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imreadydollparts · 2 years ago

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Speaking of conditioners, I don’t think I’ve made a post with the conditioners I have used all in one place and how they fared.

I do my best to keep my tools and things both inexpensive and easy to get a hold of. This is both because I personally burn through quite a lot of these materials and also so any recommendations I made to other people curious about getting into hair restoration or only needing to fix one or two ponies won’t find it prohibitively priced to give it a try.

Generally I will seek out products available at stores like Walmart or Dollar Tree.

I also try to stick to things that are generally safe for people to come into prolonged contact with. I like to keep things play safe though personally I like to use scented products. Sometimes ponies are musty.

One thing I have found is that the worse it is for natural hair, the better it tends to be for synthetics.

(I screengrabbed most of these pics off Amazon)

Suave Essentials Shine Conditioner works well enough, is inexpensive, and easy to get. There are a few different scents available. Though this conditioner can’t bring vintage doll and pony hair back to a like-new feel, it does notably improve dry, crispy, stiff hair which is the goal.

Not amazing, but adequate 👍.

I’ve only used VO5 Moisture Milks on two ponies so far and can already say that it is not nearly as effective at re-moisturizing nylon fiber as the Suave. It does make some small improvement to the texture and flexibility so is better than nothing, but not my pick. I haven’t tried it on my hair, yet.

Mane ‘n Tail does nothing for synthetics. When applied it feels like it’s magically fixing the texture but once you rinse it you’ll see it was just sitting on the surface. It doesn’t even leave a coating. My S.O.’s hair likes it, though.

At one point I’d received a full-size sample pair of some new-at-the-time Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner and it destroyed my hair so badly that I ended up having to cut it off after attempting some heavy hair masks to recover it which was distressing as I keep my hair rather long.

I can’t remember the exact product it was other than it was yellow and focused on shine.

The conditioner was hell on my hair, but fantastic for dolls and ponies. Suave Essentials was a downgrade when I finally ran out of the Herbal Essences.

THIS stuff is exceedingly good at smoothing and re-moisturizing synthetic hair BUT you can’t just go buy it. It only comes in Garnier hair bleaching kits (I don’t know if it’s included in the dying kits), and I only happened to try it because I had bought a clearance bleaching kit to try out a small amount of 40Vol as a vinyl destainer before committing to buying a big bottle of it.

I save this after color mask for ponies/dolls in dire condition.

Some non-conditioner things I have tried on the worst of the worst dry synthetic hair that wasn’t reacting to conditioner are:

Regular old petroleum jelly.

To use this I rubbed the TINIEST touch of petroleum jelly into my palms, and gently applied the thinnest layer possible to the hair of a styling head (so a tiny-tiny touch of jelly for a LOT of hair) followed by flat ironing. It is not ideal because it’s easy to get too much and then you have to strip it off again, but it did help where other products had failed.

and

Pure, food-grade mineral oil, which can sometimes be more difficult to get a hold of.

I’d bought this to condition my dried out wooden spoons and the like.

Application is about the same. A little oil in my palms and a light touch applying it followed by heat. Same chance of getting too much, also, making both petroleum jelly and pure mineral oil more difficult to use than hair conditioner. It did improve the texture of synthetic hair.

Baby oil is scented mineral oil so you could use that if you want, but I have always hated the way specific baby products smell (baby oil and baby powder) so I won’t even touch baby oil if I can avoid it.

#doll hair #doll repair

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nomanwalksalone · 4 years ago

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND MENSWEAR

by Josh M

It is surprising that in this tremendous field, ranking conservatively among the first five in the United States, such unregulated and primitive conditions obtain that unreserved pilfering is tolerated and openly permitted.

The leaders of this gigantic segment of our commercial life who have labored so effectively in strengthening the weak spots of their organization, have completed ignored a situation that is eating away at the very roots of its existence. Style and creation constitute the life blood of this multi-billion dollar business. Without them, the industry would fade into obscurity. Yet, for some unknown reason, style piracy is treated more indulgently than much lesser offenses involving deprivation of one’s rights and property.

Samuel Winston, Inc. v. Charles James Servs., Inc., 159 N.Y.S.2d 176, 718 (Sup. Ct. 1956).

“There is no justice in the fashion business,” Karl Lagerfeld once remarked.

Indeed, many clothing designers in the United States would agree. Recent years have seen a proliferation of “fast fashion” chains, offering an array of inexpensive, unauthorized copies of designer clothes. Thanks to digital photography and fast production, these chains can offer nearly indistinguishable copies of a designer garment months before the original even reaches stores.

To make matters worse, these practices are legal. Although intellectual property (IP) law in the United States covers a wide range of artistic works, inventions, designs, and images, it offers effectively no protection for fashion designs.

On one hand, proponents of protection rely primarily on traditional arguments for protecting IP: copyright for fashion designs would encourage greater innovation by ensuring that the profits from a design went to the designer and not to those who merely copied the work. Unestablished designers and labels especially need protection, they argue, as copying stymies their efforts to build a brand. On the other hand, opponents of protection argue that unique features of the fashion industry make IP protection for fashion designs counterproductive. The fashion industry, they argue, thrives on imitation, and IP protection would impede the formation of trends and slow the rate of change in fashions, chilling innovation and hurting the industry.

Much ink has been spilled on IP protection in the context of the women’s fast-fashion industry. Kim Kardashian’s relationship with Fashion Nova, and her lawsuit involving Missguided, is nearly household knowledge at this point (well, at least for me). This article, following a brief discussion of the IP protection available in theory to clothing designers, briefly addresses IP protection—or a lack thereof—in the “Menswear” industry, and touches on considerations for consumers.

A brief overview of IP protection in the United States

Clothing designers can seek IP protection in three main areas: patent; trademark (and trade dress); and copyright.

A patent is used to protect “any useful art, manufacture, engine, machine, or device, or any improvement therein not before known or used.” If possible, clothing designers will typically seek a design patent (as opposed to utility patent), requiring the designer to show “novelty, non-obviousness, ornamentality, and non-functionality.” There lies the rub. First, clothing is inherently functional; it serves the purpose of covering the body (for better and for worse). Second, designing an article of clothing that is non-obvious is nearly impossible given the derivative nature of the industry. Finally, even if a designer jumps these legal hurdles, it typically takes the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) over two (2) years to review each application. By that time, we may yet again be reaching for low-rise, flat-front pants.

A trademark refers to:

any word, name, symbol, or device … used by a person, or … which a person has a bona fide intention to use in commerce and applies to register … to identify and distinguish his or her goods, including a unique product, from those manufactured or sold by others and to indicate the source of the goods, even if that source is unknown.

At base, the mark must be distinctive. That is, it must be “(1) inherently distinctive or (2) have obtained distinctiveness by way of acquiring a secondary meaning.” Trademark law provides a great deal of protection for certain types of designs when there is a logo affixed to them and protects the designers from others using the logo or anything substantially similar that would lead to a consumer being confused. Consider, for example, the “Supreme Box Logo Tee.” While trademark refers to a symbol or a name affixed to the article, trade dress offers protection to the overall look and feel of a non-functional product. This includes the protection of features “such as size, shape, color or color combinations, texture, graphics, or even particular sales techniques.” A distinctive color can be a protected interest in the fashion industry. Tiffany’s aquamarine blue, for instance. But it’s not easy. Off-White’s numerous efforts to seek IP protection for its “signature” red zip-tie highlights the difficulty of obtaining trademark and/or trade dress protection under United States law.

Copyright protection would “offer[] the most protection,” but currently “is extremely limited.” Section 102 of the Copyright Act provides that copyright protection extends to “original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium.” Problems for clothing designers arise because this type of protection does not extend to “useful articles,” a category which encompasses clothing designs. Because clothing articles are inherently “functional” and serve the utilitarian purpose of covering the body (again, for better and for worse), it is extremely difficult for designers to find refuge in copyright protection because the bar to prove that their design is “non-functional” is exceedingly high.

The scant IP protections that are available under United States law help to explain the proliferation of certain trends in the fashion industry, i.e., Louis Vuitton placing its logo on, well, just about everything that it makes, Bottega Veneta utilizing its trademarked, signature weave, or Christian Louboutin tending to use lacquered red soles on all of its high heels.

IP Protection in Menswear and Considerations for Consumers

If your eyes glossed over reading the last section, I can summarize it for you briefly: intellectual property protection in capital-M “Menswear” is effectively nonexistent. In an industry where adjectives like “staple,” “timeless,” and “versatile” abound, the vast majority of clothing is inherently functional, non-distinctive, and useful – particularly, from the perspective of the rest of the world. This may, depending on your perspective, create issues.

