#Jodi Stockton

[expirisims]

A Real Birthday Surprise

Shana is still asleep, but good morning little Feisal! It's your birthday today!

Time to blow out the candles!

Oh no!

Oh no! No! No! I was not expecting this! It was at this point that I realized this house is not equipped with a smoke detector! Oh please nobody die!

Wah, wah, wah...Well at least everyone is okay! After replacing the counter and cake it's take two, sans Andrae because he had to run off to work.

With the kids growing fast and years before I'll be back with the Gillis family, it's time to finish out the attic space and do some rearranging!

OMG! Another wedding is in the works!

Alright Andrae and Jody seems to be doing well in school!

Oh no! No wedding I guess. This will go down as the second shortest engagement in the entire save! Right after Shayne and Edith that lasted all of five seconds...facepalm.

Poor Terrell! Dumped at his own engagement party! Well at least it sounds like the party was fun, LOL!

Christina has aged up! I can't believe it! Almost every toddler from our first baby wave has aged into a child!

Just a little light reading to finish out the night.

Ummm...no...It's not even Love Day and Andrae is getting random love notes from happily married sims!

[xtruss]

Canada Was 'Highly Confident' It Heard Man-Made Noises During Search For Titan Submersible, Documents Show

Reported Banging Kept Hope Going Days After Vessel Was Likely Destroyed

— Ashley Burke - CBC News | August 10, 2024

The Titan submersible, operated by OceanGate Expeditions to explore the wreckage of the sunken RMS Titanic off the coast of Newfoundland, dives in an undated photograph. (OceanGate Expeditions/Handout/Reuters)

Canada's military was "highly confident" for days in June 2023 that bangs heard underwater while searching for the missing Titan submersible were man made — by an object striking the hull of a vessel — near the famous Titanic wreck site, CBC News has learned.

Those noises helped keep hope going that the five wealthy explorers on board the missing vessel were still alive during the multi-day, multi-national search, even though it is now believed the vessel imploded within hours of going into the water.

Now internal government documents obtained by CBC News through the Access to Information Act reveal more details about what the Canadian Coast Guard privately documented during the search, including where a military patrol plane first heard the banging on June 19, the day after the Titan went missing.

The Royal Canadian Air Force's CP-140 Aurora heard multiple "bangs that they are highly confident are manmade by an object striking a hull," read multiple daily internal notices written by the Canadian Coast Guard between June 19 and June 22.

"They believe the sound originated from near [Titanic's] wreck site at a depth of approximately 10,000 feet."

That "sensitive information" was included in more than a dozen internal emails and updates to officials at Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) that CBC News obtained, and all the way up to Jody Thomas, the prime minister's national security adviser at the time.

U.S. Searched Area Where Sounds Were Heard

U.S. officials who were leading the search efforts confirmed on June 21 the sounds had been heard and sent a remotely operated vehicle to search that area.

The search was called off on June 22 when debris from the Titan was found, the same day the Wall Street Journal first reported the U.S. navy's top-secret system used to track enemy submarines had detected what it suspected was the Titan's implosion just hours after the vessel began its voyage.

That information was shared with the U.S.'s search team, but U.S, officials told American media there were no other indications of a catastrophe, so they made the decision to continue the search efforts.

CBS later reported a U.S. navy analysis determined the banging noises were most likely noise from other search ships or ocean sounds.

What unfolded underwater is still at the centre of a U.S. investigation, with public hearings scheduled for next month. The Canadian Coast Guard referred CBC News's request for comment about the documents to Canada's defence department, which has yet to provide a comment about the sounds it detected.

Four of the five people onboard the Titan were Pierre-Henri Nargeolet, top left; Shahzada Dawood, top right; whose son Suleman was also on board; Hamish Harding, bottom left; and Stockton Rush, bottom right. (Getty, Reuters)

Noises Weren't From Titan: Retired Sonar Operator

Roger Draper, a recently retired Petty Officer Second Class Sonar Operator from the Royal Canadian Navy, contacted CBC News after the story was first posted.

Draper, who was not involved in search efforts for the Titan, said no one he personally spoke to at the navy's fleet school in Halifax where he was teaching at the time, actually thought the five crew members were alive.

He said the Titan was 10,000 feet underwater and the only way the military could have picked up any sort of communication from the Titan was if the submersible was equipped with a loud communication device. If crew members were banging from inside the submersible, it wouldn't have been detected, he said.

"I don't think anyone was under the illusion someone was ringing the submersible like a bell and everybody could hear it," Draper said. "I think they heard mechanical noises and they told the Coast Guard who was running the show."

He said it's "very common" for sonar operators to hear mechanical noises underwater, and the banging detected heard could have been coming from oil rigs off the coast of Newfoundland, a submersed pipeline, or other vessels.

