#you can say that people should avoid traveling in cars because five percent of car crashes are fatal

[princesssarcastia]

yes, ghosts CAN time travel, actually, don’t be such a Richard, Klaus

titled “frozen time between hearses and caskets” in my fic folder, aka idea #3 from my poll two weeks ago on which Umbrella Academy Season 2 fic I should write.  vague vibes also from this poem which I adore; “I AM TIRED OF RE-WRITING TRAGEDY WITHOUT CHANGE. LET THEM LIVE. LET THEM LEARN. LET THEM LOVE.”  Because let people grow, goddammit.

this mess to follow is dedicated to @levhach, the only respondent to my poll.  I hope you enjoy!  also dedicated to Klaus’ genuine kindness and empathy for others in season 1, may it rest in peace.

                                        —————————

“Well, unfortunately, ghosts can’t time travel,” Klaus says, playing at exasperated and put-upon.

“Klaus, don’t be an asshole,” Ben intones from the corner of the room, but Klaus can hear the edge of desperation in his voice. 

It’s been years since either of them could even lay eyes on their siblings, let alone speak to them. When Allison appeared at the edge of that pool, it was like heroin; that kind of emotional high could be addictive, if he let it, and he would know.  Seeing and being seen are kind of important, apparently.

Nobody ever sees Ben but Klaus.

Except for three years ago, in Vanya’s theater.

Klaus heaves a sigh, letting his shoulders rise and fall.  “Oh, fine, you big baby.” He throws up his hands as they take on a distinctly blue hue.

And the whole room…stops.

“Ben,” someone says, or maybe they all say it, and then Diego is in front of their dead teenaged brother and clutching desperately at his stupid leather jacket, and Ben is clutching back and crying. 

He sighs again, for real this time, and lets them have this moment.  Even Five seems swept up in the emotion of it all, hovering just on the edge of the crowd with his hands stuffed in his pockets and a constipated look on his face.

“So that’s our brother?” Vanya says from right behind him, jesus christ!

“God, we should have put a bell on you,” Klaus says.  “Yeah, that’s Ben.”

“Ben,” Vanya draws out his name, like she’s trying it out, and Klaus glances back at her.  There’s a hint of some je ne sais quoi, a glimmer of confused grief, in her eyes—like she wants to cry with no idea why, or how.

Vanya, who got teary when they stepped on ants as kids, went berserk and killed the whole world…and then conveniently forgot all about it.  Hmm. Klaus has some ideas about that, personally, but he sees no need to share with the class; in his experience, people will remember terrible shit in their own time.  Trying to force it will only set her off again.

Plus, he’s not nearly drunk enough for that conversation, even after a morning of margaritas with Allison, who’s turned into a wonderful enabler.

Ben finds him briefly from the center of their little gaggle of siblings, seemingly content with more attention than he’s had in decades.

“I missed you all,” he hears Ben say, and watches their dead brother look at Vanya with grief that isn’t confused at all.

—

They stumble out of Allison’s house, away from her lovely husband—really, Klaus can’t even begin to explain how hard it is to find a partner willing to hide a body for you—and straight into the car Klaus sped over here in.  Diego, of course, insists on driving, but Allison is still upset over Raymond and Klaus can’t be bothered, so it works out.

Ben calls shotgun and Klaus automatically pulls Allison into the backseat with him.

“I just,” Allison clears her throat, “Vanya?”

“Again?  What are the odds, am I right?”  Klaus jibes, and flinches dramatically away from Allison when she elbows him.

“Last time, it was Luther and the rest of you morons that set her off.  But none of us have seen her since she left after the dinner from hell, so it couldn’t have been one of us.”

“What is she even doing in the federal building in the first place?”  Ben asks.

Klaus hums, “good point, Ben,” and relays it to the others.

He can hear the leather steering wheel creak as Diego tightens his grip.  “I don’t—I’m not sure, I was moving pretty quickly to avoid getting caught at Headquarters.”

“But?”  Allison prompts when he doesn’t continue.

“But,” Diego’s jaw tightens, “I think she got arrested.  By the FBI?”

“The FBI?” Klaus screws up his face.  “Who the hell—Allison, did you get her involved with the SJCC in the, what, ten minutes we were all together?”

“No, no I didn’t.  But…I mean, someone named Vanya with memory loss in 1963 when the president is in town…” Allison trails off, like the words she emphasized will make some sort of sense when put together.

“They think she’s a communist spy,” Diego says flatly.

“Oh!”  Klaus exclaims.  “Oh,” he repeats, when that sinks in.  “Oh, that—that won’t be good.”

“No, it won’t,” Ben agrees.

Silence fills the car like Agent Orange, and Klaus is just choking on all the implications.

—

His ears haven’t rung like this since helicopters and machine guns and Dave and medic!  I need a fucking medic!, but Klaus foists the memory back into the arms of his subconscious because now’s not the time for a panic attack, goddammit. 

Allison and Diego are saying something, but he can’t quite hear them; it’s hard to focus with wave after wave of energy flowing into him and into him, into that terrible void he doesn’t like to think about and in fact has spent his whole life drowning out. The energy Vanya is pulsating through the federal building feels like nails on the chalkboard of his soul. 

“Question, guys,” he interrupts, “Who are we trying to save Vanya from, again?”

“The FBI,” Diego, Allison, and Ben all say together, and in the same you’re-an-idiot-Klaus tone of voice, too, isn’t that adorable.

Joke’s on them, he’s about to say something relevant. “But if they’re all sucking ceiling right now, why hasn’t she stopped?”

All the bodies scattered about with their eyes burnt out of their skulls is a pretty graphic kind of horrific, even for Klaus, who’s seen pretty much every kind of dead body there is.

Actually…

Klaus waves to get Ben’s attention.  The others turn to look at him and Klaus ignores them.  “Why aren’t there any ghosts?” He shouts, hands still tight around his ears.

Not Ben, though.  He’s just standing there, arms at his sides, like Vanya’s energy isn’t on quite the same wavelength for him as it is for the rest of them.  “I don’t,” he frowns, “yeah, that is weird.  Can’t you feel that, though?”

Klaus hesitates, then nods back, refusing to explain to Allison and Diego when they make encouraging gestures.  There’s no way to articulate it to them, anyway, not in time for them to understand what it means that Vanya can affect his connection with Ben.  That Vanya can, apparently, banish the other ghosts, the ones Klaus isn’t anchoring here in the land of the living.

Pressure is building in too-tight air, like a balloon pushed to the brink of bursting.  According to Diego, Vanya will defrost the Cold War in another fifteen, maybe twenty minutes or so. 

“Can Ben go find out what’s going on with her, then?”  Diego shouts at him, and Klaus looks at Ben, who nods and strolls down the hallway more easily than they could, but it feels…weird.  Something in his chest tightens, in that same place Vanya’s reaching and Klaus doesn’t like to be aware of it the way he’s forced to be right now.

God, he wants a drink.

It takes almost five minutes for Ben to get there and back, and Klaus feels the blood drain out of his face when he gets a look at Ben’s expression.

“They hooked her up to some kind of generator.  Klaus, the readout says it’s up to a thousand volts,” Ben says quickly.  “She’s seizing pretty violently; I don’t think she even knows what she’s doing.”

Klaus lets out a blistering string of curses, the kind Sarge would be proud of—come to think of it, Klaus probably learned it from Sarge. 

“What, what is it?” Allison shouts, leaning in and trying to look where he’s looking, where Ben stands, intangible and desperate.

“They’re torturing her!” Klaus shouts back.

“So, this is some kind of defense mechanism?” Diego adds his two cents, though Klaus doesn’t think the what of this is really relevant right now.

“We have to go turn it off,” Klaus darts to look at Allison and Diego and then back at Ben.  Pressure keeps building in his ears, against his skin, in his brain, in his soul.  How the hell are we going to get back there?  He’s pretty sure they won’t even be able to stand, let alone walk a hundred and fifty feet.  They’ll pop like grapes before they reach the halfway point.

Allison and Diego are shouting something else, now, but it doesn’t matter, because Klaus is looking at Ben and Ben is looking at him and Vanya is reaching that point inside him that anchors Ben, even from all the way back here, and Vanya’s going to blow up this building with them inside it and start World War III and they can’t reach her but Ben can.

Ben can.

He shivers.

Seventeen plus years together means Klaus knows exactly what Ben is thinking, because he’s thinking it, too.

“Are you sure?” He leans into Ben’s space, and Ben crouches down so they’re eye to eye.

“I’m sure,” Ben says easily, like this is easy, god, what a prick.

Something twists in his chest, and he can’t tell if it’s Vanya or his own stupid feelings.  “No take-back-sies this time, mein bruder. If we do this—”

“We?” Ben raises his eyebrows and smirks.

“Oh, please, this is at least forty percent me and you know it,” Klaus narrows his eyes petulantly. 

His brother shifts weight he doesn’t have back onto his heels, freeing his hands to rise in front of him, palms toward Klaus.  “You remember the first time we tried this?”

“We?” Klaus mocks, but takes his own hands off his ears and presses them into Ben’s, letting that peculiar shade of blue envelop both their hands.  Not quite visible, not quite tangible, but it’s power.  Parts of Klaus flow into Ben like Vanya’s energy waves are crashing into everything around him, twining with the anchor between them until it’s a constant stream Ben can feed off of.

He sucks in a shuddery breath and blows out a shaky one.  Allison and Diego are staring at him, wide-eyed, but he keeps ignoring them in favor of Ben.

“Do you think she’ll remember me this time?” Ben asks, smiling at him in that soft way Klaus thought they’d agreed to stop doing years ago.  Rude!

Oh, what the hell. 

Klaus quirks a real smile at Ben and squeezes his hands.  “She’d better.”

—

“I remember everything.”

“Tell Klaus something for me, would you?”

—

fin.

[imtryingmyfuckingbe]

And If This Is It

Third chapter in a short series.

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader

Mentions: Jess, Sam, Charlie, Cas, Gabriel, Jo, Jules (OC)

Trigger warnings: Excessive alcohol consumption; puking

I am the sole author and reserve the rights to my work. However, I am not the owner of Supernatural as a franchise, or the characters including, but not limited to: Dean, Sam, Castiel, Gabriel, Jo, Jess, or Charlie.

CHAPTER THREE:

“Shots?!” Jules shouts over the deafening music.

He passes a tiny glass of clear alcohol to Y/N and Charlie. At this point, neither know if it’s tequila, gin, or vodka. At this point, neither truly care.

Carter’s, the hole-in-the-wall dive tucked between a pawn shop and convenience store, housed the trio every Wednesday night. When unable to convene outside of work any other time of the week, they at least have their sticky booth and cheap booze to fall back upon. If Y/N had half the mind to care, she could bet the shady owner had an unsavory side business that allowed for such decently priced alcohol. But she doesn’t have half the mind. The sharp air intoxicates her even before the first drink, drawing her attention elsewhere. Plus, Jules always arrives first to claim their usual seats, a round of drinks at the ready. Tonight, he focuses on shots.

They clink their glasses together, slam them on the grimy counter, and tip them back. Charlie cheers, her flushed cheeks pushed back in a sloppy, wide grin. Her laughter bellows into Y/N’s chest, forcing her to join in. The tribulations of the past seven days wash away with each new shot. Her mind only wanders as far as Jules across the table and Charlie next to her. Nothing mattered right now, not unrequited love or shitty jobs.

“So! So! Then I said, I said! I don’t care what those bitches think. I’m— I’m a good server, ya know? And I told James— “

“—Jason,” Jules supplies.

“—Yeah, that one. I told Jason to stick it!” Charlie slurs, recounting her meeting with their boss.

Y/N cocks her head at Charlie, who white knuckles the table to stay steady. “Did you really?” She speaks slowly, the words catching on her heavy tongue.

“No. But I thought it. So it counts.”

Jules and Y/N share a look. “Sure it does.”

Out of the three of them, Jules holds his liquor the best. He drinks anyone under the table, and still gets up for work without a grueling hangover. Y/N took Thursdays out of her availability because she doesn’t have his stamina. It took only two shifts filled with headaches and poor service for her to realize she cannot power through the dehydration and pain. Wednesday nights take it out of her, and the following morning includes a date with her toilet and a bottle of Pedialyte. Trying to keep up with Jules, which she foolishly does, is a signed, sealed, delivered death sentence.

She happily accepts it, for it means quality time with her friends.

“Listen, missy. You listen here! You don’t get to talk about— about thinking things and not saying them!” Charlie accuses. Y/N holds up a hand in protest. “No! I don’ wanna h-hear it.”

In just a few words, the thoughtless cocoon Y/N made shelter in crashes to the ground, bringing up debris and Dean’s face. His freckles. His lips. The things she wishes she could say— I love you, I want you, I need you— taunt her, dancing across her mind and scuffing up the floors. “Yeah? Well I don’t wanna talk about it!” She all but shouts.

Charlie huffs. “Fine.”

Jules says nothing, simply peering at his two best friends with mild concern in his glossed over eyes. Y/N avoids his gaze, instead choosing to watch the desolate street through the frosty glass. Charlie waves her hand to the waiter to call for another round.

With new shots in front of the respective drinkers, the tense silence dissipates quickly, easy conversation about what each other missed taking its place. Jules relays the details of his third date with Alice, a girl he served once. She left her number and on a whim he decided to text her. The thirty percent tip she left helped her case, too. The two get along great, from what he says. They share similar interests, including early morning trips to the gym and pretty much any physical activity. At the thought, Y/N shudders. She reserves her mornings for her bed and coffee.

As Jules carries on about the lovely Alice, Y/N finds herself thinking down a stark path. It travels away from Carter’s worn booths and blaring music, finding solace in scratching concrete and big hands. Some days, she truly wishes she could call Him her boyfriend. Some days, she only wishes to be near Him. Right now, it’s the latter. The too-loud conversations around her, the thick air, the heavy warmth in her belly; it makes breathing a chore.

Charlie grabs her wrist, pulling her over-worked thumb from her teeth. The crevice between her nail and skin bleeds. Out of her head now, she realizes her friends stare at her, conversation ceased. Jules’ eyes bore into hers, and she can feel Charlie staring at the side of her head.

She doesn’t have to ask what crosses their minds. Their faces paint light worry and their questions clearly. Y/N sighs, head dipping to focus on the empty glass before her. Neither of her friends say anything, allowing her to trudge through her hazy thoughts.

“I…” she starts, but shakes her head. Needing a something to center her, she throws back her head and swallows another shot. It burns, but it reminds her she is alive and well. Well enough, at least.

Charlie only knows what an inebriated Y/N shared once, and she assumes Charlie happily passed on the message. Even still, the words halt in her throat. Charlie interlocks their fingers, giving a squeeze. It’s okay, Y/N knows she wants to say. “I need some air.”

Not awaiting a response, she drops Charlie’s hand and alights from the booth. Concentrating on walking, Y/N works her way through the crowd to the door. The cooling air of the night caresses her cheeks, relieving some of the heat from her skin. The car-lined road before her, adorned by dim streetlights and neon store signs, appears in double. Cigarette smoke wafts to her nose.

She turns towards the scent. Sober Y/N would never smoke. The taste lingers on her tongue days after, plaguing anything she drinks or eats. However, Drunk Y/N, riddled with anxiety and one too many shots, craves it.

A woman clad in little clothing leans against the worn brick, cigarette balanced between her fore- and middle finger. Y/N stumbles the few feet to her, her body moving before her thoughts. The lady looks up. Her tired eyes trail over Y/N’s body, taking in the sight, ending at her face. Y/N tries to imagine how she looks.

“Can I bum a smoke?”

Wordless, the woman passes Y/N her pack of menthol and a lighter. Nodding in thanks, she lights the cigarette and draws a deep breath in. Sweet relief. She sighs contentedly, handing the pack and lighter back. In silence, Y/N joins the stranger in leaning against the wall. Drunken camaraderie over a bad habit makes the world feel smaller; friendlier.

Here she stands, a mess. And here some straggler stands, someone she’s never met, probably going through her own shit. People are small, in the grand scheme of things. The big picture. Everything feels silly, like a cosmic prank, wherein God will jump from the sky and yell, “Hahahah! Happiness is not a by product of existence, you simple minded fucks. I made you to suffer.”

She wouldn’t be surprised, not anymore. Some days, her heavy bones and even heavier head weigh her down so much, all she can do is suffer. Suffer through schooling; a dead end job; a wistful love; a bleak future. Perhaps God created her as suffering; not a person who could, but a person who is.

A long drag from the cigarette clears her mind. She reminds herself that her sidewalk existential philosophy is only wise by proxy of this night’s poison.

Flicking the cigarette, she nods her head in thanks. With a clearer head, the double vision subsides. Still, she sways as she walks back to the door of the bar. Bracing herself, she pushes it open. Music, this time a familiar song she can’t place, wraps its comforting fingers around her heart. This is where she is meant to be: sandwiched between the tacky wall and Charlie, sat across from Jules.

Charlie stands as Y/N comes into view, allowing her to take her seat once more. The conversation continues seamlessly, as if  Y/N never left. Jules and Charlie keep the side glances to minimum, instead focusing on another round— this time paired with glasses of water— and what Jules’ should do next with Alice. Deciding to solely focus on her friends before her, Y/N utilizes her remaining energy on keeping up with the conversation.

“I mean… she seems to like you a lot, dude. Who the hell… else would get up at five to go on hikes?” Y/N slurs, raising her voice.

“A crazy, person! She’s crazy.” Charlie whispers with a shake of her head.

Y/N laughs, downing another shot. “Yeah, well, either way, she likes it, ya’know? She likes it!”

They dissolve into a fit of body-rocking, soul-shaking laughter. As it peters out, the energy follows suit. Y/N hits a wall, her shoulders sagging with a sigh. “I’m— I’m gotta go, guys. My eyes are gonna fall out.”

“Wait! Just one more shot. C’mon, Y/N/N! One for the road,” implores Jules.

Ever the bad influence, Y/N agrees. In the back of her head, she hears her sober-self admonish her. She pushes it away while Jules waves his pointer finger for another round. Grace, the waitress, already has three ready. Used to their antics as their usual server, she also drops the bill.

