#zs week 2023

[simplylilyyy]

Day 5: 40 year old

Too late for Zosan Week? Probably, but OH WELL~ I really wanted to contribute so here's some 40!ZS

⚠️DO NOT REPOST⚠️

[natsukiconnerva]

Just two gay geezers being soft

That's it.

[blorboazula]

The Hunger Games 2023 Renaissance and Gen Z's "Bad Media Literacy"

So, not sure how it's going on other social media, but The Hunger Games – that will be referred to as THG in this little "essay" – is having a massive "renaissance" all over TikTok. And I've seen, more than once, unfortunately, people saying that Gen Z people have bad media literacy.

My issue with that is one specific argument. One about the people who have been genuinely surprised with nuances and details they didn't notice in the first they read it.

Which's such a stupid argument. Even more when, as I've seen, made by people who read the books as they came out and watched the movies as they came out. They tend to be in the younger side of the Millennials.

Do you know when Gen Zs were born? Here:

So, let's say the specific years are from 1995 up to 2013.

Here's when the trilogy was originally published;

As you see: a significant part of this generation couldn't read or wasn't even born when these books came out. That's how young this generation is.

But also, the oldest ones were between 13 and 16 as the books came out. It's unfair to expect that a 13-year-old will read THG and see the same subtext and nuances and have the same interpretation as people 18-and-above.

It's not bad media literacy that someone in their mid-to-late 20s is seeing things in a trilogy they've read ten or more years ago.

I, for example, read these books in 2013. They came out in 2010/1/2 in Brazil. I borrowed them from a classmate who had the money to buy them as they came out here. I was 15. Then got my hands on PDFs and read them in English later in the same year, I was 16. I never noticed a lot of subtext and nuances and shit when I read them ten years ago.

Both because of course I wouldn't, I was a teenager. And I read it as an escapism for some stuff. They were fun. I read the trilogy in a week – which's fast when you have school, schoolwork, almost all the home chores and the responsibility of taking care of an adult – and I wasn't looking for anything but a distraction. For a little bit of fun.

People roughly my age are seeing these videos and talks and are learning details and nuances they didn't before. It's fun, it's nice. I'm having a blast to re-read those books aware that they're more than what I thought they were back in the day.

Don't belittle people for not understand deeper and more mature topics when they didn't have the age and maturity to understand those topics.

[destinyc1020]

I think we all saw the tightening up of her socials coming this year. Not only because she’s maturing in age and her career, but just from 2023 alone. She had a lot of negative backlash and fan discourse; practically going viral daily on the bird app. I tried to summarize the best I could from this past year:

Jan: fan accounts worried about her “well being” as she’s not seen for a couple of weeks and not as active on social. She feels the need to respond “I’m excellent thank you” from her vacation to calm them down.

Feb: fans losing it on socials as the rumors are true, she is an LV girl now. Many fans not supportive of the change.

Mar-Apr: Law’s surprise retirement and Z feeling the need to assist online with the negative feedback

May: Negative news about Sam Levinson comes out and Z is automatically tide to him .

Jun: Stans show their ugly faces online when Z is working in LA during Tom’s bday and TC is at the party. She claps back at Daily Mail for spreading fake news.

Jul: Fans upset with Z on how she grieves privately over costars death. She feels the need to post and remind fans about grieving in private.

Aug: a lot of negative talk online about Zs upcoming roles and people not being able to separate fact/fiction. A lot of spamming Tom’s account due to this and negative reaction to Tom’s gay sex scene online. Tom posts on IG and Z doesn’t like it causing another bird app rumor they broke up.

Sept: the “my haaaaaaattttt” saga with a guest appearance from Darnell’s live. “Fans” begin harassing Claire and Darnell’s lives and posts with accusations on Z and/or her private relationship.

Oct: More negative backlash as she stays silent during writers strike and Gaza/palestine conflict. She posts a link on her stories to aid victims in the war.

Nov - Dec: mums the word.

Giiiiirrrrrl.... when you put it in a list like this, it's so easy to see how "fans" and ppl in the gc routinely cross the line and are just so negative online ALL the time. 😔

I'm not even surprised if Z feels like taking a break from social media is for the best at this point.

I've always said that it's such a shame how people on Twitter will treat celebrities... people they don't even KNOW personally 🙄.....and just say the meanest, most vilest things about them on Twitter or the internet.