"I think it was a very deliberate decision to state the mechanical noises were heard, even though the belief on the ground would have been there was no one who survived that," said Draper, who noted that he had served the military for more than two decades as a sonar operator working to find mostly submarines and ships underwater using sound.

He said Canada's military would have dropped devices into the ocean during the search that make loud continuous electronic noise with a high and low tone that can last about 20 minutes.

If anyone was alive underwater they would have very clearly heard that noise, he said, adding the military would have also dropped sonobuoys into the ocean. These devices act as an underwater microphone to pick up any sound detected in response.

There's "no question" the sounds the military heard were manmade, Draper said, but Canada should have made it very clear publicly during the search that they didn't think the sounds were coming from the Titan so people didn't get their hopes up.

'We Just Have To Remain Optimistic'

The documents obtained by CBC News show the minister's office responsible for the Canadian Coast Guard emailed sent on June 21 asking what they could tell the public about media reports that a Canadian aircraft had heard banging noises.

A senior official with the Canadian Coast Guard responded saying the minister at the time, Joyce Murray, could tell the public there's still hope.

"Yes the Minister can make reference to the banging noises heard," Marc Mes, director general of fleet and maritime services with the Canadian Coast Guard, responded on June 21. "Something along the lines of: Acoustic equipment and sensors on scene including from Canadian Air Force aircraft have detected potential banging sounds, indicating continued hope of locating the submersible.

Murray told reporters that day "we just have to remain optimistic."

"We have to keep working until we find the submersible," Murray told reporters on June 21. "We will continue to double down and to figure out where the submersible is and how it can be brought to the surface."

The family of French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, who died in the 2023 implosion of a submersible bound for the Titanic, has sued OceanGate for $50 million US, accusing the sub's operator of ‘persistent carelessness, recklessness and negligence.’ 2:04

'Irreversible Failures'

The family of one of the victims — French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, known as "Mr. Titanic" — launched a $50-million lawsuit earlier this week alleging he died due to gross negligence by Titan's U.S. operator and manufacturer OceanGate Expeditions and other defendants.

The suit claims all five people on board knew they were going to die before the implosion because an "acoustic safety system" onboard the Titan "would have alerted the crew that the carbon-fibre hull was crackling under extreme pressure."

"They would have continued to descend, in full knowledge of the vessel's irreversible failures, experiencing terror and mental anguish prior to the Titan ultimately imploding," the lawsuit alleges.

But U.S. investigators haven't found any signs the five crew members had any warning the submersible's implosion was going to take their lives, the New York Times reported.

OceanGate suspended all operations after the disaster and declined CBC's request for comment on the lawsuit's allegations.

Unconventional Construction

CBC News obtained more than 600 pages of internal emails, memos and reports from the DFO, which runs the coast guard, from an access to information request. The documents, prepared for top officials, also detail how deeply Canada was involved in the high-profile search and offer new insight into what unfolded behind the scenes from a Canadian perspective.

Canada was involved in the U.S.-led search efforts because the Titan submersible left on a Canadian-flagged vessel— the Polar Prince — from St. John's on June 18, 2023. Later that day, it lost contact with the Polar Prince, about an hour and 45 minutes into its descent to the Titanic.

From the start, the coast guard flagged the search as a high priority and said "no matter how trivial" the Atlantic Canada team should flag all updates to Ottawa because there was "high interest" from senior management, a June 19 email said.

Those updates included warning that Titan's carbon fibre shell "does not create a good radar target."

The implosion raised questions about the Titan's unconventional construction, including its use of carbon fibre for its roomier cylinder-shaped cabin, which was different from many submersibles' titanium, spherical cabins.

An investigation by CBC's The Fifth Estate and the Radio-Canada's Enquête uncovered new information about the doomed sub, including how OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush had boasted about breaking basic engineering rules and how, for three years, his experimental submersible was allowed to leave a Canadian port without any oversight to carry passengers to the Titanic. Rush was among those killed.

A report by the coast guard noted it was not "classified by any regulatory body" and had "defects/issues."

The wreck of the Titanic, which sank in 1912, is some 3,800 metres below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, about 596 kilometres off the coast of Newfoundland. (Atlantic Productions/The Associated Press)

Canada brought in specialized equipment, including a hyperbaric chamber and technicians, to support any dive operations, along with advanced sonar equipment to search at significant water depths, the documents said.

Canada's defence department told CBC News in May it estimates it spent more than $2.4 million in operational costs to help in the search.

The coast guard estimates its efforts totalled more than $600,000. Both departments say those figures are not additional expenses, but part of budgeted operational costs to help respond to distress calls.

The high-profile search led to questions about who should pay for such efforts.

