#like corn based fuels and such

[whereisthedamndaddymanual]

You look great on a slender all White.

But there is nothing compared to you with a dirty cork

[marxism-transgenderism]

That poll of midwestern dishes is so funny cause all the replies from people elsewhere are like "these cannot be real" but the actual food history of the midwest behind that is so interesting. When midwest what invaded and settled by the US, it was expanded principally as a commercial enterprise of large companies getting granted allotments from the government. It was done not only to fuel land speculation on a previously unheard of level but to create new markets for the eastern states to sell their goods to.

So when the midwest was settled its primary economy was what of farmers who grew crops primarily to sell back east to be able to buy goods that came east and to the growing industrial cities of the region, including food. People still grew crops that they would eat (corn on the cob is a classic), but that was by and large to supplement what was bought rather than subsisting on it.

So the dominant things you see in primarily white settler midwestern food is mass produced, commodities like ground beef, salted pork, canned beans, and macaroni. Well known sweets are generally things that can easily be whipped up with eggs, flour, and sugar like sugar cream pie and butter cookies. And this continues right up to today with many of the main recipes people learn to make are casseroles, stews, and hideous looking but unbelievably delicious mixes of processed foods. Most other dishes more complicated than that you can trace directly to Betty Crocker.

But the thing is, this food history is one primarily the white settlers who were able to buy land and committed the ongoing genocide that created the white midwest. On the ground, indigenous dishes both ones that existed prior to colonization and ones like fry bread from colonization still persist especially in the norther midwest. Black dishes are common across the region, especially in cities where Black immigrants fled to during the Great migration. Tex-mex and Central American food is incredibly common.

So when midwest food is talked about, it's primarily the simple, commodity based dishes of the white settler population that are acknowledged. Food from other cultures, despite being more common than the white food dishes in large parts of the midwest, is either ignored as not really midwestern or appropriated. To the point that even now corn is primarily associated in the US with the white dominated commercial farms rather than as one of the primary foods of the Indigenous population that made this region so prosperous before and during colonization.

[adverbally]

Candy Corn Controversy

Written for the @steddie-spooktober day eighteen prompt “candy” | wc: 321 | rated: G | cw: none | tags: established relationship, fluff, candy corn

———

“Stop, that’s disgusting,” Steve complains, shoving Eddie’s face away.

Eddie smiles and keeps eating obnoxiously, half-chewed candy corn visible in his mouth even as he shovels more in. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Stevie. It’s amazing!” He lets his eyes roll back in his head to demonstrate his sugar-fueled bliss.

Steve raises an unimpressed eyebrow. “It’s like eating a candle. I could literally bite down on a chunk of candle wax and it would be the same experience as eating candy corn.”

“It would not!” Eddie argues. “I dare you to find a candle that tastes this good.”

“It’s pure sugar that they somehow ruined by taking all of the sweetness out.” Steve gestures at the bag Eddie is eating from. “Look at the ingredients. Probably nothing but sugar.”

Eddie shakes his head, hair flying. “Nope. Not looking, just eating.” He picks a single piece of candy corn from the bag and delicately eats it section by section— first removing the white tip, then the orange middle, and finally tossing the yellow base into his mouth.

Steve stares at him blankly. “Why would you—? You know what, I don’t want to know. Of course you could find a way to make it weirder.”

“Candy corn season comes but one time each year! It tastes like fall, Steve! Autumn, Halloween, leaves changing colors, caramel apples…” He dramatically sticks his nose in the opening of the bag and inhales deeply, breathing out through his mouth with a satisfied noise. “Like being a kid again.”

It’s obvious that Steve has to fight back a smile at his boyfriend’s antics, the candy corn debate momentarily forgotten when he sees how much joy Eddie gets from his seasonal treat.

“And wait until you see me make them into fangs!” Eddie enthuses, already sticking a piece to one of his canines.

Steve can’t stifle his laughter anymore. “You’re such a dweeb.”

“Ahh wuff ooo too.”

[instantezra]

Pumpkin, Pumpkin

Pairing: Danny Wagner x gn!Reader (tried to keep it gender neutral!)

Summary: PUMPKIN PATCH DATE WITH DANIEL WAGNER aka the dream

Content Warnings: this is just fluffy fluff but does contain some adult language (like, maybe one f word), use of y/n, possible grammatical errors cuz im lazy

Word Count: just under 3k

Author's Note: happy halloween bbs!! some of this is based on actual events i have experienced at a pumpkin patch and we all know the tiktok of fall danny so i hope you enjoy this mishmash of autumnal activities 🍂🎃 i can't come up w titles either so this is just cuz i have the song by the regrettes stuck in my head

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

The county road had quickly turned from sunbleached pavement to gravel. Danny’s car jostled on the loose rocks, but you could barely even tell. It felt like your body was shaking from sheer excitement. A worn wooden sign with a big red arrow appeared at the bottom of the hill, indicating where the pumpkin patch entrance was.

Danny knew how much you loved fall; it was one of his favorite seasons, too. Both of you were adorned in your coziest fall sweaters. You had stopped at a gas station on the way to the rural attraction, and the heat from the cheap coffee in your hands added to the comfy vibe. You downed the rest of the drink as your boyfriend pulled into a parking spot in the large open lot.

The pumpkin patch was surprisingly slow that morning, but you weren’t complaining. The small family-owned farm felt like a hidden gem, and it had become sort of a tradition for you and Danny. You’d find a free weekend that worked for both of you, choose each other’s sweaters, make the hour-long trek to the pumpkin patch, and spend all day together outdoors.

The pumpkin patch sat on acres and acres of land, with multiple patches to walk through, along with a quaint little barn full of goodies. There were lawn games, a couple slides, a hay bale maze, and your favorite - the corn maze.

As soon as you hopped out of the car, you made a beeline towards the central barn. Danny laughed, jogging after you and snatching your hand up in his. You beamed up at him.

“So, what’s the game plan?” he asked, swinging your arms back and forth between you. “Get some snacks at the barn, maybe some hot apple cider?”

“Duh. Then I was thinking we should start with the corn maze.”

Inside the barn, you had to control Daniel’s urge to buy you everything you wanted. There were popcorn balls, bricks of homemade fudge, gallons of apple cider, and more flavors of honey sticks than you thought possible. He gravitated towards the fudge, graciously taking every sample the employee would offer. You joined him, deciding you’d have to buy some on your way out. Before tackling the corn maze, however, you needed some fuel.

“Two apple ciders, please.” Danny ordered drinks for the two of you as you perused the honey sticks. There was no going wrong with classic clover honey, so you grabbed a few of those. It was always fun to try the different fruits, so you grabbed a raspberry and orange. There were more unique flavors as well, like chocolate brownie and even a cinnamon Fireball. You ended up grabbing a few of the Fireball flavors - the Kiszka’s would probably want to try those later.

Danny struggled a few times to get his honey stick open. With your coaching and reminding him to put it between his molars, you knew he got it when a wide smile showed on his face. He ate a clover stick in one quick pull of his fingers. You bit down on a raspberry flavored stick and decided to savor it. Danny handed you your hot cider, and you followed him out of the barn.

“Where to next, sweets? Corn maze?” He peered at you through his amber sunglasses, taking a careful sip of the piping hot drink in his hand.

“Yes! Corn maze! Follow me!” You overtook his stride and started leading. The entrance to the maze had an adorable wooden standee of a scarecrow pointing towards where the corn parted. You weaved through the beginning, where it was much easier. Danny grabbed your hand and squeezed it gently, just happy to tag along. 

