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shy-violet-soul · 4 years

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Bite Me, Bit Fit!

Title: Bite Me, Bit Fit! Characters: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester Summary: Dean is introduced to wearable fitness technology. It doesn’t go well. Rating: E for everyone Warnings: fitness-related fluff; canon-compliant violence Word Count: 1,500

A/N: I just recently got a FitBit™. Quite the handy little contraption - because my job is sedentary, the little buzzing reminders on my wrist are good for me to go take a walk. In the midst of a crazy moment, when that thing buzzed, I had to roll my eyes. Then it made me wonder what Dean would think of it. I took some creatively liberties with the actual functionalities of the app/device for the plot. Enjoy!

A/N: somehow this got completed deleted from Tumblr. ???

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Suspicion lasered out of Dean’s narrowed green eyes as he stood there, arms crossed over his chest, while Sam wiggled the slim box in his direction.

“C’mon, Dean. It’ll be good for both of us. It monitors exercise, your sleeping patterns…”

“None of which I do.”

“...Steps taken, water intake, calories burned...”

“None of which I care about.”

“And look - we can compete with each other on stats.” Not to be outdone, Sam whipped out his phone, swiping quickly to an app. “See? We can set up a ‘Step Showdown’ or a ‘Workweek Water’ challenge.”

Plucking the phone from Sam’s grasp, Dean scrolled through the app dubiously. “Does the ‘Weekend Warrior’ measure machete swings?”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Look, you were just saying how you needed to take better care of yourself.”

“No, you said that.” Dean extended the phone back to him dismissively. “All that fancy fitness crap is your wheelhouse, so go wheel yourself along.”

Pocketing his phone, Sam propped his hands on his hips and sighed as he looked down at the floor. “Well, that’s fine. I figured you wouldn’t be up for it. I mean, with you getting older, I’m sure competitions like this are more of a toll on you.”

“Whoa, hey, what?”

“It’s fine, Dean. I kept the receipt. I’ll get you a new heating pad for your shoulder or something.”

Dean scowled as Sam turned to walk away.

“You saying I’m too old?”

“Now, I didn’t say ‘old’. You just need to be...careful.”

“You’re the one that needs to be careful. I could still whip you five ways from Sunday, Sammy!”

“Dean, hey, it’s fine! We don’t need to have any stupid competitions on which of us is in better shape…”

Stomping forward, Dean snatched the box out of Sam’s hand. “Gimme that!” He glowered at the box for a moment before tossing it on the library table and digging out his phone. “What the hell is the app called?”

“FitBit™.”

“BitFit, fine. I’ll show you who’s in better shape,” he intoned, shooting his brother a glare. Sam merely raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture, then turned and hurried off before Dean could see his smirk.

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Day 1

“Did you hit your step goal today?” Sam wanted to know. Dean scoffed where he sat at the kitchen table with his laptop.

“Uh, yeah. Like, hours ago.”

Sam frowned in surprise. “Really? ‘Cuz I literally just hit 10,000 after walking around the storage room all day.”

Dean blinked at his brother. “My goal is 3,000.”

“Dean!”

His brother cavalierly waved off his protest. “Hey, you said ‘step goal’. You didn’t say whose step goal.”

Bitch Face Level 1 volleyed at Dean as Sam tossed his hands up in disgust. “You can’t just change the goal after the challenge begins! That’s like cheating!”

“It’s not cheating! It’s...creative interpretation of the ground rules.”

“Dean!”

“Fine! I’ll change it to 10,000. Bitch,” he grumbled.

So validated, Sam sniffed in offense. “Jerk.”

Day 3

Jaws popping around a yawn, Sam headed for the kitchen and the coffee pot. The unknown case in Wichita Falls, with only blue-eyed victims missing their left eyes and their hair mysteriously purple, meant a lot of caffeine to fuel the lore research. He’d no sooner stepped down into the kitchen when a phone suddenly arrowed into his face.

“HA! Look at that!”

Sam sucked in a breath as he tried to slow his heart rate. “For cryin’ out loud, Dean!”

“Hydrate challenge...completed!” Dean crowed with a swaggering gesture. “Eight glasses, Sammy. Read it and weep.”

“You - Dean Winchester - drank eight servings of water, eight ounces each?” his brother side eyed him as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

Pocketing his phone, Dean brandished a plastic bottle aloft, shaking the dregs of water in it vigorously. “That’s right. And, no, some of it wasn’t beer,” he griped when Sam quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Good for you, Dean. You win this one,” he praised around a yawn as he trudged back to the library, Dean in tow. Dean pulled a laptop towards him as he sat across from Sam, sending him a confident smile.

“What can I say, Sammy? You shouldn’t mess with the master. Oh, and check this out!” Chugging the last couple of swallows, Dean reopened the app and added his latest bottle to his daily total. The app exploded in confetti and triumphant notes rang out happily. “Ta-dah! Gotta say, this BitFit is pretty cool.”

“It’s FitBit™, Dean.”

“That’s what I said.”

Too tired to formulate a comment, Sammy just smiled.

Day 8

“Uh-oh.”

Dean cracked an eye at the tinny sounding voice.

“We’re worried about you.”

Frowning his eyes open, Dean groaned as he turned his head and the muscles cricked up painfully. As much as he loved his Baby, sleeping here was hell on his body. He and Sammy had rolled into McCook, Nebraska yesterday after reports of three deaths proved weird enough to be their kind of thing. Three dead guys, working for the same company, burned to a crisp in at the same golf course and one eyewitness groundskeeper swearing he saw a lion at the scene. Awesome. Lore hadn’t turned up any ideas on the monster yet, and the hours on the road had caught up with him.

The device on his wrist buzzed, catching his attention as another “uh-oh!” chirped from his phone. Fumbling it up, Dean squinted as the app showed him a very sleep sad face emoji.

“You only got two hours of sleep last night. Remember - you’re at your best with eight!” the app notified dutifully. Dragging himself fully upright, Dean tossed the phone into the passenger seat as he headed to meet up with Sam.

