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[dustedmagazine]

Listed: His Name Is Alive

While Warren Defever’s name is perhaps less recognizable than that of his band His Name Is Alive, he’s also been connected with a seemingly endless array of other projects: Princess Dragon-Mom, Elvis Hitler, ESP Beetles, Control Panel, and far more. This doesn’t get into his recording and production credits for the likes of Michael Hurley, Iggy and the Stooges, and Mdou Moctar. Forever associated with Michigan’s weirdo-underground music scene, Defever has recently been issuing a series of long-buried recordings as His Name Is Alive. In February, the Disciples label released Hope Is a Candle, the third and final volume in the "Home Recordings" trilogy exploring Defever's teenage tape experimentation as well as A Silver Thread (Home Recordings 1979 - 1990), a four-volume collection of many of Defever’s solo home recordings prior to His Name Is Alive releasing their debut album Livonia on 4AD in 1990. In his review of A Silver Thread, Tim Clarke writes “For a collection of home recordings, what’s most striking about this music is how fully realized and carefully executed it sounds, comparable at times to contemporary artists such as Grouper, Benoît Pioulard and Tim Hecker. This is not the 1980s that I remember.”

Defever gives us his “What Else Is New” list, a set of personal snapshots, memories of a life spent in music, warning the reader that “the descriptions don’t always have an obvious correlation to the video, but welcome to my nightmare brain.”

In The Line of Fire

I started performing when I was five. My grandfather was a self-taught musician from Saskatchewan in Western Canada and he showed me and my brothers how to play banjo, guitar and fiddle. One of my earliest memories is having a full size 127 lb. accordion placed onto my lap and my grandmother voicing her disappointment when I refused to play. I did learn slide guitar from her later though. I have many, often terrible, memories of performing at square dances with his band and we would play old timey country music, folk songs, polkas and waltzes. There were also gigs at the trailer park, old folks homes and a convent. Although my grandfather believed that popular music died with Hank Williams in 1953, he still found room in his heart for Lawrence Welk and Slim Whitman.

Meet Me By The Water

By age ten I had a tape recorder and was using it to capture the sounds of nearby lakes, thunderstorms, and my older brothers LP collection played at the wrong speeds. I recently found the cassette, Echo Lake (1983) which features waves crashing onto the beach on the Canadian side of Lake St. Clair but it was recorded right after I got an echo pedal so it’s got a heavy dose of dreamy delay. Tape loops of the next door neighbor raking leaves and shoveling the driveway would be repurposed a few years later as rhythm tracks on the first His Name Is Alive LP, Livonia (4AD, 1990). Detroit in the late 70s and early 80s had totally insane radio and one of the highlights was Met-Ezzthetics, a late night show on WDET hosted by Faruq Z. Bey who also played saxophone in Griot Galaxy. Shortly before his death he played with His Name is Alive and we had a chance to formalize our student-teacher relationship.

Search For Higher Energies

In high school I was studying Bach Chorale harmonization and counterpoint during the day but recording and touring with the band Elvis Hitler at night. The other guys in band were older but at 16 I was a familiar sight at shitty Detroit punk clubs and Hamtramck dive bars, the nerdy teenager reading a book or doing homework sitting at the bar waiting ’til midnight or 1am for our slot to play our hellbilly hits, “It’s A Long Way From Berlin To Memphis,” and “Hot Rod To Hell.” I was still trying to make sense of the post 1953 music scene and when I met the guy with a giant afro and shiny super hero outfit complete with shiny cape I had no idea he was Rob Tyner of the MC5. We released three records before I was twenty one and played shows and toured with Devo, the Dwarves, the Dead Milkmen, Reverend Horton Heat, the Beat Farmers, Helios Creed, Babes In Toyland, the Cro-Mags, Corrosion of Conformity, the Frogs, the Gories, Pussy Galore, the Unsane and way more I can’t remember I was just a kid. It was some kind of education.

You Don’t Have To Go Home But You Can’t Stay Here

When I signed with 4AD I thought I was a composer and they let me write my own bio, so I called His Name Is Alive the work of a “fucked up, irresponsible teenage composer.” I had only been writing music for three years. When I heard “Tom Violence” by Sonic Youth I thought for the first time in my life, “I think I could do that.” In 1988 I made a mixtape with Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car, Leadbelly and some of Big Star’s third album and I tried to arrange it like it was an album, then I made my own album in that same shape, it was called I Had Sex With God and I sent it to 4AD. Our first album contained three of the first five pieces of music I had ever written. Within a few years I was playing festivals for contemporary classical composers and new age artists who were thirty or forty years older than me. His Name Is Alive played the Musicas Visuales Festival in Mexico with Harold Budd, Paul Horn and Jorge Reyes. The mayor of the city presented me with a guitar but then dramatically walked out of the theater during our performance realizing he had made a terrible mistake. I remember the surreal moment when from across the room Harold Budd walked in and greeted me as “Mr. Defever.” He had a cold and was sniffling during his set, the audience thought he was crying. I recorded his show and when I got back home to Livonia I added my own guitar to some of his songs and then edited the tapes, looping my favorite parts and editing out the parts I didn’t like, also adding additional layers of reverb and echo. More recently I did a concert in a five hundred year old temple in Japan where the unamplified meditation music never rose above a whisper and the monk had to turn off the furnace because the heat molecules were too loud. The show was recorded and released under the name Mountain Ocean Sun and features Ian Masters and Hitoko Sakai.

Energy Dealer

Both my parents were born in Canada, my mother in Saskatchewan, my father in Ontario. I have dual citizenship as my father was American and my mother had Canadian citizenship. I spent summers, holidays and weekends in a tiny cottage on Lake St. Clair that did not have a telephone and had curtains instead of doors separating the two rooms. Myrt Fortin who lived next door would receive phone calls for my mom, walk over to our place and yell into the window, “Hey wake up your ma, your dad’s on the phone.” My mom took a lot of naps, so she was always asleep when something important was happening. I remember always getting cut on broken glass while swimming in the lake or getting stabbed by one of the neighbors and having to go wake up my mom to take me to the hospital.

Lord I Don’t Believe You Exist

When I was ten my parents sat me down and told me it was time that I got a summer job. There were only two businesses in town, a gas station and a hardware store so I walked up to the hardware store and asked the owner for a job and immediately fell to the ground crying. Completely fell apart. He asked me why I wanted to work in hardware. I didn’t know what to say, I was only ten but I knew not to tell the owner that his store was stupid and I didn’t think he could handle the truth. It turned out he also owned the gas station so that didn’t really work out. Later that summer, I began working for the Pickseed Corporation as corn de-tasseling season was just beginning. All the moms would drop off their kids in the church parking lot in Tecumseh, just outside of Windsor, around 4:30am where an unmarked windowless cargo van was waiting that had cinderblocks and 2'x4' boards instead of benches so they could squeeze in the maximum amount of children. There were three job requirements to work in a cornfield, the child (it was only children, no adults) needed to show up with a baseball hat, a thermos with water and a large black plastic garbage bag. I think this was before sunglasses were invented. Upon arriving at the cornfield, we were separated into pickers and checkers, younger kids each taking a row of corn (a row could extend a mile or more) and a slightly older kid would organize and manage several of the younger kids. In the morning we were instructed to poke two arm holes and a head hole into our garbage bags and put it on like a raincoat because the corn was covered in dew and kids wearing wet clothes would walk slower than dry kids. So almost every day there was a point, usually around 11am when the dew would dry and we would be roasted alive from the summer sun coming down on our ridiculous shiny black plastic outfits. We worked from sun up until sun down. I received three dollars and thirty five cents an hour. For all you city folks, corn is planted in alternating rows of types of corn so that when the top part of the plant is removed, or “de-tasseled,” it can seed or cross-pollinate easily. It’s a terrible job with a high turnover rate and every day I would hear the sound of kids in nearby rows that had given up hope, sat down in the middle of the field and crying for hours. The following year, at age 11, I was promoted from picker to checker, and was put in charge of a group of about ten sixteen year old’s.