Canada's Transportation Safety Board is also investigating and is currently writing a report on its findings.

In Photos | Debris From Titan Arrives in St. John's Harbour:

— Ashley Burke is a senior reporter with the CBC's Parliamentary Bureau in Ottawa. She was recognized with the Charles Lynch Award and was a finalist for the Michener Award for her exclusive reporting on the toxic workplace at Rideau Hall. She has also uncovered allegations of sexual misconduct in the Canadian military.

[mygreatadventurehasbegun]

One Dress a Day Challenge

We have arrived at the final day of my challenge!  This is the first time I’ve actually started a challenge and seen it through to the end.  And since I started this a few days in to 2021, I’m playing catch up for the last day.  Here are 10 more movie costumes that I love...and they didn’t make the original list either because there wasn’t space, or the more obvious answer of me not realizing I wanted it on the list until it was too late!

So here are my final additions:

Indiscreet- Ingrid Bergman as Anna Kalman: Could find a HQ full-length pic of this gorgeous coat, or it’s matching dress...so this was the best I could do!

Ever After- Drew Barrymore as Danielle de Barbarac: There were just too many choices during the “blue month” and sadly, this got left behind.

North by Northwest- Eva Marie Saint as Eve Kendall: Love this dress and want to own it...not pictured: the deep v neckline.

The Last Duel- Jodie Comer as Margueritte de Carrouges: I saw this movie for the first time about a month ago and had to include this amazing fur-trimmed cape!

Meet Me in St. Louis- Mary Astor as Anna Smith: Same issue as the Ever After dress: there are just too many gorgeous blue movie dresses!  And I love her hat.

White Christmas- Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen as Betty and Judy Haynes: I was watching this movie before Christmas and had to shame myself for forgetting about all the gorgeous dresses these girls’ wear.  Betty’s black dress is unbelievable, and Judy’s pink dress is so gorgeous.

Crimson Peak- Mia Wasikowska as Edith Cushing: Honestly, I just wasn’t sure where to put this robe, in terms of color...but I just love the fact that she’s wearing an open-knit robe with fringe.

The Night Manager- Aure Atika as Sophie Alekan: So, I wanted to include this on my list originally, but I could not find any decent pictures!  And then miraculously, managed to find one last week...random.  But anyway, the movie has so many gorgeous maxi dresses and green dress with silver trim is *chef’s kiss*

Funny Face- Audrey Hepburn as Jo Stockton: This movie has almost too many gorgeous outfits to choose from!!  This is actually one of my favorites, but I sadly forget about it sometimes, because it’s not included in the modeling montage.\

And that’s that!! 

Hope everyone had fun reading my random fashion comments. :)

[magnetictapedatastorage]

Americans have been saying for a year they want to get back to normal. Tragically, they're getting their wish.

With the gradual return to public places comes a specter the country was all too willing to set aside as it grappled with a pandemic capable of killing thousands of Americans a day. Mass shootings are starting to make headlines again, and though their return is most unwelcome, they've proved to be an inextricable part of life in the United States.

The latest mass killing left 10 dead at a grocery store. For the past 12 months, Americans have been vigilant in grocery stores to avoid contagion. Monday's slayings in Boulder, Colorado, reminded them that even with pandemic hope on the horizon, they should remain vigilant for a different reason.

This is a hard thing to read, but important. Full text under the cut.

CNN | 3/24/2021 | Listen Analysis: Mass shootings signal a dubious 'back to normal' in America Analysis By Eliott C. McLaughlin, CNN

Updated: Wed, 24 Mar 2021 00:21:23 GMT

Source: CNN

Americans have been saying for a year they want to get back to normal. Tragically, they're getting their wish.

With the gradual return to public places comes a specter the country was all too willing to set aside as it grappled with a pandemic capable of killing thousands of Americans a day. Mass shootings are starting to make headlines again, and though their return is most unwelcome, they've proved to be an inextricable part of life in the United States.

The latest mass killing left 10 dead at a grocery store. For the past 12 months, Americans have been vigilant in grocery stores to avoid contagion. Monday's slayings in Boulder, Colorado, reminded them that even with pandemic hope on the horizon, they should remain vigilant for a different reason.

Americans shouldn't have to fret about dying in a supermarket, or at a spa, or anywhere for that matter. Catching a bullet should be far from their minds, but with a return to American normalcy comes the reality that anyone could die for nothing, just about everywhere.

Seven mass shootings in seven days

Just as the country is conquering a new pandemic, an old, familiar epidemic makes its return. The last week has been a harbinger of what "back to normal" means for the US.

The most recent string of senseless gun violence began March 16 when a shooter killed eight people at three Atlanta spas. The next day, a drive-by in Stockton, California, injured five people who'd gathered for a vigil.