“Shut up, fitness warden,” he grumbled, pulling back onto the road.

Day 10

The friendly blue band lit up and buzzed merrily.

“Congratulations! You’ve hit 250 steps this hour!”

Dean didn’t even flinch as he sprinted through the woods at full tilt, flames licking at his heels in advance of the unearthly roar behind him.

“Sammy!”

“This way, Dean!”

The creature dug its claws in, clots of dirt tossing up as it spun to track Dean when he turned a tight corner towards his brother. Snapping its jaws, it growled before giving chase once more.

“Uh-oh! Your heart rate appears to be elevated past the peak rate.” No shit. He could feel his heart pounding with every footstep, but when a blast of dragon-lion-monster breath hit the back of his neck, Dean poured on the speed. The ground beneath him rumbled, roiling and quaking in threatening earthquake omens as the chimera behind him roared again. Who knew Greek monsters could pop up in freakin’ Nebraska? “Doing cardio activity past peak level for extended periods hasn’t proved to be beneficial. Stay at the cardio level for maximum impact.”

“I’m about to maximum impact all over the place, godammit! SAM! I’m about to be cat-lizard food!” he blared out.

“Now!” Sam shouted, and his tall frame was suddenly there, crossbow at the ready with a hastily prepared iron spear locked and loaded. “Tuck and roll, Dean!”

His bad shoulder cracked ominously as Dean hit the ground, his trajectory scraping a Dean-sized swipe in the foliage as Sam aimed, fired, and ducked. The iron met the chimera’s spewing flames dead center, arrowing into the heart of the beast. A heartbeat later, it exploded into sparkling, burning bits that dissipated into purple-y, ashy clouds almost instantly. The earthquake stopped in its tracks, leaving the brothers’ spines twitching and ears itching.

The trees held nothing but silence as Dean wheezed for oxygen. He could feel his heartbeat all the way in his boots as he rolled over to check on Sam. Twigs poked up out of his ridiculous hair as he gingerly pressed against the knee he’d twisted a few minutes before, sucking at air like it was going out of style. Huffing out a sound that could have been a laugh, Dean nodded when Sam gave him a thumbs up. They did it. They killed the bastard. And they didn’t die this time. Although his lungs felt like they might make a liar out of him in a moment.

Then, into the quiet came two merry voices in stereo.

“Congratulations! You’ve hit 10,000 steps! Fastest record yet!” their phones chorused. Sam groaned as Dean sneezed a leaf out of his nose.

“Bite me, BitFit, you son-of-a-bitch!”

#Bite me bit fit #Dean Winchster #Dean #Sam Winchester #sam

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recentanimenews · 5 years

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What Naruto Creator Masashi Kishimoto Teaches Us About Rivals

Friendships are not always easy to maintain. They require communication and understanding, occasionally devolve into fights neither party can remember the reason for, and can be as devastating when they're lost as the closest romantic relationship. Even harder is a friendship where you feel at odds with a friend—be it because you're directly competing, working in the same field, or just jealous of their amazing talent.

The world of anime and manga is filled with these sorts of rivalries, friendly and otherwise; but Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto has an impressive number of rivalries per capita. From Naruto and Sasuke to Sakura and Ino, and even sillier duos like Guy and Kakashi, the series puts extra emphasis on its characters competing against each other. But it's rarely, if ever, really to be better than them. Regardless of what intentions are on the surface, most of these rivalries are framed as the characters' personal journeys to be their best. In fact, "rival" is one of the greatest terms of respect in the series.

For Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto's birthday, we're taking a look at his most famous work—and how it teaches us to value competitors in our lives and grow together.

The Shonen Mentality

As diverse and inventive as shonen anime and manga can be, it has a few earmarks you'll see in most series. The protagonist is an underdog in some way: an orphan, less skilled, of lower birth, or childish in a way that holds them back. They have a dream: achieving a title, escaping their circumstances, or taking revenge. They start out awkward, but slowly over the course of their story they gain the respect they seek. By the end, they've either achieved their dream or found something that means more to them.

Our hero will often also have one very specific rival, even if they have lesser ones along the way. Invariably it's someone close to them, someone who has the personality traits they lack, and who is likely on the fast track either to our hero's dream specifically or an equally major one. What defines a good shonen hero, though, is how they handle that rivalry. Is it with bitterness or envy? Or do they use it as a springboard to growth? The best, of course, do the latter.

While just about any sort of relationship you can imagine exists in Naruto's massive cast of characters, friendly rivalries are the strongest, and also the most admirable.

"I Won't Lose to You!"

Early on, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha just don't like each other. That's understandable. One is an immature orphan looked down on by his whole village, spouting off about an impossible dream while demonstrating a complete lack of skill. The other is respected, popular, intelligent, and (spoiler) is absolutely going to get the girl. Sasuke's frustration with Naruto's behavior, and Naruto's frustration with Sasuke's mere existence, are both understandable.

Over time, though, the two work together and get to know each other's actual strengths and weaknesses. Both have positive traits, and both have places where they need to improve—and a lot of that improvement comes from just how determined they are to not be outdone by a person they so deeply dislike. But as time goes on, that competition turns into something surprising: respect. They eventually understand just how strong the other is, and they will absolutely acknowledge each other's strong points.

Think of someone you both envy and dislike. Are you going to publicly admit they're talented? Maybe, but it's far more likely to be the opposite. "She's not even that talented," for example, or "Anyone can do what he does." Admitting the talent of a rival requires a degree of respect in us. "There's nothing special about them" is a much easier statement than "There's deifinitely something special about them, and I want to see if I can do better."

That's why one of the nicest things you can do in Naruto is challenge someone to a fight, and one of the nicest things you can say is that good old-fashioned "I won't lose to you!" You're acknowledging not only that your rival is worth your time, but that you consider the pair of you sufficiently on each other's level that there's something to be gained from testing your skills. It's an amazing compliment to receive, which Kishimoto himself knows from experience.