Sleep It Off

Mostly I like to record – His Name is Alive has over a hundred releases and I’ve done another fifty records under various names, Control Panel, Warren Michael Defever, ESP BEETLES, ESP SUMMER, Forest People, Infinity People, Jeepers Creepers, Layla al-Akhyaliyya, Mirror Dream, Princess Dragon-Mom, the Dirt Eaters, the Fishcats, the Whales, plus way more I can’t remember probably because the names were so dumb. I’ve recorded about four hundred records for other bands at my house or other studios. I’ve worked on records with Danny Kroha, Ida, Fred Thomas, Elizabeth Mitchell, Wild Belle, Michael Hurley, and when I was a teenager I helped record the first Gories album which was especially unique as I was the junior assistant engineer who helped move their equipment into the dirt floor garage next to the studio where it was decided the acoustics would be way worse. Also, I helped collage about a hundred Destroy All Monsters tapes from the 70s for a couple of their releases which led to remastering a bunch of tapes from the John Sinclair White Panther Party archives. I’ve done remixes for Thurston Moore and Yoko Ono and when Iggy and The Stooges started touring again I got a phone call from Ron Asheton seeing if I would help them record demos for their reunion album with Mike Watt on bass. They wrote the songs together while they were recording in Niagara’s basement sort of simultaneously. Iggy didn’t have a notebook with all his lyric ideas, instead he just sang about whatever happened that day – one song was about the airline losing his luggage, one about ATM machines and another was about reading in a newspaper that Ray Davies of the Kinks had been shot in New Orleans. In the end they weren’t terribly excited by my suggested song titles including “No Shirt” (you know because it’s like “No Fun” plus you know Iggy never wears a shirt) and they didn’t seem to love the mixes that I did that sounded kind of like those crappy Raw Power bootlegs.

Cost Of Living

Two summers ago I recorded an incredible concert by Mdou Moctar live at Third Man Records in Detroit. They’re wild hypnotic Hendrix style jammers who live in the desert. The band didn’t speak much english but I think I was able to communicate to them how excited I was about their amazing fingerpicking and hot guitar solos after the show by screaming and replaying the best solos over and over again and then screaming the word fuzz and pointing at their fingers. It’s insane and having seen them a few times since then with a different drummer and the addition of a bass player, I’m convinced it’s their best album. It’s wild but it’s still not Tchin-tabaraden wedding wild.

Licked By Lions

Jonathan Richman walks into Ethan and Gretchen's studio and asks if I can remove all the rugs, take the acoustic treatments off the walls and strike the baffles which normally separate the instruments, drums and amps, so the room will have the most echo possible, he has also invited about ten friends including Johnny Bee Badanjek the drummer from Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels and Mary Cobra from the Detroit Cobras to dance, sing and play percussion in the studio while he records. He has two vocal microphones set up at either end of the room and has brought his own microphones for the drums along with his own desired placement for them. He notices a tamboura near the control room and asks if I know how to play it or if I know how to tune it. Within seconds he’s tuned it and proceeds to sing Indian classical music accompanying himself on tamboura drone for about thirty five minutes. It’s beautiful and very surprising. He asks me if I recorded it, I lie and say no. Later he asks me not to play it for anyone. We record for hours. Some songs are quite long – ten and fifteen minutes, some are medleys of oldies or soft rock hits from the seventies segueing into new songs of his. It’s a confusing session as it’s not clear when songs are starting and ending and he often plays guitar and sings nowhere near a microphone. The distance between him and the microphone seems to have some meaning, there’s some formula to when he chooses to walk away in the middle of a verse but I am unable to determine the secret code. At the end of the session three or four songs are deemed usable, edited and mixed, although, sadly, an attempt at a completely insane and unexpected fuzz guitar solo is left unreleased. (The Harold Budd piece is at the opposite end of this spectrum.)

Calling All Believers

Shortly after Tecuciztecatl was released, I received an email from Dr. James Beacham at CERN inviting us to perform at a series of concerts that would combine experimental music with experimental science at the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland. He didn’t contact our booking agent, which would be how we generally receive offers for gigs, instead he sent an email to me, which would be how we generally receive crazy messages from our completely insane fans (murderous, delusional, poetic, threatening messages usually). I assumed the invitation was fake or a prank and replied that we would prefer to wait until they had successfully opened a pathway to interspatial dimensions and we’d play on the other side or that if that was unlikely to happen at a convenient time then perhaps we could set up our equipment right on the edge of a mini-black hole and perform as the Earth is being destroyed so we could release the concert film “Live At The End Of The World.” After a few messages back and forth, it was clear that he was legit and I apologized for being such a jerk. Soon I discovered poetry within the language of particle physics as well as a certain beauty in the idea that these scientists have devoted their lives to dreaming, searching and discovering basic principles that connect all things in existence. The song “Calling All Believers” refers to this devotion. “Energy Acceleration” compares the scientists to monastic life in medieval times and mystics trying to find and define the line between this world and the next and at the same time invoking the incredible amounts of energy needed to create the collisions experiments. The Patterns of Light LP was released in 2016 on London London Records and is about interpreting visions of light, trying to find universal truth with whatever tools available, it’s about the search for how everything works, why it works and how it got that way but also about being inspired on a basic level by the way a thing looks and how all your senses take in a thing. A thousand years ago Hildegard Von Bingen was writing about this same thing in letters, songs, medical texts, and had even developed her own language to use in her mystical writings, similar to Magma drummer Christian Vander using his own language for their concept albums or French black metalists Brenoritvrezorkre and Moëvöt.

The Light Inside You

We get a lot of letters from fans, mostly weirdos though. I think it started when we released Song of Schizophrenia, that sort of connected us to a certain demographic I suspect. Here’s a recent typical message we received. “Growing up in Panama City, Mouth By Mouth and Livonia were like passages to other realms. I drank a ton of cough syrup at the time but those albums helped make life more livable. I was about to go to art school for sculpture and graphic design and the textures I heard on those records had actual shapes to them. Most music I knew at that time was flat or linear. I got them on cassette via mail-order from an ad placed in a bmx magazine. Mouth By Mouth arrived just before going to work at the amusement park and I was able to listen to it twice on the way thanks to the never-ending beach traffic. As luck would have it, I worked on “The Abominable Snowman” ride, basically a tilt-a-whirl inside a dome with lots of fog machine action, blue lights, mirrors, and lots of air conditioning. It took about 10 listens that day before it wasn’t as weird as when I first put it on. Maybe it was my bubblegum flavor/robitussin combo slushie on top of no-doz that pulled it all together, but it was probably a weird ride for a lot of vacationing beach tourists and townies when all they really wanted to hear was “Naughty by Nature” by O.P.P. I had no business running those rides at the age of 17 but I really loved how disorienting that ride could be with all the mirrors, the fog, the cold and for the final 90 seconds the ride would go in reverse. I had a buddy named Kevin that did acid at work and would repeatedly run the mini-train off the tracks and all the riders had to walk back through the woods for about a half mile that summer.”

[sunnybeas]

man or a monster

summary: Gavin discovers how scary a half deviated Nines can really be. 

He remembered the first time he had actually felt afraid of Nines. He had always been a little wary of him, because fuck he was sketchy as hell. He had no business looking like that, six something with a jawline that was insanely squared and sharp and eyes with the solemn intensity of some hardened serial killer. He was fucking jacked and insanely intimidating.

Not that Gavin would ever let him know either of those things. Because he wasn’t fucking stupid or currently suicidal.

He’d been intimidated, sure, but not necessarily scared of the damn android until about three months into their partnership. They’d been tailing a pretty prolific red ice dealer for about four weeks when they finally found a location and had enough evidence to book the guy for life.

They’d fallen on some shady ass crack den in warehouse, which why did all crackhead activities go down in shitty warehouses. The FBI had been involved, mostly because the amount of red ice being moved was substantial and moving out of Detroit jurisdiction.

They had hit them at two am and Gavin had been buzzing, bouncing on his heels eagerly. Nines had looked at him, just a flicker of a glance, before settling into his seat, finger tapping idly at his forearm. It was an oddly human thing to do, another indication that little Mr. I-can’t-deviate was more human than he let on.