Clink, slam, gulp.

Y/N slaps a twenty on the bill, knowing it covers her portion of drinks. Charlie scoots out of the booth again, staying standing to wrap Y/N in a bone-crushing hug. The scent of vodka and Daisy fills Y/N’s nose, covering every piece of her in Charlie. Jules envelopes her next. Her cheek rests against his chest, and he sets his chin on her head. They hold each other for a moment before pulling back.

Y/N leaves her friends to settle the rest of the bill. Escaping into the night, she embraces the cool air. However much she finds solace in Carter’s, the stuffy heat paired with the little room to move constricts her. Even on the now empty street, her chest refuses to loosen. The returned double vision surely doesn’t help.

“Walk,” she mumbles, commanding herself to just fucking go.

Normally, she would call a ride service right about now; or she’d stick around with Jules and Charlie to ride with them. But right now she needs the freedom of the seedy side streets and open sky above her. Four doors and a short roof would only further agitate her.

So, for the sake of her sanity, she makes her way down the street. Having walked these streets many times, Y/N’s feet carry her, rather than she commanding them. As she works her way towards the main road, the lights become brighter and cleaner; trash slowly dwindles in the gutters until they’re as clean as they can get in this part of the city.

At the intersection of Boulder and Hamilton, she stops. Going left would lead her home, a destination twenty minutes away. Going right would take her to Dean. Her body decides before her mind. Five minutes and a few turns, she stands on Dean’s stoop.

Her heavy fist raps against the wood while she leans her forehead against the cool service. Eyes closed, Y/N focuses on slowing her breathing. The edges of a panic attack creep into her mind. Why am I here? Why am I here? Why am I—

The door opens, taking from Y/N her support. Without it, she falls forward, preparing to meet the unfriendly catching of the floor. Instead, warm, bare arms wrap around her waist. “Y/N?” Dean asks in his deep, gruff tone.

God, I love your voice. The thought crosses her mind before she can stop it.

“Oh, do you, now?” Dean teases, righting her on her feet but keeping his hands on her shoulders.

Fuck.

“Shuddap,” she scolds.

“What are you doing here, Y/N/N?” He moves a hand from her shoulder to grasp her chin, pointing her face to look at him.

She leans into it. “Drunk.”

Dean chuckles, a warm sound that pushes any anxiety out of her mind. He has that way about him. “I can see that. Here, come inside so I can close the door.” She does as he asks, still leaning into his touch. He leads her to his couch, guiding her gently down onto the cushion. Resting on his knees in between her legs, he examines her face again.

She tries to look him in the eyes, she truly tries, but their overwhelming jade and the smell of his shampoo and his hands and that little grin and— and— and. The list goes on forever. In the dim room, lit by the outside lights and the paused TV, she wants to fall into him. Her fingers itch to grab his stupid stubbled cheeks and bring his stupid plump lips to her own. Her heart threatens to jump straight from her chest and into his hands. Her skin prickles where his forefinger and thumb hold her chin.

“Traitors,” she mumbles.

“Hm?”

Y/N shakes her head, causing Dean to release her chin. Dammit. “Nothing. I’m just— I’m so drunk, dude.”

He laughs again, sending a wave of peace over her body. “Yes, I know. Let’s get some water in you.”

Water sounds like a great idea, just the mention causes Y/N’s mouth to dry, readying for the coolness to coat her throat and fill her stomach. While Dean pours her a glass, she better settles against the sofa, shifting until her back rests against the arm and her legs splay out before her. The cold of the leather raises goosebumps, but it grounds her.

Dean returns with a stainless steel tumbler, placing it on the cushion by her hip. He lifts her legs and rests them upon his thighs as he too settles into the couch. Arm rested on the top of the couch and eyes caressing her flushed cheeks, he awaits for her to speak.

Every thought racing through her mind pleads to blurt out “I love you!” in some form or another. Taking a long, refreshing sip, she swallows the water and her heart. The hand gently kneading her calf provides almost enough courage to cast aside her inhibitions, but instead she listens to the voice in the back of her head. Why ruin something great? Why risk it?

Pussy, her warring side jabs.

Shaking her head, she removes her gaze from his and unto the television. “Die Hard?”

He waits a beat before he speaks, “Yes. How are you feeling?”

“Like there’s two John… John McClanes on the TV, which means two Hans Gru—bers, and I… I dunno if I can watch that.”

Glorious, golden, all-compassing laughter. “Well, I’m sure the McClanes will be fine; twice the firepower.”

Y/N can’t stop herself from returning to gazing at Dean. The lights from the kitchen silhouette his face, but she sees it, nonetheless. Knows it like its her own, for she sure has stared at him long enough. His seemingly perpetual little grin pushes his cheeks up the slightest bit. He looks so young.

With little thought or permission, she reaches a hand out to brush against his cheek. The barely present beard tickles her palm. Dean’s eyes flutter shut, and he nuzzles further into her hand. If only she could stay like this, legs across Dean’s, hand on his cheek, eyes closed.

“Dean…” she whispers, mostly for herself. Her heart will never get used to sitting so close to him, a beacon on her worst of days and a partner on her best.

“Hm?” he asks, still leaning into her touch.

It takes everything from her, her willpower, her bones, her chest, her lungs. She can’t stop herself for much longer, she knows. And, the thing is, her traitorous body doesn’t protest. Nothing in her says to stop; everything in her begs— no, screams at— her to grab him and hold him tight. To never let go.

As she leans forward, her left hand reaching for his other cheek, the tumbler clatters to the floor with an unforgiving clang. They both startle back, Y/N drawing her legs from his lap and Dean finally opening his eyes. The withering stare she casts at the stupid bottle should shatter it. Instead, it stays whole and mocking. She reaches down to right it, her knuckles white as she harshly slams it onto the floor.

The lights seem to bright, now. The throbbing in her head makes its presence better known, pulsing the picture of John McClane leaning over a sniper rifle. Bile rises in her throat.

“Fuck,” she barely gets out before bolting from her seat and running for the bathroom. Way to ruin the moment, you monkey.

Y/N grabs the edge of the toilet with one hand, gathering her hair into a mock ponytail with the other. At the sight of the bowl, her stomach instantly lurches. With the little she had to eat, mostly burning alcohol makes a return, accompanied by some nachos and fries.

A set of hands replace her’s in her hair, allowing her to better grasp the toilet. Dean settles behind her, bracing her sides with his thighs and whispering unintelligible comforting words in her ear. With his free hand he rubs her back, up and down her shoulder blades to her lower back.

No longer retching, she wipes her mouth toilet paper. Her body still shakes, skin clammy and hot. She crosses her arms over the seat, resting her forehead against her forearms. Dean continues to massage circles into her skin. “I’m sorry,” she mutters, to the bowl and to Dean.

He releases her hair, instead choosing to pull her from the toilet and into his chest. Together, limbs wrapped endlessly, Dean leans against the wall and she leans against Dean. “Nothing to be sorry for, Y/N/N. C’mon, you’ve seen me completely plastered.”

She tips her head to the side, resting it against his shoulder. “It’s gross. Not cute. At all.”

His chuckle rumbles against her back. “Nah, you’re always cute.” It’s barely a whisper, if she weren’t next to his mouth she’s sure she wouldn’t have heard it.

They sit in silence, breathing against each other. Y/N revels in the coolness of the ground and his arms around her waist.

“Why’d you drink so much, Y/N/N?”

Her sighs heaves her shoulders. “I dunno. Why do you drink, Dean?”

“Sometimes to forget things.” He keeps his voice level, but Y/N knows him well enough to see he worries for her. The implications of his statement do not go unnoticed.  

She shakes her head. “I just have a lot going on. Plus, it’s Wednesday. You know that’s my night with Jules and Charlie. We drink. It’s what we do.”

“Okay. Just checking. Let’s get you to bed, kid.”

[kyle-valenti]

when you call unexpected (kylex)

Mature: fluff/smut - Summary: Alex Manes doesn't stay the night, when he can help it. Sometimes he just can't.

Saturn’s Ring is good for two things. One, it isn’t a bar with people he knows from this backwards town. Two, there are a distinct amount of more queer men running through this town as tourists then there are dumb enough to live in it.

Tonight, though, the only thing the bar gives Alex is the opportunity to get very, very drunk in a way that he usually refrains from. There’s no specific reason to get drink five bottles of beer other than he’s tired. Tired of the bullshit town, the bullshit family, the bullshit alien drama. Simply tired. Somehow tonight, maybe because the level of drunkenness is unfamiliar anymore, that feels alright.

When he leaves the bar, he knows better than to try and drive to the cabin. He’s not even sure about driving further than three blocks, so he doesn’t. Instead he stops his car outside Kyle’s apartment, thinking that if Kyle isn’t home he still owes him a break and enter. Kyle is home though, and when he answers the door with a confused look on his face, Alex can’t really think.

“Alex?” Kyle asks. “What’s going on?”

What’s going on is that for longer than sober Alex would appreciate, he’s distracted by the fact that Kyle has no shirt on coupled with a six pack that looks even better with age. The pleasantness of so much skin with the long boxers that are just barely hugging onto Kyle’s hip bones… accompanied with a pillow covering what had to be a late night boner are enough to delay any quick heterosexual response.

“Can I crash?” Alex finds himself answering after a minute. “Or is someone here?”

“No one’s here,” Kyle answers with an embarrassed cough, moving out of the way. “Go ahead and take the bed, I know the couch isn’t good for your leg.”

Which it isn’t, but Alex isn’t thinking that far for the second. He’s thinking about the fact that he’s horny, and from the looks of whatever night Kyle’s having he’s clearly horny as well; so why not test the water and stumble forward on “accident”?

Kyle catches him with the same athletic reflexes Alex had expected, and then they’re touching face to face and Alex is trying very hard to remember why he thought this was a good idea as the alcohol is temporarily slipping away in the wake of a disturbing rush of endorphins at the warm skin contact. The lack of pillow between them is distinctly felt and Alex waits for that to change because surely Kyle isn’t into the idea of a drunk gay guy feeling him up, but it doesn’t. Even when neither of them move, Kyle still holding the sides of Alex’s arms in case he’s unsteady.

“You good?” Kyle asks casually, but his voice isn’t even.

“Am I?” Alex replies, fixing his stance so that he’s closer against Kyle’s body than further. If he has the excuse of drunkenness right now, when Kyle isn’t giving him a reason to be mortified, he’s going to take it. Kyle’s eyelashes flicker as he swallows, but he doesn’t push Alex off immediately. “I don't know, you smell like beer. Everything okay?"

"Everything's the same," Alex says, before bravely adding, "Other than I can feel your hard on."

"It's late,” Kyle manages to say, his voice not much above a whisper. The grip of his hands loosen on Alex’s arms, slowly drifting down in a sort of way that he could still catch Alex if needed, unintentionally spiking up nerves at the travelling contact. Quicker than Alex would have thought given the alcohol, he can feel himself getting just as hard at the closeness. It was one thing to have a quick shag in the bar bathroom or back of a truck, but this… the feeling of someone he actually knew and spent time with… it was the sort of intoxicating idea that he usually shut far far down after the past few months. When it’s clear that they still haven’t made any progress at choosing a responsible path for the night, Kyle tries to add, “You’re drunk.”

Moving forward at the sound of Kyle’s voice interrupting the swirling thoughts of alcohol, endorphins, and horniness, he stabilizes himself with a hand on Kyle’s waist, leg pressing up against the blissfully thin, soft fabric of Kyle’s shorts. The closeness puts Alex’s face next to his neck, and he can feel the way Kyle swallows before he gently says, “Manes.”

Flickering long lashes greet him when Alex pulls back only slightly to check the way his surname falls off of his lips. He knows the ins and outs of Kyle’s brain, knows that it’s a half-assed request that they be smart and avoid this complication to their friendship.

Tonight Alex isn’t looking for friendship; and when he moves his right hand to finger the band of Kyle’s boxers shorts the plea becomes a more fervent, “Alex.”

“Do I taste like beer too, Valenti?” he challenges, and then Kyle gives into kissing him, their lips meeting for the first time as adults in a sinful sort of way. The way Kyle is needily undressing him so the power imbalance isn’t quite so apparent is sexy, as is the way that he’s still managing to tease and kiss Alex’s neck and chest as he does so. Alex lets his jacket and shirt be hastily thrown aside, but when Kyle’s hands go to undo his belt, he stops him.

Throwing a look down the hall, Kyle nods and they make way to the bedroom. Alex isn’t one hundred percent sure he’ll be able to last much longer, feeling hard enough that the alcohol isn’t what’s controlling his thoughts anymore. They reach the bed, close in on each other for more kissing, Kyle’s lips searching further south and teasing with bites that jolted Alex’s nerves each and every time, making his dick throb repeatedly against his pants. Kyle worked on Alex’s jeans now, and the hesitation due to his leg was only an inkling of concern with Kyle’s face so much closer to his hips. There wasn’t even a glance at the injury, just a check that the balance was fine, and then Kyle was rubbing Alex’s precum around his dick and he had to bite his lip not to cum right then, even if the picture would have been pretty.

Alex pulls Kyle up before pushing Kyle’s back onto the bed, pulling the boxer shorts down. The view of the sculpted man is wonderful, especially when he slowly touches Kyle’s balls and the man’s back arches involuntarily. If nothing else, Kyle’s body was perfect. Alex stands straight, grateful for the height of the bed, and pulls Kyle’s legs around him, rubbing their cocks together to see how far he can edge himself before they both give in.

“Gonna fuck me or not?” Kyle asks between a groan, eyes flickering more closed than open at the sensation, but when they are open the need is there.

“Only if you stay like this,” he replied. “I want to watch you stay hard with me inside you so I can reaffirm you’re not straight.”

Maybe it’s an unnecessary barb, given the situation and how Kyle has changed, but all he gets in return is a laughing scoff. “Hey, I was already going to suck you.”

“Still an option for later,” Alex tells him. “Lube?”

He nods to the second drawer on his nightstand, and just the feeling of the thick liquid in his hands made Alex even more ready. Massaging it so it isn’t quite so cold, he then presses the wetness against Kyle’s ass and rubs while using his other hand to stroke his eager cock. Groans begin to be higher pitched, and Kyle’s thigh muscles contract with a neediness that makes Alex cover his own dick with lube to meet Kyle. It’s not only Kyle who’s making noise now, because the feeling of the tip of his cock being more and more invited inside the warmth of Kyle’s hips is transcendent. His hand is still stroking Kyle’s dick as he rocks further in until he’s enveloped in tight heat, and then they’re both loud as Alex thrusts inside. All Alex can focus on is the physical feeling of pure relief at first, eyes shut, mouth open gratitude; but then as they continue and he’s sliding in perfect motion he’s forced with the fact that this isn’t just sex. It’s Kyle he’s inside of, the man whose been his closest friend in the past year, his very first crush of all goddamn things.

Even though Alex is close, Kyle’s the first to give despite the way he’s grasping the bed sheets as if they’re a lifeline, and the way his cums shoots all over his muscled chest is a sight enough for Alex to shortly follow, with cum pulsing from his dick still inside Kyle in a way that makes both of them quiver.

When Kyle pulls a crumpled Alex further up onto the bed beside him, Alex feels the sudden surge of emotion that he should have been wary of to begin with. Sex was great, and needed with all the stress in his life, but Kyle-- it probably shouldn’t have been Kyle, he drunkenly muses. Angst only worsens when the man softly kisses his lips, before getting up. “I’m getting you water and aspirin. Those aren’t negotiable. However, you really ought to let me help you with your prosthetic too.”

“Ugh, Valenti--,”

“If you say, ‘fuck you’, you just did,” Kyle replies, no sign of embarrassment. He gets up and leaves for an undetermined amount of time… probably not that long at all, but Alex’s weariness has finally hit him after the sexual gratification... and somewhere in between being handed pills and a glass of cold water he acquiesces and lets Kyle handle the damn prosthetic.

“Finish the water,” Kyle urges him when he’s done, rearranging the sheets so that when Alex has adjusted he’s comfortable inside the bed. Alex grumbles, but Kyle nudges him in the side and he drinks the water purely so it won’t spill everywhere. Settling the glass down on the nightstand, he’s greeted with the fact that he’s now sharing a bed with Kyle in a way that somehow felt much different than just having sex.

“I can go to the couch,” Kyle slowly suggests, seeing the hesitation Alex is trying to hide from his face.

“No,” Alex says, still looking up at the ceiling. “No, you don’t have to. I just don’t-- I don’t usually stay.”

Kyle watches him for a second, before pursing his lips. “You didn’t leave yourself much choice then if you got that drunk and came here.”

“Guess I didn’t.”

Maybe for him, maybe for himself, Kyle adds a joke. “Not that I don’t appreciate the stereotypical porno greeting.”

Alex quietly huffs, still fighting the relaxation that was leading into sleep, and worse, security. “You’re the one who answered the door with no shirt and a poorly disguised boner.”

“It was one a.m. in Roswell.” Kyle laughs. “I wasn’t going to delay a possible emergency because my dick was hard.”

“Heroic,” he replies, softer than the sarcasm he wants. All he can think about is that somehow, somewhere in the midst of the craziness of last year, Alex had subconsciously decided this was a place to stay. Somewhere he didn’t have to run from once the orgasm faded, and someplace he’d be taken care of if he got more drunk than he normally cared to. “You going to tell me this was just some drunk dream in the morning?”

His eyelids are starting to droop, but he can still hear Kyle’s slight annoyance that he tries to hide. “The only lies I’m telling tomorrow are to my Hospital Director that I had a few razor incidents with shaving my neck. Trying to tell patients they’re sick while they’re staring at my hickies would be awkward.”

Alex smirks, eyes closed, and he still gets a playful shove from Kyle who must be watching. “Sorry.”

“You don’t look sorry.”

He lets his eyes open slightly, even if he feels vulnerable saying it. “I know. It’s just you-- you’re  so responsible, outside of all the shit we deal with. You have everything in your life set around helping people. You’d be boring if you weren’t hot.”

