#sonny alabaster

[andro-dino]

Mr. and Mr. Alabaster

(this is me being cringe but free THIS IS ME BEING CRINGE BUT FREE)

true to my word, I am currently rewatching root rpg just bc I miss celgene alabaster. I was thinking a little bit too hard about him though and ended up making him a husband, so here's Sonny! he has existed for like two days and already he means the world to me.

they r,,,,, important to me. idk man i just like the idea of this big ol grumpy, shady badger guy having an adorable rabbit husband who he calls cute affectionate nicknames and they both adore each other. THEY MEAN A LOT TO ME. i have like so many thoughts about their dynamic but i can't articulate them into words so im just like hrnrnrnrnrnrnnrnrnr!!!!!!! im thinking about them so hard guys you dont understand they r taking over my brain i love them so much

i have more doodles i'd like to make of them but i guess only time will tell how many of those i'll actually be able to get down.

[notachicken68]

Character Sheet

Basics

FULL NAME: Martin Seamus McFly

NICKNAME: : Marty, Mar, Slacker, Chicken, Short-Son-of-a-Bitch

ALIAS(S): Cal, Calvin Klein, Clint Eastwood, Darth Vader (an extraterrestrial from the Planet Vulcan), Sonny Crockett, Harry Callahan, Michael Corleone

GENDER: Male

SIZE: 5’4”

AGE:   24

ZODIAC: June 12th, 1968 (Gemini)

SPOKEN LANGUAGES: English

Physical Characteristics

HAIR COLOR: Cinnamon (Medium) Brown

EYE COLOR: Ocean Blue

SKIN TONE: Alabaster (White)

BODY TYPE: Lean / Skinny

VOICE: Tenor; bright, shiny; vocal range of B2-C#5

DOMINANT HAND: Right

POSTURE: Hunched (on most days), Straight (on good days)

SCARS: Calluses on fingertips (from guitar playing), brachial artery needle marks, healing laceration on right palm (from a broken whiskey bottle)

TATTOOS: None

BIRTHMARKS: None

MOST NOTICEABLE FEATURE(S): Short stature, ocean-blue eyes, smooth skin, unkempt hair

Childhood

PLACE OF BIRTH: Hill Valley, California

HOMETOWN: Hill Valley, California

SIBLINGS: David McFly (brother, 5 years older), Linda McFly (sister, 2 years older)

PARENTS: George McFly (father), Lorraine Baines McFly (mother)

Adult life

OCCUPATION: Unemployed; recently began picking up gigs at bars, clubs, and events around town

CURRENT RESIDENCE(S): (Depends on thread) No permanent home; a traveler; a wanderer

CLOSE FRIENDS: Doctor Emmett Brown, Einstein (the dog), Copernicus (the dog). . .

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single

FINANCIAL STATUS: Previously homeless, occasionally able to rent a hotel room if he played enough gigs. Most of his income either goes to repairing the DeLorean or his vices.

DRIVER’S LICENSE: Hadn’t renewed it since his teens; expired

CRIMINAL RECORD: Public disorderly conduct, driving without a license, driving without insurance, criminal possession of illegal drugs and paraphernalia, larceny, terroristic threat (after drunkenly stating to a barkeep at a bar that he was in possession of plutonium and knew how to detonate it).

VICES: Lonely alcoholic, frequent user of marijuana and cocaine; rageful to his past but lazy to fix his future

Sex and Romance

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Bisexual - female lean

PREFERRED EMOTIONAL ROLE: Fiercely, fiercely protective

PREFERRED SEXUAL ROLE: Dominant - but accepts being submissive with right partners

LIBIDO: Shy but high; wants, but rarely the one to initiate

TURN ONS: Trustworthiness (for given his truth); acceptance (to hearing his truth and knowing who his is); being a shoulder for him to cry on, or arms to hold; any and all physical affection

TURN OFFS: Alcoholics (hypocritical, he’s aware); those that aren’t willing to give him an open mind; closed-minded people; those that don’t show their love physically; calling him any forms of “stupid”, “lazy”, “idiot”, “worthless”, “chicken”, “good-for-nothing.”

LOVE LANGUAGE: Very touched starved; will melt for even a single hug. Will never be the first to initiate contact - but accepting of any love anybody gives him. Also shows his love by writing and playing his partners original pieces of music.

RELATIONSHIP TENDENCIES: There is nothing more important to Marty than making sure his partner feels like the best person to ever exist; will do anything to not to lose a partner.

Miscellaneous

CHARACTER’S THEME SONG: “Destitute And Losin’” or “Mr. Pretty Boy” (both by Grand Funk Railroad)

HOBBIES TO PASS TIME: Singing; playing his guitar; playing his piano; rebuilding the destroyed time machine using only a single half-faded blueprint. . . pretending he doesn’t exist.

MENTAL ILLNESSES: PTSD; Anxiety coupled with Depression and night terrors. Did not grow up in a loving home, and Doctor Brown was all he had for warmth, comfort, and a lifeline. Was a witness to Doc’s (apparent) demise over five times (last time seemed to be permanent). Hasn’t seen his parents or sister after learning of his brother’s suicide. Reminded of the presence of death literally everywhere he looks. Can and will spend hours sobbing before the corpse of the DeLorean. Sees only two ways out of his current life: fixing the time machine or. . . more drastic means.

LEFT OR RIGHT BRAINED: Right

PHOBIAS: Seeing anybody’s timers in the 3 / 2 / 1 digits (meaning the person is close to death); the sheer existence of death itself, craves social connections but also fears growing a relationship with somebody (in his mind it could end no way but in loss and tragedy); being forgotten by the man he saw like a father (Doc Brown). Dying alone, without even a footnote to his name in the history books.

SELF CONFIDENCE LEVEL:  (projected) 5 - 6/10 (internally) 1 - 2/10

Tagging: Whomever wants to do this!

[greedentstripes]

(@asklosthisuianzorua) June@Sonny The young hisuian zorua's curiosity was peaked upon seeing the strange chatot, "Oh! I've never seen a pokemon like you before! I didn't get to see many different kinds of pokemon back home though! I was always in the alabaster icelands! I think I saw a Pikachu once though! you look like a feathered Pikachu! Oh! Is that what you are?" She was jumping up and down excitedly!

(Sonny giggled) "Nope! I'm a Chatot! You wouldn't be the first to call me a feathered pikachu though! Are you a Zorua? I always thought you had black fur?"

[aquariumdrunkard]

No static at all. Via satellite, transmitting from northeast Los Angeles — the Aquarium Drunkard Show on SIRIUS/XMU, channel 35. 7pm California time, Wednesdays.

Intro (Robot Delivers the Mail) ++ BBC Radiophonic Workshop – Artbeat  ++ The Ox-Bow Incident – Reach Out ++ The Do’s and The Don’ts – No One to Talk My Troubles To ++ Pharoah Sanders – Moniebah [Edit] ++ Herbie Mann Quintet w/Sonny Sharrock – Memphis Underground [Live] ++ Sonny Sharrock – Hit Single ++ Theoreme – Let’s Start ++ Smith & Erickson – Sweet Dreams ++ Interlude (Offbeat Ring) ++ The Jaynetts – Sally, Go ‘Round the Roses ++ Spacebomb House Band w/Andy Jenkins – 30 Century Man ++ Anita Carter – Love’s Ring of Fire ++ Interlude (Major Briggs’ Vision) ++ William Onyeabor – Ride on Baby ++ Blondie – The Disco Song ++ Vivien Goldman – Same Thing Twice ++ Benny Yurco – Flor Amarilla  ++ “Auggie and Ulysses Go to the Library in The Human Comedy” ++ Chico Hamilton – Monday, Monday ++ BBC Radiophonic Workshop – Milky Way ++ Laurie Spiegel & Don Christensen – Donnie and Laurie ++ Anna Domino – Trust, In Love ++ Beverly Glenn-Copeland – Journeyman ++ Melanie – Some Day I’ll Be a Farmer ++ Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass – A Quiet Tear ++ Carole King – The Road to Nowhere ++ Mal Wadron – Warm Canto > Lloyd Charmers – Things Going Wrong ++ Aladean Kheroufi – Any Other Way (Jackie Shane) ++ Ernest Hood – August Haze ++ Alabaster DePlume – If You’re Sure You Want To ++ Judy Henske – Till the Real Thing Comes Along ++ Eduardo Mateo – Cuerpo y Alma ++ Gabriel Birnbaum – Half an orange crush on a blue recycling bin ++ Lloyd Charmers – Going in Circles ++ Interlude (William Leigh) ++ The Fall – Loop41 ‘Houston’ (Lee Hazlewood) ++ Sopwith Camel – Brief Synthoponia ++ George Harrison – Awaiting on You All ++ “Like the Tribble and the Unicorn” ++ Fairport Convention – Million Dollar Bash

[nemesisbinxartifactseries]