Then, these same people will then complain online about how their faves "no longer visit or post on social media anymore..." 😒 Well gee, I wonder why! 🤔🤨

I think people forget that at the end of the day, celebrities are just HUMAN beings just like the rest of us. They have feelings too! 😔

I'm so glad that Z and Tom (and many others!) have decided to lessen their time on social media.

[zecretsanta]

hello!! will this event be held this year? i’d love to participate!

Hello! Former mods J and D are back to reply to this ask ~

So the future of Zecret Santa is a little bit up in the air right now. The lovely mods who stepped in last year have said that they don't have time to run the event again this year, and likewise we (mods J and D), don't have time either, so we've thought of a couple of solutions:

If anyone is interested in picking up Zecret Santa, we'd be more than happy to pass it off to new mods. We can grant access to the blog and share resources we've been using to run things so far. We're also available to provide advice and moral support should you need it. Running Zecret Santa alone is probably feasible, but we recommend having at least two people to lighten some of the load.

If no one is interested in running Zecret Santa, we'd be sad to see the event die entirely. So the other thought is we could run a Zecret Santa theme week. We could come up with a list of general prompts for each day of the week (probably to run from Dec. 24-31) that you can fill and post to your blog, and we can reblog if you tag the the ZS account or the use the "#Zecret Santa 2023" tag. We'll of course take suggestions for prompts from you guys!

Alternatively, instead of having a list of general word prompts, we could have Zecret Santa prompt week where everyone submits prompts anonymously via a word doc (as many as you want and whether or not you plan to participate), then we'll open the prompt list up for claims (it will be very casual, just write your name beside which one you want to fill) and then if you fill one of the prompts you can post it any time between Dec. 24-31. These wouldn't be gifts for anyone specific, but rather a fun way to crowd source some ideas from the fandom.

If you're interested in taking over Zecret Santa proper, please let us know ASAP. If we haven't heard from anyone by October 31, we'll plan on running a prompt week of some kind.

If you have any other ideas or suggestions for the future of Zecret Santa, we're all ears! Feel free to shoot us an ask.

We'll let you know if we have any updates in the search for new mods; otherwise, keep an eye out for information around the end of October/beginning of November for updates - we'll likely take a poll about next steps/what you'd like a prompt week to look like.

Best, Mods J and D

[kwiyoshi]

彡✎ Is Blogging Still a Thing, or Did It Get Lost in MySpace? ("Is blogging still relevant in the age of TikToks and Instagram?")

Every time I go on social media platforms like Twitter or Tumblr, I can post the most trauma-dumping content to ever exist, or even post the funniest memes. This image is all I could think about in regard to that.

In a world where cat videos go viral and memes have become a form of communication, it's high time we ask: Is blogging still relevant in the age of TikTok and Instagram?

Blogging? Whats that

A blog is defined as an online journal or informational website that displays content in reverse chronological order, with the most recent posts appearing first. It serves as a sort of forum for writers to express their opinions on specific topics (Minaev 2023). Over the years, the relevancy of blog sites such as Tumblr and even Blogspot (now known as Blogger) seems to be declining.

Tumblr, tumbled away

For Tumblr specifically, I noticed that not a lot of people are talking about or even using Tumblr after they banned explicit content on the platform. Honestly, even before they banned adult content, I still never heard anything about Tumblr. However, it was reported that the website experienced its most significant drop in the number of blogs following the ban on adult-oriented content in December 2018, plummeting from 521 million to less than 370 million in just two months (Eira 2023).

To make matters worse, Tumblr does not even appear on any of the social media usage rankings anymore. Most people nowadays would prefer using social media platform giants such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. In short, Tumblr fell off. From that, it seems that Tumblr isn't "the vibe™" anymore with Gen-Zs.

Despite Tumblr not seeing the light of day in today's generation, I do think that blogging in general is still relevant on platforms such as Twitter and its newest competitor, Threads (from Meta). I do think that some, if not, most of the community from Tumblr has migrated to Twitter due to the similarities that the two platforms have.