“You ready for this?” Gavin asked. It was Nines first bust, his first real taste of hardcore police work since he’d been activated.

Nines looked up, the LED a consistent blue. “I think I’m sufficiently prepared.”

“Fuck sufficiently prepared,” Gavin scoffed, “we’re about to take down the biggest scum bag in Detroit. I’m fucking hyped .”

And if Gavin didn’t know better, he would have sworn he saw a little flicker at the corner of Nines’ lips. He was always doing that, smothering whatever even slightly human instinct he managed to have. Gavin wasn't sure if they were instinctual or a forced part of his programming, all he knew was that Nines had a good fucking smile. “I’m eager to finish it. This man is as you said, a scum bag.”

Hearing him say it was ridiculous, he said scum bag with so much disdain.

“Fuck yeah, let’s finish this.” Gavin lifted his fist up, knuckles towards him

Nines had blinked, staring at his offered hand.

“For fucks sake.” Gavin sighed, reaching forward and balling Nines’ hand into a fist. His hands were crazy big which was not something Gavin would allow himself to focus on for too long.

“Like this.” Gavin drew Nines fist forward and tapped it against his.

Nines seemed fascinated by the interaction, his LED spinning yellow. “What does it mean?” He asked.

“Uh, it’s kind of a stupid bro thing, I guess? Like, good job or….just something you do.”

“A bro thing.” Nines echoed dryly, his hand dropping to his lap.

“Fuck you, tin can, I’m not as eloquent as you.” Gavin scoffed, though he grinned.

And again, Gavin saw that just barely there twitch at his lips. It’s like he was trying to smile, just didn’t know how to fully commit to it.

Gavin kept a count of those little movements though, stored them away for a reason he was definitely not gonna look too deeply into.

Nearly an hour later, they were ready. Guns drawn, Gavin, Nines and an FBI team descended on the warehouse. It was chaos from the start.

They had definitely had the element of surprise, there had been workers stocking as they dropped and while they quickly detained a few, more split out the back and further into the maze of office spaces.

Gavin and Nines has rushed the corridor and just as he stepped through, Nines snatched him by the Kevlar vest and pulled him into cover like he was a rag doll. Cursing, he crouched beside him.

Gunfire shot off immediately and Nines raised his brow at him.

“Oh, shut up.” He hissed.

“I have a plan.” Nines said instead. “I need you to cover my back. I’m going to disarm him.”

Gavin blinked. “How the fuck-“

“I am going to do it whether or not you come with me but I would very much prefer if you went along.” Nines cut him off, evenly.

Nines waited a beat, did a quick scan of Gavin’s vitals. Heart rate was up, he was high off adrenaline. And he was at his best right now. Something flickered within him and Nines quickly blinked away the error notes that covered his HUD.

“You better know what you’re doing, tin can.”

With that, Nines shot up and burst from cover. He quickly took the majority of the fire, ducking and twisting like a fucking madman to avoid it. He was fast. He was insanely fast and the way he was moving was absolutely breathtaking and terrifying.

“Shit shit shit.” Gavin cursed, following but ducking behind debris to give opposing fire.

Nines took a hit to the shoulder and barreled through it, surging forward. Another shot to the abdomen that he moved through. Fuck. That should not have been as hot as it was. Gavin wasn't sure if that spoke to his danger kink or whatever and again, he wasn't going to read into that, but holy shit.

And then Nines was on top of the man and he fucking snapped and tossed aside the gun. The man shouted out as Nines descended on him. Nines lifted the man easily, turning and slamming him into the ground. It took a lingering moment for Gavin to realize his LED was bright red and almost pulsing. His expression was hard, completely blank.

Gavin would fucking hate to be in that man’s position right now. This was exactly what Nines was intended for and it was terrifying to see him in acting. Cold and ruthless like this. Gavin tried not to think about it often, how Nines was literally meant to be a war machine. And now he was a Detective, mostly kept on mundane desk duty. He wondered if those super soldier instincts needed to get used, if he needed to stretch those metaphorical murder-y legs every so often. Fuck, that was a scary thought.

And then those cold eyes turned to him, LED wheeling red.

“Detective!”

Gavin sprinted forward.

And oh fuck- Nines was crouched, a knee in the man’s back and looking more disheveled than ever- Gavin was unbelievably turned on by it. Hair ruffled, pieces of it falling over his forehead, blue blood splattered across his cheek, and his LED humming red- fuck, he was staring.

“Would you like to do the honors?” He asked, tilting his head to the suspect.

Grinning, Gavin strode forward. “Would fucking love to.”

Over the coms, Nines reported, “Suspect apprehended.”

Once the man was securely cuffed and read his rights, Gavin looked up to Nines. His LED was flickering between yellow and red now, which if Gavin remember frsom sensitivity training- was not ideal.

Red typically meant trouble. Yellow meant thinking, processing, whatever.

Gavin looked over him and with a startling jerk- remembered Nines had taken three bullets. Which for a human typically meant game over. And still wasn’t that good for an android either.

“You good?”

Nines eyes were almost clouded. “My thirium levels are low. Not critical but I am losing quite a lot.” He admitted.

“Quite a lot-“ Gavin echoed, incredulous at how cavalier he was being over bleeding to death. “I need a tech to my location stat. Nines took three bullets.”

“Roger, evac on route.” The Officer replied quickly over the line.

An agent moved forward to collect the suspect, who was shouting vitriol towards Nines, who did not even have the energy to blink at him.

“Shit, what can I do?” Gavin asked.

“Nothing, the technician will take care of everything.” He replied, smoothly, shifting to remove his Cyberlife issued jacket. He wore a black turtleneck that was unnecessarily tight on his perfect plastic chest and Gavin could see the dark patches from the bullets staining through.

Sighing lightly as if it were a slight inconvenience, Nines peeked the turtleneck off.

And wow- bullet wounds on an Android didn’t look any better than on a human. The one that had connected into the shoulder had ripped a clean hole through, blue blood pouring steadily from it. The one on his abdomen was more concerning, an open gaping hole.

“Shit.” Gavin said again.

“Detective, if it’s making you uncomfortable you’re more than welcome to wait elsewhere.” Nines said.

He probably read his vitals. Fucking plastic prick.

“I’m not uncomfortable, dickhead, I’m fucking concerned about the bullets in your body right now.” Gavin spat back.

“If it’s any help, it isn’t painful. A bit inconvenient and uncomfortable, but not painful.” His voice was wavering, mingling with static.

That couldn’t be good.

“Apologies. Thirium levels are approaching critical. I may go into stasis until the technician arrives with more.” He said.

“Fuck!” Gavin cursed. “Okay, did, c’mere.” Gavin beckoned for him to sit on the concrete floor and Nines actually followed.

He pressed his bare back to the wall, giving Gavin a full look at his exposed arms and chest. Cyberlife was meticulous. He looked so human like, down to freckles on his shoulders and moles scattered on his chest.

“Keep talkin’ tin can.” Gavin ordered.

“Your voice is exceedingly irritating.” Nines said immediately.

Gavin laughed. “That right?” He asked. “You feeling irritated?”

Nines squinted his eyes at the Detective, aware of the word play. Despite himself, his lip quirked up just slightly.

“I do not have to feel to know you’re exceptionally irritating.”

Gavin couldn’t even find it in himself to be offended by that, just stashed that little flicker in his growing collection.

Nines leaned his head back. Shutting his eyes, he ran another diagnostic.

“Hey, you were a fucking beast back there.” Gavin interrupted the process.

Nines eyes opened. “Was that a compliment, detective?”

Gavin’s cheeks flushed. That was an interesting response, Nines notes.

“Don’t get fucking used to it. I haven’t seen you like that before. You were like the Terminator or something. It was crazy.”

“Hunting deviants and criminals is what I was made for.” He responded.

“Yeah, but doesn’t it feel good? Like to catch a fuckin’ asshole like that just feels like justice, you know? Like a high you don’t want to end.”

Nines started, taking in the detective, before saying with a softness he did not know himself to possess, “I think I may understand.”

