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mk-wizard · 3 years

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Big Hero 6 The Series: It could have been better

Hello, friends. Today, I will be analyzing a TV series based on a movie that I fell in love with for its colourful themes, deep plot, compelling characters, great CGI and memorable messages. Before I get into it, I want to take a moment to say that I have quit doing videos. They are too big of a pain in the petunia to make and I write better than I speak, so I will stick to writing essays, reviews and more. Anyway, onto the analysis.

All I can say about Big Hero 6 the series is that it had a great concept, it presented some great ideas and tried hard to be a cartoon of the times, but it could have and should have been a lot better. The show’s downfall all centers around trying too hard to be kid friendly which makes the shame sting all the more because Big Hero 6 was already kid friendly even with its dark themes, sharp edges and intelligent writing. If anything, even the brightest kid friendly cartoons (Steven Universe, She-Ra, etc.) had those things and actually benefitted from them. By needlessly trying too hard, character development got scrapped, the edges were all smoothed out, storytelling was subpar, the humour was too silly and the executive meddling in the end produced a dismal final season. However, I don’t want this analysis to be one lengthy negative rant about how awful the series was because in its defense, awful is an unfair word. It did have potential and ideas which are worth carrying over to a reboot that I hope will be done someday in the future. Also, we should root for a reboot because Big Hero 6 would not be the first story that needs it before striking gold. Just look at how many times Spider-Man was rebooted in film before MCU found the version that worked. Anyway, I will list all the things in Big Hero 6 that could have been better in my opinion;

1- Go easy on the laughs and be more generous with the action. - I love adding comedy to my own writing because I think a good sense of humour makes everything better, but Big Hero 6 is not a stand up comedy routine. It is a superhero story where we expect action, suspense and life or death situations that are to be taken seriously first. The comedy should be for relief and with the right timing. Also, the chibi cutscenes and having characters act like fools aren’t funny. Ren and Stimpy are the exception not the standard and their way of making you laugh doesn’t fit an action series. In a show as big as Big Hero 6, real life physics and danger matters.

2- Make the villains menacing and gritty. - I admit that after having a movie villain like Yokai who was the stuff of nightmares, it is going to be a challenging act to follow, but it was obvious that the writers were trying especially with some villains who could have easily gone into some dark relatable territory. For example, Mr. Sparkles (the gentleman in the photo above) embodies social media and Internet personalities. Right off the bat, you have a long list of things which embody the dark side of that like scams, fraud, using social media to dox or harass, driving people to suicide, online predators, the Internet personalities being very depressed people in real life, and much more horrifying things. When you stop and look at it, Mr. Sparkles even looks like the Joker which hints how dark and scary he could have been if the stops were removed. The same goes for enemies like Hardlight who embodies online gaming, Liv with cloning, Obake an amoral and insane scientist, and Trina and Noodle Burger Boy (more on him later) being evil robots. Globby especially should have been painted and written in much darker colours rather being played off for laughs because he has many parallels with Clay Face. The only two villains who I can say were supposed to be campy, charming and comical were Baron Von Steamer and Supersonic Sue because they were a satire of the Adam West style villains.

The rest of them needed to be dark and threatening including Mr. Sparkles. In fact, I would love a rebooted version of Mr. Sparkles who gives me the heebie-jeebies. Going back to Noodle Burger Boy, I must confess that I was actually excited when I heard that he was going to be the main villain of the final season because I thought he was going to fulfill his master’s final wish and as a reminder, Noodle Burger Boy was based on a super robot for military purposes.

It would have been fantastic if Noodle Burger Boy was upgraded into a full military war machine with a new threatening look. For that, I think all of the villains deserve to be rebooted and have their full potential unlocked for better or for worse.

3- A show about geniuses merits genius level art quality. - I am usually forgiving towards art styles, but in the case of Big Hero 6, the oversimplified style with minimal details and lack of textures did not suit the show. The characters blend in with the background which makes them look flat and the special effects were extremely dulled down. I also know for a fact that Disney can do a lot better than this because I saw how superbly Tangled the Series was drawn.

You can see and almost feel the difference in quality, the number of layers and level of detail between the two styles. I think there was no excuse Big Hero 6 was not done in the same style and at the same level if not better as Tangled.

3- Don’t dumb down or flanderize amazing characters. - I absolutely detest it when characters are flanderized because it makes them one dimensional and grating. For example, Go Go is tough as nails and extremely calm, but she is not cold or hesitant towards helping her friends. She doesn’t require very special episodes for us to know that. If anything, the movie version of Go Go reminded me a lot of Garnet in how she deconstructed the broody character. She isn’t cold or emotionless. Just calm and mature. Another good example was how Honey Lemon was rewritten to be overly positive to the point of toxicity, naïve and oblivious with a juvenile obsession with stickers. Then you have poor Fred who was rewritten to be an incompetent fool. The spark that makes Big Hero 6 shine is that they are a team of geniuses meaning they are all intelligent. Even Fred is genius in his own way just not a scientific one. He has a vivid imagination, he is resourceful and can get himself out of tight spots. Please, don’t turn characters into dummies especially if their intelligence is a part of them. It doesn’t make them better or funnier. It ruins them.

4- Tadashi needs closure and honour. - I am all for Hiro making peace with the loss of his brother, but Tadashi is to the Big Hero 6 team what Uncle Ben was to Spider-Man. His loss was the catalyst if not the reason. He should never be forgotten. Moreover, there was never any true closure to him especially with the possibility that he may still be alive up in the air. After all, like Callaghan, his body was never found and it turned out that Callaghan was still alive.

With that said, who is to say that Tadashi was not secretly still alive and just hiding or being hidden? This is something that Disney really needed to clear up if not for the fans, then at least as a service to such an important character. Never just forget about them.

5- The format can only be episodic with a deep plots, continuity and character development. - Random episodes with a mere monster of the day is an outdated format which doesn’t fit Big Hero 6′s modern and bright setting. In seasons 1 and 2, when the episodes were plot heavy with character development, the series shined brightest. It also helped move the story along, but with the final season, plot was removed, closure was abandoned or poorly written if any was given, and characters were disallowed from growing. A good example at how plot and character development could have made this series and its characters better was the relationship between Hiro and Megan. Would it have truly survived or would they have broken up?

Would Richardson Mole have eventually lost interest in his obsession with besting and bullying Fred or would his obsession consume him compelling him to become a super villain? I do see quite a few similarities between Mole and Reverse Flash.

Then you have Karmi who is in my opinion, the biggest wild card of the bunch. She was intentionally introduced as an arrogant, prickly and unlikable yet complex character who rivaled Hiro bitterly.

Yet had a huge crush on his alter ego and as time went on, started to grow up and even form a friendship with Hiro. What would have happened further down the road with her? Would she have become a super hero herself? Or maybe even another love interest for Hiro kind of like how Black Cat is for Spider-Man?

Is Obake really gone?

What does the future hold Diana (Liv’s clone), Liv herself or the Sycorax the genetics company?

Is Alistair Krei going to become an ally to Big Hero 6 or an antagonist? There is also the issue at how little we know about the other Big Hero 6 characters other than Fred, Hiro and Baymax. What are Honey Lemon, Wasabi and Go Go’s backstories? These questions matter and while not every mystery can be solved, leaving none of them solved is lazy writing.

6- Executives, kindly stay out of the writing and any other part of the creative process. - I’m sorry, execs, but there is no nice way to say it. History itself proves that every time executives got involved in the creative process of any media, it got worse not better. Leave the writing to the creative team and the execs should only handle the legal stuff. Please. We understand that TV is a business, but writing itself is not. It is an art which you just don’t have a talent for. Let the creative people do their thing with the freedom necessary and you do your thing, deal? Deal.

7- Focus on Hiro and Baymax. - The are the main characters so keep them at the heart of the series no matter what happens around them. That is all I can say.

And that sums up all the things that could have made Big Hero 6 the series better, but this is all just my opinion. What is yours?

PS: I am well aware that the Big Hero 6 series is being retconned because a new series called Baymax is in the works as well as the long awaited sequel to the first movie. I am looking forward to both with an open mind. PPS: I also am aware that some people liked this show the way it was including the art style and I am cool with that. An analysis for art that includes cartoons is never right or wrong. It is solely based on opinion. I may have thought this series could have been better, but there are people who make arguments that it could have been worse.

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i-write-boop-spoops · 3 years

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Steven Stone on his S/O's birthday headcanons

Happy (late) Birthday anon! Hope you had a good day and I hope you enjoy this! Thanks for the request

Enjoy!

Ok, so

Steven is a very busy guy

With all his tile-defending

Business-meeting-attending

And rock-hunting

But he also loves you

Like a whole lot

You thought that rock was giant?

His love for you is at least fifty times that size

Emphasis on ‘at least’

So when your birthday rolls around

Nothing will stop him spending the day with you

And making it the best birthday ever

Your morning starts with a call from your silver haired dreamboat

“Happy Birthday, darling~”

He then asks for you to go to your apartment’s balcony

You’re hesitant because you bed is so warm

But your Nummel onesie is also very warm

And you’re curious if he left you a gift or something

You pry yourself out of bed and mosey on into the main living area of your flat

Pulling the curtains open on your glass balcony doors

There he is, stood atop his metagross

Dressed in a sleek suit

With a bouquet of your favourite flowers in one hand

A gift bag in the other

He gives you this beautiful, loving smile

The warmth extending to his steel blue eyes

You grin and break out in the kind of laughter that only joyful surprise can bring

You unlock and open your door, slipping out onto the balcony

He hops over the railing and returns his Metagross to their Pokeball

Then opens his arms to you

You practically run into his embrace

He gently kisses your forehead before kissing your lips in the same fashion

After a moment, you bring him inside

He insists you look at what’s he got you

It’s a silver watch, encrusted with sparkling diamonds

It’s elegant and classy

Effortlessly exquisite and definitely expensive

Not only did he get you that, but

Man’s flown in fresh berry croissants all the way from Kalos for your breakfast

And

His heartfelt card is chock full of cash.

You feel so spoiled, but he says that the love of his life deserves the best on their birthday

Once you’ve enjoyed those delicious croissants, you shower and get changed

You spend the rest of the morning together, watching some of your favourite shows on your TV

Cuddling, of course

When lunchtime rolls around, Steven says he knows this cute little place you should go to eat at

Steven has impeccable taste in food, so you trust his judgement

You hop on his Metagross and off you pop

Holding onto him tightly the whole time

Metagross won’t let you fall

They use their psychic powers to keep you in place

But you can’t help feel a little scared as you fly high over the Hoenn region

Eventually when you’re over a forest, you feel Metagross lower

And then land in the middle of a serene opening in the trees

There’s a picnic blanket sprawled across the grass

A cute basket and settings atop it

Beautifly float all around

He offers you his hand

You take it without question

He leads you to the blanket and you take your seat

The food is delicious and comforting

Hot soup, sandwiches, cookies

He’s even brought some high-quality food for your and his Pokemon

Clearly, Steven didn’t make any of it

Which is a good thing

He’s a disaster in the kitchen

Post-eating, you just sit and relax

Soaking in the tranquil nature

And playing with your Pokemon

When it nears evening time

You return to your apartment and change into something a little more fancy

Steven gets dressed in another suit, something slightly more formal than what he was wearing

He offers you his arm and you take a taxi to an upscale, but very friendly, restaurant

He’s reserved a private room for your birthday dinner

The staff has set up cute decorations like balloons and bunting

Your close friends and relatives are already there when you arrive

As is Joseph, Steven’s dad

Even though you and his son aren’t married

He still treats you like his child-in-law, like family

Which means he gets you a ludicrously expensive gift and takes many photos of you and Steven together

Everyone is treated to a fantastic five course meal

With the finest ingredients the region offers

Steven is sat next to you, often you feel his hand on your knee/thigh

Gently stroking the area with his thumb

You partake in many fun and interesting conversations during dinner

Joseph regaled everyone with funny stories about his son during his childhood

Made better still by a flustered Steven pleading for his dad to stop

When it’s time for dessert

A beautiful cake is carted out

It’s your favourite flavour

In elegant icing the cake reads

“Happy (Age) Birthday, (Name)!”

You blow out the candles and cut yourself a slice

While a server dishes it out to everyone else

You and Steven feed each other your slices

And kiss/lick away any stray frosting or crumb that end up on your cheeks/lips

The leftover cake is wrapped up

So you can bring it home with you

To eat for breakfast, naturally

You say goodbye to everyone

Instead of taking a taxi, he walks you home instead

It’s not too far

The night is cool, but quiet and beautiful

Your arms are linked together

The whole time he just looks at you

With this whimsical smile

And eyes full of love

As you reach your front door

He kisses you

Wishing you a happy birthday again :)

#steven stone #steven stone x reader #champion steven #champion steven x reader #steven stone headcanons #request #fluff #silver haired dreamboat #daigo tsuwabuki

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jaybear1701 · 3 years

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The call comes sooner than Pam’s expecting, though honestly she’s not even sure what she expects now that a good chunk of her life is back in shambles, just when she thought she had finally gotten her shit together.

She knows it’s a mess of her own making, for once again allowing emotions to prevail over reason, but it still hurts, the pain somehow worse than it was a decade ago. Back then, when she and Ellen first walked away from each other, Pam knew that Ellen would always have a piece of her heart. But now? Now it feels like she left it entirely in Houston, her chest aching and hollow.