The maze changed every year, but you still had a pretty good intuition. It helped that there was a pretty well trodden path to follow. After quite a few twists and turns, you stopped at your first dead end. Danny took the opportunity (and privacy) to wrap his arms around you from behind, stopping you from turning around. It was innocent, but you felt heat rise to your cheeks as he placed a gentle kiss to the back of your head. Before you could turn around to face him, you heard a piercing meow come from the dense corn field in front of you.

“What was that?” Danny asked, letting you out of the embrace.

“It sounded like a meow. But a pretty distressed one,” you guessed, looking around frantically. The meow came again, this time sounding a bit closer. “I think there’s a kitten stuck in the maze. He got lost like us! Come here, little guy…” You bent down, trying to peer into the thicket of corn. Danny parted the dead end and tried to step in between the stalks, you closely following him.

A little ways in and you could see a flash of black dart between towering stalks. The poor thing couldn’t have been older than 8 weeks old, trying its best to hide but getting frightened. Danny stopped and lowered himself down to a squat.

“C’mere little guy. It’s okay…” His voice was soft and sweet. You joined in, kneeling next to him and putting your hand out slowly. With a gentle “pspsps” from both of you, the kitten stopped its frantic movement and let out a smaller, more normal mewl. “We aren’t gonna hurt you.” Danny reached his hand out as well, moving slowly to not scare the little creature more than it already was.

The kitten crept slowly towards you, coming up to your boyfriend’s hand and giving it a hesitant sniff. After a few smells and an agonizing time spent being still as a statue, there seemed to be a truce. Danny slowly reached out with his large hands and scooped the kitten up. You stood from your crouched position, watching him hold it with such care.

“Oh my god. We have to take it home, Dan, please? Pretty please?”

“Y/N…” he quirked an eyebrow up at you, cradling the kitten up into his chest. “I don’t think we can do a kitten right now. Besides, I think it’s more important to get this little guy outta here.” The kitten settled into Danny’s soft sweater, tucking its little pink nose into his chest. “What do you think, bud?”

“Wait… don’t move.” Without any sudden movements, you sneakily took your phone from your pocket. “This might be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” Opening your camera app, you took an obscene amount of photos of your boyfriend holding the kitten. It turned into an impromptu photo session, the kitten getting more and more comfortable with Danny. He held it up against his cheek. Loud purrs were emanating from the kitty’s tiny fuzzy body. Danny gave a toothy grin to the camera, and you could feel your heart melting from the cuteness.

Danny handed you the kitten, snapping some photos with his phone of you absolutely losing it over its adorableness. You refused to give the kitten back, so Danny simply took your other hand and led you away from the corn maze’s dead end.

After a few more twists and turns, you found a well worn path in the dirt again. The kitten didn’t seem to mind being held anymore. If anything, it was probably grateful to have warmth and an easy way out of the maze. Danny pointed ahead at an opening, one that seemed to lead to the rest of the pumpkin patch. Going through the stalks of corn, you found the official exit.

With the kitten still in tow, the three of you made your way back to the central barn. Part of you wanted to hide the kitten in your shirt, keeping him as a stowaway. Daniel found an employee and asked about the kitten, explaining your whole adventure finding it.

“Oh we have a whole litter! Poor thing, he must have strayed a little too far from the barn! Thank you for finding him, they usually just play in the back there,” she explained, pointing towards a gate that closed off part of the barn from the public. In the back, you saw the rest of the litter. The kitten you found seemed to be the only black cat, as there were orange, calico, and gray kittens tumbling around on the concrete floor. Seeing his siblings, the kitten started wriggling in your arms.

“I think he wants to go play, Y/N.” Danny put one hand on your shoulder and scratched the kittens ears with his other. Begrudgingly, you planted a sweet kiss on it’s tiny forehead and set it gently on the ground. The kitten bounded through the bars of the gate, running for his littermates and tackling an orange kitten to the ground. Your heart swelled at the idea of having pets of your own with Danny. It was easy to imagine curling up together on the couch, a cat of your own padding its way across the couch to join the cuddling.

You had to turn away from the kittens in case your impulse control failed you, lest you become a cat-napper.

Danny took your hand and led you out of the barn to explore the pumpkin patch more. Near the barn were a few slides made of giant old plastic pipes. They seemed child-sized, but that still didn’t stop your giant boyfriend from trying one of them. You stood at the end of the slide, immediately pulling your phone out to record him. He yelled from the top, giving you a wave and a loud “whoop” and entered the tube. In an anticlimactic end, you heard him scooching himself down. You tried your best to keep the recording stable, but it was difficult with laughs wracking your entire body.

“Okay. Maybe I’m too big for these now. Not much of a slide.” His large frame was tucked in on itself as he tried to exit the bottom. You reached out a hand to help him up, but he gave it a kiss before hoisting himself onto his feet.

“So maybe the slides aren’t our speed. How about the hay bale maze?” You asked, walking towards the large round bales. They were configured in a labyrinthian shape, much simpler than the corn maze.

“Ohh fuck yes,” Danny said under his breath. He gave your hand a squeeze, let go of it, and immediately ran towards the start. Before you could follow him into the maze, he launched himself onto the hay bale itself. Ignoring all of the children staring, he clambered onto the top and stood proudly, flinging his arms out to the side. “Come join me, Y/N!”

Your eyes darted around, seeing if any employees were going to yell at him for climbing the bales instead of doing the maze as it was intended. A lone teen with a pumpkin patch vest on looked at Danny, looked at you, and shrugged, turning his attention back to raking leaves. That felt like some sort of permission, so you started to scale the hay bale.

Danny reached a hand down to help hoist you up. The hay bales were pretty big, over 5 feet tall and luckily firm enough to support two grown adults. You were grateful for wearing a comfortable pair of boots, because as soon as you were up and on your feet, Danny laughed and darted away. He jumped across the path to another haybale, clearing at least a gap of at least 4 feet. He held a hand out to you again, inviting you to make the jump.

Getting across the gap was slightly nervewracking, but you made it across and landed into Danny’s arms. He gave you a small squeeze then went back to jumping across the hay. You couldn’t help but giggle at him. As you and Danny played on the hay, the children that had been completing the labyrinth joined in. Soon, there were more people on top of the hay playing than there were doing the maze as intended. A young girl no more than 5 started chasing Danny, and he was more than happy to join in the game. You sat down, swinging your legs off the edge and watched the fun.

Seeing him let his inner child go free, jumping and giggling alongside the kids, made you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It was nice to watch him bloom and grow on stage and as a musician, but moments like these reminded you why you truly loved him. He was himself, whoever that was – it was perfect for you.

After jumping on nearly every haybale and completing the maze from above, you sat down on top of one and plopped down onto your back. Danny bounded over to you, joining you in laying down and looking at the wide open sky. For being a crisp fall day, the warming sun was a welcome addition. A few wispy clouds rolled by here or there, but it was lovely just to lay together and simply exist for a bit. Your lover’s arms pulled you over onto his chest, rubbing small circles into your back as you cuddled on the hay.

You weren’t sure how much time had passed up there, but the sky darkened quickly with incoming clouds. Most of the children that had been playing with Danny had left to do other activities around the farm. With the clouds covering the sun, a chill settled in and your cute yet slightly-too-thin flannel wasn’t cutting it. You sat up and slid off the hay bale. Danny followed your cue, sliding off behind you and wrapping his arms around you.

“Ready to go home? It’s getting a little chilly,” he asked. While it was getting colder, you still hadn’t gotten any pumpkins - the sole point of a pumpkin patch!

“Let’s pick some pumpkins first, I wanna carve some with you tonight.”

“Of course, sweets. Let me get us a wheelbarrow.”