[dipulb3]

2021 Ford Ranger Tremor is ready for your overlanding expedition

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2021-ford-ranger-tremor-is-ready-for-your-overlanding-expedition/

2021 Ford Ranger Tremor is ready for your overlanding expedition

In recent years, not only have sales of pickup trucks increased, interest in overlanding — the phenomenon of off-grid adventure travel to remote destinations in specially prepared vehicles — has skyrocketed. This off-road pastime’s dramatic rise in popularity predates COVID-19, but today’s pandemic somehow makes the idea of zombie-apocalypse-ready 4×4 ownership suddenly seem like a sensible investment.

Like

Beefier suspension and tires add capability

Torquey engine = good tow/payload ratings

Class-leading ground-clearance

Visual tweaks look sharp

Don’t Like

Dated interior

No front locking differential

Significant fuel economy penalty

MSRP is competitive but costs as much as an F-150

In any case, the Blue Oval’s product planners didn’t necessarily have Armageddon in mind when they came up with the 2021 Ford Ranger Tremor, but that doesn’t mean this pickup wouldn’t make for a good truck upon which to build out an end times overlanding rig. Even if you’re not a prepper, as far as social-distancing machines go, Ford’s go-farther 4×4 is better suited than most.

After a long hiatus, the Ranger reentered the North American market in 2019 and its popularity has been gaining steadily. Last year, despite the coronavirus hamstringing new-car sales, Ranger sales actually increased, with the model claiming the midsize pickup segment’s second-place sales slot behind Toyota’s Tacoma. There’s still a lot of daylight between the Ranger and Tacoma on the sales charts, however, and Ford figures much of the hill it has to climb is with the type of buyers who gravitate toward the Taco’s many TRD off-road models.

2021 Ford Ranger Tremor is ready for your overlanding gear

See all photos

Now, the Tremor isn’t a standalone model, it’s actually a $4,290 package that can be added atop the truck’s mid-grade XLT and range-topping Lariat trims. The Tremor starts by incorporating most of the performance and aesthetic hardware from today’s existing FX4 off-road package and adding Ranger’s Sport Appearance trimmings. Combined, those two option groups normally total about $2,000, so after spending a couple of weeks with this model both on and off-road, the nearly $2,300 cost premium for all of the Tremor’s additional gear feels like a pretty solid value.

Like other Rangers, the Tremor uses the same 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo I4 mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Good for 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, this is still one of the torquiest and most modern drivetrains available in a midsize truck. The engine has more than enough oomph to tote this 4,571-pound pickup around and the stop/start tech is well behaved to boot.

The Tremor package is available exclusively on four-wheel-drive SuperCrew models with a five-foot bed.

Nick Miotke/Roadshow

Foxy suspension and a geometry lesson

The Tremor’s main upgrades are centered around the Ranger’s suspension, with the headliner being a set of expensive Fox 2.0 shocks, including more sophisticated remote-reservoir units on the rear axle which pair with Tremor-specific leaf springs. The front end gets new springs, too, along with different control arms and a thinner anti-roll bar for better off-road articulation. The steering system is tweaked, too, with unique knuckles to help accommodate the demands of the Tremor’s larger 32-inch General Grabber off-road tires which wrap a set of Magnetic-painted 17-inch wheels.

All of this new hardware yields a modest 0.8 inches of additional ground clearance for a total of 9.7 — slightly better than a Tacoma TRD Pro. Most of that increase is due to the larger tires, which also lend this truck a slightly more planted, 1-inch-wider stance. So equipped, the Tremor’s approach angle is 30.9 degrees, departure is set at 27.1 degrees and breakover angle is 24.2. Those are improvements of 2.2 degrees, 1.7 degrees and 2.7 degrees, respectively.

Spendy Fox 2.0 monotube dampers feature remote reservoirs for better thermal management on the rear axle.

Ford

On-road manners and visual tweaks

While these modifications are designed for off-road use, most of these trucks will still live on pavement for the vast majority of their days, so it’s good to know that this isn’t such an extreme setup that the Ranger’s on-road demeanor has been ruined. The ride is a skosh softer, and there’s a bit more body roll when attacking corners on dry pavement, but the difference is neither alarming nor offputting. If anything, the ride quality is actually more agreeable than the last Ranger I remember driving. Better still, the truck’s all-terrain rubber doesn’t drone on the freeway the way a lot of big-lug off-road tires can. The Tremor may be an off-road-focused package, but over the course of several weeks, I found it more than livable as a daily driver. 

I even dig the subtle Tremor-specific visual tweaks. There’s a unique grille with red-outlined nostrils and the blacked-out bumpers and wider wheel lips give a bit more stance and presence. Look a little closer, and you’ll probably note the front steel skid plate, the pair of rear tow hooks and the running boards. The latter sit higher and tighter than the optional side steps you can get on other Rangers, but don’t worry, you can still unbolt ’em for better off-road clearance. There’s also a splashy, retro-look graphics package available, if that’s your jam.

The Ford Ranger’s interior is no great shakes, even with some Tremor-specific touches.

Ford

Dated cabin with a few extras

Inside, the Ranger’s cabin is largely the same as ever, which is to say, not very impressive. Yes, there are modest Tremor-specific touches like the script logos and suede-like panels in the seatbacks, plus a useful set of rubber floor liners and black dashboard trim. I also appreciate the six-pack of auxiliary power switches designed to easily accommodate extra lights, an air compressor or myriad other useful accessories. But otherwise, the interior feels pretty dated. Believe it or not, this XLT actually still has a switchblade ignition key (fortunately, Lariat trims get pushbutton start).

Even though Ford invested a bunch of money in Ranger when it returned to the US in 2019, it wasn’t a brand-new truck upon arrival, as the same basic generation had been selling overseas for years. Despite a bunch of upgrades meant to bring the truck in-line with the heightened refinement expectations of US consumers, the Ranger’s interior is the easiest way to date this truck. Its plastics are almost universally hard, its infotainment lives on a small-ish touchscreen that isn’t flush mounted and isn’t running the latest version of Sync. Even the last-generation F-150 feels far, far more advanced and substantial, let alone the freshly redesigned 2021 blockbuster now wheeling out of dealers.

To be fair, the cabins of midsize pickups are all quite disappointing these days, whether you’re talking Ford, Toyota or General Motors. Jeep’s Gladiator is somewhat better in terms of tech, but it’s very expensive. In fact, only the Honda Ridgeline really feels up to snuff all the way around, but because it’s a unibody, many buyers won’t even look at one. This Ranger’s cabin remains in the hunt, but interior niceness is a prime reason for potential buyers to consider stretching to even a lower-end F-150.

Lackluster fuel economy

If you’re thinking fuel efficiency is a good reason to go with this smaller truck, you’re going to want to think again. Partly because of its larger tires and blockier profile, the Ranger Tremor only manages a straight 19 miles per gallon across the board (city, highway and combined) according to EPA estimates. That’s a surprisingly stiff comedown from the standard Ranger 4×4 XLT’s 20 mpg city, 24 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined.

Incidentally, that’s also the same combined-cycle rating as a 5.0-liter V8-powered F-150 4×4, which gets 16 mpg city and 22 highway (let alone more efficient F-150 options like the 2.7-liter EcoBoost, diesel or PowerBoost hybrid). Again, these numbers are competitive within this segment, but not unlike the interior accommodations mentioned earlier, the Tremor’s efficiency comes across as disappointingly yester-tech.

The 2.3-liter EcoBoost isn’t much to look at, but with 270 horses and 310 pound-feet of torque, it doesn’t need to be.

Nick Miotke/Josh Krzywonos/Roadshow

Off-road performance and towing/payload

I spent a wintry day at Holly Oaks, a newly opened quarry-turned-off-road playland in metro Detroit to test the Tremor’s mettle. With a mix of hard-packed frozen ground and mud-and-snow slurry, this ORV park was a suitably tough test for this pickup. Better still, I enjoyed practically free run of the place, as it was closed to the public, enabling me to go back and try the same trails and obstacles in different drive modes while taking different lines to assess the truck’s full capabilities.

