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secretradiobrooklyn · 4 years ago

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SECRET RADIO | 10.3.20 & 10.10.20 Combo

Secret Radio | 10.3 & 10.10 | Hear it here.

Liner notes by Evan except *, artwork by Paige

1. The Modern Lovers - “Roadrunner”

Can there be, can there ever be, a better hittin’ the road song than this? Not to me, not to us. “I’m in love with modern moonlight… I’m in love with the radio on” This song brings everything that makes rock so fundamentally exciting: the straightforward beat, electric guitars, electric keys, that sense of complete freedom with your gang in the backseat singing the chorus.

2. Swell Maps - “Full Moon In My Pocket”

It pains me to admit that I cannot remember the name of the pasteup guy at the Rocket who used to tell me about the bands he loved, and that he thought I’d dig. I was so, SO into Pavement at the time, head over heels, and he did a great job of acquainting me with some of their precedents, handing off tape comps with songs from Young Marble Giants, Au Pairs, Swell Maps, and so much more. One of the tapes had this song, in two versions actually: this one, and an a cappella version, which sounds very poncey except it was the same take as this, bouncing with reverb and attitude. On our long drive from the woods to the city, a full moon hung in front of us like a carrot on a stick, and I started singing this song before I even realized it. Whatever the name of that super-awesome pasteup guy (Tom? I feel like it was Tom), I just want to tell him: I’m sorry, I’ve always been bad at remembering names, but I’ve never forgotten those tapes. Thank you.

3. Assa Cica - “Yokpo Wa Non Kpo Hami”

When we were first getting into Beninese rock, it was Antoine Dougbé who pulled us down the rabbit hole. I figured we couldn’t be alone — his songs are the standouts on “Legends of Benin.” But there’s practically nothing to be found. I eventually found myself at Discogs, marveling at the sheer number of names that T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo went by and sifting through music looking for signs of Dougbé. I eventually found this album, and not just the voice but the whole style of the band convinced me that Assa-Cica was somehow another name Dougbé went by. After some discussion, Paige and I bought our first Beninese record. In the weeks that it took to arrive, we learned a lot more about Dougbé, including the fact that he’s not actually the singer on those songs! But also I don’t think Assa-Cica is the singer on this song either! We did turn out to love every song on this record, but this one is my personal favorite, just a barnburner with disco roots. Every time I listen to it I try to imagine the cultural and personal forces that brought it into being, and it only gets more absorbing.

4. Eko Roosevelt - “Me To A De Try My Own”

T.P. Orchestre research also brought me to an album they did with Betti-Betti (or Beti-Beti), a Cameroonian singer whose tracks eventually led to Eko Roosevelt. I don’t get down with all of the music of his that I’ve heard, but this one just brings a smile to my face every time. I love the patois he sings in, where recognizable words rise suddenly out of the bubbling disco bass and the good-natured horn sections. I would never have guessed that hunting for African voodoo funk would eventually reveal a path to appreciating disco… but I’m glad that it has. I mean, I spent whole years of my life thinking that horns had no place in rock music, so what the hell do I know?

5. Jacqueline Taïeb - “Le coeur au bout des doigts”

6. T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - “Non Gbeto Do Mahu Tche”

This 7” is from that rich early period of T.P. Orchestre (this one is I think from ’72) where the arrangements are hand-drum heavy but the organ and guitar are funk. The vocal is — I don’t know what it is, it’s a genre I hadn’t heard until I heard this band in this period.

7. Los Wembler’s de Iquitos - “Llanto en la Selva”

8. Iggy Pop “The Passenger”*

I’ve always thought this was one of Iggy Pop’s finest outside of his work with Stooges. I think I also always liked it because I am most often the passenger. I really really don’t like driving. I really avoid it. I have a driver’s license but boy do I not like to use it. There aren’t really a lot of songs about riding in the passenger seat that are positive or cool that I can think of besides this one and Art Brut’s “I Love Public Transportation”.

This album also makes me think of Shena’s old place on Damen Ave. in Wicker Park Chicago. This record and of course Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”.

Hope you had a great birthday Shena!

9. Jacques Dutronc - “Les Gens Sont Flous”

The things that gets me about the song are: that single bass note that plunges every time in the verse, the shaker in the chorus, and that freakin triangle hit that happens on the coolest possible beat throughout the entire song. I fully intend to lift that idea into another song if I can find the right spot for it.

10. Jimi Hendrix - “Third Stone From The Sun”

This goes down as one of the greatest rock recordings in history. Every time I swoon at the guitar phrases, the bass line, the drums, the weird low chaos of his slowed down vocals. Truly a masterpiece, capped off by the final minute of beautiful noise that sounds like planets in motion.

11. Björk Gu∂mundsdóttir and tríó Guðmundar Ingólfssonar - Gling-Gló - “Bella Simamaer”

12. Ayalew Mesfin - “Gedawo (The Hero)”

The first 20 seconds of this song are crucial, because it establishes the 4/4 rhythm that’s coursing under the 3/4 handclap. That is such a killer rhythmic feel I can hardly stand it. I only wish they’d pull out the handclap in the middle, just for a handful of measures, and then bring em in again. Meanwhile, Mesfin’s vocal approach is so intense!

Entr’Acte - “Phantom of the Opera Entr’Acte”*

We figured we needed an Entr’Acte to denote the change in vibe from trying to stay alert and amped on the turnpike to being back home in Brooklyn. Half of this broadcast was made in the front seat of the van on our drive back to NY after our recent visit to the Midwest where we stayed in the woods the majority of the time with a couple of runs to St. Louis to pick up Banh Mi So and tofu Laap.

Evan and I have this thing we call “Disney Reptile Brain” but before that I should explain, Evan and I have this other thing we call “different high schools.” We have an age difference that we mostly don’t notice but every now and then there will be some cultural touchstone and one of us is like “What!? You don’t remember that!?” and we’re like “Ahh, different high schools!” So something like, the year 1994, Evan might remember it as when Kurt Cobain died, and I’ll remember it as the year “The Lion King” came out.

So, Evan missed all the of the major releases by Disney from that time – Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Lion King, etc. – and thus he can see how ridiculously bad these remakes are in a way that I can’t. He says that you have to “Disney Reptile brain” to fully see the movie, that you have to have the animated version playing in your mind’s eye at the same time you're watching these “live action” remakes or they don’t make any sense. And it’s true, for me and lots of other people I know born between 1984 and 1990 we experience this when watching these films, like you already know it so well and know what’s going to happen it’s more like some sort of ritual, incantation, or reenactment of a feeling.

So, that’s Disney Reptile Brain. And if you’re like, wait, but this is Phantom of the Opera and that’s not Disney. You’re right, but it turns out Reptile Brain is a thing that can happen with musicals and ALW stuff is perfect for it. (Evita! Evita!) I am helpless when I hear this music which I got into around the same time that I was devouring Disney VHS, even though I hear it now and it’s SO. SILLY. But when I hear this melody, I’m like right there, on the boat with Christine and the Phantom. I’m like a cat picked up by the scruff and I’m just completely engrossed and I can’t unlearn that feeling. If you’ve seen Phantom at all recently, it is straight up hilarious kid stuff, like how it starts with an auction of lot #666, and the phantom is like this super moody broody guy who writes passive aggressive notes to everyone. I now can hear it as so funny and so square, but what you’re hearing on this track is my reptile brain in full effect.

Next time this music comes around, we’ll get into how Christine is Professor X and Magnito is the Phantom...

14. Sunny Blacks Band - “Holonon Die”

Ha! I said plenty about this song on air. Suffice it to say I’ve been getting obsessed with Meloclém and his performances. It’s really hard to find out anything about him, so this early track makes me really happy. I think this is sung in Fon.

15. Yo La Tengo - “False Alarm”

Alongside “Third Stone from the Sun,” another of my all-time favorite recordings ever. Yo La Tengo was a key protein in learning about rock music, starting with the album “Painful” and hitting a peak not just on this album but specifically this song. Alongside a vivid memory of Sean N., I helplessly air-keyboard to it, air-drum to it, dance my face off. By that final phrase I’m all worn out.

16. Meas Samon & So Savoeun - Hits Collection

We don’t really know anything about this song, including its title. It’s from a cassette called “Hits Collection.” We know Meas Samon from other sources, but I have no idea what they’re talking about and what is happening in this song, though I will say the tape warping on the entire fabric of the track is absolutely delicious.

17. Syna So Pro - “Fengyang Song”

I feel so proud of Syna So Pro and St. Louis introducing this track. The first time we saw her perform this song was live at El Leñador, and it was a knockout. She (they?) used a looping pedal situation to build this huge harmonic structure in real time. I believe she may be studying Chinese, but I know she’s studying Chinese music. There’s this and one other amazing Chinese song in addition to her many songs in English on her album “Vox.”

Nino Rota

18. Fela Kuti - “Open & Close”

I would listen to this whole song just for the Tony Allen solo in the early middle — but I also love how the song is so long that even a solo as particular as that one gets swallowed back up into the totality of the track (though he has many amazing passages throughout). The emotional equilibrium of the horns is cautiously optimistic. And I find myself thinking about the passage that goes “Let me tell you a story: open and close,” and how “open and close” is a narrative in action right there in three words. What was open has closed. It’s clearly a big change, a serious shift. Once open, now closed. Why? What changes as a result? Did anyone get hurt in the closing?

19. France Gall - “Celui Que J’aime”*

In the theme of “songs that got away�� (see “Muxima”) this is one that I was thrilled to find again! I heard it on Jeff Hess’s show on KDHX many years ago. It set me on a France Gall odyssey. I bought albums and collections, and none of them had this song. I think her tone is probably my favorite female vocal tone, and she’s also one of my favorite singers in her delivery. This one is very different than some of the other stuff I associate with her but I think it’s still my favorite of hers.

20. Ely - “As Turbinas Estao Ligadas”

Now Again Records put out a collection called “Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas” and it’s got as much tone as the title boasts. Credit due to “vinyl archaeologist” Joel Stones for tracking down songs like these and putting them within reach. This is one among several favorites and a true hit.

21. Tulia - “Pali się (Fire of Love)”

Speaking of true hits: welcome to the world of EuroVision, where music is a medium for international competition. This song is Poland’s entry for 2019. We spent an amazing week with our friends Phil and Archie driving between Cambridgeshire and London singing along with all of the finalists of that year’s competition. It’s a fascinating idea, this vote-based international struggle turning into a final victor that somehow expresses the zeitgeist of ALL OF THOSE COUNTRIES TOGETHER — because it’s not just Europe, it’s Israel and Australia. Also amazing is that this isn’t just some scheme cooked up in the reality TV era: this has been going on for decades. In fact, France Gall was the EuroVision winner in 1965 — for Luxembourg!

22. Luigi Tenco - “Ciao Amore Ciao”

Likewise, this song was in international competition. It was sung by Egyptian-born French superstar Dalida. We saw an eponymous movie about her at the St. Louis International Film Festival in 2017 and she was a completely engrossing character. I’m not totally sold on this song as she sings it — but I love Luigi Tenco’s version. And man what a looker! He died young by his own hand, and she died too young by her own hand, and that is about as French as it gets.

23. Marijata - “I Walk Alone”

“This Is Marijata” is the sound of Ghana in 1976. I was talking about Marijata with Josh Weinstein recently, and he reminded me of this song and how much I dig it. It’s got that slow burn organ in the background, the slightly clumsy percussion in the foreground, those freighted vocals — but when it gets to the chorus, as the organ hook gives way to the horn hook, that’s when it truly hits its stride. And by the time we disappear into the fadeout, it has become fully epic.

24. Lijadu Sisters - “Life’s Gone Down Low”

To my ears it really feels like this song could have been released this year, rather than in 1976. What the hell was going on in West Africa that year? I feel like we could put together a great mix of songs just from that single year from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin and Ivory Coast. The Lijadu Sisters (Taiwo and Kehinde, actual identical twins) put out their first album in 1969; by their third album, “Danger,” the source of this song, they were huge stars in Nigeria and played with Ginger Baker, Art Blakey, and so on. They eventually moved to Harlem and lived together their whole lives, until Kehinde passed a little less than a year ago.

25. Os Kiezos - “Muxima”*

As mentioned, I heard this song in a video work by Alfredo Jaar at the Art Institute of Chicago. You can read about the piece here. I learned that “Muxima” is an Angolan folk song and in the video of the same title there are, I believe, 5 different versions of the song. One particular one – the one that pulled me into the room where the video was playing on loop – was a gorgeous vocal arrangement. I even tried shazaming it. No dice. So I wrote it down and started looking for the song, the particular arrangement. I bought a collection of Angolan music because I saw the song on it. That’s the one you heard on this broadcast and it is a recording that I now really love. I periodically keep looking for other versions of the song, hoping I’ll come across that missing version though. I thought I got close this week when I found Duo Ouro Negro’s version. (Worth checking out!) That one from the video though, still haunts me! It’s been 9 years now, I wonder if I would recognize it but I think I would. I guess the next thing I can try is a shot in the dark email to Alfredo Jaar. This is and one other song share the top spot of “songs that got away” the other one is some beautiful song that was coming from a small radio from a group of old Puerto Rican guys who were playing cards on the sidewalk on South 3rd street in Williamsburg. We were touring through and staying with our friend in that neighborhood and as we were moving the van I heard this beautiful song coming off the sidewalk. Those guys had great taste.

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shinneth · 5 years ago

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Gem Ascension Tropes (General: F - K)

Refer to the initial post for details on this. Here’s the full version on Google Docs.

Face Your Fears: A good chunk of the main cast go through this at least once.

Lapis goes through this just by agreeing to be part of the rescue effort, as she’s terrified of returning to Homeworld and especially isn’t comfortable with possibly facing the Diamonds again. Commitment is another phobia of hers she learns to overcome, as is fusion.

Peridot’s also terrified of going back to Homeworld, though her case is downplayed due to her devotion to Steven. However, it is revealed in Act II via her Video Wills that Peridot also fears returning to Homeworld will jog unpleasant repressed memories that prove how awful Peridot once was as a Homeworld gem (which ends up coming true). Early on, it’s also shown that Peridot fears defining what Steven means to her; she overcomes that when she finally reunites with Steven in Chapter 5, although she’s very uncertain of what their relationship truly is until much later on in Act III. Peridot is constantly paranoid in Act I that she specifically will not come out of the mission alive, but learns to make peace with it while not giving up on avoiding that fate in any way she can. Act III brings a load of other fears, such as accepting her identity as a Diamond hybrid, her inability to fuse (even post-ascension), and accepting herself as a whole; even the tyrannical monster she once was.

Steven’s faced with accepting that not everybody can be saved every time, he can’t force a situation to work out for the best, he can’t always have things his way, and that his pacifistic nature may very well end up getting one or more of his friends killed… meaning his efforts in going out of his way to preserve all life is actually ending more lives than he’s saving.

Failure is the Only Option: Despite Sapphire’s efforts, her vision of how Act I will conclude will not budge on the detail that the last Crystal Gem to escape, regardless of who it is, will fall and ultimately be left behind on Homeworld. This makes Peridot’s goal of making sure No One Gets Left Behind impossible. Peridot tries to defy it and even insists on being the last to leave – so in a worst-case scenario, the failure she can best live down is one where she’s the one who gets abandoned. Despite her efforts, She Can’t Fight Fate, and she ends up being the only Crystal Gem to fail in her own rescue mission.

Family of Choice: The Crystal Gems were already this, but now the family roughly doubled in size by the time GA ends, with all of them living under the same roof.

Fantasy Sequence: The first half of Our Tomorrow is this. It was deliberately invoked as it’s soon explained that this sequence serves as Steven’s gift to Peridot for her 15th birthday – their individual takes on an almost identical dream they frequently have (featuring them as grown up and Happily Married with plenty of kids) combined to make a complete, fully-realized vision they can both enjoy and aim to make a reality one day.