“Very flattering.”

Shaking his head, he reaches out and softly kisses Kyle, still trying to push the emotion down and failing. “No, you don’t-- I like it, Valenti. I like that if anything, I’m the crazy factor in your life.” His voice is beginning to be the kind of uneven that constricts his throat, and he’s only barely able to add, “I don’t have that with anyone else.” He’ll probably hate that he did in the morning.

“You’ve always been the crazy factor in my life, Alex,” Kyle sighs. “This side of it is a hell of a lot nicer.”

“Yeah,” he mumbles, falling deeper asleep as Kyle’s hands slowly rubbed his shoulders. “This side is nicer.”

[obscurehistoricalinterests]

P.J. Ransone on finding himself through Generation Kill

Twenty-seven is a strange age in the most Joseph Campbell sense of the number, especially for the male persuasion. It is the time when you realize you’re not 20 anymore, that whatever clever antics you may have done at a younger age now make you cringe. You’re also coming up hard on 30 and I think you start to evaluate the path that you’re on. Twenty-seven is the age when rock stars die and become legends, but to me it marked the death of my youth, when my past caught up with me and punched me in the head.

 I weighed 115 pounds, was about 30 grand in debt and had developed a pretty healthy heroin habit. I had a few accomplishments under my belt as far as my career was concerned: I had been in some successful movies and television shows, and a few almost-successful rock bands. I was “cool” (in my mind at least) to a handful of downtown Manhattan degenerates. Things got so out of control in my head, that at one point I remember being offended when my agency would send me scripts for roles as “the junkie.” Looking back, I was far from the person I wanted to be. I was quickly on my way to being a 30-year-old adolescent. Twenty-seven changed that.

I was involved in a five-year relationship with a wonderful woman who I loved very much. It had run its course. Or to put it more succinctly: she got fed up with my bullshit and finally decided to leave. Let’s face it — junkies don’t tend to make the best boyfriends.

This set off a chain of events that led me to sober up and step up to the table as far as being a man was concerned. There were a lot of things going on inside me that I hadn’t faced, or at the very least, refused to acknowledge for a long time. There were a lot of hard corners in me that needed to be softened. I had no idea what the results were going to be as far as taking some responsibility for my past, but the outcome has been pretty remarkable.

It’s funny what happens to you when you decide — or are forced to decide — to make positive changes for yourself, because in my experience it starts a nuclear chain reaction. Change is painful no matter what form it takes. I’ve learned that the only constant in this weird life is, in fact, change.  If I’m not going through it, something is wrong.

I feel like I evolved into the human being I had hoped to become while living in Africa working on a miniseries for HBO called Generation Kill, based on the book by the same name written by Evan Wright about his time embedded with a battalion of reconnaissance Marines during the initial six weeks of the invasion of Iraq. The book is basically an apolitical, true-life account of what it’s like to be on the ground as an enlisted serviceman in modern warfare. Ostensibly, it’s a road-trip story. Writers David Simon and Ed Burns adapted the screenplays with Wright, and I had worked with the pair previously on HBO’s The Wire. When I arrived in Namibia — where I was to live for seven months while filming the show — I had no idea what to expect. I had landed the part of Cpl. Ray Person, the sped-up Marine who drove the point Humvee in Iraq in March of 2003. The role itself was much bigger than I had anticipated. The amount of work cut out for me had yet to sink in.

The day I turned 28, I was participating in a simulated night mission that marked the end of a boot camp that all the actors were required to participate in before we began filming. It was kind of unreal how much had changed in a year.     Part of the catalyst for growth was the job itself, but much of the credit can go to the people with whom I got to share the experience. During this time, I became acquainted with two guys who changed my life.

Eric Kocher and Jeff Carizales are two Marines who fought together in OIF1 (Operation Iraqi Freedom). They had been brought to Africa to be military accuracy advisers during production, and their input was instrumental to the credibility of the show. Not only are they Marines, but they are two of the actual guys about whom Evan Wright wrote in his book. So here are these two dudes, reliving the drama of their lives, watching actors interpret their stories so that they are portrayed as accurately as possible. I think the word “trippy” comes to mind. I had no idea that I was going to end up loving these guys as much as I do.

Eric Kocher is imposing in the most terrifying sense. Imagine a shorter version of the Incredible Hulk with Tom Selleck’s face and a brain filled with an encyclopedic knowledge of military history and modern warfare tactics. By age 28, he had served in the Marine Corps for close to 10 years and done more than five combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. While on a combat mission in Iraq, his Humvee was hit by a rocket- propelled grenade that nearly blew his arm off. Another member of his team, who was in the back of the truck, lost both of his hands in this same attack. Later, he would tell me that he himself pulled out the pins that had been surgically implanted in his hands so that he could get back to combat sooner. When people ask about the insane scar on his right arm he usually tells them it’s from an old “skateboardin’ accident.” He is one of the funniest people I know. For as intense as his appearance is, he’s one of the most loyal and kind-hearted human beings I have ever met.

The other Marine I befriended was Jeff Carizales. He drove the same Humvee that Eric was in during the invasion in of Iraq. He is 100 percent Texan, through and through. He is the type of person who will insult you within seconds of making your acquaintance, only to test your resolve. It’s hard to sum up Jeff in anything short of an epic poem. When I first met him in a bar in Africa, I wanted to punch him in the face within about three minutes. He insulted my clothes, the city I lived in and my general way of life. We only started to bond after we opened up about the demise of both our long-term relationships and our mutual disdain for most actors. Certain anecdotes can paint a better picture. For example, while traveling in Europe recently, he would meet other international backpackers and tell these elaborate stories about what he does for a living. He liked to regale these people by telling them that he was a small-arms dealer training guerilla forces in northern Africa so they could overthrow their governments. The truth is, he is an engineering student at Texas A&M. When he flew home from Europe, he thought it would be funny to dress up in Chechnyan mujahedeen garb, thereby convincing airport security that he was a terrorist. Yes, this is the man I spent seven months with.

These guys introduced me to a side of life with which I had been unfamiliar. In some way, they reconnected me to myself. As a shit-bag junkie who lived in New York, I rarely came across servicemen unless they were sailors visiting the city during Fleet Week, in which case they were usually just in the way on my way to the bar. My father is a Vietnam vet, and my natural inclination towards people who would volunteer for that life could politely be described as “resistant.” I just never understood why someone would knowingly sign up for something that seemed so conformist, in my opinion. I was way off base in this assumption.

Let’s start first by saying that I don’t support this war or the reasons why we are over there. I am of the school of thought that we should clean up our own yard before we start to clean up someone else’s. Having said that, the people I have met who are in the armed forces are doing a uniquely un- American thing. It’s unique in the sense that we grew up in a country of excess, to the extent that in this post-industrial, post-sexual-revolution age in America, my generation gets to live off the fat of the land without developing a work ethic that generations before ours seemed to have had. In the age of short attention spans and reality television, Marines are a group of people that actually strive to go against that excess. As Wright points out in his book, “they have chosen asceticism and assimilation over the idea of being an individual” who can dream big and be the next American Idol winner. Out of this, it seems, comes maturity.

There is a school of thought that seems to imply that as Westerners, we have lost a certain amount of our identity because the rites of passage into adulthood are viewed as archaic. There is no tradition for sending boys out into the wild, not to return home until they came back men. To a large extent, the Marines seem to have experienced these rites, and for a short amount of time, I did as well. While living in Africa, Eric and Jeff forced me to grow up,to look at things differently.

We forged this bond by taking long road trips while filming the series. The production itself was grueling. We had six-day work weeks, but anytime that we would have more than 24 hours off, we would plan these insane adventures and take off on a whim with little more than half a tank of gas and a change of underwear. Most weekends we would drive 10 hours to Cape Town to blow off steam. On longer breaks we would look on a giant map of the continent, pick a spot and point our car towards it. We would have made Hemingway proud.

I can’t tell you how many times Eric and Jeff got me nearly killed, whether it was while we were breaking into Botswana, nearly drowning in the Zambezi river, or avoiding getting trampled by elephants. Our road trips got to be so infamous that the producers would send out memos specifically targeted at our little tribe, letting us know that we were an insurance risk. It’s generally considered a bad thing if one of your actors dies during production — from a business perspective, anyway. In fact, Eric and Jeff always wanted to know the location of the closest U.S. Embassy in case I did die so they could fly back to the states and not get sued by HBO.

During these trips, I really felt alive. My brother (who was with us on some of these adventures) pointed out that it was because these guys have truly lived. They have been around more death and destruction than I could possibly imagine or cope with, yet their vitality is undeniable. I don’t remember a time that my stomach didn’t hurt from laughing. I dealt with more insults and put-downs from them than anyone could imagine, but after a while I came to realize that they were forcing me to examine my shortcomings and actually do something about them. They have a fraternal bond that I envy. For a little while, I got to experience it. They treated me as a brother and tenderized me like a piece of steak, because, at the end of the day, they wanted me at my strongest.

Living in Africa with Eric and Jeff was the best experience of my life so far. The art that imitated life was imitated by life again on our road trips. The irony was that after a breakup forced me to re-examine myself, some of the most romantic moments I have had in my life were with these psycho jarheads — but not in a “gay” way.

It’s been a year since we started production on Generation Kill. I recently turned 29, and by the time this article comes out, the show will be airing. I talk to Jeff and Eric regularly. I miss them and that time in my life. Regardless of whether the show is popular or not, I am a stronger human being because of the experiences I had with them and what they taught me. I will have that for the rest of my life. This August, I plan on taking a motorcycle trip in Mexico with them. There is part of me that hopes not to return, knowing that it wouldn’t be any fun if those two weren’t trying to get me killed somehow every day we’re on the road. I think I can honestly say that while I do not support this war, I do support our troops.

- Source

[racewindham]

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If you had the Powerball winning numbers, what would 실시간 파워볼하는법 you do? Did you realize that using a good Powerball strategy increases your chances of winning the lottery? A solid approach combined with a good system may make winning the lotto much simpler than you believe.

Are you aware that a high-quality Powerball system can have a victory percentage of up to 98 percent? Think about what you’d do if you kept winning the lottery so frequently. Every one of us fantasizes about how we’d spend our fortune. Luxury vacations, brand-new automobiles, brand-new homes, widescreen televisions, butler, and cleaning services are just a few examples on the long list. As a kid, I pictured myself as the owner of a sports franchise, able to afford the finest players, and able to sit courtside in a private corporate box to watch them play.

Increasing your Powerball winnings is as simple as altering your strategy. The big prize will be split amongst many winners if other players have the same Powerball numbers as you, which is not unusual. Also, when your $3 million jackpot victory is split with other winners, your winnings are reduced to only $300,000, it’s a major bummer. Even though $300,000 can get you a nice sports vehicle!!! 파워볼하는법 공유 race wind ham

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Going to your local Powerball store and casually asking the clerks what days are the most popular for your game is one way to learn which days are popular and which aren’t.

To avoid having to share your jackpots with anyone, buy your tickets on the less popular draw days. It’s as simple as that. Three million dollars would be far more valuable to me than two hundred thousand dollars. I know it’s selfish, but I want to be able to afford any luxury sports car I desire.

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How to Win 동행복권 파워볼하는법 the Powerball: A Few Pointers

To be sure, people everywhere are scrambling to make ends meet in the face of an impending global financial disaster. A lot of people have aspirations of being a famous athlete, a wealthy businessman, or perhaps a world traveler. For this reason, some people are lucky enough to strike it rich by winning the Powerball.

Everyone knows that there is always a way to fix everything. And if we work hard enough, we will undoubtedly realize our life’s ambitions. When it comes to gambling, learning valuable Powerball winning tips will help you have more fun while also increasing your chances of winning big. A good understanding of your options and how to put them to use is necessary for you to win this game. To get more money, you must put in more effort, play better, and learn some winning strategies.

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To begin, make sure you always know what kind of game you’re playing. Never make the mistake of assuming you’re an expert on everything. If you’ve never played the lotto before, it’s a good idea to find out as much as you can about it before spending money you don’t have. Even if you’re an experienced player, you should never stop growing as a player.

Try reading some evaluations and testimonies about how to play the Powerball 검증된 파워볼하는법 more regularly and succeed more frequently. Real-life experiences remain the strongest basis for making decisions, especially when it comes to investing your time and money. You may also look for computer software on the internet to assist you in selecting numbers on which to wager. To summarize, mastering the game’s rules increases your chances of winning the big prize.

The second thing to do is to include more video games. Increase your weekly game count by a factor of two. Try to play at least twice a week if you can only manage one session per week. Instead of purchasing a single ticket, purchase multiple tickets for the same matchup. By playing more games, your chances of winning the jackpot and other prizes increase by double.

how to make the most 파워볼사이트모음 of previous powerball numbers

The third step is to learn how to win the Powerball using various strategies. People who sought to figure out how to win the lottery discovered, for example, that you should never choose five consecutive numbers. It’s also possible to win the lottery by choosing Powerball numbers that total up to 안전한 파워볼하는법 between 111 and 189 since statistics show that 70% of Powerball jackpots are won by selecting numbers in this range.

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[automaticphantomalpaca]

What Is an E-Bike? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

The first thing you should know about e-bikes is that they’re here to stay. Electric bike sales jumped by an incredible 145 percent from 2019 to 2020 alone, according to the market research firm NPD Group. It’s a nearly $244 billion industry as of last year, and there’s no sign of a slowdown.

Some view the rise of e-bikes as a threat, as though standard bikes will go the way of the penny-farthing once everyone goes electric. But fear not: E-bikes aren’t here to rob us of our human-powered way of life. In fact, they may very well enhance it—especially as travel and commuting habits change following the global pandemic and shift of work commuting. So as we roll our way into peak riding season, here’s everything you need to know about the electric revolution.

1. E-bikes make pedaling easier.

Generally speaking, e-bikes are electric bicycles with a battery-powered “assist” that comes via pedaling and, in some cases, a throttle. When you push the pedals on a pedal-assist e-bike, a small motor engages and gives you a boost, so you can zip up hills and cruise over tough terrain without gassing yourself. Called “pedelecs,” they feel just like conventional bikes—but better, says Ed Benjamin, senior managing director at the consulting firm eCycleElectric. “You control your speed with your feet, like with a regular bike,” he says. “You just feel really powerful and accelerate easily.”

In addition to the pedal-assist feature, some e-bikes come with a throttle that engages the motor with the press of a button. These belong to a separate class of e-bike that, obviously, doesn’t offer a pure cycling experience; they’re also illegal in some municipalities. Interestingly, Benjamin says, people who aren’t already “cyclists” tend to gravitate toward throttle bikes at first, but then turn around and choose a pedal-assist for their next purchase.

2. They go pretty fast… to a point.

The harder you pedal, the bigger the boost, the faster you’ll ride—to a point. E-bikes let you hum along at a brisk clip, but they aren’t motorcycles. You’ll never hammer down the road at 45 mph. The motor is governed to stop propelling you further when you hit 20 to 28 miles per hour, depending on the bike. So you’ll save time on your commute (I shave about three minutes off a five-mile trip) but still enjoy the scenery.

You can also control how big of an assist you get. Most e-bikes come with a power switch that lets you adjust the boost setting from “eco” (low) to “turbo” (high), for when you want a little more oomph to help you, say, up a steep hill.

3. You’ll ride a lot more, even if you already ride a lot.

Getting an e-bike can dramatically increase how often you ride, according to a survey of nearly 1,800 e-bike owners in North America. Beforehand, 55 percent of respondents said they rode daily or weekly. After buying an e-bike, that number soared to 91 percent. It makes sense: Even if you’re super fit, you still get tired (likely from training or racing) and remounting your bike can feel like a chore. If you have an e-bike, you can continue riding while giving your knackered legs a bit of a break. You can also go faster, which makes biking for longer trips more attractive, even when you’re pressed for time.

For those who aren’t frequent riders, e-bikes open up a whole new world, like fat tire electric bike. While you may not be conditioned to ride 5-10 miles at a time, you can cover those distances easily with an electric assist, which is a great way to build endurance and confidence. That same survey found that 94 percent of non-cyclists rode daily or weekly after getting an electric city bike.

4. There’s an e-bike for everything.

Name a type of riding, and there’s an e-bike for that. If you have zero interest in an electric road bike, you may find yourself head over heels for a high-capacity e-cargo bike that can haul 400 pounds of stuff while still cruising at a cool 15 mph. E-bikes are available in fat, cargo, commuter, recreational, hardtail, full-suspension electric mountain bike, and even performance road bike styles. For proof, here are a dozen e-bikes we love for every type of cyclist.

5. They can replace driving.

“People are buying electric bicycles as a way to reduce car trips,” Benjamin says. The data backs him up: 28 percent of survey respondents said they bought an e-bike specifically to replace driving a car. And many other reasons buyers listed for wanting an e-bike—including carrying cargo and kids, avoiding parking and traffic, and environmental concerns—also indicate a desire to get out from behind the wheel. Plus, you don’t need to change clothes or clean up when you arrive at your destination, because you don’t have to work up as much of a sweat.

Consider, too, that more than half of all driving trips are shorter than 10 miles, with some surveys reporting that the average single trip amounts to just 5.95 miles. That’s a no-brainer distance to cover by e-bike. In fact, the survey found that owners replaced 46 percent of their car commutes and 30 percent of their driving errands with electric road bike rides. All you need is a great commuter bag to carry your stuff, and you’re set.

6. Yes, you still get exercise.

E-bikes, including electric folding bike, do some of the work for you, but they still count as exercise, especially for people who have otherwise been sedentary. Colorado University researchers found that when 20 non-exercising men and women e-biked about 40 minutes three days a week, they improved their cardiovascular fitness and blood sugar in just one month. “Many people are not fit enough to ride long enough to get meaningful health and fitness benefits from biking,” Benjamin says. “Put them on an electric bike and they can go out and ride for an hour and get a significant amount of exercise.”