Danny came back moments later with the wheelbarrow. You turned on your heel towards the U-Pick patch, but Dan had a different plan. All of a sudden your feet left the ground, and you squealed. He picked you up and cradled you briefly before setting you in the empty wheelbarrow. Your legs barely fit, but bringing your knees up to your chest allowed you to sit semi-comfortably inside.

“Ready to go?”

“Daniel, how are we going to fit pumpkins if I’m in here?” you asked as he wheeled you into the patch.

“I’ll just put them on you, pumpkin.” You smiled and rolled your eyes at the silly pet name as he gave you a goofy grin. As he pushed you around, you scanned the remaining gourds on the ground. Some of them had already been ravaged by hungry birds and squirrels, while other were from the early season and already rotting. Row after row, there were mostly duds. You became discouraged that none of them would be the perfect pumpkin.

Danny stopped the wheelbarrow at the end of one of the rows, surveying the remainder of the field that you hadn’t looked at. As Danny walked up and down the path once again, just in case, you looked at the last row not yet explored. In the middle of the patch, a glimpse of orange caught your eye. You leaned up out of the wheelbarrow a bit, flinging your arm out and pointing.

“Danny! Over there!” He jogged back to you, grabbing onto the handles and moving you both towards a tangle of vines. Under the vines and leaves, there were two little pumpkins, almost the size of a basketball but just barely. He snagged them from their prickly stems. They were small enough that he could palm them with each hand, but they were free of any holes or mold or rot. Albeit a bit small, they were your perfect pumpkins.

With the pumpkins in your lap, Danny rolled you back to the barn. You hopped out of the wheelbarrow with his help and took your pumpkins inside. Danny chatted with the cashier as they priced the pumpkins. After briefly sneaking off, you came back with arms full of various flavors of fudge, popcorn balls, and plenty of snacks for the drive home. The cashier and Danny both laughed as you dumped your haul onto the counter proudly. Near the checkout, there were the small decorative pumpkins and gourds for sale, and you made sure to add some of those to the pile as well.

After Danny paid the cashier, he grabbed the sweets-filled paper bags under his arms as you toted the pumpkins out of the barn. Your boyfriend opened the trunk of his car, loading it with the pumpkins and food that you hadn’t designated for the drive home. Before he could close the door, you stopped him.

“Wait! I want to take a picture of our haul. Here, hold these.” At your request, Danny turned around to sit on the edge of the trunk. He proudly held the mini pumpkins and gave a gentle smile at the camera. You snapped a few pictures, grinning at how adorable he looked. Putting your phone back in your pocket, you leaned forward and your lips met Danny’s. He returned the kiss, standing from the trunk and backing you away so he could close it. It had been the perfect pumpkin patch day.

“Let’s get this stuff home and get to carving, hm? I’m thinking we light some candles, put on a movie…”

“That sounds perfect, Danny.”

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

yippee! thank you for reading!! and as always my ask box is open and

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Smithsonian Magazine:

In the Upper Midwest, it’s the time of year when corn is getting high in the field and the days feel languid. As a heat wave moves out of the region and residents start to cool off from the oppressive temperatures and humidity that broke records on Tuesday, the internet is abuzz with talk of a phenomenon that might be making things even stickier: so-called “corn sweat.”

“Using the term ‘corn sweat’ is kind of funny,” Illinois State Climatologist Trenton Ford tells AGDAILY’s Braeden Coon. “It’s not perfect as with most metaphors. Humans and a few other animals will perspire when we get hot, and sweat is evaporated off our skin. What corn does is a bit of a different process.”

The technical term for that biological process is evapotranspiration, and all plants��not just corn crops—do it. As part of evapotranspiration, plants take in water via their roots, transport it through their tissues and then release water vapor into the air. The process is critical for the plant’s metabolic health and for shuttling nutrients in the water from root to leaf.

But with the nation’s largest corn-producing states concentrated in the Midwest, that moisture can add up. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a single acre of corn can add 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of water into the atmosphere each day during the growing season, and high temperatures increase transpiration rates.

For context, farmers planted 91.5 million acres of corn in 2024, of which only about 20 percent is grown for human consumption. Of that fraction, most goes to producing high fructose corn syrup and other processed foods. The majority of the country’s corn is used in animal feed and ethanol-based fuels.

The natural prairie ecosystems that covered the drier expanses of the Great Plains before the onset of industrial agriculture appear to have contributed far less moisture to the atmosphere, compared to the corn fields of today. Prairie contributions to humidity also peak earlier in the summer, when temperatures are likely to be lower.

[temyteabag]

The Smiling Critters are small, colorful, anthropomorphic animals, each appearing as a plush toy with a zipper on the front chest, large gaping smiles, and black eyes with white pupils. Each toy has a unique pendant representing the core aspect of each of their personalities.

In addition to this, each Smiling Critter comes with the ability to emit their own unique scent via a hole in their mouths by pulling on their tails, all of which are traditionally used to aid with sleep or relaxation, being based on a specific type of fruit, herb or flower.

Picky Piggy - SCENT: Citrus - What's more important than play and learning? PickyPiggy knows the answer. A playful body and keen mind are fueled by what's put into them, which is why she encourages her friends to eat a well-balanced diet. Secretly, PB&J's are her favorite food.

Bobby BearHug - SCENT: Rose - A kind, caring soul, Bobby BearHug shows compassion for everyone, and for everything. People and places and things, large or small, are all receivers of her love. Each is enriched by this attention and affection, and in turn, so is she.

DogDay - SCENT: Vanilla - This is DogDay, the sunny, strong, and determined leader of our critters! Each trusts him to find the bright side in any situation, and to have a friendly word of encouragement should they feel down. He'll always keep his friends going, no matter what.

Kickin Chicken - SCENT: Ylang-ylang - This is KickinChicken, the cool kid of the crew, and he maintains that sense of cool through anything, even in the most tense of situations. Knock him down, and he'll pick himself up, brush himself off, and ask: "What's next?"

Hoppy Hopscotch - SCENT: Peppermint - Unafraid to hop where others might sit, Hoppy is the friend everyone needs to maintain their energy and enthusiasm. While sometimes loud or impatient, she'll always hop besides her friends, even if it means slowing up once in a while to keep their pace.

Crafty Corn - SCENT: Jasmine - A conscious observer of both color and creativity in the world. CraftyCorn understands the importance of art, and sharing it with others. Crayons, pencils, paint, or words on the page, CraftyCorn can see beauty in anything imagined given shape.

Bubba Bubbaphant - SCENT: Lemongrass - Bubba Bubbaphant is the brains of the critters. Bright and attentive, he keeps his friends steady and always steers them to make smart choices, that way they all might grow up to be bright and brilliant, each in their own right.

CatNap - SCENT: Lavander - CatNap is a calming presence for the critters and ensures he and his friends always have the right amount of sleep to jumpstart the morning's play! End of the day, there's nothing CatNap enjoys more than watching his friends sleep soundly.

Well hello there!, been a while hasn't it? Anyway, happy fathers day!!

I'm on the last week of exams, just two more and I'm done, hurray! I bring you the smiling critters, I like the story of the critters and Poppy Playtime, it's funny, and it can be shady if one wish to see ir like that. Curios thing, my favorite of the bunch is CatNap yet I think the best of the drawing os CraftyCorn.

In another note, have you seen the new Inky Mistery chapter?! 'cause boy was it really something! I loved it!! Go & check it out if ya have the time.

See ya all, hopefully we'll see each other soon!

P.D. all the info here came from the Poppy Playtime wiki, link below:

[solarpunkbusiness]

Treetop Biopak: Compostable packages

Treetop Biopak, a UK-based company, produces compostable bioplastic packages. Their bags and films are durable, food grade, water- and puncture-resistant, and printable, making them suitable as packaging for bakery products, fresh produce, retailing, e-commerce, food service, electronics, clothes, etc. 