She answers the phone on her desk without thinking, on autopilot after a late drive back to Austin, a sleepless night tossing and turning on a motel bed, and not enough caffeine in the shitty coffee from the faculty lounge.

“Pam Horton,” she says in the most upbeat voice she can muster, cradling the receiver to her ear.

“Pam, it’s Larry.”

Breath catching in her throat, she’s torn between dread and hope. She briefly considers hanging up, but Larry’s next words make her hand still.

“She’s a mess. You’ve gotta at least talk to her.”

Tears sting Pam’s eyes and she squeezes them shut. “I can’t do that.” She knows she couldn’t bear to hear the heartbreak in Ellen’s voice, or worse, see it spread across her face.

“Why not?”

“You already know.”

Larry sighs on the other end. “Look, I know you think you’re doing what’s best for Ellen. But she deserves a say. Don’t take that away from her.”

She wants to snap at him to mind his own damn business, irritation spiking. She doesn’t need Larry twisting the knife when he’s had a decade of reaping the benefits of his marriage to Ellen. But she bites the inside of her cheek and manages to refrain. It’s not Larry’s fault that things are the way they are, at least not entirely. Pam keeps her voice steady when she says instead, “Thanks for calling, Larry.”

“Pam, wait--”

“Bye.”

Pam hangs up the phone quickly, already feeling worse than she already had. But she refuses to cry. It’s all for the best, she tells herself as she leans back into her desk chair. For all of them.

She got over Ellen Wilson once before.

She can do it again.

Eventually.

But today is definitely not that day.

Especially not when Pam’s hunkered down inside one of the college’s fallout shelters, breathing in stale air and wondering like the rest of her students whether the next breath could be their last. They’re surrounded by thick slabs of concrete and rebar. In one corner are two massive water tanks that the custodial staff have been trying to fill since the harsh blare of the air-raid siren blanketed the campus in panic and confusion. A few other instructors huddle around a transistor radio, anxiously awaiting any word that the emergency is over.

If Pam could, she’d laugh at the absurdity of it all. Because of course the world could end in nuclear armageddon the day after she left the love of her life.

She knows she should try to comfort her small class of budding writers, who fidget on the cold metal of their folding chairs. Should maybe tell them that everything’s gonna be all right. But Pam knows better than to lie, so she keeps silent, mind zigzagging from one thought to the next.

Pulse pounding in her temples, she wonders if her parents made it to their bunker and wishes that she had returned their last calls sooner. Hopes, with a pang between her ribs, that Elise has made it to safety. Tries not to imagine Flannery, their Maine Coon cat, cowering beneath what used to be their bed.

But most of all, she thinks of Ellen.

Always Ellen.

She allows herself, in a moment of weakness, to envision how the morning would have gone if she had just stayed. Pam would have held Ellen close, forever amused by the fact that the fearless astronaut--the girl who caught the tank, no less--always preferred to be the “little spoon,” back tucked snugly against Pam’s front, their legs curled into one another’s. And before she’d have to slip out of bed to solve the latest crisis at JSC, Ellen would’ve turned in Pam’s arms and warmed her with a gentle kiss.

Regret squeezes her lungs so hard, she almost can’t breathe, and she forces herself to suck in air and push it back out. It must come out harsher than she intends because one of her students leans toward her, forehead creased with worry.

“You okay, Ms. Horton?”

Pam’s lips form a wholly unconvincing smile. “I’m fine, Judy.” Snapping out of her stupor, she reaches inside her messenger bag on the floor, pulling out a small notebook and a pencil.

“What’re you doing?” Judy watches Pam flip to an empty page.

“Pouring out a double,” Pam deadpans. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

“How can you write at a time like this?” Another student, Valerie, asks.

Pam can’t tell them the truth. That if she doesn’t do this, she just might break down entirely.

So she merely shrugs as she presses lead to paper. “How can you not?”

Somehow, the world survives.

All thanks to a handshake in space.

When the news breaks over the radio, Pam is weak-kneed from relief, clapping and cheering with her students and colleagues. She wipes away the wetness on her cheeks as pride swells within her, knowing that astronauts she’s known and loved saved them all.

In some small way, it makes her feel justified in her decision to leave Houston. Even though Ellen herself wasn’t on the Apollo, Pam knows she would have been involved in the ultimate outcome. Ellen was born for leadership, and had so much good yet to do. Pam did the right thing in removing herself as an obstacle on Ellen’s path. Right? Right.

Her fellow professors want to celebrate their new lease on life. But Pam’s exhausted and wants nothing more than to crawl back to her motel room with some bourbon and pass out. So she takes her leave, picks up Chinese takeout, and swings by the liquor store where she buys a bottle of Michter’s, convincing herself that she selected it for its quality, and not because it’s Ellen’s favorite.

A shower, full belly, and three sheets to the wind later, Pam finds herself on top of the squeaky motel bed, surfing the late-night news for NASA coverage. Purely as a concerned citizen, of course, and not to catch a glimpse of the agency’s beautiful acting administrator. There’s nothing, though, and Pam lays her right arm over her eyes to block out the spinning room.

She dreams of Ellen.

Always Ellen.

They’re on the gray surface of the moon, surrounded by the twinkling darkness of the star-studded universe. Ellen, in her white space suit, is walking in the distance, her legs skip-floating across the dusty surface. Pam, however, is left exposed in the vacuum, unfathomably alive as she runs after Ellen. Or makes the attempt, hopping in weak gravity. No matter how hard she tries to cross the distance, the farther Ellen seems to pull away.

Her chest hurts, but Pam calls out anyway.

I’m sorry.

I love you.

Please.

Her words are swallowed by cold silence.

Pam wakes with a gasp, swallowing air into her lungs, heart pounding against her ribs. Blinking rapidly, it takes her several long seconds to remember where she is, the motel room slowly coming into focus. The television’s still on, now airing the morning news. Empty takeout boxes remain scattered on a small desk. For some reason, the room’s phone is off its hook, dangling off the side of the nightstand to her right.

Pam chokes back a sob.

Ellen doesn’t try to contact her, as Pam feared she might after her last conversation with Larry.

She should feel relieved. It's what she had wanted, and intended, when she left the letter on Ellen’s bed. And yet, she can’t stem the undercurrent of disappointment that lingers.

The news about Tracy and Gordo Stevens breaks while Pam's searching for a new apartment. Sitting in her favorite pub in Clarksville, tucked away on a quiet street in the historic neighborhood, she’s halfway through the newspaper classifieds when a sudden hush descends. One of the servers turns up the volume on the television above the bar. Photos of Tracy and Gordo in their blue flight suits flash on screen, their smiles confident and bright.

A news anchor says something about an accident at Jamestown, and how they and two other astronauts had lost their lives during the repairs. The exact details are lost on a shell-shocked Pam, a pencil slipping through her now slack fingers. It seems like only yesterday that she was pouring drinks for them both. They had been two of Pam’s favorites--Gordo with his terrible jokes and off-key singing, and Tracy with her kind smile and quiet determination.

They had always treated Pam as one of their own, and she can’t believe they’re gone.

It doesn’t feel real, and yet it’s now reality.

A few weeks later, every channel airs the funeral in Arlington National Cemetery. Elise has it on the television when Pam drops by their house to pick up the last of her things. Well, it’s not their house anymore, technically. It’s Elise’s until the lease to the small rambler expires at the end of the month.

They haven’t seen each other since Pam had left Elise for Ellen, and it’s every bit as awkward as Pam expected. Elise has every right to be hurt and angry, and Pam wouldn’t blame her if she felt the need to lash out. But Elise is civil, almost disconcertingly so, keeping her expression neutral as she walks ahead of Pam to the living room.

“I went ahead and packed the rest of your stuff.” Elise crosses her arms, maintaining her distance.

“You didn’t have to do that.” Pam ducks her head. Elise is nothing but efficient. It’s one of the things Pam loves about her. “But thank you.”

“I’ll let you get to it.” Elise nods and returns to sit on the couch.

A suitcase and several boxes are waiting next to the dining table. Flannery greets Pam instantly, curling around her ankles. Smiling, Pam bends down to pick up the orange Maine Coon.

“Hey, little guy, I’ve missed you,” she murmurs into his soft, fluffy fur. Flannery purrs in response.

On the TV screen, the president is giving a speech at the cemetery’s white-marble memorial amphitheater. Behind him are four coffins draped in the stars and stripes, and Pam’s heart clenches.

“Did you know them, too?” Elise cradles a mug between her hands as she watches the coverage.

“I knew the Stevenses, yeah,” Pam admits quietly.

“Guess there’s a lot you didn’t tell me,” Elise huffs out.

Guilt courses through Pam as she gently lowers Flannery back onto the floor. He meows in protest. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to hide it from you. It was just a part of my life I wanted to forget, I guess.”

Elise doesn’t respond, her eyes glued to the news coverage, where the camera pans to the crowd. Pam’s breath stills when she catches a glimpse of Ellen in black standing solemnly between Danielle Poole and Molly Cobb. She’s on screen for less than three seconds, but it’s enough to discombobulate Pam, who tamps down another swell of grief.

“I’m surprised,” Elise says suddenly, turning her head to regard Pam. “That you’re not there with her.”

I would be, Pam thinks, in a better world. But that’s not the one they live in, and Pam’s not even sure she’ll live to see the day when relationships like theirs will be accepted or, at the very least, tolerated without condemnation.

“It’s not my place,” Pam says vaguely.

She can’t bring herself to tell Elise the truth of what she had done, how in the end she had let Ellen go for the greater good. The pain is still too fresh. Without elaborating further, she picks up the first box with a slight grunt. It’s heavier than it looks.

It takes only a few minutes to load up her car, both amazed and sad that the tangible portion of a life with someone amounted, in the end, to so very little. Elise meets her just outside the storm door with the suitcase, saving Pam one more trip inside.

“Listen, I just…” Elise bites the corner of her lip, brow pinched. “I want you to be happy. And I’m trying to understand, but…”

“I know.” Pam attempts a smile she’s sure comes out half-hearted and weak. “I want you to be happy, too.”

“Just not together.”

“Elise…” Pam exhales slowly through her nostrils. A car rumbles down the street behind her. “I think,” she swallows against a lump forming in her throat, “if Ellen hadn’t walked back into my life, you and I would still want different things.”

Disappointment ripples across Elise’s face, and another wave of remorse washes over Pam. Children have been a sticking point between Pam and Elise, and it isn’t an issue that would simply resolve itself with time. Elise deserves someone who wanted, without hesitation, to build a family with her. And as much as Pam loves her, she just isn’t that person.

Pam takes in a deep breath. “We were friends before. Maybe… maybe one day we could be again.”

Elise only stares, blinks once, twice. “Maybe. I need some time, I think.”

“I understand.”

Nodding, Elise opens the screen door, but pauses before stepping back inside. “Take care of yourself, Pam.”

“You too.”

The door closes with a soft click that nevertheless feels loud in its finality. On a long exhale, Pam picks up the suitcase and walks away.

Life moves on, as it always does, without a care for tragedy or triumph.

In some ways, it’s easier than the last time Pam put herself through a hard reset. She’s not starting from scratch in a new city, or struggling to make ends meet as she works her way through grad school. She has her health, her career, and her freedom to live her life out in the open.

Pam settles into her new apartment in Clarksville. It’s better than the hole-in-the-wall she had rented way back when in Houston, but not by much. Still, it’s hers and she’s grateful for the distraction of unpacking, organizing, and decorating. Between those tasks and teaching, she doesn’t have time for much else.

But sometimes, in quiet moments alone, usually in bed staring up at her dark ceiling, her mind wanders and wonders--just how different would her life be if she had gone down the roads not taken. What if she had stayed with Ellen a decade ago? Could she have tolerated Ellen’s marriage to Larry? Would she have been able to stand the constant fear and anxiety from Ellen’s stints on the moon, not being able to have the same privileges as other spouses and wives? And what of Ellen’s potential foray into politics? Could Pam have found the strength to support her without resentment?

Pam doesn’t know, and will never know, but she explores the possibilities in poems jotted down in notebooks, stories scrawled in journals, and snippets scribbled on restaurant napkins and whatever scraps of paper she can find when the muse strikes. It helps, she thinks. Or hopes.

And so she pushes forward one day at a time: eat, sleep, teach, write. Eventually, she becomes so engrossed in the routine that she blocks out nearly all else, completely missing the news about NASA’s acting administrator stepping down to the surprise of the Reagan administration.

"Pens down, that's all she wrote folks!"

There's a palpable sense of relief around the room, even as some of the first-year students groan when Pam calls time on their final exam.

"Come on, it wasn't so bad, right?" She smiles from her desk as they turn in their papers. "I'm proud of you all. Have a terrific break."

Pam gets up to erase the instructions she had written in the blackboard. The chalk dust makes her nose crinkle, and she brushes her hands off on the front of her pants. Once the classroom empties out, Pam gathers the exams and slips them inside her messenger bag, cursing under her breath when she accidentally knocks a pen from her desk.

As she bends down to retrieve it, the door opens once again.

"Be with you in a sec." Pam stretches her arm to grasp the pen. Straightening back up, she turns to greet her student. "What can I do for…"

Her heart stops.

Ellen Wilson smiles.

"Hi, Pam."

