#ed's auto reviews

[rockyy133]

The Auto Market Plunge: The Crash of a Lifetime

Market Plunge and the crash of a lifetime that it is! In this video, we're going to take a look at the history of the auto market and why it crashed a lifetime ago. We're going to cover classic cars, design history, and ed's auto reviews, and see how it all ties in together. This is an important video for anyone who's interested in cars and the auto market. Learn about the factors that led to the crash of a lifetime, and be better prepared for the future of the automotive industry!

[monicascot]

The Auto Market Plunge: The Crash of a Lifetime

Welcome to the Auto Market Plunge: The Crash of a Lifetime. In this video, we're going to discuss the current state of the electric car market and why it's headed for a big crash.

[lean-mean-demon-genevieve]

I could just feel her need to spew diet culture nonsense in my bones yesterday. And here it is today in her stories:

I’m going to try so hard to keep this brief…

1.) Note the typo in the thumbnail in the white box. GenPad: Consummate Professional; English Major. Apparently busy moms don’t proofread.

2.) This meal program costs $465/week for FIVE days of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (That’s $31/meal.) Or $395/week with an auto-pay subscription. ($26.33 per meal.) It doesn’t appear that there is an option for multiple people per household. There is also no 7-day option. Yes you’re paying for the convenience of a pre-made meal and no I haven’t run the numbers on what it would cost you to make all of this at home, but the fact remains: shit is pricey.

3.) It all comes in plastic containers. TOWWN, indeed!

(Source listed below)

4.) Sakara does not share the nutrition info in these meals. (You can find nutrition profiles on some protein bars and powders on Google but not the meals.) This is sketchy as hell and for that price, their customers deserve to know. The company claims that “calories don’t matter” and suggests that people do not count calories. Which isn’t a terrible message on the surface, but that’s not all that goes on a nutrition label.

5.) What little nutrition info anyone has been able to arm-wrestle out of Sakara (see above) is generalized, but it also suggests that it isn’t enough calories for most women/their target audience. A dietitian who tried the program for 5 days reported that for 0 of those days did they only eat Sakara’s food because they were hungry in between. It’s also low in protein, so add some snacks and meat to your weekly $465 budget for ONE PERSON.

“To their credit”?? …no. Not for that price.

6.) The phrase “clean eating” is a marketing gimmick. It’s also how people like Gen signal their superiority in their food choices. A study published in The Journal of Eating Disorders showed supporting data that perpetuating “clean eating” as a goal may be harmful, especially to vulnerable audiences. (And the thing about eating disorders is that it is really difficult to tell who is vulnerable until it’s too late. It is estimated that 1 in 4 diets results in an ED.)

7.) Gen continues to shill health and wellness misinformation that has potential to harm others for her own profit. What a gal!

Bonus: Gen also claims to have her own history of an eating disorder in this podcast (start at 24:14) which obviously doesn’t make her inherently bad or untrustworthy but I do feel like it should mean that SHE KNOWS BETTER THAN TO PUT OTHERS AT RISK WITH HER INFLUENCER BULLSHIT…but here we are. 🖕🏼

Sources:

“A Dietitian’s Review of Sakara’s Insta-Famous Meal Plans”

“Sakara 101: Why Calories Don’t Matter”

Journal of Eating Disorders article

[haveyoulistenedtothisalbum-poll]

Spotify Tracklist below the cut due to length.

0.002 • Nobody Makes Money Anymore • Stephen Chicken • How Many Friends Have You Bought In Your Unsigned Band • 2 be or not to be • I'm In With The Soundcloud • 2 noble kinsmen • Johnny Ramone Joins The Beatles • Mojo Mojo Why Don't You Go And Review This Album Instead Of Another REM Blowjo • Noel Gallagher Is Jealous Of My Studio • My Royalty Statement • YouTube Are Fleecing You • I Wanna Be The New Ed Sheeran • Happy (Un) • Drop That Bridge Like Taylor Swift • The Great Sync Deal In The Sky • Liam Gallagher Is Jealous Of My Clever Turn Of Phrase • Dappy Versus Zombies vs The Pocket Gods • NME NME You're History • Nobody Makes Any Money Anymore • Adele • EMI • Synch • Steve Blacknell's Near Fatal Asthma Attack • Best Of Joe Rogan • Rock N Roll • Modern Music Is Boring Me • Mariah The Pariah • All About The Bass & Not Being Paid A Fair Amount • Neil • We Love Gideon Coe • 0.007 • the bbc will introduce you as long as you're under 25 • this is the end of the music business • Nowhere Left To Play • The Orchard Versus Sony • 6 Music Is The New Radio 1 • youtube are fleecing you outro • we don't need another nero • tory wet dream • Stars On MP3 • Racist Seaside Town They Forgot To Close Down • Starbuckers • Corporation Lax • Grotify • Brexiteers of The World Unite (ironically) • Penny Arcade Jukebox Scam • The Weak Spine Of Mr Cameron • Exit Brexit For Xmas • I Hate Hipsters • Ballad Of The Lonely Fruit Picker • Absent Smelly Stick Your Pay To Play Up Your Bottom • Shazam Kazam It's All A Mystery To Me • Peter Doherty's Quest For A Mythical Albion • Deezer Geezer • Brown Nose Brexit • A&R Pervert Man • Steve Jobs • Why Did I Write This Album With 1000 Songs On Now I have No Social Life • Shoddy Waddy • Best Of Boris Johnson • Pusher • Disinformate the Disinformators • Radio 2 Is Cool • It's The Brits • Lawyer V Liar • blah blah the music industry ceo goes • Folsom Prison Jism • The Forumla To Work Out My Royalties Is More Complicated Than The Superstring Theory Of Everything • Country Chaos • 45 Rip • John Peel's On The Phone • Another Generic Pop Song • Cesspool Karaoke • Bait Oven • Lucy Fux Cowell • Precious Electro Pop Indie Band Change The World • Minceyments • Zx Spectrum Soundtrack • Why Did I Write This Album With 1000 Songs On Now I have No Wife • Alan Mghee and the Pink Raincoat • The Monkees Gave Good Head • Michael Jackson Vs The illumati • The Sound Of The Future AI Bot • Mac Book Ho • Shabby Road • I.will.Iam Shakespeare • Feed Me Seymour • Auto Tune Loon • Reality TV Killed The Video Star • Madame Jo Jo's • Modern Music Is Boring Me • Small Town Musos • Medusa • Pledge • Ex Tractor • Jarvis Said Send Me Your Christmas Album • I'm A D List St Albans' Musician Get ME Out Of Here • Santasucker • Who Knows Who The F*ck Is Number 1? • Joe Meek • Pay To Play • Dodgy London Promoter • He's A Local Music Star • You Can't Shoplift MP3s • 2nd Biggest Band In The Village • Tedious day Job Rescue me me universe • The End Of The Mean Times )LOA) • The End Of The Pocket Gods? • Odd one out (just for the cd remember them?) • Premier • 2016 • 2379 • A Fool On The chill • Ac • Ag • Living On Top Of A Porno Cinema • ahura mazda • Al • White Noise Christmas • Albany • Alexi (not Sanchez) Put The Grunge Into Soccer! • all in all it's just another prick in the wall • All Things Must Pass • all you need is love and money • Always Look On The Norman Whiteside Of Life • Am • And Your Bird Can Sing • ANOTHER BLING FOOTBALLER • Another Blue Plaque • Another clown on the ground rolling around • APOCRYPHA • A&R Talking • Watch Out Lockdown is Coming • As • When BJ Apologies All I Hear Is This • Au • AVATAR • Sue's Redacted Report • Silence (sound of lockdown) with Tinnitus • ballad of blackfriars tavern • ballad of the lonely people again • Banksies dodgy beer • Bard For Life • Bard Rock Cafe • Bardify • Be • Beatles Wives Can't Sing • Beatles On A Tinny Tannoy (Ode to Shay) • Beatles On Spotify • BEST player not have played at a World Cup

Best Tattoo • better part of valour • Better Than The Stones • Beware The IDS of March • Bi • Big Willie Style • Bigger Than Jesus…but Jesus Never Toured (the US) • Bight the Apple That Feeds • billy fury • Billy Preston (was the 5th beatle) • Spent Too Long Watching Get Back • Blind Hope • blisters on my fingers • Bond Girl • Bono Is Bigger Than The Beatles • Br • dead tod • bring me the head of francis bacon • Bud Miser • Had Enougth Of Politics • C • Ca • Cardenio • Cathrine • What Party? • I wasn't there honest guv • Deffo A Work Event • Christ as Stoichkov • christmas in cricklewood • chuck berry we stole his riffs • Church Of Merch • Nothing to See here • Cm • Co • CONTE VERDE • Cornwall • Cr • Crap World Cup Mascot • Cs • cu night twelfth • Cu • Cygnus • Cynthia v Yoko • David Bowie v Shakespeare • day 1 of lockdown oh my god • day 2 of lockdown be good to get our • day 3 of lockdown wtf? • day 4 of lockdown jim jams • day 5 of lockdown call docs • day 6 of lockdown bed head • day 7 of lockdown not getting out of bed • day 8 of lockdown st albans' wine & cheese extravaganza • day 9 of lockdown grateful we don't live in a flat in london • day 10 of lockdown another day • day 11 of lockdown locked out of the playground • day 12 of lockdown thank god for nomansland • day 13 of lockdown project fear being ramped up • day 14 of lockdown 3 word phrases • day 15 of lockdown take away take away • day 16 of lockdown blah • day 17 of lockdown it's like picadilly circus outside my house • day 18 of lockdown slobs days • day 19 of lockdown knock more tracks off • day 20 of lockdown still waiting for my EMDR treatment god what is going on? • day 21 of lockdown phoned the mental health emergency helpline and got cut off after an hour on hold it's pretty desperate • day 22 of lockdown need my freedom need to escape need to get out can't stand being trapped inside (childhood memories) • day 23 of lockdown at least I don't drink anymore though quite tempted to start again • day 24 of lockdown I'm certain that when we look back after the pandemic has finished we will see that lockdowns caused more harm than good • day 25 of lockdown driving to the next village will we get arrested? • day 26 of lockdown another day another walk so glad we live in the country • day 27 of lockdown working at home zoom freak out • day 28 of lockdown not much to say today • day 29 of lockdown got another idea for a world record • day 30 of lockdown is this the right person to be leading us and what is it all really about, still no word on EMDR • day 32 of lockdown not sure what day it is • day 33 of lockdown just keep going and still waiting for Psychiatrist to call • day 34 of lockdown spring is here shall I have an alcohol free beer? • day 35 of lockdown so many 3 word phrases quite frightening • day 36 of lockdown life is now all online what a drag • day 37 of lockdown right said fred are speaking out against lockdown what does it mean • day 38 of lockdown is more tedious than this album • day 39 of lockdown cheese and toast is the new rock n roll • day 40 of lockdown one day hats will be eaten • day 41 of lockdown survived the wicker man • day 42 of lockdown long way to go when will it end • day 43 of lockdown life is an online barbie fashion show • day 44 of lockdown run run run fat boy • day 45 of lockdown May 6th 2020 • day 46 of lockdown I bet they're having parties in Downing Street • day 47 of lockdown there's a reason why this is played in morse code • day 48 of lockdown this is morse code for why don't Spotify and Apple pay us more money • day 49 of lockdown If I Can Get Through Lockdown and finish this album of 1000 tracks then that would mean something • day 50 of lockdown May 11th 2020 • day 51 of lockdown bet there's been another party in Downing Street • day 52 of lockdown anyone still listening? • day 53 of lockdown we're all in this together? • day 54 of lockdown I can't wear a mask it triggers my PTSD what am i to do?

day 55 of lockdown cross it off my bedroom wall and the walrus was paul • day 56 of lockdown gonna have to go off sick can't cope with lockdown and having no treatment • day 57 of lockdown gp signed me off still no sign of EMDR oh well let's go for a walk • day 58 of lockdown no comment today • day 59 of lockdown we are putting our trust in a corrupt government let's all focus on making our own world a better place • day 60 of lockdown hospitality hospitality they've all got it in for hospitality • day 61 of lockdown The Rose And Crown • day 62 of lockdown longing to be back in Kessingland • day 63 of lockdown toast toast toast • day 64 of lockdown taking up metal detecting shame it's illegal in lockdown • day 65 of lockdown does Ed Sheeran fancy a track on this album? • day 66 of lockdown yeah that kind of sucks • day 67 of lockdown Our cat Minty has Pohms and he likes you to smell dem • day 68 of lockdown this album is like a musical filibuster • day 69 of lockdown i used to be a socialist now i just prefer colouring in • day 70 of lockdown ah might be starting my EMDR soon online of course would be nice to do it in person but there you go • day 71 of lockdown spell dem • day 72 of lockdown that's me in the corner • day 73 of lockdown smile and be happy • day 74 of lockdown amazon and on • day 75 of lockdown boot noot • day 76 of lockdown can i just sit it out this great reset thing • day 77 of lockdown june 7th • day 78 of lockdown june 8th 2020 • day 79 of lockdown june 9th 2020 • day 80 of lockdown june 10th 2020. • day 81 of lockdown june 11th 2020 • day 82 of lockdown june 12th 2020 • day 83 of lockdown june 13th 2020 • day 84 of lockdown june 14th 2020 • day 85 of lockdown june 15th 2020 • day 86 of lockdown june 16th 2020 • day 87 of lockdown june 17th 2020 • day 88 of lockdown june 18th 2020 • day 89 of lockdown june 19th 2020 • day 90 of lockdown june 20th 2020 is there another party? • day 91 of lockdown june 21st 2020 i quit! • day 92 of lockdown june 22nd 2020 • day 93 of lockdown june 23rd 2020 • day 94 of lockdown june 24th 2020 i'm 50 should have been playing the 100 club but i'm having fun in the garden pook with the family • day 95 of lockdown june 25th 2020 • day 96 of lockdown june 26th 2020 • day 97 of lockdown june 27th 2020 • day 98 of lockdown june 28th 2020 • day 99 of lockdown june 29th 2020 • day 100 of lockdown june 30th 2020 • day 101 of lockdown july 1st 2020 12 weeks my arse • day 102 of lockdown july 2nd 2020 summer mask implosion • day 103 of lockdown july 3rd 2020 • day 104 of lockdown july 4th 2020 independence day ha! • day 105 of lockdown july 5th 2020 • day 106 of lockdown july 6th 2020 ooh i need your maths babe • day 107 of lockdown july 7th 2020 • day 108 of lockdown july 8th 2020 the cues watch the queues • day 109 of lockdown july 9th 2020 • day 110 of lockdown july 10th 2020 • day 111 of lockdown july 11th 2020 pants • day 112 of lockdown july 12th 2020 • day 113 of lockdown july 13th 2020 only 1/3 way through yikes • day 114 of lockdown july 14th 2020 • day 115 of lockdown july 15th 2020 • day 116 of lockdown july 16th 2020 • day 117 of lockdown july 17th 2020 • day 118 of lockdown july 18th 2020 • day 119 of lockdown july 19th 2020 • day 120 of lockdown july 20th 2020 • day 121 of lockdown july 21st 2020 • day 122 of lockdown july 22nd 2020 • day 123 of lockdown july 23rd 2020 • day 124 of lockdown july 24th 2020 • day 125 of lockdown july 25th 2020 • day 126 of lockdown july 26th 2020.wav • day 127 of lockdown july 27th 2020 • day 128 of lockdown july 28th 2020 • day 129 of lockdown july 29th 2020 • day 130 of lockdown july 30th 2020 • day 131 of lockdown july 31st 2020 • day 132 of lockdown August 1st 2020 • day 133 of lockdown August 2nd 2020 • day 134 of lockdown August 3rd 2020 • day 135 of lockdown August 4th 2020.wav • day 136 of lockdown August 5th 2020 • day 137 of lockdown August 6th 2020 • day 138 of lockdown August 7th 2020 • day 139 of lockdown August 8th 2020