The biopolymers Treetop Biopak uses in manufacturing are made from renewable resources, such as high-sugar plants like corn, sugar, and beetroot, and from a chemically engineered compostable fossil-based resin. 

Unlike fossil-fuel-based plastics, bioplastic is compostable and breaks down under certain conditions and time frames to give compost, carbon dioxide, and water. According to Treetop Biopak:

Home compostable food-grade bags and cling film can be composted in gardens. 

Tubular nets, adhesives, and shrink films need industrial composting facilities that use higher than ambient temperatures of 55 to 60°C to break down the bioplastic. 

No microplastics are formed during this composting process, so Treetop Biopak helps to tackle the growing problem of plastic waste.

[liamgallaghermpreg]

route 70 blues

When I was little, Dad taught us how the highways go: evens from east to west and odds from north to south. Starting up in Boston there's Route 90, all the way to Seattle. And then the 5 from the border at Blaine, through Seattle and down to the border at Chula Vista. Route 80 from New York, Route 70 from Maryland. And so on and so forth.

Route 70 was my favorite. There's an exit in Breezewood, Pennsylvania, and it looks like every exit on the east coast, but it was special to me because it had a McDonalds that Dad was always willing to stop at. Those were the days that you’d get the little slip that would tell you how much to pay based on which exit you were taking and there was a toll booth at Breezewood. I used to get a kick out of telling Dad how much he owed. Dean would never let me put one of those EZ-passes on Baby’s windshield, and now I just keep a couple $20s in the glovebox or pay the bills when they come in the mail. The car’s registered to a real address now.

We spent a lot of time on Route 70. Straight through a couple flyover states and ending in Utah. When Dean and I would play the alphabet game, we’d race to see who could spot the Zanesville, Ohio water tower first to get the Z and win it all. We would bet stupid shit on winning that game: who would have to clean Dad’s Colt next, who would have to cast iron bullets next. Who would have to make the beds at the next motel that would be home. That sort of thing.

But the main thing I remember about Route 70 was the way the sun would shine through the windows of the Impala once we’d get out of the green of the Kansas City suburbs and before we’d get into the Rockies. There was this little stretch where the fields turned tan with dead corn and wheat, and we’d stopped in a town called Burlington to sleep for the night on our way to a case in Moab.

It's a postage stamp town. There was a truck stop called Love’s and a motel named for the town, which was where we’d fueled up and then bedded down. I must’ve been about newly 16, Dean 20 and full of false-bravado. Dad was letting him go off on solo hunts more and more often by then, but he and I were together in the car at the time. I had been a steady passenger in the front seat by that point. And I remember – the sun was shining, and there were no trees to dapple it, and it hit Dean’s face just right. His freckles were finally coming back out in the May warmth and his eyes looked almost clear. He had a little grin on his face, the right side of his mouth pulled up as he nodded along to CCR’s Cosmo’s Factory cassette. Ramble Tamble was the opening track on the B-side. I always bitched about Dean’s music taste, but I didn’t mind the swamp rock so much. And I liked Ramble Tamble, because it reminded me of us. Drifting. A big long guitar solo that made Dean smile and made me think about moving from town to town.

Back then, I hated the way we lived, but I liked that the way we lived was something just Dean and I understood. Something just for us. No matter how many kids I couldn’t make friends with in school, eventually I'd get back in the car with Dean. And down the road we’d go.

In Burlington, Colorado, I knew I was in love with Dean. I knew it in that moment with the sun shining, with Dean's hands tapping on the steering wheel and John Fogerty crooning along in the background. I knew it in the way we’d share the motel bed since Dad only ever got rooms with two queens, and I knew it in the way that Dean would clean the guns next even though he’d spotted the Zanesville water tower first.

I'd wanted to lean over and kiss him. Instead, I'd said, “This is the tape with Up Around the Bend on it, right? I like this one.”

And he'd said: “Sammy, you might have some good music taste after all!” It'd made my chest bloom, and I loved him. I’d hold that inside for another decade before I said anything, and by that point, we were both doomed.

— for @wincestwednesdays "americana"

[tonguetyd]

literally annoyed that all coastal states (including my dumb glove shaped state) aren't 90% hydro/wind

i might not be an engineer but i am with you there

*drags soapbox out and jumps on top*

DO YOU KNOW HOW INFURIATING IT IS TO HAVE EVERYONE SAY “ELECTRIFY EVERYTHING” KNOWING FULL GODDAMN WELL THAT THE GRID 1) CANNOT SUPPORT IT AND 2) IS DRASTICALLY NOT BASED ON RENEWABLE ENERGY?!?!?!

Don’t get me wrong I love electric cars, I love heat pump systems, I love buildings and homes that can say they are fossil fuel free! Really! I do!

But it means FUCK ALL when you have!!!! Said electricity!!!! Sourced by fossil fuels!!!! I said this in my tags on the other post but New York City! Was operating on *COAL*!!!!! Up until like 5 years ago.

WE ARE SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF A RIVER.

Not to mention the ocean which like. You ever been to the beach?! You know what there’s a whole hell of a lot of at the beach? Wind!!!!!!!! And yet we have literal campaigns saying “save our oceans! Say no to wind power!”

Idk bruh I feel like the fish are gonna be less happy in a boiling ocean than needing to swim around a giant turbine but. I’m not a fuckin fish so.

NOT TO MENTION (I am fully waving my hands around like a crazy person because this is the main thing that gets me going)

THE ELECTRICAL GRID OF THE UNITED STATES HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED ON LARGE SCALE LEVELS SINCE IT WAS BUILT IN THE 1950s AND 60s.

It is not DESIGNED to handle every building in the city of [random map location] Chicago being off of gas and completely electrified. It’s not!!! The plants cannot handle it as now!

So not only do we not have renewable sources because somebody in Iowa doesn’t want to replace their corn field with a solar field/a rich Long Islander doesn’t want to replace their ocean view with a wind turbine! We also are actively encouraging people to put MORE of a strain on the grid with NO FUCKING SOLUTION TO MEET THAT DEMAND!

I used to deal with this *all* the time in my old job when I was working with smaller building - they ALWAYS needed an electrical upgrade from the street and like. The utility only has so many wires going to that building. And it’s not planning on bringing in more for the most part!

(I am now vibrating with rage) and THEN you have the fuckin AI bros! Who have their data centers in the middle of nowhere because that’s a great place to have a lot of servers that you need right? Yeah sure, you know what those places don’t have? ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THE STUPID AMOUNT OF POWER AI NEEDS!!!!!!!

Now the obvious solution is that the AI bros of Google and Microsoft and whoever the fuck just use their BILLIONS OF FUCKING DOLLARS IN PROFIT to be good neighbors and upgrade the fucking systems because truly what is the downside to that everybody fucking wins!

But what do I know. I’m just friendly neighborhood engineer.

*hops down from soapbox*

[afhenvs3000f24]

Unit 9

I remember how, when I was still in high school, I just wanted to come home and unwind, seeing whatever was on the TV after a really exhausting day. My ritual of half-watching the news as I scrolled through my phone was suddenly disrupted by a segment that had all the hallmarks of joining the long list of forgotten stories in marine science. Then, I heard, "The green sludge that could power our future," and I paused. I looked up, curious. What followed altered the world for me and put me on my path to where I am today, studying Environmental Management.

These words by the news anchor were animated with that very rare tone of genuine excitement. The camera cut to a sprawling, bright-green pond, bubbling under the sun. What I think most amazed me then was the realization that what I was looking at wasn't just any body of water, but an algae farm. It wasn't just about the algae clinging to rocks and ruining beach days; it was about a world of potential I'd never considered. The segment dove into the basics: how algae grow at incredible speeds, don't require fresh water or fertile soil, and can store up to 50% of their body weight in oil that can be turned into biofuel. My jaw dropped.