#ellen x pam #for all mankind #ellen waverly #pam horton #spacepoet #canon divergent fix-it fic

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worklabournewsresearch · 3 years

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65% of Remote Workers Do Not Want to Return to the Office

"In a survey by job listings site Flexjobs, an astonishing 65 percent of pandemic remote workers said they wanted to keep working from home and 58 percent even said they would look for a new job if they would have to return to the office. Only 2 percent said they would prefer to return, while 11 percent said that remote work was not essential for them. At a third of respondents naming it as their preferred mode of working, the hybrid model that combines office and remote work was also popular."

"Respondents were pretty much in agreement about the biggest perks of working from home: Having no commute and saving money were named by 84 percent and 75 percent of remote workers, respectively. Reasons against remote work were more diverse and included overworking/the ability to unplug (35 percent of respondents), distractions at home and tech problems (28 percent each) as well as finding reliable WiFi (26 percent) and video meeting fatigue (24 percent)."

"The survey also found that only 24 percent of pandemic remote workers has a designated home office while 34 percent had created a designated workspace. The wish to relocate to a different area – a move that roughly a third said they would make, while another third entertained the idea – could lead to more working space for some. 47 percent wanted to relocate for cheaper living, only trumped by the search for a better quality of life (58 percent)."

World Economic Forum, April 27, 2021: "65% of remote workers do not want to return to the office - here's why," by Katharina Buchholz

FlexJobs, April 19, 2021: "FlexJobs Survey Finds Employees Want Remote Work Post-Pandemic," by Rachel Pelta

Statista, Work from home & remote work - Statistics & Facts

National Bureau of Economic Research, April 2021: "Why Working from Home Will Stick," by Jose Maria Barrero, Nicholas Bloom & Steven J. Davis (70 pages, PDF)

Image Source: Sade, Kate. (2019). [Photograph]. Unsplash/kate.sade. https://unsplash.com/photos/2zZp12ChxhU

#world economic forum #remote work #working from home #post-pandemic #flexjobs #wfh #survey #home office #hybrid model #work arrangement #pandemic #productivity #virtual environment #traditional office #work flexibility #mental health #wellness #workplace satisfaction

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owlgoddess24 · 5 years

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2018 Movie Review

I did this a year ago, and now we’re doing it again: I review the movies I’ve seen in 2018!

Unfortunately, Bumblebee and Aquaman couldn’t make the list, because I haven’t seen them. Yet.

Anyway, without further ado, the reviews!

Black Panther

Black Panther easily makes it into the top 5 of MCU movies. On top of fantastic action scenes and beautiful settings, the acting is also stellar, especially coming from Michael B Jordan as Killmonger. I don’t think he gets enough credit, either.

Ready Player One

Ready Player One is my favorite book, so obviously Steven Speilberg had to meet some serious requirements for me to like this. And I did. It’s not as good, but it was a great adaptation, and all the changes that were made were changes that made sense for the movie (nobody wants to watch someone play an arcade game repeatedly). Also, the Gundam scene? 10/10. Badass.

A Wrinkle in Time

Why is this movie so hated? I personally enjoyed it. Aside from one large scene being left out which really annoyed me, I thought it was a good adaptation of the book. Also, that kid who played Charles Wallace is a great actor for someone his age, like, jeez!

Pacific Rim: Uprising

God, this movie was ass. The trailers were better than the final product. How dare they ruin my favorite movie. Thank u, next

Love, Simon

Ohmygod this movie was amazing I almost cried aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa I love it 11/10 I need to read the book

Sorry for the short review I have no words

Deadpool 2

Deadpool 2 is funny as hell. It also, like the previous movie on this list, is very gay. Not that that adds to the movie quality, I just like it. Combined with the ridiculous fight scenes demanded of a Deadpool movie, it makes for one hell of a ride. And as I mentioned before, this movie is goddamn hillarious.

Avengers: Infinity War

Everything has been leading up to this. All the way back to Captain America: The First Avenger, the MCU has been preparing for this movie, and Marvel delivered. Infinity War was a fantastic mix of Action, Comedy, and Drama that made the movie feel less like an Avengers movie and more like a Thanos movie.

Upgrade

Sadly, I didn’t get to see this movie in theaters, and I almost wish I did. Upgrade was amazing, with incredible acting and gory fight scenes. When I say incredible, I mean INCREDIBLE. The ability to believably separate your facial expressions from what the rest of your body is doing is an acting feat that the Tom Hardy lookalike Logan Marshall-Green nails perfectly. Also, the ending was something that I haven’t seen anything like since The Circle.

Incredibles 2

The Incredibles is a great movie, and making a sequel 15 years later seems like a ridiculous thing to do for a movie that good- unless, of course, you’re Pixar, because that’s exactly what they did and it did not dissapoint. I haven’t seen such an equal amount of families with little kids and adults along in years.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

I mean, I enjoyed it somewhat, but it’s not that good. They kinda go overboard with a lot of stuff. Best to just stick with the OG Jurassic Park.

Alas, I have reached the tumblr photo limit, so the rest will arrive in a part 2, coming in a few hours!

#black panther #ready player one #a wrinkle in time #pacific rim #love simon #deadpool #deadpool 2 #avengers infinity war #infinity war #upgrade #incredibles 2 #the incredibles #jurassic world #marvel #movies #2018 movies

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indiepulserocks · 3 years

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Interview with Singer & Songwriter, Scott Howard

Please introduce yourself to the readers and how you first got into this field of work –and who were some of your influences growing up?

Welcome to the world of Scott Howard. Growing up, my world revolved around music. As a child, I was always around music. We would have family come by once a month to gather (back then, they called it… The Cousins Club). The adults would all congregate around the piano and take turns singing a favorite song. My mother was an opera singer and with my stepfather started Long Island Lyric Opera in the 70’s. I was 8 years of age and a friend of my mother’s played an acoustic guitar. I fell in love with folk music and was fascinated by the sound and overall message of the songs played…hope, love, a better world.

I took piano lessons, but it didn’t stick…but the guitar, that became an obsession. I put together my first band when I was 9 and I played my first gig at a place called Maimonides Home for Special Children, our performance was terrible, but they loved and supported us. Since then, I was hooked on performing. Then I was introduced to Cat Stevens, Moody Blues, Peter Gabriel, Yes, Crosby Stills, Nash & Young… their albums were books to be read and obsessed over… music became my friend, it became my drug of choice and the lullaby I slept to.

What kind of training have you had, if any?

Again, my mother was an Opera singer and both my stepfather and mother started Long Island Lyric Opera in the 1970’s. I was a stagehand, so I was exposed to the world of the Classics. In addition, at age 7 or 8, I began to learn to play trumpet, and ended up playing the Sousaphone. I played in All County bands up to Junior High School and could write and read music for orchestra. I performed in both Brass Jazz bands and Orchestral.

What has been your favorite project to work on so far?

I am finishing up my first full length film called “World Ascension Tour, (A Lightworker’s Journey) …live at Village Studios in 432 Hz”. This is a biopic Rockumentary that spans the time of my Awakening about 4 years ago and continues on every day. The film incorporates interviews of my life and the music that mirrors the pain, healing and glimpses of light at the end of this tunnel of this magical journey. As I write prophetically, there are some new songs added to this film that will hopefully resonate with those in need of healing through these trying times. This new genre of music in this Rockumentary film will also have a limited vinyl record in 432 Hz circulated, as well as, an e-book called “The Language of Clouds” … We will be taking pre-orders starting in the next few weeks on my website scotthowardmusic.com.

Why did you choose to pursue a career as a musician?

I have always been a musician, but not full-time. I always had questions in my mind… Am I good enough… is the music good enough? However, these questions were answered when my Son Maxx was taken on 8/8/2018…. I went through a change in spirit…. AN AWAKENING …. with this loss, I wrote music for months cathartically… I did not know what else to do. A new genre of music from Source was born in 432 Hz…. a completely interactive journey. And, I’ll continue in this career not only for me, but as a gift to heal the world. I’ve proven through my own experience that music heals.

What has been the biggest highlights/achievements of your career?

The birth of my two children: my son who is gone, Maxx, and my daughter Alyx. In meeting my soulmate and wife Debbie, and, the continued evolution of my spirit & the writing of music that people will resonate with from Source in 432 Hz.

If you had a chance to work alongside anybody in the field who would that be?

Cat Stevens, CSNY, Yes, Moody Blues, Peter Gabriel…MY SON MAXX.

What projects do you have coming up?

I am setting up a Patreon page that will allow my fans to interact with me & each other. They’ll receive current information in the portal with all the latest on my music, film, ebook, and my new Ascension432Wear clothing line.

Currently, I am finishing my first full length Rockumentary film…” The World Ascension Tour… (A Lightworker’s Journey) …live at Village Studios in 432Hz”. In conjunction with the film will be a Limited-Edition vinyl album of the film that will comprise of about 12 songs…all played in 432 Hz.

The Language of Clouds e-book is a compilation of my Awakening and has photos of the 5D realm, that will cause you to never look at the sky again the same way… Currently, the e-book is being reformatted. It is slated for launch, and will be distributed worldwide Sept/Oct later this year.

The film, as well as, all other contents, will be on my Patreon page. I have also come out with an amazing line of clothing available now on my website for purchase. The clothing incorporates both ancient protection symbols & embedded crystal healing stones… great for those who meditate or just want to work towards their own ascension, manifestation & spiritual or physical abundance.

Where would be your ideal place to perform in?

I would love to perform in high energy places around the world... venues that help raise the frequency of the listener and in turn resonate throughout the world.

What do you wish to accomplish as a musician?

I feel I am on the path that will help raise the frequency of the those on the path and then those who are watching from the sidelines. I desire for my music to bring us all to a path of highest good… I think I have done this already… whether it be in this realm or in some other parallel reality.

What would be your advice to aspiring music makers?

Life is a plethora of experiences of pain and love & how to cope with karma. There are many philosophies that believe the karmic slate will be wiped clean for some, but not for all. It is our responsibility as humankind to learn the real history so it does not repeat itself. Learn how to not give your energy away to people as that is your most valuable power… your thoughts, your emotions, time - these things are invaluable.

Find your SOUL SPARK, … experience, the right frequency. There are very little redeeming qualities to much of today’s music, but some select musicians are awakening and beginning to play their music at the healing frequency of 432 Hz. I feel very little when I hear a popular song, especially at the 440 Hz frequency. I believe the industry could have a renaissance... and I hope as music makers we can help.

Lastly, use your voice and bring awareness to social causes you are passionate about. Personally, I want to give a percentage of revenue from my music & content to help fight Child Trafficking. I would also like to support in fighting the epidemic of drug addiction and mental health, as well as, to bring awareness to the needs of our planet.

“I asked the man with the faceless mask what is this madness for … a world with nothing left for us…no peace… no love…no war… All the saints and sinners are standing in line…there’s plenty of room for everyone…. but we’re running out of TIME!”

BE A DREAMER……Be light!

#Share #your #message #free press.#submission

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emziley · 6 years

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All of the even numbers!