day 140 of lockdown August 9th 2020 • day 141 of lockdown August 10th 2020 • day 142 of lockdown August 11th 2020 • day 143 of lockdown August 12th 2020 • day 144 of lockdown August 13th 2020 • day 145 of lockdown August 14th 2020 • day 146 of lockdown August 15th 2020 • day 147 of lockdown August 16th 2020 time for a pizza party • day 148 of lockdown August 17th 2020 • day 149 of lockdown August 18th 2020.wav • day 150 of lockdown August 19th 2020 ya ya • day 151 of lockdown August 20th 2020 • day 152 of lockdown August 21st 2020 • day 153 of lockdown August 22nd 2020 pass me the port • day 154 of lockdown August 23rd 2020 • day 155 of lockdown August 24th 2020 • day 156 of lockdown August 25th 2020 • day 157 of lockdown August 26th 2020 • day 158 of lockdown August 27th 2020 • day 159 of lockdown August 28th 2020 • day 160 of lockdown August 29th 2020 • day 161 of lockdown August 30th 2020 • day 162 of lockdown August 31st 2020 • day 163 of lockdown September 1st 2020 • day 164 of lockdown September 2nd 2020 • day 165 of lockdown September 3rd 2020 • day 166 of lockdown September 4th 2020 • day 167 of lockdown September 5th 2020 • day 168 of lockdown September 6th 2020 • day 169 of lockdown September 7th 2020 • day 170 of lockdown September 8th 2020 • day 171 of lockdown September 9th 2020 • day 172 of lockdown September 10th 2020 • day 173 of lockdown September 11th 2020 • day 174 of lockdown September 12th 2020 • day 175 of lockdown September 13th 2020 • day 176 of lockdown September 14th 2020 • day 177 of lockdown September 15th 2020 • day 178 of lockdown September 16th 2020 • day 179 of lockdown September 17th 2020 • day 180 of lockdown September 18th 2020 • day 181 of lockdown September 19th 2020 • day 182 of lockdown September 20th 2020 • day 183 of lockdown September 21st 2020 • salami danger man • napoleon hill • joey ramone • john altman was in star wars • the trumpton diets • bono was quite good in that kids film • dave spud is the new rock and roll • bj is trump lite or NWO • blaze tv • Howard Hughes And The Unexplained • the mighty terriers (god loves) • hogan v rogan • i'd cancel myself but no-one would notice • i always preferred bonehead • holiday inn syncs • day job knobhead • qi • If I Get Back On H&J I Will Buy Them Cake • NFT NFT they've all got an NFT • Ricky Gervais Is My Hero • This Album Is Sponsored By….. • Let's Dance Is The Best Bowie Album • Can't Get A GIG in our own town (st Albans) • we don't talk about bruno (fernandes) not scoring anymore • Frank • one day I will duet with dua lipa • help me rhondda witht he LOA • private eye knows the truth about prince andrew • you can advertise here • the science of getting rich is just get people to buy your books • putin never misses a trick • i'm visualising going on the one show to talk about this album • graham norton guest yes that would be fine • i feel real change coming and people will start to value music more imagine life without it • imagine if that $100 million that rogan was paid was instead invested in new music just imagine • since napster and the wild west days of the internet people expect to get it for free - musicians, songwriters and artists all deseve to be paid a fair amount • all we are asking for is a level playing field and transparency • the music industry is eveloving record companies must embrace change and respect the music creators • we all need to come toegther • da doo ron ron aldo • middle of the road all musicians are walking down at the moment expand your minds • the masked singer • should i change my name to elvis • my god the hollies were crap • clement stone • is instagram just for shallow people • the mind can achieve whatever it can conceive • 52 and still wearing my old band t shirts is that ok Mr Robert Crampton? • looking foward to playing this song on Jool Holland • rolling stone are going to do a feature on this album • frank skinner go on give this track a play it's only 30 seconds long and it's for a good cause

attitude of gratitude • are the DSPs having a competition to see who can get away with paying the least amount of royalties • day 237 of lockdown November 14th 2020 • day 238 of lockdown November 15th 2020 • day 239 of lockdown November 16th 2020 • day 240 of lockdown November 17th 2020 • day 241 of lockdown November 18th 2020 • day 242 of lockdown November 19th 2020 • day 243 of lockdown November 20th 2020 • day 244 of lockdown November 21st 2020 • day 245 of lockdown November 22nd 2020 • day 246 of lockdown November 23rd 2020 • day 247 of lockdown November 24th 2020.wav • day 248 of lockdown November 25th 2020 • day 249 of lockdown November 26th 2020 • day 250 of lockdown November 27th 2020 • day 251 of lockdown November 28th 2020 • day 252 of lockdown November 29th 2020 • day 253 of lockdown November 30th 2020 • day 254 of lockdown December 1st 2020 • day 255 of lockdown December 2nd 2020 • day 256 of lockdown December 3rd 2020 • day 257 of lockdown December 4th 2020 • day 258 of lockdown December 5th 2020 • day 259 of lockdown December 6th 2020 • day 260 of lockdown December 7th 2020 • day 261 of lockdown December 8th 2020 • day 262 of lockdown December 9th 2020 • day 263 of lockdown December 10th 2020 • day 264 of lockdown December 11th 2020 • day 265 of lockdown December 12th 2020 • day 266 of lockdown December 13th 2020 • day 267 of lockdown December 14th 2020 • day 268 of lockdown December 15th 2020 • day 269 of lockdown December 16th 2020 • day 270 of lockdown December 17th 2020 • day 271 of lockdown December 18th 2020 • day 272 of lockdown December 19th 2020 • day 273 of lockdown December 20th 2020 • day 274 of lockdown December 21st 2020 • day 275 of lockdown December 22nd 2020 • day 276 of lockdown December 23rd 2020 • day 277 of lockdown December 24th 2020 xmas is cancelled well probably not for BJ and crew • day 278 of lockdown December 25th 2020 • day 279 of lockdown December 26th 2020 • day 280 of lockdown December 27th 2020 • day 281 of lockdown December 28th 2020 • day 282 of lockdown December 29th 2020 • day 283 of lockdown December 30th 2020 • day 284 of lockdown December 31st 2020 • day 285 of lockdown January 1st 2021 • day 286 of lockdown January 2nd 2021 • day 287 of lockdown January 3rd 2021 • day 288 of lockdown January 4th 2021 • day 289 of lockdown January 5th 2021 • day 290 of lockdown January 6th 2021 • day 291 of lockdown January 7th 2021 • day 292 of lockdown January 8th 2021 • day 293 of lockdown January 9th 2021 • day 294 of lockdown January 10th 2021 • day 295 of lockdown January 11th 2021 • day 296 of lockdown January 12th 2021 • zero hours hero • i'm going to sell this album for $48 million • day 299 of lockdown January 15th 2021. • penistone • heaven • fleximusicarian • uri made me do it • ey up it's the hispanic atmosphere of huddersfield town centre • holiday chalet • pleasure beach • i am banksy • no i am banksy • day 309 of lockdown January 25th 2021 • i think there's more than 1 banksy • bad mj style • encanto v frozen • i got invited to join the priory of sion once • beanie boo • gary neville and his moral high ground • paris st germain • day 317 of lockdown February 2nd 202 • day 318 of lockdown February 3rd 2021 • day 319 of lockdown February 4th 2021.wav • davos • what shall we do with the drunken norman mailer • ernie • yvette fielding • total dramrama • wooj • sandi on qi • st albans' people • stream queen • david wagner • my tps reports are wrong again • ctr alt del • ai bot but • Jay Z • LMFAO • Omari West • shawn carter • chicken soup for my rock n roll soul • i thought i was the best rapper in the world • day 339 of lockdown February 24th 2021 • vision it first • thoughts become things • vegasversary • let's gor crazy beep beep • loa part 2 • mystery pohms • coked up interns in the bog • nme • protest too much • another miracle • galaxy quest • chris warburton is a decent chap • under the surface • IT man Noel • badminton iggy pop style • day 355 of lockdown March 12th 2021

day 356 of lockdown March 13th 2021.wav • just chopsing • caiman show • thank you to all our fans • karma • day 361 of lockdown March 18th 2021 • day 362 of lockdown March 19th 2021 • day 363 of lockdown March 20th 2021 • day 364 of lockdown March 21st 2021 • my god get back is longer than this album • day 366 of lockdown March 23rd 2021 • day 367 of lockdown March 24th 2021 • the family madrigal • day 369 of lockdown March 26th 2021 • day 370 of lockdown March 27th 2021 • day 371 of lockdown March 28th 2021 • day 372 of lockdown March 29th 2021 • day 373 of lockdown March 30th 2021 • day 374 of lockdown March 31st 2021 • day 375 of lockdown April 1st 2021 • day 376 of lockdown April 2nd 2021 • day 377 of lockdown April 3rd 2021 • day 378 of lockdown April 4th 2021 • day 379 of lockdown April 5th 2021 • day 380 of lockdown April 6th 2021 • day 381 of lockdown April 7th 2021 • day 382 of lockdown April 8th 2021 • day 383 of lockdown April 9th 2021 • day 384 of lockdown April 10th 2021 • day 385 of lockdown April 11th 2021 • day 386 of lockdown April 12th 2021 • we love haulix • We love hotpress! • Rodney Of The Rock • Daniel Ek The Visionary • day 391 of lockdown April 17th 2021 • one falls they all fall • day 393 of lockdown April 19th 2021 • Lazar 111 • day 395 of lockdown April 21st 2021 • guess that official spotify playlist isn't going to happen now • day 397 of lockdown April 23rd 2021 • day 398 of lockdown April 24th 2021 • day 399 of lockdown April 25th 2021.wav • day 400 of lockdown April 26th 2021 • day 401 of lockdown April 27th 2021 • day 402 of lockdown April 28th 2021 • day 403 of lockdown April 29th 2021 • day 404 of lockdown April 30th 2021 • day 405 of lockdown May 1st 2021 • day 406 of lockdown May 2nd 2021 • day 407 of lockdown May 3rd 2021 • day 408 of lockdown May 4th 2021 • time walker • are we there yet • day 411 of lockdown May 7th 2021.wav • day 412 of lockdown May 8th 2021 • day 413 of lockdown May 9th 2021 • day 414 of lockdown May 10th 2021 • day 415 of lockdown May 11th 2021 • day 416 of lockdown May 12th 2021 • peace piece • talk about the nice time • define • froota • going viral • theses • munching carrots • new gwr • the beatles used the law of attraction • new machine • tct • more plinky guff • anyone bored yet? • fatman jogging (me) • urgent letter • mike errico thank you • day 433 of lockdown May 29th 2021 • columbo • bbq • bar mexe • may your dreams come • rolling atone baby baby • arts and dafts • afters • v is for • misquote • day 443 of lockdown June 8th 2021.wav • hungary • french fries • yo t l • level 42 met mark king in a pub • dinosaur • dance youself dizzy • no score • gritter splitta • jools • bombs • penalty • spurs • day 456 of lockdown June 21st 2021 • db • dear losers • Dear Losers still on repeat sorry • demons • dg • Dino Zoff • Dreaming Of THat Perfect Goal • Drowsy • DUA LIPA • Dull & Bottom • Dy • el mundo gira • elegy • Er • Es • Eu • noel ed • EVERY CRAP INDIE BAND SHOULD RECORD AT LEAST ONE FOOTY SONG • Every Nation Has It's Golden Generation • Exit (pursued by a bear) • F • Facist Football Hater • Faerie Queen • farewell part 1 • farewell part 2 • Farewell parts 1 and 2 • FAST RED MAN • Fe • feedback at the start of i feel fine • FIFA Sutherland • Food of Love • Fr • Franz • french got the funk on • from russia with hetero love • FUELLED UP ON ENERGY DRINKS • Full Fathom 5 Live • Full Time • Ga • Gaberdines And Pantaloons • Garincha Stryder • Gary Lineker • Gazza'a tears • Gd • Ge • george harrison didn't write his 2 biggest hits • gethsamane • give ringo another crap country song • glass onion • glitter on my carpet • GROTESQUE • H • Half Time • Hamlet • Happy Camper • Happy Dagger • have love will louis louis • He • He's A Sticker Licker • Heart's Content • HELL MONEY • helter skelter pissed in the bus shelter • Henry IV part 3 • Henry V's Doorbell • Her Majesty Was The First 30 second song • here come's the sun • HERRENVOLK • Hey Ho Nonny Nonny • Hf • Hg • High Time