A Real-World Rival

Kishimoto is undeniably prolific, and has created two of the world's most popular manga. But two years before Naruto hit the manga page, another artist was already taking the shonen world by storm: Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece.

Oda and Kishimoto maintained a rivalry during the manga series' side-by-side runs, and helped each other grow and succeed as creators. Their rivalry was not just about taking themselves to the next level, but also pushing each other to be their best. You can hear more about their supportive friendship in our Crunchyroll Explains video about the pair, and how One Piece's Sanji nearly had same name as our favorite spiky-haired hokage hopeful.

In a time when we're all striving to be our best in school, work, and other competitive areas, it can be easy to forget that rivalry isn't necessarily an antagonistic thing. At its best it's friendly, respectful, and benefits both parties—even if can feel a little rough sometimes. It's a way to build each other up rather than tearing ourselves down. I can't think of a better way to celebrate Kishimoto's birthday than taking a second look at the rivalries in our own lives and turning them into positive experiences.

And if you're already doing that? Call up your best rival-friend and challenge them to a fight.

What's your favorite thing about Naruto? Has it taught you any lessons you use in your own life? Tell us in the comments!

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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engl2030021 · 5 years

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Competition Among Consumers: Analysis of Michelob ULTRA Beer Advertisement “Robots”

Lydia Buttrick

Feb 16, 2019

Professor Mohrman

English 2030

Each year, it is estimated that 114 million people are tuned in to watch the Super Bowl as it is widely known to be America’s most viewed television program. While much of the audience is comprised of football fans sport fanatics, a good part of the draw is the commercials, which have become a cultural phenomenon. Advertisements, such as Michelob Ultra Beer’s dubbed “Robots” re enforces a collectively conscious feeling of the inability to ever be fully content unless we “win” as competitors of one and other, feeling inadequate and incomplete until we are at the top. This, and many other commercials also emphasise physical appearance and push the audience to feel that they lack in some way.

The ads between plays are known as a signifier of our current societal trends, foreshadowing what the “next best thing is”, and a strong general platform for companies to send direct and indirect messages to a expansive audience. These indirect messages can almost always be linked to an attempt to make the viewer feel empty and incomplete, leading you towards wanting the particular product and the “lifestyle” that is sold with it. Knowing the hefty price tag attached to landing around thirty seconds of advertisement time on air (about 5.25 million), there is a sense of draw for people to see what “made the cut” on the big screen. The pressure for advertisers is to deliver an ad that packs as much heat as it can within the small time frame, so there is a certain expectation that these sought after commercial opportunities will both entertain and move the large percentage of American audience members watching. As consumers are filled with advertisements, brand logos plastered in almost every part of our day to day life, and product placement, advertisements and commercials have taken on a role of being a medium in which we can push ideas, and create a sense of collective consciousness to maintain a certain level of order within our consumer culture. As we are biologically ingrained with the idea that “the present is lacking in some way”. The theory of Jacques Lacan states that “Desire and lack are a central motivating force in our lives. We all experience something missing from our lives that we seek, most often in the form of pursuing another person whom we desire. We try and fill this lack but it is never really satisfied, even when are basic needs are met.” Thus, modern advertisements seek to target that sense of lack and portray an idea that there will be some sense of comfort and completion by consuming a particular product. As a general theme of all Super Bowl advertisements, this is a general connotative message. Advertisers use various methods to create a feeling of deficiency within a person. In order to make an impression on its viewer, marketers will try an exemplify a “perfect life” or a “perfect body” to try and sell their product as if it came with or produced the lifestyle they are trying to showcase in their commercial. They will identify common “weak spots” of vulnerability in a person, and imply that they are here to help by contributing the intended product they are selling. To showcase these methods of marketers to reach a level of one’s subconscious, I will analyze an advertisement that works to both play into the “lacking consumer” phenomenon, as well as display many elements we admire and strive to achieve, such as the idea of physical endurance and being fit, maintaining a perfect psychique, all while still keeping an active social life and being able to enjoy societal perceived “deviant” acts like consuming beer. The commercial aired for the 2019 Super Bowl dubbed “Robots” advertising Michelob ULTRA (View Ad Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNfv9wsttKE) begins the scene with two physically fit looking individuals; a man and woman both dressed in a typical runners outfits, seen both running side by side together up a large hill. The first impression is that these two runners are undertaking the challenging climb with ease, insinuating they are experienced runners. With this, brings the underlying message of importance and admiration in maintaining a thin physical appearance through working out. The shot quickly moves from a whole frame view, to a small frame in which we see only the feet of the runners. Out of nowhere, a robot quickly surpasses them with ease. We first see the robot’s feet scurrying past the two runners, and then we are given a full shot of the it; with bionic looking makeup, all metal, yet possessing a human like stature and features. The two runners watch as the robot surpasses them, then turn and look at each other with similar grins displaying curiosity and disbelief.

Connected to that is the message of maintaining physical activity is the message of competition. When both runners see the robot pass them, they are left looking rather disappointed. Because it is able to outdo them with its endurance, the denotative message to the viewer is the defeat within the humans. However, with creating the feeling of competition, advertisers are playing into the competitive nature of our consumer culture by creating the inner desire to always outdo one and other. A part of what pushes us to consume is the feeling that we can be “better” than someone else; what we consume is a reflection upon ourselves, and we are pushed with a feeling from overall advertisement culture that we will “win” the competition by buying said product. This can be one of the largest motivators in what drives people to constantly consume. The next scene jumps to a golfing range, in which three golfers are positioned next to each other each hitting balls. All three individuals are dressed in standard golf gear- with gloves, athletic skirts on the woman, and proper belts and shoes, implying they are either professional or very good at the sport. Each person in this scene play into the same mold of psychically fit, thin, attractive, and of high psychical endurance and capability. All are hitting golf balls with ease, showing that they are skilled in their craft. Next what takes center frame is the same robot, who is shooting golf balls alongside each of the others. A golfer takes a hit and sends the ball far into the distance, but it doesn’t compare with the robot’s ability. The robot starts hitting balls at inconceivable speed outdoing every seemingly professional golfer there. The scene ends with an up close view on one of the male golfers reaction to the robot’s unbelievable ability, with an expression of both shock, confusion, and jealousy as he watches the swing of the robot send the ball into the air.