For example, I would characterize the late Eidos x NMWA cut as distinctive – perhaps even revolutionary – in lieu of what was available on the ready-to-wear market. Since then, less expensive replicas have appeared. Was the Eidos x NMWA cut ever capable of IP protection? Probably not.

Because of this complete lack of protection, we, as consumers, must decide – is this something that is worth protecting? For me personally, I feel that even if the law doesn’t recognize in clothing the same kind of inspiration and creativity that it recognizes in art and literature, I can recognize it myself. And when I do recognize a piece that contains an idea, I want it straight from the person who thought of it, rather than an imitator.

Of course, each person will draw their own boundaries between imitation and development. One person may view, for instance, all garments inspired by U.S. military designs as knock-offs and only want the original vintage pieces. Others may view the same design made in a different fabric as an innovation. These things won’t get decided in court, so we don’t have to agree on them. But it’s part of my appreciation of my own clothes. I enjoy them a little bit more knowing that what I’m wearing came from someone who had an idea.

This article represents the views of its author, who has little training or experience in intellectual property law, and is not legal advice.

#joshuam #menswear #nomanwalksalone #features

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devinsfm · 5 years ago

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joe keery. cis male. he/him. ／ jack devin just pulled up blasting video killed the radio star by the buggles — that song is so them ! you know, for a twenty - four year old radio show host, i’ve heard they’re really impulsive, but that they make up for it by being so captivating. if i had to choose three things to describe them, i’d probably say obscure vintage horror comics, blurry photographs of mysterious figures in the woods, and vivid descriptions of spine - chilling tales . here’s to hoping they don’t cause too much trouble ! ( sam, 23, est, she/her )

hey there, demons ! *ba tum tss* i’m sam and i never do this, but i really felt like it was time for a change, so i drew lots of inspiration from some of my favorite ocs and i love what i’ve come up with ! character info is under the cut and please feel free to message me if you would like to plot !

i. stats

𝔣𝔲𝔩𝔩 𝔫𝔞𝔪𝔢: jackson willard devin

𝔭𝔯𝔢𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔫𝔞𝔪𝔢𝔰: jack, spooky guy, the night watchman

𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔬𝔴𝔫: salem, massachusetts

𝔡𝔞𝔱𝔢 𝔬𝔣 𝔟𝔦𝔯𝔱𝔥: ocotber 31st, 1995

𝔷𝔬𝔡𝔦𝔞𝔠: scorpio

𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫: demisexual

𝔬𝔠𝔠𝔲𝔭𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫: host of the graveyard shift, a radio program airing every weeknight from 12am to 5am

𝔭𝔬𝔰. 𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔦𝔱𝔰: captivating, witty, resolute.

𝔫𝔢𝔤. 𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔦𝔱𝔰: impulsive, gauche, naive.

ii. history

jackson willard “jack” devin was born on halloween day ( yes, really ) in salem massachusetts ( yes, really ). his mother stayed home with him as he was growing up while his father is a boston cop turned sheriff of the county and he’s an only child.

outside of the popular tourist spots, his hometown has a very close - knit, stuck in the 80s vibe. it’s the sort of place where everyone knows everyone for their entire lives because no one ever leaves and no one new ever moves in. phone and internet signals are nearly impossible to come by, so the local arcade and the video store still have quite a booming business in the year 2020. jack grew up in a not - so - typical small town suburban gothic environment, his dad’s income being just enough for them to get by every month.

he was an energetic kid who cycled through all sorts of interests, trying out everything from little league ( disaster ) to music lessons ( not as much of a disaster, but he wound up getting bored of it ). nothing seemed to really stick until he got his first horror comic : a vintage issue of tales from the crypt with tattered, yellowing pages. he was five years old and paid five cents for it at an elderly neighbor’s yard sale and from that moment on he was hooked. it started with the comics, but he quickly expanded his horizons to movies, books, and television in the genre of horror.

he got intro drawing and that was the only thing besides his newfound interest in horror that he could sit still for. at first he would just try to re - draw the panels in his comic books, but soon he was drawing anything and everything that caught his interest and he was getting good. he was being homeschooled by his mother at the time, but once friends and family and, well, everyone took notice of his skill, they were encouraging his parents to nurture his talent.

his parents fought about it. his dad didn’t see the value in his skill and wanted him to instead focus on academics, aspiring towards his son one day becoming a lawyer or a businessman or even following in his footsteps. jack never wanted that for himself. he was homeschooled by his mom up until then and she believed in him. it was with her blessing that he would go to a real school for the first time at the age of fourteen, starting off his freshman year at a high school that was a thirty minute train ride away in boston and catered exclusively to youth who demonstrated an exceptional talent in some area of the fine arts.

jack did well in school, but his grades probably would have been a lot better still if he didn’t start purposely acting out as his relationship with his dad got worse and worse. he started skipping classes, getting caught trespassing in cemeteries at 2am, and smoking a lot of weed.

when it came time for college, jack planned to attend art school. he swears he did. he looked a few schools on the west coast to get away from his dad for a few years yikes and planned to apply, but on the deadline date he got so high that he forgot to submit his portfolios. yes, really.

he loaded up his van ( a turquiose monstrosity he painted to look like the mystery machine ) and headed out to california anyway after telling his parents that he would be attending UCLA. of course, they quickly found it that it was a lie and his dad was furious. the two got into a huge fight over the phone and things were said. the result is that jack and his father haven’t spoken to each other ever since.

he did lots of odd jobs while he was on the road and basically lived in his van, which didn’t change right away when he decided to settle in LA, but he eventually got a job fetching coffee for the late night employees at a local radio station.

it was the typical, cliché story : the regular late night host called out of work at the last minute, there was no one else around and they were going to be on air in ten seconds. jack was thrown in front of the microphone and told to think fast !

he did, and the listeners loved him for it. whether it was his ramblings about horror movies or his thick boston accent or his reckless use of swear words on live radio, he turned out to be a massive hit. the successful night earned him a gig as an occasional substitute deejay, and with each broadcast he grew more and more popular, and about two years ago he was finally given his own program.

the graveyard shift is a radio program that airs every weeknight from 12am - 5am in the los angeles area and on apps such as iheartradio. jack hosts the show as his ( thinly veiled ) alter ego the night watchmen and discusses topics such as the paranormal, conspiracy theories, and all things horror. it’s one of the most popular programs of the time slot in the country.

it’s something that he never expected or picturing himself doing, but now he can’t imagine doing anything else. he’s become really passionate about revitalizing the field and bringing radio into the 21st century. he signed a HUGE contract with the studio when his show first started and now he’s a quite well known radio personality in the area and across the country.

iii. extras

huge stoner. high as fuck 90% of the time, and the other 10% of the time he’s probably still high, just not as fuck.

well known for his on air antics. he’ll light a joint in the middle of his radio show, he’ll prank call a friend and broadcast it to the entire city, he’ll curse in every single sentence and skate by on the after hours excuse when he’s reprimanded for it. he’s so outlandish and bizarre and like nothing that’s ever been heard on the radio before, and it just draws people in.

he often seems shy in person, but it’s more like he’s just a little socially awkward, something which also shines through in occasional non - malicious but blunt remarks and general lack of regard for what people think of him. he really just...doesn’t care.

genuinely seems to believe it’s either halloween day and / or the year 1986 at any given moment as that’s about as recent as his pop culture references get. he’s never heard of the k*rdashians, he doesn’t know what the mcu is, and the phrase yeet means absolutely nothing to him. mention any of it to him and he’ll just stare blankly bc he honestly doesn’t have a clue.

HOWEVER, he did start the area 51 meme from last summer. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

still draws. especially if he has to still for a stretch of time, then he’ll take out his latest sketchbook ( he goes through a lot of them ) and start doodling. he’s still quite good, mostly in his favored comic - esque style.