Ho • Holographic Beatles On Tour • home • Homeward Bound • Hungary 10 El Salvador 1 • I don't give a flying folio malvolio • I Feel Fine • I got 3 years solitary for bringing my own beer • I ME ME RONALDO! • I ONCE AUDITIONED FOR A BAND CALLED MEXICO 70 • i wanna hold your hand but I'll ask you first • I wanna Hold Your Hand While YOu Sign My A Cheque For a million pound • I Wish The World Cup Was In Brazil Again says lonely sports reporter • I WROTE AND RECORDED 100 SONGS ABOUT THE WORLD CUP IN 2 DAYS, CAN'T YOU TELL • i.am will.i.am shakespeare. • I • I'm a Pal a Salah • I'm Going TO Make you A VAR • I'm Leaving On an standard class Aer Lingus. • I'M SUPPORTING PUSSY RIOT • I'm The Only Person Who Wants Iceland To Get Knocked Out Early.wav • If Prince had written a World Cup song it wouldn't sound like this • If Shakespeare Was Alive Today He'd Be Writing For Youtube • if the beatles were an 80s band • If this album doesn't get me an interview on Hawksbee & Jacobs I'm Going to stop listening to Talksport • If you Listen To The beatles backwards it says thyhtnkks • If You Play THis Song Backwards It Will Sound Crap. • Inv • INTER STELLAR CUP. • introducing the beatles • Ir • It gets a bit messy when you try to rhyme with Messi. • It is music with her silver sound • it's juck a fucking xebra crossing • It's Not even a realy country anyway • Jeremy Corbyn As Julius Ceasar • john lennon v the fbi • joey ramone joins the beatles • jose chungs from outer space. • Josimar comeback • Jules Rimming. • Julian Lennon PLayed THis Piano Once. • JUMPERS FOR GOAL POSTS. • Just Don't Let Spain Win Again • K • KADDISH. • KGB V FBI WORLD WAR 3 COMING SOON • King James 46 • King John's Rant • Kingdom For A Stage. • Kr • La • Lark • Larry O • leonard betts. • Let Music Sound • Letchkov not Letcho • Li. • live and let die is the best bond theme. • Living On Top Of A Porno Cinema • Love Is Blind. • Lr • Lu. • magic alex • man from the motor trade. • Manna • Marying A Punk. • MAX. • mcartney's ego trip part 2 • McCartney's Ego Trip • MEMENTO MORI • Mg • Mn. • Mo • MOOY JOY • Motley Coat • mr kite • Mr Trump • Much Ado • musings of a csm • N • Na • Nb • Nd • Ne. • nems • NEVER AGAIN. • Ni. • NO SCORE…NO DRAW. • none more white. • Not Many Beatles Songs Start in A Minor Key • Not Many Foootball Players Like Punk! • Np. • Oberon Kenobi. • On Shakespeare's Grave • on the field where i died • Ophelia • Os. • Oyster. • P. • Pa • paper hearts • Patti • paul's first acid trip • Pb • Pd. • PELE • Pet Sounds • Pete Best • Pick (ford) Of The Pops - Numba 1 • pickles the dog • PIPER • Play On. • Playing For Penalties. • Pm • Po • Pr • Pt • Putin hot • Pursued By A Bear • Pusher • QUAGMIRE • Hall Of fame • Quickly • ra ra poohtin • Ra • Rain • Ray Wilson • Rb. • Re • Redux 1. • Redux 2. • Revolution number 9 was way ahed of its time • rf. • Rh • Ringo's Replacement • Ripping Off The Beach Boys • Rn • Rocky Racoon as a Trump Type tycoon • Rome • Romeo & Juliet • ronnie scott • Ru • rubber soul was the greatest • Russian Bear • S • sanguinarium • Sb • Sc. • scrambled eggs. • scurvy politician • Se. • sergeant pepper seeks lady madonna to form lonely hearts club band • Second Best Bed (In Da House) • Shake It Off • All Over? • Shakespeare In Time • Shakespeare The Commuter • Shakespeare v Aliens. • Shakespeare v Spotify • Shaking Speare Stevens • Shaquiri V Shakira • She's A Woman • shitter's full. • Si • silent night • Slave Labour Stadiums • Sm • Sm1 • SMALLPOTATOES • Sn. • Sonic Youth Play The Beatles • world cup widows • Sounds Of Music • Spot the player on Coke • Sr • Stadium Inferno • Stage Craft Beer. • Star Of England • Stop Calling It The White Album - It's The Beatles! • Suicide In Shakespeare. • corned beef curry (not my idea) • Larry O • SYNCHRONY • SZYGY 4 • Ta • TALITHA • TAX CHEATS • tb or not tb • Tb • Tc. • when does art become pretension? • Teliko • TEMPUS FUGIT • TERMA • TEsos dos bichos 2 • the very best of Boris Johnson

The Ballad Of The Poisened Referee • The Beatles Gave Us Backwards Guitar • The Beatles Meet Elvis and Play Bass. • The Beatles Meet The Queen • THE BEST ONE YET • The Blue Samurai • the catcher in the rye. • The Charnocks. • The Curse Of WS • The Day I Met George Martin • the death of good duke humphrey • the doors took more drugs than the beatles • The First Twitter World Cup • The Globe • the hamburg days • The Life Of Brian • the long and winding road to get this album finished • The Maradona OF The Carpathians • The Middle Class Wives Of Windsor • The Miracle Of Bern • the missing chord • The Old Boys Of Panama • the people that don't get the beatles. • The Ringo Button • The Seven Moons • the trembling wilburrys • the usual suspects • The Water Carrier • THe White Album • There are 3 Gary Stevens But Only one of them caught a glimpse of Maradonna flying by • japan • this is a northern song • when does sound become music • Time Doth Waste Me • soundaries • white noise symphony • to die to sleep no more. • Tomorrow Never Knows Is The First Techno Track. • Tongue In Your Tail. • TOO MANY WHITE LINES • Tosspots. • Trident Studio Jam • Trump Town • TUNGUSKA • Turn Turn Turn in a Cruyf Style • U • unbeaten keepers • UNREQUITED • UNRUHE • V is for Vacumn • W • Was it Bobby or Roger Moore that was the towel thief. • WE ALL HATE WHEN ITV HAS THE MATCHES • We All Know Sexie Sadie Was About The Maharishi.wav • We All Live In A Yellow Submarine • We All Love Football Guff. • WETWIRED • WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO HALF TIME ORANGES • whatever happened to 442 • When i'm Pissed I'll Shout • When Shall We 3 Meet Again • when we were fab. • While THey Play The Bombs Keep Dropping • why were wings so • will anyone get close to Klose • Willow Willow Willow • World Cup Snacks • WORLD CUP WIDOWS • World Cup Winners Aftershow Party • World Cup Winners Hangover • World In Motion Was So Over Rated • World Of Leather • Xe • summer jesus • Y • Yb • you can't burn streams • zero sum • didn't think I would make it to 1000 • ok thanks to all involved and peace and love • 3000 streams just for a pint • time to go it's chicken time

[tgirltango]

For the MCYT summer of yuri event.

Tags: Bagi/Tina (QSMP), AU - normal life, mechanic Tinakitten, teacher OiBagi, mentioned/brief appearance of side character Cellbit, Bagi and Cellbit are siblings, mechanic cellbit, first date, meetcutes

Bagi gets ready to have lunch with Tina...

She’s not sure if it’s a date officially, but she really likes this woman.

She first met the mechanic at the auto shop her brother worked at by chance only. It just so happened she kept meeting her over the course of a few weeks of repeated random car trouble. Could Bagi have asked her brother to fix it at home, instead of going out of her way to the shop so much?

... well, yes, but somehow it always seemed more convenient to bring it directly to Tina, it just so happening to be while the auto shop was busy enough that Cellbit would be in the back. When he found out where Tina's stellar reviews had come from recently, Bagi's brother chewed her out about being so irresponsible over a crush.

“You think I raised you to hurt your poor car? It’s your responsibility to look after it, just tell me when something is broken and I've always always fixed it - for free! Everyone is fine, your wallet is fine, your car is healthy. And now what do I do? I go to work and everyone says, oh, there goes Cellbit, with the car-murdering sister, hope he doesn’t treat my cars so roughly. Bagi, you’re setting a bad example!” Bagi “yeah, yeah”ed and agreed that she should probably stop racking up so much in mechanic bills. She needs to face her subconscious motivations and ask Tina if she might like to meet outside of work.

Well, the day came, and Bagi was glad of it. She would have been happy anyway because it was the weekend, after a long week of corralling children who should really be old enough to know better but are instead only old enough to know they can cause chaos. But she spent the morning hours of light wondering what she was going to say to Tina. She didn’t often go on dates, and she really liked Tina. The mechanic was always so fun to talk to, and seemed totally engaged with her even when sticking her head shoulders-deep into the guts of her poor mistreated car. She was drawn to Tina’s personality, and felt all kinds of romantic stuff for her that she hoped could one day bloom into a relationship.

First, though, she needs to make a good impression.

Bagi wears her favorite baseball hat, because she’s going out, not going to school, so she doesn’t have to follow dress code and lead her kids by example (not that it works - the students are always wearing hats and goofing off. It's one of their endearing quirks that no matter how many hats are confiscated in class, they will always show up with another.). She picks out a “casual weekend get-together” outfit that looks nice and waits for Tina to pick her up at the scheduled time.

Tina, being holed up at the auto shop all day and tired of her greasy canvas uniform, had dressed up with style that belied the way she usually appeared to Bagi - when she has car trouble and needs it fixed in the middle of the day, Bagi comes to Tina’s work where she’s synonymous with sturdy and khaki work gloves, taupe coveralls and boots that wouldnt be harmed stepping on a lost screw. By contrast now, when she hears a beep outside her house she sees that Tina is sporting a cute, elegant dress and a makeup look that she learns during the car ride is called “mob wife makeup”, which Tina saw online as it had risen as a current trend to try. Somehow, she doesn’t feel underdressed in comparison to the high glamour influences, though she regrets her shorts a little when the summer heat leaves her peeling her legs slowly off the passenger seat upon arrival. Tina helps her out of the car and they turn to the restaurant’s menu to decide if what they discussed being hungry for in the car was really what they wanted to order.

As they take their seats, Bagi adjusts her collared shirt and finds herself looking at Tina instead of the names of the food items.

She was honestly stunning, slaying the house down, and Bagi hardly tasted the first few bites of her pasta when their food arrived until…

“Here,” says Tina, “try mine.” She put a few different pieces on her fork and held it out to Bagi.

Bagi felt like she was in a painting as she leaned forward and accepted the bite of food from Tina’s fork. Either that or on a prank channel. Something was playing in slow motion, and all she could do was hope she didn't look stupid.

The food was delicious. Bagi chewed and watched Tina take some from her plate to try.

“It’s good shrimp, right?” Tina says before taking a bite of pasta. “Hey, that’s pretty good too!”

Bagi smiles. “Yeah, tastes great.” She privately debates whether she’s brave enough to say “You look great, too," without it sounding stupid and cliche.

The decision is left unmade as Tina responds in the pause. Bagi likes hearing Tina talk. Her voice is nice, even when it’s not explaining her car to her for the third time in a week. She might be a little nervous about this possibly-date still, but at least they’re in it together. Their sides arrive, and they clear a bit of space on the table.

“I want you.”

“Huh?” she says stupidly.

Tina clears her throat and looks up at the menu on the wall again. “I said do you want anything for dessert?”

Bagi might be losing her hearing, then. “I usually go for a chocolate cheesecake for a dessert, but that’s usually for a dinner, so it’s a little early in the day.” She looks to the menu too. “Maybe a fruit soda float?”

“Yeah? Awesome. I wasn’t trying to have a date hinging on dinner right now either,” Tina says, and Bagi’s heart skips. So it is a date! Has been, even. “- because I heard from my cousin that he got food poisoning at the last dinner he ate out for. Man, that sucks cuz he’s a yapper too so he was real in-depth about it. This lunch is great though. I guess there wasn’t really a risk of it relating, cuz he was at a Chili’s in a different state, which really doesn’t say anything about the possible, like, quality of the food here. I dunno, it was on my mind though. Whatever.” Tina’s face is so pretty, but the makeup doesn’t hide her ears going pink.

“I think food should never poison you.” Bagi facepalmed mentally, and kept going to make it make sense. “I mean, it’s - food. We’ve had it for all of history, or we wouldn’t be alive, no? We should have figured out a way to make it not poison you. Food poisoning should never exist. Just take out the poison!”

Tina cackles, agreeing. “You’re so smart, Bagi. They need to make you President!”

The date goes well. Lunch at the restaurant turned out to be less expensive than two mechanic jobs, but not by that much, so they resolve to try a different restaurant next time to try to save their wallets from this becoming just as regular an expense. Tina drives with a steady hand, humming along to the song on the radio, and Bagi notices that the tiny stuffed animal hanging from the windshield is not just decoration, but also scented. It smells like sweet tea and candy fruits. Tina tells her she started buying scented plushies for the car after the time she rescued a stray kitten on the street and it immediately peed inside, laughing. Bagi might be in love.

Tina stops in front of her door and walks her up to the house, chivalrous. Bagi unlocks the door with the key around her neck and then pauses in the doorway, unsure but not wanting to see Tina leave yet.

“Do you wanna come in?” Bagi asks, scuffing her sneakers on the welcome mat. The afternoon sun brings out the teal highlight contrasts in Tina’s shining dress. She looks good standing in front of Bagi's house. She thinks she'd like to see her in this place every day, wherever her home is.

Tina takes the invitation and Bagi brings her in to sit on the couch and keep talking. She tells her about the board games in the living room closet and Tina tells her which ones she knows how to play and which ones she never got the hang of, or just haven't tried yet. “Maybe we could have a game night one of these days.”

That makes Bagi smile. “I always hear about themed times, like some kid’s family will have a dedicated Thursday night is Spaghetti Night or something. It seems cute, and I don't do enough activities. We should do that someday.”

She doesn’t feel brave enough for a first-date cuddle or kiss, but when the hour gets late she microwaves a bowl of Cellbit’s boyfriend’s soup that he brought over in a big container the other day, and they clink spoons and make airplane noises and look at the neighbor’s dog playing in their yard with fallen leaves and golden hour daylight.

“I hope that just because we have another date to plan doesn't stop you from coming to my shop after school in the meantime,” Tina tells Bagi at the door. “You’re allowed to come and talk to me, keep me company. You don't need to break your car every time, or it’ll be too long in between. I’ll miss youuuu.”