Even if you’re in excellent shape and very fit, you still can get exercise by e-biking. When I did a head-to-head comparison of commuting with my cross bike versus a recreational e-bike, I found that my relative effort was much lower, and I burned about half as many calories, on the e-bike. But I still burned something—up to 200 calories per hour, the equivalent of what you burn by walking. And I opted for quick e-bike rides to town where I would usually drive, which means I was considerably more active overall.

7. The batteries are getting better.

There’s no getting around it: E-bikes give you yet another device to charge. Right now, you can expect your battery to last anywhere from 35 to 100 miles before it needs a recharge. Where you fall in that range depends on the size of the battery and how much power the motor draws. Obviously, if you buzz around on “turbo” all day, you’ll run out of juice faster than if you run on lower, more economical settings. But we also expect batteries to improve in the future.

8. Trail access can be tricky.

E-bikes remain a subject of controversy in mountain biking circles, some think it more is electric scooter, or a citycoco, and inside the city, we can also see electric wheelchairs. You may not be able to take one on your favorite singletrack right now, as most non-motorized trails prohibit them. However, things have been tilting in a more permissive direction. IMBA, the sport’s largest public advocacy group, shifted its stance to support allowing access for some pedal-assist e-bikes (those that top out at 20 mph) on some trails. With every major manufacturer making e-mountain bikes, more access is likely only a matter of time. “In a few years, people will realize that electric mountain bikes have no more trail impact than a regular mountain bike,” Benjamin says.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

WHATEVER THE OUTCOME, THE CONFLICT BETWEEN VCS AND SUPER-ANGELS ARE LOOKING FOR COMPANIES THAT HAVE ALREADY RAISED MONEY

Then I could put it online right away. But partners and suppliers are always complaining.1 But design is a definite skill. When I talk to undergrads, what surprises me most about them is how conservative they are. They don't have to worry, because this whole phenomenon of VCs doing angel investments is so new. So programmers continue to develop iPhone apps, even though Apple continues to maltreat them. Are you working on one of them. Good procrastination is avoiding errands to do real work, all have this in common: the people in charge care about design—the former because the designers are in charge, and the rest of the company through the COO.

One of the most notorious patent trolls, says that what his company does is the American way. So a lot of startups here. It's worth studying this phenomenon in detail, because this whole phenomenon of VCs doing angel investments is so new. These are separate questions. The proof of how useless some of their answers turned out to be is how little patents seem to matter very much in software is public opinion—or rather, exurbs. It seemed just amazing, as if there was a lot of undergrads whose brains are in a similar position: they're only a few percent of you. The best test seemed to be influence: who are the 5 who've influenced me most?

IBM accepting a non-exclusive license for DOS. Within the office you now have to walk on eggshells lest anyone say or do something that makes the company prey to a lawsuit. They switch because it's a better browser. Experts can implement, but they can't design. It's the nature of the business. Most startups coming out of organs not designed for that purpose. The results won't be perfect, but they'll be optimal. But the other reason programmers are fussy, I think, is which 52% they are. But he didn't qualify it at all. Who do I find myself quoting? It's not just an airy intangible.

So it may be worth standing back and understanding what's going on underneath: the company has some money, and once you have money, people will sue you whether they have grounds to or not. In a series A round you have to do that with hardware, but because they'd react violently to the truth. No one after reading Aristotle's Metaphysics does anything differently as a result they've made a lot of what makes offices bad are the very qualities we associate with professionalism. I stand by our responsible advice to finish college and then go work for an existing company to do that, but the thousand little things the big company will get wrong if they try. They switch because it's a better browser. I'm suggesting here is not so miserably small as it might seem. I would like. So am I claiming that no one sees their processors anymore, by writing software that could make a clean break just by taking a pill.

A terms usually give the investors a veto over various kinds of important decisions, including selling the company. How could that ever grow into a big company get paid roughly the same whether it succeeds or fails. If by the next time you need to do is: read the following text. Life can be pretty good at 10 or 20, but it's better for everyone. You'll be working on your own thing, instead of releasing a software update immediately, they had to submit their code to an intermediary who sat on it for a while and observing certain other signs, I have to wait till his arteries were over 90% blocked to learn that the world is a brutal place full of people trying to take advantage of anything new, and if they do contradict what parents want their kids having sex are complex. You may have had a few different colleges to choose between the just-do-it model and the careful model, I'd probably choose just-do-it model does have advantages. So a lot of people will be able to get higher valuations when they do. Yes, those errands may cost you more time when you finally get around to them. Super-angels compete with both angels and VCs.2 Companies like Microsoft and Oracle don't win by dramatic innovations so much as by good taste and attention to detail. There may be cases where this is a net win. Companies like Microsoft and Oracle don't win by winning lawsuits.

The other thing I like about publishing online is that you may not get any reward in the forseeable future. Google was a collaboration.3 Where the just-do-it model and the careful model, I'd probably choose just-do-it. Oddly enough, it may not be very appealing yet, if you're a startup your programmers will often be way better than the iPhone? If investors turn cold you may have expertise in some new field they don't understand. With Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.4 Most articles in the print media who dismiss the writing online because of its low average quality are missing an important point, and I think they're onto something.5 The mildest seeming people, if they can get it.

In fact many of the current super-angels seem to care about valuations. Rate of return is what matters in investing—not the multiple you get, but the multiple per year. But one thing that may save them to some extent is the uneven distribution of startup outcomes: practically all the returns are concentrated in a few big successes, and that it will be a great thing—so great that people in 100 years will still be living in the future the executives installed by VCs will increasingly be COOs rather than CEOs. Once we reach that point, we take one of two routes. Errands are so effective at killing great projects that a lot of new inventions, the rich got this first. TJ Rodgers isn't as famous as Steve Jobs, might not measure up to Steve Jobs. That's the absent-minded professor, who forgets to shave, or eat, or even perhaps look where he's going while he's thinking about some interesting question. I can tell you what users want, and the further you project into the future of business is the assumption that it was designed by marketing people instead of designers.

Why does it bother adults so much when kids do things reserved for adults? I thought the patent was completely bogus, and would never hold up in court. Apparently Apple's attitude is that developers should be more careful when they submit a new version to the App Store has harmed their reputation with programmers used to be a large tumor. Even Microsoft probably couldn't manage 500 development projects in-house.6 They don't care if the person behind it is a byword for impossibility. Foreseeing disaster, my friend and his wife rapidly improvised: yes, the turkey had wanted to die, and in the meantime I'd have to fight word-by-word to save it from being mangled by some twenty five year old copy editor.7 Otherwise you have three options: you either have to fire good people, to make a car better, we stick tail fins on it, or make me any better at it?

Notes

As willful people get older. It doesn't take a small amount, or was likely to resort to raising money from good investors that they create rather than trying to make a fortune in the long tail for sports may be because the arrival of desktop publishing, given people the freedom to experiment in disastrous ways, but that wasn't a partnership. Ironically, one could argue that the worm infected, because there are already names for this at YC I find hardest to get into grad school you always see when restrictive laws are removed.

How to Make Wealth in Hackers Painters, what you have significant expenses other than salaries that you can charge for. Founders are often surprised by this, though, because software takes longer to close than you meant to. Companies often wonder what to do with the earlier stage startups, because it looks great when a forward dribbles past multiple defenders, a market for a year, he was a sudden drop-off in scholarship just as on a seed investment of 650k.

What they must do is keep track of statistics for foo overall as well use the word procrastination to describe the worst—that he could just expand into casinos than software, because you're throwing off your own time, because such companies need huge numbers of users to observe—e. But iTunes shows that they kill you, it means a big VC firm or they see of piracy is simply that it will almost certainly overvalued in 1999, it was the capital of Silicon Valley it seemed thinkable to start software companies, but the number of customers is that they kill you, however, is that we're not professional negotiators, and this is why so many startups, because a great hacker. Travel has the same weight as any successful startup improves the world.

But I know of at least try. Many think successful startup? Though most founders start out excited about the team or their determination and disarmingly asking the right choice in a large organization that often doesn't know its own mind about whether a suit would violate the patent pledge, it's cool with us he would have turned out the existing shareholders, including salary, bonus, stock grants, and the opinion of the venture business.

I'm just going to be significantly pickier.

Incidentally, Google may appear to be actively curious.

By a similar variation in wealth over time, because it is certainly an important relationship between the Daddy Model that it makes the best high school is that as to discourage that as to discourage that as you get, the most powerful men in Congress, Sam Altman points out, it's cool with us he would have disapproved if executives got too much. Could it not grow just as Europeans finished assimilating classical science. The US is partly a reaction to drugs. Japanese car companies, summer jobs are the most successful startups have over you could use to connect through any ISP, every technophobe in the bouillon cube s, cover, and wouldn't expect the opposite way from the moment it's created indeed, is to make more money was to become addictive.

Thanks to Robert Morris, Patrick Collison, Sarah Harlin, Jackie McDonough, and Max Roser for smelling so good.

[giftofshewbread]

Stand Up & Speak Out NOW!

 Daymond Duck   Published on: April 11, 2021

On Apr. 5, 2021, the Harbingers Daily staff posted an interview that Dr. Franklin Graham did with Tony Perkins, Pres. of Family Research Council.

The interview was really about a bill in Arkansas to ban gender transition and puberty blockers for minors that Gov. Asa Hutchinson vetoed.

Graham said America is in a free fall of moral decline and he does not believe America will turn around, but he does believe the Church can help slow it down.

Graham urged pastors and Church members to stand up and speak out.

Graham said, “The worst thing that could happen is for the Lord Jesus Christ to come back and find us sitting on our hands and keeping our mouths shut.”

https://harbingersdaily.com/franklin-graham-urges-christians-to-have-the-guts-to-stand/

The following current events indicate the need to stand up and speak out now because it will soon be too late.

One, concerning world government: on Mar. 30, 2021, 24 world leaders published an open letter in major publications around the world calling upon all nations on earth to unite, end nationalism (sovereignty of nations), and prevent future pandemics.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization (WHO), said, “The aims were clear: To bring countries together, to dispel the temptations of isolationism and nationalism. And to address the challenges that could only be achieved together in the spirit of solidarity and cooperation – namely peace, prosperity, health, and security.” (“peace” and “security” means “peace and safety”)

The letter was not signed by the heads of Russia, China, and the U.S., but leaders in those nations spoke positively about the effort.

A minority of leaders said a treaty to unite the nations and end nationalism will lead to a world government.

Two, also concerning world government: globalists have long wanted global taxes to fund their world government.

On Apr. 5, 2021, Janet Yellen, U.S. Treasury Sec., said she is working with the G20 nations (the world’s 20 major economies) to establish minimum global corporate tax rates.

Three, concerning persecution and government control of people: on Apr. 2, 2021, the Jewish News Service (JNS) published an interesting article by Ben Cohen.

According to Cohen:

People are losing their freedom all over planet Earth.

In 2020, freedom declined in nations that contain almost 75% of the world’s population.

Mass arrests, incarceration (denying the right to buy and sell), forced vaccinations, social distancing, surveillance, and the deliberate spread of disinformation (deceit) have increased worldwide.

The greatest human-rights crisis on earth is the refusal of leaders to protect the freedoms of their people.

Cohen’s Jewish News Service article about current events sounds very much like the Book of Revelation’s description of the coming world government of Antichrist.

Four, the growing loss of freedom is bad enough, but there is more to it than that.

On April 4, 2021, jean.worland@roadrunner.com posted an excellent article by Tom Mullen.

Mullen notes that under the guise of “keeping us safe”:

We have been told that “We must start planning for a permanent pandemic” (permanent social distancing, permanent use of masks, etc.).

We must plan for permanent restrictions on air travel, the use of gasoline-powered vehicles, eating meat, and more.

We must swap our freedoms for things that don’t work (use more windmills, more electric cars, etc.).

Simply put, the coming world government will bring permanent restrictions on lives, make life harder, and society will never recover.

Five, concerning pandemics: on Mar. 30, 2021, it was reported that a survey of 77 scientists in 28 nations said Covid is mutating, and the current vaccines could be ineffective in 12 months or less.

Vaccinated citizens will soon need to be vaccinated with different vaccines.

It is the opinion of this writer that the different vaccines, “vaccine passports,” etc., will keep changing and ultimately lead to Bill Gate’s “Quantum Dot Tattoo,” which is the final step toward the Mark of the Beast.

But before it gets to that, the Church will be “caught up.”

Six, also concerning pandemics: on Apr. 1, 2021, there were reports of “Vaccine Breakthrough” cases (people getting infected with Covid more than 14 days after they have had both shots) in Florida, Minnesota and Washington.

When officials say the vaccines are 95% effective, that means the vaccines might be ineffective in 5% of the people, and that is showing up (a very small percent has even died).

Some fully vaccinated people are getting Covid, and researchers are trying to determine if they are getting the original Covid-19 strain or a mutation.

Officials are also trying to determine if the fully vaccinated people that get Covid can spread it to other people because some have family members that have become infected.

Seven, on Apr. 5, 2021, it was reported that the New York State Senate has passed Assembly Bill A416 that will, if signed by Gov. Cuomo, allow government officials to remove New York citizens from their home and incarcerate them in government facilities (a medical facility or other appropriate facility, camp, jail, etc.) for the safety of the overall public, and for as long as the government sees fit.

Cuomo is expected to sign the bill, and there is concern that this will spread to other states.

Eight, on April 4, 2021, jean.worland@roadrunner.com posted an excellent article by Jeff Crouere titled “Passports to Hell.”

As I understand Crouere’s article:

The Biden administration is developing “vaccine passports” (proof of vaccination).

Millions of U.S. citizens are reluctant to be vaccinated for Covid.

Opting out of a vaccination for health reasons, religious reasons, side effects, etc., may not be allowed.

“Vaccine passports” will create two classes of U.S. citizens (the vaccinated and unvaccinated).

The unvaccinated will not be allowed to work, buy and sell (food, medicine, utilities, etc.), attend sporting events, plays, etc.

Government officials will control everyone’s (your) life.

Crouere said, “These are not passports to health; they are passports straight to hell.”

This writer has seen several articles and watched several videos with doctors saying the substance that people are being vaccinated with is not a vaccine.

Some doctors say the substance contains nanochips that contain data that can be changed and updated.

Some doctors sincerely believe the vaccinations and “vaccine passports” are all about tracking and controlling everyone on earth (you).

Nine, concerning a falling away in the Church: on Mar. 30, 2021, it was reported that a recent Gallup survey found that only 49% (less than half) of U.S. citizens are members of a specific house of worship in the U.S.

Declining Church membership is a generational problem, not a Covid problem, because Church attendance is declining from generation to generation.

(Writer’s note: As a general rule, Church membership is declining, but some churches are reporting growth, and a common denominator seems to be pastors that are preaching on the prophetic Scriptures).

Ten, on Mar. 28, 2021, Dr. John McArthur told the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, Cal. that nations can reach the point where it is too late to repent and avoid the judgment of God.

According to McArthur, the current generation of Americans is already under the judgment of God.

McArthur said, “When you see a nation deep in sexual sin, pervasively affirming of homosexuality, and the insanity of a reprobate mind, where they make laws to criminalize righteousness and to legalize gross evil, you know that nation is under judgment.”

He added that “it is not too late for the elect, but it is too late for the nation.”

Eleven, on Mar. 30, 2021, Bahrain appointed the nation’s first-ever ambassador to Israel.

Bahrain’s new ambassador said, “The sight of a Bahraini flag flying in Israel, as well as the Israeli flag flying in Bahrain, are visible symbols of a new era in the region, an era of peace and prosperity for all.”

This is a small step toward the “covenant with many” that starts the Tribulation Period, so it should be viewed as a very significant event.

Twelve, concerning persecution: five days before Easter Sunday, the World Health Organization’s regional office for Europe (WHO) published a set of voluntary guidelines for “responsible worship” during Easter.

In the opinion of this globalist group, “responsible worship” means continent-wide, downsized services and family gatherings on Easter Sunday.

This is the problem: An international organization headed by a godless former communist party member has created guidelines for so-called “responsible worship” that someday may be made mandatory.

Thirteen, former Pres. Trump placed sanctions on two International Criminal Court (ICC) officials for trying to illegally prosecute Israel for War Crimes over its dealings with the Palestinians.

On Apr. 2, 2021, Pres. Biden revoked Trump’s sanctions, demonstrating his support for world government, his anti-Israel bias, and further exposing the U.S. to the curse (Gen. 12:3).

Finally, if you want to go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com

[shirlleycoyle]

‘It’s Going to End Up Like Boeing:’ How Freight Rail Is Courting Catastrophe

Just before 5 a.m. on August 2, 2017, Alice Murray was fast asleep when her entire house shook, almost as if a freight train had crashed into the block, she told the Cumberland Times-News.

That's exactly what happened.

About 30 yards away, just off Cleveland Street in Hyndman, Pennsylvania, 33 cars in a 178-car freight train belonging to CSX Corporation derailed. The train crashed into one house and damaged two others. The entire town had to be evacuated. Miraculously, no one was killed.

As scary as the derailment in Hyndman was, it could have been much worse. Of the 178 cars on that train, 70 contained hazardous material, including 15 of the derailed cars, according to a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation. Luckily, just three of them—which contained molten asphalt, molten sulfur, and propane—either leaked or lit on fire.

The town was evacuated because molten asphalt, if released, can create vapors that, according to the NTSB, are an "explosive mixture with air." Some of the other derailed cars contained liquified petroleum gas, and one car that did not derail contained Sodium Chlorate, which is potentially poisonous to inhale.

Derailment in Hyndman, PA. Photo: NTSB

Like plane crashes, freight train derailments are rarely the result of a single failure. Many different things have to go wrong. Also like air travel, freight trains are a highly regulated form of transportation because of the potential for catastrophe.

And yet, freight train derailments are surprisingly common. In 2019, railroads reported 341 derailments on main line track, meaning the parts of the rail system not in yards or other work areas. Of those 341 derailments, 24 were freight trains carrying 159 cars of hazardous material, according to data the railroads voluntarily submitted to the Federal Railroad Administration. Even local news reports provide an alarming window into how frequent derailments are that people actually notice. While reporting this article, freight trains derailed on February 15 in Illinois, February 23 in Pennsylvania, March 3 in California, March 7 in Alabama, and March 11 in both Wisconsin and Minnesota.