The Farmer and the Viper: In Chapter 8 of Act III, Steven grants a defeated White Diamond an Energy Donation upon request. Even he knows this is a bad idea, but justifies it by acknowledging that the final second chance he’s granting White Diamond now won’t mean anything if she can’t survive Homeworld’s impending destruction. Of course, mere minutes later after being granted this mercy, White Diamond fires an attack straight at Steven and his friends while his back is turned using the very energy he gave her. Her efforts are thwarted by Peridot, who teases a Backstab Backfire in her Tranquil Fury, but refrains from shattering her in favor of savoring the abject horror she inflicted on a Diamond.

Flirting Under Fire: Peridot does this with Rainbow Quartz 2.0, of all people, in Chapter 6 of Act III, though she’s clearly addressing the Steven part of the fusion, as he is the one who initiates the flirting. They’re doing this as they’re battling White Diamond, no less.

Foreshadowing: There are loads of these instances… and several of them are surprisingly unintentional. It honestly warrants its own page.

From Bad to Worse: A common GA trope; Mood Whiplash often ensues when the situation seems to be going well, then takes a nasty turn, and not long after degenerates into a chaotic worst-case scenario. Chapter 4 of Act I is probably where this trend starts, as Peridot goes from being severely abused and traumatized to a very sinister and ominous Heroic Safe Mode before fully breaking down into a Heroic BSoD. The final battle in Act I also qualifies (starts out fine, then Lapis gets poofed, White Diamond enters the fray, kills Yellow and what’s left of Blue, and tops off with Peridot ending up Left for Dead), but no doubt this trope is best represented in Act III’s climax. Homeworld’s inevitable destruction is bad enough, and while the citizens are evacuated, White Diamond trounces the Crystal Gems in battle badly enough to recapture Peridot and make her a permanent hostage when they fuse to become Celadon Diamond. Celadon later destroys the Crystal Gems’ spaceship (which severely injures Greg and kills Pumpkin), and while Peridot finally frees herself from the fusion, Pumpkin’s death causes her to drop an Angst Nuke that only accelerates Homeworld’s destruction and shatters all of the planet’s establishments and modes of transportation, which dooms her allies to go down with the planet. Or, rather, it would have if Steven didn’t step up to help Peridot not only recover, but fulfill an ancient prophecy together that saves everyone.

The Future Will Be Better: Basically the Crystal Gems’ mission statement after the events of Gem Ascension.

Geodesic Cast: Minus Greg, every remaining member of the Crystal Gems who team up to rescue the old guard are characters who have previously been their enemy (or at least had one instance of a severe conflict that warranted being regarded as an antagonist). Greg himself is considered an Expy of Steven.Good Needs Evil: While Steven (as Pink 2.0) is trying to use Epiphany Therapy to heal a broken and grief-stricken Peridot (as Chartreuse), the latter asks about this trope. Steven’s response?

Pink Diamond 2.0: “Do you think you would’ve been so driven to better yourself if you didn’t have that dark past to constantly remind you to always keep going?

Group Hug: In Chapter 5 of Act III: after Peridot finishes expositing on what happened to her during the six days after she was Left for Dead up to the present day (including why/how she became Chartreuse Diamond and what she put them through in that persona), she tells everyone that despite sincerely regretting her actions, she would understand if they opted to not forgive her. Immediately after this, the Crystal Gems rush up to give her a huge, collective hug. Not only to let Peridot know she’s forgiven, but just how badly she was missed and how happy they are to finally have her back.

Growing Up Sucks: This one of GA’s prevalent themes, though it doesn’t take center stage until the post-GA stories where the cast faces the consequences of an End of an Age. Peridot and Steven, two of the youngest Crystal Gems, both face surviving in a world where they can’t avoid growing up too fast, and can’t avoid the overwhelming responsibility that falls primarily on their shoulders once the true Era 3 kicks off.

Gullible Lemmings: Homeworld gems in a nutshell, though they’re only directly helping the Big Bad after they’re pallified, for the most part. The mass of Era 2 Peridots in Act III play this straight, as they not only willfully play the role of decoys for Peridot to stall the Crystal Gems, but confirm they didn’t dare question White Diamond why Yellow, the Diamond who primarily rules over them, is suddenly nowhere to be found. Nor do they ask why they had to be stripped of their limb enhancers (done so to better resemble Hero Protagonist Peridot). Granted, it’s evident that at least for some of these gems, they acknowledge they were pretty much ordered to be this trope on pain of death by White Diamond.

Helpful Hallucination: Peridot’s idealized interpretation of Steven within her subconscious. While he was used (against his will) by White Diamond to fragment Peridot’s mind to make her bend to her will, he feels very bad about it and goes out of his way to care for the imprisoned part of Peridot in hopes of helping her recover. He’s useful in explaining Peridot’s situation to her, and later fills the real Steven in on what’s going on when the latter finally comes to mend her broken mind.

Heroic Second Wind: In Chapter 6, once the battle with White Diamond kicks off, it’s going a little too well for the Crystal Gems. Then they find outthey haven’t been fighting White Diamond at all, but rather one of her hundreds of proxies. This quickly shifts into a Curb-Stomp Battle in White’s favor, Steven and Peridot are kidnapped, and the remaining Crystal Gems are forced to make a tactical retreat to regroup and figure out another way around the White Diamond power. In Chapter 7, some important new details are brought to light that the Crystal Gems can take advantage of, so when they return and find Celadon Diamond as their new opponent, they’re able to make her look like a joke surprisingly easily.

History Repeats: Not outright said, but subtly implied in Chapter 8 of Act III when Peridot’s grief over Pumpkin’s death causes her to cry uncontrollably and set off an Angst Nuke that’s shredding apart the already-crumbling Homeworld. This is a reference to the various stories shared by Pearl, Lapis, Garnet, and Bismuth in Act II’s final chapter about the Unwitting Test Subject gems who preceded Peridot; all of them met a tragic end, and the one who best represented Peridot nearly committed genocide on a global level after finding out the Diamonds executed a friend she was very close to. There are definite parallels to Peridot and Fluorite in that regard, although this trope is ultimately averted when Steven (as Pink 2.0) consoles Peridot (who by this point shifted into Chartreuse) through Epiphany Therapy, which not only pacifies her without resorting to violence, but leads to the birth of the Diamond of Miracles

A more meta example (which has been vocalized In-Universe) is Act I’s premise being repeated in Act III. Sapphire mentions to Peridot if Steven isn’t the one left behind when they flee Homeworld, he’ll personally insist on making a return trip to Homeworld in the near future just to rescue them, even if he’s fully aware that he’s being baited into a trap by White Diamond, who no doubt will use her captive for that specific purpose. Peridot immediately realizes that can result in history repeating, only with a Role Swap between her and Steven/Garnet/Amethyst/Pearl/Connie… which Peridot can’t bring herself to condone. However, as her remaining on Homeworld is still the lesser of two evils, with the hope of actively changing her own fate in the end, Peridot sticks with her decision to be the one left behind if it comes to that. Sure enough, Peridot ends up being the only one who doesn’t escape Homeworld, resulting in this trope happening for Act III (with thankfully a divergent end result).

Holding Hands: Sphalerite and 5XF are notably doing this in the final chapter of This is Who I Am when they follow Garnet inside the beach house. Garnet takes notice to this, and quickly figures out these two are more than friends.

Homeworld Evacuation: Though unconventionally executed, this trope is not only played straight, but has very apropos naming. In Act III, the Crystal Gems are not only focused on saving Peridot (though she is a top priority), but also all of the Homeworld gems as it becomes apparent to everyone that Homeworld will soon cease to be. The planet itself is on borrowed time; by Chapter 5, after the Crystal Gems are fully reunited, Steven and Peridot find a way to combine their powers to poof and bubble every remaining gem left on Homeworld save for themselves and White Diamond, whether they’re healthy or pallid. Then, Peridot uses her ascended powers to transfer all of the bubbles directly to their residence on Earth. Most Homeworld gems aren’t even aware that their planet is on the verge of destruction, but are successfully evacuated nonetheless.

Hope Spot: Most famously done in the climax of Act I where Peridot is mere inches away from escaping Homeworld with her friends, only to trip at the last second and get shut out.

To a lesser degree, this also occurs in Chapter 2 of Act III when Peridot, trying her hardest to resist White Diamond’s influence (after being tortured for nearly a week), suddenly hears Steven’s voice in her moment of despair. She looks and actually sees Steven there, but in doing so, she took her focus off the blade she’s been holding off trying to slice her throat just a moment too long, which results in being Tricked to Death. On top of that, it wasn’t even the real Steven she heard and saw; that was her idealized interpretation of Steven that White ripped from her mind solely to invoke this, as she couldn’t get a Determinator to give in on her own merit.

I Got Bigger: Steven and Peridot get unusual variants of this trope. Steven’s growth was already confirmed stunted per canon, being a hybrid. His Plot-Relevant Age-Up in Act III makes his body mature to match his chronological age (14) and brings along all of the typical burdens such a body carries at that age. This is a growth that permanently sticks for Steven. Peridot also experiences a permanent growth spurt post-ascension (first shown in Chapter 4 of Act III), but hers is more downplayed and subverted since it’s little more than an aesthetic change. Still, she outgrows Amethyst (but due to Steven outgrowing her, Peridot remains the 3rd-shortest of the cast) while getting a more curvaceous body to appear more mature like her fellow gems. This is speculated later on in the post-GA stories as a side-effect from Peridot’s final desire before she conceded to ascend (which was her concern about having a body that wouldn’t make her look like a scrawny brat).

I Shall Taunt You: Peridot deliberately uses this tactic on White Diamond multiple times in Act III to rile her up. To lesser degrees, other gems take this approach with White, such as Amethyst, Connie, Pearl, and Lapis. Also played with by Lapis using a downplayed method of this strategy to keep Peridot in line during Act I. Steven also implements this tactic on Yellow Diamond in Act I.

In-Universe Catharsis: Best shown in Chapter 6 of Act III; during a battle with White Diamond, Peridot catches sight of White Diamond’s neck and is immediately reminded of the massive struggle a few chapters prior that Peridot, despite her valiant efforts and resilience, ultimately lost and ended up with a Slashed Throat. This didn’t kill her, obviously, but that moment was a Point of No Return for Peridot that led to Chartreuse Diamond’s existence, which has its own load of life-long consequences she never wanted to have to be burdened with. Even though it’s tactically pointless, Peridot’s overcome with a desire for revenge, which she does so by summoning a weapon similar to what White herself used and hacks away at her neck. While she hates having to shift into Chartreuse to actually do any damage, Peridot’s overcome with glee when she sees results and hears White’s agony… which only empowers Peridot’s obsession for vengeance. It’s so potent that Steven of all people can’t bring himself to talk Peridot down from her unhealthy behavior. In fact, Steven finds himself endorsing it (due to sharing Peridot’s PTSD as that specific moment felt through his Empathetic Healing triggered a Plot-Relevant Age-Up and similarly screwed with his own life permanently) – and when Peridot entices Steven to join her in the cathartic carnage, Steven actually takes her up on it. Thankfully, it’s relatively short-lived, but hindsight ensures this particular catharsis will be something Peridot and Steven will Never Live Down.

Individuality is Illegal: On Homeworld, of course, and Up to Eleven in the GA continuity. The lower a gem’s class, the more this was enforced.

The Infiltration: In order to pull off a Passive Rescue, Peridot and her group needed to covertly infiltrate Homeworld to reach their imprisoned friends. Since none of them are on a wanted list, there’s no need to resort to disguises; Peridot and the others simply keep to themselves and try their best not to draw attention as they traverse Homeworld. Peridot does later get limb enhancers in Chapter 4, but it’s only a temporary measure and necessary for entering her workstation so she can enact her plan to poof Yellow Pearl in order to get a Skeleton Key for Homeworld.

Internal Homage: Steven and Peridot’s brief romantic scene in Chapter 8 of Act I, where they unintentionally paraphrase their dialogue from their time together way back in Gem Drill (despite their setting and situation being nothing like the episode in question). Steven even hugs Peridot, though in a bit of a different way from before. He recites his “I love you, Peridot” line before kissing her, which makes for a symbolic Relationship Upgrade moment as it contrasts the platonic nature of the scene they’re referencing.

The final scene of This is Who I Am features Steven and Peridot sitting together on the roof of the beach house at nighttime with the moon in full view – a clear call-back to Bottled Up in terms of setting and scenario. Once again, this is deliberately invoked by Steven, who arranged this in an attempt to calm himself and Peridot down by reflecting on simpler times. It doesn’t exactly work as Steven intended it to, but nonetheless it ultimately plays out to the couple’s benefit. This time, it’s Peridot who deliberately recites a line from the previous time (“I like it here.”), and both end up falling asleep together on the roof once more (albeit with cushioning to make it more comfortable for Steven this time around).

Interquel: Gem Re:Ascension Act II ~ Peridot’s Final Logs was originally this when Gem Ascension first came out. The original Act I of Gem Ascension is merely the first two chapters of GA’s current Act I (combined as one chapter), while the original Act II was Chapters 3-8 (also condensed into a single chapter). Following the completion of the original Act II, Word of God made an entirely separate story called Peridot: The Final Logs, which comprised of all 8 chapters of the current GA Act II’s. It was explicitly called an interquel/side-story between Act II and III, and was strongly advised to be read before moving on to Gem Ascension Act III. Act III itself was not worked on until the interquel was completed. Since the interquel was originally a separate story, readers could easily bypass it and move straight on to Act III. When the series was reformatted, the interquel was promoted to become GA’s official Act II and is now properly part of the series (at least, it is in its AO3 incarnation).

Interspecies Romance: Downplayed with Steven and Peridot, as Steven is half-gem. Still, this is the only historical case of a relationship between a gem and a gem-human hybrid.

Until their fusion, Sphalerite, hooks up with 5XF in This is Who I Am. Sphalerite is only ¼ human compared to Steven’s ½, but the point stands

Intertwined Fingers: Steven and Peridot are doing this as early on as Chapter 5 of Act I while Peridot’s being healed. Her healed hand is interlocked with Steven’s, and nearly slips out of his grasp after her Love Confession before Steven invokes this trope to reassure Peridot that he’s not rejecting her.

Involuntary Battle to the Death: Steven and Peridot are forced into this scenario for the entirety of This is Who I Am Chapter 5 by a power-corrupted, partially-possessed 5XF.

Involuntary Shapeshifting: Contained in Act III where post-ascended Peridot and post-awakened Steven shift into Chartreuse Diamond and Pink Diamond 2.0 a few times unintentionally.

Istanbul (Not Constantinople): Following the naming convention of the canon setting Delmarva, Steven and Peridot (or Sphalerite and 5XF) travel to a few places like this across Earth throughout This is Who I Am.

Their first destination is never seen and only mentioned in Plans Change: Kenohten – a mash-up of Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee.

Chapters 1-2 take place in the everglades of Florgalina – a mash-up of Florida, Georgia, and North/South Carolina.

Chapter 6 takes place on Millennium Island, which is just another name for the real-life Caroline Island.

It Began with a Twist of Fate: Peridot wakes up after having been poofed during a major battle to learn a lot happened while she was out of commission, and now the majority of the Crystal Gems are in enough trouble on Homeworld that they’re sending an SOS to the few allies they left behind on Earth: herself, Lapis, Bismuth, and Greg. Suddenly, Peridot finds herself actually leading the Crystal Gems into what’s intended to be a Passive Rescue mission… and it somehow ends with the fall of the Diamond Authority, Homeworld’s destruction, a mass exodus of Homeworld gems immigrating to Earth, and Peridot learning the hard way just how little she knew about herself.about Homeworld as a functioning, habitable planet. Not only by White Diamond, but the Crystal Gems as well. Sure enough, Homeworld is entirely destroyed towards the end of GA, although plans are already set in motion for it to be reborn.

Jump Scare: White Diamond’s face. It happens a few times in Act I (Sapphire’s vision), once in Act II (Garnet replaying Sapphire’s vision), and once in Act III (what Peridot last sees before she’s forcibly summoned out from her gemstone). Basically, it’s the Slenderman effect with the static, the visual blips, and the noise that goes with it.