“No, don’t come,” Cellbit says, having come home from work while they were having dinner. "Let my mechanics focus on their work!”

“-youuuuur food, I’ll miss her coffee and bringing snacks, Cellbit, jeez.” Tina spins the words. “Aren't we allowed food breaks?”

“No, starve!” Cellbit says, laughing from the kitchen. “Fine, keep distracting Tina.”

Bagi laughs and laughs. In a flurry of bravery, she holds Tina's arm and kisses her face under the early moonlight. All blush now, she stands back and waves as Tina winks at her before driving off. She stands by the door for a few minutes, daydreaming about their next date, before Cell yells at her to come inside and stop staring at the road like a crazy person.

And maybe she is crazy. A little bit crazy in love.

[bizarrequazar]

2022 Candy Year In Review

As a way to cap off the year, I thought it would be nice to go over all the LLD candy from 2022! There were a ton of little ones (read: kadians, matching clothing, possible hickies, sunset photos, etc.), so this will just be focusing on the larger notable ones. They’re all dated and in chronological order, because I’m me.

Remember to take these with a grain of salt. Enjoy~

January 23rd → Gong Jun’s studio Weibo posted his 2021 year in review video, completely leaving out August despite him having had two livestreams, a song release, and a reality show air during that month.

January 29th → Gong Jun posted a commercial for KFC to his Douyin where he rips dates off a calender that has 1 and 5 missing. (No one talks about this one but it’s one of my favourites. 🥺💕)

February 14th → Gong Jun posted a commercial to his Weibo at 11:29, then posted two photos of himself to Weibo at 13:14 (kadian for “forever”), then posted the same to his Instagram at 13:15, using the kadians to make the sequence “Gong Jun forever Zhang Zhehan”. The photos had been taken at Xiao Yu Hill in Qingdao at almost the exact location that Zhehan had taken photos at in 2018.

His Weibo post had the caption “Happy Valentine’s Day [11 husky emojis]”, the same caption he had used in 2021. Some people noted that “Zhang Zhehan” is eleven letters long, and interpreted the use of the same caption as a way of saying that nothing has changed.

March 5 → Gong Jun posted a vlog with Nancy Mulligan by Ed Sheeran as one of the BGM, a song about a couple eloping during the Northern Ireland conflict. Fans found that one of the top comments on the song on Netease is “When China allows homosexuals to get married, I will play this song at our wedding,” and the song has widely been adopted by the gay community for its message of marrying and growing old together despite societal rules.

April 26th → (Purely rumor, take with a full spoon of salt.) Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan were supposedly seen together at the entrance to the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Beijing. Reportedly they saw someone take photos and Zhehan stepped forward to pay the person off, only for Gong Jun to stop him and say to the photographer, “Do whatever you want.” The following day was Zhehan’s lunar birthday.

May 6th → (Instagram cw) Guo Yunfei, the casting director and actor of Duan Pengju from Word of Honor, posted a photo of himself making the LLD handsign with the caption, “I hope the ‘waves’ (浪花, langhua) like it. I know what happened recently, but what can I say or do? … I hope everyone can be sincere and kind, have a safe future, and live up to your friendship.” This was the day after the Instagram was deactivated.

May 11th → Zhehan’s birthday. The post count on Gong Jun’s Weibo went up by two despite nothing new appearing, indicating that he had posted privately.

May 17th → (Again, purely rumor.) Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan were supposedly seen together near Liangma Bridge in Beijing’s Chaoyang district. According to this one, Gong Jun asked the fans who photographed them to delete the photos and they willingly complied.

May 20th → Kangshifu released a mini-movie for 520 starring Gong Jun and an actress who looked strikingly like Zhang Zhehan, including a scene where she wore an outfit almost identical to one Zhehan wore during his 2021 birthday concert. The film included drawn illustrations of the two lead characters, one of which was found to have been directly traced from a photo of Zhehan from the Word of Honor concert. One of the lines included on the teasers leading up to the release was “I didn’t hide you away properly. It’s apparent in every drawing of mine.”

May 23rd → Gong Jun posted photos from a photoshoot for L’Officiel magazine to his Weibo—completely innocuous until people discovered that the caption, “✈✈✈～​​ ”, auto-translated to “对对～​​ 我爱你～ ​​ (Yes yes~ I love you~)” in the international app. This was later confirmed to have been an intentional Easter egg. Interpret it as you will~

June 9th → Gong Jun posted cooking photos from when he had been visiting his family during the previous month. It was noticed that there was one more set of chopsticks than there should have been if it was only his family. As well, it can be seen that Gong Jun was cooking the cilantro separately from the rest of the dish—Zhehan is known to not like cilantro. June 9th is May 11th on the lunar calendar.

(There were so many little things throughout May and June, you could tell Gong Jun was giving Xie and co. the middle finger. A thread I made of all the ones I’m aware of can be found [here].)

August 1st → (slight knives in this one) BEAST posted an article to their WeChat about their Qixi product line, in which they included the lines “Remembering that we couldn’t spend the previous Qixi together as we were at different places I even secretly childishly cried, and was angry at him. He promised that he’ll give me a surprise next Qixi.” and “Love is separated by the mountains and seas / The mountains and seas can be flattened”. The latter was written on a banner Zhehan had recieved from a fan during the Word of Honor concert; Qixi 2021 was August 14th.

September 5th → VogueFilm released an interview Gong Jun had done with them where he talked about his morning routine, wherein he said, “If you have a problem with your knees, don’t do running, cycling, etc. Even though they seem easy, if you don’t master the technique well, it will actually affect your knees” Photos of his food included a jianbing, which a few weeks earlier he had said his “ahyi” made for him, as well as eggs prepared in a way unique to Jiangxi.

October 14th to 20th → Gong Jun stopped having an umbrella shield him from photographers while going to work and took full advantage of it by wearing clothing associated with Zhehan for the next several days. Details can be found in my post for that week, look for the 🍬 emojis.

November 2nd → During a livestream for Hsu Fu Chi, Gong Jun mentioned multiple of his other endorsements and at one point walked off set to grab his LockNLock thermos, which he then drank from on camera for exactly five seconds while the host was made to wait. On the same day, his studio posted a douyin with the song 隆里电丝 by 盛宇DamnShine, which includes the lines “Some people will become your friends / or your zhiji / Some people will fight with you to the end / as long as you're happy (开心就好)”

November 17th → A photo from 2021 that Gong Jun’s studio posted as part of his time train series included a blurred out red and blue smear that was possibly a photo from the Word of Honor concert being used as his phone’s wallpaper.

November 28th → Gong Jun posted a photo of a handwritten note saying that he wouldn’t be doing a birthday livestream the following day. Something that was possibly his hexagon ring appears to have been deliberately placed behind a glass of water in the photo.

December 17th → Gong Jun posted travel photos from Yunnan, which included two photos of a figure from behind wearing a hoodie that completely covers his head. There is debate over whether this person was really Gong Jun, especially as the shoulders seem to match Zhang Zhehan’s stature.

What’s your own favourite candy from the year? If I didn’t include it here, please feel welcome to add it as a reply or reblog! 🍬🍬🍬

[chicanoartmovement]

CHICANO ART MOVEMENT: End of Year Review 2022

For CHICANO ART MOVEMENT, the year of 2022 contained different cultural and artistic expeditions across Southern California. We traveled to various locations to partake in events that were safe and fun to do within the parameters of the on-going pandemic. 

(Detail of show poster for Robert Williams exhibition at the OCCCA.)

When it came across the CAM desk that artist & cultural icon Robert Williams was exhibiting in Southern California, our team agreed to attend due to the artist, his subject matter, and our previous positive experiences at Williams’ other exhibition shows in the Los Angeles area of past years. On a weekend in late January 2022 to see the exhibition “The Visual Adventures of Robert Williams: Arts, Prints, Skateboards, etc.” at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA) in downtown Santa Ana. Robert Williams is an acclaimed lowbrow artist who has impacted lowbrow art, pop surrealism, hot rod car culture, and pop art with his juxtaposition of tangible items and original characters.

Through the main doors of OCCCA and in the front portion of the space, Williams’ pop surrealism artworks welcomed patrons to look closer at the subject matter and details. For example in his giclée print titled “Kachina,” Williams depicts in mid-air a devoted Hopi tribe member creating & filling kachina dolls with knowledge from the ancestors.

Following the flow, we then entered the largest space: the center room. Here arranged were the many pieces by the artist that displayed his relationship with the hot rod culture and lowbrow art. Within this community, Robert Williams is also known as Mr. Bitchin’ and is applauded for his work in the hot rod scene & for working alongside the greats such as: Ed “Big Daddy” Roth & Kenny “Von Dutch” Howard. This section contained a prime example entitled “Deuces Wild” in which Williams re-created & stylized the 1932 Ford Company original vehicle advertisements into vignette renditions of different hot rod culture activities, such as: jalopy racing, dry lakes (racing), early stock car racing, sports car racing, drags (racing), street rodding, shadetree mechanics, and auto shows. In conjunction as a centerpiece within the works of Robert Williams was the 1932 Ford Roadster nicknamed “Prickly Heat” that he customized and painted in a deep purple & lime green scheme with many creative details. Anita noticed the race number 397 in gold leaf embossing repeated three times on the vehicle, the hotrod’s nickname above the “Pickly Heat” logo, and the flashy lime green wheel rims. 

(Piece by Casey Weldon entitled “The Undermarker.”)

After taking a last look at the car, we proceed to the back space for a small group show filled with pop surrealist artists influenced by Robert Williams trajectory. He “puts in the ‘pop’ in pop surrealism, incorporating the aesthetics of hot rod and surf culture, graffiti, tattoos, cartoons, and comic books to produce artwork more in touch with the sensibilities of the masses. This assemblage highlights the influence his work has had on multiple generations of artists.” Looking through the captivating pieces in a clockwise fashion, Anita was intrigued by the artist Casey Weldon and her piece titled “The Undermaker” which vividly displayed a fierce woman with a unique pet creature that shoots fire from their eyes. Weldon’s use of purple and pink color variants as well as the creation of magical creatures is relatable to Williams and his style. Some of the other artists included in the presentation were: Jaime “GERMS” Zacarias, Isabel Samaras, and Greg “CRAOLA” Simkins.

(View of Chola Orange performance at 1st Annual Cito de Mayo Street Festival.)

In early May 2022, CAM ventured to Santa Ana’s Downtown District for their evening programming of music and art. We walked to the corner of 4th Street and Birch Street to attend the first edition of Cerveza Cito presents Cito de Mayo Street Festival. We took in all the vendors and community displays along the festival area before heading over to the stage for the entertainment. Via social media research, we learned that Chola Orange band was part of the line up. This was a superb opportunity to see a live, outdoor performance from this funk jazz ensemble who we had not seen in quite some time. After a brief sound and instrumental warm up, Chola Orange went into their set with full force. Within their song list, we heard new hits such as “Hot Cheeto Stains” & “Ugly like Pugsly” from their Tokyo Sunset album recently released. Another new element to us was the band’s addition of a fifth member as a second guitarist. The group and its combination of music, atmosphere, and funky vibes rang throughout Birch Street and had the people enjoying their sound. Post-performance we walked over to their merch booth to greet and chat with the bandmates plus stocked up on band t-shirts & a copy of their 2018 vinyl release of “Soul Blazer.”

(View of artist at his opening reception for “Estevan Oriol Photography at OCCCA.)

After the musical set, we walked a few blocks east to our second destination: the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA). This month’s art installation was entitled “Estevan Oriol Photography - An Exhibition by Estevan Oriol” that encompassed his portfolio as a talented photographer documenting his Los Angeles community through a unique photographic perspective and black & white photo productions. OCCCA states that Oriol “is known for capturing images of the dangerous gangsters, Lowriders, musicians, celebrities, L.A. lifestyle and the alluring beauty of women. All of these are shot in his uniquely provocative and raw style. He is the author of several books including LA Women, L.A. Protraits, and This is Los Angeles.” On the front wall sapce of OCCCA, Estevan Oriol displayed his large photoset that included: celebrity portraits of Danny Trejo and Ice Cube; witty subjects expressing their inner emotions, such as “Monkey taxidermy unmarked” and “Bones;” and a few editions of Oriol’s noted “LA Fingers'' photograph.

As the space opened up, we saw a classic Chevy dropped low to the ground with a multifaceted paint job in earth tones with flakes detailings covered with a glossy finish. The vehicle’s placement projected an outdoor escapism which led the patron to visually look through the open & very large doorway (on the left side) that broke down the artiscal fourth wall and challenged the audience to set into the exhibition’s outdoor extension into a collection of opulent classic lowrider cars in different polished paint jobs. In conjunction with Oriol’s photographic works, the opening reception festivities included this car show on the OCCCA parking grounds in which patrons walked around to take in all the fine details. Even the artist himself, Estevan Oriol, took photographs to document all his moments at OCCCA: from the car collection to exhibit attendees & their expressions.

(Artist GERMS at Muzeo’s Carnegie Galleries.)

In June 2022, our street team member la reportera Anita provided on-site coverage in downtown Anaheim of artist Jaime “GERMS” Zacarias at his art residency with Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center. Through online platforms, we learned about this type of initiative, how GERMS was the inaugural artist-in-resident at Muzeo, and the schedule of drop-in viewing hours throughout the month of June.  Through its Makers @ Muzeo literature, the museum states that this contemporary painter “is a Chicano artist and South L.A. native who has captured the essence of Los Angeles and Chicano history through a myriad of futuristic and three-dimensional characters.” Following the directional signage at Muzeo, Anita walked into the Carnegie Galleries’ lower level to see GERMS, the artist at work. After a brief introduction, he invited one to look around and ask questions. During her observations of the in-progress collection, GERMS explained his artistic process of maximizing his own potential and production via time blocking strategies that allowed him to focus on painting canvases until his momentum slowed down to then switch his attention & efforts to another canvas set to be filled with his own unique characters.