A lightbulb just went off in my head. Here was this slimy, green organism-so unassuming, so oft-rejected by the public which was quietly capable of making fossil fuels obsolete. The notion seemed the stuff of a science fiction movie, but there it was, on a 6 pm news slot.

The more I listened, the more it resonated with me. What if the algae could capture not only carbon dioxide from the air but also grow in aggressive media, such as seawater or even wastewater? I remembered the scientist being interviewed and saying, "Algae don't compete with traditional crops for arable land. They're nature's ultimate recyclers, turning sunlight and CO2 into liquid energy." I sat up a little straighter; my heart was pounding. That line stuck with me, humming in the back of my mind long after the segment had moved on. This was bigger than a fun fact to whip out during science class.

At the time, I was struggling with what to do after high school. I'd always cared about the environment, but I'd never quite known how to turn that concern into action. That segment was like a jigsaw piece clicking into place: I could work in a field where nature wasn't just something to be protected; it was a partner in creating solutions for some of the world's biggest challenges. That algae, oftentimes an overlooked part of our ecosystem, actually could serve in a way as groundbreaking as sustainable energy was what truly inspired me. It sealed my decision to study Environmental Management, hoping someday I would be part of the team to make innovations like algae-based biofuel mainstream.

Let me take you back to what made algae so cool. During that segment, the narrator just listed out a string of facts that got me wide-eyed. Did you know that algae can double their biomass in as little as 24 hours? Or that they can thrive in briny seawater where other crops wither and die? This is not all about speed and adaptability, though. The most astonishing fact was that algae could produce oils rich enough to be directly converted into biodiesel. Unlike corn or soybeans used for traditional biofuels, algae don't hog valuable agricultural land or guzzle fresh water. It is a zero-compromise way of producing energy, the sort of thing which I'd always assumed would exist only in the distant future.

I was practically giddy over how the algae could power vehicles, homes, and whole communities while sopping up CO2. The algae weren't cool; they're game-changers. More than an ivory tower curiosity, the possibility of clean renewable energy that wouldn't compete with the world for food or water is something the world most desperately needs.

Fast forward to today, I am a third-year Environmental Management student, and the spark that ignited after that news segment burns bright. Every time I read about advances in algae biofuel research, I know exactly why I chose this path. I want to be a part of a world where innovations like these aren't just talked about on evening news shows but are implemented into how we live and interact with our environment.

The algae taught me that even the most minute and insignificant parts of our world can make all the difference. They are the underdog of nature, and they just go to prove that true power isn't flashy or grand; it's usually hidden in spaces so small, just waiting to be noticed.

But if you take away anything from my story, let it be this: pay attention to the "green sludge" moments. Maybe they just might be the start of something that would change your life and maybe even change the world

[self-indulgent-paw-patrol]

Would Rocky and/or Zuma be VSCO pups? Also also, are the pups' and Ryder's vehicles green vehicles(eco-friendly vehicles)?

I never heard about VSCO before in my life. Had to look it up. I'm guessing you mean an app where the users take photos, edit and publish them? Where I live, the popular app for this was Instagram and for a short while, Snapshot.

I'm guessing maybe Zuma might be into taking photographs, he's got plenty free time to do whatever he wants and he's one of the few pups who's shown to go out on their own, to mind their own business pretty often, like how he goes windsurfing regularly without necessarily bringing anyone else with him. I can see him seeing something, taking a picture, publishing it. He would like to share his world as he sees it, he's the type who loves nature and wants to share his experiences.

As for their vehicles, sad to disappoint but they're almost all fuel-driven. It's clear none of them is electric or whatever just by their engine noise. The most I can say for that is that maybe they use alternative fuel, like maybe corn-based or soy-based fuel. Maybe diesel, Idk. Ryder and Rocky may have adapted a bunch of filters and stuff to make sure they'd pollute less, but it doesn't change the fact they're run by regular fuel.

I'm putting the rest under the cut, first because this post got long AGAIN, secondly because I have a dear friend who didn't watch the Mighty Movie yet and I'll talk a bit about something from the movie with screenshots too soooooo I don't wanna spoil their fun 💜

The exceptions are the Mighty Vehicles. Those are fueled by the pups' own energy once they're powered up with the Meteor energy. I imagine this would maybe drain the pup's strength at some point if they spend their energy to drive those vehicles for too long, but neither the show nor the Mighty Movie had anything about that.

Also it's important to note: In the show, their Mighty vehicles won't work once they run out of power. They stop glowing, they stop hovering, they just stop working altogether, meaning they don't have an alternative engine/fuel to work without the Meteor power up. You can see it happening in the episode when the Copycat steals the Meteor from their tower while they're out on a rescue mission.

In the Mighty Movie, however, Ryder apparently accounted for the possibility of that being an issue and had engines installed with emergency fuel from beginning, so they can still be driven normally even when not powered up - they only lose ability to use the weapons/tools that are to be energized by their powers. The best way to notice that is if you look at Zuma's hovercraft: It doesn't have propellers! Instead, it's the Meteor's power swirling where the propellers would have been that gives the Hovercraft the impulse it needs to move. Once the power is out, though, you can clearly spot a motherfucking turbine just between them-- Ryder, my man, that's ONE WAY to make a Hovercraft move for sure XD

The good news is that Zuma's hovercrafts in general are literally NEARLY 100% green and the most eco-friendly a vehicle could ever be and that's simply because it's a hovercraft! These vehicles have little to no friction against surfaces when moving, barely any contact at all, be it over water, over grass, over a road, over a swamp, whatever. No friction against surfaces means that the engine doesn't need to produce much strength/power to make the vehicle move in the first place, which in turn means way less consumption of fuel and energy. A full tank will make those orange bad boys go daily for months, while the others will need to refill their gas every other week XD

[nonegenderleftpain]

Had someone see my post about being starved as a kid and asking for tips on how to survive eating that little, and I am highly suspicious it was an ed blog looking for tips. I'm not going to give advice on how not to eat, but in case it WAS a serious ask, I'll give my advice on surviving when you're dirt poor.

You want cheap, calorie-dense foods. Your concern is not to eat healthily - healthy isn't an option when you have ten dollars a week and no means of cooking. If you're in a situation like I was - homeless with no money - dollar meals are your friend. You want to take every penny you can find, put it in a bag, and take it with you to McDonald's. Don't go buy vegetables at the store, because there are not enough calories per dollar in peppers and carrots. Take those pennies to McDonald's and get meat. The calories and protein in a burger patty will take you farther than the pure starch of fries, so you're gonna want burgers. You can get a McDonald's burger for a dollar, and that is what you're gonna want.

The most important advice I have is to make sure you eat every day, even if you're eating less than if you saved and bought a whole meal. You need the energy to get you from one day to the next, and the risk of an insulin flood knocking you on your ass isn't something you can afford if you have to keep moving. Get a burger, eat it, and hold those dollars for the next day. Keep doing this until you're able to land work that can pay you enough to feed you more, and even then, do not get a meal that is veggie based until you know where your next week of meals are coming from. Get veggies in your food if you can, but you are not going to survive homelessness on salads. If you can't get protein in a meal, you need starch, and if you can't get either, then save your money to guarantee your next meal will have both. Those sugars, fats and proteins are what your body needs to keep from completely breaking down, and eating is more important than eating healthy food.