Twitter, Oops I meant X

Twitter, or you can even call it "X" (don't call it that), has done quite an amazing job at carrying on Tumblr's legacy but through a different format. Twitter is considered as a microblogging platform that combines content creation and instant messaging. It also increases interaction with an online audience by sharing brief remarks using a microblog (Sprout Social 2023). Personally, I think that Twitter is a great platform to receive news, interact with the fandom that I am in, and also see who got canceled (again). I feel that part of the reason why Twitter seems to be more popular than Tumblr is due to the character limit that Twitter has, which is capped at 280 characters per post (without the premium subscription). As someone who suffers from mild ADHD, I would prefer Twitter to Tumblr for that reason. I find that Tumblr could be quite overwhelming to some people, especially those who have just started out. Twitter, on the other hand, is mostly short-formed content, that can also be separated out as a thread.

Here are a few examples that I took from my own Twitter page:

Hanging on by a Thread(s)

Threads (from Meta), is also really similar to Twitter in terms of everything. It is also a microblogging platform. In my honest opinion, I quickly got tired of Threads after a week of using it. I just thought it was quite boring to use and there isn't really anything new other than being able to still use your existing Instagram account to create a Threads account. It just felt really similar to Twitter and I think that might be part of the reason why it is not doing as well. I also feel like I am very comfortable with Twitter and have been a part of Twitter for a long time now (even though it got rebranded to "X"). I still hate the fact that Twitter got rebranded to X. No one can ever make me call it X.

Welcome back to my channel !

Besides Tumblr and Threads, blogging has also evolved into a video format, called vlogging. Vlogging is short for video blogging or video logging (changing the b to v from blogging, very original). Most content creators nowadays would typically post either their daily routine or the adventures they had on platforms like YouTube or TikTok. Each of their videos has a unique style that fits the aesthetic or personal preference of the creator. I find that vlogging is one of the easiest media to consume due to the fact that it is in a video format where I can see their vlogs visually and also from their own perspective.

Final thoughts and prayers

Overall, I do believe that, in some aspects, blogging is still a thing and is also relevant in the ages of TikToks and Instagram. With social media platforms such as Twitter, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, and Tumblr, blogging will remain relevant.

References:

Eira, A 2023, Number of Tumblr blogs in 2022/2023: User Demographics, growth, and revenue, Finances Online, viewed 27 September 2023, <https://financesonline.com/number-of-tumblr-blogs/#:~:text=The%20site%20suffered%20its%20biggest,the%20global%20COVID%2D19%20lockdown>.

Sprout Social 2022, Microblog, Sprout Social, viewed 27 September 2023, <https://sproutsocial.com/glossary/microblog/#:~:text=Microblogging%20is%20a%20combination%20of,offer%20popular%20platforms%20for%20microblogging>.

Minaev, A 2023, What is a blog? - definition of blog, Blogging & Blogger, First Site Guide, viewed 27 September 2023, <https://firstsiteguide.com/what-is-blog/>.

[charlotteswebbbbb]

What's the vibe? #37

News:

Rishi Sunak has decided to push back on the UK's net zero commitments. What does it mean for us?

Side read: What Rishi Sunak’s net zero overhaul means for UK emissions (FT)

Net Zero: "Put simply, net zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) that's produced and the amount that's removed from the atmosphere. It can be achieved through a combination of emission reduction and emission removal." -National Grid

Probably the most relevant policy change to a young person is the end of the sale of diesel and petrol cars from 2030 to 2035. I guess this helps the car makers but we also must think about clean air, and resources (oil) still needed to be used.

I wasn't certain before but between this, HS2 not being fully developed for the whole country and abolishing inheritance tax, we might see the end of the 13 year Tory party rule in 10 Downing Street. It's just not going well with Tory donors who have been with the party for years. It's very obvious now that climate change is a topic that is seen as unavoidable across party lines so pushing back targets is really unpopular.

Young people ditching ambitions over UK cost of living crisis, research finds - The Guardian

"Two-thirds of the 18- to 24-year-olds who were questioned for the research have lowered their career expectations, with the cost of living, the state of the UK economy and their own mental health named as the biggest factors.

The research, based on interviews with 2,500 young people, was carried out for the Prince’s Trust with the LadBible Group, with a consumer youth panel consisting of over 55,000 Gen Zs, born between 1997 and 2012, and millennials, born between 1981 and 1996."

How can we inspire young people in this country to see optimistically? How can we create places where we get together and do healthy (maybe non alcohol related) activities? Where they can focus if they want to, lose themselves in something artistic if they want to or just be spiritually replenished by environments they choose to be in.