Laid throughout the Carnegie Galleries’ wide and large space were the in-progress pieces that GERMS was rotating between. One canvas set on the back wall displayed paintings in mid-stage which allowed one to see the details within the layering of colors and symbolism. From left to right, Zacarias’ images of his squid-like creatures in vibrant pigments with stylized, tinted tentacles were in distinct phases of production that gave insight to the artistic progression of his subject matter. In contrast, on the front wall was a set in the beginning stages of creation. It was clearly visible that GERMS’ application of background colors, overlapping stenciling, and drip paint techniques had dried completely and was ready for his iconic squid-creatures to be painted on the center as the main figure on each canvas. Afterwards, Anita stepped back to see the artist at work who with an acrylic paint palette in hand stated that he will repeat his process of painting in sets until completing 12 pieces in total by the end of the month for the conclusion of his time with Makers @ Muzeo artist in residence programming.

(Live performance by Very Be Careful at the Garden Amphitheater.) 

Taking advantage of open-air programming and in mid June 2022, we danced the time away at two concerts. On Friday the 17th, we traveled to the Garden Amp (a small outdoor amphitheater located in Garden Grove, California) for a night filled with pachanga music thanks to the concert produced by Acropolis Music Group with performances by Azul Quetzal, Raskahuele, and headliner Very Be Careful, one of our favorite vallenato cumbia groups hailing from nearby Los Angeles.  We checked in with our digital tickets at the entrance, got drinks at the bar, and toured the pop-up shops on location. At the Very Be Careful merchandise table, Anita purchased one of the 20th Anniversary t-shirt series that highlighted each band member in a sports action pose. She got the shirt featuring Peabody (Craig Martin) in full football attire with his percussion instrument el guiro in hand.

Next we took our seats in the amphitheater to enjoy the last of the musical performance by the ska reggae group Raskahuele. Afterwards, the cumbia sonidera sounds by the DJ collective of Ritmo Santanero got some couples on the dancefloor during this interlude. At a quarter after nine, the headliner Very Be Careful took the stage with the crowd cheering in anticipation. VBC’s own cowbell percussionist & hype man, Dante, welcomed fans to this Friday night performance and had the crowd participating in a humors call-back routine between him and the concert goers. Their performance was filled with energia alegre, rhythmic songs that got loyal and new fans to the dancefloor. From start to finish, Very Be Careful created a backyard party atmosphere that had couples & parents with their little ones in arms dancing untill the very last song.

(Posters at the Juneteenth Festival in Santa Ana, California.) 

The next day on a sunny Saturday afternoon, we readied ourselves for Santa Ana’s Juneteenth Festival at Centennial Regional Park hosted by the Orange County Heritage Council and the City of Santa Ana. This outdoor festival welcomed all to “learn about African-American Culture and the significance of Junetheen, enjoy musical performances, food and more.” The listed performers for the celebration were artists such as: Slum Village, Knoc-Turn’al, and headlining, The Delfonics.

On the festival's social media content, it stated: “Juneteenth is the oldest known annual observance commemorating the abolishment of slavery in the United States of America. The Juneteenth Independence celebration dates back to June 19, 1865. It was there in Galveston, Texas that Union soldiers delivered news that the Civil War had ended and enslaved African Americans within any state were free.”

Upon our arrival to Centennial Regional Park, event staff greeted community guests to this first edition of the annual Juneteenth Festival celebration. A large welcome arch of balloons and banners created a guided pathway filled with informational posters highlighting the African-American community, history, and contributions to the city of Santa Ana. First we learned that Miss Helen Shipp, founder of The OC Black History Parade, was immortalized in a community mural; and secondly, we were informed how the city’s little league baseball organization was named after MLB player Gary Templeton, who was a three time All Star Player & National Baseball League Hall of Famer.

(Music artist Knoc-Turn’al at the Juneteenth Festival.)

Past the welcome arch, we walked towards the entertainment area for the acts. The first artist to take the stage was L.A.’s own Knoc-Turn’al with his hits “Bang Bang” and “LA Confidential;” rapper Knoc-Turn’al has a career spanning twenty years and has worked alongside multi-platinum creators:  Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre.

(Musical act Slum Village rapping at the Juneteenth Festival.)

The performance by Slum Village had an enthusiastic introduction by Santa Ana Councilman Johnathan Hernandez which led one to infer that Hernandez indeed was a big fan of this early 2000s hip-hop rap duo from Detroit, Michigan. Slum Village members T3 and Young RJ rocked the mic with their underground hits and have collaborated with the likes of Kayne West, J. Dilla, and MC Breed.

(Juneteenth Festival headlining performance by The Delfonics.)

In between musical sets, we ventured to support the vendors and local communities initiatives while eating a tasty ice cream treat in anticipation for the Grammy Award-winning artists: The Delfonics. The mainstage was now filled with attendees and we decided to choose a key location for easy front-row access for documentation and enjoyment purposes. Once the famous Delfonic Theme song began, the crowd got excited. In matching blue sequin jackets & black captain hats, each member was individually introduced and welcomed by the cheers of new & old fans. We were mesmerized by their amazing musical talents and perfectly choreographed dance routines to their hits of “Didn’t I,” “Hey! Love,” and “Somebody Loves You,” all notable songs of their music catalogue. Unfortunately, their show was impacted by the earlier artists and resulted in The Delfonics not being able to perform their complete song list.  To close the still very enjoyable show, The Delfonics performed their soulful 1968 US Billboard love song hit “La-La (Means I Love You)” which ended with members singing the last lines a la a cappella that left the crowd cheering for an encore.

Less than a month after their performance in Santa Ana, we learned that we lost the lead singer & founding member of The Delfonics, mister William “Poogie” Hart passed away on July 17th at the age of 77. Rest In Power William Hart and thank you for all your music and memories.

Throughout the 2022 year, CHICANO ART MOVEMENT was a patron of the arts by buying fine art prints. Anita added two to her collection. First was the collaboration piece between Shephard Fairey & photographer Melanie Nissen titled “Alice Bag,” a portrait of L.A. based, punk rock artist Alicia Armendariz who was also the co-founder of 1970s punk band “Alice & The Bags” and a great Chicana musical trailblazer. The second artwork purchased by Anita was a Star Wars: The Mandalorian glow-in-the-dark, timed edition print titled “I will teach you to protect yourself” by Mark Englert and Bottleneck Art Gallery; this artwork is a companion piece to the 2021 print released by the same artist.

Our adventurous expeditions in 2022 ranged from various contemporary art exhibits and numerous musical concerts of diverse genres in which we learned more about the fine arts and its processes plus had great opportunities to reconnect with our musicians and artists compañeros y compañeras. For the upcoming year, CHICANO ART MOVEMENT looks forward to being part of the community that supports the arts in all its shapes, forms, and distinctive manifestations.

[lunarot]

clover for the common man

ive been excited to play this one ever since i burst out laughing at grays character description, enough to buy it with my human money!!! apparently its a bit more complicated than that.

even before the bugs, it just wouldnt recognize its own disk. IT WAS A LONG WAY BACK TO WONDERLAND, AND WE FOUND OUT MANY THINGS, SUCH AS: - oh BOY were these games badly recieved initially - clovers drm required dedicated support even back then, BUT THE INDUSTRY JUST KEPT USING IT? AS LATE AS 2014 EVEN? (- meanwhile, crimson empires drm resulted in a 5mil usd class action lawsuit against ubisoft, so you could always do worse)

anyway angels walk the earth and they share patches for abandonware. i played through the intro, had good fun, was alarmed by both the auto and skip buttons exploding my game but thought whatever, ill learn to live without them.

so clover doesnt like actually being played. ok, fine. i did what i could. lets check out the ps2 port

who left her in the wash??? NEXT.

we used to live like this...? i really didnt want to give up the crisp art of the original. BUT the system changes on the psp even out to about the same level of comfort as the pc (a bit higher actually, the originals font hurts me), the only problem ive had so far was the bgm not looping properly. also, more crucially, i can play it.

this isnt even a "dont buy old games unless you just want to look at their cute little boxes in your house" post, according to reviews some people genuinely had no problems after the patches. maybe my computer just has bad vibes. i now have a setup where my pc and phone pass my saves back and forth though which is quite comfy.

AS FOR THE ACTUAL GAME: - i loved how alien wonderland felt in anniversary, but its long enough that you eventually get pretty comfortable. clover changes things up just enough to recapture that friction & does it with purpose - so many lorina flashbacks... why is she bald......

- i like that it follows up on the themes of the truth ed within wonderland itself. call that limbo no kuni..... - SOMEHOW THE MOST EXCITING TIDBIT FOR ME SO FAR IS ELLIOT AND NIGHTMARE BEING BROS. MAKES PERFECT SENSE AND YET COMPLETELY BLINDSIDED ME

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 25/03/2023 (Taylor Swift, Hozier, Lewis Capaldi)

For the 10th week in a row, “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus tops the UK Singles Chart. It may be its last considering Ed’s on the way, but for now, welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

Rundown

As always, we start with our notable dropouts – songs exiting the UK Top 75, which is what I cover, after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40 – and we have a pretty varied list this time, as we say farewell to “Snowfall” by Oneheart and reidenshi, “SPIT IN MY FACE!” by ThxSoMch, “Never Gonna Not Dance Again” by P!nk, “Afraid to Feel” by LF SYSTEM and finally, once again, “Someone You Loved” by Lewis bloody Capaldi.

What’s filling the gaps? Well, our list of new arrivals does not seem built to last and “Pointless” by Lewis Capaldi only returns presumably due to the three-song rule at #68, so we may have to look at our notable gains, and for this week we don’t have many, in fact we seem to end up with a lot more losses, which I don’t really cover. Regardless, we do see boosts for “Here” by Tom Grennan at #39, “Can’t Tame Her” by Zara Larsson at #38, “REACT” by Switch Disco featuring Ella Henderson and the late Robert Miles at #32, “Mother” by Meghan Trainor at #27 (kill me), “Whistle” by Jax Jones featuring Calum Scott at #25, “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift at #18 thanks to residual Eras Tour hype (more on that later), and finally, “Creepin’” by Metro Boomin and The Weeknd featuring 21 Savage back to #10 thanks to a Diddy remix that prompted an ACR reset; its time back up here is very limited.

This week’s top five on the UK Singles Chart should all be familiar now, but with some notable movement: “People” by Libianca is at #5 alongside its fellow Afrobeats track “Calm Down” by Rema at #4, “Die for You” by The Weeknd is at #3, “Miracle” by Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding is up to #2 off of the debut, and of course, “Flowers” reigns at the top. And now, without further ado, let’s look through our... interesting batch of new arrivals.

NEW ARRIVALS

#67 – “DEATH” – Melanie Martinez

Produced by CJ Baran and Melanie Martinez

We’re starting with Melanie Martinez, huh? God help us. So this is a somewhat exhausting week overall when it comes to covering the stories behind these songs, and we’ll get more into that as we go on, but there’s no easy D-Block Europe jester here: they’re all out-of-the-ordinary songs and it’s honestly difficult to explain why any of them are charting. This one... well, I guess it’s easy enough. Whilst Martinez has never been much of a chart presence, she’s a big deal amongst a certain brand of Tumblr user that has naturally spread over into TikTok (a demographic that kind of fits a lot of this week’s new entries), so her newest single was probably going to chart in the bottom 50. Thanks to a weak chart, it got into my territory of the top 75 and I’d feel silly asking the rhetorical question of if it’s any good. I’m about as far as you could get from a Melanie Martinez fan, and this song seemingly about the cyclical nature of life and death is ridden with so much Melanie Martinez lore that I, as a non-Melanie Martinez fan, can completely Melanie Martinez ignore. Therefore, what do we have without it? Non-descript vocals coated in Auto-Tune that make the more nasal, childlike inflections even more annoying? A musical theatre set of strings and pianos that takes the most immature and memetic response to grief possible... that is then completely ignored for a set of gross, buzzy synths over complete ass drums that are mixed like a complete mess alongside some disgusting vocal mixing? Great, thanks, I hate it. When 100 gecs released a rock album just last week, what purpose does this serve? I didn’t even like that album, but a half-serious gecs record is much more rewarding of a listen than something as self-serious for no real reason. It’s abrasive, eclectic, sure, but it makes you wait and wait for a chorus that hits at a completely wrong note but it scuffs any remnants of emotional resonance by way of childlike mockery. I don’t care about the lore, or the character, this is awful.

#58 – “Christmas Kids” – Roar

Produced by Owen Evans

So this may need some explanation, or at least as much as I can grant it. Roar is the moniker of Owen Evans, who you may know as having drummed for AJJ (no relation to AJR). This song is from his debut solo effort, I Can’t Handle Change, from all the way back in 2010 and it actually touches upon a subject from even earlier, that being the relationship between Ronnie of the Ronettes, who has sadly died since this song released, and Phil Spector, who has fortunately died since this song release. Spector was a nutjob who tormented Ronnie psychologically, rarely letting her leave the house, and often threatened to kill her. In 1971, as an attempt to save their marriage, Spector brought her two adopted children out of nowhere on Christmas Day, hence the title. Naturally, Owen Evans wrote a song about it, and a bit less naturally, he decided to do it from Phil’s perspective, in the style of a Spector-produced Brill Building track. Oh. Oh, dear. Uh, well, the production is decidedly cheaper than Spector would have had it, and the claps in the chorus just feel like random clips rather than whole-hearted claps, it really hurts the momentum, as does the slogging bridge which I understand is supposed to be creepy but it makes the whole thing seem comical... especially when Evans changes perspective to Ronnie and slows the tempo down. For a song about such a horrible, horrible abusive relationship, it all seems rather gimmicky, and I’m not entirely sure why we’re okay with this.

#52 – “Baby again..” – Fred again.., Skrillex and Four Tet

Produced by Fred again.., Skrillex and Four Tet

It’s a shame that Four Tet finally has a lead credit on a UK charting hit and it’s this glorified remix. “Baby” by Quality Control featuring Lil Baby and DaBaby is a famously repetitive song, mostly just because Lil Baby says “baby” a lot, and it didn’t actually chart in the UK – for which I thank God, since it’s pretty bad. This remix is kind of a cool idea, as Baby definitely fits into the pockets of this house groove but... well, it’s boring as sin, guys. I like all three of these guys as producers, particularly Skrillex, but sometimes too many cooks creates a product way less unique than the sum of its parts, which was true for most of the cuts from those two Skrillex albums earlier this year to be honest. The wonky synths over a bubbly bass function perfectly fine, but it’s not like it’s interesting or really that driving, and there are absolutely no stakes here given that the sample never changes flow or says anything particularly catchy. They just took the “Baby” song where Baby says “baby” a lot, and transposed it onto a bassy house beat – I wouldn’t say it’s unfinished at all, since the minimalism absolutely is the point, yet none of the tricks they pull out feel all that interesting, mostly because having all three producers kind of silences out the unique properties of each DJ. This sounds like something that was improvised at a DJ mix, and with how long its build-up is, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if it were. That doesn’t make it bad, but it sure doesn’t interest me, especially if by the time we get a climax, the sample is an annoying, badly-mastered vocal clip rather than, you know, the actual hook that has been there for the rest of the track. It just seems like a wasted opportunity.