Like the FX4, the Tremor features Ford’s Terrain Management System, so you can poke a button and optimize the vehicle’s various drive and brake systems for whatever surface you’re about to roll over (it’s kind of like the dial-a-nap controller on your vacuum). Ford says it recalibrated the Tremor’s traction control for this model’s larger, knobbier tires for better traction on gravel and I found the system worked equally well in the slushy stuff as it did on the hardpack.

One thing that’s nice is you can cycle through TMS’ modes on the fly. I primarily relied on Grass/Gravel/Snow for hills, but when I was just having fun intentionally sliding around at speed on the flat stuff, I chose Sand mode (and occasionally Mud and Ruts) to allow for more wheelspin to indulge my adolescent need for rooster tails.

Like the FX4, the Tremor also features Trail Control, which is Ford’s low-speed, off-road cruise control for both ascending and descending hills at preset speeds from 1 to 20 mph. It’s really, really useful and confidence-inspiring tech, as it allows you to focus on steering the vehicle without having to worry about modulating the pedals. Combined with the Ranger’s other electronic aids and the Tremor’s upgraded hardware, the entire package is so capable that these assists ultimately remove some of the sense of challenge and accomplishment of off-roading. It’s nice to know it’s there, but sometimes, it’s just more fun to go manual and do it yourself.

At moments like this, a forward-facing spotter’s camera would’ve been really convenient.

Nick Miotke/Josh Krzywonos/Roadshow

That said, there are a couple of hardware tricks that I wouldn’t mind seeing on the Tremor’s spec sheet, including a front locking differential. A rear e-locker comes standard, but there’s no front-axle equivalent like a Chevy Colorado ZR2 or a Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, so you’re ultimately going to give up some ability when rock climbing. Fortunately, the vast majority of the time, you’ll never know it’s missing.

On the other hand, there’s one thing you will definitely miss while off-roading: a forward-facing camera. I didn’t have a pal to stand outside in the blustery cold to help guide me over and around obstacles, and when on steep ascents and descents, you can’t see over the hood to know what you’re about to crawl over. While it’s understandable that an older and more-affordable midsizer like the Tremor might not yet be offered with 360-degree camera coverage, a low-mounted front-facing camera would be mighty welcome and would provide a further point of differentiation from lesser Ranger models.

As it is, the Ranger’s tidier dimensions are inherently easier to manage off-road than a full-size truck. There’s less chance of scraping your fancy Cactus Gray paint in narrow forest passages and tight turns are easier to negotiate than they’d be in an F-Series, as well.

Off-road, you really appreciate that this turbo four has so much low-end torque and it’s great that the transmission has so many gears to choose from; you never feel like the EcoBoost is straining to get you through, even if it does sound flaccid compared to competitors’ V6 engines. All that torque helps on-road, too, delivering a best-in-class 7,500-pound tow rating or 1,430 pounds of payload in its 5-foot bed. Those numbers are right at the head of the class, and they’re important metrics when building an overlanding rig laden with lots of heavy gear.

Pricing and final judgment

So, the Ranger Tremor isn’t a high-speed off-roader like a Ford F-150 Raptor (or even the overseas-only Ranger Raptor), nor is it a hardcore rock crawler. This truck feels like it’s been designed to sit right in the middle capability-wise, which could have resulted in a vehicle that feels muddled and indecisive, like one that can’t figure out what it’s designed for. Instead, the Tremor seems like it’s found a capability sweet spot. It’s quite good at a variety of off-road disciplines and that makes it a better baseline platform for customizing if you haven’t decided what kind of off-roading you really want to commit to, be it desert bombing, overlanding or forested mountain ascents.

If you’re someone who off-roads a lot, the 2021 Ranger Tremor is big fun, but it isn’t cheap. Whereas a non-Tremor XLT SuperCrew 4×4 starts at $35,940 (including $1,195 destination), an XLT Tremor will run you $41,900 delivered — without extras. An option-free, top-trim Lariat runs $46,275 in your driveway, but it includes niceties like a B&O audio system, leather seats, navigation, remote start and adaptive cruise control. With options including the Technology Package ($995 for adaptive cruise, navigation, etc.), spray-in bed liner ($495), remote start ($195) and SecuriCode keyless-entry pad ($95), my XLT tester rings up at $43,680 delivered.

Overall, the Tremor is competitively priced within its segment (a Tacoma TRD Pro starts at over $45,000), but this Ford’s base MSRP is also really close to that of the new F-150 XLT 4×4 with a 5.0-liter V8. The F-Series is a much, much more advanced machine with similar efficiency.

Of course, not everyone wants or needs a full-size pickup and the number of buyers splurging on smaller, costlier, factory-backed hardcore off-road specials like this 2021 Ranger Tremor appears to be growing every day. In order to stay competitive, it’s important that Ford play in this space. And you know what? Despite this truck’s shortcomings, I still kinda dig it.

[janehaster]

Some interesting facts about Hank you might have missed (Detroit: Become Human)

DBH is full of little details that help understand the characters’ background and their motivations, details which can go entirely amiss if the player isn't paying enough attention to their surroundings. 

You have to play several times over to notice bits and pieces of information scattered everywhere and be able to reconstruct the characters’ background by patiently piecing them together. If you’re thorough enough, you can even uncover whole chunks of the characters’ past which they refuse to talk about (something VERY frequent in Hank’s case...and equally frustrating). 

Here are a few details about the life of Hank Anderson, the lieutenant who is chosen to help Connor with his investigation, along with some interpretations of my own about his mysterious past based on the evidence we find in the game:

[SPOILERS AHEAD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED]

The park where Hank goes to drink after the Eden Club mission is a playground for children. If you pay attention, you’ll see the place is full of recreational equipments, like a swingset, a toy house and a merry-go-round.  He says the place has a nice view and mentions going there a lot before something happened. This is where he used to bring his son Cole to play before his death.

What hurts most about this scene is how a human notices the photo of Hank’s dead son on his kitchen table, then the fact Hank drove to a playground and immediately associates them both, while an android (Connor) is unable to see the correlation between them. This is why Connor asks before what?. He’s clueless to the overwhelming evidence around him of Hank thinking about his son in that moment and choosing to revisit the playground. 

Hank used to be part of a multi-department unit called the Red Ice Task Force which successfully busted a ring of drug dealers that sold red ice in Detroit. He has a photo of his unit on his desk, and you can even see the notes he left on each of them, where some nicknames were scribbled and associated to each of their faces. Some of them are fond nicknames, others, not so much:

The nicknames (from right to left): 

Prick & Asskisser - the two male policemen in the far right

Nice girl - the smiling policewoman in front of Prick and Asskisser

Asshole - the smiling policeman on the front

Real police - the policewoman in the back, behind Asshole

A good cop - the policeman in the back, right next to her

Hank Anderson

??? - policeman on his left

Not seen since 2019. Owes me some $ - last policeman, in the far left

Hank worked in the Red Ice Task Force two years before the birth of his son Cole. Cole was born in 2029, as seen in the photo below.

Hank also lost his son in 2035, only three years before the events of DBH, as seen in Cole’s picture below.

The reason why Hank feels so disenchanted is because he worked hard to end the traffic of red ice in the city only to lose his son to a doctor who was a drug addict. This made him feel like his work was ultimately worthless and even guiltier about losing his son, since despite his efforts, there was nothing he could do to save him. The day Cole died, he learned he was fighting a losing battle. So he just gave up. On life. On his job as a good police officer. On everything.

Hank plays Russian roulette because deep down, he doesn’t want to die. Something keeps him from offing himself once and for all. He’s afraid of death. Proof of that is how scared he becomes when he is holding for dear life on the ledge right at top of that building during our chase for the deviant Rupert (where you must choose between saving Hank and keep chasing the android). Hank was so scared of the prospect of dying he punches Connor in the face and yells at him due to the android’s refusal to save him. Therefore, Hank might have suicidal tendencies, but he’s not truly suicidal. If he truly wished to die, then all he needed to do was to let go from that ledge or fully load his gun next time he’s at home and shoot himself. And he knows that.