BIG CHAOTIC ENERGY and ZERO IMPULSE CONTROL

a chatterbox with friends but don’t be fooled...he’s been giving his own dad the silent treatment for almost seven ( 7 ) years now. it’s his preferred method of expressing anger towards someone because he isn’t really a fan of confrontation, but he’s maybe a liiiittle bit stubborn.

most of the time he’s a really easygoing person, a good friend and very loyal to the people he cares about. well - meaning, not the best at advice but he’s more likely to try and cheer a person up anyway.

he has a pet pied ball python named the crypt keeper ( tkc for short ) who he sometimes just carries with him because he likes to just chill wrapped around jack’s hand and arm.

iv. wanted connections

maternal or paternal cousins ( their grandparents probably live in boston or new england but otherwise anything goes for this )

close friends

friends

guests on his radio show

fans / haters of his radio show

people who don’t like him / find him annoying

exes ( 1 - 2, can be on good or bad terms )

“casually dating” but it might get real complicated soon - allie james

( these are just ideas and i’m trash at coming up with stuff, so please don’t feel limited by what’s listed here. )

#excess:intro #drugs tw #i decided that i needed something new but i just ''created'' this ''new character'' instead #countdown until i mess up his name has officially begun

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devinfm · 5 years ago

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hey there, demons! *ba tum tss* i’m sam and i also write parker ( @prkrfm ) which is the best place to contact me for plotting!

i. stats

𝔣𝔲𝔩𝔩 𝔫𝔞𝔪𝔢: jackson willard devin

𝔭𝔯𝔢𝔣𝔢𝔯𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔫𝔞𝔪𝔢𝔰: jack, spooky guy, the night watchman

𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔬𝔴𝔫: salem, massachusetts

𝔡𝔞𝔱𝔢 𝔬𝔣 𝔟𝔦𝔯𝔱𝔥: ocotber 31st, 1995

𝔷𝔬𝔡𝔦𝔞𝔠: scorpio

𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫: demisexual

𝔬𝔠𝔠𝔲𝔭𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫: host of the graveyard shift, a radio program airing every weeknight from 12am to 5am

𝔭𝔬𝔰. 𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔦𝔱𝔰: captivating, witty, resolute.

𝔫𝔢𝔤. 𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔦𝔱𝔰: impulsive, gauche, naive.

ii. history

the graveyard shift is a radio program that airs every weeknight from 12am - 5am in the los angeles area and on apps such as iheartradio. jack hosts the show as his ( thinly veiled ) alter ego the night watchman and discusses topics such as the paranormal, conspiracy theories, and all things horror. it’s one of the most popular programs of the time slot in the country.

iii. extras

huge stoner. high as fuck 90% of the time, and the other 10% of the time he’s probably still high, just not as fuck.

HOWEVER, he did start the area 51 meme from last summer. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

BIG CHAOTIC ENERGY and ZERO IMPULSE CONTROL

a chatterbox with friends but don’t be fooled…he’s been giving his own dad the silent treatment for almost seven ( 7 ) years now. it’s his preferred method of expressing anger towards someone because he isn’t really a fan of confrontation, but he’s maybe a liiiittle bit stubborn.

he has a pet pied ball python named the crypt keeper ( tkc for short ) who he sometimes just carries with him because he likes to just chill wrapped around jack’s hand and arm.

iv. wanted connections

maternal or paternal cousins ( their grandparents probably live in boston or new england but otherwise anything goes for this )

close friends

friends

guests on his radio show

fans / haters of his radio show

people who don’t like him / find him annoying

exes ( 1 - 2, can be on good or bad terms )

“casually dating” but it might get real complicated soon - allie james

( these are just ideas and i’m trash at coming up with stuff, so please don’t feel limited by what’s listed here. )

#excess:intro #just posting for reference!

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raggywaltz1954 · 6 years ago

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Full disclosure. This post was completely inspired by the World Cup, specifically the winners of the World Cup. If you weren’t happy with the outcome of the game/series, don’t get mad at me. I’ve been looking for an excuse to profile this album, and the World Cup gave me that excuse. I’ll try not to make this post about soccer. Because that’s not the goal of my blog. So let’s dive right in to the music. Ok seriously, no more soccer references.

The Music

https://raggywaltz.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/under-paris-skies.wav

The Tune: “Under Paris Skies”

Recorded: 1960 in Paris, France

Personnel:

Michel Legrand- Piano

Guy Pedersen- Bass

Gus Wallez- Drums

https://raggywaltz.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/paris-je-taime.wav

The Tune: “Paris je t’aime”

Recorded: 1960 in Paris, France

Personnel:

Same as above

https://raggywaltz.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/the-song-from-moulin-rouge.wav

The Tune: “The Song From Moulin Rouge”

Recorded: 1960 in Paris, France

Personnel:

Same as above

Michel Legrand is proof that the French are just as capable of having repeat success in jazz as they are in soccer- my apologies, futbol. In 1954, at the age of 22, Legrand made a jazzy easy-listening album for Columbia, comprised of songs about France. The resulting album ‘I Love Paris’ became a surprise hit and put Legrand on the map. In 1960, he decided to be daring and record the album again, but this time with a jazz trio featuring his own piano playing. While his original 1954 album was romantic and non-offensive to high-brow society, this jazzier album is in a completely different vein. Attacking the same material with a minimalist sound, Legrand crafts an album that more accurately captures the urbane, hip vibe of Paris.

The songs aren’t long; most of them are less than three minutes long. However, Legrand and his trio is able to get its point across in that time span, filling the space with taste and swing. In fact, I needed a napkin, this album was so tasty. It was hard to pick one song to spotlight, so I tried to pick two. That proved to be just as difficult, so I limited myself to three. “Under Paris Skies” is pretty wild due to the unusual exploration of 3/4 waltz time. Legrand sounds like he was listening to some Brubeck, as he arranged the tune in a brisk waltz while the drummer moves freely from a fast 3/4 to a slow 4/4, and finally up to a quick 4/4 against the fleet waltz. It makes for an unorthodox ride, but just as the group starts to really swing, the song is over. “Paris je t’aime” is a fun up-tempo workout with heated exchanges between Legrand’s piano and Wallez’s bongos. I say heated, but Legrand keeps his cool the entire time, playing tasty runs and full chords in response to Wallez’s percussion barrages. “The Song from Moulin Rouge” (which I didn’t know I knew until I heard it. Where I know it from, I’m not sure…) is swung right out the gate, no frills needed. The rest of the tunes flow in much the same manner. Side 1 is much more reflective and quiet than than the second side, with “Autumn Leaves” and “April in Paris” sounding like something Debussy or Ravel would play if they had been around in the late 1950’s.

Legrand’s piano technique is delicious on this album, and I wish there was more recorded examples of his jazz piano style from this time period. He has a rather streamlined, dare I say it, ‘cool’, approach to the piano that allows the music to breathe. It’s simplistic but substantial. Or, in the words of Don Draper, “simple but significant”. On bass, Guy Pedersen was a stalwart of the European jazz scene and amply shows why on this album. On “A Paris”, the spotlight is firmly on him as he plucks a haunting, moving solo. Gus Wallez’s brushwork is fantastic throughout, as well as his bongo playing on the track highlighted above.

I like what critic Jason Ankeny had to say about the album:

“…Michel Legrand updates his classic fantasia ‘I Love Paris’ for a new decade, augmenting the woozy romantic allure of the original with the sophistication and lyricism he nurtured over the span of his subsequent projects to forge the rare sequel that’s actually better than its predecessor.” I couldn’t agree more, but it’s this line that is particularly descriptive of the music:

“The music is as rapturous and exotic as a fairy tale, conjuring a world where smoldering passion co-exists alongside effortless cool.”

The Cover

Raggy Waltz Rating: D+

For an album containing music that “is as rapturous and exotic as a fairy tale, conjuring a world where smoldering passion co-exists alongside effortless cool”, the album cover art just doesn’t meet that standard. First, while I’m always a fan of having the actual artist on the album cover and not some random model, I’m also for GOOD photographs of the artist on the album cover. This photo, while in living Technicolor, seems to have caught Michel off-guard, looking slightly beyond the camera. To add insult to injury, they put him smack in the middle of the cover, which is the most uninteresting thing they could have done. Then there’s the font, which I don’t think is particularly hip, especially for 1960. And what’s with the different font colors? Who thought it be a good idea to make the font green against his green shirt?!

The short-comings of the album cover are made worse because there were better shots taken at this photo shoot. One appears on the back of the album. Here’s another one, and one I think should have been the cover.

It’s certainly more visually interesting than the photo chosen for the cover. The tape recorders, music scores, and the bird’s eye view make for a stimulating shot. Oh, and the piano is actually in the picture too! Of course, if it were up to me, I would have opted to put a mood-setting picture of Paris on the cover to match the “effortless cool” of the jazz on the record inside. Something like a night scene. Cars on the street. Taken from up above, as if from an apartment or penthouse. Something like…

Thank you, Getty Images.

The Back

The liner notes are brief but descriptive in explaining the music. I like reading the notes on the mono records about how they will still play on stereo equipment and won’t be obsolete. That’s part of the fun of collecting vintage vinyl.

As a side note, what’s the name of this album, anyhow? Is it ‘Legrand Piano’? Is it ‘I Love Paris’? Or is it ‘Legrand Piano- Michel Legrand And His Trio Play I Love Paris’, as it says on the spine of the album?

The Vinyl

Pressed in 1960, the vinyl sports Columbia’s classic 6-eye mono labels with serious deep-groove. Side one also sports the previous owner’s autograph. The more I collect vintage jazz records, the more I’m convinced that jazz fans were kleptomaniacs or had sticky fingers. People were writing their names on the records, the album covers, the back of the albums, anywhere to ensure that people made no mistake who’s album it was. On the flip side, I suppose this means that people were freely letting their friends borrow their albums. I guess that’s what people did before you could just burn a copy for someone.