#41 – “Hell N Back” – Bakar

Produced by Jake the Snake and Beach Noise

Jake the Snake is an awesome producer name. This is a 2019 single from London singer Bakar that got viral on TikTok, and it sounds even older with its vintage guitars and slick whistle over the mellow drums. This particular brand of UK neo-soul was something I at some point was more into years earlier when I was listening to like Tom Misch and Sampha, but I still like this quite a lot. It’s a chill track and Bakar has some delightful charisma, and the references to drugs kind of explain the charming sloppiness in his delivery, and why those horns are so watered-down. Maybe the lyrics need some work – “she had green eyes like Mountain Dew”, really? – but I like the sentiment about capturing the feeling where you’ve been in a bad place, and your partner really caring for you is what makes you get out of that rut, even if that leads to some worrying dependency. It’s not a song I have much to say about, almost by design, but Hell, it’s heads and shoulders above everything else so far, so I’ll endorse this.

#30 – “Set Me Free Pt.2” – Jimin

Produced by GHSTLOOP and Pdogg

BTS member Jimin released his debut solo album – if you can really call it that, it’s 19 minutes – and this was the lead single, serving as a bit of an accidental sequel to bandmate SUGA’s song of the same name, hence the “pt.2”, and, man, I have yet to really be impressed with BTS members’ solo output, bar that one j-hope song with J. Cole a couple weeks back. This single goes for some real intensity with the compressed orchestra and choir vocals alongside alarm synths before exploding into drums that hit hard, sure, but not as well as they could have because of all the fuzz that surround them. Jimin himself is just horrible on this, I’m sorry – he is way too nasal and floaty for this beat, and I don’t believe him for a second when he talks about my “opps”, or reaches into his Adam Levine falsetto on the mind-numbingly repetitive chorus over those plastic horns. The second verse just sounds like a joke, with the comical cartoon inflections and Auto-Tune, but I don’t have a reason not to take this seriously. As a comedy song, it’d be pretty funny if that chorus wasn’t as long, but as a lead solo debut... Jesus Christ, man. Hopefully some of that album is better – it did come out today as of when I’m writing this – but God, this is honestly embarrassing, probably because it’s a lane Jimin shouldn’t be near in the first place.

#24 – “How I’m Feeling Now” – Lewis Capaldi

Produced by Lewis Capaldi and TMS

No, sadly, there’s no relation to the Charli XCX album. This is Capaldi’s third single from that upcoming sophomore effort, and well, damn, he’s finally grown some teeth at least. The entire song is a self-critique about his own mental state, with a sarcastic chorus and biting verses about how unsatisfied he feels with his life despite the fact he has everything. It’s not really connected to a girlfriend either, only vaguely stringing it to a breakup to make it a bit more accessible, I suppose, because this is definitely a famous man blues ballad, and it’s pretty damn great honestly. Sure, it’s minimal and kind of just lets Capaldi sit there amongst the folk guitars, but he’s mostly downplaying the delivery here, even though out of all songs, this one probably deserves the melodrama. The swell in the chorus wherein Capaldi really does start going for it is actually much more bearable than his usual froggy belting. In fact, this is basically an emo-pop song disguising itself as an Ed Sheeran album cut, especially with Capaldi’s delivery, and if you know me well enough, you’d know that compared to Capaldi’s usual fare, that’s right up my alley. Once the strings come in during the bridge, which is seamlessly connected to the chorus through a monosyllabic belt, which is just a cool songwriting trick, it feels really earned and the only percussion at the end of the song sounds like a ticking clock, with the looming fear of his fame’s demise nearing closer and closer. It may be compressed to Hell like all of Capaldi’s stuff, and he doesn’t go into that much detail... but this just hits like a brick and I’m honestly not sure why. Maybe it’s the downplaying of his vocals in the verses, maybe it’s that he finally understand some sense of dynamics, but I’m really bloody impressed with this – it’s an excellent song, and if Capaldi would prefer to look further inward on some of this upcoming album, he may end up with an extra listener. Yeah, I didn’t think I’d even hint towards listening to a Lewis Capaldi album, but this is genuinely fantastic.

#22 – “Eat Your Young” – Hozier

Produced by Bekon, Hozier, Rappy, Pete G and Chakra

Hozier, huh? “Take Me to Church” Hozier? “I’ll worship like a dog”, “I’ll tell you my sins”, etc. Hozier? In the top 40? At this time of year? In this pop climate? Localised entirely within #22? I liked that sophomore album, but I didn’t think he’d chart ever again, especially since his last top 40 hit was “Someone New” in 2015. Well, it was initially promoted in a snippet in February, with lyrics that come off as kind of kinky out of context until the full song gets released and that viral TikTok snippet ends up being based on the third circle of hell – gluttony – from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Just, sure, okay, it’s 2023, there are no rules to getting on the chart. Just be Hozier and make a song based on an epic poem that takes its title from a satirical essay written by Jonathan Swift which sardonically claims that to solve poverty in Ireland, the rich should start eating poor children, sold to them by their parents. The whole song seems to focus on the chauvinism of the British Empire, using the imagery of making a feast, with a sensuality making the lyrics seem not too far from oral sex, in reference to how they treated their colonies which, I mean, Hozier is Irish, it wouldn’t be a surprise. The use of the word “carving”, the entire second half of the chorus referring to war, the way it’s addressed to a woman – the motherland, Britannia if you wish – it’s a reasonable interpretation. On a grander scale, it’s about gluttony, and it sounds fittingly evil. Over perilous strings and soulful drums, Hozier trades his voice between a dusty smoulder and a dusty falsetto that sounds like the high horse this Empire was on. With that said, it does stay somewhat samey outside of the gorgeous piano-led outro, and that sensual villainy may lose its lustre overtime, but that’s implying that this will last on the charts and I have no idea where this is going past its first week. It’s a damn catchy tune, a wonderfully-composed track and a unique historical message for a charting hit, so I wouldn’t mind seeing it last longer and reach further heights, but I also won’t put my trust in it.

#11 – “All of the Girls You Loved Before” – Taylor Swift

Produced by Louis Bell, Ging and Taylor Swift

To celebrate the start of her massive Eras Tour, Taylor released re-recorded versions of three songs – none of which charted – as well as this scrapped track from the Lover era, which had some residual hype after a demo leaked, which she must have caught onto as she released it less than a month later. I have probably ranted on this series before that I don’t like Lover, and honestly this is nothing different for me, especially now that we have Midnights to compare it to: it’s like a more pastel version with way less interesting writing, meaning there’s basically no justification for the clunky inflections or straightforward melodies that just sound mindlessly slapped together on this pink cloud of mist that is an instrumental. The drums are stilted and anything melodic just gravitates into a must of nothingness, and apart from the chorus and bridge, Taylor doesn’t really write like herself either. It’s a worthless leftover love song, Taylor must have thought that initially anyway, and it probably should have remained as such until it found its way on “Taylor’s Version” or some B-side compilation, instead of being forced to single release by a leak. It’s honestly just kind of sad, if anything.

Conclusion

Huh, this was kind of a garbage week, wasn’t it? I mean, Best of the Week is nice and easy, with Lewis Capaldi taking it for “How I’m Feeling Now” and I was torn between the two options for Honourable Mention but I think I’ll actually give it to Bakar for “Hell N Back”. As for the worst... God, it’s like picking the worst out of a rotten bunch, but I honestly think that Roar gets it for “Christmas Kids” for just putting a disgusting taste in my mouth, and whilst I absolutely think a song from the perspective of the abuser is possible, it’s just an icky, misguided effort and honestly pretty terrible song even without the subject matter. Dishonourable Mention is  a toss-up between Jimin for “Set Me Free Pt.2” for just being comical, “DEATH” by Melanie Martinez for being aggravating and honestly, “All of the Girls You’ve Loved Before” by Taylor Swift. I didn’t like the new Jimin or Taylor Swift or Melanie Martinez, and I’m posting this on Tumblr: it’s like I’m tempting fate. Regardless, thank you for reading, and I’ll see you next week!

[drclaudiosaracinodcsworld]

No Panico NO ANSIA NO PAURA: audio mp3 DCS di Autoipnosi DCS Vera e Prof...

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[breakingnewsbreakthrough]

Monday, September 23, 2024

It's been one week since you all started looking at me

3:55 p.m. EDT: "Tigers are calling up top pitching prospect Jackson Jobe"

4:35 p.m. EDT: "Stellantis starts search for Tavares successor as pressure rises

4:50 p.m. EDT: "Dan Campbell moved after Snapchat harassment, unwanted visitors, police reports show"

I'd like to link these first three headlines together and reflect a little after my first week on the job as Detroit's favorite unofficial headline reviewer. There are three constants for The Detroit News, and that's updates on the local sports teams, updates on the movements of the Big 3, and genuine news items. I don't mean to dismiss America's first (and second, and once hockey season starts, third) favorite pastimes, but I don't find urgency or import in the decisions of or game results for Detroit's teams. Alas, I have forced myself to report them, and so I shall.

The auto industry updates are a bit more complex, given the genuine importance to a lot of people in the area. Hell, I find myself at Ford's many plants from time to time. I can't discount the value of these news items, but I can't promise to have nuanced or interesting opinions on them either. Maybe as time goes on, I'll leave them out of these updates, but as it stands I feel as though I'd be doing a disservice to this project not to write the headlines out and provide my (however uninformed) color commentary.

5:55 p.m. EDT: "Prosecutor won't charge five people arrested in Israel-Hamas protest at Wayne State"

Wow, this is an incredibly disingenuous headline! Calling the protests for Palestinian liberation "Israel-Hamas protest[s]" is actually insane, I don't even know where to begin. I'd like to apologize if my usual eloquence deserts me for this segment, but I just can't pretend to focus on flowery prose when this is how a newspaper frames these events. There's a certain level of tone-deafness one must operate under to link Hamas at all to these protests in Detroit (adjacent to Dearborn, with its massive Arab-American population), and I'm shocked an editor let this pass unchecked. People calling for the end to a genocide that is actively killing their relatives or brothers and sisters in faith (or even their brothers and sisters in the human race, if we can be for real about this) has nothing to do with a foreign terrorist group. It would be like those protesting police brutality in Minneapolis in 2020 being labeled as "Police-Thug protest[ers]." It wouldn't be done there, and it shouldn't be done here.

6:37 p.m. EDT: "Audit: DTE, Consumers electricity outage durations 'worse than average' among utilities"

To quote one of my close friends: "I'm afraid of the rain, because every time the wind sneezes on my house, the power goes out." I wish the electricity in this area worked, but much like wishing not to be in a swamp, I fear there's nothing to be done. (I mean, there is, but I don't have the power to change it, so I shall stick my head in the proverbial sand.)

On a personal note:

I feel the burnout setting in. I, for the first time this semester, didn't turn in an assignment. I could make a lame excuse about a migraine, but I really just didn't want to watch a movie whose accompanying assignment is only worth 0.67% of my final grade. I'll try my best not to repeat the pattern this week, but only time will tell. The semester's not even half over.

ed. note: please excuse my use of the word "thug" above. I'm cognizant of the fact that I as a white person must be careful when bandying that word (and those like it) about, but another more apt comparison didn't come to hand quickly enough. I try not to spend more than 15 minutes writing these, but understand that I spent 3-4 of those agonizing on whether I could use a less inflammatory word. If you're offended, please let me know and I'll remove it. I love you, be safe out there.

Until tomorrow,

DM

[vague-humanoid]

#would love it if someone could share the full article#I'm a software/ling person so it's hugely relevant to me#but not in higher education so subscribing to The Chronicle of Higher Education doesn't make sense#LetMeIn.gif

@beansprouts this is op, check under the cut

At the California Institute of the Arts, it all started with a videoconference between the registrar’s office and a nonprofit.

One of the nonprofit’s representatives had enabled an AI note-taking tool from Read AI. At the end of the meeting, it emailed a summary to all attendees, said Allan Chen, the institute’s chief technology officer. They could have a copy of the notes, if they wanted — they just needed to create their own account.

Next thing Chen knew, Read AI’s bot had popped up inabout a dozen of his meetings over a one-week span. It was in one-on-one check-ins. Project meetings. “Everything.”

The spread “was very aggressive,” recalled Chen, who also serves as vice president for institute technology. And it “took us by surprise.”

The scenariounderscores a growing challenge for colleges: Tech adoption and experimentation among students, faculty, and staff — especially as it pertains to AI — are outpacing institutions’ governance of these technologies and may even violate their data-privacy and security policies.

That has been the case with note-taking tools from companies including Read AI, Otter.ai, and Fireflies.ai.They can integrate with platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teamsto provide live transcriptions, meeting summaries, audio and video recordings, and other services.

Higher-ed interest in these products isn’t surprising.For those bogged down with virtual rendezvouses, a tool that can ingest long, winding conversations and spit outkey takeaways and action items is alluring. These services can also aid people with disabilities, including those who are deaf.

But the tools can quickly propagate unchecked across a university. They can auto-join any virtual meetings on a user’s calendar — even if that person is not in attendance. And that’s a concern, administrators say, if it means third-party productsthat an institution hasn’t reviewedmay be capturing and analyzing personal information, proprietary material, or confidential communications.

“What keeps me up at night is the ability for individual users to do things that are very powerful, but they don’t realize what they’re doing,” Chen said. “You may not realize you’re opening a can of worms.“

The Chronicle documented both individual and universitywide instances of this trend. At Tidewater Community College, in Virginia, Heather Brown, an instructional designer, unwittingly gave Otter.ai’s tool access to her calendar, and it joined a Faculty Senate meeting she didn’t end up attending. “One of our [associate vice presidents] reached out to inform me,” she wrote in a message. “I was mortified!”