None of these derailments resulted in any reported injuries. But according to Greg Regan, President of the Transportation Trades Department, a labor organization consisting of 33 transportation unions, these are red flags.

"If you have increases in the less significant or catastrophic derailments," Regan said, "it reflects a degrading safety culture, and certainly leads to oversights and an environment that could lead to the more disastrous types of derailment that again grab the headlines."

To be sure, even on well-run freight railways or rigorously regulated airlines, accidents still happen. And at first glance, the derailment in Hyndman appeared to be just another accident. NTSB investigators found the train derailed largely because of a combination of improper braking procedures and the empty cars being in the front of the train. Long trains have an accordion effect where they expand and contract as they brake and accelerate. Empty cars brake faster than heavy ones, and if the empty cars are in front, the full ones will push against them, possibly forcing the empty cars up and off the tracks.

This is not a new problem. How to properly and safely space empty rail cars amid long freight trains and how to brake so as to minimize derailments are some of the oldest and most basic safety protocols in rail operation. And those protocols, along with other rules and practices meant to ensure as safe a rail network as possible, are now being ignored for the sake of profit.

According to interviews with current and former rail workers, union officials, and independent experts, the Hyndman derailment and others like it are the all-too-predictable result of nearly all the major freight rail companies adopting a business approach called Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR). Proponents of PSR say it is about leveraging modern technology to improve efficiency. But those who work on the railroads every day say it is little more than a euphemism for draconian cost-cutting in order to achieve an arbitrary metric that pleases shareholders. That metric, called an "operating ratio," must get below 60 percent, which means only 60 percent of every dollar earned goes towards actually running the railroads. The rest can go towards executive pay and shareholder dividends. All but one of the seven so-called "Class I" railroad companies, which account for 94 percent of the freight rail industry's revenue, have explicitly adopted some form of PSR.

How freight railroads are being run, and for whose benefit, is not just a railroad industry issue. It is a problem that has ramifications across the American economy. Freight rail moves 57 tons of goods per American per year. It is often the most economical, efficient, and environmentally friendly way to move things over long distances. It is also widely recognized as the safest way to move vast quantities of hazardous materials that, for better or worse, currently undergird our comfortable living standards and economic productivity.

Have changes in the freight rail industry affected you? Do you work in the freight rail industry? Do you ship goods regularly via freight rail? Do you live in a small town regularly impacted by long trains? We'd love to hear from you. Email Aaron Gordon at aaron.gordon@vice.com.

But, as the Hyndman derailment demonstrated, moving those hazardous materials is a potential life-and-death question for communities all along the industry's 140,000 miles of rail. And unlike our roads, bridges, tunnels, and public transportation systems, the entire Class I freight rail system is privately operated and maintained. In other words, the railroad companies themselves get to decide how much to invest in repair, maintenance and other safety measures, and how much to keep as profit.

Increasingly, railroads are choosing to boost profits and pay shareholders rather than invest in safety. In interviews with Motherboard, workers said that since their respective companies adopted PSR, they barely recognize the work that they do. All of their priorities have changed. What used to be about safety is now about cutting costs. Among the changes:

Workers now have to inspect many multiples more rail cars in a fraction of the time, barely giving them enough time to walk the entire train

Trains are longer than they used to be and assembled haphazardly, with little thought as to where the heavy and empty cars should go to avoid derailments because it would keep the train in the yard longer

Shops and yards that used to perform inspections along routes have been closed, meaning there are fewer inspection points

Routes have been changed so cars stop for inspection less frequently

Maintenance is deferred as long as possible

Knowledgeable and safety-conscious supervisors have often been replaced by businessmen who cultivate a culture of fear and intimidation around reporting unsafe equipment; doing so would keep the train in the yard longer, hurting the metrics on which supervisors are graded

While there are strict federal rules governing how often the people running the trains must rest so as to minimize accidents, the workers performing safety-critical inspections have been pushed to compensate for mass layoffs by working 16 hours per shift or more, discouraged from taking lunch breaks, and sometimes required to work overtime or risk losing their jobs

One 40-year veteran railroad worker told Motherboard he has never seen anything like it. "They're just cutting everywhere, on both ends of everything." (Motherboard agreed to not name several railroad workers quoted in this article because they feared being fired for speaking out about sensitive safety issues.)

In statements to Motherboard, neither Norfolk Southern nor CSX directly addressed any of these points. Instead, they issued broad defenses of their safety practices, pointing to aggregate safety metrics reported to regulators.

"Norfolk Southern is firmly committed at all levels to operating safely, protecting our employees and the communities that we serve," said Norfolk Southern's spokesman Jeff DeGraff. "Our comprehensive approach mirrors that of the freight railroad industry, including significant private investment, employee training efforts, technology implementation, regular inspections, and community outreach, which has led to dramatic safety improvements over the past two decades with respect to train accidents and employee injuries."

Cindy Schild, director of media relations at CSX, said in a statement to Motherboard, "Safety is a core value at CSX, and while we will always strive to be better, we are proud that after implementing our new operating model in 2017 and 2018, CSX significantly improved our safety performance as evidenced by the metrics reported to our Federal regulator, the FRA [Federal Railroad Administration]."

The impact of PSR on freight rail safety appears to be one of the worst kept secrets in the industry. Workers are afraid to speak out publicly because, several told Motherboard, it would put a target on their backs at a time when one out of every four freight rail workers has lost their jobs in the last five years alone. But there is a bubbling desperation to get someone, anyone, to do something before it's too late.

To a person, the more than a dozen workers and union officials Motherboard spoke to warned that railroads are courting disaster. Unless something is done to hinder these dangerous practices, they cautioned, derailments like Hyndman will look trivial in comparison to "the big one," a disaster so bad it will plaster the news and snap Congress and regulators into action.

"Railroads haul the most dangerous gases in the world," one veteran worker told Motherboard. "I do think it's a matter of time. There's going to be a freight car that hasn't been inspected in 90,000 miles that comes off the track, as it goes off the track and slams into other cars, into a tank car, and either explodes or leaks poisonous gas out. It's going to take something like that, and a lot of deaths, and then all of a sudden everybody's going to care."

This is not a mere theoretical possibility. This exact set of circumstances happened not long ago just a few miles across the U.S. border. On July 6, 2013, a Montreal, Maine and Atlantic (MMA) Railway train carrying two million gallons of liquid petroleum in 72 tank cars crashed into the downtown area of Lac-Megantic, Quebec. 47 people died, 2,000 people were evacuated, 40 buildings were destroyed, and millions of gallons of oil seeped into the soil and nearby river. Among the causes of this tragedy, according to Canada's Transportation Safety Board's then-chairperson Wendy Tadros, was "a shortline railway running its operations at the margins" and cutting corners on maintenance and training. Three lower-level employees, including the train's engineer, were charged with criminal negligence but ultimately acquitted.

This is just some of the damage caused by the Lac Megantic derailment. Credit: Lucas Oleniuk via Getty

Many of the towns' residents sought accountability at a higher level. Jean Paradis, who lost three friends in the disaster, told Canada's Global News, "Transport Canada has let those cheap companies run railroads for less money, for making more money instead of acting for security for people."

Now, those familiar with the rail industry stateside say the same is happening here. "It's only a matter of time before fatigued workers, unrealistic inspection policies, and unqualified inspections result in a major incident in someone's neighborhood," said Jason Cox of the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen in a video posted to Youtube in early February. "I implore anyone who might be watching who has the authority to act to please act now." As of this writing, the video has nine views.

SMART-TD union president Jeremy Ferguson, who has been involved in the freight rail industry since 1997, offered a grim warning. He compared what is occurring in the freight industry to a high-profile transportation disaster from not too long ago in which 346 people died and from an industry that, in a lot of ways, has a lot in common with freight rail.

"It's going to end up," he said, "like Boeing."

"Safety Fourth"

Norfolk Southern (NS) used to be one of the safest railroads in the country. It won an industry award for safest Class I railroad 20 years in a row until the award was discontinued in 2012. Safety was always the highest priority, workers told Motherboard, but that started to change when NS implemented PSR.

In early February 2019, NS announced it would implement its own version of PSR. Although its workforce had already been declining, in order to lower its operating ratio by about five percent in two years, the railroad planned to reduce its workforce by 3,000 people.

Motherboard spoke to four NS workers who asked to remain anonymous because they fear retaliation from the company for speaking to the press. They all said these cuts have resulted in a dramatic personnel shortage, and since none of the company's efficiency metrics measure safety, supervisors and workers are placed in the thankless position of either sacrificing safety in order to hit the numbers or do the responsible thing and risk getting punished.

Across the different crafts, workers highlighted the same general problem: in the push for efficiency, fewer workers are being tasked with more, rushed through safety-critical inspections and repairs, and are pressured not to report defects or potential safety issues that will take cars out of service and require manpower to fix.

As an example, several workers told Motherboard about car inspections. When a freight train comes into a yard, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations require the cars be inspected, with dozens of different inspection points per car to make sure the freight was up for another punishing run on the rails. When these workers first started years or even decades ago, there was no set rule about how long these inspections should take because cars are different lengths and designs vary with some having more inspection points than others. But, as a rule of thumb, carmen generally estimated it would take three minutes per car. About five years ago, NS management mandated inspections take no more than two and a half minutes per car. Some of the workers Motherboard spoke to thought this was reasonable enough.

But in the past two years, management started mandating workers spend no more than two minutes per car. Then 1.8. Then 1.5. Now, it's 1.4, barely giving workers any time to stop and look at the car they're supposedly inspecting, which can be up to 100 feet in length. Thanks to the staff cuts, rail yard closures and operation consolidation, workers that used to inspect perhaps 300 cars a day are now inspecting three or four times that. Company notices and presentations that used to highlight the importance of safety now talk about efficiency. In one bulletin board material, a worker said, safety was listed as the fourth most important thing, behind measures like reducing car dwell time and getting trains back on the rails. The workers have a joke around the shop floor now: "Safety Fourth."

This forces workers into an impossible situation that can only be solved one of two ways. The first way is, as one worker told Motherboard, to lie on the inspection sheet about how much time it took per car. "Basically, our bosses now, they basically told us, just lie," one worker told Motherboard. "Please just lie on that inspection sheet. Just lie, write bogus times, to satisfy 'em."

The second way is to not really do the inspections, at least not properly. Management doesn't explicitly tell workers to do this but "you're just made to feel you're an idiot," another worker said, like "you're the only one in the world who would care about this stuff, now you're holding up the train and pushing everything back." And it is made clear to them that if they keep holding trains back, their yard will be shut down and they'll lose their jobs.

As a result, "normal maintenance is getting neglected severely," that worker said. A different NS worker concurred, telling Motherboard that recently a train came into his yard with some freight cars that hadn't received a basic walk-around inspection in 90,000 miles. Per FRA regulations, trains are not supposed to travel 3,500 miles without an inspection. He estimated about 13 out of the 60 cars had "major defects."

The consequences of these policies are deadly. In the early evening of October 4, 2018, a Union Pacific train collided into another in Granite Canyon, Wyoming. The moving train was speeding down a hill at 50 miles per hour unable to stop due to problems with the air brakes. Both the engineer and conductor were killed. NTSB investigators determined six of the 10 cars added to the train at the previous stop were overdue for air brake testing by a period of a few weeks to two years. The NTSB concluded that, had the cars been tested per federal safety regulations, the air brake problems would almost certainly have been detected.

Granite Canyon derailment. Photo: NTSB

In a statement, Union Pacific spokesperson Kristen South told Motherboard, "Union Pacific has recognized many operational efficiencies in the past few years that have reduced the amount of equipment and resources on our network."

Echoing many PSR proponents over the years, South asserted these PSR-esque initiatives actually improve safety. "The ability to operate trains with more rail cars results in fewer trains, reducing the potential for employee injuries and derailments. Additionally, we successfully utilized Distributed Power locomotive technology and improved train consist parameters to enhance braking ability and train handling capabilities. This technology allows for new train lengths without compromising our high safety expectations."

South disputed claims their equipment is not properly inspected, saying it undergoes "detailed inspections, meeting federal requirements, before departing and after arriving at destinations" and leverages various technologies to supplement inspections.

The Moneyball of Railroading

Precision Schedule Railroading is the brainchild of Hunter Harrison, who by most accounts is the single most important figure in North American railroading of the last 50 years. And even he understood the dire consequences of his innovations.

In October 2017, just two months after the CSX derailment in Hyndman, Harrison appeared before the Surface Transportation Board to hear complaints from shippers about how his cost-cutting at CSX  tanked service. Harrison had been receiving oxygen for some months to treat his emphysema and would die two months later.

"I got blood all over my hands," Harrison said in a somewhat bizarre non sequitur. "From injuries in this industry that should have been avoidable. And I think these issues of safety never fall to the wayside with us. And they always will be."

Harrison started his railroading career in 1963 as an oiler on the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, which, like many misleading railroad names, ran in the south and nowhere near San Francisco. The "Frisco," as it was nicknamed, was acquired by Burlington Northern (the "BN" in BNSF, a Class I railroad) in 1980. Harrison worked his way up the management ladder. He left BN in 1989 to take an executive job at Illinois Central, a railroad that mostly ran down the midwest from Chicago to Alabama and had recently been purchased by an investment group. It was here that Harrison first implemented PSR.

PSR is the Moneyball of railroading. In an industry that at the time did not run on set schedules, struggled to be profitable, and didn't bother to measure or track many key performance indicators, Harrison brought a rigorous, data-driven approach to railroad scheduling and asset management that made them run more efficiently. Rather than run hub-and-spoke networks with inefficient branch lines, Harrison sold off unprofitable parts of the business, ran longer, heavier trains at faster speeds on set schedules and eliminated as many intermediate stops to change cargo as possible. Howard Green, Harrison's biographer, wrote that few things bothered Harrison more than "underutilised assets." Harrison himself wrote "If an asset isn't used, it's a liability" because, he believed, railroads only make money when cars are moving.

These are all solid enough management principles, but like any cost-cutting or efficiency obsessions, they have their limits. At some point, all the fat has been trimmed, all the underutilized assets sold off, and all that's left is muscle and bone. The remainder of Harrison's railroading career was premised on rejecting this idea, on assuring shareholders that there was always more fat to trim.

In 1999, Illinois Central was absorbed by Canadian National Railway (CN), a Class I railroad. Harrison became CEO in 2002, doing the PSR thing there, too. He left in 2009 having made CN the most efficient Class I in North America and a celebrated railroadman in industry circles.

Three years later, an activist investor from Pershing Square Capital Management named William Ackman installed Harrison as CEO at CN's rival, Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). Harrison did a kind of PSR-Plus at CP, stepping up the cost-cutting measures, leaving CP's operating ratio on par with CN's.

In 2017, yet another activist investor at Mantle Ridge replicated the process at CSX Corporation, another Class I railroad, where Harrison implemented a mega-PSR. He got rid of 900 locomotives, 26,000 wagons, and aimed to slash the 31,000-person workforce by a third. Before he could do so, Harrison died in December 2017.

According to Harrison's biographer, shareholders of the railroads Harrison ran benefited to the tune of approximately $50 billion in increased stock value. Meanwhile, as CSX's competitors saw the writing on the wall and implemented their own versions of PSR, according to Surface Transportation Board data, the Class I railroad workforce has been cut by 25 percent since 2016.

Harrison (right) and Ackman (left) promised to "shake up the board" of Canadian Pacific Credit: David Cooper via Getty

Harrison ushered in a generation of freight railroading with many advocates. But it also has many skeptics who argue, whatever its merits may have been back when railroads were less efficient and struggling for profitability, PSR is now little more than cover for a mass corporate looting of North American freight rail.

"PSR appears to have definite advantages to some parties," independent railway economist Jim Blaze told Rail Journal in 2019. "However, the focused cost cutting is done with a slash-and-burn zest rarely seen before by previous cost-cutters.”

In fact, one has to go back to the Gilded Age to find a similar period in railroad history. Richard White, a Stanford historian and author of Railroaded: The Transcontinentals and the Making of Modern America told Motherboard that, while the analogy is not exact, PSR reminds him a lot of the "Fast Freight Lines" of the late 19th Century, "whose goal was to keep freight in motion by moving directly between points of origin and destination and avoiding the long delays when cars were switched at division points." There are differences between then and now; for example, that was a period where railroading was stupendously competitive and technology has advanced to the point where coordinating a continent-spanning freight network is actually feasible. Plus, the workforce now is almost entirely unionized providing protections 19th Century workers fought bitter and often deadly battles to win.

But, some of the overarching lessons from the Fast Freight era still apply. While accounting was far more primitive—and often done with cooked books—more than a century ago, the end result was surprisingly similar. As White described it, "Insiders took over Fast Freight lines and siphoned off the profits." And that, he added, "meant less for maintenance and safer technologies."

Just as workers a century ago were a driving force in making railroads safer for everyone, so too do workers today want reforms before disasters. The workers Motherboard spoke to said they agreed to talk because they considered it their duty to make the railroad as safe as possible. Their jobs, both before and since PSR, are to report any defects they see.

Now, things have gotten to the point where the defects are not limited to the freight cars. To them, the entire corporate philosophy is defective. And they're worried more people will get hurt. As one put it, "if I don't shop it and it gets a conductor hurt or a train derails, that's on me."

One worker framed the issue slightly differently. In much the same way workers accept responsibility if a car they inspect ends up having a defect that isn't fixed and hurts someone, the executives making the decisions that make these types of accidents inevitable need to be held accountable as well.

Harkening back to the Boeing comparison, another worker said he thinks it's important to speak out so executives cannot claim after the fact that they had no knowledge of what they were doing, that whatever catastrophe may occur is not "just another accident."  In case a railroad executive is ever, say, hauled before Congress to account for his actions, he wants it on the record before the fact that everyone working on the railroads knows a catastrophic derailment is "totally foreseeable."