Kid Has a Point: In Chapter 8 of Act II, Connie and Amethyst (who, while being over 5,000 years old, is still considered fairly young by gem standards and emerged after the war ended) quickly figured out the most probable resolution of one of the darkest incidents of Homeworld history – an event that Pearl, Garnet, Lapis, and Bismuth are very knowledgeable about – that was a mystery in how it was resolved. Despite just learning about this legend moments ago, Connie and Amethyst both deduced the Lone Twin Massacre was caused by the Diamonds inadvertently and the one who finally defeated the Ax-Crazy Fluorite was none other than White Diamond.

Know When to Fold ‘Em: In theory, the Crystal Gems COULD have interrupted the forced fusion that would produce Celadon Diamond, but coming fresh off the losing end of a Curb-Stomp Battle and losing both Steven and Peridot to their enemy made it apparent that charging in immediately would only result in casualties, so they instead opted for a tactical retreat to form a new strategy. This ended up working greatly to everyone’s benefit.

Before this, they not only had to leave Peridot behind at the end of Act I due to circumstances beyond their control, but didn’t come back for her until six days later. The Crystal Gems begrudgingly acknowledged they needed to come into their next mission Crazy Prepared to ensure that no one is left behind next time.

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faithandfearcollide · 8 years ago

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1. The fifth time they meet, it is because she seeks him out at the Royal castle. It is several weeks after he allowed her to escape from the Dark One’s dungeon, and she has recovered fully from her wounds. She tries to tell herself to let that be their final interaction – he had the opportunity to end her life, but chose not to, which means he’s moving on from thoughts of vengeance. She should lie low and permit him to walk that path without having to deal with her - the person he blames.

2. She should also be making the most of her second chance, moving on from her old life and family. And yet, if there is one thing she can’t do, it is to let go of her son completely. Facing an existence without seeing him is even harder when another version is so close. So, against her better judgement, she finds herself one evening pushing her dinner to one side, taking a deep breath and allowing her magic to transport her away.

3. She reappears next to a bench set amongst some rose bushes. It is a small, private side-garden, accessible only to those who know both where the door is hidden and also have the key. The bushes look cared for, so she can tell at least someone tends the plants inside. Her instincts told her to come her, so she settles on the bench and waits. A long time passes, her fingers becoming cold from the breeze. Her wounds may be healed but her body is still more tired and sensitive than before.

4. Finally, when the last of the daylight has vanished and the stars have made their appearance, she hears the sound of a key in the lock. Someone enters, closing the door behind them, and then footsteps near. She waits patiently as the person approaches, letting herself smirk slightly when the feet come to an abrupt halt. ‘We’ve spoken before without guards,’ she pushes, when the silence lingers. Henry – King Henry, as she always has to tell herself – moves into view.

5. ‘How do you even know about this place?’ he asks, a curious expression on his face instead of exhibiting fear or hatred. She supposes that is definitely a step in the right direction. ‘I gather you read that book back to front several times?’ she replies, already knowing the answer. He nods, choosing to lean against a statue rather than join her on the bench. He’s dressed in typical night robes for this land – not something her Henry would be seen dead in. She smiles at the thought.

6. ‘Well, when we had that year where we were all sent from Storybrooke back to the Enchanted Forest, and I was separated from my Henry-’ she breaks off, pain in her heart at the similar situations. And yet this time, there is no Snow or David or even Belle around her. ‘We stayed in our version of this castle – the entire pathetic group of people. I would come here every night, just to have some peace, and think about Henry without Snow asking me every five minutes if I was alright.’

7. She almost bites her tongue when she realizes she’s mentioned Snow’s name. The death of his grandparents and disappearance of his mother is of course all on her head in his eyes – even if she wasn’t the version to actually perform those acts. Henry crosses his arms, but appears to contemplate what she says. ‘If what is written in the book is true,’ he begins slowly, ‘And I’m not saying that I believe it - it could just be your way of trying to trick me.’

8. He glances sideways at this, and she knows he’s lying – he does believe the book, at least somewhat. ‘If it were true though, you two ended up being close then? You and Grandma?’ She smiles sadly at him, and nods. ‘We forgave each other, and became family. She was always giving me ridiculous hope speeches. Emma became a dear friend too. I miss them.’ He bites his lip, clearly turning something over in his mind. ‘If it was so difficult during that year, why did you leave again? Leave Henry?’

9. ‘It’s all there in the book, Henry,’ she says gently. ‘I didn’t have a choice about leaving. And I miss him, every single day.’ Silence falls for a moment. Her hands are getting colder, and she rubs them together slightly. ‘I’m not him,’ Henry blurts out suddenly. ‘I’m not your son. I have no memories of growing up with you, or living in that world.’ She remembers then – remembers mistaking him for her Henry when she lay dying. Maybe that is what made him believe in the book.

10. ‘I know you aren’t my son,’ she admits, twisting her fingers together. ‘That doesn’t mean you aren’t like my Henry in many ways though. You’re him if he had had a very different upbringing, is all.’ He snorts at this, rubbing a toe into the dirt. He looks very much like a teenager in this moment, and nothing like a King. ‘I’m not trying to replace my son,’ she continues, watching his face closely. ‘And if you want, I can leave and you’ll never have to see me or think about me ever again.’

11. He becomes quiet again at this offer, and the silence stretches on so long that she makes a move to stand up and transport herself away. If that is his choice, then she will respect it. But as soon as she’s standing, he holds out a hand. ‘I have to welcome all the nobles in the Kingdom to the castle next week,’ he tells her, in an odd shift in topic. ‘I’m slightly terrified that they won’t take me seriously, considering the fact that they’re all at least two decades older than me.’

12. ‘Overwhelm them with polite steeliness,’ she advises him with a twitch of her lips. ‘I became Queen at a rather young age myself, and found if you’re polite but don’t let them get away with anything, the old curmudgeons learn to respect you quite quickly.’ He nods, and at last smiles back. ‘I know, I read the books,’ he tells her. At her confused expression, he elaborates. ‘Our history books, about your reign. When you weren’t trying to track Grandma down, you were a pretty good ruler.’

13. She laughs slightly, and shrugs her shoulders. ‘Helped that a lot of them were scared of me,’ she admits, pursing her lips. ‘Not a prudent route for you to take.’ He drops his chin in agreement. ‘Most of my advisors are terrible,’ he confides with a wince. ‘Half of them don’t know what they’re talking about, and the other half want to run the kingdom themselves.’ She knows that feeling well, and extends a hand out, letting it hang in the air between them for a moment in a gesture of peace.

14. ‘I understand that, I do,’ she tells him seriously. ‘If you ever need another person’s opinion, I’m always available.’ She feels stupid at the offer, but there is a flicker of relief in his eyes, or so she chooses to see. ‘I come to this garden every night myself,’ he informs her. ‘None of my guards are allowed to disturb me here.’ They stare at each other for a moment, with new-found understanding. ‘Good night, Henry,’ she says, and she sees him smile before she transports herself away.

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nicholerestrada · 6 years ago

Text

The 15 Craziest Cars and Futuristic Vehicles of CES 2019

There were a ton of sleek next-gen cars at CES, from snazzy luxury vehicles to eye-popping concept cars.

January 10, 2019 8 min read

This story originally appeared on PCMag

CES is a dizzying experience that takes over the entire Las Vegas Strip, but within the bedlam is a mind-bending glimpse into the future of transportation. This year we saw a slew of ;self-driving cars, new in-car ;mixed reality experiences, and even a new concept car with modular robotic legs that’s as close as we’ve seen to a real-life Transformer.

There’s a flashy tech product at CES for every kind of transportation scenario, from the most futuristic science-fiction concept cars to next-gen electric vehicles and even motorcycles, not to mention last-mile solutions like ;electric skateboards ;and ;scooters. Many of the snazziest concept cars were focused on high-tech amenities and interiors designed to keep humans comfortable and relaxed as their autonomous car cruises.

We also came across some other eye-popping smart vehicles, like a flying drone helicopter taxi and a smart yacht. We threw those in just for fun.

Nissan IMx Kuro

Image credit:

PC Mag

Nissan’s IMx Kuro concept vehicle is a fully autonomous electric crossover with zero emissions. We likely won’t see it in production until at least 2020, but the Kuro’s simplified exterior and spacious interior wowed on the CES show floor; not to mention the car’s panoramic OLED display on its dashboard. A separate, wood grain-patterned display wrapping around the interior door trims bring an extra sense of zen to the in-car experience.

Mitsubishi Emirai 4

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PC Mag

Mitsubishi showed off the latest version of its Emirai 4 smart mobility concept car, which it has brought to CES with flashy new upgrades for each of the past few years. It’s got a heads-up augmented reality display with 3D mapping, as well as a half mirror with a diagonal LCD panel to give the driver 3D images of the environment. There’s an autonomous mode too, and plenty of other interior bells and whistles, like haptic feedback control, smart home and mobile payment integration, and biometric authentication.

Mercedes-Benz CLA

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PC Mag

The highest profile vehicle reveal for a car you can actually buy was the debut of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA. The second-gen coupe comes with a bevy of digital features and in-car improvements, as well as Mercedes’ first semi-autonomous driving system with a hands-free mode, and the auto maker’s new MBUX voice control system. It also syncs with the newly announced Mercedes-branded ;Garmin Vívoactive 3 ;smartwatch. The 2020 CLA will go on sale later this year; official pricing has not yet been announced.

Mercedes-Benz Vision Urbanetic

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PC Mag

Mercedes also had a futuristic concept vehicle of its own, the Vision Urbanetic autonomous driving platform with switchable bodies. The vehicle’s Tron-like exterior houses a fairly simple urban transportation concept: it can be fitted with a passenger module with room for 20 people (8 sitting, 4 standing) as a sort of ride-sharing taxi, or a cargo module for transporting freight goods or package delivery. The base of the vehicle is the part that’s doing the autonomous driving; it also houses the electric batteries, motors, and the Urbanetic’s propulsion system. It’s an adjustable minibus (for either people or cargo) in a trippy body on a self-driving base.

Harley-Davidson LiveWire

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PC Mag

The maker of American muscle hogs has released its first-ever electric motorcycle. The ;Harley-Davidson LiveWire, built in partnership with Panasonic Automotive, has built-in GPS and LTE connectivity with up to 4G LTE speeds, as well as a 4.3-inch liquid crystal touch-screen display built into the dashboard with integrated navigation and music. The LiveWire bike itself has a muscular build and a lightweight body, and goes from zero to 60mph in under 3.5 seconds. It has a high-voltage battery with an estimated range of 110 miles per charge.

BMW Vision iNext

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PC Mag

One of our favorite concept cars of CES, the BMW Vision iNext is a ;sci-fi living room on wheels. The autonomous, electric luxury vehicle has hidden touch interfaces in wooden and cloth surfaces, an intelligent voice assistant, and screen projection anywhere in the chic interior. With an intelligent voice assistant built in, a roomy, carpeted back seat, and a smart wood coffee table that responds to touch gestures, it’s a palatial ;Jetsons-like experience for a future when humans are lounging in their cars instead of driving.

Waymo One

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PC Mag

Alphabet’s Waymo self-driving car service was showing off an autonomous minivan on the show floor, outfitted with Lidar arrays and a camera installation on the roof. The offshoot’s new ;Waymo One ;is the autonomous division’s first commercial self-driving service offered to hundreds of early riders who have been helping to test the technology.

Audi Aicon

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PC Mag

First unveiled in 2017, this electric autonomous vehicle was one of the sleekest we saw on the show floor. The concept car, which Audi hopes to turn into a production vehicle by 2021, has four motors and a range of 435 to 497 miles per charge. Audi said it can charge up to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes wirelessly. The interior showcases a fully self-driving future — there are no pedals or steering wheel visible, just luxurious indoor seating and a transparent roof.

2020 Lincoln Aviator

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PC Mag

Lincoln was at CES with the 2020 Lincoln Aviator, a 450-horsepower plug-in hybrid crossover. There’s a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, and a host of tech improvements and smart user interface upgrades. Drivers can unlock the vehicle with their smartphones rather than a key fob, and the owners can tap into features like traffic jam assist, park assist, adaptive suspension, and drive modes like Conserve and Excite to add some automatic controls to the manual experience. It’s also got a 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D audio system.

Nvidia Drive Autopilot

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PC Mag

Nvidia showed off a souped-up autonomous vehicle with its new Drive Autopilot system at CES. The graphic card manufacturer’s Xavier automotive-grade hardware can be integrated throughout the vehicle — including a heavy duty computer in the trunk — to enable Level 2 autonomy, meaning it has driver-assistance systems to control acceleration, braking, and steering to help out human drivers.

Byton M-Byte

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PC Mag

Tesla competitor Byton showcased two different autonomous, electric models this year. The M-Byte prototype, which debuted at CES ;last year, is the less expensive of the two, a $45,000 electric crossover that goes into production this year. It has a 48-inch touch screen stretching across the entire dashboard, a small touch display in the wheel, and an array of cameras all housed in a luxury SUV body.

Byton K-Byte

Image credit:

PC Mag

The Byton K-Byte premium sedan is coming in 2021 with Level 4 autonomous driving, meaning it can drive without human oversight. The K-Byte features similar interior touch screens plus a digital grille on the exterior. Unlike other self-driving cars, the Byton’s side “LiGuard” sensors are retractable when it’s not in autonomous mode. Both cars will have Amazon Alexa integrated into the Byton OS.

Hyundai Elevate

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PC Mag

The ;Hyundai Elevate ;is the closest we’ve gotten to a real-life Transformer. The concept car can walk or climb over obstacles with extendable robotic legs on a modular, multi-use chassis that shrinks down into driving mode. The car can swap out different attachments, and is capable of climbing a 5-foot vertical wall or over a 5-foot gap while keeping its passengers level. By blending electric car and robotics technology, the Hyundai Elevate feels like a step toward sci-fi.

Bell Nexus Air Taxi

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PC Mag

One of the most unconventional, eye-catching concept vehicles at CES this year was the ;Bell Nexus Air Taxi, a massive flying hybrid of a drone crossed with a helicopter. Bell describes this behemoth as a rideshare in the air, and is testing it in Dallas, Dubai, and Los Angeles. The electric hybrid has a range of 150 miles, but don’t expect to see it flying around anytime soon. Bell hopes to release it in 2025. Sitting in the high-tech cockpit flanked by high-res touch screens and control sticks, the Bell Nexus feels like it’s dropped straight out of a futuristic fleet on its way to drop off a squadron of Darkseid soldiers.

Furrion Adonis Yacht

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PC Mag

We had to include the yacht. The 78-foot Furrion Adonis towered over the CES show floor, showing off a high-tech luxury cruiser that Furrion calls a “smart yacht.” The Adonis has an onboard, voice-activated AI called Angel, who can control electronics, entertainment, kitchen appliances, the yacht’s facial-recognition camera system, and more. The virtual concierge can be summoned by saying “Hi, Angel” to order food from the kitchen, control music, get news and weather updates, or shop. The Adonis is also packed with smart interactive mirror displays throughout the yacht and cabins and Furrion Sense TVs with built-in soundbars. It’s even got a drone and drone port on the top deck. If PCMag gave out a Bougiest Tech at CES Award, the Furrion Adonis would be the runaway winner.

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from Garko Media https://garkomedia1.wordpress.com/2019/01/10/the-15-craziest-cars-and-futuristic-vehicles-of-ces-2019/

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michaeljtraylor · 6 years ago

Text

The 15 Craziest Cars and Futuristic Vehicles of CES 2019

There were a ton of sleek next-gen cars at CES, from snazzy luxury vehicles to eye-popping concept cars.

January 10, 2019 8 min read

This story originally appeared on PCMag

We also came across some other eye-popping smart vehicles, like a flying drone helicopter taxi and a smart yacht. We threw those in just for fun.