This being a Columbia recording, the sound is crisp and clear. The mono sound brings the three musicians together, front and center. Some tracks sound more punchy than others, implying different recording sessions(?). I’d love to know how the stereo version compares.

The Place of Acquisition

After visiting Atlanta, Georgia numerous times, I finally got to a record store earlier this year in March. Unfortunately, I had to go to the trendy (which means crowded) gentrified area of Atlanta known as Little Five Points. The first record store I went to was a bust in terms of jazz. Lots of over-priced used vinyl and new reissues going for $30-plus. Yikes. And this was supposed to be one of Atlanta’s best record stores. Walking a few hundred feet down the road, I walked into a smaller, more intimate record store, where I had a lot more luck. Among the gems I found there was this record. It wasn’t a record I was looking for, but one that I had listened to online and never imagined I’d find it in the flesh. Long out of print, it wasn’t even on my radar. The $5.00 price made it easy to grab, and I was pleasantly surprised when I finally made it back home and played it through. Score (I couldn’t resist). A friend and fellow record collector once told me that the cheapest records sound the best. I think he may be right. More on that in a later post.

A new post inspired by the World Cup win today. A tasty album with tasty music. Legrand Piano // Michel Legrand And His Trio Play I Love Paris(Columbia CL 1441) Full disclosure. This post was completely inspired by the World Cup, specifically the winners of the World Cup.

#Columbia #Michel Legrand

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gregmatheny11 · 4 years ago

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Cottage Decorating Style Tips

Once i heard about shopping on "Black Friday" I assumed it was for people who are the actual planet "Black" with their money along with so many unemployed and hampered by their mortgage, I hope the stores do well, since they employee so many people.

I usually supported local "starving" and non "starving" artists. If i meet an artist that I like, I always commission a painting. I've some pretty delightful art in my home and knowing the artist that created the time even more precious. I would personally rather pay someone locally that I understand has to feed themselves, along with family then to buy some made in huge amounts Italian scenery art, from an "art fair". Prefer to started turning towards "junk" art, that looks nice, those things "paintings" are copies, upon copies, upon copies brought to life by large foreign entities that pay their local artists hardly anything to paint them.

If your setting can be a trendy club, then all you really want is a stereo and a variety of tunes. Pick your music to match the location. The discreet gentlemen's club is to be able to have classical music quietly piping along with the air. The hard-core industrial joint is going to have lots of noise, all turned up to eleven. Wine beverages that the tunes doesn't ended! Nothing is worse at a club than an abrupt silence.

9) If you are looking for true blue Best vintage furniture store, there are several ways in order to it. See that tag. Unpredicted expenses a recognizable brand, could be the logo fashionable? I've found some really neat vintage Gap before, for instance. Chances are you won't recognize the brand, however, you might have the ability to find to start dating on the rear of the tag if you're lucky. If you have an iPhone, this is usually a good time do some Google searching to identify a type.

For a sumptuous location, use fabric swags on the windows and doors, disguise your furniture with fabric - or perhaps borrowed slipcovers. Clad you can in butcher paper and stencil on some pretty floral pattern near the ceiling - or all over if there are the time! Certain you get your paint doesn't soak in your tissue! Use brick-patterned paper for that industrial/80s-comedy-club feel.

Art: Framed and unframed art could be found very easily at flea markets. Look through the stacks of art, toward the back of the pile, to choose the best bargains. Buy only what you absolutely love and never be afraid to negotiate as art is one of the most subjectively priced item in a flea area of interest.

After that, it is time to best man style of the white book case. May refine find modern, classic, and traditional forms of book case. The primary issue choosing the style is in its material. However find equipment . type which composes mainly of metals for today's touch. May refine also with regard to the traditional look comprised of wood.

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happymetalgirl · 7 years ago

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My Comment on “Metal Elitism”

I thought I would be doing more of these when I started this blog (little thought pieces about metal that is), but metal this year has been really prolific in terms of albums that have taken up my attention that I’ve wanted to write about, and I’m glad it’s been so prolific too. It’s a genre that, despite most people considering it over the hill in terms of its presence in the public eye, is still vibrant, growing, and, quite importantly, still evolving and expanding. And that’s a big part of what I want to talk about in this little piece here: metal evolving and the people opposed to certain kinds of it or all of it.

When metal “elitism” is brought up in the context of discussions of metal music, most often what I see it referring to is something I think is more accurately described as metal purism. Elitism, I think, kind of applies better to things that are more objectively measurable, and music taste is both incredibly complicated to “measure” and hardly objective. Referring to the mindset that the term (metal elitism) describes, the “elitism” part of it sort of gives the people who hold the mindset a bit of undeserved credence, because it’s not like they have a more objectively elite taste or opinion (which arguably doesn’t even exist). Often, they’re just a little more arbitrarily picky about one or a few aspects of the genre that could easily, from another perspective, be seen as silly, like not wanting to date someone with a certain hair color or below a certain height: silly, but preferences are preferences. Well, preferences are one thing; deal-breakers are another. The attitude from metal “elitists” that most often irritates people is the closed-minded stiff-arming of some or any violation of their incredibly prioritized and rigid preferences of their music and their expression of discontent for it being violated in their eyes from some self-supposed position of authority (which explains why it’s so often referred to as elitism).

I’ve made pretty evident in previous posts on here how open I am to bands’ experimentation with their sounds and with the subgenres they play in and around. I love bands like Havok and Cannibal Corpse who keep to what they know they do best and continue to deliver streams of exciting vintage music, and bands like Havok, Power Trip, Ghost, etc. who play primarily older styles of metal in the modern era are an important part of keeping metal from being a volatilely trend-hopping genre and maintaining its longevity through the sustenance of more of its styles throughout the years. But (in my opinion) metal also needs to continue to evolve to stay “alive” and I think it’s a unique genre in that so much of its community from the entire vast age range it encompasses holds its oldest works in such high regard. Even metal’s youngest listeners praise 70’s and 80’s classics and icons like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, etc. and even less famous groups like Anthrax, Sepultura, and Kreator still find a lot of praise from young listeners. But metal is almost half-a-century old now as a genre and it didn’t stop with the new wave of British heavy metal, or thrash, or black metal, or death metal, or nu metal, or metalcore, and it’s certainly not stopping with djent, or blackgaze, or the numerous other fringe styles of metal gaining more and more traction. And that’s great. What a time to be alive for metal listeners with so much metal out there to choose from, with older bands like Iron Maiden still putting out exciting traditional material, younger groups like Havok paying excellent tribute to such tradition, and others like Code Orange and Igorrr changing and expanding the landscape of heavy music.

I bring up the evolution of metal because I feel the opposition to some or all of it from “elitists” to be the most aggravating aspect of their mindset (and the pretentious attitude of course). Oppositions to things like growls or industrial elements I find often coming from older metalheads, often purists just stuck in their ways, reluctant to get out of their comfort zone (and who knows, I’m not 50, maybe I’ll be that way toward something else when I’m there, maybe that’s just a part of getting older, I haven’t experienced it yet). They’ll say things about how bands in their day really rocked and new bands just sound excessive and unmelodic, or how real music has to be played live on classical instruments, not computers (electric guitar amplified through numerous effects like distortion counting as a classical instrument in their eyes). But purism isn’t just an “old dad” thing either. Younger black metal purists being probably the most notoriously annoying bunch often attest that their pet subgenre must be kept pure of clean vocals or non-satanic subject matter or musical traits not entirely metal, often making the cultural appropriation argument against such things (which usually involves fallacious assumption of some culture’s absolute ownership of certain traits and false authority over others’ use of said traits). Purists have every right to have their opinions and their preferences, of course; it’s when that opinion is touted as law that really grinds my gears and the gears of people who enjoy something these purists don’t enjoy. I’ve been pretty fortunate to have witnessed just about all of this kind of behavior exclusively online; I’ve had pretty much only positive interactions and enjoyable, civil conversations with people at shows or music gear stores about music and such.

The most ridiculous and easily dismissible of the declarations purists often make are the broad, baseless (or unsupported), and sometimes flat-out wrong. But unfortunately, they’re some of the most frustratingly common too. “Metallica was pure shit after Justice.”, “X band was only the real X band with Y singer in it.”, “Bands who eschew corpse paint, church burning, satanic themes, or whatever aren’t black metal.”, “Nu metal, metalcore, deathcore, hair metal, etc. isn’t metal.”. That last one is so infuriatingly common and egregiously wrong I think hearing or reading it from so many people makes my blood pressure rise just a little bit; there can be metal that you don’t like and just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean you get to shut it out at the gates of the metal kingdom like some authoritarian ruler and declare it “not metal”. I really dislike hair metal for the most part, but it’s still metal; it’s just an era and subgenre of metal I find embarrassing and not to my tastes.