Track down where your closest food pantry is. If you're unhoused, you're gonna move where you're sleeping closer to that pantry. If you're sheltered, you're going to figure out what the closest shelter is to that pantry and move there. Then you're going to skip a meal and spend that money on a can opener. That can opener is now your most prizes possession. Most foods that get donated to pantries are canned or boxed, and if you don't have access to a stove, those dry foods are useless to you. You're going to load up with the cans you can carry, and here is where you can get some veggies. You still need to prioritize meat, fat, and starch, but canned green beans and starchy veggies like corn are going to give you back some of your vitamins that your body is lacking. Rebuild your strength, and slowly work up to two meals a day instead of one. If you've been going without much food and you try to chow down the minute you have access to more, you're going to get sick. Prioritize small cans so you can eat everything in it at once, and carry more full meals that way.

Then, you're going to track down your closest library. When you're there, you're going to ask them to help you contact the closest social services to you. Tell them your situation - if you have a warrant out for something like petty theft, tell them that. They will help you find services that will not turn you in, and will help you start to find more permanent shelter. There are not a lot of safe places for unhoused people, but your library is. The people that work there are safe, and you can stay there as long as they're open and not have to spend a dime. I cannot stress this enough - librarians will *help* you.

This isn't infinitely sustainable. Your body cannot survive forever on this. But this is your best bet for keeping fueled while you get to a more stable situation. Take advantage of cheap calories. Stay hydrated. Focus on calorie dense foods and space out your meals. Don't wait until you're passing out to eat, because it's already too late, and you leave yourself vulnerable and unsafe. And ask for help. Libraries are a social safety net. You have computer access to make a resume, save it on Google docs. Apply to local jobs. Ask them to point you to the closest publicly available shower, like certain truck stops. Spend as much time there as possible, out of the elements, and let them know your situation. You'd be amazed the resources they have for you.

Good luck and stay safe.

[catfox13102ndblog]

Alyla Browne Racing '99 (AKA "the closest thing will get to a movie-verse version of the Maria Robotnik's Fast Track AU, even though it really isn't one.")

So remember in the first post I mentioned that I might make an Alyla Browne version of the AU? Well, I've decided I'm actually gonna do that for the sillies.

This is more or less the same overall thing as MRFT, but the big difference however is that Alyla Browne Racing '99, isn't actually based on one specific era of stock car racing, but rather multiple eras, specifically 1987 to 2000, so yeah the '99 part of the title isn't actually true, it's just there because I thought it looked neat.

Characters and Cars.

So with that out of the way, time to introduce the cast, their cars, their race numbers and the sponsors as usual. As a bonus, a few of them even have alternate/secondary paint shemes too. It'll use the same format I used for the second post.

Alyla and her roles.

Alyla Browne: #21, Stingray Batteries

The young australian-american actress herself, her car is a 1998 stock car, with the rims being a light purple color, this is a nod to the color of one of Alyla's roller skates you can see on Instagram. As a more obsure nod to Alyla's Instagram, the Stingray Batteries sponsor is a nod to an old post that featured a stingray.

Alt. Sponsor: Fastapix

A parody of Instagram. It's logo would be based on the old logo.

Alt. Sponsor #2: Get-A-Pet

A pet store. This one's mainly a nod to Alyla's love for animals.

Maria Robotnik: #41, Firefly Top-Class

Arguibly the role that Alyla Browne is most known for at this point. It wouldn't be a suprise if most of you were introduced to the actress through the announcement of her playing this character. Just like in MRFT, she drives the Hornet High-Class car from Daytona USA, makes sense for a SEGA-made character to drive a SEGA-made stock car. Although the name is obviously just a parody of the real one.

Alt. Sponsor: Firefly Top-Class MT

A reference to the Hornet's Manual Transmission colors in the original arcade game.

Furiosa: #79, Moonoco

Alyla Browne's second most known role (or first, depending on your opinion). The child version of Furiosa drives a 1988 stock car, modified with small rally lights on the hood and tube-frame bumpers attached to the front and back of the car. Some might say this is illegal, but the race officals don't seem to care about it. Her number is a reference to the release date of the first Mad Max film (1979), and the sponsor is a parody of Sunoco.

Alt. Sponsor: Doscal 79

"The offical fuel of the racing series". This sponsor is an obvious parody of Unocal 76, the fuel that NASCAR used during those eras.

Alt. Sponsor #2: Conch

A parody of Shell.

You may've noticed that all of Furiosa's sponsors are gas/fuel companies. Why you may ask? Well... one of the locations in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is Gas Town. Think about that for a moment...

Charlotte: #54, Exterminator Group

The protagonist of Sting, she drives a 2000s stock car. The sponsor is a reference to the pest exterminator company seen in the film. (Forgot what it was called. :P)

Alt. Sponsor: Fang Grrl Special

A reference to a comic that Charlotte made in the film, it also serves as a nod to paint schemes simillar to the Superman or the Jurrasic Park cars seen below.

Alice Hart: #86, Green Hill Garden Centre

Another role that Alyla is well-known for, it's the yonger version of Alice in The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart. The car is a 1990 stock car. and the garden center sponsor is a very loose reference to the garden plant nursery seen in the series. (and Green Hill Zone, lol)

Angie: #66, Cody's Corn Co.

From the widely panned 2020 version of Children of the Corn. The car is a 1988 stock car. And it's natural that a corn sponsor would be on the car, one with three Cs because it would be neat.

Alithea Binnie: #30, Elba's Knick Knacks

Now onto the more obsure roles, starting with the younger version of Alithea from Three Thousand Years of Longing. The car is a 2000s stock car. The sponsor itself is a reference to Idris Elba, who played the dijinn in the film, and the race number is ment to be a shortened version of 3000.

Tatiana: #9, Tatiana

From Nine Perfect Strangers. The car is a 1995 stock car. I couldn't find a good sponsor for the car, so I just did what NASCAR video games and Winner's Circle diecasts did when censoring alcohol and cigarette sponsors. Put the name of the character on the car. Simple.

Verity: #1, Young Talents Association

From The Secret Kingdom. Verity drives a 1990 stock car. The sponsor is intended to be a parody of the Child Actors Association.

Alyla's Friends!

Originally, I was just gonna end the roster there, just Alyla and her roles, but then I had a fun little idea come up in my mind, "what if I added Alyla Browne's friends into this?" So let's add them in, because bigger rosters are great!

To make things easier, I'll just use their Instagram usernames.

hartleylee_: #46, Urban Centennial

A parody of City Cheverolet, specifically Cole Trickle's paint job from Days of Thunder. The car is even a 1990 stock car.

Alt. Sponsor: Hyperflo

A parody of Superflo, and a reference to Cole's other paint scheme in the film.

Alt. Sponsor #2: Jello Fello

A parody of Mello Yellow, depending on your view, it could be a nod to either Cole's third paint scheme or Kyle Petty's Mello Yellow car.

teyakaramanlieva: #51, Rexxon

Another 1990 stock car, this time a parody of Rowdy Burns' Exxon car from Days of Thunder.

Alt. Sponsor: Lardees.

A parody of Hardees, and another reference to Days of Thunder, this time it's Russ Wheeler's paint scheme.

zozogasper143: #44, Cold Tires

A 1998 stock car that parodies Kyle Petty's Hot Wheels car. I mainly just wanted to do a parody of the Hot Wheels scheme somewhere in here.

Alt. Sponsor: Dotties

A parody of Ernie Irvan's Skittles paint scheme.

sunnydarcysmith: #94, UcWakefield's

Another paint scheme parody I wanted to do, this time it's Bill Elliot's 1998 McDonalds car, with the car itself being another 1998 stock car of course.

Alt. Sponsor: Wake Tonight

A parody of the Mac Tonight paint scheme.