This scene also shares the same message of competition within the humans and the robot. Initially, we as viewers admire the golfers, but our admiration goes away when we see the robot outdo their golfing abilities. Because of their emotional reaction obvious in their facial expressions, they are disappointed in the fact that they are not “the best”. If we lived in a culture where the robot could hit those balls farther than the professional golfers and they would not feel threatened or upset, it would mean we aren't competitive by nature. But, our inner drive is to be at the top, and if the robot is there, then there is a sense of envy towards it. The next scene skips to a boxing gym, where the same robot takes a punch at the punching bag so hard, it leaves a dent. Another close up is shown of a sweaty woman, who looks like she had also been practicing her boxing on the punching bags, staring up at the robot in disbelief of its strength. Again, this physically fit and professional appearing boxer is outdone by the robot, and feels envious and frustrated. Going along with the theme of athletics, the next scene takes place in a rather difficult looking spin class where all of the spinning students are riding the bike with exceptional ability. All are dressed in tight, sporting clothes. Every single spinning class attendee fits the general mold for physically attractive. Everyone is thin, fit, and has high endurance abilities. The robot is then shown spinning its legs so fast, the students in the class look up displaying that same look of disbelief.

Here, the robot outdoes all physical abilities of seemingly talented and/or professional athletes, displaying not only how much value we hold in fitness, but how emotionally we are affected when we are not “the best”. The last and final scene before the commercial’s ending takes place in a bar, located in what looks to be the middle of a city. What is different about this last setting, is the lack of sports, movement, and athletic performance. Here, the robot walks down the street to eventually make its way to the window of the bar. He looks from outside in, staring at a group of people all smiling and conversing with glasses of beer in their hands. All eight people in the frame who are seen inside the bar are by typical standards physically thin, and enjoying the conversation with grins on their face. The robot looks in on the happenings at the bar, but displays a blank face of despair as he watches inside. Words on the screen appear and read “IT’S ONLY WORTH IT,” (skipping to the image of the happy bar goers as they sip their beer) “IF YOU CAN ENJOY IT.” We are then shown the robot again, as it looks down, shifts its shoulders in, and showcases a face of disappointment.

In this last scene, the robot has gone from being “the best”, and outdoing all of its human counterparts, to feeling inadequate because it cannot partake or compete with something a human can do - which is drink beer. As viewers, we are left with a feeling of pride as we are “winning” in our ability to do something as wonderful as consume Michelob ULTRA, something in which this “winning” robot cannot.

The denotative message, or more obvious one in the advertisement is that as a human, you are given the gift of taste. While the robot can outdo one physically, it can’t experience such a joy as sipping tasty alcoholic beverages. Therefore, you must feel lucky to possess this ability, and it is an obligation to take advantage of it by enjoying something as good as Michelob ULTRA beer. The goal is to evoke a feeling as a consumer of superiority, thus contending to the idea that our ego’s are continuously lacking- and as marketers they are complimenting us in attempts to boost the ego. We are so special in our ability to taste, so why would be not exploit this “gift” as humans? Our subconscious is urged to utilize this ability and make use of it the way they are telling us to - by drinking Michelob ULTRA. There is a much more complex connotative message possessed in this advertisement, however. The entire commercial is centered around the constant competition between humans and robots. As each scene goes on, there is always a losing party (up until the end, it is the humans), who are left disgruntled at the feeling of losing toward this robot. This sense of competition pushed on us in all aspects of society drives us to consume for the sake of feeling like we will “win” in some sense. This can be seen in the consumption of designer clothing, cars, electronics, and more. We as consumers buy into the idea that there is a certain lifestyle attached to what we are buying, and by purchasing something like a Michelob ULTRA Beer we are one step closer toward rising to the top in some way, which is showcased by the humans “winning” the competition to the robot when they are able to drink the Michelob ULTRA beer.

References:

Sturken, Marita, and Lisa Cartwright. Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture. New York: Oxford University Press, 2018. Page 287

ULTRA, Michelob. "Robots | Michelob ULTRA Super Bowl 2019." YouTube. January 25, 2019. Accessed February 19, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNfv9wsttKE.

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politicaltheatre · 5 years

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Schadenfreude

Go ahead, laugh.

Roger Stone's indictment and arrest were a long time coming. Donald Trump's shutdown face plant only felt like, especially if you were "furloughed" or, worse, working for Trump for free. It couldn't have happened to two nicer guys.

The story of Stone's arrest was the latest "devastating news" for Trump, outdone perhaps only by Trump's self-own hours later. Given the amount of suffering both men have caused and celebrated in their careers, and especially in the past two years, it really is easy for a majority of Americans to feel good about either of them feeling bad.

The elation at seeing someone who has gained from hurting others brought low may only be topped by the anticipation of seeing someone who has "gotten away with it" for so long finally about to be caught and punished. You're damned right, we feel good.

And yet, that feeling should concern us. We should be wary of enjoying the suffering of others. That it seems to be hard-wired into us is no excuse.

To enjoy something to the point of being driven by its pursuit has never not led a culture to disaster. We want it, then we want it now, then we want it to the exclusion of all other things. We reach a point at which we can no longer imagine our world without it. We hunger for it and will not accept anything less, and woe be to anyone who dares get in the way of that.

This is fanaticism. It's different than rooting against a hated sports team, or celebrating a bit of karma come to the sorest of sore winners. It isn't choosing a team and enduring losing season after losing season as a member of a tribe, building an identity and a bond with others through that loss.

No, this is cheering for the arrest or murder of a political opponent, or of a journalist or public figure who dared to criticize your side. This is excusing atrocities you would normally condemn but instead defend because they were committed by those you need to get what you want.