His sense of guilt and helplessness for his son's death is what makes him so protective of Connor. He’s aware Connor is just an android. And yet prevents him from facing potentially fatal situations. Hank just can’t cope well with death and will project his fatherly feelings for Cole onto Connor. This is why he commits suicide if he witnesses Connor’s death over and over. But this is also the reason why he warms up to Connor throughout the game. He inevitably associates the android with Cole despite himself.

Hank shoots you if he’s hostile after Connor repeats over and over again that he's just a machine, unable to have real emotions. Hank's actions have two root causes: 

1) The doctor who was high on red ice was emotionally dysfunctional. He used drugs to cope with his personal problems, a behaviour that seemed normal in Detroit given the socioeconomic hardship the city was going through (thirty percent rate of unemployment). We also see how androids are progressively replacing humans in every line of work. Remember when Hank complained how people are replacing normal relationships with humans for androids (Eden Club mission)? This seems to be a big issue in Detroit. Along with the huge unemployment rate, it indicates a depersonalisation of human interaction. That is to say, a tendency for humans to avoid contact with each other and replace real interaction either with an android or with drug abuse, something which Hank not only disapproves, but finds disturbing.

2) In the very first scene of the game, we see the mother despair when she learns they sent an android instead of a real human to save her daughter. Hank’s son didn’t survive because an android was sent to save him. Or at least that’s how Hank sees it. Much like that mother, he believes Cole would be alive if a human doctor had been there for Cole, another consequence of the ongoing depersonalisation process, as Hank sees it. 

This is why it’s so important for Connor to restore Hank’s faith in the possibility of there still being real human interaction left in this world. Of there being people who CARE about something. And if Connor fails to do so, repeatedly telling Hank he’s just a machine, this will trigger Hank to the point he'll relive the day - or night - his son died because the hospital assigned a machine, something less than a human - an android - to save his son. Hank feels wronged, betrayed by mankind, by the very people he swore to protect as a police officer. Despite his efforts to save the city, they let him down. The fact that nobody cared enough to save Cole is what killed him inside and later triggered his suicidal tendencies. Human indifference took away the most important thing in his life.

Thoughout the game, Hank is watching you, trying to figure out what sort of person Connor is. This is why he questions your decisions after every mission. Remember his dialog with Connor where he asks why didn't he shoot Chloe at Kamski's place? That's when he begins to wonder if androids aren't more than just programmed machines and capable of free will...and even empathy.

Unless Connor’s actions succeed in restoring Hank's hope in humanity, he sees no light at the end of the tunnel. And what could give a disillusioned, mourning father more hope than an android being able to feel and empathise with both humans and androids, to the point he rebels against his program and spares his targets, regardless of his mission?

There might be more on Hank, so this post will be edited in the future as I notice more details with each gameplay. 

If you liked this analysis, please like and share it. Do not repost without mentioning the source or without posting a link to the original post. I think that goes without saying, right?

[cardomemi]

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[alliwantismakeup]

Kia Optima Designs, Prices and Ratings

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Last year, in 2019, the optima was upgraded with a new front fascia (with led running lights) that shows a clear dna link to the stylish rear-wheel-drive kia stinger, so little has altered for 2020. 2020 Kia Optima Professional Evaluation Our abundant content consists of professional evaluations and recommendations for the 2020 optima featuring deep dives into trim levels and features, performance, mpg, security, interior, and driving. Back in october 2019, kia provided us a shadowy preview of what we must anticipate from the brand new 2021 optima. 2020 Kia Optima Security Requirement security suite. The suite of basic safety innovations on all 2020 kia optimas is detailed. Security is the order of business at kia, and that's why they have actually developed the optima out of advanced high strength steel that takes in energy at 16 core body locations. # 3 in Best Midsize Cars of 2020 Despite the fact that americans seem trading in cars for good, the midsize family sedan looks much better than it's ever been. It definitely didn't feel even worse than other midsize cars and trucks i have actually remained in recently. Headroom is likewise good, even with the breathtaking moonroof on the sxl i drove. Driving the 2020 Kia Optima The newly redesigned 2016 kia optima, with its blend of driving dynamics and a well-thought-out interior, stays competitive in the definitely cutthroat midsize sedan field. 2020 Kia Optima Interior Kia completely upgraded the optima for 2021, with a bolder exterior and a genuinely luxurious interior. But the kia prevents the mazda's conservative, minimalist styling. A good-looking strip of matte synthetic wood and leather dominates the dash and isn't abnormal in today's market, however like the exterior, little touches both in regards to style and design to help the optima's interior stick out. 2020 Kia Optima Outside Kia didn't make many modifications on the optima's outside, however what they've done is bring a few minor design changes into the mix and create a more exciting and sportier optima in 2020. 2020 Kia Optima Requirement Features The updated optima was used with a brand-new 2. 7l engine, 4-speed automatic (the handbook was dropped), and features such as full leather interior and alloy wheels were made requirement. Can i get led headlights on a 2020 kia optima?. While led headlights aren't available on the lx, s and ex designs, they are basic on the sporty optima sx. 2020 Kia Optima Options I wish there were smaller alternatives, like a vw jetta hybrid with the performance of the kia optima hybrid. In a world of suvs the kia optima sportswagon stands out as one of a decreasing variety of options that are excellent to take a look at and fully equipped. 2020 Kia Optima Engine That's thanks in no small part to the optima's now more rakish profile. Kia minimized the three-box style common of sedans and the three boxes are the trunk, cabin, and engine bay in favor of a sleeker tail. The kia optima lx and s models are powered by a 2. 4-liter 4-cylinder engine that sends 185 horsepower to the front wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission. Net output: 202 horsepower/276 lb-ft of torque. Epa city/highway fuel economy: 41 mpg combined. How much does the 2020 kia optima cost?.

[zacklover24]

It’s all over but the crying Chapter I

It's all over but the crying, seemed fitting in a way for Lt. Hank Anderson was a decorated First lieutenant and served with the 108th Infantry Regiment, he was also a lieutenant with the Cambridge police. But now he was just Hank Anderson a man looking for his wife killer, and the jackass who stole his son. And maybe finding love again. A Detroit Become Human fallout 4 crossover that no one asked for but got anyway enjoy.

Rating: T for teen for now 

Pairings: Hank and Connor, and Reed and RK900

Tagging: @nykamito, @mandakatt, @luntian-berdengguhit, @itshaejinju, @moonraccoon-exe, @rikusqueenofhearts

When Hank had left his vault in search of his wife killer and the fucker who stole his son, waking up with a hangover from hell with sumo licking his face was not it. Hank was a former pre-war detective for the Cambridge police station, frozen the day the bombs dropped and he felt out of place.

“What the fuck?” He groans pushing up from the old dirty mattress. It had been a hell of time getting here.  After helping out the minutemen and learning from their old lady (who Hank knew was a drug abuser)  that someone in diamond city could help him.

Diamond city (was just Fenway park but with a shanty town in it. Hank was impressed that people had managed to build a safe home here.) However the mayor a pompous asshole told him that a detective could help him. A detective like him.

“Fuck.” Hank groans pitching the bridge of his nose. He would kill for a prairie oyster but he had a feeling that the bartenders didn't know what that was.

Hank stood but, as the room started to spin, he stood there trying to wait. As the room stopped spinning he looked around for his stuff. He wore the vault suit, with his old dark brown coat, boots and his old service revolver. (A small miracle that any of his prewar stuff lasted as long as it did. He really did owe his bot a thank you.) Hank did his hair in a sloppy yet neat small ponytail, pre war he use to keep his hair short due to being in the army and then becoming a cop. But now his hair was growing out.

“Come on sumo.” Hank grunts patting his leg and leaving. Hank let the inn and asked around and was told to follow the neon. The neon in question was located behind a store selling baseball bats. The neon was a tacky bright pink, it was in the shape of a heart with an arrow going through it and in the middle were the words,

‘ Valentine detective agency.’ Hank heart stopped, could he be alive after all these years? Two hundred years, maybe he was ghoul like that minuteman said. Hank couldn't move, he wanted to but couldn't. Sumo gently nudged Hank forward, and began to walk  towards where the agency was, the door was a little hard to find. Wedged between two walls and the dimly lit neon but Hank found it. The citizens were chatting around him and plain ignoring him.

