Lightning despite corporate orders

Ford dealership applies $69,554 markup on F-150 Lightning despite corporate orders Ford dealerships are starting to receive units of the all-electric F-150 Lightning and they are applying massive market adjustments despite corporate’s stern orders not to do so several months ago. In Florida at Gary Smith Ford in Fort Walton Beach, a Ford F-150 Lightning Pro trim, which is retailed at $69,554, is having its market price doubled thanks to a markup applied by the dealership. The cost of the truck after accessories and the market adjustment eclipses $140,600. Credit: RDeFran | F-150 Lightning Forum The picture comes courtesy of RDeFran, a member of the F-150 Lightning Forum, who was sent the photograph by a friend on vacation. Just after Ford announced production of the F-150 Lightning had begun in late April, the company sent a message to dealers warning them of stern repercussions that could come with applying dealership markups. “The sale of any F-150 Lightning FCTP (Ford Courtesy Transportation Program) Mannequin unit to a final customer prior to meeting all in-service requirements will result in a penalty of $25,000 unless the FCTP Mannequin unit can be replaced with another F-150 Lightning within 90 days,” Ford said in its communication to dealers. “It will also result in the unit being ineligible for any retail bonus cash incentives and chargeback of any FCTP 30/60/90/120 Day incentives and will result in dealer ineligibility for future FCTP Mannequin programs.” This did not necessarily stop some dealers from applying the markups, as DCH Ford of Thousand Oaks in Westlake Village, California, also had several hefty markups on its F-150 Lightning units. Another Ford dealer in Napa, California, had a 2022 F-150 Lightning Platinum listed for almost $134,000, a roughly $40,000 increase in price from its MSRP. Ford dealers are defying company orders with insane F-150 Lightning markups Ford has lofty plans for the F-150 Lightning and plans to build at least 160,000 units of the vehicle annually. The vehicle is a part of the automaker’s massive switch to electrification, which it recently committed to with a $3.7 billion investment into new EV (and, unfortunately, ICE) products, which will establish 6,200 additional UAW jobs. I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at [email protected]. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at [email protected]. The post Ford dealership applies $69,554 markup on F-150 Lightning despite corporate orders appeared first on TESLARATI. from TESLARATI https://ift.tt/otyU5YH via IFTTT via Blogger https://ift.tt/c97rzqw June 08, 2022 at 12:03AM

#IFTTT #Blogger

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cloningerfordmorganton · 3 years ago

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Ford Courtesy Vehicles

Ford Courtesy Vehicles dealer morganton, your local car dealership serving drivers around the Valdese, Hickory, and Brookford areas. We work every day to help people like you find the right vehicle for their lifestyle.

#Ford Courtesy Vehicles

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aliciabuncle · 3 years ago

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Ford Growing Explorer Portfolio Again with new ST-Line

Even as the industry undergoes rapid change, the Explorer remain critical to the Ford Motor Co.

The new 2022 Ford Explorer ST-Line gives buyers the look of the performance-oriented ST model without the pricey performance upgrades.

Jeff Marentic, marketing manager for Ford passenger vehicles, said the company has every intention of maintaining and strengthening the appeal of Ford’s most popular utility vehicle.

“We are prepared to dominate,” Marentic said, noting that even as the demographics shift to a new generation of buyers very different from their parents, the company is still looking to be the gold standard.

The younger Gen X and millennial buyers are very interested in the outdoors. “Everything is centered around the outdoors,” he said. In fact, supplying outdoor gear has grown into $900 billion business. In addition, COVID changed the way people vacation and the Explorer is a perfect fit for automobile-oriented travel, he added.

Ford is reconfiguring the Explorer line to offer more on-road performance as well as for those looking for unique styling by expanding the Explorer ST line, which now accounts for one of every five Explorers sold by Ford dealers.

RWD-only versions of ST available now

The ST-Line arrives in 2022 and just the most recent expansion of the brand’s SUV portfolio.