Those hypocrisies we like to point out in political opponents, when they criticize behavior one day then embrace it the second they win power, or lose it, how are they phrased? On what platform are those ideas and freshly twisted ideals presented?

The politicians know they're contradicting themselves. They know, on some level, that we know, too. And yet, they go on, pushing us to extremes, asking us to choose to enjoy the suffering of others, the "losers", as we win.

Take the episode of the Catholic schoolboys facing off against the Native Americans. "Episode" seems like the right word. So much of the coverage felt selective and directed. For a few days, the main video, the one of the boy seeming to smirk as the man chanted in front of him, did provide something of a Rorschach test for Americans. We all felt comfortable deciding who was the aggressor, and we were all right.

At the end - can we call it an "end"? - the media and the public got so caught up in absolutes that the proven failure of one meme, that the boys chanted "Build The Wall", was used to discredit criticism of everything else they did, from wearing MAGA hats while confronting Native Americans to many of them mock chanting while they did a group tomahawk chop. Yes, folks, that was very racist and it was caught on video.

Our fear of others, which could have lessened as a result of confronting our own capacity for cruelty, was instead twisted and exploited, as the boys and their families complained of harassment, including death threats, from leftists and other MAGA hat haters.

So, we're back at fear and offered a choice of extremes. The entire narrative of immigrants threatening the southern border has followed this. It was designed to follow this. At its root is rooting for others to suffer, for seeing others, others not like us, fail. Their tribe, not ours. They lose, we win.

The shame of it is, we should feel good about Roger Stone's arrest and what was revealed in his indictment. It gets us closer to understanding how our electoral system was and continues to be corrupted. It points us, yet again, to recognizing that corruption is about money, not ideology.

Which brings us back to Trump and his month long temper tantrum. Seeing him fail actually means very little. For one thing, two years of failure haven't made much of a dent in his polling numbers. For another, we have only a three week reprieve before the government again faces being shut down.

Federal workers hurt by the 35 day shutdown have no guarantees. Right now, most of them are busy trying to undo damage done by their forced absences. The damage done is greater than it may seem. On the surface, we all saw TSA and IRS workers suffer, and national parks filling with garbage, but the damage done to regulatory agencies could have been even worse.

What happens to the environment when there are no EPA agents in the field? What happens to the food supply without the FDA? Concerned about border security, are you? Who's inspecting shipping containers at our ports in a shutdown? How many resources are directed to any of those things when the government is open? Who do we need protection from? Exactly.

The right wing may love it when government doesn't work - that is, ultimately, what the right wingers in Congress and the White House (and their financial backers) have been pushing for all along - but competent government benefits them just as well as anyone, and even if they won't admit that, their polling numbers made it clear. That's why Trump caved. That and that alone.

If they stay down that far or near it, the Republican Party will lose in 2020, enough that the Democrats will regain the Senate and the presidency. There will be cheering. There will be dancing in the streets. There will be a flood of social media posts by those calling themselves winners on how much they hope the losers are suffering.

And then we'll all have to clean up, because the damage done by destroying a government's ability to function is enormous and expensive. We can only hope we have found enough common ground to see it through for the benefit of all and not just our side. If we fail, if we let government fail, the damage done these past two years will be nothing.

Worst case, with the return of regulation and oversight threatening to eat into corporate profits and the undoing of the Republicans' 2017 tax cuts for the wealthy, we'll see a rush to remove money from where a federal government with teeth can find it. We'll see economic bubbles propped up by loose money start to collapse, one by one, each initiating the next, until our economy and any economy tied to ours suffers in ways we have not seen in almost a century.

That could really happen. It has before, and for the same reasons.

Go ahead, laugh.

- Daniel Ward

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kadobeclothing · 4 years

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2020 Preview: 11 Things We’re Stupidly Excited About In 2020