I think we all know what “metal elitism” is and what’s annoying about it, but what impact does it even have? It’s pretty apparent that a lot of these assertions are made with at least some intent of elevating the asserter’s position of authority and reverence by way of making their taste seem more refined. They (usually) want to seem more distinguishing in their choices and more enlightened by seeming harder to please on the basis of liking only the highest end of some linear scale of “quality” in music. “Oh, you like X band, well they’re not nearly as fast and technical and brutal as Y band (who are probably way too fast and technical and brutal for you).” It’s really petty, and at this point in my immersion into metal and its culture, it’s not at all detrimental to my confidence in my own music-related opinions or even worth the stress of a fruitless or disassociated argument. But I imagine to newer, younger, more impressionable listeners, these attitudes can be more confusing, disheartening, and discouraging, and from nearer to the outside, they reflect poorly on the community surrounding the music or worse, set a precedent of pretentious arrogance about musical selectiveness as a prerequisite for “true” membership in the community.

I’ve seen a lot of people complain gratuitously that metalheads are the worst treating and most unaccepting music listeners, always ready to shoot down someone with slightly different taste and scoff while doing it. I don’t know who these people are talking to or how many of them they’re talking to, but my decade or so of experience in the metal community has been majorly positive, even online. I honestly can’t really picture what kind of experiences they’ve had, but I think it’s an exaggeration of this blemish in the metal community. If most of the metal community were like this, Ghost, Deafheaven, Bring Me the Horizon, and Babymetal would not have careers as big as they are right now.

Like any culture, it’s important for metal to have some ways of determining who’s in and who’s out of it, or less in it. Someone who heard “In the End” yesterday and thinks Linkin Park is pretty heavy is obviously less immersed than a Death fan (who is still more than welcome to like Linkin Park). The Death fan can gladly suggest a path to heavier, more immersive music and suggest Linkin Park’s status as just the tip of the metal iceberg, and maybe the Linkin Park fan knows another band outside the world of metal that the Death fan might enjoy too. Sharing suggestions and tastes in music is pretty important in getting people into the community and deeper into the subcommunities of the genre. The key is the attitude of the interaction, and metal is certainly not the only music community with a problem of upturned-nosed fans who think their taste is superior to most other peoples’. It’s much more fulfilling and helpful to recommend some music you like to someone who doesn’t know it, even if their reaction to it is resistant, than it is to berate people for not matching your opinion. Just remember every time someone referred to death metal as “screamo” and passed it off as “just talentless cookie monster noise” that “isn’t even music”.

My main thing that I don’t think I see too many people saying: just stop calling it “elitism”.

They’re not elitists; they’re just metal purists.

They’re not elite for liking a more technical or more “kvlt” band, and just addressing their opinions like those of pouty, ultra-conservative purists who don’t like change that doesn’t cater exactly to their own presupposed notions is the best way to shut their behavior down.

And like all the interactions I described earlier, politeness works better than reacting to their vitriol or egotism with more of it.

Damn, no wonder I haven’t written so many of these; I thought this was going to be short, but I apparently just can’t do short.

#metal elitism #metal elitists #elitism #purism #purists #black metal #death metal #deathcore #Metalcore #nu metal #blackgaze #hair metal #thrash #thrash metal

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alwaysmarilynmonroe · 7 years ago

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If you’re a Beauty Blogger like myself or a Makeup Lover, then you’ll know that one of the great things about Instagram is discovering hundreds of new Brands, which is how I came across the amazing, L.O.V Cosmetics! After scrolling through their IG Account, I decided I simply had to email them and share my enthusiasm for their products. I wasn’t really expecting a response as I know how many Blogger emails Brands must receive, however, I was so happy to see a reply, offering to send me samples of their cosmetics!

As soon as the package arrived I knew instantly that it was from L.O.V when I saw their beautiful logo on the front of the box. I carefully unwrapped the parcel and found within the box – you guessed it – another box! The presentation was absolutely beautiful, featuring a black matte finish and their statement emblem. As I lifted it open, I noticed a beautiful postcard placed on top of the matte personalized L.O.V wrapping paper, with a message to me. As you can probably guess, I was already highly impressed with the aestheticism, when I noticed a stunning satin pouch filled with makeup!

L.O.V kindly gifted me the following, Lip Affair Color & Care Lip Pencil in 501, Lip Affair Color & Care Lipstick in 501 – Gesine’s Redwood, Unexpected Eyeshadow Matte in 130 – Floral Odyssey, Translucent Loose Powder and Lovinty Long Lasting Nail Lacquer in 320 – Revealing Redwood. Thank you so much, L.O.V!

As soon as I saw the beauty products, I instantly had a good feeling about their quality and staying power and ultimately, they most definitely succeeded!

I think what I love most about the lip products is that the lip pencil and lipstick shades are matching! Therefore, I can wear them separately for a more subtle look or together for a long lasting pigmented pout – and we all know I love a bold lip, so of course I will be following the latter! Both lip products are nude, with brown and orange undertones – instantly it made me think of a 60s Brigitte Bardot shade or a 90s Runway Model, you decide?! Although I’m most definitely a red lipstick lover, I do love to try and mix things up every now and then!

The lip pencil applied creamy and was fully pigmented, I only needed one layer and it was very easy to use, although I’m not really sure what the brush is for? I do appreciate having one though! The lipstick has a perfect oval pointed tip which makes creating your dream pout so much easier, it’s just wonderful. Furthermore, the product feels creamy, non sticky and keeps it’s intense shade as advertised. When converted from euros, the lip pencil is £5.18, whilst the lipstick is £8.64 – very good prices for such good quality products! Also, I have to commend L.O.V on the amount of shades available for each item, there is so much variety to choose from, I could spend hours on their website!

As someone who adores a subtle baby pink eyeshadow, I was thrilled to pieces when I opened the compact and saw Floral Odyssey, a mauve pink shade. This product is one very as buildable, which personally is my favourite style of eyeshadow, as there’s nothing worse than over applying the shade on the first layer. This is most definitely an everyday colour and perfect for the Summer Season! For an evening look I’d simply add a few more layers for a stronger impact and contrast it with another shade, it’s definitely versatile and will work with other colours. This retailed at £5.18 also – another great bargain.

Personally, powder is one of my must have makeup products and it is without doubt an everyday must wear for me. Therefore, seeing the Translucent Loose Powder in my package was a breath of fresh air! Believe it or not, for some bizarre reason, I’ve not owned this style of powder for years and I’m ever so glad I can finally say that is no longer the case! The product also comes with a vintage style powder puff – so cute! As far as I’m aware the powder only comes in this one shade and when converted retails at £10.37.

Last but not least in my package, was the Revealing Redwood Nail Lacquer – a stunning mauve pink shade! I’ll be honest, I haven’t actually worn nail varnish in about five + years, shocking, I know! This was due to the varnishes I was using over time ended up weakening and discolouring my nail beds – so gross. However, this product looks absolutely beautiful and I definitely think I will start to paint my nails again! This price was also £5.18, another great deal!

Each of the products have a beautiful chic look to them, are not tested on animals and are genuine great quality! What could possibly be better? The only downside is, as far as I’m aware the company is currently only offering shipping in Germany, so I’m very fortunate to have been gifted some of their amazing items! On a positive, through browsing the web, I think there may be stores available throughout Europe and Ireland, but I can’t be 100% sure. Hopefully this will change soon, as everyone deserves to be able to experience this wonderful Brand.

Please note, I pride myself in making sure I write honest reviews and although I was fortunate enough to be gifted these items, I was not told to say any of the following statements I have made.

Have you got any L.O.V Cosmetics in your Makeup Collection? If so, what’s your favourite product?

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L.O.V Cosmetics. If you're a Beauty Blogger like myself or a Makeup Lover, then you'll know that one of the great things about Instagram is discovering hundreds of new Brands, which is how I came across the amazing, …

#lov cosmetics #bblogger #gifted #makeup

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a-dangerpdx · 8 years ago

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Cycling Cuba, Fixed Gear

If white-sand beaches, bike culture, architecture, friendly people and vintage cars are your jam, hop down to Cuba! (Edit: sadly, because of Trump, some of the following info about traveling to Cuba is no longer accurate).

Getting to Cuba

Access is simpler now than its been in decades. Non-stop fights from LAX are currently under $180. Food, rooms and booze are remarkably inexpensive. Go now before the unique, time-capsule nature of the island changes.