The new models for 2022 include an Explorer ST rear-wheel-drive model and the Explorer ST-Line, which is designed for drivers who like the appearance of the ST, but cannot afford the price tag that comes with the 400 hp engine found in the Explorer ST and other premium features. The ST-Line models feature a 300-horsepower, 2.3-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The Explorer ST rear-wheel-drive is built on a rear-wheel-drive platform but is powered by the 3.0-liter EcoBoost putting out 400 hp and 415 pound-feet of torque. It comes with on-road handling support but four-wheel drive is an option.

Performance upgrades also coming to King Ranch and Platinum series models courtesy of that 400-hp motor and the Technology Package as standard equipment.

Now in its sixth generation, Explorer continues to build on its strengths in the highly competitive midsize SUV segment by offering customers even more options, whether they desire the on-road performance of rear-wheel drive or the performance-inspired style without maximum Explorer ST performance, Marentic said.

The Enthusiast ST is the new Standard Equipment Group within the ST model and features the looks and performance of Explorer ST at a lower MSRP of $48,750.

“We’ve taken Explorer, already the all-time best-selling SUV, and given our customers the chance to put the emphasis on the things they value most,” he added. “For on-road performance and styling, our new rear-wheel-drive Explorer ST and new Explorer ST-Line are specifically designed to appeal to new customer groups with different adventure needs.”

ST Explorers join new Timberline

The new ST family will join the most off-road-capable Explorer, the Timberline, which was unveiled last spring in the line-up for 2022, he added.

“No two SUV drivers use their vehicles the same way, so our goal is to meet the needs of as many as possible,” said Lee Newcombe, Ford Explorer marketing manager.

“Four-wheel-drive capability is great if you need it, but if you don’t, you shouldn’t have to pay for it. These changes to the Explorer lineup were guided by what our customers told us they wanted,” he said.

Ford Growing Explorer Portfolio Again with new ST-Line published first on https://decalsgraphicstore.tumblr.com/

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timessquarein · 4 years ago

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Ford Bronco Sport’s Accessory Packs Optimize the SUV for Biking, Camping, Boating, and More

A catalogue of hundreds of Ford Bronco accessories recently leaked its way onto the internet courtesy of a Bronco enthusiast forum. Now, news of accessory packs for the smaller Bronco Sport have made its way onto the web, too—but this time the announcement comes from Ford itself, all official-like. The five new Ford-dealer-installed Bronco Sport accessory packs to make heading off the beaten…

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cloningerfordmorganton · 3 years ago

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#Ford Courtesy Vehicles

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renaultamour · 4 years ago

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Renault Sandero Driver’s Review

The new Renault Sandero is armed with fresh styling and plenty of standard specification.

With a turbocharged 898 cm3 unit delivering 66 kW and 135 N.m of torque, I expected there to be a little more oomph, but I soon discovered that I needed to make good use of the Sandero’s rev range and five-speed manual ‘box to get it to feel as zippy as I would like it to be, which is weird for a forced-induced car. This, I suspect, will impact on fuel consumption - an area that turbocharged units are supposed to thrive in. Renault claims a consumption of 5,2 litres/100 km. The Sandero’s ride is slightly firm as a result of the 15-inch wheels, but it’s not uncomfortable. It’s also a very settled vehicle thanks to the standard fitment of a stability control system in both the Expression and Dynamique models.

The 20-something-year-old side of me (we shall name her Fun Kelly) that has little money and places a lot of value in well, value for money and how much nice stuff (as I would say were I chatting to my friends) I could get for my hard-earned cash, doesn’t always look at engine offering and ride quality first though. What this side of me immediately considers is how many people can I fit in the vehicle with relative comfort, would there be space for all our luggage should we want to road trip, how can I play my tunes to sing along to and how comfortable is the car as a living space.

In terms of people-carrying abilities and luggage space, the Sandero offers a decent amount of both. The rear bench is able to house three passengers and offers ample legroom for all. Renault claims that the boot can swallow 292 dm3 of luggage - more than its closest competitors that offer 270 dm3 in the case of the Volkswagen Polo Vivo, 251 dm3 for the Toyota Etios and 284 dm3 for the Ford Figo. When it comes to music, the Sandero offers an MP3-compatible audio system that can play CDs or be connected via USB or Bluetooth. There’s also the befit of satellite audio controls behind the steering wheel. On a comfort level, there’s cruise control and air-conditioning (available as an option on the Expression) in the high-spec Dynamique model, while both come fitted with central locking, a height-adjustable steering column, and safety features that include ABD with EBD and brake assist and dual front air bags (with side airbags available on the Dynamique).