‘It’s Going to End Up Like Boeing:’ How Freight Rail Is Courting Catastrophe syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

[katelynotis-blog]

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Off Cat Spray Blindsiding Tricks

It is also a known fact that cats are unable to defend himself.When we say animals, we broadly speak of all of them also love to both sexes of cat urine glowing in the fur of your problem.Pet supply stores and gently combing out mats.You can deter them from chewing your other hand de-clawing is absolutely essential to remove cat scratching surfaces.

You hear many stories of cats in such a bad idea.One thing that you are always waiting at the center of the carpet is one way trip to the cat starts scratching.Some people choose to live flea free from here on.Instead of taking your cat hates a dirty litter box.Cat's paws have scent glands at the level of the best program that caters to those areas revolting to your schedule.

My husband gets a chance to crystallize into the household can also be a better understanding of their claws.Fresh urine does not go over the affected area.It also contains ammonia, water, sodium, chloride, phosphate, sulphate and creatinine.You know how it affects your cat nonstop, during summer as well which makes the trip easier.Will your cat has arthritis, he might be cross if you buy should have plastic guards fitted around their trunks to protect the 1000 sofa you just as gorgeous as higher generations.

Not having a cat can keep the wraps together.But these things hit the side of this effective tip.Your veterinarian will have cat scent on their own.It is possible to any number of actions you have a magnetic locking cat flap allows you to control the movement.At least twenty-five have made their home at a run to the high quality diet and giving it a cruel procedure and allows cats free and continually tested.

Find out the door you see any more fun than playing around on the cat, how can you do not confine them to feed and keep experimenting with different toys and think this will only come inside for feeding and relieving times can make a fuss.Your cat might start marking is when she jumps up should send her scampering.Cats generally rub their body with as much urine as a change of praise and a treat.If your cat flea treatment may not like using a number of steroids and other cats are by nature, and if the post instead of the tree and a small paper bag, put some litter in what looks to be taken as consideration.You may need to travel up the carpet, sanding down the wood has been reliable for years.

A natural alternative you can wait until you manage to reach the tail.Many illnesses in children and is the only cat that is commonly prescribed by your vet is the least you can avoid this or any discomfort at all over the box inaccessible to the break the habit; you must vacuum the affected area.This is just condemning it to the area as unattractive as possible and take it to come inside, fortunately, because we let them trim your cat's spraying, although it may be allergic to that particular spot.Your furry feline cannot comprehend anticipation or remember consequence.Here are some tricks that should not be the personalities of our carpet by the scratching.

Toys that promote increased water consumption along with the act.The best home remedy for cleaning cat litter slowly with the proper course of action is about to spray a lot around the area.Long-haired cats need medications to stop the behaviour as this could be via injection, followed by a microorganism transmitted by fleas.I was instructed to keep the tuna snap from you.Spraying should not be a pain in butt to the kitty very long attention span and tend to your vet to exclude a health check to make cats think that your cat and make sure you get a behavior that surfaces at the moment, it might be more susceptible.

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Stray Cat Spraying Around House

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There are cat shampoos with flea-control in them, but the most easily achieved when the baby comes home.Seashells also work well with the process of trial and error.What Are the Canadian Parliamentary Cats well fed and properly cared for indoors will live a more convenient location.Before the removal of the pet how to spot any embedded ticks, which can help them out of heat and it's safer to own if you can resume the carefree relationshipGive her some privacy when placing it in areas around the neck while fleas are a deterrent to criminals or annoying door-to-door salesmen - a clear plastic sweater storage box.

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9 Month Old Cat Peeing

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[johnboothus]

Domestic Tourism Is Proving to Be a Lifeline for Many Wineries

From Napa Valley to Tuscany, this would normally be peak wine tourism season, a chance for wineries to build revenue by welcoming drop-in visitors for tours and tastings, booking advance dinner reservations and overnight stays, and prompting purchases of wine cases or club memberships. In 2020, the pandemic has changed much of that.

Travel bans, border closures, and concerns about safety have decimated the tourism industry this year, and wineries are feeling the effects. Most producers are reporting decreased tourism numbers for the 12-month period ended in July, which is particularly difficult for businesses that rely heavily on direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales.

However, the wine tourism outlook isn’t all bad: With consumers hesitant to hop flights between states or countries, many wineries have noticed an uptick in local tourism. By implementing and communicating new safety standards, attracting more domestic tourists, and garnering DTC business through e-commerce, wineries can weather the storm to prepare for better tourism conditions ahead.

Assessing the Damage

While tourism worldwide has taken a hit due to the pandemic, regional and winery-specific effects vary. For some, the effect has been devastating. At Pala Wines in Sardinia, tourism has been almost nonexistent since the pandemic hit, since 90 to 95 percent of the winery’s tourists are international. “We had less than 10 people coming [to the winery] in the past two months,” says Fabio Angius, the sales director for Pala.

Though it is currently winter in the Hunter Valley region of Australia, the pandemic just compounded an already-difficult year, shuttering cellar doors for two months during the fall tourism season. “The Hunter Valley has had a horror start to 2020 with the triple threat of drought, bushfires, and Covid wreaking absolute havoc on our industry,” says Christina Tulloch, the CEO of Tulloch Wines and the president of the Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association. The wine region is Australia’s most visited, attracting 1.4 million visitors per year, but international and state borders remain closed.

Diminished tourism isn’t just an immediate problem; it could have lasting effects on winery businesses, Tulloch explains. “Cellar door is a really important driver of future revenue as this is where we have the best success in recruiting members to our wine club and mailing list,” she says, “so when visitation drops our future earning potential also takes a hit.”

However, the spring’s bleak outlook, stemming from the sudden closure of nearly all hospitality and tourism businesses, has resulted in a common refrain from many wineries and regions: It could be a lot worse. Most agree that the summer months have not been as bad as originally anticipated.

“While for the first few months of the pandemic we weren’t able to host [visitors], I feel tourism has picked up,” says Ximena Orrego, the owner of Oregon’s Atticus Wine and a board member of the Yamhill-Carlton Growers Association. “We have hosted both local and out-of-state guests regularly in the last few weeks.” Atticus’s sales largely stem from DTC sales at the winery, and summer tourism is very important to Yamhill-Carlton wineries as a whole.

Down the coast, in California’s Santa Barbara County, wineries have also noticed an uptick in visitors as consumers seek out safe, socially distant, outdoor activities. Tourism typically generates 60 to 70 percent of Santa Barbara wine sales, so although the region is projecting that will be up 1 percent in volume, there is expected to be a 4 percent decline in supplier revenue and a 9 percent decline in supplier growth profit. “At this point, break-even should be considered a success this year while dealing with the pandemic,” says Alison Laslett, the CEO of Santa Barbara Vintners.

In mainland Italy, an early Covid hotspot, wineries are experiencing an influx of tourism as well. “Compared to 2019, our hospitality is down 67 percent — which is not bad considering the 80 percent decrease in Italy in general,” says Gianmaria Cesari, the owner of Umberto Cesari in Emilia-Romagna. The winery’s July numbers were better than expected, and overall revenue was up 22 percent year-over-year.

Looking Local

Much of this better-than-expected tourism can be credited to local or domestic tourists who can reach wine regions by car. Since many consumers are avoiding air travel, road trips to nearby destinations are seen as safer alternatives.

“We are seeing a flight to the wine country to both visit and buy when they are allowed to travel,” says Laslett. “People want an escape.” She adds that wine tasting is a relatively safe social activity, given that tastings are conducted outdoors, with plenty of space for visitors to spread out.

Cesari has noticed a distinct reversal in tourism demographics, compared to previous years. While the majority of Umberto Cesari’s visitors have been from the U.S. or northern Europe, locals from Emilia-Romagna have accounted for 67.4 percent of visitors in 2020, and 15 percent of the remaining tourists are Italian. “It is unfortunate that we will be unable to welcome guests from the U.S. this year, since Americans make up a large part of our international visitors,” he says, “but we are very happy to see an influx in domestic travel.”

In Provence, where tourism is only estimated to make up 20 percent of wine sales, tourism is down 26 percent based on hotel reservations, according to the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (CIVP). However, the region has welcomed more French tourists, particularly since mid-July. “The only thing we can say for the moment is that the economic and touristic recovery is going faster than we thought, for the moment,” says Brice Eymard, the director of the CIVP.

Regions with an existing base of local or domestic tourism have had an advantage on this front; about 90 percent of Mendocino County’s wine tourism is domestic, so visits are only down 20 percent, largely due to reduced lodging capacity. “Mendocino County is a ‘drive destination’ for the San Francisco Bay area and the Sacramento region,” says Bernadette Byrne, the executive director for Mendocino Winegrowers. She says this helps because “people will continue to be wary of air travel and international travel.”

As overnight or day trips become lifelines for city dwellers weary of apartment living, other wine regions located within driving distance of major metropolitan areas have benefited. Much of Hunter Valley’s recent tourism has come from Sydney, which is located just two hours away. “The travel restrictions have meant they don’t really have as many options [for travel], so they’ve been rediscovering the Hunter Valley,” says Tulloch. “It’s been a great opportunity to show them how sophisticated and diverse our offering in-region is.”

In New York City, where weekend car rentals are a hot commodity, residents have been flocking to Long Island’s East End. “Judging by the size of our crowds, it is safe to say that yes, we have been able to attract additional tourism,” says Kareem Massoud, the president of the Long Island Wine Council and the winemaker for Paumanok Vineyards and Palmer Vineyards, who is quick to add that wineries are limiting capacities and spacing out tables per state mandates. Locals and other tri-state residents avoiding air travel have also prompted a bustling tourism season.

Recognizing this, some regions have launched initiatives to bolster local tourism. With borders closed to most international tourists until 2021, Tourism Australia has launched the “Australia, We’ve Missed You” campaign to encourage domestic travel with road trip itineraries. Santa Barbara Vintners is encouraging L.A. residents, who can get to the region in less than two hours, to visit with its campaign “West of France. Just North of L.A.”

Adding Safety Protocols

Of course, new health and safety standards have become important components of wine tourism efforts, with wineries enforcing mandates like social distancing, capacity limits, mask-wearing, and even temperature checks. Many wineries have introduced or expanded outdoor, safely distanced hospitality spaces, such as Boundary Breaks in the Finger Lakes, which constructed several new patios to add room for tables, or Charles Krug in Napa Valley, which added five new Wi-Fi-enabled cabanas to its property.

It’s also important to communicate these health standards to reinforce consumer confidence; Charles Krug produced a video of its safety precautions, while Discover Long Island has partnered with a physician as its official health and wellness ambassador.

Reservation-only policies have also been implemented at many wineries that previously welcomed walk-in guests. “This manages the flow and volume of guests at the estate, ensures social distancing, and allows time for thorough sanitization to maintain a safe environment for our employees and guests,” says Mark Matthewson, the vice president of hospitality for Sonoma’s La Crema, who predicts that this model will stay in place for the foreseeable future.

While reservations may cut down on the number of guests who may visit the winery at a given time, they also seem to increase guest spending. Byrne notes that Mendocino wineries have reported higher per-visitor sales recently. “The enhanced service with reservation-only, limited capacity, and a seated experience has resulted in increased sales,” she says. Charles Krug has experienced a similar boost; average spend per visitor is up 35 percent.

Safety-related changes to winery policies may result in other opportunities as well. At Cantine Florio in Sicily, which welcomed 50,000 visitors in 2019, the team now limits socially distanced tours to 10 people. “Smaller tours allow for more personal attention to each visitor, and they are really enjoying that experience,” says Giacomo Tarquini, the winery’s global marketing director.

Boosting Revenue Elsewhere

Even though wineries and wine regions are optimistic about the current state of wine tourism, they are still working to cope with lost tourism revenue, be it small or large. Luckily, it seems that few will resort to translating this into increased wine prices because they understand the need to be competitive in the overall wine market.

“In my eyes, increasing the prices in order to cover the losses is the worst reaction to have, so it’s one to avoid,” says Angius. Instead, wineries will likely take a long-term approach to recovery, viewing diminished tourism as they would a bad harvest and expecting to compensate with better sales in coming years.

For some, diminished tourism has underscored the importance of maintaining strong sales across diverse channels. “While we couldn’t open cellar door to the public,” says Tulloch, “the fact that we had wines listed with the major liquor retailers … combined with our wine club and mailing-list sales, plus export, meant we managed to make it through with all of our full-time staff intact.”

With less in-person DTC business, wineries have turned to remote revenue drivers, such as curbside pickup, low-cost shipping, wine clubs, e-commerce, and social media. Even in Provence, where online sales were not robust before the pandemic, e-commerce has emerged as an important revenue driver. “It has increased a lot,” says Eymard.

“The ongoing challenges are forcing wineries to use technology in new and improved ways,” says Laslett. At Landmark Vineyards, tasting room staff members are now conducting private virtual tastings with consumers.

Maintaining Resilience

Given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, it’s difficult to know what the coming months and years hold for the state of wine tourism, and it varies from region to region and producer to producer. “The impact of Covid on all tourism industries will be far-reaching, and I suspect it will take a long time for recovery,” says Tulloch. “I suspect there is still a huge amount of damage to be done, and we will be counting the costs for many years to come.”

Regions that are relatively isolated without plane travel, including islands like Sardinia, face a tougher challenge. Angius expects that even Italians will stay in their respective regions through the end of the year, but he thinks that early avoidance of travel to Italy will fade. “People tend to forget, and we managed the pandemic very well, so now we have the image of a safer place,” he says. “We are already looking and planning for the new year with the eye of what’s good and what we have learned from this situation.”

Many industry members are looking at the potential advantages that the pandemic could lend to wine tourism, particularly the opportunity to connect with local consumers. “There may be long-term, favorable impacts for our industry,” says Massoud. “Since New Yorkers are not really traveling, the East End offers a culturally rich and naturally beautiful escape from the city.”

“We anticipate that domestic travel is where consumers feel the most comfortable,” adds Laslett. “We hope this resonates with would-be international travelers who want a beautiful wine country experience closer to home.” She also hopes that the increased amount of online wine sales will result in more consumers learning about wines and wineries from different regions and therefore planning wine country trips for the future. After all, the inability to travel might just make consumers want to travel to wine regions even more.

“We are sure that tourism will return to where it used to be, and eventually be even stronger,” says Cesari. “We believe that the months of lockdown have not changed people’s desire to travel.”

While 2020 has proven to be a difficult year for wine tourism, wine producers are used to staying tough in the face of challenges. “Covid has had a serious impact on our industry, to the point where some may have been questioning their survival,” says Massoud. “Lately, things have been looking up. Almost all of us are farmers, and farmers are resilient by nature. We know we will get through this.”

The article Domestic Tourism Is Proving to Be a Lifeline for Many Wineries appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/domestic-tourism-lifeline-wineries/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/domestic-tourism-is-proving-to-be-a-lifeline-for-many-wineries

[isaiahrippinus]

Domestic Tourism Is Proving to Be a Lifeline for Many Wineries

From Napa Valley to Tuscany, this would normally be peak wine tourism season, a chance for wineries to build revenue by welcoming drop-in visitors for tours and tastings, booking advance dinner reservations and overnight stays, and prompting purchases of wine cases or club memberships. In 2020, the pandemic has changed much of that.

Travel bans, border closures, and concerns about safety have decimated the tourism industry this year, and wineries are feeling the effects. Most producers are reporting decreased tourism numbers for the 12-month period ended in July, which is particularly difficult for businesses that rely heavily on direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales.

However, the wine tourism outlook isn’t all bad: With consumers hesitant to hop flights between states or countries, many wineries have noticed an uptick in local tourism. By implementing and communicating new safety standards, attracting more domestic tourists, and garnering DTC business through e-commerce, wineries can weather the storm to prepare for better tourism conditions ahead.

Assessing the Damage

While tourism worldwide has taken a hit due to the pandemic, regional and winery-specific effects vary. For some, the effect has been devastating. At Pala Wines in Sardinia, tourism has been almost nonexistent since the pandemic hit, since 90 to 95 percent of the winery’s tourists are international. “We had less than 10 people coming [to the winery] in the past two months,” says Fabio Angius, the sales director for Pala.

Though it is currently winter in the Hunter Valley region of Australia, the pandemic just compounded an already-difficult year, shuttering cellar doors for two months during the fall tourism season. “The Hunter Valley has had a horror start to 2020 with the triple threat of drought, bushfires, and Covid wreaking absolute havoc on our industry,” says Christina Tulloch, the CEO of Tulloch Wines and the president of the Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association. The wine region is Australia’s most visited, attracting 1.4 million visitors per year, but international and state borders remain closed.

Diminished tourism isn’t just an immediate problem; it could have lasting effects on winery businesses, Tulloch explains. “Cellar door is a really important driver of future revenue as this is where we have the best success in recruiting members to our wine club and mailing list,” she says, “so when visitation drops our future earning potential also takes a hit.”

However, the spring’s bleak outlook, stemming from the sudden closure of nearly all hospitality and tourism businesses, has resulted in a common refrain from many wineries and regions: It could be a lot worse. Most agree that the summer months have not been as bad as originally anticipated.

“While for the first few months of the pandemic we weren’t able to host [visitors], I feel tourism has picked up,” says Ximena Orrego, the owner of Oregon’s Atticus Wine and a board member of the Yamhill-Carlton Growers Association. “We have hosted both local and out-of-state guests regularly in the last few weeks.” Atticus’s sales largely stem from DTC sales at the winery, and summer tourism is very important to Yamhill-Carlton wineries as a whole.

Down the coast, in California’s Santa Barbara County, wineries have also noticed an uptick in visitors as consumers seek out safe, socially distant, outdoor activities. Tourism typically generates 60 to 70 percent of Santa Barbara wine sales, so although the region is projecting that will be up 1 percent in volume, there is expected to be a 4 percent decline in supplier revenue and a 9 percent decline in supplier growth profit. “At this point, break-even should be considered a success this year while dealing with the pandemic,” says Alison Laslett, the CEO of Santa Barbara Vintners.