Artifact Series S

Saburo Miyakawa's Hachimaki *

Sacagawea's Cradleboard

Sacagawea's Indian Peace Medal

Sacred Papyri of Seleucia *

The Saddle of Bayard

Sadhu Fingernails

Sailor Mars' Transformation Pen

Saint Cuthbert's Chapel Gargoyle *

Saint George's Ring

Saint George's Lance and Shield

Saint James' Fuller's Club

Saint Jude's Carpenter's Rule

Saint Jerome's Lion Claw Thorn

Saint Lucia's Skull

Saint Matthew's Tax Lodger

Saint Matthias' Axe

Saint Nicholas' Gift Bag

Saint Nicholas' Three Stockings

Saint Patrick's Bell

Saint Paul's Cross-Hilted Sword

Saint Paul's Letter

Saint Peter's 2 Keys

Saint Peter's Sword

Saint Philip's Basket

Saint Sebastian’s Arrow

Saint Simon's Saw

Saint Thomas' Carpentry Square

Saint Valentine's Amethyst Ring

Sakyo Komatsu's Typewriter Ink Ribbon

Saleh's Camel Bone

Salem Saberhagen Animatron

Sallah, the Soothsaying Sultan *

Sally Rand's Ostrich Feather Fans

Sally Tompkins' Medical Kit

Salmaan Taseer's Glasses

Salt from Dallol, Ethiopia

Salvador Dali’s Cane

Salvador Dali's Moustache Wax

Salvador Dalí's Paintbrush

Salvation Army Bell

Salvator Fabris' Fencing Doublet

Salzburg Marionette Theater Marionette

Samantha Smith's Cap

Sam Hide's Half Crown

Sam Loyd's Black Queen

Sammy Davis Jr.'s Mezuzah

The Samsara Lotus

Sam Sheppard's Wrestling Boots

Sam Snead’s Golf Bag

Samson's Jawbone *

Samuel Allison's Dark Tinted Goggles

Samuel Clemens' Riverboat Whistle

Samuel Colt's Gun Barrel

Samuel Franklin Cody’s Kite

Samuel J. Seymour’s Safety Pin

Samuel Loring Morison’s Magazine Rack

Samuel Madden's Letter Opener

Samuel Pepys' Monocle

Samuel Pepys' Wheel of Parmesan Cheese

Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Fishing Net *

Samuel Whittemore’s Musket

Samuel Ruben’s Batteries

Samus Aran's Armor

Sancho II of Portugal’s Ciborium

Sandbags from the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927

The Sanderson Sisters' Black Flame Candle

Sandford Fleming's Postage Stamp

Sands of Hiroshima

Sands of Iwo Jima *

Sands of Normandy

Sandstone Bricks from the Pyramid of Giza

Santa Claus™ Hat

Santiago Ramón y Cajal's Microscope

Santorini Event Pumice Stone

Sapphires of Vali

Sarah A. Bowman’s Bread Tray

Sarah Bernhardt's Evening Gloves

Sarah Knauss' Personal Compact Mirror

Sarah Osbourne's Dress

Saraswati’s Veena

Sargon the Great's Mirrors *

Saturn V

Saxon Yule Log *

Sburb Beta Disks

Scaenae Frons from the Theatre of Dionysus

Scallop Shell of Zebedee

Scarab of Imhotep *

The Scarab Beetle Statue of Luxor

Scarecrow's Mask

“Scary” Lucille Ball Statue

Schaefer Beer Tray

Scheherazede's Bracelet

School of Salmon

Schrodinger's Cat

Schwinn Exercise Bike

Scope & Rifle from Elbe Day

Scorpion's Ropedart

Scorpus' Chariot

Scot Halpin’s Tour Jacket

Scott Joplin's Cigarette Case *

Scott Joplin's Piano *

Scott Joplin's Score for A Guest of Honor

Scott O'Grady’s Ejection Seat

SCP-WH13

Scroll of Qi

The Sea Cat

Searchlight from Alcatraz

Seat from Global Airlines Flight 33

Seaweed Stone Ball

Second Chance Heroes Artifacts

Secondo Pia’s Flashbulb

Secretariat's Horseshoes

Sedna's Seashell

Seductive Spectacles

SEES's Evokers

Selene's Tiara

Self-Answering Rotary Phone

Self-Constructing Building Blocks

Self-Replicating Birthday Candles

Senchán Torpéist's Lute

Seneb's False Door

Seraphim of Sarov’s Icon and Lestovka

Serial Killer Camera *

Serial Killer Hook

Sergeant Stubby's Coat

Sergei Brukhonenko's Autojektor

Sergei Korsakoff's Ruble Coin

Sergei Prokofiev's Chess Board

Sergio Corbucci's Personal Script of Django

Sergiusz Piasecki’s Grammar Book

Sessue Hayakawa’s Pierce Arrow

Seth Kinman’s Elkhorn Chair

Seth MacFarlane's "Family Guy" Concept Art

Seti I's Obelisk

Severus of Athens' Cronus Ring

Sexist Pickle Jar

Shah Jahan’s Peacock Throne

Shah Jahan's Taj Mahal Spire

Shaista Khan’s Sash

Shards of the Cross of St. Andrew

Sharicite Pendants

Shaka Zulu's Nkoka

Shaka Zulu's Iklwa

Shamu's Tank

Shang Rang's Army Shield

Shaolin Temple Robes

Sharbat Gula's Shawl

Shard from the Lens of the Lighthouse of Alexandria *

Sharkeisha's Winter Hat

Sharpie Permanent Marker

Sheet Music of Faerie's Aire and Death Waltz

Sheldon Silverstein's Guitar

Sheldon Silverstein's Shaving Razor

Shelvern's Black-Magic-Eyed Peas

Shell Fragment from the V-1 Doodlebug

Shem Drowne's Grasshopper

Shennong’s Plow

Sherman Adams’ Fur Coat

Sher Shah Suri's Helmet

Sheut Statuette

Shield from the Battle of Thermopylae

Shifting Chicken Egg

Shig Murao's Copy of "Howl"

Shigechiyo Izumi's Kimono

Shig Murao's Copy of "Howl"

Shigeru Miyamoto's Keyboard

Shinichi Suzuki's Violin

Shirley Jackson's Jewelry Box

Shiro Ishii's Medal *

Shirt of Nessus

Shivaji’s Bagh Naka

Shizou Kakutani's Geometry Set *

Shoes from the Tank Man

Shoichi Yokoi's Uniform

Shō Shin's Tonfa

Shotaro Ishinomori's Pen and Sketch Pad

Shower Head from "Psycho" *

Shylock's Coin Purse

Siberian Jukebox

Siberian Mammoth Tusk

Sigismund I the Old’s Tankard

Sigismund’s Order of the Dragon Emblem

Sigmund Freud's Cigar *

Sigmund Freud's Glasses

Sigmund Freud's Lighter

Sigmund Freud's Mantle Clock *

Sigmund Freud's Marble Tablet

Sigyn’s Bowl

Silap Inua Totem

Silene stenophylla

Silencing Librarian Glasses

Silk Sash of Mulan

Silver Bracelet *

Silver Bullet

Silver Cross Tavern Barrels

The Silver Crystal

Silver Necklace from the Atacama Desert Mines *

Silverpilen

Silver Transmuting Goblet

Simeon Bourgeois' Torpedo Shell

Simo Häyhä's Rifle

Simon Tookoome's Bullwhip

Simonides of Ceos' Tally Stick

Simon Stevin's Windmill

Sinclair Lewis' Desk

"Singin' in the Rain" Umbrellas

The Singing Bone

Sinon's Helmet

Sir Gawain's Jousting Helmet *

Sir Mix-A-Lot's Bling Ring

Siren Rock Pendent

Sister Parish's Rose Brooch

Sitting Bull's Riding Blanket *

Skanderberg's Helmet

Skeleton Key

Ski Gloves

Skip to My Lou Violin

Skis from the Winter of Terror

Slava Raškaj’s Alabaster Owl Carving

Slavoljub Eduard Penkala’s Hot Water Bottle

The Slayer's Scythe

Sledge Hammer from the Ohio State Prison Fire

Slender Suit

Slot Machine

Slow Mo Guy's Lab Coats

Slue-Foot Sue's Bustle

Smenkhkare's Coffin

Smiling Dog Photograph

Smell Negating Clothespin

Smokey Yunick's Cowboy Hat

Smoking Railroad Spikes *

"Snakeman's" Basket

Snarky Reading Glasses

Sneezing Panda Video Camera

Snowman Jack-in-the-Box

Snow White's Apple

Snow White's Mirror

Sobriety Coin

Soccer Ball from the Death Match

Sock Sowachowski's Hat

Socrates' Cup *

Socrates' Toga

Sodom and Gomorrah Salt Mask *

Sogdianus' Scimitar

Soichiro Honda's Bicycle Pedals

Solac Electric Toaster

Soldier of Fortune's Cloth Cap

Solomon W. Golomb's Polyominoes

Sonman Mine Pickaxe

Sonny and Cher's Old West Costumes

Sopdet's Star

Sophie Blanchard's Costume

Sophie Lyons' Gloves

Soren S. Adams' Jam Jar

Southern Cross Expedition Candle Holder

Souvenir Ashtray *

SpaceShipOne

The Spaghetti Tree

Spanish Flag from the Battle of Rocroi

Spanish Inquisition Costumes

Spartan Armor *

Spartacus' Armor

Sparticus' Retiarius *

Special Order 191 Cigars

Speed-Reading Lamp (canon)

Sphinx's Gear

Sphinx's Nose and Tablet

Spiked Torture Mask (canon)

Spindle from the Duke of Exeter's Daughter Torture Rack (canon)

Spirit of St. Louis' Propeller Spinner

Spine of the Saracen *

Splattering Heinz Ketchup Bottle

Spoon from Al Capone's Soup Kitchen

Spirit of St. Louis' Propeller Spinner

Spirit Tablets from the Boxer Rebellion

Spitball-Producing Straw

Spriggan Wings

Spring-Heeled Jack's Boots

Spyridon Louis’ Fustinella

Srinivasa Ramanujan's Stick

Squee's Teddy Bear, Shmee

SS Andrea Doria

SS Baychimo

SS Indiana's Hand Bell

SS Noronic Whistle

SS Violet, Griffon

Stack of 12 Cans of Campbell’s Soup *

Stacked-Deck Poker Table

Stadium Seats from the 1896 Olympics

Stage Door from CBGB's *

"Stagecoach" Mary Fields S&W .38 "Lemon Squeezer"