Nissan IMx Kuro

Image credit:

PC Mag

Mitsubishi Emirai 4

Image credit:

PC Mag

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Image credit:

PC Mag

Mercedes-Benz Vision Urbanetic

Image credit:

PC Mag

Harley-Davidson LiveWire

Image credit:

PC Mag

BMW Vision iNext

Image credit:

PC Mag

Waymo One

Image credit:

PC Mag

Audi Aicon

Image credit:

PC Mag

2020 Lincoln Aviator

Image credit:

PC Mag

Nvidia Drive Autopilot

Image credit:

PC Mag

Byton M-Byte

Image credit:

PC Mag

Byton K-Byte

Image credit:

PC Mag

Hyundai Elevate

Image credit:

PC Mag

Bell Nexus Air Taxi

Image credit:

PC Mag

Furrion Adonis Yacht

Image credit:

PC Mag

Source link

from RSSUnify feed https://hashtaghighways.com/2019/01/10/the-15-craziest-cars-and-futuristic-vehicles-of-ces-2019/ from Garko Media https://garkomedia1.tumblr.com/post/181908752229

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garkomedia1 · 6 years ago

Text

The 15 Craziest Cars and Futuristic Vehicles of CES 2019

There were a ton of sleek next-gen cars at CES, from snazzy luxury vehicles to eye-popping concept cars.

January 10, 2019 8 min read

This story originally appeared on PCMag

We also came across some other eye-popping smart vehicles, like a flying drone helicopter taxi and a smart yacht. We threw those in just for fun.

Nissan IMx Kuro

Image credit:

PC Mag

Mitsubishi Emirai 4

Image credit:

PC Mag

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Image credit:

PC Mag

Mercedes-Benz Vision Urbanetic

Image credit:

PC Mag

Harley-Davidson LiveWire

Image credit:

PC Mag

BMW Vision iNext

Image credit:

PC Mag

Waymo One

Image credit:

PC Mag

Audi Aicon

Image credit:

PC Mag

2020 Lincoln Aviator

Image credit:

PC Mag

Nvidia Drive Autopilot

Image credit:

PC Mag

Byton M-Byte

Image credit:

PC Mag

Byton K-Byte

Image credit:

PC Mag

Hyundai Elevate

Image credit:

PC Mag

Bell Nexus Air Taxi

Image credit:

PC Mag

Furrion Adonis Yacht

Image credit:

PC Mag

Source link

from RSSUnify feed https://hashtaghighways.com/2019/01/10/the-15-craziest-cars-and-futuristic-vehicles-of-ces-2019/

0 notes

savingcontent · 4 years ago

Text

Microsoft Flight Simulator is the eleventh major entry in the series that began in 1982, and has evolved greatly even from the last official release in 2006. It’s a game that’s different things to many people: an educational tool for learning how to fly before getting in a real plane, a sandbox to fly from virtually any airport to the next, a role-playing game where you’re a pilot transporting passengers to their destination, or maybe just a means to pass the time by goofing around in the air. Whatever it is to you, Microsoft Flight Simulator has returned in 2020 to offer old and new players the thrill of flight. It may be simply named Microsoft Flight Simulator but know it’s anything but simple, as there’s a complex and detailed recreation of all things aeronautics that’s unparalleled.

Asobo Studio has focused on three key areas for how to build Flight Simulator: world, weather, and aerodynamics. The first is exemplified by using Bing maps to recreate 3D items from mountains to individual buildings. The world is represented 1:1, meaning that flights from JFK to LAX take the full five hours and change to complete. And aerodynamics are fully represented by the fact that realistic methods flying are paramount, to include but not limited to not having an excessive airspeed, adjusting flaps, having proper balance in weight, and not turning too hard. All of these elements coalesce into a beautiful reflection of our world’s physics system to near-perfection that’s both intuitive and authentic.

This being a Microsoft game, it does support keyboard + mouse, controllers, and most importantly joystick setups natively. Keyboard and mouse works well, but feels like more of an accessory than a primary means for controlling the game. The Xbox One controller works fine, if not a bit wily in terms of it overcompensating. So it needs some tweaks. The most exciting thing though, was it detected my Thrustmaster T16000M FCS HOTAS right away. During training, it even showed me a picture of my devices and their corresponding buttons. Even when using a HOTAS, you still have to be near your keyboard for certain actions. No matter how you want to play, there’s a way.

There’s three modes of play that make up Flight Simulator. There’s the World Map, which is where you engage in free flight. Here you can just pick an airport to fly out of and go, or you can create a flight plan to have an actual destination. This is also how you get into the multiplayer to be around others playing the game. The multiplayer can be turned on or off each time you go into it, with the options of setting it to live players, all players, or off (group only). You can opt for air traffic to be live (using real flight data), or AI (computer traffic). Then you can set the weather and time for live (utilizing real-world meteorogicial data), preset, or custom. The blending of both online and offline is seamless, being only just a few clicks away from playing with friends.

Next, you have Flight Training. Which, this should ultimately be the first thing you do. It does an excellent job of teaching you basic flight, and all the essentials of playing the game. You’ll be given a Cessna 152 to fly in, a propeller plane that’s not very fast, doesn’t go very high, but is the best plane to start out with. There are eight sections for training, taking about 90 minutes to complete, and that’s not considering time taken for needing to restart any of the later lessons.

And lastly there are Activities. These are broken up between Landing Challenges and Bush Flights. The bush flights cover large areas, taking passengers on the flight of a lifetime, though there’s only a handful of them. The landing challenges are broken up into three tiers of difficulty that get progressively more challenging as they go on. They cover the world’s trickiest approaches and runways that you’ve probably not considered or have seen before. While there’s 24 landing challenges on their own, there needs to be more variety. I’m missing the missions from FSX, the ones where something catastrophic happens like an engine going up in flames or shutting down entirely and having to land safely in an emergency. Even something like the sponsored races would be a change of pace. I hope this comes in time, either from the developers or from the community.

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First-person view is incredibly detailed. Every button of the cockpit is interactive. You can zoom in as close as you need, isolate your view to certain panels, which will give you better understanding of everything available to you. For the first time, the third-person view is worth a damn. It’s always been great for screenshots, but here instrument panels are all on-screen for you to gain valuable information to fly from this perspective, and even land if you find landing a Boeing 747 too difficult from first-person. This makes the game much more accessible as a result, with both view points being absolutely incredible.

There’s a toolbar to give you quick access to items like prior entries. You’ll be able to pull up the ATC (Air Traffic Control), camera, checklist, controls, AI control (pass flight, comms, etc), fuel, navigational log, objectives, travel to (flight plan), VFR (Visual Flight Rules) map, weather, and custom toolbar (toggle previous settings off or on). Being able to change the weather and time of day on-the-fly is flexible and absolutely stunning to see in action. Whether it’s popping a thunderstorm or clearing the skies, it happens in an instant, and it’s awesome. You also have the ability to active pause the game, meaning you can put the game on-hold and pan the camera for amazing screenshots.

If you want total realism, you can enforce that you follow a pre-flight checklist in order to get off the ground. Coupled with lifelike airports with people on the ground and vehicles moving about, you’ll feel like a real pilot. When you’re up in the air, you don’t have to fight the controls when you properly set the trim, or engage the autopilot (if the plane supports it). The simulation aspect can be as hands-on or as hands-off as you like, this is Flight Simulator your way. As a reward for your time, the game will let you earn your wings. The more hours you spend in the game, you’ll be bestowed a higher tier wing. The entry-level one is given at 50 hours, it’s a great incentive for budding pilots.

Now, those looking for disasters will have to go elsewhere. For things like wind-sheared wings, water landings (for non-water capable aircraft), and collisions with the ground for planes will not be shown. Now there is a developer mode you can enable to allow for such things, but it’s off for a reason. Flight Simulator lacks a filter for craft that can land in water. To my surprise, there are aircraft available and capable of doing so, like the Icon A5. Once I confirmed I was able to do it, it was a pleasant surprise. But it’s puzzling there’s no way to know what ones can or can’t land in water.

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There are three editions of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Standard comes with 20 planes and 30 airports for $59.99, Deluxe adds five planes and airports for $89.99, and Premium Deluxe has a total of 30 planes and 40 airports. The extra cost is not just about more planes and airports, but more realistic and detailed locations. The “non-premium” airports are nondescript and certainly lacking. It’s unclear how far this’ll go, but it’s a preference and desire for all things if you want to spend the money for it.

Conversely, the Standard edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator is available on Xbox Game Pass for PC. Starting at $1 for new subscribers, you can start on Xbox Game Pass to start playing the game right away. For as much as this sounds like an advertisement, it isn’t. It’s just incredibly easy to try this game out for a nominal fee, especially if you’ve never played the series before now.

If you’re still playing Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition, then this is a qualified upgrade in just about every way.

If there’s one glaring problem, one bugbear to Microsoft Flight Simulator, it’s the performance. The game looks incredibly photo-realistic on Ultra settings. However, the thing that becomes the most taxing is: dense cities. There’s almost nothing you can do about the framerate when you get in those locations. I noticed that no matter whether I was on Low or Ultra settings, I couldn’t get it above 50fps. Now, this is a game where 60 to 120fps is not really needed. On average, the game ran at about 40fps, and this is absolutely fine for what’s happening on-screen. In addition, the loading times are shockingly slow. I only have SSDs installed, and the game is loaded onto my fastest one. Yet, the game takes a few minutes to load up initially, and then more minutes to get into the game.

Now if there’s one benefit of everything that’s going on, is that Asobo Studio have created the most awe-inspiring and realistic clouds to-date. They look like you can reach out and touch them, seeing them dynamically form and dissipate is a technical marvel.

Something to consider about the game is its size, which comes in above 100GB. This is also based on version of the game you purchased. In addition, there’s live data that will be streamed in to achieve real-time data and more accurate maps. Now, if you’re have a data cap enforced by your ISP, then you might want to restrict or limit the amount of data you download. Data is what allows for multiplayer, you’re given plenty of options to toggle these things on and off at-will. Just make sure you’ve got the room to fit the game as it’ll be inching closer to 125GB.

My PC Specs:

– Microsoft Windows 10 Pro – Intel Core i9 9900K @ 5Ghz (Turbo) – Corsair H115i RGB PLATINUM 97 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler – Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory – EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11 GB XC ULTRA GAMING – Seagate FireCuda SSD (500GB) – Seagate BarraCuda SSD (1TB / 2TB) – Thrustmaster T16000M FCS HOTAS

Flight Simulator at launch is only the beginning, as it’s set to be a game that evolves and grows over time rather than being a static product. If this was all the game would be, it’s great as-is. It’s a shame that the performance in areas, even on its lowest settings holds this back from reaching legendary status, but it’s a grand return to form for the series. No matter whether you buy it, or download it via Game Pass, you’re getting the best flight simulator to-date. Microsoft Flight Simulator soars to new heights, and has easily been worth the the fourteen year wait.

A Microsoft Store code for Microsoft Flight Simulator – Premium Deluxe Edition was provided in advance by the Microsoft / Xbox for review purposes

Microsoft Flight Simulator Review Microsoft Flight Simulator is the eleventh major entry in the series that began in 1982, and has evolved greatly even from the last official release in 2006.

#Asobo Studio #Flight Simulator #Microsoft Flight Simulator #Microsoft Store #PC #Reviews #Steam #Windows 10 #Windows Store #Xbox Game Studios

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soysaucevictim · 5 years ago

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Week 3 of current engagements, this time. Also ended week on some good news.

Nov. 2

I woke up a bit before 11AM.

I’m not terribly happy I spent most of my day distracted by the usual nonsense. But I did get in my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 1′ O-Pose hold with EC. I still think this a personal favorite - and it's all about steady breathing,

(After more distractions...)

Second, Day 13 of the 30DoHIIT. Half Jacks, Level 3. Pretty much exactly what it says on the tin and I did enjoy myself with it! (Again, I think the old version was harder.)

Third, Day 13 of the PGC. 1′40″ un/clenching fists. Doable, but yeah. I’m definitely going to need to moderate my pace now.

(After even more distractions... installing PickCrafter was a bad idea.)

Last, Day 11 of the G2B. I did get to bed a few minutes after 1AM, so yellow zoned it.

Nov. 3

I woke up at about 10AM (oh yeah... DST).

Did a bit of gamin before starting on my exercise for the day.

First, today’s DD. 20 scapula shrugs with EC. A very subtle movement - but still pretty tough to get through. Probably did a couple extra to make sure I did it with more ROM, more consistently. :P

Second, Day 14 of the 30DoHIIT. Up & Down Planks, Level 3. Looks like this was just a bit easier than the old version, which had +20″ more active time per set. But let it be known - it still kicked my ass and, despite longer sleeves, still scraped up my elbows. :P

Third, Day 14 of the PGC. 1′40″ overhead flex hold. These are getting to the point where after the time was up, it takes a few seconds to fully uncurl my fingers, Pffft!

(After dishes, dinner, showering, and finally getting around to recap the past 4 months in my therapy journal...)

Last, Day 12 of the G2B. I got to bed at the knife edge of the green zone - But I got to bed before 1AM!

Nov. 4

I woke up around 8AM, today. Again, I think I hit the snooze button too many times - but thankfully I roused myself when I heard honking outside. I was definitely in another rush to get ready and grab some snacks.

I got a ride to the facility this morning via the county transport - because I forgot to make a reservation with LC on time.

I got there, did some socializing (talked about fitness stuff with another enthusiast over there) and went to therapy. Therapy went pretty well and I think I was better prepared for once in forever.

I then ran out to get some more snacks, socialized, and touched base with my case manager on some things. I appreciated their help because it was Phone Stuff - and I got helpful info.

Got home, did some more of the usual before getting to my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 40 squat + step back combos with EC. This was a bit awkward to negotiate my floor space and being pretty tired from not enough sleep. But mission accomplished! :P

Second, Day 15 of the 30DoHIIT. Cardio HIIT, Level 3. This was another day that was pretty much totally changed - and just from selection alone a bit easier than the old version. Very manageable, still had to be more mindful of my knees during the reverse lunges. But no real complaints here.

Third, Day 15 of the PGC. 1′50″ un/clenching fists. I tried to keep my pace hovering just a bit faster than the .gif, this time. It was tough to sustain, but it was still a good pace (especially to keep full ROM active.)

Last, Day 13 of the G2B. It’s nice seeing another yellow night of getting to bed - shut the computer down a few moments after 1AM.

Nov. 5

I woke up a bit after 8AM today. Happy I got up before I got called by the transporter. (But, man, I’ve been tired from not enough sleep.)

Went to the facility, attended Seeking Safety, did some drawing, and today’s DD. it was 40 pulse-ups with EC. My abs certainly felt that and it was fun! (I completely forgot to report it to the DAREBEE thread on time... woops)

Got home, spent time on most of the usual, notably intrigued by Dorian Electra’s work, before doing the rest of my exercise... rather late.

First, Day 16 of the 30DoHIIT. Ab Work, Level 3. This was left completely untouched from the old version (except some wording.) This was reasonably challenging, given sleep dep. The only thing that soured it a bit was an alarm interrupting the timer, rendering a set uncounted (So I technically did ~5.25 sets?)... but that was my bad. So. Whatever, man.

Second, Day 16 of the PGC. 1′50″ overhead flex hold. Pretty similar experience to the last one - debated on positioning thumb horizontally or diagonally while gripping. Former distributes grip force more evenly across fingers, latter concentrates it in the ring/pinky finger knuckles.

Last, Day 14 of the G2B. I got to bed by the yellow zone again, tonight. Shutting off the computer a bit before 1AM.

Nov. 6

I got up around 10AM, today.

I’ve been spending most of my day gathering some documentation. Did dishes and made dinner, too. Intermittently focused on a game. And got to my exercises kinda late for it. :P

First, today’s DD. 2′ turning kicks with EC. Later than intended, but certainly very enjoyable! I counted 83 kicks in total. :D

Second, Day 17 of the 30DoHIIT. Active Plank, Level 3. Definitely an easier sequence than the old version - but still pretty challenging! Steady breathing is where it’s at.