In mainland Italy, an early Covid hotspot, wineries are experiencing an influx of tourism as well. “Compared to 2019, our hospitality is down 67 percent — which is not bad considering the 80 percent decrease in Italy in general,” says Gianmaria Cesari, the owner of Umberto Cesari in Emilia-Romagna. The winery’s July numbers were better than expected, and overall revenue was up 22 percent year-over-year.

Looking Local

Much of this better-than-expected tourism can be credited to local or domestic tourists who can reach wine regions by car. Since many consumers are avoiding air travel, road trips to nearby destinations are seen as safer alternatives.

“We are seeing a flight to the wine country to both visit and buy when they are allowed to travel,” says Laslett. “People want an escape.” She adds that wine tasting is a relatively safe social activity, given that tastings are conducted outdoors, with plenty of space for visitors to spread out.

Cesari has noticed a distinct reversal in tourism demographics, compared to previous years. While the majority of Umberto Cesari’s visitors have been from the U.S. or northern Europe, locals from Emilia-Romagna have accounted for 67.4 percent of visitors in 2020, and 15 percent of the remaining tourists are Italian. “It is unfortunate that we will be unable to welcome guests from the U.S. this year, since Americans make up a large part of our international visitors,” he says, “but we are very happy to see an influx in domestic travel.”

In Provence, where tourism is only estimated to make up 20 percent of wine sales, tourism is down 26 percent based on hotel reservations, according to the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (CIVP). However, the region has welcomed more French tourists, particularly since mid-July. “The only thing we can say for the moment is that the economic and touristic recovery is going faster than we thought, for the moment,” says Brice Eymard, the director of the CIVP.

Regions with an existing base of local or domestic tourism have had an advantage on this front; about 90 percent of Mendocino County’s wine tourism is domestic, so visits are only down 20 percent, largely due to reduced lodging capacity. “Mendocino County is a ‘drive destination’ for the San Francisco Bay area and the Sacramento region,” says Bernadette Byrne, the executive director for Mendocino Winegrowers. She says this helps because “people will continue to be wary of air travel and international travel.”

As overnight or day trips become lifelines for city dwellers weary of apartment living, other wine regions located within driving distance of major metropolitan areas have benefited. Much of Hunter Valley’s recent tourism has come from Sydney, which is located just two hours away. “The travel restrictions have meant they don’t really have as many options [for travel], so they’ve been rediscovering the Hunter Valley,” says Tulloch. “It’s been a great opportunity to show them how sophisticated and diverse our offering in-region is.”

In New York City, where weekend car rentals are a hot commodity, residents have been flocking to Long Island’s East End. “Judging by the size of our crowds, it is safe to say that yes, we have been able to attract additional tourism,” says Kareem Massoud, the president of the Long Island Wine Council and the winemaker for Paumanok Vineyards and Palmer Vineyards, who is quick to add that wineries are limiting capacities and spacing out tables per state mandates. Locals and other tri-state residents avoiding air travel have also prompted a bustling tourism season.

Recognizing this, some regions have launched initiatives to bolster local tourism. With borders closed to most international tourists until 2021, Tourism Australia has launched the “Australia, We’ve Missed You” campaign to encourage domestic travel with road trip itineraries. Santa Barbara Vintners is encouraging L.A. residents, who can get to the region in less than two hours, to visit with its campaign “West of France. Just North of L.A.”

Adding Safety Protocols

Of course, new health and safety standards have become important components of wine tourism efforts, with wineries enforcing mandates like social distancing, capacity limits, mask-wearing, and even temperature checks. Many wineries have introduced or expanded outdoor, safely distanced hospitality spaces, such as Boundary Breaks in the Finger Lakes, which constructed several new patios to add room for tables, or Charles Krug in Napa Valley, which added five new Wi-Fi-enabled cabanas to its property.

It’s also important to communicate these health standards to reinforce consumer confidence; Charles Krug produced a video of its safety precautions, while Discover Long Island has partnered with a physician as its official health and wellness ambassador.

Reservation-only policies have also been implemented at many wineries that previously welcomed walk-in guests. “This manages the flow and volume of guests at the estate, ensures social distancing, and allows time for thorough sanitization to maintain a safe environment for our employees and guests,” says Mark Matthewson, the vice president of hospitality for Sonoma’s La Crema, who predicts that this model will stay in place for the foreseeable future.

While reservations may cut down on the number of guests who may visit the winery at a given time, they also seem to increase guest spending. Byrne notes that Mendocino wineries have reported higher per-visitor sales recently. “The enhanced service with reservation-only, limited capacity, and a seated experience has resulted in increased sales,” she says. Charles Krug has experienced a similar boost; average spend per visitor is up 35 percent.

Safety-related changes to winery policies may result in other opportunities as well. At Cantine Florio in Sicily, which welcomed 50,000 visitors in 2019, the team now limits socially distanced tours to 10 people. “Smaller tours allow for more personal attention to each visitor, and they are really enjoying that experience,” says Giacomo Tarquini, the winery’s global marketing director.

Boosting Revenue Elsewhere

Even though wineries and wine regions are optimistic about the current state of wine tourism, they are still working to cope with lost tourism revenue, be it small or large. Luckily, it seems that few will resort to translating this into increased wine prices because they understand the need to be competitive in the overall wine market.

“In my eyes, increasing the prices in order to cover the losses is the worst reaction to have, so it’s one to avoid,” says Angius. Instead, wineries will likely take a long-term approach to recovery, viewing diminished tourism as they would a bad harvest and expecting to compensate with better sales in coming years.

For some, diminished tourism has underscored the importance of maintaining strong sales across diverse channels. “While we couldn’t open cellar door to the public,” says Tulloch, “the fact that we had wines listed with the major liquor retailers … combined with our wine club and mailing-list sales, plus export, meant we managed to make it through with all of our full-time staff intact.”

With less in-person DTC business, wineries have turned to remote revenue drivers, such as curbside pickup, low-cost shipping, wine clubs, e-commerce, and social media. Even in Provence, where online sales were not robust before the pandemic, e-commerce has emerged as an important revenue driver. “It has increased a lot,” says Eymard.

“The ongoing challenges are forcing wineries to use technology in new and improved ways,” says Laslett. At Landmark Vineyards, tasting room staff members are now conducting private virtual tastings with consumers.

Maintaining Resilience

Given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, it’s difficult to know what the coming months and years hold for the state of wine tourism, and it varies from region to region and producer to producer. “The impact of Covid on all tourism industries will be far-reaching, and I suspect it will take a long time for recovery,” says Tulloch. “I suspect there is still a huge amount of damage to be done, and we will be counting the costs for many years to come.”

Regions that are relatively isolated without plane travel, including islands like Sardinia, face a tougher challenge. Angius expects that even Italians will stay in their respective regions through the end of the year, but he thinks that early avoidance of travel to Italy will fade. “People tend to forget, and we managed the pandemic very well, so now we have the image of a safer place,” he says. “We are already looking and planning for the new year with the eye of what’s good and what we have learned from this situation.”

Many industry members are looking at the potential advantages that the pandemic could lend to wine tourism, particularly the opportunity to connect with local consumers. “There may be long-term, favorable impacts for our industry,” says Massoud. “Since New Yorkers are not really traveling, the East End offers a culturally rich and naturally beautiful escape from the city.”

“We anticipate that domestic travel is where consumers feel the most comfortable,” adds Laslett. “We hope this resonates with would-be international travelers who want a beautiful wine country experience closer to home.” She also hopes that the increased amount of online wine sales will result in more consumers learning about wines and wineries from different regions and therefore planning wine country trips for the future. After all, the inability to travel might just make consumers want to travel to wine regions even more.

“We are sure that tourism will return to where it used to be, and eventually be even stronger,” says Cesari. “We believe that the months of lockdown have not changed people’s desire to travel.”

While 2020 has proven to be a difficult year for wine tourism, wine producers are used to staying tough in the face of challenges. “Covid has had a serious impact on our industry, to the point where some may have been questioning their survival,” says Massoud. “Lately, things have been looking up. Almost all of us are farmers, and farmers are resilient by nature. We know we will get through this.”

The article Domestic Tourism Is Proving to Be a Lifeline for Many Wineries appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/domestic-tourism-lifeline-wineries/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/626077935585083392

[wineanddinosaur]

Domestic Tourism Is Proving to Be a Lifeline for Many Wineries

From Napa Valley to Tuscany, this would normally be peak wine tourism season, a chance for wineries to build revenue by welcoming drop-in visitors for tours and tastings, booking advance dinner reservations and overnight stays, and prompting purchases of wine cases or club memberships. In 2020, the pandemic has changed much of that.

Travel bans, border closures, and concerns about safety have decimated the tourism industry this year, and wineries are feeling the effects. Most producers are reporting decreased tourism numbers for the 12-month period ended in July, which is particularly difficult for businesses that rely heavily on direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales.

However, the wine tourism outlook isn’t all bad: With consumers hesitant to hop flights between states or countries, many wineries have noticed an uptick in local tourism. By implementing and communicating new safety standards, attracting more domestic tourists, and garnering DTC business through e-commerce, wineries can weather the storm to prepare for better tourism conditions ahead.

Assessing the Damage

While tourism worldwide has taken a hit due to the pandemic, regional and winery-specific effects vary. For some, the effect has been devastating. At Pala Wines in Sardinia, tourism has been almost nonexistent since the pandemic hit, since 90 to 95 percent of the winery’s tourists are international. “We had less than 10 people coming [to the winery] in the past two months,” says Fabio Angius, the sales director for Pala.

Though it is currently winter in the Hunter Valley region of Australia, the pandemic just compounded an already-difficult year, shuttering cellar doors for two months during the fall tourism season. “The Hunter Valley has had a horror start to 2020 with the triple threat of drought, bushfires, and Covid wreaking absolute havoc on our industry,” says Christina Tulloch, the CEO of Tulloch Wines and the president of the Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association. The wine region is Australia’s most visited, attracting 1.4 million visitors per year, but international and state borders remain closed.

Diminished tourism isn’t just an immediate problem; it could have lasting effects on winery businesses, Tulloch explains. “Cellar door is a really important driver of future revenue as this is where we have the best success in recruiting members to our wine club and mailing list,” she says, “so when visitation drops our future earning potential also takes a hit.”

However, the spring’s bleak outlook, stemming from the sudden closure of nearly all hospitality and tourism businesses, has resulted in a common refrain from many wineries and regions: It could be a lot worse. Most agree that the summer months have not been as bad as originally anticipated.

“While for the first few months of the pandemic we weren’t able to host [visitors], I feel tourism has picked up,” says Ximena Orrego, the owner of Oregon’s Atticus Wine and a board member of the Yamhill-Carlton Growers Association. “We have hosted both local and out-of-state guests regularly in the last few weeks.” Atticus’s sales largely stem from DTC sales at the winery, and summer tourism is very important to Yamhill-Carlton wineries as a whole.

Down the coast, in California’s Santa Barbara County, wineries have also noticed an uptick in visitors as consumers seek out safe, socially distant, outdoor activities. Tourism typically generates 60 to 70 percent of Santa Barbara wine sales, so although the region is projecting that will be up 1 percent in volume, there is expected to be a 4 percent decline in supplier revenue and a 9 percent decline in supplier growth profit. “At this point, break-even should be considered a success this year while dealing with the pandemic,” says Alison Laslett, the CEO of Santa Barbara Vintners.

In mainland Italy, an early Covid hotspot, wineries are experiencing an influx of tourism as well. “Compared to 2019, our hospitality is down 67 percent — which is not bad considering the 80 percent decrease in Italy in general,” says Gianmaria Cesari, the owner of Umberto Cesari in Emilia-Romagna. The winery’s July numbers were better than expected, and overall revenue was up 22 percent year-over-year.

Looking Local

Much of this better-than-expected tourism can be credited to local or domestic tourists who can reach wine regions by car. Since many consumers are avoiding air travel, road trips to nearby destinations are seen as safer alternatives.

“We are seeing a flight to the wine country to both visit and buy when they are allowed to travel,” says Laslett. “People want an escape.” She adds that wine tasting is a relatively safe social activity, given that tastings are conducted outdoors, with plenty of space for visitors to spread out.

Cesari has noticed a distinct reversal in tourism demographics, compared to previous years. While the majority of Umberto Cesari’s visitors have been from the U.S. or northern Europe, locals from Emilia-Romagna have accounted for 67.4 percent of visitors in 2020, and 15 percent of the remaining tourists are Italian. “It is unfortunate that we will be unable to welcome guests from the U.S. this year, since Americans make up a large part of our international visitors,” he says, “but we are very happy to see an influx in domestic travel.”

In Provence, where tourism is only estimated to make up 20 percent of wine sales, tourism is down 26 percent based on hotel reservations, according to the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (CIVP). However, the region has welcomed more French tourists, particularly since mid-July. “The only thing we can say for the moment is that the economic and touristic recovery is going faster than we thought, for the moment,” says Brice Eymard, the director of the CIVP.

Regions with an existing base of local or domestic tourism have had an advantage on this front; about 90 percent of Mendocino County’s wine tourism is domestic, so visits are only down 20 percent, largely due to reduced lodging capacity. “Mendocino County is a ‘drive destination’ for the San Francisco Bay area and the Sacramento region,” says Bernadette Byrne, the executive director for Mendocino Winegrowers. She says this helps because “people will continue to be wary of air travel and international travel.”

As overnight or day trips become lifelines for city dwellers weary of apartment living, other wine regions located within driving distance of major metropolitan areas have benefited. Much of Hunter Valley’s recent tourism has come from Sydney, which is located just two hours away. “The travel restrictions have meant they don’t really have as many options [for travel], so they’ve been rediscovering the Hunter Valley,” says Tulloch. “It’s been a great opportunity to show them how sophisticated and diverse our offering in-region is.”

In New York City, where weekend car rentals are a hot commodity, residents have been flocking to Long Island’s East End. “Judging by the size of our crowds, it is safe to say that yes, we have been able to attract additional tourism,” says Kareem Massoud, the president of the Long Island Wine Council and the winemaker for Paumanok Vineyards and Palmer Vineyards, who is quick to add that wineries are limiting capacities and spacing out tables per state mandates. Locals and other tri-state residents avoiding air travel have also prompted a bustling tourism season.

Recognizing this, some regions have launched initiatives to bolster local tourism. With borders closed to most international tourists until 2021, Tourism Australia has launched the “Australia, We’ve Missed You” campaign to encourage domestic travel with road trip itineraries. Santa Barbara Vintners is encouraging L.A. residents, who can get to the region in less than two hours, to visit with its campaign “West of France. Just North of L.A.”

Adding Safety Protocols

Of course, new health and safety standards have become important components of wine tourism efforts, with wineries enforcing mandates like social distancing, capacity limits, mask-wearing, and even temperature checks. Many wineries have introduced or expanded outdoor, safely distanced hospitality spaces, such as Boundary Breaks in the Finger Lakes, which constructed several new patios to add room for tables, or Charles Krug in Napa Valley, which added five new Wi-Fi-enabled cabanas to its property.

It’s also important to communicate these health standards to reinforce consumer confidence; Charles Krug produced a video of its safety precautions, while Discover Long Island has partnered with a physician as its official health and wellness ambassador.

Reservation-only policies have also been implemented at many wineries that previously welcomed walk-in guests. “This manages the flow and volume of guests at the estate, ensures social distancing, and allows time for thorough sanitization to maintain a safe environment for our employees and guests,” says Mark Matthewson, the vice president of hospitality for Sonoma’s La Crema, who predicts that this model will stay in place for the foreseeable future.

While reservations may cut down on the number of guests who may visit the winery at a given time, they also seem to increase guest spending. Byrne notes that Mendocino wineries have reported higher per-visitor sales recently. “The enhanced service with reservation-only, limited capacity, and a seated experience has resulted in increased sales,” she says. Charles Krug has experienced a similar boost; average spend per visitor is up 35 percent.

Safety-related changes to winery policies may result in other opportunities as well. At Cantine Florio in Sicily, which welcomed 50,000 visitors in 2019, the team now limits socially distanced tours to 10 people. “Smaller tours allow for more personal attention to each visitor, and they are really enjoying that experience,” says Giacomo Tarquini, the winery’s global marketing director.

Boosting Revenue Elsewhere

Even though wineries and wine regions are optimistic about the current state of wine tourism, they are still working to cope with lost tourism revenue, be it small or large. Luckily, it seems that few will resort to translating this into increased wine prices because they understand the need to be competitive in the overall wine market.

“In my eyes, increasing the prices in order to cover the losses is the worst reaction to have, so it’s one to avoid,” says Angius. Instead, wineries will likely take a long-term approach to recovery, viewing diminished tourism as they would a bad harvest and expecting to compensate with better sales in coming years.

For some, diminished tourism has underscored the importance of maintaining strong sales across diverse channels. “While we couldn’t open cellar door to the public,” says Tulloch, “the fact that we had wines listed with the major liquor retailers … combined with our wine club and mailing-list sales, plus export, meant we managed to make it through with all of our full-time staff intact.”

With less in-person DTC business, wineries have turned to remote revenue drivers, such as curbside pickup, low-cost shipping, wine clubs, e-commerce, and social media. Even in Provence, where online sales were not robust before the pandemic, e-commerce has emerged as an important revenue driver. “It has increased a lot,” says Eymard.

“The ongoing challenges are forcing wineries to use technology in new and improved ways,” says Laslett. At Landmark Vineyards, tasting room staff members are now conducting private virtual tastings with consumers.

Maintaining Resilience

Given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, it’s difficult to know what the coming months and years hold for the state of wine tourism, and it varies from region to region and producer to producer. “The impact of Covid on all tourism industries will be far-reaching, and I suspect it will take a long time for recovery,” says Tulloch. “I suspect there is still a huge amount of damage to be done, and we will be counting the costs for many years to come.”

Regions that are relatively isolated without plane travel, including islands like Sardinia, face a tougher challenge. Angius expects that even Italians will stay in their respective regions through the end of the year, but he thinks that early avoidance of travel to Italy will fade. “People tend to forget, and we managed the pandemic very well, so now we have the image of a safer place,” he says. “We are already looking and planning for the new year with the eye of what’s good and what we have learned from this situation.”