Stagelight from the UFO Club

Stairway B Railing

Staff of Set

Stamata Revithi's Document

Stan Rogers's Wedding Ring

Stanislaw Ulam's Calculator

Stanley Green’s Placard

Stanley Kramer's Film Reel

Stanley Thornton Jr.'s Baby Bottle

Stare Promoting Glasses

Star Jelly

Starkad's Norse Pendent

S.T.A.R.S. Samurai Edge Pistol

State vs Bonner Cap Gun

Statue from Trajan’s Column

Statues of Castor and Pollux *

Statue of Euryale

Statue of Heket

Statue of St. Bartholomew

Statues from the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

Statues of Zeus and Hera

Statuettes of Aphrodte and Eros

Steam Locomotive from the Burma Railway

Steel Girders From Warehouse 12

Stefania Follini’s Guitar

Stephen Decatur's Disguise

Stephen Hawking's Wheelchair

Stephen Hillenburg's Hawaiian Shirt

Stephen Wiltshire's Pen

Steve Bolander's '58 Chevy Impala

Steve Brodie's Dummy

Steve Clemente's Knife Box

Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo Patch

Steve Jobs' Hardrive

Steve Kordek's Pinball Machine

Steve McQueen's 650cc Triumph TR6 Trophy Motorcycle *

Steven Spielberg's Clapper Board

Stewart Farrar's Besom

Sticky String *

Stingy Jack's Turnip Lantern

"Stinking" Bishop's Kettle

St. Stephen's Church Weather Vane

Stolen Arm of Shiva

Stone-Changing Cheese Knife

Stone from Stonehenge *

Stone from the "Wailing Wall"

Stones from The Dancing Plague of 1518

Stones from the Flims Rockslide

Stone of Destiny

Stone of Truth

Stonewall Inn's Neon Sign

Stonewall Jackson's Piece of Shrapnel

Storage Door Knob

Stormtrooper E-11 Blaster Rifle

Strait of Messina Grindstone

Straightjacket from St. Mary of Bethlehem Asylum

The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back *

Studio 54 Disco Ball *

Stuffed Speckled Chachalaca

St. Valentine's Day Massacre M1 Thompson

Subtle Knife

Sucellus' Hammer

Sugar Ray Robinson's Pillow

Sugar Skull

Sulla's Grass Crown

Summer Camp Inflatable Mattress

Sunbeam Mix Master

Sundiata Keita’s Balafon

Sunny Malone's Chalk Drawing

Sunrise High Sierra Camp Hat

Sun Tzu's Dao Sword

Sun Tzu's "The Art of War"

Superman's Suit

Supermarket Sweep Shopping Carts

Susan Hayward's Silk Dress

Susan Nolen-Hoeksema’s Glasses

Susanoo's Totsuka-no-Tsurugi (Sword of Strength)

Su Song's Armillary Sphere

Suzanne Oldsworth's Silver Thimble *

Svante Arrhenius’ Gloves

Svetlana Pankratova's Shoes

Svyatoslav Nikolayevich Fyodorov's Patient's Glasses

Sweeny Todd's Barber Shop Razor

Swiss Miss-Hap Mug *

The Sword in the Stone

Sword of Damocles

Sybil Leek's Smudge Fan

Sydney Newman's Rotary Phone

Sylvanus Morley's Pith Helmet

Sylvester Graham's Original Graham Crackers

Sylvia Browne's Pearl Earrings

Sylvia Plath's Typewriter *

[theam-cjsw]

The AM: September 19, 2022

It isn't officially fall, but it's close enough to share some chillier tunes for the change in seasons. Starting with the subdued optimism of Clarice Jensen's "Joy," and bringing you a mix of experimental compositions, dream-pop crescendos, soaring psychedelia, and other amber-hued sounds for an autumn morning.

(image is by https://www.instagram.com/idalissner/)

Listen at CJSW.com

Stream on Soundcloud

Ongoing Spotify playlist

Other podcast links

Full track list is after the break.

Hour One:

Joy

Clarice Jensen • Esthesis

New Grass – Piano Reworks

Ólafur Arnalds, featuring tstewart • New Grass — piano reworks

Reign

NETRVNNER • Moonward

Our Wretched Fate

Rachika Nayar, featuring Maria BC • Heaven Come Crashing

Darkened Light

Moat Bells • Bones of Things

BLUTOKYO_

JoyCut • TheBluWave [TimeWhenSilenceIsAPoem - TheIceHasMelted - AndBleedingGlaciersFormOurTears]

Fjäll

Christian Löffler, Fejká • Single

Bear Fruit

Branches • Unlearning

Prosciutto

Karavelo • It's Not You, It's Me

Delta

Golden Ivy • Kläppen

Hour Two:

Raindrops on Water

Misha Panfilov • The Sea Will Outlive Us All

Lanes

Dawn to Dawn • Single

Off Goes the Light

Bibio • BIB10

Strangers

Dana Gavanski • Bouncing Ball

Godstar

Anika • Todo Muere SBXV

Blind Man

Toncho Pilatos • Toncho Pilatos

Kukulkan

Toncho Pilatos • Toncho Pilatos

(Lying Here) In Brazil

The Shangs • Sonny Bono Tear Down This Wall of Sound!

Cargo of Hollywood Stars

Fiver • Soundtrack to A More Radiant Sphere: The Joe Wallace Mixtape

Coloureaters

Jung People • Tenterhooks

Dusty Road Ramble

Mark Peters • Red Sunset Dreams

Topaz Wave

Tan Cologne • Earth Visions Of Water Spaces

Hour Three:

Bone Dreams Blood

The Real Tuesday Weld • Dreams

Agreeing for Two

Rozi Plain, featuring Alabaster DePlume • Single

The Jacket

Widowspeak • The Jacket

Jreaming

Ghost Woman • Ghost Woman

Do You Want to Ride

Blume • Waves Of Love

Babysbreath

Loveliescrushing • bloweyelashwish

A Message from the Aching Sky

Cindy Lee • Malenkost

Trails

Machine • Machine

Sunset

Medicine Singers • Medicine Singers

[tropicalproblems666]

APOPHENIA

Venice High Tide Alarm

Ana Roxane • I'm Every Sparkly Woman

Sonny Sharrock • Blind Willie

The Incredible String Band • Air

Cass Elliot & The Loving Spoonfull • Didn't Want To Have To Do It

Vivien Goldman • Tu M’fais Rire

Joe McPhee • Cosmic Love (Organ Only Version)

Cocteau Twins • Lazy Calm

The Modern Jazz Quartet • Angel Eyes

Brian Eno & Robert Fripp • Evensong

Alabaster De Plum • Inside A Heart

Hiraku Hayashi • L’lle Neu

Franco Battiato • Aria Di Rivoluzione

Battles • Race out

Boat in Venice • Lagoon Sound

[newstinxahoi]

Lê Diệp Kiều Trang và hành trình startup ‘dám chơi dám chịu’

Cùng chồng thành công với Misfit, rồi đầu quân cho Facebook và Go-Viet, Lê Diệp Kiều Trang lại quay về làm startup vì "thích tự làm tự chịu".

Lê Diệp Kiều Trang (Christy Le) là một trong những đại diện tiêu biểu của thế hệ doanh nhân mới. Sinh năm 1980, cô là ái nữ của ông Lê Văn Trí, nguyên Phó tổng giám đốc Công ty Công nghiệp cao su miền Nam (Casumina). Anh trai cô là Lê Trí Thông, nguyên Phó tổng giám đốc Ngân hàng Đông Á và hiện là Tổng Giám đốc Công ty cổ phần Vàng bạc Đá quý Phú Nhuận (PNJ).

Không chỉ sinh ra trong gia đình có truyền thống kinh doanh, Kiều Trang còn nổi bật với thành tích học vấn cao. Cô tốt nghiệp Song Ưu chuyên ngành Kinh tế tại đại học Oxford (bằng Cử nhân và Thạc sỹ nghiên cứu), và thủ khoa chương trình MBA tại MIT, theo học bổng Legatum Fellow.

Đi một vòng rồi cũng về làm startup

Nhắc đến Lê Diệp Kiều Trang không thể bỏ qua cột mốc cô cùng chồng sáng lập Misfit và startup này sau đó bán cho Fossil Group với giá 260 triệu USD năm 2015. Với thương vụ này, Kiều Trang được cộng đồng khởi nghiệp Việt Nam ưu ái gọi là "cô gái vàng" trong giới startup.

Sau thành công này, Kiều Trang lại đi làm thuê cho các công ty toàn cầu. Cô giữ vị trí Giám đốc Điều hành Fossil Việt Nam, Phó giám đốc Điều hành Fossil Group rồi trở thành Giám đốc Quốc gia phụ trách Việt Nam của Facebook trước khi làm Tổng giám đốc Go-Viet. Nhưng thời gian ở Facebook lẫn Go-Viet đều khá ngắn ngủi. Sau đó cô lại về làm startup.

Chia sẻ với VnExpress, Kiều Trang thừa nhận, cuối cùng đam mê lớn nhất vẫn là khởi nghiệp, tạo cơ hội cho những trí thức Việt và hạnh phúc vì dành phần nhiều thời gian trên quê hương.

Lê Diệp Kiều Trang, Đồng sáng lập Alabaster, Chủ tịch Harrison.ai và tạm kiêm nhiệm Giám đốc tài chính Arevo. Ảnh: Nhân vật cung cấp.