We also have to consider the fact that this is a Renault and that while it’s an excellent value proposition straight off the showroom floor, there’s always that part of my mind wondering what the aftersales experience would be like. Let’s be honest, it faces stiff competition, all of which come with relatively good after-sale support and wide dealer networks, and two of which are locally made, so parts should be easier to come by.

Then we’re swayed by the fact that, even though the dealer network isn’t as big as the others' and even though servicing comes courtesy of a multi-franchise, Renault SA has given this vehicle a standard 2-year/30 000 km service plan and a 5-year/150 000 km warranty. Of its competitors, only the Etios has a service plan to match that of the Sandero’s.

With all that it offers as standard, the Sandero is a bargain. The verdict is this: the engine isn't quite up to scratch and, therefore, the engine may need to be worked a bit harder than one would like, but I can’t deny that it’s good value-for-money. There aren’t any cars at this end of the market that can offer all that the Sandero offers. It's a very tempting buy among a crowd that offers rather basic specification. If you can live with an engine that underperforms slightly, the Sandero is definitely worth a look.

*Specifications:

Model: Renault Sandero

Engine: 898 cm3, three-cylinder turbopetrol

Transmission: five-speed manual

Power: 66 kW @ 5 280 r/min

Torque: 135 N.m @ 2 500 r/min

0-100 km/h: 11,1 secs

Fuel consumption: 5,2 litres/100 km

CO2: 119 g/km

Luggage capacity: 290 dm3

Service plan: 2 years/30 000 km

Service intervals: 15 000 km

*According to Renault

Article sourced from: https://www.carmag.co.za/

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jeffrey2garner · 5 years ago

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2019 LA Auto Show: Six Star Cars

With the 2019 LA Auto Show just a week away, now’s the perfect time to take a quick look at some of the new models set to be unveiled in the LA Convention Center. Below we’ve listed a half-dozen of our favorites, plus be sure to visit the CarGurus Facebook page and CarGurus YouTube channel during the LA Show press days on November 20th and 21st for updates.

Without further ado, here are six cars that have already piqued our interest.

Ford Mustang Mach-E

Two things tell you all you need to know about the faith Ford has in its all-new and all-electric SUV. First, there’s the name—because you don’t call something a Mustang without also inviting intense scrutiny about its heritage, positioning, and performance. Mustang it is, though, albeit with an added “Mach-E” for good measure.

Second is the fact that Ford’s opening press surrounding the car hasn’t detailed its drivetrain or performance, but simply informed customers that it’ll be taking pre-orders (via a deposit) the moment the official unveil ends on November 18. Now that’s confidence.

Among the options for those pre-ordering a car will be to go for a lavish First Edition model, although Ford stresses that “timing will be critical” for anybody looking to secure a vehicle in this spec. Whatever Mustang Mach-E takes your fancy, it’s hard not to think that with the right styling and performance, this could be one of the hottest cars to go on sale in 2020.

Audi RS Q8

It is unlikely anybody could come away from a drive in Audi’s Q8 and think that what it really needs is more power. However, the imminent arrival of the RS Q8 will provide precisely that, courtesy of Audi Sport’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. With what is likely to be around 600 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, the RS Q8 is expected to get from 0-62 mph in just 3.8 seconds and has already lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7:42:2. That—because we know you’re wondering—is a record for a production SUV.

The RS Q8 will be joined in LA by Audi’s latest RS 6 Avant, which is making its debut on US soil along with its five-door coupe sibling, the RS 7. Powered by the same V8 as the RS Q8, the RS 6 can get from 0-62 mph in just 3.6 seconds. Having never been offered in the US before, it’ll be interesting to see if Audi’s muscular estate is as well-received here as it has been with European buyers.