P.s I hope this spaced out like I want it too because if not its going to be one hell of a read and I am sorry...2, Nicknames that didnt come from my actual name: Alma (because the woman in sister act who can’t hear 😂) er thers probably others I can’t think of right now…4, Longest my hair has ever been:Down to my butt. Never again.6,What is one (1) Item on bucket list: To meet all my long-distance frienfs in person8, Oldest pice of clothing I still wear:Umm I probably have socks from when I was a kid I still wear XD idk10, How grammatically correct are you when you text?:I typically text how I would actually talk out loud so not very…12, what foreign country would you like to visit and why? :Probably Ireland is first on my list because of how beautiful it is and how much of my family came from there 14, how old where you when you had your first kiss? 17 or 18 I think? I was a senior in highschool 16, have you ever hosted a wild party? Wild? No. 18, How many of your facebook friends to you actually hang out with?Like… 7 max not including family? 20, on a scale of 1-10 how much do you enjoy decorating for hollidays Uhh probably like an 8? I enjoy how they look but the effort of putting them up and taking them down I could do without lol 22, what is your go to starbucks drink?I have never had starbucks :/24, Dogs or Cats?Why choose?26, have you ever cooked a big family meal by yourself?Not really? I mean, If I make pasta it could feed a large family…. 28, Have you ever butt dialed anyone?Probably.30, How early do you start celebrating christmas?Right after thanks giving XD32, Are you fluent in more than one language? I wish I was tbh….maybe some day…34, Have you ever been on a successful diet?I feel like “successful” and “diet” arent words that can really be used together in a positive way.36, how good are you at communicating through facial expressions?Better than with words…38, Have you ever left a movie theater before the movie was over? Not that I can remember…40, Does your home have a fire place?We have a fernace and then a fake electric one in the living room42, If you could have one (1) super power what would it be and why?The power to manipulate probablility because you can have anything you want? Like whats the probably of me getting pizza tonight? Probablg like 40% but I could turn that 40% into 100% and definatly get pizza tonight.44, do you listen to religious music? Not typically, no.46, what is your ACT score?🙃48, On a scale of 1-10 how good of a driver would you consider yourself? Idk like a 5? I dont have my licents because im scared to drive but the times I did go out and drive I wasnt bad.50, How easily do you cry?VERY. You could look at me wrong and there will be tears. Or a puppy could do something cute and water works are on the way lol52, when you hang out with your closest friend what do you usually do? My closest friend is my partner so we’re usually cuddling or playing games or watching something on YouTube or Netflix54, Can you play any musical instraments? If so which ones?Yes! I can play the guitar, steel drums, and piano (albeit not well) , I can sing and honestly, would like to learn more instraments soon!56, What was the last CD you bought?Either X or ÷ by Ed Sheeran for my sister for christmas I think58, What day is your laundry day?Right now, Monday-Saturday, I dont typically have a specific day just as long as its not sunday, thats dads laundry day!60, How long have you known your best friend?4 or 5 years now?62, do you have any stickers on your laptop?Currently I don’t have my own laptop, but I use my moms and she has a message from my aunt tapped on it kind of like a sticker? It says “Teddy grams 3 points” from when they where doing weight watchers XD64, what is your favorite flavor ice cream?Mint chocolate chip!66, Star Treck or Star WarsI haven’t seen either tbh but I want to! 68, Have you ever acted in a play or musical?Yes! Anything goes, A mid-summer nights dream, 9 to 5, Mrs. McThing, and Tarzan! I still have A mid-summer nights dream on DVD lol I wish I could again…70, What is the shortest your hair has been?I think chin length? 72, Do you like to go fishing?My dad told me a horror story once about when he went fishing with his brother… I’ll spare you the details but I’m afraid to go…but I have before and I dont have the patients tbh I do love fish though!74, what was your favorite holoween costume and how old where you?I was the I think red M&M? Idk how old I was but probably between 4 and 876, How many pillows do you sleep with?Between 1 and 4. Depends if Im sharing.78, How many friends of the oposite gender do you have?I….Really dont know? I think half of them don’t even know their own gender tbh80, How long have you been at your current jobI currently dont have a job :/82, How flexible are you?Psyically not very, but im working on that!84, what is a phrase you say the most?“Why are you like this” is probably my favorite XD 86, Do you own any home made clothing?Some of my cosplays are home made, along with a prom dress! 88, Have you every given anyone CPR No, I know how to but I think in the situation I would panic and freeze and not even be able to…90, Discribe your sense of humor?Odd and all over the place. 92, What is your favorite cereal?Probably honey smacks! 94, Have you ever had a TV show theme song stuck in your head?I get a few stuck in my head from time to time, like Steven Universe or Gravity Falls and stuff 96, Do you believe in life on other planets?Yeah…. I mean bacteria and stuff is tecnically life? But there’s gotta be something outside our solar system too…98, what is your biggest fear?Dying alone or being abandoned….100, are you still friends with anyone from highschool?Yes.102, How patient are you?With other people? Very. With myself? Not really. With waiting for something to happen? Not at all. 104, Do you eat meat? Yeah, im picky about it though…106, Have you ever bought anything from the flea market? I don’t think so?108, Have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head that you dont like?Unfortunatly.110, Have you ever warn glasses?Yes! I did when I was young, went a few years without needing them and now wear them again.112, Are your birth parents still together?Yes.114, what is your favorite type of cookie?Peanut butter blossoms. The peanut butter ones with the Hershey kiss in the middle 😍116, How often do you smile when getting your picture taken? I usually smile I think? If im taking selfies I sometimes do a pouty face but…?118, what is your oldest memory?I have a very distinct memory of sitting in my crib with my legs hanging out the side. I don’t know why I remember THAT but I do120, How often do you snort when you laugh?I dont know? Not too often… but if you get me really laughing I will and it makes me laugh more. Right now I’ve just been laughing and coughing so~122, What is your favorite Disney song? Probably “How far I’ll go” from moana? Or like anything from mulan XD124, What is your Mayers-Briggs personality type? INFP-T 126, one (1) thing yoy wish people would stop posting on social media: Pictures and shit of animal abuse. I get the posts like “hey this is a shit thing to do” but do we really need photos or videos of it?…. and when reported to facebook you’re told it “doesn’t violate community guidelines” like bull fucking shit it doesnt. 128, do you prefer Credit Cards or cash?Cash, its easier for me to keep track of, and money gives me anxiety. 130, What is your astrological sign?I fall on a cusp birthday so I am technically both a Scorpio and Sagitarius. 132, Do you have any hidden talents?I don’t even have any visable talents…134, What gives yoy motivstion to do well in life?I dont know but whatever it is isn’t working.136, on a scale od 1-10 how much are you like your father?Looks: like 3, personality: 8ish 138, A moment when you where pleasently suprised?Probably when Tom actually said yes to dating me after 3 days of waiting. At that point I gave up hope at the words “I’ll have to think about it” so when they said yes it was just~ 😶140, what type of shoes do you wear the most?My penguin sneakers! Or my boots… either one lol142, Favorite song to sing in the shower?I have a whole playlist of songs just to sing… and my top 5 from that in no particular order is 1. Red flavor by red velvet 2. Evil by shinee, 3. Good bye by Taemin, 4, cotton candy by astro and 5, Nightmare by shinee. They’re all kpop so its kinda hard 😂144, Have you ever lived on a farm? I mean where my house is used to be a farm? We have barns and stuff. We also grow some fruits and vegetables and at one point had ducks? but I wouldn’t really say I lived on a farm… 146, what tv show or movie do you quote or make referances to the most? Probably steven universe? Idk148, Have you ever gotten stiches?No, and I probably wouldn’t be able yo handle if if I had to. 150, What is your favorite youtube channel?As embarrassing as it is to say to you~ it probably will always be artfulImpersonator 😶😶😶 152, on a scale of 1-10 how well do you work with others?Im going to say 5 because it REALLY depends who im working with. 154, Apple or PC?….uh they both have good qualities, I guess it depends what Im using it for, but I guess PC for casual use156, Have you ever seen a broadway play or musical? I seen Newsies and almost fell asleep…. not because it was a bad show or anything but because it was a school trip and I was just exhausted. 158, Have you ever uttered a spoke hashtag? #yes. Usually as jokes but uhhh sometimes I get carried away. 160, What is the longest you went without sleep? Probably 24 hours? Maybe less? 162, Disney or Nickelodeon? As I kid I was a Disney kid, but Now probably Nick?164, On a scale from 1-10 how much are you like your mom?Looks: 8 personality: maybe a 6?166, Ear bud or Ear muff style headphones?Ear muff style! Ear buds hurt my ears :(168, any peircings besides earlobe? Nah,170, Showers or baths?I like them both. For actually cleaning showers but for relaxing baths. Something about the warm water :)172, do you prefer bottled or tap water?Depends where I am? At my house Tap but most places bottled.174, Do you have any guilty pleasures you’d be comfortable talking about?Guilty pleasures? Pleanty. Comfortable talking about on a public forum such as tumblr? Not really XD…. I mean I guess liking one direction still is a guilty pleasure? Or some of the anime’s I watch? I’ll mention those ones176, Ever had a new years kiss exactly at midnight? No…. I found im usually grumpy on new years? I wonder why? 🤔178, Have you ever gave money to a homeless person? I dont think so :( I dont usually have that much on me… 180, What is your least favorite food? Anything slimey. Im a very texture based eater… 182, Do you like wearing hats? When im not wearing cat ears, yes!184, SAT score?🙃🙃186, anyone in your family currently serve in your countries military? I think my cousin, Yeah?…or he wants to or something im not sure…188, what celebrity would you like to play you in a movie about your life? Can I just play myself? 190, Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes, and it needs to be dyed again! Idk what color I want to do next though :/192, whats the first site you visit after opining a web browser? Depends what I went in the computer for but I guess generally Tumblr or Facebook 194, where you involved in any academic clubs in school? Unfortunatly, no. 196, are you comfortable watching R rated movies? Yeah, im fine with them.... unless im with my parents 😨198, what's the first thing you do when you wake up? Check my phone.200, tell us something most people don't know about youThat I have a collection of stuffed giraffes in my closet from when I was a kid. I no longer collect them but alot of them are still sitting in a bag in my closet because I've grown attached...

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emometalhead · 3 years

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Steven Adler at Canter's Deli in 2011

#there is a very wholesome quote from this interview where the interviewer notes that Steven had a big smile when he got his chicken soup lol #wish that 2nd pic was better quality. I love peace signs in photos. they're my go to pose #steven adler #ashley posts pics

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dipulb3 · 4 years

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2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge first drive review: The great electric makeover

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2021-volvo-xc40-recharge-first-drive-review-the-great-electric-makeover-2/

2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge first drive review: The great electric makeover

It’s hard not to like the Volvo XC40. In a growing sea of me-too crossover-SUVs, it stands out with fetching design, fun driving dynamics, a comprehensive safety suite and an interior that feels an awful lot like Volvo’s other, more expensive offerings. Sure, a starting price of around $34,000 means the XC40 also comes at a bit of a premium compared to its competition, but spend a little time in one and you’ll never doubt where that money went.

But what about a version that costs a whopping $20,000 extra? That’s what you’ll pay to get into the XC40 Recharge. Volvo’s new XC40-based EV is here, and it costs $54,985 after a $995 destination charge.

2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge has big power and a little frunk

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Expensive? Yes, but I’m not mad about it. In fact, after just a few miles behind the wheel, I’m in love with this all-electric reinvention of Volvo’s littlest ‘ute. Yes, it’s an asking price that budget-conscious shoppers may struggle to swallow, but the Recharge likewise manages to feel more than worth it.

The platform beneath the XC40, called CMA for Compact Modular Architecture, was designed from the beginning to be electrifiable. Volvo has finally delivered on that promise by yanking out the selection of super- and turbocharged engines and slotting in a pair of electric motors — and the requisite batteries, of course.

The result? It’s a little rocketship. I previously spent a lovely few months with our XC40 T5 long-termer and found it sprightly and fun. The Recharge is on another planet, with a whopping 402 horsepower and 486 pound-feet of torque, allowing it to sprint to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. And thanks to the drivetrain layout, the Recharge does a far better job than the T5 of getting that power to the ground. Stomping on the gas on a wet road in the normal XC40 often results in wheelspin at the front followed by an overworked differential’s tired attempt at shuttling torque to the rear. The XC40 Recharge just snaps forward. No drama, no noise, no torque steer, just acceleration. It’s addictive.

Tim Stevens/Roadshow

The XC40 Recharge just snaps forward. No drama, no noise, no torque steer, just acceleration. It’s addictive.

Volvo also gives the Recharge proper one-pedal driving abilities, such that you will rarely need to touch the brake pedal. This is my preferred way of driving an EV and I’m glad to see it here, but for those who’d prefer a more traditional way of going, it can be disabled. Sadly, though, there’s no selectable regen option in between, it’s either all on or all off.

Despite the new performance the XC40 Recharge gives up nothing when it comes to comfort. This XC40 feels premium inside and out, with a polished ride quality that just seems all the more refined thanks to the absence of internal combustion. Volvo’s engines of late aren’t the most aurally pleasing, if I’m honest, and their drone isn’t missed here.

Here be Android.

Tim Stevens/Roadshow

The XC40 Recharge’s interior is clean and refined and largely the same as what you’ll find in other Volvos. That is to say, not as posh as an XC90 but far ahead of most compact SUVs. It also far exceeds anything you’ll find in a Tesla. The panoramic glass roof adds some much needed light into a cabin that is a little too dark for my taste. Charcoal leather is the only option for now. Still, it’s all so very calm and collected.

Storage capacity in the Recharge is largely the same as the gas-powered variety, the main change being the addition of a slim compartment under the hood. It’s not a proper frunk as you’ll be hard pressed to fit more than a few loaves of rustic multigrain up there, but it does at least make for a convenient place to store your charging cable.

Outside of what spins the wheels, the most significant change comes in what’s powering the XC40 Recharge’s various displays, both the 12.3-inch gauge cluster behind the steering wheel and the 9-inch portrait touchscreen in the center stack. The layout looks the same as on the regular XC40, but now Android Automotive is calling the shots. I wrote about it extensively when I tested the Recharge’s country cousin Polestar 2, so I won’t rehash everything here, but suffice to say I’m a big fan. This takes a lot of what’s great about Android Auto but makes it standalone. If you’re a Google user, all your contacts, your calendar appointments, your saved addresses and even your playlists just magically appear after you sign in. It is wonderful.

Sometimes the absence of color is the best color.

Tim Stevens/Roadshow

There’s a lot to like about the Recharge, but it’s not all sweet. For one thing there’s the range: just 208 miles on the EPA cycle from a 75-kilowatt-hour battery. 200 miles is plenty for most folks most of the time, but it feels a bit scant for a $55,000 EV — though federal and state rebates will make things more palatable.

I also wish there were a lighter-colored, vegan interior option and I’m sure some potential buyers will want a few more regen choices, but those are minor nits to pick in what is a stellar reinvention of what was already a pretty great rig. I, like many of you, will be eagerly awaiting more affordable versions of the XC40 Recharge, but those with the means and the desire for a premium crossover EV will be hard pressed to do better.

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isolaween · 7 years

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Costumes Under the Spotlight! (Part 2)

At the stage, a lone figure clad in red stood up. It wasn’t hard noticing it after the host so kindly announced her presence like that. A bright smile stamped her face, just as flashy as her outfit. It might not show actual skin, as the original one would, but the one wearing it was proud of her confectionary abilities.