Inside was a stander office, in the back was a young woman with short brown hair, wearing a pink poodle skirt and white top. She muttering as she did her paperwork.

Hank coughed, and then spoke, “Excuse me miss, is the detective here?” He asks, the woman let out a sad sigh.

“Great another stray coming in from the rain, asking for his help, I’m sorry the office is closed. I’m  traci.” She tells him turning around and clutching a bundle of papers to her chest.

“Hank, I’ll come back once your open.” Hank tells her turning on his heel to leave.

“No, the detective you see is gone. We can’t stay  open without him. And unless he’s found this place will have no choice to close. And I can’t lose this job.”  Traci tells hank, Hank could see the tears in the young woman's eyes.

“Maybe I can help.” Hank offers, his voice was soft and gentle. Traci perked up a little,

“Really? You would?” She asks.

“Of course, can’t have a pretty lady crying. Now what can you tell me?”

“The detective was looking into a ring of red ice dealers, lead by a ganger named Carlos ortiz, he was small fish, nothing to worry about. But a month or so ago, he became big, he got himself a gang and that’s when it got bad. Like real bad.” Traci tells him taking in a deep breath,

“Rumor had it that ortiz found an old vault, and unfinished pre-war vault. Apparently the vault had everything he needed to make red ice.”  Hank felt a weight settle in the pit of his stomach, red ice was it still around even after all these years? Fuck.

“Where is the vault?”

“Park street station, it’s called vault 114. The detective is wearing a faded tan trench coat and a tan fedora. Can’t miss him. And thank you.”

“Your welcome.”

******************************************************************************

Hank and sumo left the shanty town and headed for the old park street station, it wasn’t hard to find. Hank took out a few dumb raiders that got to close and didn’t know any better. But they made it right as the sun was going down.

Hank took in a deep breath and pressed a finger to his lips, sumo took the hint as they entered the station. The station was loaded with mobster wannabes, they were easy pickings for hank and sumo. The duo made there way down into the loading area picking off more of the mobsters soon coming to the vault, there were two mobsters waiting for them at the entrance nothing that hank couldn’t deal with.

Hank let out a whistle, “Fancy, right sumo?” Hank asks the dog as he loaded his gun. The dog let out a park and attacked a ghoul mobster. The further they went into the vault the more mobster they meet. And then it got quite, Hank made his way to overseer’s office. Hank stopped when heard voices, from where he was standing hank saw someone in front of the office.

“How you doing in there valentine? Feeling, hungry want a snack?” Came the first voice in a mocking tone.

“Keep talking meathead. It’ll give ortiz more time to think how he is going to bump you off.” Hank was frozen that voice, it couldn’t be. Hank slowly walked over to the stairs, listening and waiting.

“Don’t give me that crap, valentine. You know nothin’, you got nothin’.” Meathead snorts.

“Really? I saw him writing your name in that black book of his. ‘Lousy cheating card shark’ I think were his exact words. Then he stuck name across three times.”  Valentine tells him. Meathead didn’t say anything but when he did you could hear the fear the god in his voice.

“Not that black book, I got to make this right.” Meathead ran, Hank smirked and shot in him the head.

“HEY YOU! I don’t know how you are, but we got three minutes before they realize that muscles for brains ain't coming back. Get this door open.”   Hank could make out a human like silhouette in the office, it looked like Connor but didn’t what the fuck.

“Yea, yea hold your damn horse.” Hank barks as he opened  the door. With the office opened, hank could only stop and stare. It was but wasn’t Connor.

The fake Connor had the same soft short brown hair, doe brown eyes. But the fake Connor was missing part of the ‘skin’ (if you wanted to call it that)  along the right side of his jaw and check and neck, the ‘skin’ on his left hand was all gone leaving a metal one behind. He was wearing a white button up shirt with a loose dark blue tie and tan pants, and shoes.  His coat was in tatters and the hat did nothing to hide the hair. Connor reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled a cigarette and light it, those hank had feeling it did nothing for him.

“Ah my knight in-shining-armour. But the question is, why does he come all the way down here looking for an old private eye.” Hank could only stare, words were lost on his tongue.

“What are you?” Hank asks swallowing the lump in his throat. Connor snorted,

“I'm a synth. Synthetic man. All the parts, minus a few red blood cells. Names’ detective Connor Valentine, and who are you?”

It was hank turn to snort, “Lieutenant Hank Anderson, I came here on behave of Traci.” Connor blew out some smoke,

“I owe that girl a rise. I came here looking for ortiz trying to put end to his red ice making they caught me. So why do you need me?”

“My wife was killed, my son was stolen.” Hank tells him.

“And you need an angel of vengeance. That’s fine, you help me I help you.”  Connor tells him.

“That’s fine let’s go.” Hank tells him leaving the office. Connor stood there a moment as he stamped out his cigarette, who was this man?

End of line

[adrenalineguide]

Kia K5 GT: Korean for sweet ride

Words and Photos By Michael Hozjan

What’s in a name? Well if you’re like my posse of twenty and thirty something’s, it’s the difference between cool and not cool. Case in point Kia’s midsize four door sedan the K5, formerly known as the Optima. I can see some of you already grimacing, but its true. In a move that can be described as nothing short of genius, someone at Kia decided to upgrade the car and make it appealing to the youth market by simply getting rid of a stodgy old moniker.

I can’t recall anybody ever being excited when the Optima was mentioned. All that has changed with the K5. Admittedly it does sound cooler, kind of like F16.

The K5 comes in four different trim levels (LX, EX, GT-Line and GT) with prices starting at $31,460 for the base LX model and climbing to $42,360 for the GT. The K5 continues Kia’s tradition of bringing more bang for your shopping dollar. A heated steering wheel, smart key access, push button start, lane keep assist and blind spot avoidance are all too often found on competitors’ mid level trim lines, for Kia, they’re standard fare on the base car.

There’s more to the K5 persona than just a name tag, gone is the normally aspirated, anemic four cylinder that propelled your uncle’s Optima. Sadly so are the hybrids. The base engine is a turbocharged 1.6L four that delivers 180 hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic. It powers the first three trim levels and while it won’t shatter any records, it’s smooth, responds quickly to throttle inputs and should be more than adequate for most drivers. You also get the choice of front or all-wheel-drive with the 1.6L.

My tester came with the more potent 290 horsepower, 2.5L turbo mill that punches out 311 lb.-ft. of torque, through a dual clutch 8-speed automatic. For the extra bucks you get a heads-up display, premium Bose sound system, twin exhaust, plus the usual array of driving aides. In an odd turn of events the GT is offered only in the front drive configuration.

As the GT designation implies this K5 gets a sport-tuned suspension, bigger binders to help stop the added horses and wider 19” rubber. It’ll hit the century mark in 5.5 seconds.

Above and below: Not my usual interior shots, I had so much fun driving the K5 I forgot about my task at hand. 

Interior

Like the exterior, the K5’s cockpit looks fresh with a modern air to it and could be mistaken as belonging to a pricier sports sedan. Fit and finish is top rate, as are Kia’s choice materials right down to the faux leather seats. You get heated/vented buckets, ambient lighting and wireless charging pad. Head, leg and shoulder room is generous for the front seat occupants and rear seat legroom is way beyond the 3 Series bimmers.  

Within three minutes of setting myself in the leather bucket seat I’ve adjusted the seat, set the mirrors, connected my phone, and set my sat radio stations, all without cussing. Voila, simple and to the point, unlike this week’s overly complicated, infuriating sedan. Yes Kia needs to talk to their sound system suppliers to properly set the favorites but other than that, the K5’s controls are easily manipulated and are intuitively placed, the infotainment screen is big, bright, simple to navigate and very responsive.

You can select and customize drive modes and customize the displays in the instrument cluster.

The K5s arrive with cruise, collision mitigation, lane keep. The on screen pop ups keep you in the loop as to which safety systems are in use, and can easily be switched on and off. Again not like this week’s dictorial ride.