At an Illinois institution, a Read AI bot showed up to a meeting in place of a consulting-firm executive who’d been invited. At Hudson County Community College, in New Jersey, a tool from Fireflies.ai transcribed a Board of Trustees meeting, to the surprise of some attendees. At the University of Memphis, the chief information officer recently sent a universitywide email urging the campus community to deny Read AI access to meetings and ignore prompts to create accounts.

Spokespeople for those companiesemphasizedthattheir tools can join meetings only with a user’s permission, and that users are in full control of what the bots can access and do through their account settings. For example, a user can disable the auto-join function.

A spokesperson for Read AI added that a user needs to “review and confirm” their settings when they create an account. Many sources The Chronicle heard from didn’t recall granting these tools any permissions.

Considering risk

The commercial terms of service and privacy policies for the two most cited vendors, Otter.ai and Read AI, note that when an individual creates an account, they agree to license the “content” they share or upload while using the service. This could include voice and audio recordings, text, and photographs. The companies can then “use” and “reproduce” that content.

That may extend to training AI models.Otter.ai’s privacy policy states that it trains its AI technology on “de-identified” audio recordings and transcripts that “may contain personal information.” (Companies that de-identify data remove information that identifies or relates to an individual; generally speaking, that process would not apply to confidential or proprietary materials that don’t include personal information,such as curricular resources.) A spokesperson added in an email that audio recordings and transcripts “are not manually reviewed by a human” without explicit permission.

Read AI users have to opt in to contribute data “to improve the product,” a spokesperson wrote in an email when asked about how the company trains AI models.

The policies also include language that absolves the vendors from any responsibility for losing or disclosing user content.

These are common provisions for tech companies to add, said Sid Bose, partner and chair of the data-security and privacy team at the law firm Ice Miller. Still, they “warrant further investigation” by subject-matter experts at an institution who can assess risk and determine whether it’s worth the benefits, he said.

Privacy and security aren’t the only considerations, though, said Deirdre Mulligan, a professor of law at the University of California at Berkeley’s School of Information. When every interaction is recorded, she said, there’s a risk of stifling academic discourse — a valued tenet of higher education.

“What does research, teaching, and learning depend upon? It depends upon people feeling free to express themselves, free to explore new ideas, free to take chances, free to make mistakes.”

Regaining control

So what can institutions do to respond?

An institution may be able to work with a videoconferencing provider, like Zoom, to block certain AI assistants. The California Institute of the Arts, for example, did this to block Read AI from its enterprise account.

Sources said the solution isn’t to write off AI assistants altogether, though — especially given colleagues’ interest in the products and the support they can provide to people with disabilities. So they’re exploring their options.

One isto identify alternative tools. The University of San Francisco, for example, has enabled the AI assistant that’s available through its site license with Zoom (a service the faculty, staff, and students can use free of charge). However, administrators have put locks on what the tool can do, said Ken Yoshioka, a senior instructional technologist. The assistant can’t use uploaded files as a data source, for example, or access emails and documents tied to a user’s Microsoft 365 or Google accounts.

“It’s all about transparency” and giving control to people, not the tools, Yoshioka said.

Another option is to develop policies or guidance that set clear guardrails. At Berkeley, the “Appropriate Use of Generative AI Tools” guide prohibits any use of AI tools to submit queries or generate results that are not public information — unless the university has a negotiated agreement with the vendor containing “appropriate contract protections,” Mulligan wrote in a follow-up email. The guidance notes which AI tools the university has agreements with.

Alongside such directives, Brown, at Tidewater Community College, believes it’s essential to educate everyone on campus abouthow these tools work and the privacy considerations involved.

“A well-informed community can better align with institutional policies and safeguard sensitive information,” she wrote.

We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.

At the California Institute of the Arts, it all started with a videoconference between the registrar’s office and a nonprofit.

One of the nonprofit’s representatives had enabled an AI note-taking tool from Read AI. At the end of the meeting, it emailed a summary to all attendees, said Allan Chen, the institute’s chief technology officer. They could have a copy of the notes, if they wanted — they just needed to create their own account.

Next thing Chen knew, Read AI’s bot had popped up inabout a dozen of his meetings over a one-week span. It was in one-on-one check-ins. Project meetings. “Everything.”

The spread “was very aggressive,” recalled Chen, who also serves as vice president for institute technology. And it “took us by surprise.”

The scenariounderscores a growing challenge for colleges: Tech adoption and experimentation among students, faculty, and staff — especially as it pertains to AI — are outpacing institutions’ governance of these technologies and may even violate their data-privacy and security policies.

That has been the case with note-taking tools from companies including Read AI, Otter.ai, and Fireflies.ai.They can integrate with platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teamsto provide live transcriptions, meeting summaries, audio and video recordings, and other services.

Higher-ed interest in these products isn’t surprising.For those bogged down with virtual rendezvouses, a tool that can ingest long, winding conversations and spit outkey takeaways and action items is alluring. These services can also aid people with disabilities, including those who are deaf.

But the tools can quickly propagate unchecked across a university. They can auto-join any virtual meetings on a user’s calendar — even if that person is not in attendance. And that’s a concern, administrators say, if it means third-party productsthat an institution hasn’t reviewedmay be capturing and analyzing personal information, proprietary material, or confidential communications.

“What keeps me up at night is the ability for individual users to do things that are very powerful, but they don’t realize what they’re doing,” Chen said. “You may not realize you’re opening a can of worms.“

The Chronicle documented both individual and universitywide instances of this trend. At Tidewater Community College, in Virginia, Heather Brown, an instructional designer, unwittingly gave Otter.ai’s tool access to her calendar, and it joined a Faculty Senate meeting she didn’t end up attending. “One of our [associate vice presidents] reached out to inform me,” she wrote in a message. “I was mortified!”

[tamuemmapearson]

How Social Media Has Changed the Game for Car Reviews

If you are a car enthusiast like me, you have probably watched a car review or two.

Just recently Toyota announced the all-new 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser and the thought struck me: Car reviews are completely different than they used to be.

Social media has revolutionized the car review scene by creating platforms for anyone to become a car review influencer. Everything from TikToks to full-length YouTube videos, to memes and edits on Instagram, as well as all the classic stuff. No more do us car enthusiasts have to deal with uninformed car shopping. In this blog, we will cover the basic history of car reviews and then tackle how social media has not only changed the game for car reviews but completely made car buying less of a headache for everyone.

Car reviews are not just 30-second YouTube shorts or 15-second TikTok reels. Car Reviews have many forms all with different purposes as well as different strengths and weaknesses. In order to really appreciate the history of car reviews we have to start from the very beginning of car culture itself, where the first car review was invented. In fact, car reviews officially began once the car became a major part of human history.

Before the car, the horse and carriage were the main modes of transportation for humans in the United States. Much like cars, horses and carriages were a symbol of status; where people wanted to have the best of the best. People took their horses to horse shows, and races, and bragged about having the best horse and carriage around, (Ed's Auto Reviews, 2023). Once the car was invented and replaced the horse and carriage, it became a way for people to show off their status in society. Everyone wanted to have the best car. People would take their cars to car meets, and races. The wealthy would have custom cars made for them. Many folks found themselves spending a large portion of their income on a car, which is still true today, (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Cars today are still a symbol of status, and many want to have the best of the best. This created the need for car reviews so that consumers were informed and comforted knowing that they made the right purchase with a car.

The first form of car reviews came from word of mouth, as you could imagine. Car enthusiasts would meet up and discuss their car and recommend a friend to purchase the same car as them, (Ed's Auto Reviews, 2023).

But what is truly the first car review?

Magazines, articles, and ads in the newspaper. Companies such as Car and Driver, Motor Trend, and Car and Track have been in this game for over 70 years. Creating car review magazines that consumers could pay to receive if they were thinking about buying a new car (Koch, 2018). Many of these articles were done by professional journalists and car enthusiasts. Usually, these car review companies offer a subscription for viewers to pay for; which in turn sends them weekly or monthly magazines, (Car and Driver). Car reviews are done on a points scale, where the car is tested for different things and is ranked among other cars. Liked is an example of a magazine from 1975.

This form of car review is professionally done-- which is fine-- except that the car is mystified and it becomes hard to visualize yourself in since the photos are staged and the review is written by a professional. More often than not, car manufacturers will sponsor these car companies to write good reviews for their cars; which can be misleading for the consumer. "Car and Driver is partly supported by advertising, but everything you see on the site or in the magazine is produced by our editors or contributors and adheres to our high standards for quality. To ensure accuracy, our content is fact-checked by the copy department and edited by the testing team to verify technical accuracy. If we do have any content created in partnership with advertisers, we will mark it as such, (Car and Driver)."

Alongside magazines, car reviews were present on television through shows like Top Gear. These production-quality episodes about cars changed the game for car reviews because consumers could now visualize themselves in the car and see footage of the car being tested in different situations. Top Gear is still in production today and makes car reviews in many formats not restricted to just television. Today they make content across all forms of social media as well as streaming platforms. Below is a Top Gear episode from 1989.

Que the invention of the internet. Alongside car review magazines, the common folks-- like us-- created forums where car enthusiasts could discuss their findings about car purchases from their past. Word of mouth from millions of other car buyers alongside continued publication of car review magazines-- now also on the internet-- created the next level of car reviews. Cars.com alongside many other websites fostered a platform where consumers could come and share their thoughts on a vehicle they had purchased. This was the first time we, as consumers, got to give our input and publish it for millions of others to see.

Photo from Cars.Com

Around 2005 YouTube was invented, (Wikipedia). YouTube opened the car review film sector up to the public so that anyone could create a video about their car--much like a review on Cars.com-- and share it with millions of people. These videos were way less professional than episodes from companies like Top Gear and made car reviews more accessible and relatable to the average citizen than any form of car review previously.

You may have heard of people like Doug DeMuro, Donut Media, Throttle House and many more. All of which sprouted from their decision to make car reviews on YouTube. Not all car reviews on YouTube are sponsored by car manufacturers since some are considered undeveloped. For those that are sponsored the sponsorship must be disclosed to the viewer, (Federal Trade Commission). This means that reviews on YouTube can be crude and honest about the imperfections of a car without fear of upsetting the car manufacturer. The average citizen could look up any car they wanted to purchase and watch as many videos as published to decide if they wanted to purchase the car or not. Reviews are honest and viewers can comment on the video to request more specific details from the person reviewing the car. Buying a car was the easiest it had ever been thanks to social media!

But wait...there's more.

We aren't done yet. YouTube was just the beginning of how social media began to revolutionize car reviews and make car buying the easiest it has ever been.

Enter TikTok.

The invention of the short video revolutionized social media. All social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram added some aspect of short videos into their platforms because TikTok was such a hit when it came to drawing attention from the audience. Because of this, car reviews eventually took the form of short video reviews alongside long ones. These reviews are typically not as in-depth as full-length reviews but highlight a lot of the key features that people want to know about in a car. Short videos make the car review process less time-consuming and more accessible to anyone who doesn't want to sit down and watch a 30-minute Doug DeMuro car review video. This form of car review allowed for an even broader audience to become informed about the car they may want to purchase.

All forms of car reviews still exist to this day, and all of them benefit from each other when the other is lacking in a specific area. Take the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser for example.

There is a Car and Driver article about it in case someone wants to know that their information is coming from professionals:

https://www.caranddriver.com/toyota/land-cruiser

A Reddit Forum for anyone to comment whatever they want to say about the new Land Cruiser:

A Top Gear Episode. A cinematic masterpiece about the all-new Toyota Land Cruiser :

A YouTube Review. For people who want in-depth footage of the all-new Land Cruiser:

And most recently, YouTube Shorts and TikToks for those who don't have time to watch a 30-minute video:

What's so cool about the car community is that although there are different eras and forms of car reviews, all of them have their place and have different functions.

Personally, I watch SEVERAL car reviews on YouTube before I buy a car. I find myself watching car reviews while I'm cooking, cleaning, bored, or just plain relaxing. I also read articles from Motor Trend and Car and Driver. I watch episodes from Top Gear as well as TikToks about the car I want to purchase. At this point, I am obsessed with it and will be purchasing a 2024 Land Cruiser once I can get my grubby hands on one. Here I am watching a review from @savagegeese on YouTube while making dinner.

With the invention of social media came platforms where many car enthusiasts can find communities of like-minded individuals and express their thoughts and opinions about different cars. Car reviews now come in many different forms and styles. All different doors have opened for anyone with some creativity to become content creators for car reviews.

Now, creators like Sarah-n-Tuned, TFL, Redline Reviews, Car Confections, and many more can gain popularity, and grow a following on YouTube as well as other forms of social media. Car review audiences began to trust creators like Doug De Muro and now anticipate his review of any car just as much as a Top Gear episode or a Car and Driver article. Because of this shift, people like Doug DeMuro, Throttle House, and Dount Media became their own intenties in the car buying process.

Buyers take the time to look at reviews for a car before buying it. Car manufacturers began shaking in their boots once they realized that the average citizen could become informed and no longer would be subject to buying pieces of crap from dealerships. Awareness of quality and performance is skyrocketing and car manufacturers are now held to a new standard thanks to car reviews from social media.

Many car manufacturers now host events where car influencers can come and create content about a new car; to help market their product to the people who trust car influencers. When the new Land Cruiser was released, Toyota hosted an event where many influencers such as Doug, Toyota Jeff, TFL, and many others got to come out and test drive the Land Cruiser on offroad terrain. This led to content creation, brand awareness, as well as (sort of) free advertising for Toyota's new car. This mutually beneficial relationship between influencer and company has worked well in the favor of car manufacturers who create reliable consumer-friendly vehicles such as Toyota. This has also led to improved reliability in other car brands.

Here is a video from TFL from when they went to the Toyota Land Cruiser event.

Social media has played a huge role in evolving the car review in the last couple of years. Honestly, in my opinion, it is the reason more consumers are making informed purchases on their vehicles. I believe that social media has changed how car manufacturers produce their cars since they now know that if they produce a crap product it will not succeed in the eyes of car reviews. I believe that overall the car buying process is much easier with the invention of short car reviews and accessible content to all who have internet access. Anyone can be scrolling on TikTok and find a short and sweet car review. Car reviews have evolved from word of mouth to car magazines and episodes. From online articles and forums, YouTube reviews, and finally short videos and reels. Social media has had a major impact on growing the car community by creating car review influencers and creating a more informed car market where car manufacturers are held to higher standards to make better products.