Tại Facebook và Go-Viet, Kiều Trang kể được trao quyền rất nhiều trong kinh doanh. Cô thấy những vị trí này hấp dẫn vì làm giám đốc của một công ty có vị trí mở đường, thay vì một đơn vị đã ổn định.

Tuy nhiên, Kiều Trang vẫn thích sự độc lập hơn nếu làm công ty riêng. "Nó cũng là một sự thoả mãn, mình thấy được điều gì tạo ra tác động, mình chủ động, tự quyết, tự chịu trách nhiệm... Kiểu có chơi có chịu", cô giải thích.

Kiều Trang giờ là Đồng sáng lập của Alabaster, chuyên rót tiền vào các giải pháp có tác động tích cực ở cấp độ toàn cầu. Alabaster đã có hơn 30 khoản đầu tư giai đoạn đầu vào các lĩnh vực như khoa học vật liệu, chất bán dẫn và công nghệ sinh học.

Cô cũng là Chủ tịch Harrison.ai, công ty Australia phát triển phần mềm tự động phân tích các hình ảnh X-quang và cung cấp cho các bác sĩ hỗ trợ quyết định theo thời gian thực. Cô cũng đang tạm thời là Giám đốc tài chính tại Arevo, công ty in 3D tự động hóa dùng cấu trúc polyme gia cố bằng sợi carbon (CFRP).

Giấc mơ xuất khẩu trí tuệ Việt Nam

Nhiều người sẽ nhớ đến Misfit - thành công startup của Kiều Trang vì con số 260 triệu USD bán được cho Fossil Group. Nhưng Kiều Trang, "tác giả" của nó lại nhớ tới đội ngũ khoảng 10 kỹ s�� Machine Vision (Thị giác máy), nhận diện hình ảnh bằng Machine Learning (Máy học) của Misfit. Gần một thập niên "lăn lộn" khởi nghiệp cũng là chừng ấy thời gian Kiều Trang trải nghiệm với công việc "săn" nhân tài.

Năm 2011, khi còn đang yêu thích công việc tại McKinsey, ông Sonny Vũ, chồng cô khuyến khích về khởi nghiệp với Misfit. Kiều Trang nhận chiêu mộ kỹ sư cho dự án và bắt đầu say mê với công việc đi khám phá những nhân tài còn "ẩn dật" hay chưa được mài dũa.

Ban đầu, cô "săn tìm" các du học sinh thạc sỹ, tiến sỹ Việt Nam sang Mỹ theo học bổng VEF (Học bổng cao học dành cho sinh viên ưu tú Việt Nam của chính phủ Mỹ). "Về Việt Nam, các bạn chỉ có đi dạy chứ không có điều kiện làm nghiên cứu. Vì vậy, tôi gọi về Misfit. Các bạn về sau trở thành đầu tàu để hướng dẫn cho nhóm kỹ sư tốt nghiệp tại các trường đại học của Việt Nam", cô kể.

Năm 2015, khi Misfit được bán đi cũng là giai đoạn các công ty nước ngoài nhộn nhịp tìm đến Việt Nam mở văn phòng để tuyển kỹ sư xây dựng sản phẩm. Thị trường kỹ sư công nghệ phần mềm chuyên làm R&D bắt đầu phát triển.

Nhận thấy nhu cầu thị trường cao về Machine Vision, gia đình Kiều Trang giúp Fossil cấu trúc và bán nhóm kỹ sư cho công ty khác. Kết quả, một công ty Mỹ chuyên phát triển súng điện cho cảnh sát Mỹ đã mua lại. Đội ngũ từ 10 người thời ấy nay đã hơn 70 người.

Cuối 2019, Kiều Trang "tái xuất" tại "Diễn đàn lãnh đạo trẻ Việt Nam 2019" sau khi rời Facebook và Go-Viet với vai trò đồng sáng lập quỹ Alabaster. Trong các dự án mà quỹ rót vốn có Harrison. Công ty này có dữ liệu hình ảnh X-quang tại Australia nhưng thiếu chuyên gia để dạy cho AI học cách đọc.

Thế là, cô tìm các bác sỹ Việt Nam. "Ban ngày, các bác sỹ làm việc ở bệnh viện, ban đêm họ dạy cho các máy học. Hiện giờ, dự án này chúng tôi có hơn 150 bác sỹ cộng tác tại TP HCM", Kiều Trang nói.

Đến dự án Arevo, Kiều Trang kỳ vọng vào việc xây dựng vào lực lượng kỹ sư sản xuất ưu tú. Thông qua tự động hóa, Arevo có thể đẩy nhanh thời gian ra mắt sản phẩm lên đến 500 lần và giảm chi phí sản xuất lên tới 20 lần so với một vật liệu nhẹ nhưng chắc chắn. Sản phẩm đầu tiên của Arevo là những chiếc xe đạp in 3D.

"Hiện chúng tôi là người duy nhất trên thế giới giữ bản quyền công nghệ in 3D CFRP. Lõi công nghệ thì mình đã có, giờ kỹ sư Việt Nam chưa phải là người phát minh ra công nghệ đó nhưng có thể người thương mại hoá được nó".

Nói là làm, Trang cùng chồng quyết định mở nhà máy ở Khu công nghệ cao quận 9, TP HCM. Nhà máy đang chờ giấy phép cuối, máy in đã lên thuyền từ Mỹ chuẩn bị cập cảng và lắp máy vào tháng sau.

Trong quá trình thực hiện niềm đam mê là tạo cơ hội cho những kỹ sư giỏi, Kiều Trang nhận thấy năng lực khoa học của trí thức Việt Nam rất tốt nhưng không có môi trường phát triển. Cùng với đó, nhóm kỹ sư giỏi tiếng Anh còn ít nên cơ hội đi nước ngoài "thao luyện" chưa nhiều. Hoặc nếu đi được thì đầu quân cho các công ty lớn như Google, Facebook xong cũng chỉ dừng lại ở đó, khó có khả năng xây được một dự án kinh doanh và mang về nước.

"Và nếu họ không về nước khởi nghiệp mà về nước làm việc thì cũng không có môi trường chuyên nghiệp như Google, Facebook. Cuối cùng, mình lại chảy máu chất xám. Họ ở lại đó luôn cũng không trách được", Kiều Trang nói.

Cô thấy điểm chung giữa Misfit, Alabaster, Harrison hay Arevo... là đều thiên về công nghệ cao và phi kỹ thuật số (non-digital), những điều khá hiếm trong một hệ sinh thái khởi nghiệp đang chỉ mới sôi động ở mảng kỹ thuật số (digital) với thương mại điện tử, gọi xe, fintech...

Trang cho rằng Việt Nam có những người "deep tech" như vậy nhưng họ là kỹ sư, không phải người kinh doanh. Sản phẩm của họ có thể không phải là thứ thị trường cần. Ngoài ra, họ cũng không biết cách gọi vốn, tổ chức kinh doanh. "Do vậy, những công trình nghiên cứu khoa học rất dễ chết yểu", cô lý giải.

Kiều Trang cho rằng cần phải có thời gian cho startup "deep tech" trưởng thành. "Ngay cả những bạn giỏi về công nghệ, giỏi về kinh doanh nhưng họ ít tìm thấy nhau hoặc khó làm việc với nhau. Vì vậy, cần có thời gian để cải thiện việc này. Nếu có vài dự án thành công sẽ có những nhà đầu tư mạnh dạn đầu tư ", cô nói.

Khi được hỏi làm sao để nhiều trí thức về nước dành nhiều thời gian hoặc tâm sức cho Việt Nam hơn, cô nói "tất cả chỉ là vấn đề cơ hội".

"Cơ hội" được hiểu có thể là việc làm, không chỉ thu nhập cao mà còn là cơ hội phát triển nghề nghiệp. Với một số người muốn về startup thì "cơ hội" là điều kiện để xây dựng doanh nghiệp. Ngoài ra là các điều kiện cho con cái họ. "Nếu về Việt Nam thu nhập vẫn tốt, vẫn phát triển được về chuyên môn về cá nhân thì tôi nghĩ hầu hết mọi người sẽ muốn về", Kiều Trang nói.

Với tố chất của một công dân toàn cầu, Lê Diệp Kiều Trang đương nhiên không phải là người sẽ cố định ở một chỗ mãi nhưng cô nói thích ở Việt Nam. "Được gần giới trẻ quê nhà, tôi cảm thấy sẽ tạo được tác động xã hội nhiều hơn. Chưa kể, con tôi rồi nó cũng sẽ phải dùng nhiều tiếng Anh nên nếu sống ở Việt Nam, được nói tiếng Việt thì cơ hội này không phải dễ có được", cô tâm sự.

Viễn Thông

[un-enfant-immature]

Is your startup the next Tik Tok?

Editor’s note: Get this free weekly recap of TechCrunch news that any startup can use by email every Saturday morning (7 a.m. PT). Subscribe here.

And I don’t mean building an app that gets the world addicted to short-form videos. I mean, where you build a huge company that spans the world and then get turned into a political football.

The Bytedance-owned app developer still appears headed for a shutdown in the US, after the already convoluted talks stalled out this past week. Each national government appears to require local ownership of a new entity, as Catherine Shu details, and the business partners are each claiming ownership. It’s a zero sum global game now for control of data and algorithms.

On the other side of the world, Facebook was quick to state that it would not be pulling out of the European Union this week even if it is forced to keep EU user data local, as Natasha Lomas covered. The company was clarifying a recent filing it had made that seemed to threaten otherwise — it doesn’t want to get TikTok’d.