Americans can’t visit Cuba as a tourist, however at the airport, you’ll be asked to choose one of 12 reasons why you’re visiting. For example, if you’re an artist, an educator or a photographer (who isn’t?), you’re legit. You can fly directly from the US-it’s no longer necessary to travel through Mexico or Canada. You do not need to go with a group or a tour company. You’ll need to purchase a tourist visa at the airport before your flight (the airline makes this really easy). You’ll also need to travel with health insurance, but it’s included with the cost of your airline ticket. Keep your ticket stub with you while in Cuba as proof.

Getting Your Bike to Cuba

You have to want it. Some take a beater bike to Cuba, ride it and just leave it there when vacation is over. I went a different route.

The airline I flew on currently has a “luggage embargo” to Cuba which meant two things: cardboard boxes were prohibited and so was oversized luggage. “Oversized luggage” means anything over 61 linear inches, or a standard suitcase. If you have a Brompton folding bike or an S&S coupled frame that fits in standard sized luggage, you’re set. My ‘93 Cannondale Track bike complicated things. I found a solution with Rüster’s Armored Hen House bags (http://rustersports.com/cases/) that allowed me to pack the frame and components in one bag and the wheels in another, each bag meeting the 61 linear inch restriction. Each bag is standard-sized, checked luggage (no oversized luggage fees!).

Black Star bags also has a product they claim will work but I opted for Rüster for the integrated, protective padding and luggage wheels which eased handling multiple pieces of luggage during travel. Rüster claims that their bags will fit nearly any full-sized bike with the crank installed but that wasn’t the case for me. My 55cm track frame would not fit in the frame bag unless I removed the drive-side crank and packed it in the frame bag upside down of their packing recommendation (bottom bracket down instead of up as shown in their packing instructions video).

The frame bag accommodated all of my components, tools, back-up tubes/tire and even some clothing. The wheel bag has ample room to pack clothing around the wheels. It’s possible that other airlines have different regulations, but *check* so you aren’t surprised, like I was. Props to Rüster for hustling my bags in the mail to me at the very last minute. The bags did a stellar job of protecting my bike.

When I arrived at luggage claim in Havana, I saw a bike on the luggage conveyor that was fully built and shrunk-wrapped (except the pedals, front wheels and bars)! Seemed oversized but somehow it made the cut!

Riding in Havana

My preference is city riding, so I’m unable to report on the longer road-riding opportunities that Cuba boasts. If urban exploration is exciting for you, Havana is spectacular riding. The cars stay on the periphery of the city (and are not particularly accommodating of bikes) but the tangle of inner neighborhood streets are optimal for riding if you have some decent bike handling skills. Most bikes you’ll see there are pedicabs but you’ll spot a few workhorse MTB and bmx-style bikes as well. We took a bicitaxi to our casa particular.

You’ll be sharing the roads with mostly pedicabs, pedestrians and horse drawn carts. The deterioration in the city is stunningly beautiful: abandoned structures including palaces, theaters, factories and mansions are readily accessible for exploration.

There is no better way to cover maximum ground in Havana than by bike. Roads are mostly in fair condition, but there are some impressive potholes and some areas of town look like they’ve been mortar shelled. Additionally, city infrastructure repair happens without the barricades that Americans are accustomed to. You may happen upon a 2 foot-deep cut in the pavement with no warnings. Heads up and sharpen those CX skills before you go!

I bought Schwalbe Marathon 25c tires for the trip (the largest size I can run on my Cannondale) and didn’t regret it. Miraculously, no flats despite the shrapnel cocktail of glass, metal, pot holes, thorns etc we encountered. My girl did flat once on her Brompton from a shard of glass. Easy fix because we had all of the tools/supplies.

There are very few stores, particularly those that carry cycling gear. Supplies are really tough to come by so anticipate every possible scenario and come prepared (spokes, tools, tires, tubes, patch kits, etc). If you’re willing: bring extra bike components/supplies with you and donate to a local bike shop. They are grateful and in dire need of supplies.

Riding fixed gear was ideal. The simplicity of the drive train allowed me to rebuild the bike in less than 15 minutes. Terrain is mostly flat with only a few small hills. 46x17 worked great for me as savoring the sights was my focus, not speed.

After a bit over a week, we left Havana for Varadero (the beach) for a few days. I took the wheels off my bike and it easily fit in the back of one of the enormous, vintage (1950’s) American cars used daily.

The beaches were magnificent.

The “lifeguard” at our beach was coring out fresh pineapples, filling them with piña colada, topping it with the fresh pineapple meat and selling them for $5. ¡Viva la Revolución!

Riding in Varadero was paradise as we were able to find pristine, unoccupied beaches.

At our favorite beach, a chef from a local restaurant would bring fresh fish to the beach. You choose your fish and he would grill it and bring it back down to the beach with a huge pile of rice, beans and plantains. Really no reason to leave the beach. Ever.

Very few people I encountered knew what a fixed gear bike was. One guy shouted 'piñón fijo!’ as I rode by, but other than him and the one ex-bicycle mechanic I met, everyone else was just really confused about my not having brakes.

People were very interested in our bikes, taking photos and asking how much they cost. Considering that the average “official” Cuban salary is $25 a month (low salaries are offset by free healthcare, education and subsidized living expenses), the question was awkward. You can’t help but be keenly aware of your tremendous privilege.

After a few days at the beach, back to Havana. I had to adapt to the fact that Cuban pedestrians yield to bikes. I would anticipate them continuing in their path, but they’d stop and back up causing a near collision as I was set to go around them. Bikes are king so hold your line! That changes in the tourist areas where once again, pedestrians assume the right of way.

We made the choice not to wear helmets. The only people I saw wearing helmets were kitted-up road riders passing through on their way to an epic road ride. Locals do not wear helmets. Our pace was leisurely as is the pace of Havana, so this decision worked for us.

You don’t see many women riding bikes in Havana but we did run across a bike rental shop operated entirely by women called Vélo Cuba. (VeloenCuba.com). They wrench them, they rent them and will even deliver to your location!

Lodging/Food

Room: $21-$35/day (colonial mansion) Meals: $1.50-$8.00 depending upon how fancy Piña Colada/Mojito: $1.00-$5.00 depending upon how swanky the location Taxi/Pedicab: lol, you don’t need no stinkin’ cabs. But if you do, cost depends entirely upon your negotiation skills.

Security

I showed up to Cuba with two U locks. Completely unnecessary. Although it was necessary to lock up, it became increasingly obvious that bike theft (or crime in general) is not a chronic condition in Havana.

I free-locked my bike when at restaurants where I sat in sight of my bike, and when my bike was out of sight, locked it Sheldon Brown style with a U lock around the wheel through the rear triangle. Law enforcement is everywhere at all times and tourists are valued and revered. Locals steer clear of any disputes with a tourist because (for better or worse) the cops will always side with the tourist.

There are precious few places to lock a bike. Locking to State property (like street signs) is frowned upon but storekeepers were incredibly generous in allowing us to lock to their gates. Some of them even offered to keep our bikes behind the counter (tip them for watching your bike. 50 cents or 1 CUC is adequate). You pay more than that to use restrooms in Cuba (no, really).

As two women traveling by bike, riding at *ALL* hours of day and night in every corner of Havana including the most impoverished neighborhoods and swankiest avenues, there was never a moment during our entire two weeks we felt unsafe. Men are respectful, friendly and civilized with none of the rude/lewd/harassing behavior that women often experience in the States.

Invest in a really high quality headlight if you plan to ride at night. Potholes will swallow you alive!

Frankenbikes

It pays to know a bit of history before embarking to Cuba to have adequate respect for the unsurpassed ingenuity and perseverance demonstrated by the Cuban people.

The short-and-dirty version is that in the mid-80’s, the Soviet Union (the country’s primary source of trade) was in economic turmoil, and withdrew economic support of Cuba leaving it essentially paralyzed. This, coupled with a US trade embargo made all products (including food) impossible to get. During this time, Cubans showed remarkable ingenuity surviving only with what they had. For example, bicycle inner tubes were fabricated out of recycled car tires. You can see evidence of the “Special Period” as it was known in some of the fascinating and creative cargo bikes in Havana. The headset adaptations alone were remarkable! Bikes are very hard-working in Cuba with a creative variety of cargo bikes.

Other Non-bike Things you Might Want to Know

Internet? LOL. There is no internet in people’s homes. Some hotels have wifi and there are public parks that have wifi. Regardless of where you find wifi, you must pay to use it. You purchase cards with a scratch off code. To access the internet, login with your code. You’ll know you’ve found wifi when you see hoards of young people lined up staring at their devices. Usually outside of hotels or in public wifi parks.

The cost for one hour of internet varies depending on how long you want to wait in line for a card. $1.50 for a 60 min card if you want to stand in a long line, or $4-5 (for an 80 minute card) if you want to buy one marked up in a hotel, instantly. Cubans can’t buy them in hotels, only tourists, so no lines. But you pay. Once you’re on: prepare for some slowwwww action. We’d go days without bothering to sign on because it was too annoying.