Third, Day 17 of the PGC. 2′ un/clenching fists. Like last time - made sure to hover a bit above the .gif’s pace. It’s pretty sustainable, but tough!

Last, Day 15 of the G2B. Got to bed in the yellow zone, today. Shut off the computer a bit after 1AM - good enough for me.

Nov. 7

I woke up a bit after 8AM.

Went out to the facility, did some drawing, attended WRAP Group, reviewed a thing with case manager, and did the DD. 2′ arm extensions with EC. Using, my mp3 player as a timer, I counted 127 reps by the end. This was pretty fun and manageable.

Got home, did some of the usual, but also dealt with some bills, threw out garbage, and did my laundry. Determined that I just had to rain-check my workout for the day, because all that wiped me out.

But I also did accomplish Day 16 of the G2B. Hit the yellow zone again, kind of barely (shutting off computer about 12:30AM).

Nov. 8

I woke shortly before 10AM, this morning. I guess it may be worth noting that the past few days I’ve been dreaming more? They’‘ve been weird, but haven’t been recording them to tell you much else.

Did a bit of the usual, but some dishes and a bit of exercise when I got up.

First, today’s DD. 40 side [elbow] plank rotations with EC. Took 2 tries, since I fell over on the switch up on the first attempt. Pffft! But after a bit of recovery and dusting myself off - I was on it.

A bit after that, I went with my case manager to my SSA appointment today... which I was nervous about, but I was happy for the auspicious tidings surrounding it. I may actually be able to get some things rolling for my own life.

After making/eating dinner, I got to the rest of my exercise pretty late today.,

Second, Day 18 of the 30DoHIIT. High Knees, Level 3. This was easier than the older version, for reduced set counts and longer rest intervals. It was a good call to not try this yesterday - because it still got me right winded. One thing I can appreciate from fewer sets is that it’s easier to consistently hit a higher pace and be able to sustain it through the whole workout.

Third, Day 18 of the PGC. 2′ overhead flex hold. Things are certainly getting real now. You know you’re challenging yourself when the eyes water a bit from muscle burn. But it’s the good pain. :,D

Last, Day 17 of the G2B. I shut down the computer a bit after 1AM, so I hit the yellow zone once again.

Posting this week a bit late. but I’m fixing to draft the next week in the next post.

#adventures with fitness #positive

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chardscarf12-blog · 5 years ago

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Chocolate Pistachio Cream Thumbprints

Chocolate, Cookies, Desserts

Chocolate Pistachio Cream Thumbprints

March 11, 2019 — by Lindsay

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If you love pistachio gelato, you’ll love these delightful little cookies, with a rich chocolate shortbread and a center of luxurious pistachio cream.

Thumbprints are one of my all time favorite cookie recipes, and this chocolate pistachio one is no exception; dare I say I love it even more than my go-to jam-filled thumbprints? Chocolate shortbread paired with a creamy pistachio filling takes this old favorite to a whole new level.

Rewind to last year in Venice when three gelati a day was not an unusual occurrence. But out of all the cups and cones and scoops, the one that stuck out the most was the Manet flavor from SuSo (called that, I assume because it is truly a work of art). With a rich and creamy hazelnut base and a ribbon of salted pistachio gianduja swirled throughout; it was, to put it simply, life changing.

On our last day we all agreed we needed one last scoop (ok, three scoops). As we were waiting in the tiny, unassuming shop, trying to decide which of the many other delicious flavors to round out our cones (because a scoop of Manet was a given), I noticed a small stack of jars on a shelf in the corner. Upon closer inspection I discovered that this was the stuff, the magic pistachio concoction used in the Manet gelato. I immediately grabbed a jar (I paid for it, promise) which I lovingly wrapped in my fluffiest sweatshirt and carted back home with me to the states.

…where it has since sat in the fridge, untouched, for nearly 9 months.

Please tell me I’m not the only one who ‘savors’ special delicacies like this? Hoarding them, not wanting to use them up, until, inevitably, they expire. Whether it be Swiss chocolate or Japanese KitKats or Portuguese sardines, I fully admit it: I’m a hoarder. Such a travesty, and I’m really working hard to fix this fatal flaw about myself, trying not to hoard the goodness I bring home from my travels, but rather enjoy it and not let it go to waste.

So I set about using this little jar of wonder. And when I say little, I do mean miniscule. Far too small to use in a batch of homemade gelato, for instance.

However the idea of a pistachio thumbprint, a chocolate pistachio thumbprint, fluttered through my mind, and once it had, I couldn’t unthink it. It engulfed my thoughts, sending me on a wild internet search for pistachio pastes and creams and butters from all corners of the globe.

I couldn’t rest until this cookie became a reality.

And, oh, what a wonderful reality it is.

The chocolate shortbread is rich and buttery, somewhere in between a sable and a sugar cookie.

I rolled half the cookies in finely chopped pistachios, and left the other half plain for contrast. I like the extra crunch the nuts bring to the party, however the naked ones were just as delicious (because, let’s face it, the filling is really the star of the show here).

Speaking of that filling: it’s surprising how simply mixing pistachio butter and white chocolate produces something this divine. Almost velvety in texture, soft to the bite but firm enough that it won’t ooze onto your fingers, with a mellow pistachio flavor and just the right amount of salt to offset the subtle sweetness. Dare I say it tastes a bit like pistachio gelato, with a bit more salt and a lot less brain freeze.

I added a touch of pistachio extract to amp up the pistachio flavor even more (pistachio extract being the primary flavor of pistachio gelato, since actual pistachios are really quite mild). This is totally optional, but a little bit in both the cookies and the filling makes for a truly delicious bite.

Funnily enough, the jar that inspired it all didn’t actually make it into the final recipe. As much as I love the pistachio gianduja from SuSo, it turns out the consistency is far too thin for these cookies, it obviously being better suited to more frosty applications. (Don’t worry, I shan’t let it go to waste!)

Instead, I set about creating a filling with a similar flavor profile but a better consistency for this particular recipe, made from pistachio butter, white chocolate and a bit of sugar and salt.

Pistachio cream, paste, butter… what’s the difference?

There’s no hard and fast designation, but generally, pistachio butter is just plain pistachios with a bit of oil and/or salt.

Pistachio paste is typically sweetened, often with added flavoring like almond extract and green coloring. This is what gelato makers use to flavor their frozen creations, and it’s surprisingly hard to find outside of giant food-service sized tubs.

Pistachio cream, on the other hand, is heaven in a jar. It’s a sweetened pistachio spread similar in consistency to nutella, sweetened and enriched with cocoa butter, milk powder, and other ingredients (in other words, basically pistachio and white chocolate since the main ingredients of white chocolate are, in fact, cocoa butter, milk powder and vanilla). Pistachio cream varies quite a bit from brand to brand. I bought a few different kinds and liked Pariani and Fiasconaro brands the best (the former had a more robust flavor, while the later was a prettier green color).

Since pistachio cream isn’t exactly cheap (or easy to come by), and I didn’t want this recipe to be reliant on such a specialty product, I decided to made a semi-homemade version with pistachio butter and white chocolate. It’s essentially a white chocolate pistachio gianduja (normally a mix of milk chocolate and hazelnut) and let me tell you is it fantastic and I can imagine myriad delicious ways in which to use it (pistachio truffles, anyone)?

I tried a few different brands of pistachio butter, and ultimately liked the richer green color of the one from The Pistachio Factory the best. Fiddyment Farms makes a lovely tasting butter too, albeit less saturated in color (they actually call it a paste, but it’s not sweetened at all, just pure pistachio).

The white chocolate also has the added benefit of setting as it cools, like a creamy truffle center, making for a cookie that can be stacked or piled without getting filling everywhere (can you say, perfect party cookie?) If you used straight pistachio butter or jarred pistachio cream, the filling would stay more fluid and you’d need to be more careful transporting or storing the cookies.

That said, you can certainly use pistachio cream right out of the jar in these cookies to save yourself some time. Or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, you could even make a totally from-scratch version starting with homemade pistachio butter (home appliances can’t achieve the same smooth texture as store-bought, so your centers will be more rustic).

But Lindsay, how’d you get your pistachios so green?!?

I’m sure you’ve noticed that if you buy a bag of pre-shelled pistachios, even raw ones, they are usually seriously lacking in the color department. I mean, that top bowl of nuts is disappointing, to say the least.

Baking Tip: for prettier, greener pistachios, start with raw in-shell pistachios rather than shelled. Blanch and peel to reveal the electric green kernels underneath.

Indeed the secret to vibrant green pistachios is to start with raw, whole pistachios. Remove the shells, then blanch the nuts in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain, rinse in cold water, and then peel (the blanching should make the thin brown skins easier to remove). I’ve seen recipes say you can rub the blanched nuts with a clean kitchen towel to more quickly remove the skins, but that didn’t work very well for me so I peeled them one at a time. Yes, it’s a tedious process (and now you know why high quality pistachio spreads are so pricey).

After peeling, spread the nuts out to dry on a layer of paper towels, then grind into nut butter or finely chop for a vibrant green garnish.

If you’re making homemade pistachio butter, this will produce a much more vibrant final product. However, if you opt not to blanch and peel the nuts first, you’ll end up with a butter that’s more brown in color, but still perfectly delicious.

One quirk about these cookies to note: much like my jam thumbprints, these cookies, for whatever reason, bake up better on a light to medium colored cookie sheet. I baked a few cookies on three different cookie sheets just to test, and sure enough, the batch baked on the heavy aluminum cookie sheet turned out the best. Darker/nonstick cookie sheets tended to get a bit ruffly around the edges and crispier on the bottoms.

If you’re having issues with these cookies spreading a bit too much, try a different cookie sheet before you try anything else. You can also try chilling the dough briefly. Cool room temperature dough is ideal here, it should still be fairly pliable or the cookies will crack when you shape them.

For me at least, refrigerating/freezing the shaped cookies before baking them didn’t produce any noticeable differences, but if your kitchen is on the warm side it certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Also: now that I have all these various pistachio products sitting around you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be baking some gelato!

Yield: approximately 2 dozen cookies

Chocolate Pistachio Cream Thumbprints

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

For Chocolate Thumbprints:

10 tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup (140g) granulated sugar

1 large egg yolk (reserve the white if you will be rolling in nuts)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon pistachio extract (optional)

1 1/4 cups (156g) all-purpose flour

1/3 cup (33g) dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 cup (60g) coarsely chopped pistachios (optional, for rolling; this is enough to coat half the cookies, if you want to roll all of them, use a full cup)

For Pistachio Cream Filling:

1.5 ounces (43g) white chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons (48g) pistachio butter

2 teaspoons (4g) powdered sugar, sifted

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/8 teaspoon pistachio extract (optional)

1/8 teaspoon vanilla powder (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a light or medium-colored heavy-weight baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla and pistachio extract.

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, and salt until evenly distributed. Add to mixing bowl with butter mixture, and mix on low speed until just incorporated and mixture comes together into a stiff dough. If your dough seems too crumbly, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of milk as needed to bring it together, however know your cookies might spread a bit more as a result.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and arrange on prepared baking sheet.

For plain cookies, flatten balls slightly with your thumb or the back of a round 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, leaving an indentation in the center. You don’t want to press all the way down, just enough to form an indentation without the dough around it cracking. Dip the back of your measuring spoon in flour first so it doesn’t stick.

For nut-coated cookies, lightly dip the ball of dough into reserved egg white, then roll between your palms until it’s thinly coated with egg white. Roll in chopped pistachios until evenly covered, then place on baking sheet, then press with your thumb or measuring spoon to indent.

Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set and slightly puffed and edges are slightly darker in color. Remove baking sheet from oven.

While the cookies are still warm, redefine the indentations with the same measuring spoon you used initially. They will have puffed a bit while baking, so doing this gives you room for your filling.

While the cookies are cooling, make your filling. Place white chocolate in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Warm in the microwave on 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.

Stir in pistachio butter, powdered sugar, sea salt, pistachio extract and vanilla powder until smooth.

Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of filling into the center of each cookie, taking care not to overflow the thumbprint (you might need slightly more or less filling per cookie depending on the size of your indentations).

Let cool at room temperature for about 2 hours until set, or speed up the process by refrigerating the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes until centers are no longer shiny.

Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

All images and text © Lindsay Landis / Love & Olive Oil

Did you make this recipe?

Let us know what you think! Leave a Comment or share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #loveandoliveoil.

Recommended for this recipe:

Raw Pistachio Butter

Pure Vanilla Bean Powder

OXO Good Grips Small Cookie Scoop

Commercial Aluminum Half Sheet Pan

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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Chocolate Cookies Desserts

posted by Lindsay on March 11, 2019

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Source: https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2019/03/chocolate-pistachio-cream-thumbprints.html

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trendsvacuum · 6 years ago

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Top 6 Best Handheld Vacuums You Shouldn’T Miss

If you are at the very first step of moving out of your parents’ house and start a new independent life, so congratulation. There is a lot of stuff you need to buy to décor and clean your house. And a handheld vacuum is one of them. The handheld vacuum is considered a must-have item for all housewives. Simply because it allows you are keeping your house clean and clear without any effort.

As many of you have already asked and request me to jot down the best handheld vacuum list. So today, after a long time of research and trial, below are what I found. Let’s jump in.

[wpsm_comparison_table id=”9″ class=”center-table-align”]

What are handheld vacuums?

Handheld vacuums are actually a portable and compact version of traditional vacuum cleaners. They are in charge of cleaning all small – sized and large – sized stuff in your apartment, office, etc. Because of their small size, they come with their own advantages and disadvantages.

Considerations before purchasing a handheld vacuum

There is a bunch of considerations which should be made before making a purchase. Below are several factors you should think carefully to pick up the desired handheld vacuum.

Your Specific Purpose

Normally, there are 2 main purposes for buying a handheld vacuum. Firstly, people tend to use it to clean the vehicle. So before making a purchase, just ask yourself that will I frequently clean my car. If the answer is yes, then buy it. Secondly, if you breed a pet shedding a lot of hair, a handheld vacuum is also needed. So remember to make clear your purpose.

Handle Dry or Wet Debris?

There are a couple of handheld vacuum cleaners the in the market which is able to clean both dry and wet debris. So if you decide on buying a multi-function vacuum, make sure that you have a sufficient power suction.

Corded or cordless?

It is the most common that every purchaser considers. Both types have their pros and cons.

A corded vacuum doesn’t require charging. However, it is less transportable. While a cordless vacuum can be carried around and battery powered.

Top 6 best handheld vacuums in 2018

Below are the top 6 best handheld vacuum list that I took time and effort to pick up. Hope you find it useful.

1. AEG AG71a RapidClean Stair and Car

For those are seeking for the best handheld vacuum for stairs, this product is exclusively produced for you. AEG AG71a RapidClean is no longer a strange brand to all housewives in America due to its impressive performance.

AEG AG71a is a 700W – corded handheld cleaner with a crevice nozzle and built-in stretch hose. The crevice tool and stretch hose are responsible for helping you get into hard – to –reach and tricky areas. In order to deliver a spotless carpet, this product is engineered a “Stubborn Brush” visor. Even though possessing a compact design, it is proficient in dual functions: both stair and car cleaning.

Normally, cleaning tricky areas will drive all housewives crazy. But this wonderful machine makes the house chore easy as a pie. It is specially designed for hard – to – do tasks such as cleaning cars interior’s contours, upholstery, dark sides. It’s 2 – layer microfiber filter will absolutely eliminate all particles no matter how small they are.

Everything has its pros and cons, and this applicant isn’t an exception. Its only drawback is that it doesn’t come with great portability compared to its competitors.

In short, this is worth – every – penny product which suits cleaning stairs and car interiors. If you are a car owner and living in a duplex house, then AEG AG71a is definitely your must-have item.