Alt. Sponsor #2: DoPaint

A parody of Jeff Gordon's iconic Dupont "Rainbow Warrior" scheme.

gaia._.143: #17, Wave

A 1988 stock car that parodies Darrel Waltrip's Tide machine.

Alt. Sponsor: BluSoda

A parody of Pepsi, felt like I needed at least one soda sponsor here.

And that's all for the characters, cars and sponsors, though people are welcome to add more Alt. Sponsor ideas for Alyla and her friends if they want. I don't know if I'll actually add them in, but we'll see.

The Tracks

Since I'm following the same format as MRFT, I'll tell you the tracks too. All of them are based on real NASCAR tracks, with two execptions. So here's the list:

Palm Isle International Speedway. (Daytona)

Dixie Superspeedway. (Talladega)

Northern Raceway. (Richmond)

Redline Motor Speedway. (Charlotte)

Thunder Alley Motor Speedway. (Bristol)

Fastlane Motor Speedway. (Atlanta)

Stoneyard Motor Speedway. (Indianapolis)

Sunlight Hill GP. (Watkins Glen)

The Lightningbowl (Calder Park Thunderdome)

Exodus International Speedway (Fantasy Track)

Wasteland Raceway (Fantasy Track)

I could add more tracks, but again, we'll see. I do like the list I have so far.

And that's all there is to this pseudo-movieverse version of Maria Robotnik's Fast Track for now. I did have two other ideas for this, but I like what I currently thought up here.

As usual, if you want to ask me things about this or Maria Robotnik's Fast Track, you can do that.

And yeah, you can also do concepts and stuff for the cars, sponsors and whatever else. It's not entirely nessicary, but hey, visual concepts are fun.

[praxcrown5]

Cars Headcanon: Doc's Grandfather

I'm Fleshing out the characters for a Cars fanfic. Gonna revisit Doc's grandfather now that I have a more solid idea of how he fits into the story.

Doc's grandfather was Otis James Glenrunner (factory designation: O50E1927185CU05121905 Cycle 9, Rotation 183, Batch 12B). He was the youngest of three children sired by Samson Glenrunner and Aiofe Maeve Glenrunner nee O'Brien…though his siblings wouldn't survive the Desert Days, a mega-drought that followed the Factory Wars, crippling the world economy between 1876 and 1897. He was modeled in the likeness of an Old World, 1927 Oldsmobile model 50E coupe, and was manufactured on 05/12/1905 at the Oldsmobile Factory in Detroit, Michigan.

Otis' parents survived the Desert Days by partnering with another, prominent, family in the area--the Longhaulers--fixing 'em up in exchange for a portion of their corn and lumber. Otis' father was able to turn the crops and wood into an ethanol-based fuel, that wasn't near as good as gasoline, but it was better than a lot of other "poor fuels" being cooked up at the time. They'd turn the leftover corn into moonshine to extend its shelf-life…and sell it to make additional cash.

Otis learned the family trades, and was an expert mechanic by the time he was eight. When prohibition started in '15, he helped his father run moonshine to Atlanta, and took a more active role in maintaining the still. Two years later, the ATF raided the garage and destroyed the still. His father was shot trying to protect it, and would succumb to his wounds a week later.

Following his passing, Otis took over running the garage, and immediately started work on a new still, but this time around, he was gonna make it much harder to find. His friend, Skids Longhauler, gave him a map of the old underground anthracite mines, and while exploring one day, he happened to find a ventilation tunnel that ran under his property. He shored up the walls, extended the tunnel to a nearby creek and with some help from Skids and his brother, Spinney, they were able to divert half of the creek's flow through the tunnel and used it to make an industrial-grade still.

By '19, he had made enough money selling moonshine that he was able to add a convenience store to the garage, rebranding the business Glenrunner's All-in-One. He married Elizabeth Marie Owen in '20, and the pair would sire twin boys, Carl and James, that same year. The Great Depression of '21 would hit the town hard, and many of the Glenrunner's, including Otis' mother and step-father, would give up on the town and head north. Otis and his wife decided to stay, with Otis managing the garage and Elizabeth running the store.

Once Carl and James were four, Elizabeth began training them to run the store seeing as neither wanted to become a mechanic. Otis and Elizabeth would sire a daughter, Annette, in '25. Three months later, while closing up the shop, Elizabeth began complaining of intense pain near her coupling panel. As there wasn't an actual hospital in town, Otis asked Skids' if he could help transport her to Atlanta, but she collapsed just as they were getting ready to leave…and died an hour later. Her cause of death was ruled to be "complications from siring," though Otis had a strong suspicion that the technician who serviced her at the Cadillac factory was somehow complicit. James and Carl, despite only being five, stepped up to help him run the shop…and when Annette turned five, Otis began teaching her mechanical engineering.

About that time, Skids was injured in a freak logging accident. Spinney called Otis to the line, but the injuries to Skid's cabin were too severe, and Otis could only watch as his best friend died in front of him. Spinney was devastated. He blamed Otis for Skid's death, and the once amicable relationship between the Longhaulers and the Glenrunners began to wane.

His daughter, Annette, married Spinney's son (and Skid's nephew), Samuel Longhauler, in '36, much to his surprise. Everything seemed good for a time. However, Annette and Sam were unable to sire children together. Diagnostic scans of Annette's reproductive hardware revealed nothing out of sorts, and Otis began to suspect that Spinney knew his son was sterile and wanted him to marry Annette as a way of getting back at Otis.

In '38, Annette had an affair with the wanted outlaw, Diesel O'Twill, whom was badly injured in the collision that actually stopped his daughter from killing herself. Otis recognized the tripper right away, and did everything in his power to speed along "Ghost's" repairs...not wanting to attract the wrong sort of attention to his garage...and the still hidden underneath it. Despite being angry with Annette for doing something so rash...he accompanied her to Detroit to pick up his grandson.

Otis, James and Carl were arrested in '47 when the ATF raided the garage looking for Annette's son, Hudson. Upon being released in '53, he was horrified to discover that Annette had worked herself near to death trying to keep the business running with only Sam to help her. He took on some of her work at the garage, hoping that the lighter workload would help her recover, but Hud's crash in '54 combined with Sam's untimely passing in '58 was too much, and Otis would lose his beloved daughter in '59 due to cabin fatigue.

He and his sons kept running Glenrunner's until '89, when Carl passed due to natural causes. He and James would retire soon after that, selling the business and moving to Buffalo, New York. There they would open the Hidden Still Distillery, selling various types of whiskey as a way to keep busy and make a bit of cash.

Like most everyone else in the country, they were watching the tie-breaker race between Lightning McQueen, Chick Hicks and Strip Weathers…and were shocked and surprised to see that Hud was alive and well…and, once again, involved in racing. It wouldn't be until '08 that they'd be reunited, flying out to Radiator Springs to spend a few weeks with Hud, catching up and otherwise enjoying his company. James would pass in '13, and Otis would pass in '15, having outlived all of his children and grandchildren.

Personality wise, Otis was intelligent, shrewd and innovative. He was also a loving and devoted father and husband who would do anything to protect his kids. But he was also a rule breaker, willing to straddle the grey area between morally justified and questionable if it would ensure his family's safety and/or security.

Interesting Facts: He and Elizabeth's marriage was arranged. He was a good brawler, and held his own against Spinney, a pickup truck, when the two of them got into a physical altercation over the whole Annette/Sam infertility debacle. He was an excellent singer, specializing in Old World music. He had hidden compartments all over his body from his time as a whiskey tripper.

[musicblogwales]

Chroma - 'Bombs Away' Single Review (Estelle Trowill)

Pontypridd based bilingual alt-rock trio CHROMA are excited to announce the release of their new single, "Bombs Away," released on 2nd October 2024 through Alcopop! Records. 