“Ummmm, what a big audience you’ve brought us tonight, Riiche~.” Maya spoke in a sultry tone. Not her usual by any means, but hey. What’s the fan of cosplaying if you don’t immerse yourself into your character either. “Pleased to meet you, humans, demons and all other species present here. I’m Gaap, one of the 72 Great Demons of Hell and your host for the costume contest tonight. Let’s see if any of those brave enough to face public scrutinization by their outfits have half of the capability a demon like me would have to pull them through, ufufufu~.” (Ummmm, I hope I don’t end up offending anyone by speaking like this…) “Now, before we start, let me explain how things will work. At the entrance, some of the Pokémon you met must have handed you a sheet containing several names and numbers, correct? Like this one.” She raises one such sheet up high and lets it be projected at the screen behind her. “If any of you missed this, just inform them and they shall complete their service adequately. Or so should they hope…” (I’m sorry, my babies!!) “This is the voting sheet. Each of you has the right to vote only once, and you must provide your name when voting to assure so. For each presented costume, you must rate them from 0 to 5, 5 being those you like the most. After you’ve rated all of them, you must submit your sheet into this box right here.” Maya shows a container decorated in a style similar to her dress. “You can submit your votes until exactly midnight. After that, we’ll take the time to count them, so that we can announce the grand winner at the end. Don’t you dare to fall asleep until then!” She knocks the floor with her heels, making quite the impact. “The winner shall be granted the biggest gift a mortal could ever wish for: a witch’s wish! Ufufu, I wonder what sort of twisted desires your dark hearts are hoping to be granted tonight. I hope you have the clothes to match them!!”

The crowd salutes the ‘demon’, who gives it time to do so. Once they’re done, she looks at the voting sheet once again. “But enough of this. Let’s get to the truly hot and exciting part of the formalities. DJ!” She snaps her fingers loudly. “You know the drill. Let’s show off… our daring contestants!” The spotlights began to dance, chasing among the crowd those that 'Gaap’ announced. Their visage would be displayed for everyone to see, for that’s what a costume contest is all about: image!

“Our first contestant is actually one of the many artists that will grace our night with their talent. A not very traditional vampire look, huh? Hopefully that won’t offend the sensibilities of the actual vampires in our audience, ummm~. With you, GAKUPO KAMUI (@utatteru)!!!”

(Art by Gakupo-mun)

“Next we have… aaaaaw, how sweet! Children can be very considerate and willing to impress their friends, no? And in a place like Hive City, such homages make perfect motifs for Halloween. Dressed as an alien friend, we have STEVEN UNIVERSE (@firstgemboy)!!!”

(Art by @/skidar)

“Following that, we have what seems to be a doctor. Also a remark about it being the worst father in the world, although I can’t confirm that without evidence. And antimatter arms? Sheesh, I’m a demon, not a scientist! Don’t ask me to dwell on science. Anyhow, here is PHI (@radicalroot)!!!”

(Art by Phi-mun)

“Hooo, looks like we have some sort of witch for our next candidate! Wonder if she has a Lady title like Lady Beatrice over there. Lambdadelta is her name? Hah, it’d be pretty amusing if she were in our audience. In the meantime, let’s salute SAYU YAMAMOTO (@macabreexeunt)!!!

(Art by Sayu-mun)

“Gosh, a magician’s outfit? Aaaaah, Trucy would love seeing this! …I mean, *cough* Quite impressive for a human seeking to become equal to a witch in power. Let’s see if you can enchant your way to victory, huh? Hope you all enjoy… I’m not reading this whole name out loud, so MAGILOU (@thewitchmagilou)!!!”

(Official art)

“A god eater? Heh, can’t imagine a cute one like you going out devouring almighty beings like that, but then again this city is known from breaking deceitful perceptions like that. Just be careful with that prop, alright? May you all admire the craft of EDNA (@normincarenaqueen)!!!”

(Official art)

“One more of tonight’s idols this time and what a style! Vampire Gakupo should keep an eye behind his ear, for you never know when this gruff vampire hunter will put a stake on his heart. Oh? Is it supposed to be a clean cut anime version of this? Well, you know what you want. EICHI TENSHOUIN, everybody (@10showin)!!!”

(Offical photo)

“Now we have the first half of another matching duo, once again by idols. There’re sure a lot of you in this contest, I must say. An ‘steampunk doll’ is not something you see everyday, so points for creativity there. Hope you like the hard work of MIKA KAGEHIRA (@smilingidoll)!!!”

(Official art)

“And here’s the second half! I must say, people who like one will probably like the other. Unless the butterfly wing ends up being a make it or break it deal for them, which might help with the untie process. I’m certainly curious to see the results~. Before you all, SHU ITSUKI (@raisanutau)!!!”

(Official art)

“I must say that I’m surprised that no women have brought princess costumes so far. To think that our first one of that cathegory would be from a boy. He sure brings forth all the qualities fit for one, however, so perhaps they just saw that they didn’t stand a chance! Please make space for Your Highness RIKU NANASE (@idolish7center)!!!”

(Official art)

“Next - hoh, what an interesting style. Steven Stone is a rather familiar name. It reminds me of a character from a Pokémon game i’ve played, Roland Rock. Hope you have the hardness of a rock to stand this challenge, boy! All salute KNIGHT UNRYUUJI (@cloudwhiteknight)!!!”

(Edit of official art)

“Another vampire, although I must say the dragon friend is an interesting touch. Such a shame that you didn’t come as a cowboy, vampire, though! Even more so that your friend there didn’t submit their costume themself, for we don’t accept two people for the same submission. Hope you’ll enjoy the work of TASUKU RYUUENJI (@tasukusenpai)!!!”

(Official art)

“Now this one should be familiar to everyone. An idol that has stolen everyone’s hearts throughout the past 10 years, with a mix of appeal and talent never seen before. Her choice for the contest is an outfit that I’ll admit not to know, but I’m sure some of you do. One that needs no further introduction, MIKU HATSUNE (@cv01android)!!!”

(Art by Sour暄)

“Wow, now THIS guy understands about fashion! I completely agree with you, my fellow fashionista, anything is worth having this demonic glamour. If someone is fashionable, I’d be able to go through all sorts of crazy adventures with them… but only if they’re hot!! Here is the Pumpkin Witch, KING KNIGHT (@gildedusurper) !!!”

(Art by KK-mun)

“The next contestant has a… much more natural look, I could say. And even considerate enough to add flowers for a better smell? If I didn’t know better, I’d have long thrown a pokéball at you, my darling, ahahaha! Ah, but I jest. Each individual in this city has different skill levels that should be respected. And hopefully admired! Please admire ORI (@saviourofnibel) !!!”

(Art by Ori-mun)

“Hoo, what a beautifully stylish outfit this is! A simple enough design that showcases its true splendor in the form of cobweb patterns under the spotlight. Just like a true circus artist! And complimenting web gloves, how interesting. It’s truly wonderful seeing people use their natural talents the most like this. Ladies and gentlemen, applauses for MUFFET (@actuallymuffet) !!!”

(Art by Mumpkins (Deviantart))

“My my, this one is pretty creative, I must say! Using your own body as a prop is not something most people would be comfortable with, but you seem to have pulled it off with a T! And that modern internet aesthetic will sure gain you a couple points from the meme loving citizens, ahahaha!! Anyway, here is STAR PLATINUM (@wildberryoras) !!!”

[Aside from pixelated plastic he fashioned to look like a censor bar covering his eyes, all he’s wearing is two pepsi logos covering his unmentionables both in back and front. It’s the three piece cardboard display he constructed that are the main attraction. One side sits upon the floor while the others act as walls, a window into the world he pained into it. Neon pink and black checkerboard tile stretch into the turquoise horizon. The landscape lay nearly barren except for an oasis not far away. At the edge of a pool sit palm trees, VHS tapes propped against a pedestal, on which sits a television. Vaporwave is playing on it thanks to a phone acting as the screen, tapped there from behind. Star Platinum takes position on the display and poses like classical sculpture to tie it all together.]

(Description by SP-mun)

“…….Are you kidding me? Look, there’re ways to make use of memetic aesthetics and this is not really… *sigh*. Please, you’re a skeleton. You could have probably done a better job just by submitting yourself! Ahhh, but I digress. Everybody, enjoy the trumpet tunes of W.D. GASTER (@scirephysica) !!!”

(Edit by Gaster-mun)

“Ah, finally a werewolf! I was starting to think that the vampire lore would dominate tonight’s contest without any sort of opposition. I’m glad to see I was wrong. Especially a pastel colored one, you never see those in media. Definitely an original twist to the concept! Hope you’ll all howl for SUNNY OF THE FOUR HEAVENLY KINGS (@hairbeat) !!!”

(Art by Sunny-mun)

“Ah, what a fancy design this one has. That top hat of yours is your signature, isn’t it? I must say, it gives you a very gentlemanly air. I’ve once met a man who too wore a top hat all the time, and he was the most gentlemanly person I’ve ever met in my long life. But remember - a noble design means nothing if you can’t act the part! I present to you, DIO (@dioleft) !!!”

(Image source)

“And now an alien! Ahhh, what a futuristic looking dress! And those green bobbies on your head are quite charming (although I wonder why they aren’t silver to match the rest of the attire). Also really liked the makeup trick on your eyes - gives them that creepy grey alien feel for sure~. Hope you’ll all be abduted by the charms of MARCELINE ABADEER (@buryyouinmysounds) !!!”

(Image source)

“My my, another vampire? I might have anticipated myself in supposing that the werewolves stood any chance this year. A pretty traditional design this time - the paper teeth are a cute touch, though. Maybe we could say that you’re the Iron Mask Vampire! But I digress. I’m sure you shall be a respectable guest, darling. Please be kind with DRIFTER (@hyper-light) !!!”

(Image source)

“Would you look at this one! Representation for the other ways to celebrate Fall! Yes, for Halloween is but one of the many celebrations around the world this time of the year. I wonder how a Dia de los Muertos would go in Hive City, hmmmm… In any case, let’s all enjoy some sugar skulls with SOMBRA (@transl0cating) !!!”

(Official art)

“Ohhhh, a Frankenstein’s monster! Oh, I-I mean, Junkenstein’s monster. Forgive me for the confusion, miss. I can definitely approve of seeing more muscular women getting into the fun of costume making. It’s no fun if women are reduced to just being super thin and short demure mannequins, am I wrong? Hope you won’t get zapped by ALEKSANDRA ZARYANOVA (@itsonlygame) !!!”

(Art by @/kakimari (twitter))

“Now comes a bunch of matching outfits! First, a couple of cops, ready to arrest anyone disturbing the enjoyment of our citizens here present. Although I must admit, the first one’s design doesn’t really suggest me ‘cop’ that much besides the handcuffs. You sure you didn’t mix up with your roleplay costume~? Hope you enjoy the energy of CROW (@crimsongaze) !!!”

(Official art)

“Now the other half of this cop duo! …Oh, it’s you. I must admit, Halloween is indeed the time of the year most fit for one immersed in fantasies and acting plays. Wonder if that makes you the ‘good cop’ to your partner’s ‘bad cop’. Who knows, you might actually obtain a real ‘legend’ this time! Keep your eyes open for YAIBA (@legendoftongueflame) !!!”

(Official art)

“Now, a couple of vampires! The first one isn’t the tradiotional you’d see in old books, however. He seems to have gone with the more modern depiction of them as sexy boyfriends that’s become quite popularized in YA books the past few years. Will that exposed skin of yours sparkle, I wonder~? May the audience swoon with the charm of TITAN (@unichord) !!!”

(Official art)

“Our second vampire in this duo is more akin to the old times fashion, I see. Hah, I can already envision how this story would go. An old vampire finds an attractive young man and turns him into one of his kind to appease his encroaching loneliness that immortality brings. C’mon, it’d sell like bread! In any case, hope you’re as popular as my story would be, ORION (@aurochial) !!!”

(Official art)

“Ah, another freak of science! This time, we face the terror of eeeevil cyborgs, whose only goal in mind is subjugating all organic life to their master’s whims. I must say, I’m truuuuly terrified! That aside, I must say that this costume’s handcrafting is of top quality! I surely hope that it’ll be well seen by our guests. Hope you can survive the onslaught of MILES PROWER (@milesabovemobius) !!!”

(Official art)

“Hoo, I must say that I was quite excited when I saw the name of this costume. And also a bit afraid that our hosts wouldn’t allow it as per the rules, but it seems like we can keep the PG rating. I wonder if this is what a human/dragon hybrid is supposed to look like in YA novels. Ah, I know! I’ll include you in the story I mentioned earlier! With you, TRAVIS TOUCHDOWN (@suplex51) !!!”

[The Sexy Dragon is an Ibuki Mioda original that gives off an aura of sensual power. A “tough-love look,” you could call it.

The top is a sleeveless leather jacket, covered in brilliant green scales. The collar has been torn away, forcing the wearer to show off their collarbones to the world. Jutting down the wearer’s shoulders and spine are a set of dorsal fins, small enough to not be cumbersome while still large enough to give a sort of badass kaiju vibe.

The jean pants share the green color scheme, only with an added layer of crimson red felt underneath. Multiple lacerations to the green ‘skin’ reveal that 'muscle’ layer, which comes to look like the scars of a battle-hardened warrior.]

(Description by Travis-mun)

“Now we have a classical hero to protect us all from the beasts that here stood so far! I must say, you remind me of a certain protagonist from a videogame series that I’ve been playing recently - The Myth of Zolde, ever heard of that one? I’d highly recommend it to the audience! *Coughs* B-But I digress. Beware, evildoers, for you’ll feel the power of BAYONETTA (@txmmxrxwismine) !!!”

(Official art)

“Awwww, this one is totes adorbs, uhum~! I understand that you were forced to participate, darling, but I’d say that the chance of getting a wish for yourself is definitely worth the risk of social embarrassment. Plus, you really think you’re any worse than anyone else here? Trust me, you’ll survive this sting. Wonder if you shall be clawed by the hands - or should I saw mittens - of SASUKE UCHIHA (@tiredsasukeboy) !!!”