Product name: AEG AG71a RapidClean Stair and Car Brand: AEG Model: AG71A Item Weight: 2.59 Kg Product Dimensions: 18 x 20 x 40 cm Special Features: bagless-cord, bagless, cord Voltage: 220 volts Wattage: 700 watts Warranty: 1 Year Limited

[joomdev-wpc-pros-cons disable_title=”yes” title=”Product Name…” button_text=”Buy $45.99 @Amazon” disable_button=”no” button_link=”https://amzn.to/2OhXHGE” button_link_target=”__blank” button_rel_attr=”nofollow”][joomdev-wpc-pros]

Pros

It comes with a large cord storage.

It is lightweight, compact and easy to use.

It performs well, especially when cleaning the stairs.

It has a long cord and powerful suction.

[/joomdev-wpc-pros][joomdev-wpc-cons]

Cons

It has poor portability compared to other handheld cleaners.

[/joomdev-wpc-cons][/joomdev-wpc-pros-cons]

2. Black + Decker Lithium Compact Pivot

The Black + Decker is always my all – time favorite brand as it provides stylish and high – performed products. Like many other machines of Black + Decker, this Black + Decker Lithium Compact Pivot will never let you down.

The Black + Decker Lithium Compact Pivot makes use of lithium-ion batteries. As a result, it is lighter, more convenient to hold and provides great performance. Especially, this product’s batteries are smartly designed, it is always ready to use even there isn’t self – discharge. Moreover, thanks to its lightweight feature, cleaning the house isn’t as tired as before.

One more key feature that I sure you will definitely love is it has noise and motor reducing design. It operates pretty quietly so you won’t interrupt your house while vacuuming. Also, The Black + Decker use eco-smart charge technology, so it only takes 4 hours to be fully charged. This model is beneficial in saving power and protecting the battery.

Its compact, sleek package and high performance make it the most preferred cordless handheld vacuum. It has been set up the motor in the interior of the filter, making this machine stylish while still performing well.

In addition, this small – sized model could thread its way to clean awkward, narrow and dark side areas. If you are raising a pet, this Black + Decker will become an indispensable part of your life. You can easily clean pet hair without any effort.

However, this little cute model still has a few cons. Firstly, compared to normal cordless vacuum cleaners, this model is a bit loud. Secondly, its runtime is comparatively short, just around 10 minutes.

In conclusion, The Black + Decker Lithium Compact Pivot is a perfect combination of performance and price. It is the best choice for those looking for a durable and high – performed cordless handheld vacuum.

Product name: Black + Decker Lithium Compact Pivot Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 6 x 7 inches Item Weight: 4.95 pounds Manufacturer: Black and Decker Item model number: PHV1810 Batteries: 1 Lithium ion batteries required. Warranty: 1 Year Limited

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Pros

It is fairly lightweight compared to another handheld vacuum.

It combines perfectly between performance and price.

It allows users to clean deeply without any effort.

Its design is attractive, eye-catching and unique.

It is fast – charging.

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Cons

It is a bit loud so it could be inconvenient when you are cleaning late.

The runtime is comparatively short.

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3. Eureka EasyClean Corded Handheld 71B

Look for a speedy and inexpensive corded handheld vacuum; Eureka Easy Clean 71B is your answer. The Eureka Vacuum is one of the most well – known and best seller vacuums on Amazon. This can somehow prove how “hot” and favored this fantastic machine is.

This product delivers a perfect combination of innovation, great usability, and simple to use. It is uniquely designed for multiple purposes. It possesses an effective cleaning head, good suction power, most notably for stairs and hairs. Additionally, it is also provided a handy stretch hose for dark side areas.

It is engineered a revolving brush roll located under the cover combined with the good – functioned suction power. So, getting rid of debris, small sand in carpets, upholstery, flat areas, and stair steps is never that effortless.

Its river visor is an innovative clear plastic cover staying down when vacuuming horizontal surfaces and flipping up when cleaning vertical surfaces. This feature makes it ideal to clean the backs of furniture and stair steps. In my point of view, this machine gave me the most satisfied feeling when doing the house chores.

What is more, its 200 – foot – long cord makes it suitable for tidying car interior. Also, its crevice tool and attached hose allow you to easily clean all the hard – to – reach areas in your car. Last but not least, it is super easy to store unit.

In short, there is nothing wrong with this product so far. I’m really satisfied with my purchase till this point. So I highly recommend this outstanding product to you guys.

Product name: Eureka EasyClean Corded Handheld 71B Product Dimensions: 7 x 15 x 8 inches Item Weight: 4.85 pounds Department: Vacuums Manufacturer: Midea Item model number: 71B Warranty: 1 Year Limited

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Pros

It is super easy to clean stair steps and other tricky areas.

It is extremely suitable for vacuuming car interior.

It delivers easy storage.

It is effective when it comes to clean embedded dirt.

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Cons

I have not found any cons so far.

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4. Dyson V7 Car Boat Cord Handheld Vacuum

If you tend to buy a powerful handheld vacuum, so don’t miss out this excellent Dyson V7. Simply because it could tackle all tasked without any difficulties.

Dyson V7 Car + Board Cord-free Handheld Vacuum delivers the most powerful suction among handheld in the market. It also comes with a mini motorized tool excelling at removing small particles, pet hair, and debris from upholstery and carpets.

It is well operated by a 21.6V battery. With a fad-free suction, it could clean flawlessly in its 30-minute runtime. In purpose of extra suction power, the Dyson manufacturer added a boost mode. However, it could reduce the run – time.

In relation to price, to be honest, this product is expensive. Normally, people tend to spend approximately $100 on a vacuum cleaner. But this Dyson V7’s price doubles its competitors in the market.

In conclusion, even though it’s expensive but I still feel satisfied with what it brings to me. In terms of features and performance, I highly adore this model. Frankly speaking, it is the most outstanding handheld vacuum for pet hair. If its price isn’t your main consideration, just by it and it will do the rest for you.

Product name: Dyson V7 Car Boat Cord Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 5.2 x 8.1 inches Item Weight: 3.77 pounds Manufacturer: Dyson Item model number: 231772-01 Batteries: 1 Lithium ion batteries required. Warranty: 1 Year Limited

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Pros

It performs well.

It is small – sized so you could easily carry it.

It is super powerful.

Its runtime is quite long.

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Cons

It doesn’t come with a floor head or a rigid tube.

Its price is considerably high.

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5. Armor All 2.5 Gallon Utility Wet/Dry Vacuum

Armor All 2.5 Gallon is one of the most chosen vacuums on Amazon. In my point of view, it is the best handheld vacuum 2018. As I read from Armor All 2.5 Gallon – related customer reports, the majority of users felt happy and rated high scores for this awesome product.

In detail, this machine is portable, lightweight and compact with a top handle. Hence, it is almost effortless to handle. It is provided a 2.5 – gallon polypropylene tank which is big enough to contain dirt, dust, debris, and other contaminants. In addition, a 6 – foot 1.5 – inch hose is big to suck in bigger objects.

What is more, it is super versatile. It could include a couple of useful attachments like deluxe car nozzle, detail brush, crevice tool. Especially, It could effortlessly convert to the blower nozzle. It has both vacuum and blower function, so It is able to handle both dry and wet pickup.

Furthermore, this model is equipped with an auto shut – off feature in order to prevent overflow. It also has a noise diffuser and a built-in air to keep the cleaning sounds at a minimum. Every garden has its weed, and this Armor 2.5 Gallon is not an exception. I found that its power cord isn’t long enough.

In short, Armor 2.5 Gallon is a high – functioned and great – performed handheld vacuum that you shouldn’t miss out. Just give them a try, and I’m pretty sure that you will be addicted to doing the house chores.

Product name: Armor All 2.5 Gallon Utility Wet/Dry Vacuum Part Number: AA255 Item Weight: 7 pounds Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 14.2 x 14.4 inches Item model number: AA255 Color: Orange and black Style: Vacuum Power Source: corded-electric Special Features: Auto shut-off Warranty Description: 2 years

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Pros

It is highly affordable.

It delivers a blower function.

It is powerful enough for light – duty house chores.

It is easy to store, portable, compact and lightweight.

It has sufficient accessory storage.

It is effortless to empty the bin.

It doesn’t require assembly.

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Cons

The power cord seems to not be long.

It could utilize a lock mechanism between the hole and the hose to keep them attached.

[/joomdev-wpc-cons][/joomdev-wpc-pros-cons]

6. Fuller Brush Mini Maid Handheld Vacuum

In case you are seeking for a small – sized handheld vacuum with full performance as bigger – sized cleaners, just pick up this Fuller Brush Mini Vacuum.

Fuller Brush Mini Maid Handheld Vacuum possesses a small, cute and simple design. It is provided an ergonomic and comfortable handle which allows you to tidy your floor mats and seats with ease. Interestingly, it goes with a hose so cleaning hard – to – reach areas is no longer a challenging task for sure.

It also has a crevice tool which is in charge of cleaning tight places such as between seats. You can pick up a brush tool to clean small – sized sand, debris and ground – in the dirt. Thanks to this adorable product, it’s hard to leave your car a mess.

The Fuller is extremely lightweight and durable. So purchasing this handheld vacuum is a true bargain. In case, this product gets into trouble; you have 90 days to replace it. Its only drawback is its small capacity. Hence, you need to empty it frequently.

In conclusion, this Fuller Brush Mini Maid Handheld is suitable for car owners as it is easy – to – carry and high – performer. In my point of view, it is the best small – sized handheld vacuum for cars. So if you tend to buy a handheld vacuum to clean your car, I highly recommend this product.

Product name: Fuller Brush Mini Maid Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 4.8 inches Item Weight: 3.5 pounds Manufacturer: Fuller Brush Co. Item model number: FBMV4 Warranty: 1 Year Limited

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Pros

It is lightweight, easy to carry.

Its price is affordable.

It is durable and high – performing.

Its design is cute and attractive to me.

It allows us to clean hard – to – reach places.

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Cons

Due to its small size, it couldn’t contain very much dirt.

It has only a 90 – day warranty.

[/joomdev-wpc-cons][/joomdev-wpc-pros-cons]

In conclusion

In conclusion, there are numerous high – quality handheld vacuum cleaners in the market for housewives to pick up. Among the recommended products above, I spend my special love for the AEG AG71 RapidClean. As for me, it possesses a lot of pros, and its design fits my taste. However, when it comes to choosing the best handheld vacuum, usage purpose is the most important factor you should care about.

Hopefully, after reading my article, you could grasp some informative and useful information. More importantly, you could pick up your favorite handheld vacuum. Please click the like and share button if you love my contents. It will be such a big honor and motivation for me to keep up my good work.

Once again, thank you for reading my article. Keep following me and stay tuned as I will come back with tons of fun and interesting contents. Love you to the moon and back.

See more: Top 6 Best Handheld Vacuums You Shouldn’T Miss

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homeremediesforlowerbackpai-blog · 6 years ago

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11 Easy Exercises For Long-Term Lower Back Pain Relief

Exercise is not the first thing you think of in the morning. Most likely, you’d want to jump out of bed and get a cup of coffee. However, adding exercise to your routine does not only help improve your health.

In fact, it will reduce the number-one enemy of any person: lower back pain. Due to a prolonged sedentary position, people assume almost daily, the pain intensity increments consistently.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 80% of adults worldwide experience low back pain at some point in their lives. As a matter of fact, it is a leading reason of missed-work days.

Massage will not get rid of lower back pains. In fact, only exercise will. For just a few minutes a day, the following exercises will give you lower back pain relief. If you want to head directly to the exercises, just skip the next section.

Long-Term Benefits of Good Exercise

The modern person’s lifestyle circles around mentally demanding tasks. However, the person’s physique has less to no movement at all during this period. Therefore, a typical working individual spends hours sitting down on their desks without doing anything physical except a few arm and wrist movements.

Exercise allows the body to burn calories. In addition, it will increase cardiovascular activity, which in turn improves the body’s metabolism and circulation. If you choose to work out as soon as possible, you gain the following benefits listed here.

Weight Loss and Gain Control

Exercise improves both circulation and metabolism. Physical activity will place higher demands on the body’s energy sources. In turn, the body will burn stores of fat for energy once muscle-retained energy runs out.

Therefore, exercise will improve any person’s weight loss efforts. As a matter of fact, regular exercise will help individuals retain their weight especially if they have slow metabolic rates.

Exercise intensity helps you burn more calories and reduce fat. However, regular ample exercise is enough to keep everything in check weight-wise.

Not only will you have a better-feeling back, but you can also look good after a few months of workouts too.

Reduced Risk of Heart Diseases

The improved capacity of your cardiovascular system helps your body pump enough blood. In addition, the heart becomes resistant to sudden shocks and huge drops in energy demand.

The increased physical activity amount burns up more blood sugar. In turn, this helps your body retain sugar levels and keep your energy levels balanced in the process.

Better blood circulation improves transport of oxygen and nutrients across your body’s organs and cells. Therefore, exercise helps reduce metabolic syndrome with reduced risk of high blood pressure, sugar, and abnormal cholesterol levels.

Lower Diabetes Risk

An obese lifestyle increases the likelihood of acquiring Type 2 Diabetes. Exercise will help reduce excess body fat. Movement makes the body more sensitive to insulin. In addition, increased mood and physical confidence help individuals cope with stress effectively.

Type 2 Diabetes mostly concerns itself with proper diets. However, a well-balanced meal with effective physical activity reduces risk in individuals and those already afflicted with the disease.

Having an obese physique is actually a huge contributor to lower back pain. Therefore, to find relief, it’s time to focus on better diets and exercise.

Improved Mood and Mental Health

Using pain relievers to relieve lower back pain is effective only up to a week. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen and mefenamic acid will reduce any physical pain in your lower back. However, their side effects include diarrhea, nausea, and dizziness. In fact, no doctor will recommend pain relievers as a normal part of dietary intake.

Exercises targeting the pain in your lower back strengthen the area’s muscles. In turn, it helps melt away the pain by giving your back proper support through improved physique.

Without feeling any physical pain, you can concentrate on your goals. Additionally, you improve your mental health in the process through your daily achievements.

Enhanced Mortality Rate

Given the outstanding benefits of exercise for your entire body, you increase your overall lifespan by a mile. Balanced physical and mental activity removes the body’s unnecessary clogs. Therefore, it improves blood circulation and increases muscle mass.

When you do the following exercises, you do not only provide relief for your back. In fact, you improve the body’s overall condition with holistic activities.

Here are some exercises sure to eliminate your back pains.

Exercises for Lower Back Pain Relief and General Body Wellness

Partial Crunches

Partial stomach crunches build your lower back strength. In addition, it will enhance your stomach muscles. If you want a better feeling in your spine, do this exercise on a daily basis.

Lie down on the floor with bent knees and feet flat on the floor

Put your hands behind your head or across your chest

Tighten your stomach muscles and raise your shoulders from the floor

Breath out as you raise your shoulders

Do not lead your head with your hands or elbows

Hold your position for one second before lowering your back down to the floor

Repeat 8-12 times to develop muscles in the stomach and lower back.

Hamstring Stretches

You can find your hamstrings near the back of your leg. Stretching it will relieve muscles in the area. The back of the leg supports the muscles of your lower back. Using these muscles too much will result in their weakening. Therefore, if left as so, they will strain the back and cause massive lower back pain.

To do this properly, follow these steps:

Lie on your back with one knee bent

Thread a towel under the ball of your unbent leg’s foot

Pull back on the towel as you straighten your knee

You will feel a gentle stretch

Hold your position for 15-30 seconds

Do the stretch 2-4 times for each leg

This is a perfect stretch before jogging or aerobics

Wall Sits

Most physically-fit individuals use leg raises instead of wall sits. However, not everyone has leg muscle power to achieve it.

Wall sits are excellent not just as leg exercises. They provide lower back pain relief after hours of sitting down. To achieve this, do the following:

Stand with your back facing the wall about 10-12 inches away

Lean against the wall until your back is flat against it

Slide down slowly until you bend your knees

Hold your position for 10 seconds then slide up

Repeat 8-12 times.