London Design Festival just finished, saw this amazing AI work by moooi x EveryHuman. An interview also with I think the same company?

Milan Fashion Week:

Prada:

Sunnei - quite an interesting show. Again following the trend of audience participation during Milan Fashion Week alongside Diesel. Also connected to the trend of maybe main character energy??? Not very clear on how to describe this but also connected to a post on twitter going viral about actors and how they look during Cannes press junkets with their names and microphones and also the new B*lenciaga campaign with sunglasses.

B*lenciaga campaign:

New York was very clothes to be seen in...maybe passive even, this feels a little more power charged, you are being perceived at every angle but that's okay, you look great.

Bottega:

New Albums:

Doja Cat, Loraine James, Laurel Halo, Yeule, Eartheater, Kylie Minogue....

Beauty:

Business of the week:

EatWasted - A Copenhagen based company making pasta from bread waste. They also do "supper clubs"/food events, with the cooked pasta where people are asked to BYOB (bring your own bowl) to reduce waste and donate food to people in need. Each bowl is 99kr (=£11).

Reading List:

Dazed Magazine, Issue 281, Volume V, Autumn 2023

China's Gen Z Is Trying to Leisure-Shop Way Out of Jobless Blues (Bloomberg)

"Recent college graduate Yang Zhifeng, 22, became discouraged and decided not to hunt for a full-time job after seeing hundreds of applicants applying for just one white-collar position. Despite her newly inked degree, she settled for work as a part-time receptionist at a Shanghai hostel catering to job seekers, for only 1,000 yuan ($137) a month.

Regardless, Yang said she still allocates money to visit local tourism spots, attend comic conventions and try hot new restaurants with her friends. 

“When the job market is that bad, why are we struggling and giving ourselves a hard time?” she said. “This is a good time to rethink what lifestyle fits us better and makes us happier.”

#real

Should concerts start earlier? (Dirt)

Does sex still sell in fashion?: At Milan Fashion Week, designers were desperate to make this sexy thing happen. - by Rachel Tashjian (WaPo)

[market-news-24]

Bud Light continues to see declining sales as competitors Modelo and Coors battle to maintain their Market gains. Despite aggressive efforts to boost revenue, Bud Light struggles to keep up with the growing popularity of its rivals. As consumer preferences shift towards craft brews and Mexican imports, these beer giants are facing stiff competition in the beer Market. Click to Claim Latest Airdrop for FREE Claim in 15 seconds Scroll Down to End of This Post const downloadBtn = document.getElementById('download-btn'); const timerBtn = document.getElementById('timer-btn'); const downloadLinkBtn = document.getElementById('download-link-btn'); downloadBtn.addEventListener('click', () => downloadBtn.style.display = 'none'; timerBtn.style.display = 'block'; let timeLeft = 15; const timerInterval = setInterval(() => if (timeLeft === 0) clearInterval(timerInterval); timerBtn.style.display = 'none'; downloadLinkBtn.style.display = 'inline-block'; // Add your download functionality here console.log('Download started!'); else timerBtn.textContent = `Claim in $timeLeft seconds`; timeLeft--; , 1000); ); Win Up To 93% Of Your Trades With The World's #1 Most Profitable Trading Indicators [ad_1] The dust is settling, and results from the beer giants are coming in. Bud Light parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev posted better-than-expected Q1 results, a year after an advertising campaign kicked off a boycott starting April 2023. Yet, Constellation Brands and Molson Coors have been fighting to hold on to their gains from Bud's losses while looking for more room to grow. Revenue for Anheuser-Busch jumped 2.6% to $14.55 billion from higher prices, but volume sold dropped 0.6%, though it was less than anticipated. The largest decline came from North America, where volume dropped 9.9%, largely due to sales of Bud Light. Sales to retailers and wholesalers were down 13.7% and 10.7%, respectively, in the US. "We've lost a whole generation of hardcore Bud Light shoppers," Bump Williams of Bump Williams Consulting told Yahoo Finance. "It's going to take us at least 10 years to try and recapture what we lost in one year." Williams said AB InBev will have to "buy" shoppers. As Gen Zs grow up and turn 21, they'll turn to brands that made an impression on them in their younger years. Since the plunge in Bud Light's sales first hit in Q2 2023, its next quarterly results will be the true test of the company. "We think a lot of consumers are never going back ... but some are coming back," CFRA analyst Garrett Nelson told Yahoo Finance. Over the last four-week period, Bud Light sales are still down 27.1% from a year ago, whereas Miller Lite is up 7.8% and Coors Light grew 15.3%, according to data from Bump Williams Consulting. Nelson called Molson Coors the "primary beneficiary of the fallout." In Molson Coors's Q1 results, CEO Gavin Hattersley said grocery shelf space is expected to increase for both Miller Lite and Coors Light, and Coors Banquet. Hattersley believes that will lead to higher sales, especially ahead of the critical summer season. Yet, Constellation Brands is the "massive winner," according to Williams. "Everything they have in the marketplace is growing — everything," he commented. Last June, Modelo overtook Bud Light as the No. 1 beer in the US. Its CEO Bill Newlands seemed confident that the company could keep its momentum. Constellation's beer volumes jumped 8.9% year over year in the latest quarter while sales jumped 11%, both beating Wall Street estimates. Win Up To 93% Of Your Trades With The World's #1 Most Profitable Trading Indicators [ad_2] 1. Why are Bud Light sales declining? - Bud Light sales are falling due to increased competition from other beer brands like Modelo and Coors, as well as changing consumer preferences towards craft and imported beers. 2. How are Modelo and Coors fighting to keep their gains?