Another year over. Finito, done, never to be seen again. But there’s no time to mourn its passing because – quite frankly – we’re just too amped-up with excitement and hoopla for everything that’s coming up in the next 12 months.It’s goodbye 2019 and hello 2020, you absolute, spanking new beauty. And if you’re not up to speed yet with all the buzz, here are 12 things to get seriously excited about in 2020 – and year-defining cultural and social happenings about to change your world.Little Tony SopranoBig franchises might continue to dominate the multiplexes in 2020 – Marvel, DC, Fast & Furious – but the follow-up film to be excited about in 2020 is The Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark.Going back to the late 1960s, it will tell the story of Sopranos-verse OG Dickie Moltisanti, much talked about father of Sopranos wild-child Christopher and mentor to Tony Soprano himself. Series creator David Chase is behind this, so there’s no need to worry about it not living up to the standards of what is still (no arguments, please) the greatest TV show of all time.There’s a stellar cast lined up, including Vera Farmiga, Jon Bernthal, and – most excitingly – Tony Soprano actor James Gandolfini’s real-life son, Michael Gandolfini, playing the young Tony. In a word: fuggetaboutit.The Return of BondIt’s been a strange few years for 007. After the huge success (but critical meh) of 2015’s Spectre, it sounded like Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond was finished. “I’d rather slit my wrists,” were his words, though he was probably joking, about returning to the role.Then Trainspotting director Danny Boyle dropped out of the problem, the first of several production problems. So many, in fact, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Bond’s arch nemesis Blofeld had a cat-stroking hand in it.But after five long, Bond-less years, Her Majesty’s finest is back for No Time To Die – now confirmed as Craig’s final outing as 007. The trailer has got us excited already – stunts, suits (yes, we haven’t even seen the film, and already Bond is looking fine), the sexy cars, and deadly woman. Ana De Armas in eveningwear shooting the place up? Take our money. Take it now.Football Coming Home (For Real This Time)Remember when football sort of came home for the World Cup in 2018, but then also sort of didn’t at the last minute? Well, this year it comes home for real when the Euro 2020 stages games in both London and Glasgow, plus 10 other European cities for the tournament’s first ever multi-nation event.Expect the football fever that gripped this country during the World Cup to be booted all the way up to 11 because a) England are actually good again, for the first time in a quarter century and b) games on home turf always make it more special.But also expect football style to be at the forefront of menswear this summer. Retro football shirts will be out in force, a callback to the terrace fashion, while contemporary labels are also game for football these days.Exploring A ‘What If?’ WorldWhile alternate history novels usually explore what might have happened if the baddies had won (such as in Robert Harris’ Fatherland about a Nazi-controlled future), the real world feels a bit like an actual dystopia these days.Science-fiction maestro William Gibson is putting a spin on the concept with Agency – both a sequel and prequel to his time-travel novel The Peripheral – about a future in which Trump didn’t win the 2016 election, Brexit never happened, and – presumably – the world isn’t burning and on the verge of war. It could be the anti-nightmare escapism we need in 2020.Getting Up To Speed With 5GAfter a staggered (and sometimes controversial) soft launch last year, 2020 is the year that 5G will become the new, super-fast standard in data networks. But it’s not just about facilitating our mobile phone addictions at increased speeds; the capacity of 5G will change our devices, technology, how business operate, and how we communicate with each other.In short, in a world ruled by technology and connected by digital communications, 5G is going to have a major impact.Samsung already has a 5G phone available here in the UK and an Apple phone is set to follow sometime in 2020. In the UK, 5G is slower than many other parts of the world but it’s just getting started – already in the US, 5G is capable of speeds almost 100 times faster than 4G smartphones.Manly ArtWe’re now 20 years into the century, during which time the state, consequences, and future of masculinity has been fiercely debated, and the parameters of what it means to be a man redrawn. It’s quite right that in 2020, a number of exhibitions are set to offer interesting perspectives on this undefinable thing we call masculinity.Between February and May, the Barbican will host Masculinities, a collection of film and photography exploring how masculinity has been coded, performed, and socially constructed from the 1960s to now. Exhibitions at the Tate on David Hockney and Andy Warhol show will social and cultural perspectives from two of art’s great male personalities.But most exciting is an exhibition at the Tate (Feb-May) celebrating 25 years of the Turner Prize and Oscar-winning artist Steve McQueen’s work, one of the most crucial, diverse, and relevant masculine voices in 21st Century British culture.An Upgrade For GamersAfter years of being promised that VR is the future of gaming, that looks set to actually happen with the arrival Half-Life: Alyx, the much-anticipated VR game(-changer). Couple that with the Oculus Quest, and we’ll be glad to spend 2020 escaping the real world for virtual alternatives.Regular gaming is also due an upgrade with next generation consoles due towards the end of the year. The Xbox Series X is rumoured to be four times more powerful that its predecessor, and will see the return of Master Chief with the all-new Halo. If you think 4K looks sharp, its 8K resolution will poke your eyes right out.Never one to be outdone by a rival machine, Sony will also launch the PS5, rumoured to include next-gen VR and visual techniques used in Hollywood blockbuster SFX. Rainbow Six Quarantine, Godfall, and a mysterious new title from the designers behind Shadow of the Colossus are all confirmed.50 Years of GlastonburyThe greatest music festival in the history of mankind will be throwing a whopper party for its 50th anniversary this year. Sorry, Burning Man, you’re good, but your sunbaked pretentiousness can never top some music-in-a-field debauchery.Paul McCartney and Taylor Swift have been confirmed to headline Glasto, with Kenrick Lamar tipped to headline the Friday night.If you haven’t got a ticket, don’t worry – tickets go on resale in April, but even if you’re not there, Glastonbury is more than a party in Somerset – it’s a cultural happening that will rock the entire country. Even from the comfort of your living room, expect to discover new bands, experience amazing sets, and make promises to yourself that you’ll never miss getting a ticket ever again.Eco-TravellingInspired perhaps by the shame of getting a thundering, disapproving look from Greta Thunberg, there’s been a surge in people seeking out environmentally friendly travel options – and 2020 could be the year we all think about saving the planet as well as travelling it.Both Rolls Royce and Airbus will put electric aeroplanes to the test this year, while zero-waste travel accessories and eco travel apps such as Green Globe and Olio are becoming hot (but not too hot, they’re keeping the emissions low) trends. Train travel has also seen a rise in popularity.And it’s not just the means of getting there, but destinations themselves, with eco-friendly resorts across the world. Usually for a less-than-modest price, of course, but less extortionate options are out there – nature-based travel, or hiking, climbing, and rambling hols. And if you can hang on until 2022, the world’s first energy positive hotel – Svart in Norway – is due to open.Streaming Wars = Massive BingeIf you’re old enough to remember the lukewarm battle between VHS and DVD, you’ll know what this is all about. It’s happening all over again, but this time nuclear, as top streaming platforms will lock and load to compete for your eyeballs’ attention.Apple TV has already launched and WarnerMedia’s HBO Max is set to launch in May. But the real fight will be between Netflix and Disney+. Netflix will aim to continue its dominance with After Life Season 2, The Haunting of Hill House follow-up series Bly Manor, and – probably – Stranger Things 4. Not to mention it’s never-ending supply of soul-troubling true crime docs.On the other channel, Disney – whose stronghold on all other areas of entertainment is reaching Galactic Empire levels – will fire back with Star Wars series The Mandalorian, Marvel series The Falcon & The Winter Solider, and 90 years’ worth of back catalogue blockbuster hits.While 2020 is the year these entertainment titans battle it out, for the rest of us it’ll be a year of pure relaxation and binging.Getting Your Body BiohackedYou may have heard of the biohacking – a tech-based, systems-thinking approach to reaching optimum fitness and health. The term is associated with the kind of eccentric, Silicon Valley bros and entrepreneurial lifestyle gurus who claim they’ll live to the grand old age of 160, like some sort of super-healthy Bond villain.But biohacking isn’t all that bonkers. In fact, it’s going mainstream, with leading biohacker Dave Asprey’s dedicated body-hacking gym in Los Angeles and the opening of BelleCell, London’s first biohacking clinic, which offers sports performance optimisation (using 3D body scanners), “body potential treatments”, genetic testing, and tech-based beauty treatments. Source link

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deniscollins · 6 years

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Retailers Race Against Amazon to Automate Stores

If you were a supermarket executive, would you adopt Walmart’s pilot in 120 stores where shoppers can scan items, including fruits and vegetables, using the camera on their smartphones and pay for them using the devices, and when customers walk out, an employee checks their receipts and does a “spot check” of the items they bought: (1) Yes, (2) No? Why? What are the ethics underlying your decision?