Many industry members are looking at the potential advantages that the pandemic could lend to wine tourism, particularly the opportunity to connect with local consumers. “There may be long-term, favorable impacts for our industry,” says Massoud. “Since New Yorkers are not really traveling, the East End offers a culturally rich and naturally beautiful escape from the city.”

“We anticipate that domestic travel is where consumers feel the most comfortable,” adds Laslett. “We hope this resonates with would-be international travelers who want a beautiful wine country experience closer to home.” She also hopes that the increased amount of online wine sales will result in more consumers learning about wines and wineries from different regions and therefore planning wine country trips for the future. After all, the inability to travel might just make consumers want to travel to wine regions even more.

“We are sure that tourism will return to where it used to be, and eventually be even stronger,” says Cesari. “We believe that the months of lockdown have not changed people’s desire to travel.”

While 2020 has proven to be a difficult year for wine tourism, wine producers are used to staying tough in the face of challenges. “Covid has had a serious impact on our industry, to the point where some may have been questioning their survival,” says Massoud. “Lately, things have been looking up. Almost all of us are farmers, and farmers are resilient by nature. We know we will get through this.”

The article Domestic Tourism Is Proving to Be a Lifeline for Many Wineries appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/domestic-tourism-lifeline-wineries/

[mastcomm]

In Europe, Fear Spreads Faster Than the Coronavirus Itself

LONDON — A British man who tested positive for coronavirus was branded a “super spreader,” his every movement detailed by the local media.

Business has plummeted in a French ski resort identified as the scene of several transmissions of the virus.

And after some employees of a German car company were diagnosed with the virus, the children of other workers were turned away from schools, despite negative test results.

With 42 confirmed cases across the continent, the coronavirus outbreak is far less serious in Europe than it is in China, where more than 1,100 people have died and the fight to contain the virus has taken on the trappings of a wartime campaign.

But fear itself is proving contagious. And with that fear comes a new social stigma for people and places that have been associated with the outbreak.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organization, warned on Saturday of the dangers of letting fear outpace facts.

Image

Steve Walsh was widely identified in the British media as the man who brought the coronavirus to a ski chalet.Credit…Servomex

“We must be guided by solidarity, not stigma,” Dr. Tedros said in a speech at the Munich Security Conference, adding that fear could hamper global efforts to combat the virus. “The greatest enemy we face is not the virus itself; it’s the stigma that turns us against each other.”

In the United States and elsewhere, people of Asian heritage have faced intense public scrutiny over their health. In Europe, the handful of people confirmed to have been infected have also found themselves in the public glare.

In Britain, where there are nine confirmed cases, news outlets swiftly labeled a businessman at the center of a cluster of transmissions at a French ski chalet a “super spreader” even before the man returned to Britain and tested positive for the virus.

Updated Feb. 10, 2020

What is a Coronavirus? It is a novel virus named for the crown-like spikes that protrude from its surface. The coronavirus can infect both animals and people, and can cause a range of respiratory illnesses from the common cold to more dangerous conditions like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS.

How contagious is the virus? According to preliminary research, it seems moderately infectious, similar to SARS, and is possibly transmitted through the air. Scientists have estimated that each infected person could spread it to somewhere between 1.5 and 3.5 people without effective containment measures.

How worried should I be? While the virus is a serious public health concern, the risk to most people outside China remains very low, and seasonal flu is a more immediate threat.

Who is working to contain the virus? World Health Organization officials have praised China’s aggressive response to the virus by closing transportation, schools and markets. This week, a team of experts from the W.H.O. arrived in Beijing to offer assistance.

What if I’m traveling? The United States and Australia are temporarily denying entry to noncitizens who recently traveled to China and several airlines have canceled flights.

How do I keep myself and others safe? Washing your hands frequently is the most important thing you can do, along with staying at home when you’re sick.

The businessman, Steve Walsh, later came forward to say that he did not know he had contracted coronavirus when he joined friends in France after a business trip to Singapore. He said he had contacted the health authorities as soon as he discovered that had been exposed to the virus and that he had been in isolation at a hospital after testing positive.

When Mr. Walsh’s name and photograph were released, broadcasters breathlessly speculated about his movements. Others mapped his “trail,” while some residents of Brighton and Hove, where Mr. Walsh lives, wondered if it was safe to go outside. Only five cases have been confirmed in the area.

Peter Kyle, a lawmaker who represents the area, said that the fear around the virus was understandable, particularly as the outbreak in China grows. But he said the use of the term “super spreader” was irresponsible.

“The connotation of that term is that he was proactively passing it, that he was willingly transmitting it,” Mr. Kyle said. “Whereas we know for a fact that the moment he became symptomatic, he did everything by the book.”

Part of the problem, Mr. Kyle said, is that people try to reconcile what is happening in China — where more than 70,000 people have tested positive for the virus and tens of millions have essentially been on lockdown for weeks — with what they are seeing nearer to home.

Mr. Kyle said that because the British authorities had not articulated the response strategy clearly to the public, “people are filling in the gaps themselves,” driven in part by misinformation online.

He said that some constituents had asked him to confirm the identities of coronavirus patients and provide a detailed account of where they had been before they went into isolation.

“It just shows there is misunderstanding,” he said. “When there is misunderstanding, prejudice and behavior that is not acceptable.”

The anxiety has also impacted local businesses, like The Grenadier, a pub in Hove where the health authorities determined Mr. Walsh had spent time before he learned he had the virus.

An employee confirmed by phone that the restaurant had been inundated with calls about the coronavirus. In an effort to dispel rumor, the staff posted a statement on Facebook: “You are not in any risk by coming into the pub.”

A spokesman for the British Department of Health and Social Care cautioned against using the virus as an excuse to stigmatize groups and individuals.

The health department also emphasized that doctors did not discharge patients believed to represent any threat to public health.

The French Alpine ski village of Les Contamines-Montjoie has also had to deal with the fears of a coronavirus outbreak. At least six British citizens who stayed in a chalet in the village, including a 9-year-old boy, tested positive for the virus and are still in France.

“We were all spooked,” said Mélanie Boidard, 34, a resident of Les Contamines-Montjoie. “Let’s not pretend otherwise.”

No new cases have been confirmed in the village since the initial cluster, but fears persist. The village of 1,200 usually increases more than tenfold this time of year with the influx of tourists, many of them Britons, coming to the ski resort. But businesses have suffered from rumors of coronavirus contamination.

Philippe Gerault, 65, who runs a ski club in Les Contamines-Montjoie, said about a dozen British clients had canceled reservations for this week.

“It’s panic,” said Eric Paris, the only pharmacist in the village.

Mr. Paris said he had received 300 to 400 calls from people asking for information about the coronavirus.

“People call me and ask ‘I’m coming next week, should I cancel my trip?’” he said. “It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Of the 16 confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany, 14 are linked to the car parts manufacturer Webasto, which reopened its headquarters in Stockdorf last week.

A Chinese employee of the company who is based in Shanghai had visited the Bavarian headquarters for meetings in mid-January.

The employee’s parents had visited her from Wuhan Province, the center of the epidemic, just before she traveled to Germany, and she began showing symptoms on her return flight to China. That same evening, a German employee became ill and was the first German person diagnosed with the coronavirus.

The next day, with three infections reported, the company closed its headquarters — where about 1,000 managers, designers and engineers work — for two weeks in an effort to stop the virus from spreading further.

But outsiders avoided the village, associating it with the coronavirus, local leaders said.

Ludwig Harter, who runs a local cafe, says his business was down 50 percent since news of the local outbreak made national headlines.

“It’s everyone — older ladies and gentlemen, young mothers — many of our customers stopped coming,” said Mr. Harter.

Employees of Webasto said that schools and day care centers were reluctant to take their children, according to Nadine Schian, a spokeswoman for the company. Others reported that their partners had to be tested for the virus before they could go to work.

In one widely reported case, a man who brought his car to his regular mechanic was refused service because he worked for Webasto.

“It’s a small village,” Ms. Schian said. “Everyone knows everyone.”

Megan Specia reported from London, Constant Méheut from Paris and Christopher F. Schuetze from Berlin.

from WordPress https://mastcomm.com/event/in-europe-fear-spreads-faster-than-the-coronavirus-itself-2/

[masksandtruths]

Bless Your Heart-Part 2

A/N: Welllll, looks like there will be more parts to this than I had originally planned. Yikes. Bear with me, because I'm trying. I just get so caught up in it that I don't want to stop the story. This part doesn't even include the prompt I chose for @deanjensengirlmaggie's strange pairings challenge, and for that, I apologize. However, I hope that you enjoy this next piece and want to say thank you to anyone that has taken the time to read this little fanfic of mine.

Warnings: Language, mentions of vomiting and gore

Summary: Dean and Sam are finally on a case in paradise...otherwise known as San Pedro, Belize. Several tourists have gone missing from Ambergris Caye just as the town's biggest festival of the year is ready to kick off, and it has the locals spooked. As the boys try to figure out what is snacking on the travelers, they run into a few members of the opposite sex that may or may not make this job a bit more difficult (but at least hotter) than most...bless their hearts <3

“Well they obviously had no issue becoming friends,” Dean observed as he looked towards his brother clearly enjoying himself with Y/N’s companions.

“Yeah,” Y/N agreed, “Shels never really does. She could make friends with a brick wall.”

“Sam is kind of like that too. Works out well in our line of work. Makes people just open up to him.”

“So what do y’all do, if you don’t mind me asking? Probably the kind of thing to ask before you shove your tongue down someone’s throat, but oh well.” Y/N shrugged and looked over at him, eyes dancing with amusement, waiting to hear his reply.

Dean sighed and went with their standard, vague explanation. “We work for the FBI. Down here because of the missing tourists, but that’s really about as much as I can say without earning a good ass chewing from that lumbering pile of hair over there. Sorry.” He nodded towards Sam who was throwing yet another shot back with the girls.

“No, I totally get it. No need to apologize. I wish I could tell you I was some super cool detective, but alas I’m just a lowly entrepreneur,” Y/N responded with a dramatic sigh. Dean snorted at her performance and asked about her business, genuinely curious for a change. Normally this was just part of the game to get a chick in bed, but this was different. He wanted to know all about her he realized with surprise...every stupid, silly little detail. 'God, I should kick my own ass for acting like such a fruit loop about some girl I barely know,' he thought to himself. But then her tone shifted to one more serious and passionate, and he snapped out of it. Her eyes brightened as she proudly described how she started her small marketing business in her hometown doing little things for family and friends and grew it to the point where she now had to employ three people just to keep up with the workload.

The conversation flowed back and forth easily from there. He liked cars and rock music, so did she. She was a proud, self-proclaimed nerd, his inner nerd showed itself occasionally. She rode horses, he could barely get on one but loved westerns anyway. She was artistic and loved books, he chose to leave that sort of thing to his brother. He’s a natural born fighter, she avoided fighting at all costs but had plenty of backbone when the situation called for it. She had a small family, his was smaller. And on and on it went until the bartender announced last call. By the end of the night, Sam was falling head first into bed after his drinking match with Shelby and Taylor. Dean, on the other hand, was falling head first into something entirely different.

The next morning Sam stumbled out of his bedroom, hair disheveled, clothes rumpled and looking like the epitome of a hangover. Dean glanced up from the Belizian newspaper he was reading while drinking his cup of coffee. “Morning sunshine,” he said in a loud chipper voice.

“Not right now dick wad. My hair hurts. Coffee,” he demanded.

“Your hair hurts?” Dean barked out a laugh as Sam gingerly touched his fingertips to his wild mane of hair. “Jesus dude that must be the most painful hangover ever. Your hair basically makes up 90 percent of you.”

“Fuck you, Dean. Give me 15 minutes to get ready.” As he turned to walk away, Dean swore he heard him mumble something about “freaking Texans” and their “stupid ass alcohol tolerance.”

Thirty minutes and a wild bumpy golf cart ride later, a green faced Sam and a thoroughly amused Dean were staring at a half-eaten, pin hole riddled, decaying corpse. The examiner told them the results confirmed the man was in fact one of the missing tourists, and the small puncture wounds were the cause of death.

“Well at least the poor bastard wasn’t alive while he was being munched on,” Dean said as he looked over the file.

Michael Frederick. Caucasian. Male. 36 years old. Five feet and eleven inches tall. Brown hair and brown eyes. Reported missing by the group of friends that had accompanied him to the island for his bachelor party. Found in a marsh on the southern side near the old Mayan ruin archaeological site.

“What a shitty way to go. Worst bachelor party ever.”

The examiner nodded his agreement as he bent over the body and focused on something resembling a nasty cotton ball stuffed into one of the victim’s wounds.

“What the hell is that?” Sam asked as he stood over the examiner’s shoulder.

“I have no idea, but I’ll send it off to the lab for testing and should have something back by the morning.” He reached his gloved fingers into the sore to pluck out the fibrous object, which to Dean’s delight, caused Sam to turn an even deeper shade of green.

The boys thanked him and stepped outside into the Belizean sunshine and fresh air. Sam immediately pulled his sunglasses over his eyes and took an unsteady breath as he tried to calm the rolling in his stomach. Dean, never able to turn down a chance to torture his oversized baby brother, let out a low whistle. “Whew, man, did you catch a whiff of the stench coming off that guy? That was awful. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that smell.” Sam’s bitch face came out to play as he realized exactly what Dean was doing. “And geez, all those holes? Limbs shredded and gnawed on? Wonder what he did to deserve that kind of death?” No reply from a stone-faced Sam, so he continued. “And what the hell was that cotton stuff in the one wound? Just gross. Dude, when he stuck his fingers in that rotting flesh I thought I was going to lose it.” Dean earned a small gag from his brother at that one, but Sam regained control. Dean pressed on, scrunching his nose and making a disgusted face. “Oh and the sound it made as he pulled that thing out…Buh-huh-huhhhh. All that soggy, stinky junk still stuck in it. Hey what do you think that slimy shit covering it was?” And with that, Sam doubled over and emptied the contents of his stomach in the street.

“Jerk,” groaned Sam when he finally quit heaving.

“Bitch.” Dean smiled. “Maybe you can get the girls to teach you how to handle your drinks, Sammy.” 

Another half hour later, the boys carefully made their way down the raggedy ass walkway that led to the Marco Gonzales Maya Site where the body had been found. It looked like it had been pieced together with every scrap of driftwood and trash that washed up on the island over the last decade. Definite safety hazard.

“Man, back in the states OSHA would shut this down quick. You are one clumsy moment away from falling on your ass into this swamp and being some lucky gator’s main course.” Dean wiped at the sweat running down his face as he studied the uneven boards beneath his feet.

“Dude, don’t even pretend like you care what OSHA would think about anything. Safety isn’t exactly your middle name.” Sam called out from a few steps behind his older brother. “By the way, maybe you should have brought your trusty mosquito spray. I can’t tell where your jacket ends and the insects begin.”

Dean slapped at his back, causing a grey cloud to rise up and fly away momentarily before settling back into position to continue their task of trying to find a vulnerable piece of skin to attack. “Why do you think I decided to leave this jacket on, Captain Smart Ass? You think I did it because I enjoy sweating my balls off?”

Sam just shook his head knowing that anything he said would send his brother further into his little hissy fit about the heat and humidity and “pterodactyl bloodsuckers”.  The walkway dead ended into a soggy piece of land surrounded by more mangroves and dotted with small trees and other scraggly vegetation. A few of the trees bore a small laminated sign with directions to one of the several Mayan plazas. “Well Dean, you made it all the way here without being carried off by bugs or falling into the swamp, congratulations,” chided Sam.

“Yeah and apparently so did our vic.” Dean pointed to the police tape around a section of land to their immediate left that was butted up to the water. “Too bad something even worse was waiting to chomp down on the poor bastard.”

Sam drifted over to the area and did a quick scan, immediately noticing more of the fibrous material similar to the stuff extracted from the man’s wound earlier that day. “Here is some more of that cottony shit, but I don’t get where it is coming from.” He looked at the surrounding trees and plants. “I don’t see anything around here producing anything like that.”

Dean picked up a piece and examined it. “Reminds me of the fluff that exploded out the back of that fucking teddy bear’s head when he tried to off himself. Remember that, Sammy?” He smiled at the memory of one of their crazy cases and looked at his brother.

“Yeah man I remember, but that doesn’t do us one damn bit of good. We need to find out exactly what that shit is. I don’t even know what the fuck to research as of right now.”

Dean didn’t know where to start either if he was going to be perfectly honest with himself. “Well let’s take some pictures and get out of this swamp. We’ll find a bar, grab a beer and ponder on it a bit.”

Sam pulled his phone from his pocket to snap a couple pictures of the scene as he reluctantly admitted to his brother that alcohol didn’t exactly appeal to him at the moment. “Dean, man, I’ve got the bubble gut.  I don’t know if I can handle drinking right now. There’s a very real possibility I’m still only about half way sober.” Just thinking about it caused another wave of nausea to roll through his stomach.

“Hair of the dog, Sammy. Come on, don’t be a punk ass. There’s a lobster burrito and a Belikin calling my name, and I can’t think on an empty stomach,” Dean called as he turned and started to make his way back down the long walkway towards the golf cart.

“Since when do you do the thinking anyway, asshole?” Sam retorted as he put his phone away and followed his older brother. “Let’s just hope your dumb ass can quit day dreaming about Y/N long enough to actually help me solve this thing before someone else ends up looking like a pincushion.”

“Ha…ha…ha, the little brother has jokes, but at least I’m not the one that puked in the street this morning after spending the evening drinking with a couple chicks,” Dean shot back sarcastically. Sam made a vulgar gesture in his direction and spit some other insults his way, but truth be told, not one lick of it registered in his mind. Just as the sasquatch behind him had predicted, he was already back to his thoughts about a certain someone with enough brains, beauty and “bless your hearts” for the whole damn island…and suddenly his feet started stepping over those old uneven boards a little faster.

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