For startups with physical supply chains, existing tensions are squeezing business activity from Chimerica out into other parts of the world, as Brian Heater wrote about the topic for Extra Crunch this week. Here’s what one founder told him:

Many [companies] are considering manufacturing in areas like Southeast Asia and India. Vietnam, in particular, has offered an appealing proposition for a labor pool, notes Ho Chi Minh City-based Sonny Vu, CEO of carbon-fiber products manufacturer Arevo and founder of deep tech VC fund Alabaster. “We’re friendly [with] the Americans and the West in general. Vietnam, they’ve got 100 million people, they can make stuff,” Vu explains. “The supply chains are getting more and more sophisticated. One of the issues has been the subpar supply chain … it’s not as deep and broad as as other places like China. That’s changing really fast and people are willing to do manufacturing. I’ve heard from my friends trying to make stuff in China, labor’s always this chronic issue.”

Danny Crichton blamed nationalistic US policies for undermining the country’s long-term commitment to leading global free trade and threatening its competitive future, in a provocative rant last weekend. There’s truth to that, but the underlying truth is that globalization worked, it just hasn’t work as well as hoped for a lot of people in the US and some other parts of the world. In addition to phenomenon like China’s industrial engine, for example, those cross-border flows of money and technology have helped nurture the startup ecosystem in Europe.

Mike Butcher, who has been covering startups for TechCrunch from London since last decade, writes about a new report from Index Ventures about this trend.

It used to be the case that in order to scale globally, European companies needed to spend big on launching in the U.S. to achieve the kind of growth they wanted. That usually meant relocating large swathes of the team to the San Francisco Bay Area, or New York. New research suggests that is no longer the case, as the U.S. has become more expensive, and as the opportunity in Europe has improved. This means European startups are committing much less of their team and resources to a U.S. launch, but still getting decent results…. Between 2008-2014, almost two-thirds (59%) of European startups expanded, or moved entirely, to the U.S. ahead of Series A funding rounds. However, between 2015-2019, this number decreased to a third (33%).

The report also highlights the economic problem of dividing up markets into political blocks. “European corporates invest three-quarters (76%) less than their U.S. counterparts on software,” Butcher adds about the report. “And this is normally on compliance rather than innovation. This means European startups are likely to continue to look to the U.S. for exits to corporates.”

The pain from failing to trade will come home sooner or later to each government, as Danny observes. But that could be longer than your current company exists. Instead, now is the time to pick the markets you can win, and plan for a world where success has a lower ceiling. And hey, if you’re lucky, your national government could pick you as its winner!

Image Credits: Egnyte (opens in a new window)

Want $100m ARR? Fix your churn

We’ve been recapping key moments from the Extra Crunch Stage at Disrupt this week, here’s a key segment from a panel Alex Wilhelm hosted about how to achieve the $100m ARR dream, featuring Egnyte CEO Vineet Jain:

After explaining that in the early stages of building a SaaS company it’s common to focus more on adding new revenue than “plugging the holes at the bottom,” [Jain] added that as a company matures and grows, more focus has to be paid to managing churn and retention. He said that dollar-based retention is a key metric in the SaaS world that startups are valued by, meaning that after securing a customer, your ability to upsell that same account over a “defined window of time” really matters.

Noting the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that bonuses at Egnyte are tied to retention, “I say, managing churn is the new revenue,” he added. “Focus on that disproportionately more than you would focus on just top-line growth” … . Egnyte, Jain added, drives to just one or two metrics (net new MRR, or gross MRR adds and churn). “Everything that we’re doing, all of us [at Egnyte] have to be measured with that number to say, ‘How are we doing as a company?’” So if your startup is post-Series A, listen to what Jain says on managing churn. After all his company reached $100 million ARR, has a few dozen million in the bank, grew 22% in Q2 and is EBITDA positive.

Image Credits: Nigel Sussman (opens in a new window)

Summer of tech IPOs continues with Root, Corsair Gaming and of course, Palantir

While public markets have waffled on tech stocks lately, the overall momentum of unicorn IPOs has continued.

Except, Danny may have slowed things down a bit for Palantir? Here are the key headlines from the week:

As tech stocks dip, is insurtech startup Root targeting an IPO? (EC)

Chamath launches SPAC, SPAC and SPAC as he SPACs the world with SPACs

Palantir publishes 2020 revenue guidance of $1.05B, will trade starting Sept 30th

Following TechCrunch reporting, Palantir rapidly removes language allowing founders to ‘unilaterally adjust their total voting power’

In its 5th filing with the SEC, Palantir finally admits it is not a democracy

How has Corsair Gaming posted such impressive pre-IPO numbers? (EC)

Even more info about the best investors for you

We’re making another big update to The TechCrunch List of startup investors who write the first checks and lead the scary rounds, based on thousands of recommendations that we’ve been receiving from founders. Here’s more, from Danny:

Since the launch of the List, we’ve seen great engagement: tens of thousands of founders have each come back multiple times to use the List to scout out their next fundraising moves and understand the ever-changing landscape of venture investing.

We last revised The TechCrunch List at the end of July 30 with 116 new VCs based on founder recommendations, but as with all things venture capital, the investing world moves quickly. That means it’s already time to begin another update.

To make sure we have the best information, we need founders — from new founders who might have just raised their VC rounds to experienced founders adding another round to their cap tables — to submit recommendations. Thankfully, our survey is pretty short (about two minutes), and the help you can give other founders fundraising is invaluable. Please submit your recommendation soon.

Since our last update in July, we have already had 840 founders submit new recommendations, and we are now sitting at about 3,500 recommendations in total now. Every recommendation helps us identify promising and thoughtful VCs, helping founders globally cut through the noise of the industry and find the leads for their next checks.

Around TechCrunch

Extra Crunch Live: Join Index Ventures VCs Nina Achadjian and Sarah Cannon Sept 29 at 2 pm EDT/11 am PDT on the future of startup investing

TC Sessions Mobility 2020 kicks off in two weeks

Announcing the final agenda for TC Sessions: Mobility 2020

Explore the global markets of micromobility at TC Sessions: Mobility

Don’t miss the Q&A sessions at TC Sessions: Mobility 2020

Across the week

TechCrunch

Calling Helsinki VCs: Be featured in The Great TechCrunch Survey of European VC

The highest valued company in Bessemer’s annual cloud report has defied convention by staying private

Human Capital: The Black founder’s burden

Thanks to Google, app store monopoly concerns have now reached India

Free VPNs are bad for your privacy

Extra Crunch

The Peloton effect

Edtech investors are panning for gold

3 founders on why they pursued alternative startup ownership structures

How Robinhood and Chime raised $2B+ in the last year

Dear Sophie: Possible to still get through I-751 and citizenship after divorce?

Equity: Why isn’t Robinhood a verb yet?

From Alex Wilhelm:

Hello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s VC-focused podcast (now on Twitter!), where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines.

This week Natasha Mascarenhas, Danny Crichton and your humble servant gathered to chat through a host of rounds and venture capital news for your enjoyment. As a programming note, I am off next week effectively, so look for Natasha to lead on Equity Monday and then both her and Danny to rock the Thursday show. I will miss everyone.

But onto the show itself, here’s what we got into:

Zoom’s earliest investors are betting millions on a better Zoom for schools: Built on Natasha’s reporting, we took a look at a neat company that wants to make Zoom better for the educational environments where it had suddenly taken the center stage. Teachers need more.

The first rule of BookClub? No boring book clubs. Another Natasha story this week, this time about a startup that we somewhat like but can’t decide how its market will be. Still, the bibliophiles in your life should read this piece and get hyped about rising access to authors.

Robinhood raised $460 million more, extending its preceding $200 million Series G to a $660 million total investment. Chime also added $485 million at a new, $14.5 billion valuation. We dug into what’s up with the pair and why they are raising so much money.

The short answer is hella growth, leading us to a question and this week’s headline: Why isn’t Robinhood a verb yet?

Willow, the startup making the wearable breast pump, raises $55 million: Natasha talked us through some of the issues with the phrase femtech, before Danny explained to us the need for what Willow offers. Here’s to more tech being used to help more folks at more stages of life.

Then we turned to VC media, namely our notes on a new venture capital game show, and, a16z launching a podcast network. We also worked what Casey Newton is up to into the same conversation.

Bon voyage for a week, please stay safe and don’t forget to register to vote.

Equity drops every Monday at 7:00 a.m. PDT and Thursday afternoon as fast as we can get it out, so subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts.

[andro-dino]

root rpg,,,,, save me root rpg

SIKE this is more alabaster husband posting because I love them and cant stop thinking about them <3

peggy's beef with celgene makes me giggle. man is SO incredibly stressed and tired and peggy just fuels the fire by getting on his ass about it it's very silly

these guys are 50/almost 50 (in my head at least) can u believe that

a funny thought i had that i wanted to draw but decided would be too much work and i couldn't do how i wanted to (spoilers for root rpg ep 3)

Since celgene's office is also his bedroom I think the idea of like, ep 3 after everything is said and done and cel brings everyone up to his office, Sonny is in bed still but woke up after cel got up and so when he comes back to the room, Son's just like "What was all the commotion about Cel-" and he's just met with the sight of celgene leading the vagabonds in, a very beat up Mr. Y and Phil, and the dead body of Mr. Smiles being dragged into the room while Dolly lays out a tarp and Cel and Sonny just kinda look at each other very silently for a hot minute before they're like

"I don't even- go back to bed doll"

"Yeah im goin back to bed"

[ask-all-of-olathe]

Nice the mail box has been fixed! So... Harvey Alabaster, How counfusing has things been since sonny joined the gang? With his Imaginary friend/Outfit also being named Harvey. like when new mail comes in do you get in to fights over which Harvey it goes too?

Look, I’m telling you this letter is for me!! Nobody even likes you!