[Or how about what is being done in China where a chain of more than 100 unmanned convenience shops where shoppers scan a code on their phones to enter and, once inside, scan the items they want to buy, and the the store unlocks the exit door after they’ve paid through their phones.]

To see what it’s like inside stores where sensors and artificial intelligence have replaced cashiers, shoppers have to trek to Amazon Go, the internet retailer’s experimental convenience shop in downtown Seattle.

Soon, though, more technology-driven businesses like Amazon Go may be coming to them.

A global race to automate stores is underway among several of the world’s top retailers and small tech start-ups, which are motivated to shave labor costs and minimize shoppers’ frustrations, like waiting for cashiers. They are also trying to prevent Amazon from dominating the physical retail world as it does online shopping.

Companies are testing robots that help keep shelves stocked, as well as apps that let shoppers ring up items with a smartphone. High-tech systems like the one used by Amazon Go completely automate the checkout process. China, which has its own ambitious e-commerce companies, is emerging as an especially fertile place for these retail experiments.

If they succeed, these new technologies could add further uncertainty to the retail work force, which is already in flux because of the growth of online shopping. An analysis last year by the World Economic Forum said 30 to 50 percent of the world’s retail jobs could be at risk once technologies like automated checkout were fully embraced.

In addition, the efforts have raised concerns among privacy researchers because of the mounds of data that retailers will be able to gather about shopper behavior as they digitize their locations. Inside Amazon Go, for instance, the cameras never lose sight of a customer once he or she enters the shop.

Retailers had adopted technologies in their stores long before Amazon Go arrived on the scene. Self-checkout kiosks have been common in supermarkets and other stores for years. Kroger, the grocery chain, uses sensors and predictive analytics tools to better anticipate when more cashiers will be needed.

But the opening of Amazon Go in January was alarming for many retailers, who saw a sudden willingness by Amazon to wield its technology power in new ways. Hundreds of cameras near the ceiling and sensors in the shelves help automatically tally the cookies, chips and soda that shoppers remove and put into their bags. Shoppers’ accounts are charged as they walk out the doors.

Amazon is now looking to expand Go to new areas. An Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment on its expansion plans, but the company has a job posting for a senior real estate manager who will be responsible for “site selection and acquisition” and field tours of “potential locations” for new Go stores.

“Unanimously, there was an element of embarrassment because here is an online retailer showing us how to do brick and mortar, and frankly doing it amazingly well,” said Martin Hitch, the chief business officer of Bossa Nova Robotics, a company that makes inventory management robots that Walmart and others are testing.

Nowhere are retailers experimenting more avidly with automating store shopping than in China, a country obsessed by new tech fads.

One effort is a chain of more than 100 unmanned convenience shops from a start-up called Bingo Box, one of which sits in a business park in Shanghai. Shoppers scan a code on their phones to enter and, once inside, scan the items they want to buy. The store unlocks the exit door after they’ve paid through their phones.

Alibaba, one of China’s largest internet companies, has opened 35 of its Hema automated grocery stores, which blend online ordering with automated checkout. Customers scan their groceries at checkout kiosks, using facial recognition to pay electronically, while bags of groceries ordered by customers online float overhead on aerial conveyors, headed to a loading dock for delivery to shoppers.

Not to be outdone, JD, another big internet retailer in China, said in December that it had teamed up with a developer to build hundreds of its own unmanned convenience shops. The businesses put readable chips on items to automate the checkout process.

At its huge campus south of Beijing, JD is testing a new store that relies on computer vision and sensors on the shelves to know when items have been taken. The system tracks shopping without tagging products with chips. Payment, which for now still happens at a kiosk, is done with facial recognition.

JD and Alibaba both plan to sell their systems to other retailers and are working on additional checkout technologies.

Back in the United States, Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is testing out the Bossa Nova robots in dozens of its locations to reduce some tedious tasks that can eat up a worker’s time. The robots, which look like giant wheeled luggage bags, roll up and down the aisles looking for shelves where cereal boxes are out of stock and items like toys are mislabeled. The machines then report back to workers, who restock the shelves and apply new labels.

At 120 of Walmart’s 4,700 American stores, shoppers can also scan items, including fruits and vegetables, using the camera on their smartphones and pay for them using the devices. When customers walk out, an employee checks their receipts and does a “spot check” of the items they bought.

Kroger, one of the country’s largest grocery chains, has also been testing a mobile scanning service in its supermarkets, recently announcing that it would expand it to 400 of its more 2,700 stores.

New start-ups are seeking to give retailers the technology to compete with Amazon’s system. One of them, AiFi, is working on cashierless checkout technology that it says will be flexible and affordable enough that mom-and-pop retailers and bigger outlets can use it. In the United States, venture capitalists put $100 million into retail automation start-ups in each of the past two years, up from about $64 million in 2015, according Pitchbook, a financial data firm.

“There’s a gold rush feeling about this,” said Alan O’Herlihy, chief executive of Everseen, an Irish company working with retailers on automated checkout technology that uses artificial intelligence.

While such technologies could improve the shopping experience, there may also be consequences that people find less desirable. Retailers like Amazon could compile reams of data about where customers spend time inside their doors, comparable to what internet companies already know about their online habits.

“It’s combined with everything else Amazon might know about you,” said Gennie Gebhart, a researcher at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an online civil liberties organization. “Amazon knows what I buy online, what I watch and now how I move around a space.”

In China, there is less public concern about data privacy issues. Many Chinese citizens have become accustomed to high levels of surveillance, including widespread security cameras and government monitoring of online communications.