(Art by Sasuke-mun)

“Finally, our last contestant! Going for a style derived from tabletop RPGs, how interesting! It’s certainly a shame when we can’t obtain that one needed prop we wanted to encompass our perfect vision, but don’t worry. I’m sure that your design will be appreciated by all present anyway. Very well, let’s clap the hard work of PHILLIP DOWD (@tiireur) !!!”

(Art by Phillip-mun)

“This should conclude the opening. Now, go. Enjoy this witch party to your heart’s content! We shall meet again at the end of it all…” Once Maya said that, the curtains close, indicating the end of festivities’ opening. Have a nice evening, citizens.

#cittaween2k17 #citta news #ca news #(sorry can't @ you miku-mun #in any case voting is now open!#we'll accept forms until the 9th so pls don't miss it #may you all have a great time during cittaween!)

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goldeagleprice · 6 years

Text

CCAC recommends a “Scene Within a Scene” for Weir Farm quarter

Photo by AgnosticPreachersKid.

On Thursday, September 27, 2018, all 10 members of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) convened to review U.S. coin and medal designs, including a portfolio of seven proposals for the Weir Farm National Historic Site quarter dollar to be released in 2020.

The coin will be the 52nd entry in the United States Mint’s 56-coin America the Beautiful program, which creates a quarter dollar and a five-ounce .999 fine silver coin for each state of the Union, plus the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. The quarters are minted for circulation as well as in several collectible formats (including Proofs and silver). The five-ounce silver coins are specially produced on the Philadelphia Mint’s massive Gräbener coinage press. Struck on large three-inch-diameter planchets, they are available in regular bullion format and in a Burnished (called Uncirculated by the Mint) finish.

Eight members of the CCAC attended the meeting in person at Mint headquarters on Ninth Street in Washington, D.C., and two called in telephonically. (One position on the 11-member committee currently is vacant.) Present were:

Chair Mary N. Lannin, of New York City (in her last meeting as the committee’s chair, after which she’ll return to regular membership). Ms. Lannin is a specialist in ancient coinage and serves the American Numismatic Society on its panel overseeing the recently purchased historical archives of the Medallic Art Company.

Donald Scarinci, of New York City, a noted collector and historian of U.S. and world art medals, chair of the J. Sanford Saltus Award committee of the American Numismatic Society, and a senior member of the international Coin of the Year design competition judging panel.

Michael Moran, of Lexington, Kentucky, an award-winning numismatic author and biographer of President Theodore Roosevelt and American artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

Thomas Uram, of Eighty-Four, Pennsylvania, a governor of the national American Numismatic Association and president of the Pennsylvania Association of Numismatics.

Erik Jansen, of Mercer Island, Washington, an engineer, businessman, and lifelong coin collector with a special interest in modern minting processes and techniques.

Jeanne Stevens-Sollman, of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, an internationally known sculptor and medalist, past president of the American Medallic Sculpture Association, and currently the U.S. delegate to the Federation Internationale de la Medaille.

Herman Viola, of Falls Church, Virginia, a specialist in the history of the American West and the Civil War, curator emeritus of the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, and a senior advisor to the National Museum of the American Indian.

Dennis Tucker, of Atlanta, Georgia, a numismatic author, editor, lecturer, and columnist, and publisher at Whitman Publishing.

(by phone) Mr. Robert W. Hoge, of New York City and Catalonia, Spain, curator emeritus of the American Numismatic Society (retired curator of North American coins and currency), and past curator of the Edward C. Rochette Money Museum of the American Numismatic Association.

(by phone) Ms. Heidi Wastweet, of Albany, California, a leading American medalist and sculptor with more than 1,000 coins, medals, and tokens to her credit, member of FIDEM, and president of the American Medallic Sculpture Association.

The CCAC is a public committee mandated by Congress to advise the secretary of the Treasury on all coin and medal designs of the United States.

Weir Farm is a national historic site in Connecticut first developed by artist Julian Alden Weir as a place for artists to draw inspiration from the rural environment—an outdoor studio of sorts. The Mint’s director of design management, April Stafford, described Weir Farm:

Weir Farm National Historic Site is the finest remaining landscape of American Impressionism and provides a pristine setting where contemporary artists can connect to and paint in the same place that American masters painted at the turn of the 19th century. The park was home to Julien Alden Weir, a leading figure in American art and the development of American Impressionism. Designed and preserved by artists, the park is a singular crossroads of creativity, art and nature. Thousands of artists travel to the park every year to be inspired by the rare quality of painter’s light at Weir Farm and to paint and draw en plein air in the iconic and exquisite landscape. Here visitors find an experience that empowers and inspires them to connect with their personal creativity and enjoy the feeling of wellbeing that results from that discovery.

Design from June 2018 (left) and design from September 2018 (right). Hover to zoom.

Design from June 2018 (left) and design from September 2018 (right).

Design 14A from September 2018.

Our first meeting to discuss the Weir Farm coin designs was on June 12, 2018. In that analysis, we praised the creativity and innovation of several designs including CT-13, 14, and 14A. Lightly modified versions of those designs, plus four others, were on our docket for the September meeting.

Design from June 2018 (left) and design from September 2018 (right).

The committee roundly discarded four of the resubmitted designs—CT-01, 04, 06, and 06A—this despite 06A being one of two preferences of representatives of Weir Farm (the second being 14A), as well as the choice of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (The CFA is the other committee that advises the Treasury secretary on coin and medal designs). Many CCAC members praised the four set-aside designs—but the praise was so faint that it spoke volumes to their lack of real enthusiasm.

Design 06A from September 2018.

Robert Hoge, who in June wished for a more interesting presentation in 06, said he was “satisfied” with Weir Farm’s preference of 06A; Heidi Wastweet observed its “straightforward, pleasant composition”; Donald Scarinci pronounced it “pedestrian”; Erik Jansen called it “safe and boring.” Jansen further emphasized his dislike of buildings in coinage designs, urging the Mint’s artists to stay away from mere “pictures on coins.”

That left the majority of our discussion to focus on designs 13, 14, and 14A.

In our June meeting we were all drawn to the “scene within a scene” motif in these three designs, and our Mint artist went back to the drawing board and incorporated several revisions that improved upon what we saw then. Our Weir Farm liaison, Superintendent Linda Cook, had expressed dissatisfaction with the full canopy of trees in the painting. She said, “We’re really not in the tree business. We’re constantly taking down trees to keep these views up. So to see the Weir House completely engulfed in trees doesn’t do anything for the resource as a recognizable location.”

The revised 13, 14, and 14A have the tree cover scaled back, so we can see much more of Weir House. These designs also include the words “National Park for the Arts,” which several committee members recommended, and which was also a request of Superintendent Cook.

These designs nicely avoid the formats that we, as a committee, discourage—we want to get away from dioramas, posed tableaux, or montages.

While 13, 14, and 14A are slightly staged, they benefit from the dramatic tension that comes with a scene of paused activity. We don’t see the artist at work, but we don’t need to. He, or she, has stepped away, out of our sight, or has stepped backward to look at the painting in context. Ideally, we look at this scene and we become the painter. I look at this coin, and those are my paint tubes, that’s my canvas; I’ve painted this beautiful scene en plein air, as artists do at Weir Farm.

Natural and manmade elements combine here. The easel, the canvas, and the painting are the human elements of the park. And of course, the background, the landscape, is the natural element. Weir House and Weir’s studio become both landscape and painting as we look at this “scene within a scene.” It’s really a remarkable construction for a coin design.

Any of these three designs would make a beautiful three-inch silver coin. Will they translate to the smaller one-inch diameter of a quarter dollar? I know the Mint’s program managers wouldn’t present them to the CCAC if they didn’t feel the Mint’s world-class sculptors and technical team were up to the task. We can confidently leave that challenge up to them, because we know they can do it.

Design 14A from September 2018.

Going into the meeting, my strongest preference was for design 14A, because it gives the greatest size to the painting.

Design 14 from September 2018.

But after hearing Mint design and engraving manager Ron Harrigal describe design 14 as the better option from a technical standpoint, that became my preferred choice. Committee member Thomas Uram also preferred 14 over 14A, saying it has better depth perspective than 14A, where the painting’s canvas “takes up too much space.”

Robert Hoge was impressed with all the options: “These are all rather pretty designs.” Heidi Wastweet said of 14A: “It would be a shame to pass up such a creative design.” Donald Scarinci was effusive in his praise: “14A is what we want to see in creativity,” he said, predicting that “It will look amazing in Proof, and even better in the three-inch size.” He sent kudos to the Mint’s artist. Erik Jansen quizzed Ron Harrigal on various technical aspects of polishing and frosting for the designs. Herman Viola gave his preference as 14A and, as I did, expressed his trust in the Mint’s engravers: “We’ll let the experts figure out how to make it work.” Jeanne Stevens-Sollman voiced some concern about the amount of detail that would be visible at the one-inch diameter of a quarter dollar. Michael Moran also warned against the temptation to think the Mint can fit “anything,” without limits, on a quarter.

Design 13 from September 2018.

Mary Lannin broke somewhat with other committee members with her preference of design 13, noting that it lines up the background and foreground more precisely, and has the legend NATIONAL PARK FOR THE ARTS eye-pleasingly centered.

Weir Farm superintendent Linda Cook telephoned in to the September meeting, as she had in June. She expressed the gratitude of the national historic site to the CCAC and the Mint, for insight and attention to the coin’s design—”something outside of what we normally do.”

After robust discussion came a round of voting, with each committee member assigning one, two, or three points to each of the seven design proposals. The results were as follows, ranked from high to low:

Design Tally

CT-14 29 points

CT-14A 28 points

CT-13 16 points

CT-06A 5 points

CT-06 4 points

CT-01 3 points

CT-04 1 points

The CCAC’s recommended design: 14A.

Designs 14 and 14A received 29 and 28 points, respectively, out of a possible 30. Noting that 14A was actually one of the Weir Farm liaisons’ preferences, committee member Erik Jansen moved that 14A be the CCAC’s formal recommendation to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. This motion passed unanimously, and 14A became the committee’s recommendation. The guidance of the CFA and the CCAC will now be reviewed by Secretary Mnuchin or a delegate in his office, and he will make the final decision on the coin’s design. It will likely be announced in late 2019 and coinage will begin in 2020. The Weir Farm coin will be the second of that year, following American Samoa, and being followed by the U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, and Kansas. The final coin of the program will be released in 2021, for Alabama’s Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site.

My June 2018 reports on the CCAC’s recommendations for those coins can be found online at Mint News Blog:

National Park of American Samoa

Weir Farm National Historic Site (Connecticut)

Salt River Bay National Historical Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park (Vermont)

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (Kansas)

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site (Alabama)

Dennis Tucker is the numismatic specialist on the U.S. Treasury Department’s 11-member Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. He is a life member of the American Numismatic Association and publisher at Whitman Publishing. For more information on the CCAC and its work, visit its website.

❑

Comments

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#Precious Metals

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dmgloom · 7 years

Note

All Prime Numbers

Too many Numbers

This is getting a read more because boy howdy.

2: Do I have any nicknames? Gloom counts, I guess?

3: Zodiac sign? Year of the Dragon, baby. (though I assume you mean “Taurus”)

5: Book/series I reread? Not really something I do. Harry Potter and SoFaI have gotten rereads just as a refresher before releases, but... Oh, I guess I reread the Word & Void series. I can’t really recommend it. It’s... fine? I guess?

7: Writer I trust enough to read whatever they write? Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. Authors of Freakonomics.

11: Favourite song? If I had to pick one, Eurydice by Sleepthief.

13: Favourite word? So many, but exsanguination is a good one.

17: Pirates or ninjas? I’m leaning towards ninjas, but I’d play a pirate.

19: Song that I always start my shuffle with/wake-up song/always-on-a-loop song? Not really a thing. I suppose it used to be, back in the day.

23: A bad quality of mine? Just one? It’s difficult for me to believe that people genuinely want to be around me. Very difficult.

29: My best friend? @pickle-inspector

31: Hair colour? Brown with four gray strands.

37: Favourite TV shows as a child? Power Rangers, then Pokemon, then YGO. Gargoyles was in there somewhere.

41: Do I have any strange phobias? I don’t think they’re that strange. I’m more creeped out by insects (not spiders, though) than I was as a child.

43: Favourite hobbies? Dungeons and Dragons, Gunpla, writing? I supposedly draw.

47: Favourite animal? Dogs, Cats, Birds, Lizards... Animals are great.

53: What makes me smile? my cats. talking with my friend(s)

59: Afraid of heights? I am much more afraid of heights in a man-made structure than I am on, say, a rock.

61: What was the last concert I went to see? The last concert I went to see that was just a concert was Urizen.

67: Scared of the dark? Nah

71: Something I wish I could do? Play an Instrument. or Travel.

73: Have I ever skipped school? Is there a college student that hasn’t? I don’t think I ever did in High School.

79: Sunsets or sunrise? Either. I’m more likely to see the latter.

83: Have I ever had braces? No

89: Kindle or real book? I don’t mind the Kindle, but it’s easier for me to lend a real book to someone, and the paper just feels better.

97: Can I bake? Heck Yeah.

101: Who do I get on with better, girls or boys? Children, it doesn’t really matter, but I get along with women better in general.