- Modelo and Coors are implementing strategic Marketing campaigns and introducing new products to attract customers and increase their Market share in the beer industry. 3. What is contributing to the change in consumer preferences? - Consumers are becoming more interested in trying a variety of beers, including craft and imported options, leading to a shift away from traditional domestic brands like Bud Light. 4. Will Bud Light be able to regain its Market share? - It's uncertain if Bud Light will be able to regain its lost Market share, as competition in the beer industry continues to intensify and consumer preferences evolve. 5. How can Bud Light adapt to the changing Market trends? - Bud Light can adapt by expanding its product offerings to include more craft or flavored beer options, as well as investing in targeted Marketing campaigns to appeal to a broader range of consumers. Win Up To 93% Of Your Trades With The World's #1 Most Profitable Trading Indicators [ad_1] Win Up To 93% Of Your Trades With The World's #1 Most Profitable Trading Indicators Claim Airdrop now Searching FREE Airdrops 20 seconds Sorry There is No FREE Airdrops Available now. Please visit Later function claimAirdrop() document.getElementById('claim-button').style.display = 'none'; document.getElementById('timer-container').style.display = 'block'; let countdownTimer = 20; const countdownInterval = setInterval(function() document.getElementById('countdown').textContent = countdownTimer; countdownTimer--; if (countdownTimer < 0) clearInterval(countdownInterval); document.getElementById('timer-container').style.display = 'none'; document.getElementById('sorry-button').style.display = 'block'; , 1000);

[equestrianempire]

Wednesday News & Notes from Ocala Horse Properties

Happening this week – the 2024 $100,000 Conceal Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field, presented by Taylor, Harris Insurance Services (GPE) Organizing Committee and the Aiken Horse Park Foundation.

Making the podium at all five editions of the event – and scoring a hattrick of wins – Liz Halliday has three chances to defend her title, with Cooley Quicksilver (winner of the 4*S at Kentucky last season), Cooley Nutcracker (winner of two 4*L events in 2023) and last year’s champ (and Kentucky 5* third place finisher) Miks Master C all set to take their turn in the start box. It’s tough to bet against her, but with a super-stellar lineup, the competition is hot hot hot!

We’ll see all the US big hitters – the likes of Phillip Dutton, Will Coleman, Buck Davidson, Will Faudree and Lillian Heard Wood, who all bring two rides, with Boyd Martin and Doug Payne each having three shots at the title. And the list goes on… Maryland 5* winner Austin O’Connor is over from Ireland, and there are not one but two 2023 Pan-Am Games gold medalists in the form of Caroline Pamukcu (individual gold) and Canada’s Coleen Loach (team gold). There are just too many top contenders to mention here – one thing’s for sure, we’re in for a stacked competition and we can’t wait!

The action kicks off with dressage at 8am EST on Friday, followed by show jumping at 3pm. The cross country gets underway on Saturday at 12:30pm. You can watch it all play out live on H&C+ (subscription required) and we’ll of course be bringing you everything you need to know – keep it locked onto EN and follow @goeventing as we dive into the 2024 season.