You know immediately this is going to be a fun drive.

On the road

I’ve set this before about Kias, so excuse me for repeating myself, but it needs to be said. With their engineers coming from Germany’s top builders it comes as no surprise that the K5 steers, handles and responds better than its front drive competitor., If the rear wheels would be pushing the car instead, than  it would give the big buck Germans a run for their money. If you’ve read my comments on the Stinger GT, well think of the K5 as its smaller athletic brother. If the K5 would be rear wheel drive It would 

The K5 may be classified as a family sedan but with 290 horses on tap eager to be awakened, its one special family. The K5 will easily light up the 19-inch front tires. Whether your right foot is having a heavy day or you’re just out cruising taking in the autumn colors, the trim exclusive  8-speed automatic is perfectly matched to the engine.

The K5’s size lends itself to more enjoyable drive and is easier to toss into a corner than the Stinger. The GT’s larger brakes bring the sporty sedan to controlled stops time and again with little to no fade – just the ticket for those long curvy lakeside roads. The suspension holds up well to most of our third world rated roads without sacrificing too much in seat comfort.

The seats are firm and supportive yet I wouldn’t hesitate for a minute to take this car for a cross-country road trip.

Verdict

I wish Kia would offer the GT trim in all-wheel-drive. Having said that I’ve already put it on my short list as the ride to book for our gang-of-four trip to the Detroit Autorama when and if it reopens in March. It’s capable of swallowing all our gear, give us the ride and comfort we demand and not kill our fuel budget.

If you’re looking for a smart sedan with evocative good looks, that’s easy on the budget as well as on your senses, then run don’t walk to your nearest Kia dealer.

Price as tested: $42,610*

*Includes colour charge, dealer prep, taxes and destination charges

Warranty: 5 year/100,000 km Worry-free comprehensive, 8 year/130,000 km Major Emissions Components, 5 year unlimited mileage 24/7 Roadside Assistance  

[noorenazarnews]

As chip shortage goes on, cars are scarce and prices are up

DETROIT (AP) — For the next few months, Charlie Gilchrist figures his 11 car dealerships in the Dallas-Fort Worth area will sell just about every new vehicle they can get from the factories — and at increased prices. In normal times, that would be cause for joy. Not so much now. A global shortage of computer chips has forced automakers to slash production. The result has been far fewer vehicles on dealer lots, just as the waning pandemic has fueled a pent-up consumer demand for cars, trucks and SUVs. Given the robust customer demand, dealers like Gilchrist could sell many more cars and trucks, if only they had more. Even at elevated prices — the average new-vehicle sales price tops $40,000, up nearly 10% in two years — customer demand exceeds supply. “It’s pretty evident when you pull onto our lots that there’s not much selection,” said Gilchrist, whose lots carry brands ranging from General Motors and Ford to Nissan and Volkswagen. “Our (sales) volume is falling because of the sheer lack of inventory. It will still fall during the next two or three months.” The across-the-board surge in auto prices contributed mightily to last month’s jump in U.S. consumer prices, the government reported Wednesday. A record 10% increase in used vehicle prices, in fact, accounted for roughly one-third of April’s overall rise in consumer prices — the sharpest monthly increase in more than a decade. Ford expects to produce only half its normal number of vehicles from now through June. GM and others have resorted to halting production of some cars and smaller SUVs and diverting computer chips to higher-profit pickup trucks and large SUVs. Leading automakers are warning of diminished earnings. The vehicle scarcity and the soaring prices can be traced to the eruption of the coronavirus 14 months ago. As the virus spread, auto factories shut down for a couple of months. With millions more people working from home, demand for laptops and monitors led semiconductor makers to shift from autos to personal electronics. Soon, though, a faster-than-expected economic rebound boosted demand for vehicles, and auto plants tried to restore full-scale production. Yet chip makers couldn’t respond swiftly enough. With production slowed, dealer inventories shrank. Now, as the chip shortage has persisted, the shortage of new vehicles has worsened, and analysts foresee no return to normal before next year. Yet so far, automakers have been earning big profits even with a depleted inventory, largely because many buyers have been willing to pay more to get what they want. With government stimulus checks and tax refunds in hand, Americans bought about 1.5 million new vehicles in April. That’s an adjusted annual sales rate of 18.5 million — the highest such rate since 2005. “It’s like toilet paper was a year ago,” said Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Cox Automotive. “Everyone is rushing to buy a car.” Cox Automotive surveys suggest that 63% of potential buyers will stay in the market even with higher prices and a meager selection of vehicles. With new vehicles prices jumping, the cost of popular vehicles has become eye-opening. The average price of a new Chevrolet Silverado pickup, for example, is now just under $51,000. Even so, the supply of vehicles is dwindling. Last month, the nation’s total new-vehicle inventory plummeted 42% from a year ago to 1.9 million. That’s enough to supply only 33 days of sales at the current pace — 88 days fewer than a year ago, according to Cox. At the same time, discounts fell 5% from March to April and 25% from a year ago to an average of $3,239 per vehicle. Jeremy Smith is seeing the price increases on both ends as he buys and sells pickup trucks for his utility trailer sales business near Buffalo, New York. In March, he bought a used diesel 2020 Chevy Silverado crew cab with 21,000 miles on for $61,000. Comparable trucks are now listed on websites, he said, for $68,000 to $70,000. At the same time, he’s asking $13,995 for a 2011 Silverado crew cab with 178,000 miles on it, a far higher price than he would have thought even a few months ago. “You sell high, you buy high,” said Smith, who frequently buys trucks for his business. To get one now, he says, people have to move quickly to put in bids with dealers or owners. “If you’re not on it,” he said, “those things are gone.” Given the lack of supply, nearly everyone expects new vehicle sales to fall soon. That would mean fewer trade-ins, which would further tighten a low supply of used vehicles. For consumers who can wait, analysts say, it might be wise to delay buying any vehicle until next year or even beyond. An index that measures wholesale U.S. used vehicle prices from auction house Manheim soared 53% in April from a year ago, hitting a record high. Auto dealers buy used vehicles at auctions; the average price there hit nearly $18,000. Dealers mark up wholesale prices when they sell to consumers. The average list price of a used car last month was just over $22,000, 14% higher than a year ago. Dealers are now scrambling for used cars, hoping to sell them to keep cash flowing through the summer as new vehicle supplies dry up. Richard Bazzy, who runs four Ford and Lincoln dealerships in suburban Pittsburgh, said he’s formed a team to buy used vehicles. “Every car dealer in the world is jamming the auctions right now trying to fill their shelves because of the lack of new-car inventory,” he said. Bazzy said he’s hopeful that his business will manage OK with used sales, as well as revenue from parts and service. But he wants all the used cars they acquire now to be sold by August, when he expects the inventory of vehicles to start a return to normal. Cox’s Krebs said it’s hard to predict how long the chip shortage and tight supplies will last. Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas cautioned investors not to expect extremely high auto prices beyond the end of this year as new-vehicle supplies recover. The pandemic and chip shortage have made rental cars scarcer, too, driving up prices dramatically and causing long waits as people start traveling again. Rental companies have had trouble getting new cars because auto companies have diverted vehicles away from fleet buyers to more profitable sales to consumers. Higher demand has sent some rental companies to the used car market to find vehicles. Whenever the car shortage ends, GM, Ford and others say they will change business models away from having huge stocks. GM has considered regional distribution centers that could send vehicles to dealers in a matter of days. Ford’s CEO Jim Farley has talked of quickly delivering on factory orders. Both companies hope to reduce the interest paid on high inventories and keep discounts low. “I do think we are on the verge of possibly a different kind of paradigm for how vehicles are distributed,” Krebs said. Still, competition could thwart those plans once factories return to normal production. Bazzy normally stocks 400-500 pickup trucks at his three Ford dealers but is down to around 100. He’s confident that he can keep customers happy if they order a truck and can get it in four weeks. But he fears losing business to competing brands with a huge stock. “If the guy across the street from me has 300 (trucks) and my guy has to wait four weeks,” Bazzy said, “I’m going to lose him.” Read the full article