[wp-yahoo-style-1042-yahoopa-blog]

The Most Memorable Golden Globes Looks of All Time

This Sunday, Hollywood's biggest and brightest celebrities will grace the red carpet for the 74th annual Golden Globes. While the show might be about recognizing the most talented actors in movies and on television, but what the stars will be wearing is just as exciting. Ahead of the event, Yahoo Style reflects on some of the most iconic outfits that have ever appeared at the ceremony with a sartorial tour through the show's sequin-laden history.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.

Grace Kelly, 1956

Grace Kelly won the World's Film Favorite Actor (Female) award in 1956, but she easily could have been named "World's Most Stylish Woman." Her silk cheongsam with cap sleeves was the epitome of, well, grace. Just another example of why she's one of the most enduring — and alluring — fashion icons. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Elizabeth Taylor, 1957

Taylor, known for her amazing jewelry and multiple husbands, wore a dainty floral print dress with full skirt when she attended the Golden Globes in 1957. She accessorized the look with a tiara, chandelier earrings, and Mike Todd (aka hubby No. 3). (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Marilyn Monroe, 1962

The often imitated, but never equaled, Monroe received her last award in 1962 in a slinky, black sequin gown that no doubt turned heads at the ceremony and— rumor has it — sparked a romance with her presenter, Glenn Ford. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Cher, 1973

Who else but Cher could bare a taut, tanned tummy at a red carpet gala? The singer attended the ceremony with her husband, Sonny Bono, but all eyes were on her in a jacquard floral two-piece and oversize fur coat. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Anjelica Huston, 1974

Anjelica Huston, ever the coquette, escorted her man, Jack Nicholson, to the 1974 ceremony in a rumpled silk top and matching skirt, with a fur boa casually tossed over the shoulder and a flower in her hair. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Drew Barrymore, 1983

How could you not love little Drew Barrymore in this ruffled purple dress? The 7-year-old was attending for her role in E.T., and we were charmed to the moon and back. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Sigourney Weaver, 1989

Sigourney Weaver had a banner year in 1989, winning Best Supporting Actress for Working Girl and Best Actress for Gorillas in the Mist, which she shared with Jodie Foster and Shirley MacLaine in a historic three-way tie. This asymmetric red dress was thoroughly modern and just the right kind of sexy. It certainly would not look out of place on a red carpet today. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Julia Roberts, 1990

In an age before stylists were commonplace, Julia Roberts decided to dress herself. (A novel idea!) Her choice to don a man's suit by Giorgio Armani stemmed from her desire to wear something that was just as comfortable as what her then boyfriend, Kiefer Sutherland, was wearing. A suit is always chic on a woman, but it wouldn't have hurt if this one were at least her size! (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Kate Moss, 1995

Even when she was younger, Kate Moss knew how to command a red carpet. At the height of her '90s heyday, she wore a vintage dress to the Globes that was purchased by her then boyfriend, Johnny Depp. The full-length sequined ensemble was originally worn by Julie Christie in Shampoo, making everything about her even more impossibly cool. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Courtney Love, 2000

This tattered John Galliano dress was the perfect choice for a star who has confessed, "I am not a woman. I am a force of nature." (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Halle Berry, 2000

Berry looked radiant in this feminine red and white Valentino gown. Her minimal makeup and short hair really let her beauty shine, especially when she won a Best Actress award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Björk, 2001

It's entirely possible that Björk is a creature from another galaxy. We would not expect her to wear a normal dress with ruffles or a plunging neckline, so when she showed up wearing Michael Jackson's face on her gown, all we could do is stand back and say, "Yes, Björk, Yes!" (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Kate Hudson, 2002

Kate Hudson made waves in this Versace gown. The sparkling dress with plunging neckline and bell sleeves hugged her body in all the right places and turned her into a glamorous mermaid. If there were ever a dress that perfectly captured someone's personality, this was certainly it. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Sharon Stone, 2003

Throughout the years, Sharon Stone has established herself as someone who does whatever the heck she wants, no matter what people think. This look certainly confirmed her self-righteous attitude. The sheer top, witchy boots, car-wash skirt, and weird Illuminati pendant are an actual challenge to human eyes. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Salma Hayek, 2003

If you look up the word sexy in the dictionary, it should come with a photo of Salma Hayek in this red hot Narciso Rodriguez gown. The dress hit all of her curves without being too revealing. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Lara Flynn Boyle, 2003

Lots of little girls want to be ballerinas when they grow up. It seemed that Lara Flynn Boyle never outgrew this wish and decided the red carpet was the best place to manifest her dreams. It wasn't. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Charlize Theron, 2004

Many think that yellow is a hard color to pull off, but Theron's subtly ruffled Dior gown was the perfect choice to give a relaxed vibe at an upscale event. Her perfectly tousled hair actually complemented the shape of her dress, and so did the Best Actress award she took home for Monster. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Diane Keaton, 2004

Diane Keaton is usually in a suit, a style that perhaps she should never have walked away from. This all-white look was a bit of a head-scratcher. Was it the satin gloves that put it over the top? Or the white lace Victorian boots? Or perhaps the random string of pearls? It was all too much! (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Sarah Jessica Parker, 2004

Undoubtedly the most-watched-fashionista of the early naughts, Sarah Jessica Parker stunned when she opted for this strapless gray Chanel Haute Couture dress. The look shot her straight to icon status, as did the golden statuette she took home that evening for Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy. Carrie would have been proud. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Nicole Kidman, 2005

Nicole Kidman's teal Gucci gown was probably one of her finer red carpet moments. A bold statement for sure, but the color of this satin dress complemented her alabaster skin so perfectly, and the tuft of peacock plumage was an elegant touch. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Scarlett Johansson, 2006

With her loose blond curls, the bright red, figure-hugging Valentino gown cemented ScarJo's reputation as a total knockout. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Reese Witherspoon, 2006

Witherspoon's Chanel dress was beautiful. It had a modern silhouette and just enough sparkle at the top to make it award-show ready. Unfortunately, Kirsten Dunst had worn it to the Golden Globes in 2003, which meant that major drama ensued. But in the end, the important thing was that Witherspoon looked radiant when she received her Best Actress award for Walk the Line. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Zhang Ziyi, 2006

Zhang Ziyi was a relative newcomer to the red carpet, but in this almost-neon Emporio Armani gown, she surely made her presence known. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Keira Knightley, 2006

The year that she was nominated for Pride and Prejudice, Keira Knightley also made headlines for this elegant cream Valentino gown. The sexy updo and smoldering eye makeup helped to get her on every best dressed list that year. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Hilary Swank, 2007

Hilary Swank looked like a billion-dollar baby in this Chanel Haute Couture gown. The dress showed off her slender, toned frame, and the diamond hair clips were the perfect finish to this very polished look. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Helen Mirren, 2007

Dressing in a teal Donna Karan gown with plunging neckline, Helen Mirren proved that women are definitely still sexy in their 60s. It was a good year for her: She took home the award for her role in The Queen. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Reese Witherspoon, 2007

This canary yellow knee-length strapless dress established Witherspoon as one of the most stylish women on the red carpet and made the repeat-dress snafu of the previous year all but forgotten. It was made by industry favorite Olivier Theyskens, who choose this moment to make his debut as Nina Ricci's creative director. Reese's laid-back but glam hair and red satin sandals brought the look to another level entirely. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Cameron Diaz, 2009

This was among one of Cameron Diaz's finest red carpet moments. Could anyone else have looked this good in this Chanel dress? Her toned arms, carefree blond hair, and subtle makeup all came together perfectly. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Jennifer Lopez, 2009

This Marchesa dress looked like someone poured liquid gold over J.Lo's head: It just molded to her body. Keeping the hair off her face and adding just the right amount of bronzed makeup made Lopez look like an actual goddess. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Eva Mendes, 2009

Eva Mendes and this Dior Haute Couture gown were a red carpet magic moment. The crisp white strapless gown with exaggerated side ruffle detail was a knockout, much like the lady herself. We loved that she threw on a turquoise statement necklace from Van Cleef & Arpels. It all worked like a dream. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Diane Kruger, 2010

Diane Kruger would look good in a sack, but this dress deserves an extra- special mention because it was not an easy look to pull off. There is a lot going on in this Christian Lacroix Haute Couture fuchsia gown, with its various tones, bow, and textured ruffle, but Kruger wore it with such grace and confidence that it fared her well. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Emma Stone, 2012

Lanvin's plunging V-neck dress was a major turning point for the young actress, who had previously played it safe. With her smoky eye and war-eagle buckled belt, she looked like a modern-day Grecian goddess. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Tilda Swinton, 2012

Swinton is queen of the bold red carpet dress, and this Haider Ackermann ensemble perfectly captured her androgynous look. It was the perfect menswear-inspired style that was worn with a wink. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

tumblr_inline_nyc0oiPudB1tdvcg8_540

The Glee actress had the right idea when choosing this Marchesa silver dress, but she should have stuck with just the glitter. The cutouts and see-through mesh fabric that did not quite match her skin tone did her no favors. Next stop, Vegas? (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Angelina Jolie, 2012

Angelina Jolie channeled old Hollywood glamour in this Atelier Versace gown. Bonus points for incorporating slashes of scarlet on her dress, bag, and lips. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Charlize Theron, 2012

This pink Dior confection could have easily overwhelmed its wearer, but on Theron, it was good, flirty fun. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Kerry Washington, 2013

Kerry Washington has become everyone's favorite "woman in control," thanks to her TV show Scandal, and in this light peach, sheer Miu Miu gown with silver embroidery, she also showed that she has a keen fashion sense. The matching shoes and modern haircut confirmed her role as a boss. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Jennifer Lawrence, 2013