103: Sexual orientation? My Kinsey scale test came back as “not participating”.

107: Guilty pleasure? Gummi bears. I guess?

109: A photo of myself. Nobody wants that.

113: Favourite accents? Whatever Mira Furlan is doing in Babylon 5.

127: Am I a bad loser? I don’t mind losing at all, as long as it was fun.

131: Am I a good liar? Yes

137: Have I ever hopelessly failed a test? In Japanese

139: If I found a wallet full of cash on the ground, what would I do? I’d like to believe I’d return it.

149: Do I have any tattoos? Nothing against them, but I can’t think of anything I’d want on my body permanently.

151: Do I believe in Karma? Nope.

157: What makes me nostalgic? Not much. I do a lot of the things I did when I was young. I wish I knew what I would value as an adult, though. Young me and my parents sure had no idea what was going on.

163: What do I love most about myself? What’s there to love? I’m pretty smart, I guess?

167: Have I ever been on radio? Not that I’m aware of. I’ve been on TV, though.

173: Have I learnt from my mistakes? I guess? I seem to continuously make new ones.

179: If I were immortal, what would I do? Statistically, I would become trapped or permanently immobilized somehow. Otherwise, open a library.

181: If I could get away with a crime, what would I choose to do? Completely succeed at a single crime? Corporate espionage or insider trading.

191: What makes me the happiest? playing my weekly game with @pickle-inspector @electragoob and @paperchu

193: What motivates me? no idea

197: Something I hated as a child that I like now? Lima Beans, specifically in stir-fry.

199: Live in the city or suburbs? There are advantages to both, I think I’d ultimately prefer the city.

#pickle-inspector

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paulbenedictblog · 4 years

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%news%

New Post has been published on %http://paulbenedictsgeneralstore.com%

News Wall St sounding alarms. Her campaign thinks that's good news...

News

THE TICKER

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Finance titans maintain piling on Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) for her soak-the-rich tax notion. The 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful is relishing it.

Warren's campaign despatched out a fundraising enchantment the day outdated to this that contains headlines about Wall Streeters’ laments, telling most likely donors the studies possess “something in most cases: The affluent and smartly-connected are timorous. Scared that below a Warren Administration, they would in a roundabout map possess to pay their magnificent fragment.” And the electronic mail mentioned the ultrarich are “upright to be timorous.”

The solicitation used to be the clearest signal but that the Warren camp views her Wall Avenue critics as a useful foil for a expose framed around confronting runaway inequality and an entrenched political class. And they relief as bogeymen as the candidate takes heat from inside her fill procure together concerning the sweep and ticket of her $20.5 trillion notion to overhaul the U.S. health care intention — a proposal that is drawn criticism from Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as well to her extra sensible opponents in the sphere. (Mature vp Joe Biden is accusing Warren of being an "elitist" who's "condescending to the hundreds and hundreds of Democrats who possess a sure behold.")

Warren’s wealth tax “is amazingly current, so I don’t mediate they wished this, nonetheless it’s a immense bonus,” one source with regards to the campaign tells me. “I don’t unquestionably mediate they anticipated people shall be happening CNBC and crying. But they like it. These are the infamous guys, and people out in the the rest of the nation mediate they’re the infamous guys. They’re the ideal ones who mediate they’re the upright guys. They expose themselves that, and CNBC tells them that, nonetheless no one else thinks so.”

The cohort of financiers going public with their sky-falling claims about Warren's economic program continues to grow. Factual this week:

David Rubenstein — the billionaire co-founding father of the Carlyle Crew, the deepest equity big, mentioned Warren’s proposed wealth tax wouldn’t alleviate profits inequality “if one might perchance presumably presumably ever unquestionably be applied.”

Billionaire hedge fund manager Leon Cooperman teared up on CNBC while discussing the topic, asserting he doesn’t “need Elizabeth Warren telling me that I’m a deadbeat and that billionaires are deadbeats. The vilification of billionaires will not be life like to me.” (Cooperman earlier accused Warren of "s—ing" on the American dream.)

JPMorgan Tear CEO Jamie Dimon, moreover in an interview with CNBC, criticized Warren for the exhaust of “some supreme harsh words” and vilifying a hit people.

And aged Obama treasury official Steven Rattner, who now manages Michael Bloomberg’s wealth, wrote in a Novel York Instances op-ed that a Warren presidency is a "gross prospect" because of the “left to her fill devices, she would prolong the attain and weight of the federal govt far extra into the economic system than something even President Franklin Roosevelt imagined, successfully forsaking the shrimp-govt mannequin that has largely served us smartly.”

Invoice Gates, Co-Chair, Invoice & Melinda Gates Foundation. (Michael Cohen/Getty Photos)

Others are predicting the stock market will tank if she wins. (Comedy Central's "The Day-to-day Affirm their non-public praises" factual dedicated a segment to Warren's combat with the Wall Avenue.) Warren has highlighted the criticisms on Twitter. It’s a tactic she's light for months, with supporters jokingly referring to the assaults as in-form contributions to her campaign. But the drumbeat of criticism has grown louder as her smartly-known person has risen in the Democratic predominant and the industry extra critically grapples with the skill consequences of a Warren grasp. Some, on the other hand, mediate the extra and extra aggressive language geared toward Warren by two of her predominant opponents -- Biden and Pete Buttigieg -- has a gendered quality to it.

And the candidate no longer too long in the past raised the stakes. The wealth tax proposal she rolled out in January would impose a 2 percent levy on households value extra than $50 million and a 3 percent tax on those value extra than $1 billion. To pay for her Medicare-for-all notion, she factual doubled to 6 percent the tax she would impose on accumulate worths better than 9 figures.

Microsoft founder Invoice Gates is the most fresh to criticize the proposal. The 2nd-richest person on this planet — at the relief of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who moreover owns the Washington Post — tells the Novel York Instances’s Andrew Ross Sorkin he’s paid “over $10 billion in taxes. I’ve paid extra than any individual in taxes. If I had to possess paid $20 billion, it’s horny. But when you narrate I will possess to pay $100 billion, then I’m beginning to pause a miniature bit math about what I unquestionably possess left over.”

The outspoken Trump critic wouldn't narrate whom he'd vote for in a matchup between Warren and the president. And requested if he would meet with Warren to chat concerning the his issues, Gates puzzled her delivery-mindedness, in conjunction with he’s no longer obvious “she’d even be sharp to sit down down with somebody who has gigantic amounts of cash.” That moreover drew a response from Warren on Twitter:

I'm always snug to meet with people, even if we possess varied views. @BillGates, if we procure the chance, I might perchance presumably presumably engage to expose exactly how powerful you'd pay below my wealth tax. (I promise or no longer it's no longer $100 billion.) https://t.co/m6G20hDNaV

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) November 7, 2019

You're studying The Finance 202, our must-learn tipsheet on where Wall Avenue meets Washington.

Now not a customary subscriber?

News TRUMP TRACKER

TRADE FLY-AROUND:

President Trump and Chinese language President Xi Jinping. (Susan Walsh/AP)

— BREAKING OVERNIGHT. China says each and each sides conform to roll relief tariffs in deal. Bloomberg: "China and the U.S. possess agreed to roll relief tariffs on one one more’s items in phases as they work toward a deal between the 2 sides, a Ministry of Commerce spokesman mentioned. 'In the past two weeks, top negotiators had serious, optimistic discussions and agreed to have the extra tariffs in phases as growth is made on the agreement,' spokesman Gao Feng mentioned Thursday.

"'If China, U.S. attain a bit-one deal, each and each sides will possess to roll relief existing extra tariffs in the identical percentage simultaneously in accordance with the advise material of the agreement, which is a crucial condition for reaching the agreement,' Gao mentioned. If confirmed by the U.S., such an working out might perchance presumably presumably relief present a avenue-plot to a deal de-escalating the trade warfare that’s solid a shadow over the enviornment economic system. China’s key seek recordsdata from since the originate of negotiations has been the removal of punitive tariffs imposed by [Trump], which by now discover to the majority of its exports to the U.S."

— Trump-Xi assembly is presumably delayed, again: “A gathering between [Trump] and Chinese language President Xi Jinping to label a protracted-awaited intervening time trade deal is presumably delayed till December as discussions continue over phrases and venue, a senior official of the Trump administration urged Reuters,” Reuters’s David Brunnstrom and Matt Spetalnick file.

“The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, mentioned it used to be still most likely the ‘piece one’ agreement geared toward ending a hostile trade warfare would no longer be reached, nonetheless a deal used to be extra most likely than no longer.”

London calling?: Dozens of venues possess been suggested for the assembly, Reuters studies, in conjunction with London — “other sites are most likely in Europe and Asia, nonetheless the aged is extra most likely, with Sweden and Switzerland amongst the potentialities. . Iowa, which Trump has suggested, gave the influence to possess been dominated out, the official mentioned.

Markets falling: “ … It used to be no longer surprising when shares supplied off Wednesday morning on a Reuters headline that quoted Trump administration sources as asserting the piece one trade deal is presumably delayed till December and that Europe is a probable venue,” CNBC’s Patti Domm studies of Wall Avenue’s response. “Stocks possess hunch up on optimism about trade growth nonetheless possess been languishing in the past two classes as the market digests fresh features to fresh highs and no news on the trade entrance.”

Schwarzman is still optimistic about a deal: “Non-public equity firm Blackstone Crew Inc. Chief Executive Stephen Schwarzman mentioned he used to be optimistic that the USA and China would procure to the underside of their 16-month-long trade warfare, serving to to ease tensions between two of the enviornment’s ideal economies,” Reuters’s Chibuike Oguh studies.

A community of U.S. lawmakers launched regulations on Wednesday that might perchance presumably perchance block a federal retirement fund from investing in Chinese language shares.

Reuters

IMPEACHMENT MINUTE: Your every day dash learn on the most fresh from the congressional impeachment inquiry.

Home Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Photos)

“Home to engage care of first delivery hearings in impeachment inquiry of Trump.” By The Post's John Hudson.

“Trump makes falsehoods central to impeachment protection as incriminating evidence mounts.” By The Post's Toluse Olorunnipa and Philip Rucker.

“Senate Republicans engage into account in conjunction with Bidens in Trump impeachment trial.” By The Post's Rachael Bade and Robert Costa.

“Combating impeachment, Trump leans into a protracted-lasting legacy.” By Politico's Gabby Orr.

News MARKET MOVERS

Workers behold pickup trucks at the GM plant in Flint, Michigan. (Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg)

— Productivity stumbles. WSJ's Justin Lahart: "Better than ever, the U.S. economic system wants productiveness to procure going. Unfortunately, that isn’t taking place. The Labor Department on Wednesday reported that proper output per hour—the long-established measure of worker productiveness—fell an annualized 0.3% in the third quarter from the 2nd, marking its first quarterly decline in nearly four years. The productiveness recordsdata is also volatile on a quarterly basis, nonetheless the longer-time-frame vogue doesn’t gape upright either. From a 365 days earlier, productiveness used to be up factual 1.4%. That's fixed with the tepid scurry in the 15 years since 2004. In the 15 years earlier than that, productiveness grunt averaged 2.5%."

— Stocks flat. CNBC's Yun Li: "The Dow Jones Industrial Common used to be if truth be told unchanged, down 0.07 aspects to 27,492.56. The S&P 500 rose 0.07% to some,076.78 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.29% to eight,410.63 as big tech companies, in conjunction with Amazon, Apple and Fb, retreated. Investors largely took a wait-and-leer map as they digested the most fresh vogue on the U.S.-China trade entrance."

Two top Federal Reserve officials mentioned they don’t leer a need upright now for the central financial institution to press forward with extra fee cuts after lowering the associated fee of short-time-frame borrowing several instances this 365 days.

WSJ

News POCKET CHANGE

The Twitter logo on the facet of a constructing. (Jeff Chiu/AP)

— Mature Twitter workers charged with spying for Saudis: “The Justice Department has charged two aged Twitter workers with spying for Saudi Arabia by gaining access to the company’s recordsdata on dissidents who exhaust the platform, marking the principle time federal prosecutors possess publicly accused the kingdom of working brokers in the USA,” my colleagues Ellen Nakashima and Greg Bensinger file.

“A form of implicated in the blueprint, in accordance with court docket papers, is an accomplice of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who the CIA has concluded most likely ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul final 365 days.”

Why this case is so vital: It “highlights the topic of international powers exploiting American social media platforms to name critics and suppress their voices. And it raises issues concerning the power of Silicon Valley to offer protection to the deepest recordsdata of dissidents and other customers from repressive governments.”

— IMF warns Europe about coming creep: “Germany stuck to its stance that Europe’s economic engine will pull thru its fresh trough with out a spending jolt, countering extra and extra dire warnings from the International Monetary Fund,” Bloomberg Files’s Nikos Chrysoloras and Birgit Jennen file.

“Europe desires to return up with emergency plans, since monetary coverage has all nonetheless exhausted its arsenal and risks unfold, the fund warned. The stark warning comes after the most fresh recordsdata showed that the euro-narrate economic system is proving extra resilient than anticipated, driven by strong expansion in nations equivalent to France. Light, Germany doubtlessly went into a technical recession at some stage in the final quarter, and the labor market in the continent’s ideal economic system began to deteriorate.”