Porsche 911 Manual

The debut of an old-fashioned manual transmission in a car that’s already been for sale for almost a year would not be normally deemed newsworthy. But when the car in question is a Porsche 911, things are a little different. To a non-car person the surprise would grow further upon learning that by gaining a manual, the latest 992-generation 911 becomes slower rather than faster; for that, thank the fact that Porsche’s dual-clutch automatics now change gear so quickly it’s simply not possible to match them when you throw human limbs into the equation. As a guide, Porsche is quoting a 0-60 time of around 4.0 seconds for the 992 Carrera S manual versus 3.3 for the PDK automatic.

However, speed is not everything in a performance car. What some buyers also crave is the tactile interaction that a manual offers, whether it’s the weighty feel of the clutch pedal, the precise throw of the shifter, or the joy of a perfectly executed heel-toe downshift. And these are precisely the people Porsche is targeting with the installation of its 7-speed manual in the Carrera S and Carrera 4S versions of the 992. Rumour is these cars—and that gearbox—will be on the stand in LA. Watch this space.

Bollinger B1 and B2

Slab-sided and right-angle rich, Bollinger’s built-in-Detroit, all-electric, all-aluminum, all-black LA Auto Show debuts look less sleek than any other vehicles expected to hit the show floor. The B1 “sport utility truck” promises all-wheel drive, 10 inches of wheel travel, 15 inches of ground clearance, and a 200-mile range despite its 5,000-pound curb weight. With 614 horsepower, 668 pound-feet of torque, and a list of removable parts and off-roading angles reminiscent of the Jeep Wrangler’s, we can’t help but be intrigued.

The longer B2 electric pickup truck shares the B1’s powertrain, weight, range, and most of its removable parts, not to mention its full-length central pass-through, which in the B2’s case will accommodate cargo up to 16 feet long. Each of these trucks features air conditioning and 10 110-volt outlets (we can’t help but wonder how those will impact range). At $125,000 each, these vehicles aren’t intended for the masses, which is probably fine for now, as Bollinger hasn’t found a production partner yet.

MINI Cooper John Cooper Works GP and SE

Featuring enough airflow-managing scoops and bulges to shame Ford’s buttressed GT in addition to a huge rear wing/spoiler, the third-generation MINI John Cooper Works GP aims to whet appetites for a limited-edition 3,000-unit high-performance 2020 model. The GP concept and its 301-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder recently lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in under 8 minutes, making it the fastest MINI model ever produced. It should reach US showrooms in mid-2020 at a price of $45,750, including an $850 destination fee.

MINI’s stand will also feature the new MINI Cooper SE, an all-new EV based on the MINI Hardtop 2-door launched in 2014. The SE’s electric motor supplies 181 horsepower and 199 lb-ft to the front wheels, getting the car from 0 to 60 in 6.9 seconds on the way to a top speed of 93 mph. A full charge will be possible in as little as 4 hours at home, and charging to 80% can happen as quickly as 35 minutes at a public charging station. The SE should reach dealers in March 2020 at an MSRP of $30,750, including a similar $850 destination fee.

Volkswagen ID. Space Vizzion Concept

Volkswagen’s fleet of ID. concept cars will welcome its seventh member at the Petersen Auto Museum November 19th with the world debut of the ID. Space Vizzion crossover concept. VW describes this new vehicle as combining the aerodynamics of a gran turismo with the spaciousness of an SUV in a zero-emissions car with a range of up to 300 miles.

Looking like a very long, low, streamlined station wagon, the ID. Space Vizzion, unlike the earlier ID. Vizzion, features a steering wheel and a very large but horizontal digital control panel on the dashboard. Using sustainable interior materials, the cabin features AppleSkin, a vegan alternative to leather that’s made with leftovers from apple-juice production. Volkswagen plans to release a production version in late 2021, with different versions available in North America, Europe, and China.

For more car news, check out these articles:

More Shoppers Consider Owning EVs, CarGurus Survey Finds

CarGurus’ 2018 Top LA Auto Show Cars for Every Lifestyle

Go Green with These Top-Searched EVs

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