2024 $100,000 Conceal Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Ride For Charity Teams] [Ride For Charity Online Vote] [Volunteer] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Also of note: Today is National Public Sleeping Day, which, to my understanding, means that it’s entirely legal – and indeed encouraged – for you to take a nap, wherever and whenever the Zs take you. Think staff meetings, while waiting in line, during particularly boring conversations you’d rather not be having – please not in the saddle. Apparently Oliver Townend snatches forty winks between cross country rounds at 5* events, which makes it totally plausible for me to round this off by saying go eventing, and nap.

U.S. Weekend Preview

2024 $100,000 Conceal Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Ride For Charity Teams] [Ride For Charity Online Vote] [Volunteer] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage] Schedule – [03/01 8am-2pm EST Dressage] [03/01 3pm-5pm EST Show Jumping] [03/02 12:30pm-3pm EST Cross Country]

Full Gallop Farm March Wednesday H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Rocking Horse Winter III H.T. (Altoona, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Sporting Days Farm March H.T. II (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Twin Rivers Winter H.T. (Paso Robles, CA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

International Events

Portuguese Spring Tour (Mata do Duque) [Timetable] [Entries] [Scoring] [Portuguese Eventing Association Facebook Page] [More Info]

Wednesday News and Reading

We’re kicking off today’s News and Reading with a couple of cool opportunities – first up the chance to have your event horse’s conformation critiqued by former USEA YEH Championship judge Chris Ryan. All you need to do is send a conformation photo and short video of your horse – straight on and from the side – being led at walk and trot to [email protected] and it’ll be considered as part of the USEA’s Conformation Critique series. You only have ‘til Wednesday March 6th, so cameras at the ready and have at it.

Next up, bookings are open for British Eventing’s webinar with Sally Mcginn from Mind Oddessey, where she’ll be talking all things reflection. From making balanced reflections and dealing with post competition blues to identifying strengths and working on the gaps, the session sounds like it’ll be super helpful for those of us who are striving towards competition aspirations as well as less competitive but thoughtful riders who use reflection to improve their performance when working towards goals at home. The webinar will take place on March 14th at 7pm GMT and costs £15.

And while we’re on the topic of things coming up – what better way to celebrate an extra day this year than to get quizzy with it? In aid of the British Eventing Support Trust but absolutely open to anyone around the world who enjoys getting quizzical, this leap year quiz night is sure to be a blast – and there’s a trophy at stake. If I win, can I claim it as an eventing win? My general knowledge may not be quite so general as it could be, but I’ve for sure got a better chance of winning a quiz than an event. If you’re up for the competition, you need to register to receive the Zoom link, which you can do right here. The questions will be comin’ at ya from 7pm GMT / 2pm EST tomorrow (February 29th). See you there.

With a bunch of medals to his name, including Olympic gold, US based British eventer and USEF Emerging and Development Coach Leslie Law is a voice we listen to when it comes to training tips. 17-year-old Austin Skeens got to do just that in person when he had the opportunity to train with Leslie as part of the USEF E18 training program, and lucky for us, he’s shared what he learned. With tips for all three phases, from straightness in dressage and nailing your show jumping warm up to making good choices for your horse on the cross country, there’s lots here for us all to take away and work on.

Yes, we’re once more revisiting the phenomenon that is Shane Rose’s mankini – which is apparently not one of the silliest riding costumes ever seen. A research poll conducted by the ‘Chillax Institute’ has concluded that the scrap of neon orange was actually a rather fitting choice, given its aerodynamic properties and the weather in Australia at this time of year. And as far as the accolade of ‘silliest riding costume’ goes, Shane’s mankini didn’t even make the top-five on the list. It’s probably time we put ‘mankini-gate’ to bed, but there’s for sure one more laugh to be had in this satirical jaunt.

And finally… Saving the best / weirdest / most hilarious ‘til last, I present to you donkey basketball. Yes, really. It’s basically basketball on donkey-back, and the justification for such an intriguing addition to the sport is the added unpredictability these stubborn equines bring to the game. You will see plenty of planting. You probably won’t see a donkey doing a slam dunk. (If you’re in any doubt that this is a thing, here’s proof.)