Still, if you’re in better physical shape than others, then you can do leg raises instead of wall sits.

Lie on your back

Leave one leg straight and bend the other

Lift the straight leg up slowly and hold it for one second

Lower the leg slowly

Repeat 10 times per leg

Press-Up Back Extensions

It’s a mix of half push-ups and planking. However, this is easier. This exercise works on your upper and lower back muscles. It allows the muscles to stretch and strain themselves just enough. This is effective especially if you find it difficult to do push-ups or planks.

Lie on your stomach

Position your hands in front underneath your shoulders

Push down on your hands and lift your shoulders

If you have the strength, set your elbows on the floor beneath your shoulders

Spend 10-20 seconds holding the position.

Bird Dog

Yoga is one of the best ways to relieve lower back pain and other pain-ridden areas of the body. In fact, its effect is similar to the Home Remedies For Lower Back Pain. One of the modified exercises the program uses is Bird Dog. However, the original version is beneficial in strengthening your core muscles including your lower back.

Get on your hands and knees as if you’re crawling

Tighten your abdominal muscles

Left your leg and extend it behind you

Keep your hips level as you do so

Hold the position for five seconds

Switch to the other leg

Repeat 8-12 times

Progression: Try to lengthen the time you lift each leg per session.

Knee to Chest

It’s similar to leg raises except you won’t have to raise your leg fully. You just need to bring your knees to your chest. This workout focuses on your lower back and hamstring muscles. Here’s how to do them correctly.

Lie on your back

Flatten your feet against the floor

Bend your knees

Bring one knee up to your chest while keeping the bent foot down flat.

Hold for 15-30 seconds

Lower the knee slowly and bring up the other leg

Perform 2-4 times for each leg.

Pelvic Tilts

Pelvic tilts strengthen your abdominal muscles. Your abs support your lower back along with the muscles in that area. Therefore, improving lower back pain relief means improving your ab muscles along the way.

Lie with your back on the floor

Bend your knees and keep feet flat

Pull in your stomach and raise your buttocks off the floor

Rest your body’s weight on the back of your shoulders

Keep your hands flat on the floor

Hold the movement for 10 seconds

Repeat for 8-12 times

Leg Press with Weights

Weights do wonders for building muscle. In addition, it increases your metabolism by increasing your heart rate. While not a cardiovascular activity, resistance or weight training benefits the entire body.

Leg presses are a great lower back pain solution. Before you start, ask gym instructors or tutors to find the right weight for you.

Sit on the leg press machine

Place feet hip-width apart

Keep heels flat and knees in line with your feet

Push against the machine plank with the balls of your feet

You should feel pressure along your hamstrings

Repeat 8-12 times per set

Leg Extension

Leg extensions target your quadriceps. These are located on your front thigh. Gyms have a lever machine that allows you to sit down and add weight to the machine in accordance with your legs’ muscle strength.

Here’s how to do leg extensions properly

Sit on the seat of the machine

Hook the feet under the padded bar

Use weights that allow you to extend your legs with enough effort but not much strain

Straighten your legs until you arrive at a 90-degree angle

Hold the bars firmly at the sides

Breath out during exertion and inhale during recovery

Repeat 8-12 times.

Leg Curl

Leg curls target your calf and hamstrings. These two support your lower back’s muscles. By strengthening and growing them, you prevent further lower back pain.

Weight training with leg curls requires using the gym bench foot levered lifting bar. This allows you to lie down on your stomach and pull against the weights attached to a pulley connected to the padded panels.

Here’s how to do this exercise effectively.

Choose the right weight as mentioned earlier

Lie down on your back and insert your legs between the padded panels

Flex at the knee joint and pull the ankles close to the buttocks

Hold for a second until you release the weight with control.

Repeat the movement 8-12 per set.

Bench Press

The arms, shoulders, and triceps on the upper back of the body help your lower back provide full spinal support. With your upper body able to carry its own weight efficiently, it lessens the strain on your lower back.

If you have a barbell at home with a special bench, you can perform bench presses easily.

Lie on your back flat against the bench

Align your eyes to the barbell rack uprights.

Warm up by lifting the bar without any weights

Choose a weight requiring effort to carry but with less strain

Grasp the bar with your thumbs outside your closed fist

Lift the barbell at a 45-degree angle

Hold the position for one second then lower the bar slowly

Repeat for 8-12 times per set

Conclusion

The true cure to lower back pain is body strengthening. Exercise in the form of basic calisthenics to weightlifting definitely helps improve the muscles in your lower back. Therefore, better physical activities do not only provide lower back pain relief but also improves your longevity and health too.

References:

https://www.keesler.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/361171/fitness-centers-strive-to-improve-quality-of-life/

https://pixabay.com/en/people-woman-exercise-fitness-2592247/

#health #health & fitness #back pain #back pain exercise #excercise #review #back pain tips

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esprit-de-corps-magazine · 6 years ago

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Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum B-25 "Maid in the Shade"

By Richard LawrenceOnce again the Commemorative Air Force is visiting the Ottawa area as the Arizona Airbase’s North American B-25J Mitchell bomber, “Maid in the Shade”, set down at the Gatineau Executive Airport and taxied over to the Vintage Wings of Canada ramp as part of the “Flying Legends Of Victory Air Show Tour”. This specific aircraft flew fifteen actual combat missions (13 x Italy, 2 x Yugoslavia) from Seraggia Airport on the island of Corsica in November and December 1944 as Battle 18 with the distinctive blue tail and blue ring cowls she now displays. She also participated in America’s first large-scale bombing offensive in the Philippines where “the Maid” is credited with eight ships sunk and five planes shot down. After she retired from the military in 1959 she was used as an aerial pest spray aircraft until 1980 when she arrived at the Arizona Airbase of the CAF (AZCAF) and was in restoration for almost 29 years until her first flight in May 2009.

The B-25 bomber, built by North American Aviation and named after Major General William “Billy” Mitchell, was one of the best known and versatile bombers of the second war. It was a heavily armed medium bomber which served in every theatre of war in roles from bombing, anti-shipping, to tactical ground support. It was an exceptionally sturdy aircraft that could withstand tremendous punishment. One B-25C (nicknamed "Patches “) of the 321st Bomb Group, had the aircraft's holes patched with the bright yellow zinc chromate primer. At the end of over 300 missions Patches had been belly-landed six times and had over 400 patched holes. The airframe was so distorted from damage that straight-and-level flight required 8° of left aileron trim and 6° of right rudder, causing the aircraft to "crab" sideways across the sky.

Of the nearly 10,000 B-25s produced, there were many variants with this “J” version having over 4,300 siblings. The “C” version (known as the Mitchell Mk II in the RCAF/RAF) would have been most familiar to Canadians, the “G” version had the nose plexiglass replaced with skin and two additional .50 calibre machines added PLUS a 75mm (3 inch) cannon, and the “J” version as a Strafer variant was outfitted with most of its 14 to 18 machine guns facing forward for strafing runs (8 machine guns in the nose position, 2 fixed on either side of the fuselage below the cockpit, and 2 in the dorsal turret). In short, there was no shortage of variations of this aircraft or job it couldn’t be thrown against.

One of the techniques for which the B-25 was known was “skip bombing”. This entailed the bomber to fly between 200-250 feet above ground at 200-250 mph and then drop a stick of two 1,000 pound or four 500 pound bombs that would then skip off the water (like skipping a stone) before hitting a ship and exploding (4-5 second delay fuses) or sinking below the ship and exploding next to her. Mast-height bombing was similar where the B-25 would come in at a slightly higher altitude and faster speed and then drop down to 10-15 feet about 600 yards back of the target. At about 300 yards, the bombs were released into the side of the ship.

The B-25 is most notably known as the bomber selected to make the first air raid against the Japanese home islands in April, 1942. For that raid 16 B-25B Mitchell bombers were stripped down of all unnecessary equipment, including most of the defensive machine guns and ammunition, and launched from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (for which they weren’t designed) without a fighter escort. LCol. James Doolittle led the 80 man raid for the six hour, 800 mile flight after which they were to go to China to land, another 7 hours. However, one aircraft had issues in flight and diverted to Russia where they were interned and eventually escaped to get home. The 15 other aircraft successfully carried out the raid creating minor damage but a huge success as far as damaging the morale of the Japanese civilian population and boosting the morale of American Troops.

All 15 bombers made it to China where they had to crash land, bailout or ditch and all but two crews (10 airmen) made their way home. Not all crew members made it back with three KIA and eight taken as POWs (3 executed, 1 died). There were also reprisals against the Chinese who assisted the downed airmen with one city, Nancheng, burned to the ground for rendering assistance.

There is a Canadian connection to the B-25 as Canadian aircrew served on them when they served in RAF units which flew the B-25. The RCAF did fly them during WWII but Canadian usage was mostly after the war. The first B-25s for the RCAF were originally destined for the RAF but were diverted to the RCAF and redesignated using the Mark system. These included 1 x B-25B (Mitchell Mk I), 42 x B-25C (Mitchell Mk IIs), and 19 x B-25J-NC (Mitchell Mk IIIs).

No 13 (P) Squadron was formed at Rockliffe in May of 1944 where they operated Mitchell Mk IIs on high altitude aerial photography sorties and became No 413 (P) Squadron in April 1947, flying the Mitchell until October, 1948. In January, 1947, No 418 (Auxiliary) Squadron received its first Mitchell Mk IIs, operating a mix of Mk IIs and Mk IIIs until March, 1958. No 406 (Auxiliary) Squadron flew Mitchell Mk IIIs from April 1947 to June 1958 with No 12 Squadron of Air Transport Command flying Mitchell Mk IIIs from September 1956 to November 1960. No. 5 OTU (Operational Training Unit) at Boundary Bay, British Columbia and Abbotsford, British Columbia, operated the B-25D Mitchell in the training role together with B-24 Liberators for Heavy Conversion as part of the BCATP.

In 1951, the United States Air Force provided the RCAF with an additional 75 x Mitchell Mk IIIs (B-25J) so that second-line units could be equipped and to help alleviated shortages caused by attrition. In all, 164 B-25s served with seven RCAF squadrons in light bomber, navigation training, photo recon, and transport roles.

On a personal note, I had the good fortune to be selected to go for a ride in the “Maid” as part of a media flight and because I’m a veteran. My position was as the left hand waist gunner. From the pictures you can see that there were four of us in this space which normally accommodated two. As well, we had seats which the gunners would not have had, having instead to sit on their parachutes for the entire journey. After a flight briefing by AZCAF’s Ted Lloyd we got into the aircraft’s waist via a ladder just aft of the bomb bay and then wrestled into seats and seatbelts and waited … and sweated … and waited and sweated. It was a hot day with high humidity and there is no air movement in the waist until the engines start and the B-25 starts to taxi. As the engines turned over, we all put on ear protectors as the B-25 is noisy, so much so that just ear plugs are not deemed sufficient. The first smell is that of exhaust as we are seated just behind the engines but that clears soon enough as you start moving and you start to get some airflow into the cabin. The taxi out to take-off position is not much different than any other aircraft, other than it is 74 years old.

Once the take-off roll started, I was surprised by how much I was pushed into the back of my seat as I expected something gentler. After passing V1 and Vr speeds she jumped up in to the air and started a gentle climb for a couple of seconds and then did what felt like a 60 degree turn. Again, more abrupt than I would have expected. What I gathered from this little bit of experience is that this aircraft handles very nimbly and that the pilots have no compunction about throwing it around the sky.

A couple minutes into the flight, Ted gave us the OK to unbuckle and I was allowed to crawl from the waist position to the rear gunner position in the tail. And that’s the only way you can get there is on your belly. It’s a small little seat about 12-16 inches off the floor with the machine guns at knee level. Your head sticks up into a blister so you can see targets but your field of view is limited, especially if

you’re shorter than six feet. The others moved about standing at the waist gun positions tracking whatever they could see with the guns. A few minutes of this and all of a sudden, we’re bidden back to our seats by Ted as we’re starting to setup for landing. It’s surprising how fast a 25 minutes flight goes by.

I must say that the experience is not a lot different than flying in any other airplane EXCEPT that when you think of it in a historical perspective. You see how these young men, 18, 19, 20 years old with no worldly or life experiences yet, were crammed in together and sent up into the air to bomb another country – to execute government sanctioned killing. Imagine being airborne for hours, knowing that fighters were going to come at you for hours and that you only carried a limited supply of ammunition. Knowing that they could weave all over the sky at double your speed and that you were essentially a sitting target travelling straight and level. Knowing that anti-aircraft fire could bring you down in seconds. Put that together with an uncomfortable working environment, whether it be heat on the ground or cold in the air, and machine gun cartridges bouncing all over the aircraft’s inside as you blazed away hoping to hit a moving target and not even having enough room to fully traverse your gun without hitting your buddy on the opposite side. Take a look at the structure of the aircraft from inside and realize what a flimsy vehicle this is to do the job that it has been assigned. I can only commend the courage of any man who would go up and do this a second time. Most went up dozens of times without a second thought. Many didn’t return.

As a last historical note, I noticed that the bomb bay doors had a lot of graffiti on it and upon closer examination saw that it was inscriptions from men who had actually flown B-25s. It was pointed out to me that two of the signatures were of aircrew of the Doolittle mission, Ed Sayler (crew #15) and David Thatcher (crew #7). It’s worthwhile just to sit there a read the names for a minute or two.

I’d like to express my thanks to Corey Paul and her staff for their excellent service and response times in providing information to me and for thinking to include me in the media flight as a veteran. I’d also like to thank Ted Lloyd for getting me to the tail gunner position in flight, something I’m sure he didn’t have to do, and also thanks to Paul Hlavaty for letting me up into the cockpit once she was on the ground, again something he didn’t have to do. The Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum (AZCAF), based in Mesa, Arizona, is one of 86 different airbases, wings, squadrons, and other unit types comprising the Commemorative Air Force organization that fly and house the largest collection of flying vintage aircraft in the world. The CAF is the nation's leading organization devoted to preserving American military aviation history through education, flying and exhibition.

For more photos: http://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/rlpgalleries/2018/maid/index.html

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rayanrooke · 6 years ago

Text

Ranking the 10 Best Thermos of 2018

The value of a warm beverage on the trail when temperatures are dropping is hard to calculate. Wen you need it, though, a great thermos will keep tea, coffee, soup, or other ‘pick-me-ups’ warm for hours. Carrying a thermos is also a great way to avoid pulling out your stove and spending unnecessary time heating up water while you could be moving along on your way.

The Thermos brand is obviously one of the most trusted names out there, but there are a variety of companies that also offer quality thermoses. Our list of the Top Ten Thermoses will help you narrow down your selection.

Also, be sure to read past our top-10 list and onto our Buyer’s Guide and Frequently Asked Questions sections. These will provide all the important information you need to make the most informed selection of the best thermos for you!

1. Thermos Stainless King 16-Ounce

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Coming to you in matte black (but also available in cranberry and stainless steel), the 16-ounce Stainless King from Thermos is great for hot drinks or single-servings of warm soup. It’s also great for keeping cold liquids cold, as it offers double wall vacuum insulation for maximum temperature retention, whether hot or cold.

This thermos also features durable stainless steel on the interior and exterior, as well as an extra wide mouth for easy filling, serving, and cleaning. The 16-ounce Stainless King will keep liquids hot for 7 hours and cold for 9 hours. Last but not least, this thermos boasts a compact and insulated serving bowl, as well as a full-size folding stainless steel spoon.

2. Stanley Classic

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

From another trusted name in thermoses, we bring you the Stanley Classic. This thermos is made with 18/8 stainless steel that won’t rust and is naturally BPA-free. It’s the perfect thermos to maintain the temperature (hot or cold) of up to 1.1 quarts of liquid.

The Stanley Classic Vacuum Bottle’s insulated lid doubles as a cup that can hold up to 8 ounces of liquid. With dimensions of 3.8 L x 4.5 W x 14.25 H inches, this thermos is completely leak proof and full packable for any adventure.