The track is from the band's debut album ‘Ask For Angela’, which was released in October 2023 and has recently been shortlisted for the 2024 Welsh Music Prize.

Commenting on the single, vocalist Katie Hall said: “Since I saw My Chemical Romance in Cardiff CIA as a 14 year old kid, I’ve always wanted to write a song for teenage girls to mosh to. Bombs Away is that song. I love going to gigs and I feel like my time getting pushed around in the pit made me fall in love with heavier music.”

“Bombs away at its core is a breakup song. It’s about that moment you begin to see the wood for the trees, with someone you’re seeing. It’s that moment you realise someone’s taken advantage of your kindness and you’re just fuming. Bombs Away is that anger and then moving on.”

The track delivers a powerful buildup, fueled by hard-hitting drums and Katie’s commanding vocals, creating an intense energy throughout. The infectious, repetitive chorus adds an extra layer of impact, making it irresistibly catchy and perfect for a high-energy mosh pit. Its anthemic quality and driving rhythm make it an ideal soundtrack for letting loose and getting lost in the moment. 

‘Ask For Angela’ was recorded at Giant Wafer Studios in Llanbadarn Fynydd, during lockdown. CHROMA’s acclaimed, now Welsh Music Prize-shortlisted debut album was produced and mixed by Steffan Pringle (Adwaith, Future of the Left, Boy Azooga) and mastered by Tom Langrish at E1 Mastering in London (IDLES, Fontaines D.C, DITZ).

CHROMA have had an exciting year, recently being named one of the newest patrons of the Music Venue Trust. After a thrilling support slot with the Foo Fighters earlier this year, plus standout sets at SXSW Festival, FOCUS Wales, and shows with Bob Vylan, The Mysterines, and more, CHROMA are now gearing up to support Goldie Lookin Chain.

2024 UK Live Dates:

SOLD OUT - NORWICH - Epic Studios *

SOLD OUT - BIRMINGHAM - Hare & Hounds *

08 Oct - CARDIFF - Wales Millennium Centre (Welsh Music Prize 2024)

11 Oct - MANCHESTER - Castle Hotel, Beyond The Music

12 Oct - ABERYSTWYTH - Harleys

SOLD OUT - NOTTINGHAM - Metronome *

SOLD OUT - NEWCASTLE - The Cluny *

SOLD OUT - GLOUCESTER - Guildhall *

SOLD OUT - BRISTOL - SWX *

SOLD OUT - NARBERTH - Queens Hall *

SOLD OUT - BIRMINGHAM - Hare & Hounds *

SOLD OUT - NARBERTH - Queens Hall *

SOLD OUT - SWANSEA - Sin City *

16 Nov - LONDON - Electric Ballroom *

SOLD OUT - BIRKENHEAD - Future Yard *

SOLD OUT - NEWPORT - Corn Exchange *

SOLD OUT - NEWPORT - Corn Exchange *

* with Goldie Lookin Chain

CHROMA are Katie Hall on vocals and guitar, Liam Bevan on bass, and Zac Mather on drums.

Discover:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chromabanduk/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CHROMAbanduk/?_rdr

Twitter: https://x.com/chromabanduk

Website: https://www.chroma.band/home

Words: Estelle Trowill

[rabbitcruiser]

National Corn on the Cob Day

Nothing says summer quite like a perfectly grilled (or boiled) corn  on the cob, doused with butter, salt, pepper, or perhaps a more creative  seasoning profile.

In the height of summer, under a cornflower blue sky filled with  cotton-ball clouds, the smell of grilled meat fills the air. Children  are laughing and playing in the creek, and the adults are setting up the  picnic tables with checkered table cloths, red solo cups and paper  plates.

In the middle of the table sits a giant bowl covered with a layer of  aluminum foil, with steam gently escaping from around the edges, rich  with the smell of fabulous, buttery corn on the cob.

Corn on the Cob Day celebrates events like these, whether held  outdoors or indoors. It reminisces about the gathering of family around  one of the sweetest healthy cookout treats that is available throughout  the summer.

It’s Corn on the Cob Day!

History of Corn On The Cob Day

The history of Corn On The Cob Day goes back to a time even before  European settlers actually first came to the Americas. Corn is a new  world plant, native to the American lands, that was originally enjoyed  by the Native Americans who were there before the westerners  “discovered” the land.

Since then, corn has made various appearances in dishes all over the  world, and the by-products of this plant have been used in quite  literally millions of different products. For instance, in the United  States, high fructose corn syrup is found in almost every candy, and  certainly, in almost every carbonated beverage that can be found. Other  corn products that are used en masse include oil, cereals, snacks,  breads and even fuel.

Corn on the cob comes in more varieties than a person might think!  Sure there’s the traditional yellow corn, but there are also white and  mixed colored corn that can be eaten on the cob.

In any case, almost every type of corn can be prepared into corn on  the cob through various methods of preparation, and each brings its own  combination of tastes and flavors. There is no limit to the delicious  meals and fantastic flavors when a little corn on the cob is added to  the table.

Corn On The Cob Day is the opportunity to try different flavors, grab the butter, and enjoy delicious corn on the cob!

How To Celebrate Corn On The Cob Day

Celebrating Corn On The Cob Day is simple and fun! Try these ideas for celebrating or create new ideas:

Try Different Ways of Cooking Corn on the Cob

Start by cooking up some corn on the cob in the traditional  way–boiling. It only takes a few minutes in the water (don’t salt it  first!). Then enjoy eating it with a generous heap of butter and salt!

Now that opens the doorway to a whole variety of options to be  considered. Another way to prepare the dish is to wrap corn on the cob  in aluminum foil and let it roast in the coals of a campfire (or in the  same way on a gas or charcoal barbecue grill) until it’s positively  bursting with deliciousness.

Explore Seasoning Options

Anyone knows that corn on the cob needs butter and can be delicious  just on its own. But don’t stop there because other options are worth a  try as well! Start by adding butter as a base, and then dust the corn on  the cob with a choice of seasonings. Simple salt can work just fine, or  get more creative with seasoning salt, pepper, or any of a variety of  spices that suit your palette.

Try these varieties:

Cajun Corn on the Cob. Mix garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper, paprika and oregano, then sprinkle lightly.

Corn on the Cob Citrus Seasoned Salt.  Add sea salt, hot smoked paprika, black pepper, smoked salt, and finely  grated orange zest, then rub on (while cooking on the grill, if  preferred).

Italian Corn on the Cob. Go  Italian by sprinkling buttered corn on the cob with parmesan cheese,  powdered garlic and italian seasonings (basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme  and marjoram).

Learn More About Corn  

While it is in most people’s kitchens at one time or another, many  people don’t know some of these fun facts about corn. For instance,  although the most common corn color is yellow, it can also be cultivated  to be purple, green, blue-gray, red, white and even black. Here are  some other fun facts about corn:

The word ‘maiz’ or ‘maize’ has Native American/Spanish language  origins and that is what this grain is called in many languages.

Most cobs of corn have an average of 800 kernels, arranged in 16 rows around the cob.

Corn is produced on all of the inhabited continents on the planet (but it cannot grow in Antarctica).

The United States is the largest single producer of corn on the planet, providing at least 40% of the world’s corn harvest.

Celebrate Corn on the Cob All Summer Long  

While corn on the cob day comes at the beginning of June, anyone from  the corn growing belt in the US knows that the best time to get fresh  corn on the cob is at the end of the summer. The great news is that it  isn’t necessary to choose between the two–just go ahead and celebrate at  both times. In fact, corn on the cob can be celebrated all throughout  the summer!

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