Lawrence started earning her sartorial stripes a mere three years ago. This Dior Haute Couture gown is a timeless red carpet moment. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Emma Watson, 2015

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is my back bothering you? No? OK, let's get on with it then." With this Dior look, Watson began to establish her daring approach to fashion. The stylish ensemble made it clear that Hermione was not playing around anymore. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Kerry Washington, 2014

This custom Balenciaga gown helped to conceal Washington's ever-growing baby bump. We love that she was dripping in diamonds as well. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Lupita Nyong’o, 2014

The bright red, off-the-shoulder style and attached cape made this Ralph Lauren gown forever a winner for Nyong'o and cemented her place in red carpet history. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Julianne Moore, 2015

When you're as A-list as Ms. Moore, only a knockout custom gown by your good friend will do. Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy whipped up some red carpet magic for the Still Alice star with this ombré sequin and feather ensemble. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Cindy Crawford, 2015

Versace, Versace, Versace! The supermodel mama proved that she still knows how to strut in this electric blue gown. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Amal Clooney, 2015

Mrs. Clooney made her red carpet debut in a vintage Dior gown, white opera gloves, and a matching white clutch. The gloves spawned many memes, but with gorgeous George on your arm, who cares? (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Emma Stone, 2015

Oh, to be young and beautiful and rocking a Lanvin jumpsuit! The Birdman star looked so glam (and comfortable) in this one-piece by Alber Elbaz. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Jennifer Lopez, 2016

Jennifer Lopez is the queen of the naked dress, but for the 2016 Golden Globes she went for something "completely different" in a yellow dress from Giambattista Valli (in other words, she didn't show excessive amounts of skin). (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Jennifer Lawrence, 2016

Obviously wearing Dior, Jennifer Lawrence showed some skin in a red cutout gown. But while the dress is pretty simple, she really made it a standout with her amazing Chopard choker. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Brie Larson, 2016

In 2016, Brie Larson broke into the mainstream with Room — and won for Best Actress. And there's no better way to make an entrance to the big leagues than by showing up to the Golden Globes in a gold sequin dress. You can't deny a woman who's dressed like a statuette the win. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

Gina Rodriguez, 2016

Wearing a Zac Posen dress with Neil Lane diamonds and Jimmy Choo shoes, the Jane the Virgin actress, nominated for her role for the second year in a row (with the show only in its second season!), brought her dad as her date. (Photo: Getty Images)

Source: Yahoo Style

[crazydademails]

Loose Lips Sink Ships

Sonny..............sounding board as always..Lesson from my mom #1....Loose lips sink ships....looth legs and poosay too.....loothy goothy....What it means is shutta de mouth and gums.....Gums flapping when the officer arrives or others.......Or just spouting and talking big time like a hero which u are at the barstool belly up....Yeah I was a big fella and big timer and known in my day and era for the most times poundin my pud and strokin it.......This is called giving away the company secrets like the Cocola formula which is under lock and key...........I didnt do it like rag who wanted to be loved and liked by all...........Yes at one time I wanted it but I learned it is better to be under the covers awith the eyes shut........I did not need others to know what I had done since they would not believe nor remember nor care anyhow. TRUTH.....no one listens but they DO listen for the bad and negative..........as I am sure those per fessers at UNDER THE "ARM" Pitt do with you since you are a boy with a sweet face of a child and none o them alcohol lines.......as I once had I guess...U are runnin with a crowd I do not trust........It is true..........those girls are bar flys.........I do not know what drugs they are into these days but in my time it was any thing under the son and whatever worked which it all does....You have a clean slate and rap sheet as far as I know and u are leaving urself EXPOSED....For example my green alabaster carved owl that Dale gave me 40 yrs ago previous...Do u have it or is that what that fing thief stole from u or I and mine...??? Let me know......I would eviscerate him if that is what he and I were arguing about....gut his fat gut end to end....I dream of killing and strangling anymore..Welp...Thievery and working the angles.....Life sorry.......I would rather they think I am some dead old man than packing the heat which I am.......Or that I know anything and nothing which who knows if I do or if I went to the school of donkeys and graduated a jack ass.............A piece from Google that showed a list of your contacts...cousins and poonn tang....Is it???A most recent picture of you it looked like on Raggi way looking across the creek...I told you Google is the last place I would post any of my info....mugtub was also on there as were some others you apparently communicate with unbeknown to eye...Do you know why I received that.....If i can destroy you think how fast others can??? Keep ur mouth shutto......Another thing I know is that my brother has had sleep apnea since a young fellow....Snoring (sleep apnea)is a perfect sign of atrial fibrilliation....his turdboys would never want to sleep with or did because of his snoring....Could run one out of the house and whorify....Let me know his response to what you have told him as I worry each day about his ticker health.....I hate to say I was not wrong about any of what U saw on your short stay as it relates to my shit head family...There is not one thing that U or I could do to help the dickheads...The mold and dies have been set and my old man is responsible for them...The "THEM" includes the inlaws and outlaws....The reality is no triple ass relative of mine has or had a clue how to be a parent and would never listen to what would be....Look at ragmothers famil kids too...The same way...UR mother and her sister do not have a clue or a guess either...I hope that U have learned how not to raise children...One needs to be a parent not try to be their friend and to be strong, caring, yet firm......And teach them to keep a LOOOOOW profile and shut the fug up ad say nothing to no one nor let them see and know how you live or anything of ur private life including ur privates....Chucke!!!.Lose no sleep over same....they are aminals at best since they are not in ur own mind and you watch their reactions and react nothing more........Remember sometimes reality is hard to digest and swallow....Just like that situation on Raggi Way...The reality that ur mother would not understand if it bit her on the ass....she is married to a beer swilling ALLKIE loser who does the one armed curls which is the only thing he has ever done in his whole life.........a case of beer that lite shit.....30 beers.........it is horrific and I wonder what mind he has or does he have a mind at all.....i drank to blank out and rest but to swill all day long in that slow limpo wrist way......that is practically a queer thing I imagine and weird.......She (rag) has no right to say anything about any one in her critical way that I do not and canute understand....humanzees are both narcissistic and narcissists to the nth degree and we cannot comprehend it in our brains the way it is meant to be..........steer clear of them and stay in the apt as much as U can.........they are only listening for the negative and to get a stab in as is donee when u kill a king or leader......then some how nobody was the friend of that dead fug he is just dead meat..........they only luv u as long as u have some thing for them.....to know this I hate............It would be better to drink like diaper doper shitpants and his 30 beers a diem imagine that shit trickle and dayaryea you get......under no circumstance ever attend the funeral of a relative.........we all deserve to be in sacks and paper bags or flushed......Sorry......keep enjoying that sun shine and hope U have a safe trip home...U will be glad to get back to your abode and UR pillow...Eat some "BEANS".....LUVYA!!!!

[andro-dino]

your oc sonny is wonderful and already giving me diabetes. Can you give details about how he met celgene?

WAAAAAAAAAA‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️ GETTING UP AND JUMPING AND RUNNING AROUND VERY FAST‼️‼️‼️‼️ TYSM this like actually means the world to me I’m so happy other people enjoy him 🥹🥹🥹

I have had a couple thoughts bouncing around up there about their first meeting. I like to think these guys have been married for like 20-30 years so like it’s interesting trying to think abt how different celgene might’ve been back that but like ultimately idrk im just throwing shit at the wall and seeing what makes me happiest. Either way I do think that they met at the Pearl Saloon.

One thought that I had actually came bc I was looking up badger courtship behavior (I’m in this way too deep chat) and one thing that came up is that the males will approach their potential mate by doing this like, stiff-legged shuffle to them and I just think it’d be really funny if celgene saw Sonny at the Pearl one night and very awkwardly and nervously shuffled over to him and asked him to dance. I also like to think that since he was taking 5ever to actually hype himself up to approach Sonny, someone else with him (either a friend or other saloon staff idk) was like “celgene istg if you don’t go up to that rabbit already-“ and cel was like “SHADDUP IM GOING IM GOING” (and then it still took him ages to go).

While they start dancing with each other, they introduce themselves and a thought that I really enjoy is celgene introducing himself as “celgene alabaster, though my friends usually call me Cel”

and Sonny responds “yeah? we friends, Cel?”

and celgene goes “well I’d certainly like to be”

aughh. they just make me happy heheheheh

The other main thought I was having with them was after a bit, they go sit down at the bar and Celgene pours Sonny a drink himself, and while he does he’s basically like “listen, I like you, dollface, I really do, but I don’t think a sweet thing like you wants to get caught up with a guy like me”

and Sonny pretty much just leans in and goes “oh yeah? Says who?”

The thought process with all that is that Celgene is described as a shady guy and he mentions more than once how he’s good with a knife and all that, and I imagine he’s been up to this kind of thing for a while. With sonny, I like to think he’s not all too unfamiliar with this kind of business himself, though maybe not quite as experienced with it as celgene is himself. He does very obviously come off as a lot more unsuspecting than celgene though, so that’s not like super immediately clear, and so celgene trying to be somewhat upfront about that is him giving Sonny an out, essentially, and trying to tell him what he’s getting into if he does stick with cel. Sonny meeting him with that and letting him know that he knows is Sonny’s own way of telling celgene that he’s not just looking to fool around and actually does wanna get to know him better. I don’t know what I’m saying right now does this make sense I hope this makes sense lmao. I just. I just really like them a lot okay orz

Actually kinda still sticking with that train of thought, not related to their first meeting or anything but I like to think that when he actually starts working at the Pearl, Sonny has his own ways of dealing with less than savory clientele. Celgene has a lot of intimidation factor to him and is more than willing and capable of taking care of some jerks, but Sonny still keeps a dagger on him in case he needs to handle anything himself. I like to think that he more or less knew how to use it before he met cel but early on in their relationship, wanting him to be able to really keep himself safe, Celgene showed him how to really use it some more and taught him some stuff with it (Sonny did learn knew things from this but he may or may not have also just been letting Celgene reteach him things he already knew bc he’s a cornball) (this idea was also definitely entirely inspired by cel teaching Booker how to use a knife in ep 3)

[un-enfant-immature]

Five real reasons to attend Disrupt 2020 online

Why should you attend Disrupt 2020? We live in unprecedented times and face unprecedented challenges. But unprecedented opportunities are also part of this equation, and now is the time for creative startup minds and makers to go full-tilt disruptive.