Sponsor Corner

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Video Break

We’re so lucky to be involved in a sport where age and sex pose relatively limited barriers to not only enjoying the sport, but also competing at the highest levels within it. From show jumping legend John Whittaker, who’s still at the top of his game aged 68, to eventing’s own eight-time Olympian, Andrew Hoy, aged 65, and long-time hero Pippa Funnell, who’s smashing it for the horsegirls at 55, there are many shining examples of the longevity that equestrian sports provide athletes. At the other end of the scale are competitors such as Sky Brown, Britain’s youngest ever summer Olympian, who won a bronze medal in skateboarding in Tokyo. Here’s what went down when King of Dressage Carl Hester met the young talent:

[yang-boya]

the future of fashion in 2030

Socialising in the metaverse

Young people will meet up in the metaverse and go to virtual fashion events. 31% of Gen Zs are interested in socialising and 24% in attending an event in the metaverse. The 2nd Metaverse Fashion Week will be held in March 2023.

Virtual fashion looks

Digital AR fashion subscriptions allow people to update their images on social media. Digital-only fashion company DressX is leading the way. 62% of Gen Zs are interested in social media features that let them try a product virtually.

Digital bricks

The store of the future blends the physical and digital. 52% find it useful to use a smartphone in-store to find out more about products.Hugo Boss' digital Oxford Street store exemplifies this. New AR tech will personalise the experience.

Virtual try-on

Zalando is piloting a virtual fitting room that will use AI to allow customers to try pieces on a digital avatar. Technology will be used to make online shopping for clothes easier and reduce the need for people to return clothes.

Wearable tech controls

Sony's sensor tags can be attached to clothing and allow the user to accurately control the movements of their avatar in real time. People will be able to visualise and test how items such as sportswear will perform.

When shopping for clothes people use their own avatar that is personalised with their exact measurements. This helps solve problems with fit when buying online as 37% of shoppers struggle to find clothes that flatter their bodyshape.

[multiple-authors]

(17 November 2023)

Today has been nice so far. Got out of bed after lying in bed longer than I should have, knowing that the longer I stayed in bed the harder it would be to get out and the easier it would be to fall into bad thoughts. Today I wanted to save myself from that. I went to the gym, dropped my bike off for a service and have since had breakfast and a bath. Sitting down to do some making today. I want to remind myself first of the thoughts I've had this week. I met with Consuelo after work last night for a cup of tea. Served by the sexy waiter is most definitely not gay. Realising that I need to feel sexy in myself, confident on more layers than one to have a real libido. Thinking I'm asexual has been common. Leaning into fiction because it gives me the space to test and act things out with the safety of it not being real in the same way as the non fiction of my own life.

Manifesto for my life in practice: 1. "I have nothing to say, only to show" – Benjamin. Applied, actionable thinking over abstract, generalised theory... Specifically look at material culture, the material building blocks of life/reality making. Lots of small paintings together to create a scene. Not necessarily all cohesive in terms of jigsaw physics. Action over thinking, and if thinking, make sure I am doing it as action, with intention, not floating around.

2. "Deep down I am just scared, and that's ok". Let go of too much control, fear won't leave, learn to accept it. Cut the shite and remove all the distractions or worries or uncertainties. Just do the work and work to completion, without experimentation, perfectionism, opinion of others as the focus, just work and it will happen.

3. Be nice to myself. Treat yourself like a child. Check in with myself to see how I am feeling. Ask myself if I am ok. And listen for the answer. Feed myself with lots of nice food, this is a priority everyday. Sleep eight hours. I have realised I do actually need eight hours in bed for sleeping. Treat myself to small luxuries, like flowers, warm face flannels, nice smells.

4. Stop reading painting as an attempt at solving the world, and depicting the whole world, at being right. It is asking too much. Forgive myself for not being the perfect painter, for not making the perfect paintings. Think about ZS's Fascinated to Presume. Think about the performative,  socially constructed or assigned. Be the unreliable narrator of my own life, because being wholly objective here is impossible, trust myself. Maybe the point is to be confused, inaccurate, show my fateful plight.

Soaking wet: Finish some smaller pieces about soaking wet as a general concept: everything is soaking wet. what is happening? everyday, casual happenings, things about to happen. Problem has arisen with image generation, not necessarily generation but bolting it down, I have been too indecisive and I get paralysed by the possibility. To solve this, think of a painting not as a depiction of the absolute, or something fully refined, just an episode. Painting as a poem, an essay, a sentence. Are we going to work via image or via writing.