Toilet Paper? LOL. There isn’t any. Bring some. Because of the US embargo, the TP comes from China. Tiny rolls, and it’s challenging to find, so there really just isn’t much of it around. We started hoarding squares whenever we could. Bring it to restaurants!

Spanish: be respectful and learn some. Cubans haven’t had much reason to learn English, so pick up some basic phrases in Spanish and download the Google Translate app (which we found invaluable, and it works while offline). Don’t continually speak English and expect to be understood! People are extremely gracious about working with you to reach understanding. I was grateful for their kindness and good humor considering my rudimentary Spanish.

It’s illegal for Cubans to kill cows or catch lobster. They risk jail. So even though beef and lobster is readily available in stores and restaurants, it can only be harvested by the government and is too expensive for most Cubans. As a result of this longstanding policy, Cubans haven’t really developed much of a taste for beef.

You’ll eat a lot of chicken, pork and fresh fish. Most meals come with fried plantains, rice, beans, salad and yuca con mojo. Vegetarians/Vegans might be slightly challenged as there are meat and dairy-free offerings, just possibly not much variety.

Rum is literally cheaper than water.

We were advised not to drink the water. We did consume ice in our drinks, with no problem. It was suggested that the ice is not made from tap water, but purchased from a company.

Money: bring cash. Due to the US embargo against Cuba, our banks don’t talk to theirs which means you can’t use credit cards or ATMs. You can exchange USD there but you get a better exchange rate for Euros or Canadian dollars. We bought Euros and CAD in the States and exchanged funds as necessary. There are two Cuban currencies so do your homework so you understand the difference. We dealt exclusively in CUC which was easy because 1CUC is equivalent to 1 USD.

Words of Wisdom If You’re Considering Going

A good experience in Cuba will take some preparation and awareness. Watch some documentaries about Cuba to hone your expectations and develop an understanding of the differences in our political and economic structures. Don’t expect to do your research when you arrive: internet is *not* at your fingertips. Download maps, research restaurants and lodging before you arrive and be patient with the pace of life there. Be open-minded, observant and value the cultural experience. This is not Cabo, it’s Cuba. Adjust your expectations and do your homework before you leave so that you have a healthy appreciation for the magnificent history and resilience of the people. It’s a gorgeous place with generous and kind people. I’m already looking forward to returning to Havana but also exploring other cities by bike. Rubber side down, friends!

See more photos of my cycling adventures on Instagram: adangerpdx https://www.instagram.com/adangerpdx/?hl=en

#cuba fixed gear fixedgear havana habana lahabana cubabybike cannondale cannondaletrack biketravel cycling travel fixedgear

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kremlin · 3 years ago

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here's an oldie (probably 2/5 stars imo)

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i've never worked a night shift before. it's been about three weeks and i am only starting to get in the swing of things being wide awake and ready to wind down with a beer at 7:30 AM on a tuesday is a strange place to suddenly be. living in a suddenly frozen desert swamp sort of adds to that uncanni-ness. it has frozen in texas and my pipes are cracked and broken there is almost no part of this shanty house that isn't elligible to join the AARP. it's one of the last ranch style ramblers left in montrose, all of the others have been replaced by bizzare brutalist white cube apartments which i assume house pod people our ballbusting 900 year old landlady (slum lord) sent out the handyman steve. steve is not a plumber which is a point expressly made to me, by steven, several times we were not forewarned of this & steve's arrival came unexpectedly 8:00 AM thursday morning is now my time to furiously discuss drugs, on drugs, with internet strangers soon to be nebulous internet acquaintances, then friends, then perhaps even those friends from the internet you've known for a decade suddenly from my desk, if the door is open, i catch about a half-degree of the window facing the backdoor. a full degree if i lean back. i lean back as to kind of avoid the bizzare reality that the other players of the space game seem to deal with the same problems i do at an alarming frequency. i lean back There;s a fucking guy back there angry at the fact that i have to now deal with this, i find our friend steve in the back yard, sauntering around, muttering to himself in a way that's between mumbling but below speaking "surely that man has a blue tooth head set" but i was already smiling wide knowing he didn't. if you're going to appear in my backyard unannounced, milling around babbling to yourself is the way to do it steve doesn't really speak english. you'll read that and think he's like any other non english speaker but that is not the case with steve. steve will get out about four or five sentences in perfectly spoken english before switching to (hindi?) for a bit. you'd think that if 80% of his communication was clear, that'd be enough for mutual understanding, but steve is all over the place steve was furiously pacing around the broken pipe when i got to the back door. that is a fact i'm only coming to realize is important now, writing this, because the person standing near a broken pipe with a wrench is a plumber, someone who is allowed in my back yard in this circumstance HEY YO i tried to whistle but made a stupid faring noise with my mouth he swings around at the perfect moment to make my sudden departure all the more awkward as i realized how waistbanding a pistol in sweat pants was extremely not working. remember where we are by the time im out of my room steve has his head poked through the back door YOU COULD NOT WITH YOUR FINGER POINT A WORSE PLACE FOR PIPE BREAK and boy howdy he was right. if you're going to break a pipe, don't make it the one between your meter and a valve, and especially don't make it one on the ground next to the garage you keep all your weirdo electronics and "vintage computers" you "collect" i sort of like plumbing. i've done some plumbing. there's an illegal stipulation in our lease that lets the landlord, you know, just not maintain the place. with my engineering background i am of course compelled to think i am somehow qualified to solve these problems. i'd like to use the expression "dive into with full force" to describe my approach but combine that with the imagery of a blind person gracefully swan diving into an empty concrete swimming pool but this is not about me, i am not particularly interesting. -- steve. steve is sort of interesting. his murmuring grew to a breathless combination of words which i thankfully mostly understood (individually, not collectively). steve was upset with the pipe situation to be described later in this document's best paragraph. he was upset at the last person to work on the pipes here because they fucked up. he was amused by how preposterously

inconvenient the broken pipe lay. this amusement was not anger what followed next was clearly anger. perplexed, astounded anger ice on the ground is something you see once every 4 years in (excellent) swamp i live in. it's a pretty reasonable assumption that a broken pipe after a freeze/melt cycle is due to the freeze/melt cycle this was not the case the pipe had ruptured due to a sequence of truly insane and utterly nonsensical choices made by the previous plumber who almost certainly kicked the bucket in the reagan years as suggested by the lead solder used to seal joints and lead paint used to, well, just hold on the pipe burst because a large metal rod was inserted *through* it. the details on exactly what went down are a little fuzzy as my simian mind was preoccupied with thoughts about some weird software that started as a fluid dynamics simulator and is now a physics simulator and an insane person simulator. i would digress and expound on this but my thoughts aren't yet settled on the space game the rod went through the pipe and into the ground, on the other end were rusty wires. it is a grounding rod, you know, for electricity. i unfortunately know a litle bit about this. you can ground a circuit through a cold water tap, like when you're lining the fence with copper wire to create a makeshift shortwave antenna with your weird kind of racist dad. water is conductive. more commonly the rod goes into the ground, which is also usually conductive so, this grounding rod, sitting between a 3 foot gap between the back of the garage and fence, an overgrown mess of decades of detritus and weeds that had grown into vines that had grown into weird anemic trees. this grounding rod was painted. it didn't come painted. it was painted. it was painted the same color as the garage. paint is not conductive. the circuitry in my house was not grounded. thankfully there is no ground pin on the outlets in this ancient home besides the one i strangely installed one day. the amp plugged into it now gives a hum where it didn't before. the ground was subsequently disconnected to eliminate the ground loop as we are in our early 20s and cannot die, especially not in an electrical fire it's sort of nice to know that even back in the 1940s people screwed up as royally and maximally as possible, employing such a degree of backwards demented logic as you'd expect from a home owner's association bylaws handbook or normal computer software anyways, steve, ohoho. oh boy. steve did not fuck with this at all. steve, the man who is self purportedly not a plumber, immediately took to the valve between the city's water main and our house with the wrong implement. an implement used to unwrench joints around a u-bend underneath a sink. it worked perfectly `I just use this for many valve. It works mostly. No need for heavy T` (steve's parlance doesn't transcribe to text very well) steve continued, `Too many tools is too bad. I use this one for tiling and for drywall and for ducks` (ducts?) he spoke while gesturing listlessly at nothing in particular. it became clear that steve's limited, nebulous tool set was carefully chosen. when you are the un-fuck-it man for an ice queen landlord you sort of have to be a plumber and an electrician and a roofer and sometimes a debt collector. the arcane set of tools used to approximate all of these trades made a bit more sense the lack of a monkey wrench did not make sense. none of steve's esoteric implements could wrench like we needed them too. i offered to purchase one from the nearby hardware store which was a great excuse for me to go to the nearby hardware store and purchase a monkey wrench, *my* monkey wrench. steve objected but i was deadset. i was buying a wrench today. the newly purchased wrench calmed two agitated souls: one was drowning in thoughts about drugs and space and coincidence. the other was angry he couldn't wrench down a pipe joint a few hours passed. several trips were made to the hardware store by my roommates and the new tennant in the garage apartment, less than $20 was