We reengineered Disrupt, which takes place September 14 – 18, into a virtual global tech summit. And we’ve added enhancements to bridge the physical distance of a virtual conference. It’s designed to help you build the connections, skills and knowledge you need to discover, assess and capitalize on those opportunities.

Without further ado: Five reasons why you should attend Disrupt 2020.

1. More days to Disrupt

We expanded Disrupt to span five full days. Now you have more time to experience everything Disrupt offers. Interviews and panel discussions with the leading voices in technology, investing and business speaking from the Disrupt Stage. They’ll cover topics critical to startup success and address COVID-19 — the ginormous elephant in the room. Here’s just a sample of what we have on tap. Check out the growing Disrupt agenda.

How Things Get Built in the Middle of a Pandemic with Anker CEO Steven Yang (Anker), Kate Whitcomb (Chrysalis Cloud) and Sonny Vu (Alabaster)

The Black Founder Experience: Tactical Advice for Underrepresented Entrepreneurs with Michael Seibel (Y Combinator), Songe LaRon (Squire) and Reham Fagiri (AptDeco)

How to Raise Your First Dollars with Alexa von Tobel (Inspired Capital Partners), Hunter Walk (Homebrew) and Ted Wang (Cowboy Ventures)

2. Network for weeks with CrunchMatch

You’ll need an effective tool to help you connect with thousands of Disrupt attendees around the world. CrunchMatch, our free, AI-powered networking platform (think speed dating for techies) is up and running. Simply register for Disrupt, and you can start connecting with the right people to build your empire now, weeks ahead of time. Schedule 1:1 video calls to meet new customers, pitch investors, recruit engineers and developers or interview prospective employees.

3. Extra Crunch Stage

Looking for workshops that deliver actionable tips you can apply to your business? Head to the Extra Crunch Stage. Interactive sessions — facilitated by top experts in marketing, business development and investing — cover topics like how to pivot in the face of a crisis, building a sales team and raising money in a tough economy.

4. Pitch Deck Teardown

Want to make a solid first impression with potential investors? You need a pitch deck that accurately reflects your startup’s goals and potential. During the Pitch Deck Teardown sessions, top venture capitalists will critique an early-stage startup’s pitch deck and provide tips to improve it. Want to be considered for the teardown treatment? Submit your pitch deck here.

5. Disrupt delivers

Networking, funding, brand exposure and new ways of thinking are just some of the benefits your peers have gleaned from Disrupt.

“Disrupt has everything early stage founders need, from advice on raising money and how to scale to exposure and brand recognition. Hearing expert panelists and industry leaders helped us think about emerging technologies and new markets we could explore.” — Joel Neidig, founder of SIMBA Chain

“The benefits of going to Disrupt were introducing my product, networking with investors and potential customers and talking to other founders about what it took to get their companies off the ground.” — Felicia Jackson, inventor and founder of CPRWrap

“Disrupt provides terrific insight on trends in different industries like e-grocery, AI and big data.” — Daniel Lloreda, general partner at H20 Capital Innovation

We haven’t even touched on core pillars of every Disrupt — the Startup Battlefield pitch competition with a $100,000 prize and Digital Startup Alley where you’ll find hundreds of the world’s most innovative young startups around the world.

What opportunities are waiting for you at Disrupt 2020? Buy your pass and get ready to find and create your own.

Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt 2020? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

( function() { var func = function() { var iframe = document.getElementById('wpcom-iframe-bc5e644f85a11b970469253c6a947a65') if ( iframe ) { iframe.onload = function() { iframe.contentWindow.postMessage( { 'msg_type': 'poll_size', 'frame_id': 'wpcom-iframe-bc5e644f85a11b970469253c6a947a65' }, "https:\/\/tcprotectedembed.com" ); } } // Autosize iframe var funcSizeResponse = function( e ) { var origin = document.createElement( 'a' ); origin.href = e.origin; // Verify message origin if ( 'tcprotectedembed.com' !== origin.host ) return; // Verify message is in a format we expect if ( 'object' !== typeof e.data || undefined === e.data.msg_type ) return; switch ( e.data.msg_type ) { case 'poll_size:response': var iframe = document.getElementById( e.data._request.frame_id ); if ( iframe && '' === iframe.width ) iframe.width = '100%'; if ( iframe && '' === iframe.height ) iframe.height = parseInt( e.data.height ); return; default: return; } } if ( 'function' === typeof window.addEventListener ) { window.addEventListener( 'message', funcSizeResponse, false ); } else if ( 'function' === typeof window.attachEvent ) { window.attachEvent( 'onmessage', funcSizeResponse ); } } if (document.readyState === 'complete') { func.apply(); /* compat for infinite scroll */ } else if ( document.addEventListener ) { document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', func, false ); } else if ( document.attachEvent ) { document.attachEvent( 'onreadystatechange', func ); } } )();

[un-enfant-immature]

With former Misfit founder Sonny Vu at the helm, Arevo raises $25 million for its 3D printing tech

Sonny Vu, the former founder and chief executive of the wearable technology company, Misfit, has had a busy summer since he was named the new chief executive of 3D printing technology company, Arevo.

Vu’s new startup brought on a new executive management team, launched a crowdfunding campaign for its 3D printed Superstrata bicycle and is now announcing the close of a $25 million financing round to support the growth of its business.

It’d be a lot for anyone to take on even if it didn’t happen in the middle of global pandemic. But Vu, a serial entrepreneur whose last business went head-to-head with Apple before it was acquired by Fossil for $260 million, doesn’t shy away from challenges.

Superstrata opens pre-orders on a pair of 3D-printed bicycles

Vu was first introduced to Arevo in 2019 and was initially going to come on as an advisor to the company. Since the acquisition of Misfit he had been investing from Alabaster, his personal investment vehicle. First introduced by Vinod Khosla, an investor in the business, Vu quickly moved from being an advisor to an executive at the helm of the business and an investor providing bridge financing until the company could close its latest round.

Vu had initially intended to start his own business, but was drawn to Arevo’s potential. “3D printing is about making things slowly and in small quantities. With Arevo’s technology you can make big things quite fast,” Vu said in an interview.

Several companies are attempting to take 3D printing into heavy industry and large scale manufacturing. Relativity raised $140 million in its most recent financing to make rockets using 3D printers, Velo3D is a supplier of 3D printers to SpaceX, and now Arevo has $34 million for its efforts to scale 3d printers. Of course all of these investments pale in comparison to the whopping $438 million that Desktop Metal has raised for its 3D printing tech.

“Arevo is a compelling opportunity for us as it combines our three main investment foci: consumer internet, enterprise, and smart tech. We see fantastic potential in this market, and have backed Sonny before at Misfit,” said Hans Tung, in a statement. “Arevo is led by an experienced team with solid technological foundation and 3D printing manufacturing know-how at scale – to offer breakthrough products at competitive prices.”

Desktop Metal just raised another $160 million

Arevo already has a successful proof of concept with its Superstrata bicycle and manufacturing facilities in Vietnam that are intended to prove that the company’s technology will work as expected.

“We’re making this bike to make a point that we can make complex shapes at a pretty large scale,” Vu said. Unlike other companies that sell their printers to manufacturers, Arevo intends to sell parts. That’s because the printers are a pretty hefty ticket for anyone to buy. At $1 million to $1.4 million, it’s a big ask for a company to acquire if it wants to start using 3D printing.

On top of that cost, Vu said candidly that the company’s Achilles heel was the post-manufacturing treatment process required to finish the pieces. And while Arevo already counts automotive and aerospace companies as customers (including Airbus, which previously invested in the business), Vu wants to bring this to consumers. “We’ve had tennis racquet companies, golf clubs, surfboards,” approach Arevo about using the company’s technology, Vu says.

“We can do about two frames per day per machine,” Vu says of the latest production rates. “And coming up with our next gen system we can do about six frames per day.”

The ascension of Vu to the chief executive position and the new capital infusion marks the latest chapter for Arevo which is on its third chief executive since it was founded. Two years ago, Jim Miller, a former Amazon and Google executive, was brought on board to take the reins at the company. Miller’s appointment coincided with a $12.5 million investment round led by Asahi Glass, with Sumitomo Corp., Leslie Ventures and Khosla Ventures participating. Miller was involved with collaborating with Studio West on the design of its Superstrata bike.

Now, Defy Partners and GGV Capital are joining to lead the company’s Series B round with participation from Khosla Ventures, Alabaster and others. Brian Shin, a scout with Defy Ventures is joining the board which now counts Bruce Armstrong, from Khosla Ventures, and Hemant Bheda, Arevo’s co-founder as directors (along with Vu).

“Arevo’s new platform enables fabrication of high strength, low weight carbon fiber parts, currently not possible with today’s standard techniques,” said Trae Vassallo, founding partner at Defy. “We are thrilled to be working with the team to help scale up this incredibly impactful technology.”