[whattheabcxyz]

2023-10-09

Singapore

Bomb shelter in Pasir Ris condo listed for rental at $650/mth

47-year-old woman dead of suspected drug overdose at Redhill flat - no foul play suspected

Experts say more young PMETs here taking long breaks from work to recharge

Rainbow Centre to review policies after confirming it received $72K of laundered money

Gen Zs here are happy to be unemployed - humans should've stopped propagating about a generation ago, so these useless new people wouldn't be around to laze & consume additional resources

PSI back in moderate range today as winds shift

There are at least 2 scam reports every week in the news here now - usually they involve greedy + stupid people

Lawyer suspended 6 months for promising but failing to supervise M Ravi - if he needs supervision, shouldn't he be in an asylum?!

Environment

Jokowi is taking action to fight Indonesian fires

Agriculture

Singapore: Vegetable farm & vehicles share a carpark in Hougang

Health

Unvaccinated people who recover from COVID-19 supposedly at higher risk of heart complications

Art

^ The tombstone sculptor who carved his own death in granite - incidentally, it was his trade that killed him

Travel

CAAS flags shortcomings in 2022 incident where SIA jet was forced to land in Batam due to low fuel - poor decision-making on the part of those involved

[carhirenews]

WAF Auto News | The Auto World This Week (14th July 2023)

“WAF AutoNews” is World’s No.1 in World Auto News.Click Here to See for yourself. INDIA Volkswagen Taigun Gets 5 Stars, Jeep Renegade Scores 1 Star in Latin NCAP Crash Tests car&bike MG ZS EV with updated ADAS suite launched at Rs 27.90 lakh Autocar Auto Industry Performance of June-2023 WAF Tesla looking to make about half million EVs annually […] The post WAF Auto News | The Auto World This Week (14th July 2023) appeared first on CAR RENTAL NEWS. https://car-rental.news-6.com/waf-auto-news-the-auto-world-this-week-14th-july-2023/

[gadgetsforusesblog]

Zscaler Announces Strong Fiscal Q3 Results. The stock of cybersecurity is soaring.

Cyber ​​security company Zscaler (ZS) on Monday pre-announced its fiscal third quarter results and raised full-year expectations, driving ZS shares higher. Zscaler shares were down 20% in 2023 as of Friday amid fierce competition from startup Netskope and Palo Alto Networks (PANW). X ZS shares jumped 21% to 108.16 before the stock market opened today. Last week, Zscaler stock hit its lowest…

[amygdaline]

Status of Book 3

I know it’s not good to speculate, but anyone else been a bit nervous about book 3? Whatever happens happens and she needs to do what she needs to do, even if that means either a major delay or not publishing it at all, but... I just hate not knowing the course of things!

On Reddit a month ago, someone said of the status of book 3 that Ellis “ was on Sarah Zs stream a few weeks ago and she implied that right now its out of her hands.” And I did have fears about that back in Dec because I she did delete her Twitter and back off of YouTube content creation, when she’d previously said advertising on her social media was part of her contract. Which can’t be done if her Twitter is gone.

I don’t know when TOTD was announced, but the original release schedule was one book each summer, and summer is fast approaching without any word of book 3. Book 1 was a July release and book 2 was an October release. It’s 2 months from July and 5 from October, how close do publishers usually announce book titles/release dates to the actual dates? 

Some suggested on Reddit she could have gotten in trouble with her publisher for backing off of social media, and that they could have dissolved their contract for breaching it. There’s a million things that could happen; she could lose her publisher and either try to publish somewhere else or not at all, the publisher could have a ghost writer, the book could still come out but at a much much later date (like 2023).... or who knows, maybe it could be on track for normal release and they just haven’t released the title/date yet.

Am just nervous 👉👈 wish we had more info on all of this. Will be disappointing if the book gets scrapped/never published but her life and health are more important than a book. I just hate not knowing >.<

[leanpick]

2023 MG ZS EV review

2023 MG ZS EV review

MG has enjoyed stellar success with its ZS EV in Australia, but this week’s launch of an updated model – one that delivers more range, more tech, a new look, and a new logo, while retaining its market-leading entry price – shows it’s not willing to rest on its laurels. That’s undoubtedly a good thing in isolation, but it’s also an important move for MG at a time when the brand faces stiff…