Depending on how heavily retailers automate in the years to come, job losses could be severe in a sector that has already experienced wave after wave of store closings by the likes of Macy’s, Toys “R” Us and Sears.

Retailers are playing down the threat to jobs. Walmart, the largest private employer in the United States, says that it does not anticipate automation will lead to job losses, but rather that the new technologies are meant to redirect employees to spend more time helping customers find what they need.

“We see this as helping our associates,” said John Crecelius, vice president of central operations at Walmart. “We are a people-led business that is technology enabled.”

Some traditional retailers are also skeptical about whether the sort of automation in Amazon Go can move to large stores. They say the technology may not work or be cost effective outside a store with a small footprint and inventory.

“That’s probably not scalable to a 120,000-square-foot store,” said Chris Hjelm, executive vice president and chief information officer at Kroger.

But he said it was just a matter of time before more cameras and sensors were commonplace in stores. “It’s a few years out,” he said, “before that technology becomes mainstream.”

#Retail Stores

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shy-violet-soul · 5 years

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Bite Me, BitFit

Characters: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester Summary: Dean is introduced to wearable fitness technology. It doesn’t go well. Rating: E for everyone Warnings: fitness-related fluff; canon-compliant violence; a few bad words Word Count: 1,400 ish A/N: I just recently got a FitBit™. Quite the handy little contraption - because my job is sedentary, the little buzzing reminders on my wrist are good for me to go take a walk. In the midst of a crazy moment, when that thing buzzed, I had to roll my eyes. Then it made me wonder what Dean would think of it. I took some creatively liberties with the actual functionalities of the app/device for the plot. This is un-beta’d, so all mistakes are mine. Enjoy!

This is a work of fiction based on characters owned by the CW and the creators of Supernatural. My work is not to be posted elsewhere without my written permission.

Suspicion lasered out of Dean’s narrowed green eyes as he stood there, arms crossed over his chest, while Sam wiggled the slim box in his direction.

“C’mon, Dean. It’ll be good for both of us. It monitors exercise, your sleeping patterns…”

“None of which I do.”

“...Steps taken, water intake, calories burned...”

“None of which I care about.”

Plucking the phone from Sam’s grasp, Dean scrolled through the app dubiously. “Does the ‘Weekend Warrior’ measure machete swings?”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Look, you were just saying how you needed to take better care of yourself.”

“No, you said that.” Dean extended the phone back to him dismissively. “All that fancy fitness crap is your wheelhouse, so go wheel yourself along.”

“Whoa, hey, what?”

“It’s fine, Dean. I kept the receipt. I’ll get you a new heating pad for your shoulder or something.”

Dean scowled as Sam turned to walk away.

“You saying I’m too old?”

“Now, I didn’t say ‘old’. You just need to be...careful.”

“You’re the one that needs to be careful. I could still whip you five ways from Sunday, Sammy!”

“Dean, hey, it’s fine! We don’t need to have any stupid competitions on which of us is in better shape…”

“FitBit™.”

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

Day 1

“Did you hit your step goal today?” Sam wanted to know. Dean scoffed where he sat at the kitchen table with his laptop.

“Uh, yeah. Like, hours ago.”

Sam frowned in surprise. “Really? ‘Cuz I literally just hit 10,000 after walking around the storage room all day.”

Dean blinked at his brother. “My goal is 3,000.”

“Dean!”

His brother cavalierly waved off his protest. “Hey, you said ‘step goal’. You didn’t say whose step goal.”

Bitch Face Level 1 volleyed at Dean as Sam tossed his hands up in disgust. “You can’t just change the goal after the challenge begins! That’s like cheating!”

“It’s not cheating! It’s...creative interpretation of the ground rules.”

“Dean!”

“Fine! I’ll change it to 10,000. Bitch,” he grumbled.

So validated, Sam sniffed in offense. “Jerk.”

Day 3

“HA! Look at that!”

Sam sucked in a breath as he tried to slow his heart rate. “For cryin’ out loud, Dean!”

“Hydrate challenge...completed!” Dean crowed with a swaggering gesture. “Eight glasses, Sammy. Read it and weep.”

“You - Dean Winchester - drank eight servings of water, eight ounces each?” his brother side eyed him as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

“It’s FitBit™, Dean.”

“That’s what I said.”

Too tired to formulate a comment, Sammy just smiled.

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

Day 8

“Uh-oh.”

Dean cracked an eye at the tinny sounding voice.

“We’re worried about you.”

The device on his wrist buzzed, catching his attention as another “uh-oh!” chirped from his phone. Fumbling it up, Dean squinted as the app showed him a very sleep sad face emoji.

“Shut up, fitness warden,” he grumbled, pulling back onto the road.

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

Day 10

The friendly blue band lit up and buzzed merrily.

“Congratulations! You’ve hit 250 steps this hour!”

Dean didn’t even flinch as he sprinted through the woods at full tilt, flames licking at his heels in advance of the unearthly roar behind him.

“Sammy!”

“This way, Dean!”

The creature dug its claws in, clots of dirt tossing up as it spun to track Dean when he turned a tight corner towards his brother. Snapping its jaws, it growled before giving chase once more.

“I’m about to maximum impact all over the place, godammit! SAM! I’m about to be cat-lizard food!” he blared out.

“Now!” Sam shouted, and his tall frame was suddenly there, crossbow at the ready with a hastily prepared iron spear locked and loaded. “Tuck and roll, Dean!”

Then, into the quiet came two merry voices in stereo.

“Congratulations! You’ve hit 10,000 steps! Fastest record yet!” their phones chorused. Sam groaned as Dean sneezed a leaf out of his nose.

“Bite me, BitFit, you son-of-a-bitch!”

Just tagging a few peeps who might enjoy the chuckle:

@thesassywallflower @pinknerdpanda @amanda-teaches @littlegreenplasticsoldier @percywinchester27 @mrswhozeewhatsis

#supernatural fanfiction #spn fanfiction #dean winchester #Sam Winchester #dean winchester fanfiction #sam winchester fanfiction

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