3. Hydro Flask Travel Coffee Mug

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Hydro Flask brings you this compact, convenient travel mug that’s perfect to take coffee or tea with you wherever you go. It’s also the perfect thermos to buy if you want to give back, as Hydro Flask donates 5% of every purchase to a charity of your choice.

This thermos offers a double-wall, vacuum-insulated, stainless steel design that’ll keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot up to 6 hours. It’s made from premium-grade 18/8, BPA-free stainless steel and offers a powder-coated matte finish that never sweats. Perhaps best of all, Hydro Flask offers a Lifetime Warranty (1).

4. Thermos Stainless King 24-Ounce

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

The larger version of the Stainless King from Thermos holds up to 24 ounces of hot or cold liquids. Just like it’s 16-ounce cousin, this thermos is perfect for keeping hot drinks hot or cold drinks cold for hours on end.

The Stainless King 24-ounce thermos features a wide mouth that makes for easy cleaning, filling, and serving. It also boasts Thermos’ vacuum insulation technology and durable stainless steel design on the interior and exterior.

5. Contigo AUTOSEAL

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

The AUTOSEAL thermos from Contigo is a great option for the commuter that wants to keep their smoothie cold all the way to work. It’s also a skinny thermos that’ll fit easily into the side pockets of any backpack to keep water cold on hot days.

This thermos features THERMALOCK double-walled vacuum insulation that’ll keep drinks cold for 28 hours. It offers an easy, single-hand-operated button that seals the lid between sips to eliminate leaks and spills. This thermos also boasts an integrated carrying handle for easy transport and the lid is top-rack dishwasher safe. The body should be hand-washed only.

6. Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

The Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug is another thermos that’s a great option for commuters and wilderness adventurers alike. Its design allows you to keep up to 20 ounces of liquid hot or cold without taking up excessive space or adding too much weight to your pack.

This thermos offers a stopper that disassembles for easy cleaning and a new pictograph lock with stainless steel vacuum insulation. Both the plastic and stainless steel used in this bottle are BPA-free and Zojirushi offers a 5-year warranty on this bottle’s heat retention (2).

7. 45 Degree Latitude

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

45 Degree Latitude’s Stainless Steel 64-ounce thermos is the perfect beer growler for anyone that wants to enjoy their favorite craft beer out on the trail and keep it cold until you reach your desired camping destination.

This thermos boasts a vacuum-insulated design that keeps brews fresh and cold for up to 6 hours while maintaining the integrity of the beer’s carbonation. It also features the necessary government warning on the bottom of the bottle to ensure that you won’t be turned away when you head into your favorite microbrewery to fill up!

8. Simple Modern Summit Water Bottle

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

With the Simple Modern Summit Water Bottle, you’ll never have the need for koozies or coasters ever again! This thermos is double-walled, vacuum-insulated, and copper-lined for increased insulation, which means it’ll never sweat or be hot to the touch.

This thermos features a powder-coated 18/8 stainless steel design. It is BPA-free and will never rust or leave a concerning metal taste in your mouth. It also boasts a number of cup holder friendly sizes (10, 14, 18, and 22 ounces), as well as larger sizes (32, 40, 64, and 84 ounces) to bring all the hot or cold liquids you need anywhere you go!

9. RTIC Stainless Steel Bottle

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

The RTIC Stainless Steel Bottle is another great thermos that keeps ice up to 24 hours and beverages hot for up to 6 hours. Unlike other thermoses, RTIC’s design features an easy-to-carry, three-finger grip that can be clipped on the outside of a bag or pack using a carabiner.

This thermos offers a double-wall, vacuum-insulated, no-sweat design and 100% leak-proof screw top lid for easy filling and cleaning. It’s made from durable, kitchen-grade steel to guarantee longevity under even the most undesirable conditions.

10. Thermo Tank Insulated Water Bottle

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

The Thermo Tank Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle is a thermos that’s specifically designed to keep beverages cold, and it can do so for up to 36 hours using both vacuum-insulated and copper technology. It can also keep your coffee from ending up lukewarm before you even leave the house!

This 25-ounce thermos offers a design that includes vital vacuum space between two layers of impenetrable steel. This vacuum space is then lined with a layer of copper to create additional insulation and protection against the elements.

—

Buyer’s Guide

Since James Dewar invented the thermos in 1892 (3), a number of companies have improved (or stolen) his design to create the many thermos options we see today. To help you find the right thermos for you, our buyer’s guide will focus on best materials, volume, and cap design. As you may have noticed some of the items are mentioned in our Insulated Water Bottle article.

Best Materials

It’s probably clear from the Top Ten list we provided above that plastic isn’t the best material for a thermos. Poor plastic can actually retain more heat than you want when storing cold beverages and heating plastic up to much can make it extremely fragile and susceptible to shattering or breaking.

Metal (ideally stainless steel) is far and away the best material for thermos construction. Stainless steel is much more durable than plastic and is also corrosion-resistant, which ensures that your water bottle won’t rust over time.

Some thermoses employ the use of glass, but without another material to improve durability, this solution isn’t very practical. The thermoses that do use glass (as well as a rubber protective layer) tend to be more expensive due to the use of additional materials.

Volume

When selecting a thermos that’s right for you, how much you wish to carry in it on a regular basis is an important factor. Smaller (16 or 24 ounces) thermoses can be great for bringing an extra serving of coffee or tea along on your morning commute, but may not be best for transporting larger quantities of hot (or cold) liquids for a group outing.

Larger thermoses, especially those with a lid that doubles as a cup or bowl, tend to be best for group outings where you’re carrying enough liquids to satisfy a number of hands. Consider how much liquid (per person) you wish to have conveniently on hand before you select a thermos that’s too small for your next group adventure.

Cap Design

Cap design has a lot to do with how long a thermos keeps liquids hot or cold. Because most thermoses use vacuum-insulated, stainless steel construction, the difference in cap design can often be the difference between a thermos that barely keeps liquids hot for a 30-minute drive to work and one that keeps ice cold for more than 24 hours.

Some bottles use glass caps with corks, which can often leak because they won’t fully seal. Others can be fitted with valves, which often run into the same issue if the valve gets damaged or dirty. The optimal choice for a thermos cap design is a screw-top lid. This design has proven to be the most effective in keeping heat stored inside and minimizing heat loss.

Frequently Asked Questions

According to safety.com (4), the CDC estimates that approximately 1 in 6 Americans gets sick from a foodborne disease every year. Improper food storage is one of the many reasons for this startling statistic, so simply buying a Thermos to help with food and beverage storage isn’t enough.

Our Frequently Asked Questions section will also help you learn how to properly use and clean your new thermos, in addition to a few other sweet nuggets of knowledge.

What is the best way to clean a thermos?

The optimal means of cleaning a thermos is to use baking soda and vinegar. Start with about 1-inch of vinegar in the bottom of the thermos and add a single tablespoon of baking soda for every 2 cups the thermos can hold. Then, quickly fill the thermos with boiling water. Let it sit for several hours, then scrub and rinse.

How can I maximize the effectiveness of a vacuum thermos?

The best way to do this is by preheating or precooling. Fill the thermos with hot or cold water and let it stand for five minutes before you fill it with the liquid you’ll eventually consume.

What can’t go in my thermos?

As you may guess, milk or dairy products are not recommended for use in a vacuum-insulated thermos. This is because these products are more prone to bacteria growth and can ferment over time, which leads to a build-up of pressure in the thermos that can be dangerous when you attempt to remove the cap.

Furthermore, dry ice is another product that shouldn’t be placed in a sealed container for an extended period. The rapid evaporation of CO2 from solid to gas can also produce unwanted pressure in your thermos.

What is 18/8 stainless steel?

This metal is composed of 18% chromium and 8% nickel. It is highly sustainable, food-grade, and non-reactive.

What does it mean to be ‘BPA-free’?

‘BPA’ stands for Bisphenol-A, which is a chemical that imitates estrogen. It has been found to have negative health effects on humans, especially in the fetal and infant states. BPA-free thermoses don’t contain this harmful chemical.

Why is copper used in some thermoses?

Copper is generally known to be a better conductor of heat than stainless steel, which is why it’s slightly curious that some bottles employ copper in addition to stainless steel. This doesn’t result in the outside of the bottle heating up to unsafe levels because of the vacuum space that is included in all of these thermoses.

Summary

A quality thermos will eliminate the unpleasantness of cold coffee or hot water forever. You’ll be drinking your preferred beverage at its preferred temperature from here on out. Many people include a thermos in their bug out bag list, and we think that is a good idea too. We hope you’ve found this article helpful and wish you the best of luck buying the best thermos for you!

Via https://bestsurvival.org/best-thermos/

source http://bestsurvivalus.weebly.com/blog/ranking-the-10-best-thermos-of-2018

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bestsurvivalus · 6 years ago

Text

Ranking the 10 Best Thermos of 2018

1. Thermos Stainless King 16-Ounce

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

2. Stanley Classic

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

3. Hydro Flask Travel Coffee Mug

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

4. Thermos Stainless King 24-Ounce

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

5. Contigo AUTOSEAL

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

6. Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

7. 45 Degree Latitude

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

8. Simple Modern Summit Water Bottle

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

9. RTIC Stainless Steel Bottle

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

10. Thermo Tank Insulated Water Bottle

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

—

Buyer’s Guide

Best Materials

Volume

Cap Design

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Frequently Asked Questions section will also help you learn how to properly use and clean your new thermos, in addition to a few other sweet nuggets of knowledge.

What is the best way to clean a thermos?

How can I maximize the effectiveness of a vacuum thermos?

The best way to do this is by preheating or precooling. Fill the thermos with hot or cold water and let it stand for five minutes before you fill it with the liquid you’ll eventually consume.

What can’t go in my thermos?

What is 18/8 stainless steel?

This metal is composed of 18% chromium and 8% nickel. It is highly sustainable, food-grade, and non-reactive.

What does it mean to be ‘BPA-free’?

Why is copper used in some thermoses?

Summary

source https://bestsurvival.org/best-thermos/

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zephystechblog-blog · 7 years ago

Text

A brief experiment with online game networking.

***DISCLAIMER: ALL PACKET CAPTURES WERE CONDUCTED ON MY HOME NETWORK, AND NO CONFIDENTIAL OR PRIVATE DATA WAS CAPTURED NOR EXPOSED. ALL INFORMATION SHOWN IN THIS POST WAS OBTAINED BY LEGAL MEANS USING PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY WHOIS***

I recently put an old Cisco Catalyst 2960 into production on my home network. It’s not doing anything really special, it mainly just functions as a standard switch. But, I started to wonder, is it a waste of a powerful enterprise-grade switch to just do nothing? Then I got an idea to leverage one of the features in IOS to conduct an experiment.

So I set up port mirroring on my switch to copy traffic coming in to or leaving from port 23, and copy that to port 1. So what’s on port 23?

My Nintendo Switch! (Yay, this won’t get confusing, a Switch plugged into a switch...)

I took my Kali Linux laptop and plugged it into port 1 on the Cisco switch, fired up Wireshark, set the capture to promiscuous, and then played a single round of my favorite online game.

Splatoon 2! It may be a kid’s game primarily, but I like it plenty.

I ran the Wireshark capture from the moment I launched Splatoon, until the conclusion of a single 3-minute match.

https://imgur.com/j2grkO7 - larger version

At first glance, it does appear to be about what you’d expect. Some DNS queries for Nintendo servers (A DNS query is when a device needs to know what the IP address of a server is), TCP connections to said servers, and... wait, what?

https://imgur.com/QqdAF2c - larger version

TLS? I have to be honest, I wasn’t expecting to see encryption for online gaming communications.TLS stands for “Transport Layer Security”, an encryption protocol usually used for secure websites, aka, HTTPS. Perhaps I’m being naive, but as far as I know, there’s no sensitive data being transmitted. By all means correct me if I’m wrong, this was just a big experiment for me, I’m not educated in how online gaming networking functions.

Now onto what I found when curiosity struck me, which was immediately with the first few packets.

So this was the first server that the Switch (console) contacted upon launching Splatoon 2. At first I didn’t think there would be much to learn from here, but I did learn one interesting thing.

I suppose I should not be surprised, but for some reason I still find it interesting to see that Nintendo apparently uses Amazon AWS Virtual Machines for their servers. Working in a datacenter myself, I know that virtualization is the future. Hell, it’s the present. Still, I found this little tidbit kinda cool to know.

Now I won’t show screenshots for every server the Switch connected to, because there were a hell of a lot and there wasn’t any new information gleaned from any of it.

So onto the interesting part, the traffic captured from actual game play!

From the moment I chose to join an online Turf War lobby, I saw pages and pages of UDP traffic scrolling by (I was watching the live capture as the game progressed). This I was fully expecting; UDP is the transport protocol of choice for real-time applications due to its low overhead, and the lack of a necessity for re-transmission of dropped packets due to the nature of real-time applications.

The reason for this is due to how UDP functions. UDP stands for User Datagram Protocol, and is usually know as a “best effort” protocol. That means that the device will send the data without caring about whether it successfully reaches its destination. This makes it ideal for real-time applications like skype calls, video conferences, and gaming.

On the flip side, the other protocol we can see here, TCP, is a connection-oriented protocol. Known as “Transmission Control Protocol”, TCP will first establish a connection with the server, and then send over the data, with each side confirming receipt of the data, and re-transmitting any lost packets. This doesn’t work well with real-time applications due to increased processing overhead (and in turn, latency/lag), as well as the fact that re-transmitting lost packets is pointless for real-time applications.

What I didn’t expect though, is the number of varying IP addresses that my machine was communicating with. Using NSLOOKUP from my cmd prompt, I started to notice that these IP addresses belonged to various ISPs; Comcast, Verizon, a few I’ve never heard of before. NSLOOKUP is a utility built into various operating systems that lets you look up domain names or IP addresses to see what they match up to. So this got me wondering: What exactly is happening here?

In networking, the two biggest types of networks are Client-Server networking, wherein clients (In this case, Nintendo Switch consoles), connect to a single server, and the server orchestrates everything. The other type is peer-to-peer, letting consoles talk directly to each other.

Now, peer-to-peer doesn’t seem ideal. Sync’ing up many clients with peer-to-peer can be tricky, even if Splatoon matches are no more than 8 players; 4vs4 matches. But, seeing all this UDP traffic destined for a range of seemingly random IP addresses, all belonging to ISPs, seems to indicate that is what’s happening.

In gaming, the client-server model would use a single server that would be the “authority” on the state of the world as it exists, the coordinates of all players, objects, projectiles and such. This much I understand from playing Minecraft on personal servers. Everyone logs into a server, not each other (Even though in this context, you CAN have a peer-to-peer game of online Minecraft, where one player’s game doubles as a server, but the same idea still applies really).

This means, to me, that client-server is the best way to go, because the server can control everything that’s happening. Everyone’s consoles sends data to the server to indicate player position, projectile position, etc, and the server processes this and sends it out to the other players.

I do see some TCP packets mixed in here, sending “Application data” and responding to the server with ACKs. Could this be the main game server passing on other player’s data? Then what of the stream of UDP traffic? Why does the UDP traffic halt immediately after I leave the online lobby?

https://imgur.com/zKi0ug7 - larger version

As you can see here, as soon as I left the lobby, the UDP traffic stopped, never to resume again, leaving me with just some TCP traffic that stopped after 4-5 seconds, also never to resume again.

So what did I learn from this, aside from Nintendo using Amazon VMs for their servers? ...........not much. If anything, I feel more confused than ever. I can’t tell for sure if Splatoon is using the client-server model, or peer-to-peer model for online game play. The only other factor that points to the client-server model, is the obvious fact that during Splatfest, a highly popular event that attracts very large numbers of players, the lag is much more noticable, and time-outs and dropped connections are rampant, indicating that a loss of synchronization can cause someone to be dropped from a match.

If anyone has more experience or expertise with this, let me know what you think of this experiment, and shed some light on a confusing subject.

#gaming #splatoon 2 #nintendo switch #networking #wireshark

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