spent. i sort of farted around not helping while getting jawed at by steve who had permenently changed the subject to grand life philosophies. i'm about the last person that'll tolerate some windbag wasting my time, but between the fun of trying to decipher what the fuck steve was saying and what language (or nonsense utterances) he'd conclude thoughts with, i realized that his sensical words actually, uhh, rang true steve believes in doing a good job. read that last sentence without the disinterested, vaguely-trying-to-be-funny style this document has maintained so far this hit me on a deeper level than i was expecting i'm young and do not really understand the world very well. i'm not so young that i'm blind to the depths of what there is to understand about this world, i'm allegedly content with the resignation that for the time being i'm sort of a dumbass and will continue to be a dumbass in the future, although less so hopefully i'm going to tell you that i believe in "doing a good job", "doing things properly", "taking your time to properly solve a problem", or "solving a problem for the sake of solving a problem and nothing else". i am going to tell you that these are some of strongest and earnestly compulsions i feel. i'm not lying when i write this but i wasn't lying when admitted to how little i understand anything at all, so maybe weigh those two facts against each other nearing 200 lines, i realize i have spent the hours meant for sleeping writing a truly innappropriately verbose wall of text all because of how stoked i was that an angry muttering tom bombadil character spent an extra 45 minutes to fix a pipe properly the new pipe was measured and cut, threaded. steve's measuring tape is interspliced with further, smaller graduations he hand-scratched into a long measuring tape. the previous graduations on the tape presented steve with an unsuitably low resolution of 1/8th of an inch i'd guess this was a 12 foot measuring tape. i never saw the end of the graduations, i don't doubt for a second they extend the entire length of the tape. do you know how many notches you'd have to painstakingly scratch on to a 12 ft measuring tape to change it from 1/8" -> 1/16". well, don't: 1152 steve might be a little nuts but holy shit a master plumber could not have done a better job. the dude fuckin laid on his back, in the small pond of pipeleak water, so as to see up a length of fixed pipe so he could better lay teflon tape on the *inside threaded surface of the pipe joint*. i challenge you to try and imagine what such a manuever would be like, considering the damp slimy pipe surface, the fucking hell that is teflon tape (fuck teflon tape) all while laying in a pool of possum water at the impossibly cold temperature of 45 F my pipes don't leak anymore. there is no longer a bizzaro steel rod puncturing the most critical pipe on this property. i own a monkey wrench when i did not this morning. i am thinking less anxiously about the space game, still. me and steve sat around smoking cigarettes and communicating with each other through a method i can't describe but wasn't reliant on words. we talked about the virtues of work ethic and then we talked about those that have broken our hearts. the conversation, as well as this text, ended with a solemn mutual acknowlegement of how terrifying electricity is and how terrified of electricity we are

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heavenlytraders-blog · 5 years ago

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Furniture Shopping On-Line

Shopping for furniture on-Line is only the right choice for you if you need to revise your current design or if you want to purchase another furniture scheme. Furniture shopping On-line Select a comparatively endless selection of furniture choices. Nobody understands that Internet Shopping is more efficient, and that is not so confusing. A few buyers do not wish to shop on the web in all respects. The online stores have several advantages of purchasing internet furnishings which can persuade you to change your views. Wide show of the furnishings: because there are a broad array of furniture available in an online shop. You have choices and only have a tick to your room or your living room. Not all products you bought online will be the same as neighboring furniture stores. Online stores are diverse for their unmixed contours and styles. There is no down-to-earth shopping: you could not hold yourself in line or handle agonizing sales agents. You don't have to go out or stand at rush hour in a gridlock. You can help all your family without going to separate shops selecting mobilizers. Basically, you can sign-up for shopping online on your PC, pick your favourite Internet furniture store, and see your favourite products on your shop display. To find out more... Different offers and discounts: you're primarily accountable for non-physical organizations when you're looking for furnishings on the web. No business spaces must be rented because organizations do not have a physical presence. Consequently, they cost less labor. Therefore, online shops constantly offer their product a decent discount. Worse still, online furniture stores offer exemplary and up-to-date furniture. The designer's furniture are confident. Therefore, you can get your beloved without pressure if you need vintage or modern furniture. You can actually buy if you close all the furniture shops in the evening. Internet shopping is minimal and free so that your shopping experience can be altered. Client advantages: Clients enjoy 24x7 internet furniture stores. Therefore, when the customer suits furniture, he can always discover a solution. You are supported correctly by the master and humble client officer. Free shipping advantages: certain shops provide free shipping. Free shipping benefits: this is certainly a favorite view as you are able to spare a substantial share of the transport price. New patterns of mobilization: Online furniture shops confidently decorate household goods that are highly unique and keep your standard. Fresh designs and not only today's furniture are accessible in vintage furnishings. A section of the stuck furniture shops combines the latest style with the vintage style and manufacture restrictive family products. Another favored opinion in an online shop is that you can store with true peaceful feelings. A mischievous sales representative does not disturb you. You can choose your home product without any effort to purchase. For more information please visit www.heavenlytraders.com.au

#Dumbbell Set For Sale Cheap Artificial Grass Melbourne Officeworks Laptops Ride On Cars Melbourne

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westergaardkrebs3-blog · 7 years ago

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Fat Troll.

Gina: Free board games leasing that could dip into dining establishment/ bar beside go shopping. Personally I have actually always enjoyed video game box artwork, the thought of saving away or even worse still, getting rid of boxes causes me some issues. PC gaming addicts also have a substantial selection of PC video games as well as Mac games to select from, in addition to devices such as video game controllers, joysticks, and also competing wheels. Armando understands his things, as well as could assist you choose a game you will like, or address concerns you may have. Beyond running competitions in stores weekly, the team likewise shows Magic at many conventions with a huge, specialized personnel of knowledgeable educators. UPDATE: Hey there everyone, the concern with the in-game store for Toy Soldiers 3 Battle Chest on COMPUTER should now be settled. Prices is affordable as well as extremely reasonable to on-line prices, so I'm constantly greater than happy in order to help with local organisations as well as offer Pixel Safe my assistance Jose is an excellent owner, constantly open up to start a discussion with, and also routinely messages new inventory online as well as on his social networks- so if you are an existing or retro game collector, check this place out!! Adrenaline is a First Person Shooter in parlor game type, drawing in classic video game feelings like carrying tons of tools as well as hectic gameplay. A criminal offense fiction video game with non-linear narration, Her Story focuses on an authorities data source full of online activity video clip footage. Every box of Modern Masters 2017 Edition has 24 booster packs-each with fifteen arbitrarily put video game cards, consisting of one costs card in every pack-making it best for interesting Draft play. As long as we all want to sustain our neighborhood video game store, it's tough with the convenience of Amazon.com in my face. If sci-fi is extra your style, we recommend Android: Netrunner, an asymmetrical card game of hacking as well as bluffing. It's a blast for intoxicated adults and also young youngsters, which is the actual statistics for an effective mastery game. Netrunner is made in the Living Card Game format, where new packs of details cards and developments are released often. Jose is a great owner, always open up to begin a discussion with, as well as consistently articles new supply online as well as on his social networks- so if you are a existing or vintage game enthusiast, inspect this place out!! Partners during this program should be enabled to check out all sides of their challenger's cards to much better comprehend exactly what is taking place during a video game. A significant case with a 6mm thick lid to shield this costly video game and also it's elements. Steam (Software application). For each game offered (over $40) before Christmas, we will be donating a game to Toy Mountain and also the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau Assistance our drive as well as make Xmas early morning wonderful for a fledgling brand-new board player. Many thanks for voting us the Third Best Game Store in Vancouver (Fourth really, however alternate facts are currently facts). In this manner your financial investment is secured as well as if you prefer to market your video game later you won't decline for not having the original box. The journey drags on as I better my search for a great videogame store in southern The golden state. In spite of this, his enthusiasm for video games led him to back to being a business owner as a shopkeeper, where he is once more on his own in regards to salary and also advantages. It's a solid manage-your-time-and-money type game laid over the intellectual problem of figuring out which active ingredients have which residential or commercial properties. General 9/10 Pixel Vault is your home town retro video game shop that stands out at what regional organisations need to be - excellent client service, choice, and individual service.

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