Autos trip Purdue Pharma headquarters in Stamford, Conn. (Frank Franklin II/AP)

— Sackler legacy at stake as map forward for Purdue is definite: “A combat over billions of bucks in the chapter case of Purdue Pharma has eclipsed what observers leer as a key component of a proposed settlement of hundreds of opioid court docket cases: a expose to restore the Sackler family legacy,” my colleague Christopher Rowland studies.

“The Sackler family’s Purdue Pharma — broadly blamed for fueling the opioid epidemic with its marketing and marketing and marketing of the addictive distress killer OxyContin — shall be reinvented in the proposed chapter settlement as a public hobby belief dedicated to struggling with addiction and overdose deaths. If a hit, it'd be a startling turnaround. The Sackler family trade shall be transformed from a maker of a smartly-identified prescription narcotic into an entity centered on manufacturing and distributing overdose antidote remedy free or at an economical to communities hit anxious by addiction.”

Meanwhile, a mediate prolonged rapid upright security of the Sacklers: “A federal chapter mediate snappily prolonged security that halts ratings of court docket cases against Purdue Pharma and contributors of the Sackler family, who founded the opioid maker, till April 8,” my colleague Renae Merle studies. “The pronounce by Deem Robert Drain continues a rapid injunction that used to be establish in location final month and expired Wednesday. It got here over the objections of some litigants who possess argued that the Sackler family does no longer deserve such upright security.”

— Company insiders are taking relief of buybacks: “ … Insiders — in conjunction with chief executives and directors who authorize buybacks — in most cases promote at some stage in the short-time-frame tag pops that in overall discover disclosure of up to the moment authorizations, or when the companies are actively procuring for on the market,” Gary Putka studies for The Post.

“A evaluate by The Washington Post learned that insider stock sales at some stage in buybacks are surprisingly overall. Now not decrease than 500 insiders supplied at some stage in buyback applications at their companies in factual one 15-month interval in 2017 and 2018, in accordance with The Post diagnosis of recordsdata compiled by the SEC as smartly as regulatory filings. Better than 50 of the insider sellers were chief executives … SEC tips pause allow insider promoting at some stage in a buyback.”

— Alphabet investigating execs over immoral relationships: “Alphabet’s board of directors has opened an investigation into how executives dealt with claims of sexual harassment and other misconduct, in conjunction with habits of Chief Precise Officer David Drummond, who has been accused of getting relationships with workers,” CNBC’s Jennifer Elias files.

“The board has formed an self enough subcommittee to gape into the factors and has hired a law firm to relief with the investigation, in accordance with materials viewed by CNBC.”

— SoftBank CEO refuses to call WeWork debacle a “rescue”: “SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son obtained’t call WeWork a rescue, asserting as an alternate that the most fresh financing allowed his company to dramatically minimize the frequent fragment tag it paid for the co-working company. Nonetheless, he described it as an ‘exception’ that obtained’t happen again,” CNBC’s William Feuer studies.

“Son acknowledged making some mistakes in his funding approach and approved that WeWork’s dramatic fall in fresh months has led some to seek recordsdata from his judgment and the viability of SoftBank’s big Vision Fund. SoftBank recorded a 374.7 billion yen ($3.4 billion) writedown on its WeWork funding about two weeks after taking 80% maintain watch over of the company with a brand fresh $5 billion financing equipment.”

— Chesapeake Energy hits two-decade low: “Chesapeake Energy Corp. collapsed to a 20-365 days low Wednesday, finally after the shale gasoline driller warned it might perchance presumably no longer be ready to dwell for far longer than low gasoline prices and issued a ‘going reveal’ spy,” Bloomberg Files’s Michael Bellusci studies.

“Shares fell as powerful as 24% intraday to their lowest since 1999. The stock moreover snappily dipped below the $1/fragment ticket, and Wall Avenue isn’t optimistic on Chesapeake’s future.”

"Right here's one of the best percentage of CEO dismissals connected to factors of deepest habits in the 20-365 days history of Convention Board studying CEO succession," says Matteo Tonello, a managing director at The Convention Board.

Fortune

News MONEY ON THE HILL

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

— Lawmakers demand probe of alternative zones. NYT's Eric Lipton and Jesse Drucker: "Lawmakers are voicing mounting issues about a federal tax incentive, identified as an 'alternative zone,' that is presupposed to support investors to pump money into the nation’s poorest neighborhoods. Main Democrats in the Home and Senate possess despatched a flurry of letters anxious answers and movement by federal companies after fresh Novel York Instances articles detailed how affluent investors and proper estate developers, in conjunction with those with ties to the Trump administration, are poised to income on the initiative...

"Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the dwell Democrat on the Finance Committee, mentioned he used to be introducing regulations this week that might perchance presumably perchance procure rid of a complete bunch of alternative zones in relatively affluent neighborhoods."

News OPINIONS

News DAYBOOK

Nowadays:

AMC Leisure, NewsCorp, Wynn Accommodations, Assert Inc., Activision Blizzard, Monster Beverage, Occasion Metropolis, Ralph Lauren, Planet Fitness, Meredith and Nielsen are amongst the distinguished companies reporting their earnings, per Kiplinger

The Senate Banking Committee hosts a listening to on bipartisan payments to advertise sensible housing

Friday:

Honda Motor, Duke Energy and Revlon are amongst the distinguished companies reporting their earnings, per Kiplinger

China releases its most up-to-date trade figures, per WSJ

News THE FUNNIES

From The Post's Tom Toles:

News BULL SESSION

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slrlounge1 · 5 years

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11 Pros Tell Us About The Gear They Regret Buying

Buying the latest and greatest gear is always at the forefront of photographers minds. With companies coming out with second and third editions to products, it’s no surprise that we are constantly in the market to upgrade. But are we buying gear to keep up with the latest models, or is there really some gear that tends to fail more than others and warrants an upgrade or replacement?

Before you make take your next big leap into making a $1,000+ purchase, we thought we’d ask pros what gear they regret buying and why. We’re also offering some of our favorite alternatives if you’ve encountered some of the same issues with your gear.

Lynn & Justin Woolley – Website | Instagram

“Purchased early on in our career as our first flashes for weddings, the mid-sized Canon 430EX III-RTs seemed to us rookies like they’d be able to do enough for our style – but the price is what really got them over the line. We quickly discovered though that the 430’s just didn’t quite have the right features or the power to cover our lighting needs exactly how we envisioned, forcing us to compromise with workarounds or dismiss certain lighting ideas altogether. The take away here is to first, before anything else, identify exactly what you need (and don’t need) from your new equipment so that you can make sure that all of the options you’re considering will at least be comfortably up to the job. Price should then become a bigger consideration once those needs have been ticked off, or you’ll risk paying more in the long run for poor purchases that need correcting.”

Alternatives:

Canon 600 EX-RTs – $479

Yongnuo 600 EX-RTs – $114

Godox VING V860IIC TTL – $179

Ben Hartley – Website | Instagram

I regret buying my Profoto D1000 Air with it’s accompanying 30lb BatPac. I would haul this thing around on wedding days and while it created beautiful light as seen in the photograph below, it would slow me down, break my back, and was crazy expensive!

Aaron Storry – Website | Instagram

“One of my biggest regrets was buying the Sigma 135m f/1.8 lens. The lens is gorgeous; incredibly sharp and quick to focus but at a time when I should be shedding weight it was a poor choice over the Canon 135mm f/2.0 equivalent. The Sigma weighs in at 1.13kg (when teamed up with a Canon 5D4 + Spider Belt plate the overall combined weight is around 2kg). I thought the additional stop of light would be helpful in super low light, but in reality, I end up shooting around f2.0 anyway. For now, I’ll keep the lens and use it for portrait and family stuff (like this picture of my daughter taken just outside of our home), but as a piece of wedding photography equipment, it’s not very practical.”

Alternatives

Although this isn’t the same focal length, it gives you a variety of options for compression and a wide aperture. For wedding photographers, this is an all-star lens serving multiple uses throughout the wedding day.

Canon 70-200 f/2.8 II – $1,799

Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 – $2,496

Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 – $1,499

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 – $2,598

Chad & Beth Winstead – Website | Instagram

“Back in 2016, I bought the Phantom 3 Pro (now discontinued) drone thinking I wanted to elevate my photography, but I found it large and cumbersome to carry around to weddings. Also, the sensor just was not that good for photos. Shortly after I purchased it, DJI then released the Mavic Pro. The Mavic was way more compact making it easier to carry along to weddings, and the sensor and field of view were also considerably better for wedding photography. The value of my Phantom dropped a lot after this release, so I quickly sold it and picked up a Mavic. However, I still don’t get to use the drone very often and it’s still such a small sensor that image quality sometimes isn’t where I want it to be. Now that the new Mavic Pro 2 has an amazing Hasselblad camera and sensor on it, I want to upgrade again! But what else will they release in 6 months I wonder?”

Alternatives:

Drone tech is evolving with each new model released. DJI’s latest is the Mavic Pro 2 that offers portrait photographers higher quality images to capture at unique angles.

“I regret that I started the wedding photography with zoom lenses. For me, this is my biggest mistake as investing in wedding tools. I like fixed lenses because of the clarity in the image especially when the objects are more than 10 meters away from the camera. I have come to the conclusion that I can not achieve the same quality with my zoom lenses as with the fixed ones.”

Irvin Sidhu – Website | Instagram

“The Profoto B1 (now replaced by Profoto B1X) is the biggest piece of gear that I regret buying. You would think that more expensive a flash, the better it is. That isn’t the case! It doesn’t matter how expensive the light source it, its how you use it and apply it in your creative process.”

Alternatives:

Godox AD200 – $899

Godox AD600 – $899

Ciprian Biclineru – Website | Instagram

“The only piece of gear that I regret buying is the Sigma 35mm Art. Yes, I know that a lot of photographers are crazy for it, but for me, it just doesn’t do the job. Yes, the colors and bokeh are superb but that’s it; the most important thing, the focus, is very bad. When I find myself a few meters away from the subject the only focus I get is on the background. And this happens in 90% of situations. At close range, I don’t have any problems. I tried also to calibrate with the dock but it’s not working. For the photo above, the focus was on background. Luckily I have managed to paste the couple from another well-focused photo to create the final image!”

Alex Pasarelu – Website | Instagram

“Some few years ago, when I still was a DSLR photographer (now I use a mirrorless system) I purchased for the Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art. I watched so many reviews, I asked for different opinions, colleagues showed me their work with this lens, and I was so convinced that this will change the way I work. But after I got the lens I struggled a lot, I was very disappointed in the quality of my images using this lens, because the focus was terrible. I went back to my initial Canon 35mm 1.4.”

Alternatives:

Canon 35mm f/1.4 II – $1,699

Nikon 35mm f/1.4 – $1,546

Sony Distagon T* FE 35mm f/1.4 ZA – $1,498

Sean DeWitt – Website | Instagram

“That’s an easy question for me to answer, it’s the Canon 5D Mark IV for me. As a former Canon fanboy, I waited for years for Canon to finally answer their competitors and I bought the 5D Mark IV the night it was introduced. Unfortunately, I went through three bodies before finally dumping it for the Sony A9. What was wrong? All three bodies had focusing issues and yes I calibrated all of my lenses. It’s a bittersweet topic for me. Bitter because of the year I spent with a soft-focusing camera and sweet because I love the Sony A9! It feels like I’m cheating while using the A9! The focusing is that good!”

Steven Herrschaft – Website | Instagram

“For me, it’s the Fuji X-Pro 2 I regret buying. Not because it’s a bad camera – honestly, it can be a beast in the right hands. Unfortunately, not in mine. I’m a Canon user since the age of 13 and every time I have one of the Canons with me, everything seems alright – the menu and its structure, the fit in my hands the reliability – everything helps for my ultimate goal and the final image. The Fuji is different. It has a life of its own sometimes and honestly – my brain just doesn’t work like a Fuji. Lesson learned I guess.”

Alex Beckett – Website | Instagram

“One of the things I regret buying the most is also one that I use the most! Strobist flash gels go for a fortune on photography websites but I later found out if you go down to your local theatre you can buy massive strips of the same gels for a fraction of the price! They use them for all their constant lights and as theatre folk tend to be cash strapped they cost about 5% of the price of those aimed towards professional photographers. Use a bit of CTO and make your wedding portraits pop like the top wedding photographers!”

Alternatives:

MagMod Standard Gel Set – $29.95

Alan Wohlgemut – Website | Instagram

“Nothing! I don’t regret buying anything! Do I wish I could get my money back from some of the things I bought? Absolutely. But, I’ve learned from every purchase I made in my career–both the good ones and the bad ones. And the experience and knowledge I’ve gained from that is priceless. For instance, I’m so glad I learned how ANYTHING and EVERYTHING can fail early on in my career when I was doing super cheap weddings and shoots, so that later on when I was doing higher paying weddings or commercial shoots I knew not to ever trust just having one piece of equipment and to always have some form of redundancy, be it lenses, cameras, flashes, memory cards, or whatever, even if other photographers love that particular piece of equipment and it works great for them. Even though a product is good and works for lots of other people – even people who shoot the same things as you – it might not be the best fit for you. You should always test things thoroughly before relying on them in the field for important shoots. And that knowledge is priceless!”

What Alan mentioned is the most important thing to take away from this article. What works for you may not work for someone else, and that’s okay! We all have pieces of gear that fit into our workflow and style.

What gear do you regret buying? Let us know in the comments below!

from SLR Lounge https://www.slrlounge.com/11-pros-tell-us-about-the-gear-they-regret-buying/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #SLR Lounge

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