And that, my friends, is the history of how the car review came to be what it is today. Thanks for reading.

Sources:

Koch, Jeff. (2018, September 23rd). Old Car Magazines. Hemmings.com. https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/old-car-magazines

(2023, September 8th). Consumer Expenditures--2022. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cesan.nr0.htm#:~:text=Overall%2C%20housing%20accounted%20for%20the,5.0%20percent%20of%20total%20expenditures.

About Car and Driver. Car and Driver. https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/

YouTube. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#:~:text=YouTube%20is%20an%20American%20online,three%20former%20employees%20of%20PayPal

Ed's Auto Reviews. (2023, March 1st). Get Together: The History of Car Culture. YouTube. https://youtu.be/gydSNQurI-Q

FTC Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking. Federal Trade Commission. https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking

[enterprisewired]

Online Business Success Stories from India

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India, with its vast population and rapidly growing digital infrastructure, has become a hotbed for online entrepreneurship. In recent years, numerous individuals and companies have carved out their niche in the online business landscape, achieving remarkable success. In this article, we’ll delve into some inspiring success stories from India’s online business arena, highlighting the innovation, determination, and entrepreneurial spirit that have propelled these ventures to new heights.

Here are a few inspiring online business success stories from India:

1. Flipkart: Transforming E-commerce in India

No discussion of online business success in India would be complete without mentioning Flipkart. Founded in 2007 by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, this e-commerce giant started as an online bookstore. Over the years, it has evolved into one of India’s leading e-commerce platforms, offering a wide range of products from electronics and fashion to groceries and more. 

Among other success stories of online business, Flipkart’s success story is a testament to its relentless focus on customer satisfaction, innovation, and strategic partnerships. In 2018, it was acquired by Walmart, solidifying its position as a major player in India’s e-commerce market.

2. Paytm: Revolutionizing Digital Payments

Paytm’s success can be attributed to its ability to tap into India’s growing smartphone user base and the government’s push for a cashless economy. Today, Paytm is a household name, offering a wide range of financial services and online shopping opportunities to millions of Indians. The success stories of these businesses will guide you to start your own business. 

3. Zomato: Satisfying India’s Appetite for Food Delivery

Zomato, founded by Deepinder Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah in 2008, started as a restaurant discovery and review platform. Over time, it transformed into a food delivery giant, catering to the gastronomic desires of millions.

Zomato’s success story is a testament to its adaptability and commitment to customer satisfaction. It expanded its services to include online food ordering and delivery, making it a go-to platform for hungry Indians seeking convenience and variety.

4. Ola: Redefining Urban Transportation

Ola’s success lies in its ability to adapt to local needs, launch innovative services like Ola Auto and Ola Share, and maintain a strong focus on driver-partner welfare. With millions of daily rides, Ola is now an integral part of India’s urban transportation landscape.

5. Byju’s: Revolutionizing Education

Byju’s, founded by Byju Raveendran in 2008, has become synonymous with online education in India. Initially launched as a coaching platform for competitive exams, it has expanded its offerings to cover a wide range of subjects and age groups.

Byju’s success is a testament to its personalized learning approach, engaging content, and the increasing demand for online education in India. With millions of users and substantial funding, Byju’s is at the forefront of India’s ed-tech revolution.

6. Nykaa: Empowering Beauty Shoppers

Falguni Nayar’s Nykaa has revolutionized the beauty and cosmetics industry in India. Founded in 2012, Nykaa started as an online cosmetics store and has since grown into a comprehensive beauty e-commerce platform.

Like other success stories of online businesses, Nykaa’s success story is built on a deep understanding of its target audience, offering a vast product range, and a strong online presence through social media and its beauty blog. It has not only empowered women to make informed beauty choices but also introduced its own line of cosmetics and beauty products.

7. PolicyBazaar: Simplifying Insurance

PolicyBazaar’s success can be attributed to its focus on transparency, customer education, and leveraging technology to streamline the insurance-buying process. Today, it is one of India’s largest insurance marketplaces, helping millions of individuals make informed insurance decisions.

8. Dream11: Making Fantasy Sports a Reality

Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth founded Dream11 in 2008, at a time when fantasy sports were relatively unknown in India. Dream11’s platform allows users to create fantasy teams and compete in various sports leagues.

Dream11’s success is attributed to its innovative approach, partnerships with major sports leagues, and the increasing popularity of fantasy sports in India. It has become a household name for sports enthusiasts, and its user base continues to grow rapidly.

9. Razorpay: Streamlining Online Payments

Shashank Kumar and Harshil Mathur founded Razorpay in 2014, aiming to simplify online payments for businesses. Razorpay provides businesses with a wide range of payment solutions, including payment gateways and digital wallets.

Razorpay’s success story is built on its dedication to innovation, user-friendly interfaces, and an understanding of the evolving payment landscape in India. It has empowered countless businesses to accept online payments seamlessly.

10. Meesho: Empowering Micro-entrepreneurs

Meesho, founded by Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal in 2015, has created a unique platform that empowers micro-entrepreneurs, particularly women, to start and grow their businesses. Meesho enables individuals to resell products through social media and messaging apps. Among other success stories of online businesses, Meesho ranks high. 

Meesho’s success is a result of its focus on grassroots entrepreneurship, leveraging social connections, and simplifying the process of starting an online business. It has played a significant role in enabling economic independence for thousands of individuals across India.

Conclusion

These remarkable success stories from India’s online business landscape illustrate the power of innovation, resilience, and an acute understanding of market dynamics. These entrepreneurs have not only transformed their industries but have also contributed significantly to India’s digital economy.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, it is clear that India’s online entrepreneurs will play an increasingly vital role in shaping the future of commerce, education, and technology. These success stories serve as a source of inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and a testament to the limitless possibilities of online business in India’s ever-expanding digital ecosystem.

Also read: 5 emerging use cases of generative AI in commerce, according to Mastercard

[trendyprojectors]

Emotn N1 Netflix Officially Licensed Portable Projector Review – PROS & Cons

Emotn N1 Netflix Officially-Licensed Portable Projector, Native 1080P Full HD, Autofocus, Auto Keystone Correction, 120" Picture, 2x5W Speakers with Dolby Audio, 5G Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, Grey

Netflix Officially-Licensed Portable Projector: Enter the extensive Netflix library as soon as you switch on. Remote control featuring hotkeys for the three popular streaming services - Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube - allows you to access your go-to apps with a single press. YouTube Kids, Toon Googles, TIKILIVE, Open Browser and APP STORE are also ready to make your entertainment time richer and more fun.

Flexible Mini Projector with Vibrant Display: With native 1080p FHD quality, HDR10/HLG technology, 1.25:1 throw ratio and 500 ANSI Lumens, you can watch all your favorites with crystal clear details and incredible contrast for bright whites & true blacks. 60"-120" projection size and zoom feature from 100% to 50% allow you to customize your movie screen freely at home.

Make Setup a Breeze: With the cutting-edge ToF Auto Focus and Auto Keystone Correction, a 3-second super-fast setup gives you peace of mind before you get into the mood for your favorite movies. You'll get a clear rectangular picture in a few seconds, and the entire setup process is nearly seamless.

Cinema-like Sound: Enhanced with Dolby Audio and 2x5W speakers, you will hear every sound with exceptional clarity. High-fidelity sound will make you feel like you're right there in the story – it's not just a movie projector: it's a home theater. Sealed optical machine helps reduce dust pollution, and offers long-lasting immersion with efficient LED light sources & a noise level less than 26dB.

Wired & Wireless Connectivity: Designed with versatile connectivity including HDMI, USB, WiFi and Bluetooth, Emotn N1 smart projector connects to various devices, for business or personal use. Say bye to delays with faster and smoother 5G WiFi, and say hi to a Bluetooth speaker with ROASBOILNMonystalia advanced Bluetooth 5.0 connection.

Emotn is a dynamic, vigorous, and fearless brand that provides cost-effective projectors for everyone. Upholding the principles of innovation and intelligence, Emotn develops smart projectors that combine practicality and style, and keeps refining its products to bring more freshness to its customers. Enjoy Movies ToNight with Emotn.

Brightness 500 ANSI Lumens Native Resolution 1080P (1920x1080 FHD) Keystone Correction Automatic Focus Automatic Zoom 100%-50% Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.0/BLE Wi-Fi 2.4G+5G, 2T2R, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Content Official License from Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, etc Image Size 60"~120" Speaker 2 x 5W, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus Supported Formats HDR 10 LED Lifespan 30,000 Hours Noise ＜26dB @25℃ RAM/ROM 1GB DDR3 / 8GB eMMC5.1 Connectivity USB2.0, HDMI IN, DC-IN, LAN, Line-out Throw Ratio 1.25:1 60-120 in: 120 in @10.33ft; 100 in @8.69ft; 80 in @7.22ft; 60 in @5.48ft

Brand ‎Emotn Manufacturer ‎Emotn Model ‎ED-N1-WTJP-A2S1 Model Name ‎Emotn N1 Mini Part Number ‎ED-N1-BKJP-A2S1-GMUS Hardware interface ‎USB, HDMI Special features ‎Digital Keystone Correction, Lightweight, Auto Focus Display Technology ‎DLP Standing screen display size ‎120 Inches Display Resolution ‎1920 x 1080 Speaker connectivity ‎Bluetooth Voltage ‎120 Volts Wattage ‎85 watts Batteries included ‎No Batteries Required ‎No Connector Type ‎Bluetooth Form Factor ‎Portable Mounting type ‎Tabletop Mount Manufacturer ‎Emotn Item model number ‎ED-N1-WTJP-A2S1 Product Dimensions ‎18.19 x 12.5 x 19.18 cm; 3.56 Kilograms

[gorditagaycars]

1973 Corvette Concept Powered by a Mid-Mounted Four-Rotor Engine.Known as the Wankel engine, after its German inventor Felix Wankel, the rotary is a pistonless powerplant that has gained a cult following among car fanatics thanks to Mazda and its successful versions.Famed Corvette engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov absolutely did not want to do the Wankel-rotary-engine-powered Four-Rotor Corvette project, which itself was an evolution of the mid-engine XP-882 prototype. With his retirement looming, the window of opportunity for a mid-engine Corvette was narrowing. Familiar with the Wankel engine since 1955, Duntov knew that the basic design was inefficient because of the surface-to-volume ratio in the combustion chamber. Additionally, the Chevy Vega was scheduled to be the first Wankel-powered car produced by General Motors and Duntov didn't want the Corvette to be powered by a Vega engine. But GM president at the time Ed Cole was hot on the Wankel and tactically said, "yes" to the mid-engine Corvette, but only with a Wankel in the middle. Duntov had no choice.Duntov made the best of it and told his engine man, Gib Hufstader, "Make me a fast car!" Hufstader's solution later won a U.S. patent. The layout consisted of two separate Wankel engines, one on each side of a shaft that ran back to the bevels at the transmission output. Each engine was 90 degrees out of phase to smooth out the performance. A toothed and grooved cog belt ran the ignition, alternator, and fuel pump, while a V-belt controlled the air conditioning, power steering, and water pump. The combined size of the two engines was 585 cubic inches and was rated at 350 to 370 horsepower. Hufstader said with some development the setup could make as much as 480 horsepower. He pulled it all together in just two months. In July of 1972, Cole, with Duntov, took the completed, body-less car out on the GM Tech Center check road. Legend has it that the car hit 148 mph and was still accelerating when they had to slow down. The sound was described as an "incredible shriek!"As development continued, Duntov eventually cornered GM vice president of design Bill Mitchell and said, "Let's put a deadline on this. The Paris show." Mitchell agreed and assigned the project to Hank Haga and Jerry Palmer. Mitchell wanted to see a break from the Kammback design, something pointed and streamlined, similar in flavor to the Mercedes-Benz record-breakers of the 1930s. Palmer recalled: "It was a very hard car to design. After my second shot Mitchell said, 'Hey, look, this is like baseball, kid—three strikes and you're out.' ""Mitchell wanted a teardrop shape," Haga explained. "The design problem was to put together a piece of equipment that didn't have a tail 40 feet long. It started with a long nose and tail … it looked like a record car rather than a Corvette. So we did several overlays and got a fair balance between the nose and tail. We kept shortening it and that's how it evolved."With the basic shape set, everyone in the design group fell in love with the car. With a 72-degree windshield slope, wheel flares, and vents behind the rear glass, the coefficient of drag was 0.325—astonishing for its day. Other details included side cooling intakes for the engine; bifold gullwing doors; and a deep, V-angled front windshield. Chevrolet Interiors created the cabin with plush leather and suede seats, a digital smoked-black instrument display that pivoted along with the telescopic and tilt steering wheel. The center console had more digital gauges, plus the warning lights, radio, climate controls, transmission selector, and handbrake.Both the Two-Rotor (a.k.a. The XP-987 GT) and Four-Rotor Corvettes started making the rounds of the auto-show circuit beginning with 1973 Paris show, to mixed reviews. Automotive magazines went crazy with speculation, but the project stalled when Cole decided to scrap GM's Wankel project altogether. As a result, the Fur-Rotor was never properly developed and didn't run well. Flat out it was a monster; at any other speed, not so good. Designers tried to take the body design and make it a producible car, but every production issue solved detracted from the beauty of the original. "Death by a thousand cuts," said Palmer.Eventually, Bill Mitchell had the Four-Rotor sent to the Design Center to be retrofitted with the all-aluminum XP-895’s drivetrain and a 400-cubic-inch small-block. The new Aerovette was relegated to show-car duty. Chief Engineer Dave McLellan said, "Showing the Aerovette was a sign of what wouldn't be produced." If not for the Wankel distraction, this might have been the first production mid-engine Corvette. Duntov later said that the car was equal with the 1957 Corvette SS as his favorite one-off Corvette. When Zora retired, he was given a detailed model of the Four-Rotor, while former head of GM design Ed Welburn said that he and his coworkers used to look at the car on their lunch breaks. "I knew every inch of it, and I didn't even work on it." Now that's inspiration!Despite its unfortunate fate, the 1973 Four Rotor concept was a captivating car that was born in the wrong era. One can't help but wonder what a thoroughly developed version would have looked like and how it would have performed if it had been built ten or twenty years later.