Four people were hospitalized Thursday after a shooting in Gresham, Oregon. On Saturday, a pair of shootings at clubs in Dallas and Houston left a young woman dead and 12 people injured. Shortly thereafter, a shooter opened fire at what Philadelphia police termed an illegal party, killing one man and injuring five more.

Now, Boulder makes seven in seven days. When the gunfire at King Soopers stopped, 10 lay dead, including hero officer Eric Talley, the first policeman on the scene. His wife and seven children will pay an astronomical debt for their dad's bravery.

"Flags that have barely been raised back to full mast after the tragic shooting in Atlanta that claimed eight lives and now the tragedy here, close to home, at a grocery store that could be any of our neighborhood grocery stores," Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Tuesday.

The King Soopers location where the melee unfolded is one of about 1,000 providers in Colorado working to repel the killer Covid-19.

Steven McHugh's son-in-law had queued for a dose of vaccine, like more than a million other Coloradoans. He was third in line, and his daughters chatted with their grandmother on the phone as he waited, McHugh said.

When the gunfire erupted, a bullet found its way to the woman at the front of the line. Her fate is unclear, as is much about Monday's shooting. Authorities haven't divulged a motive, but history tells us it won't make sense.

McHugh's son-in-law fled with the girls -- one in seventh grade, the other in eighth -- to an upstairs staffing area above the pharmacy and hid in a closet. Dozens more shots rang out, McHugh said, citing his son-in-law.

It was "extraordinarily terrifying," the grandfather told CNN, "and of course the little one's saying, 'The coats weren't long enough to hide our feet,' as they were standing behind the coats in the closet."

'A normal we can no longer afford'

The US government doesn't have a centralized database to track mass shootings, but anecdotal accounts indicate they were down during the pandemic as Americans were encouraged to stay home and many of their favorite gathering places were shut down.

Former President Barack Obama called for action Tuesday, expressing disbelief that only Covid-19 could quell the gun violence the country has long endured.

"A once-in-a-century pandemic cannot be the only thing that slows mass shootings in this country," he said. "We shouldn't have to choose between one type of tragedy and another. It's time for leaders everywhere to listen to the American people when they say enough is enough -- because this is a normal we can no longer afford."

For the mass shootings that did unfold amid the pandemic, their locations were frighteningly familiar: a Buffalo, Minnesota, health clinic; a bowling alley in Rockford, Illinois; a Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, mall; parties in Rochester, New York, and Washington, DC; and a brewery in Milwaukee where, authorities would learn later, the gunman had been employed.

Gun violence is not a uniquely American phenomenon, but part of the rich American tapestry are threads of evil and violence: people (almost always men) who use weapons (often firearms) to snuff out innocents. Sometimes they're mentally ill, but more often they're just angry or vicious.

Their reasoning -- when it's attainable -- fails to provide closure. Outrage invariably erupts after each massacre. One side demands stronger gun laws. They're labeled un-American. Their opponents tout the Second Amendment. They're labeled callous. A stalemate ensues until the next killing, then repeat.

Within an hour of the Boulder killings, the National Rifle Association tweeted the Second Amendment. It later retweeted it. Nothing more.

It should surprise no one that a special interest group champions the Second Amendment. The amendment is a promise to every American, but 15 years prior to its ratification, the Declaration of Independence brought other promises of rights deemed "unalienable."

The full guarantees of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" will never be achieved by Officer Talley, Tralona Bartkowiak, Suzanne Fountain, Teri Leiker, Kevin Mahoney, Lynn Murray, Rikki Olds, Neven Stanisic, Denny Strong, Jody Waters -- or any of the thousands of victims who fell before Monday in Boulder.

'Part of the American experience'

In all likelihood, another person died by a gun while you were reading this. Despite the media's breathless focus on mass shootings, gun violence takes myriad and frequent forms.

According to numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the country saw 14,414 homicides in 2019 -- about one every 36 minutes -- while another 23,941 souls fatally turned guns on themselves -- roughly once every 22 minutes.

In his statement, Obama called out other scapegoats: disaffection, misogyny, hate. The United States has monopolies on none of these, though it has special brands that can be pernicious.

Sandy Phillips, who co-founded the organization Survivors Empowered to console and guide survivors of gun violence, pointed to the victims who suffer in silence, because the killings of their loved ones are seemingly not important enough for the newspapers or the nightly news.

Doubt her? Google the details about last week's shooting in Stockton, California, one of the most racially diverse cities in the nation.

"We have mass shootings in slow motion every day in this country, in other neighborhoods that never get the press, that never get the opportunity to speak out about what's happening in their communities -- and we need to change that," Phillips, who lost her 24-year-old daughter Jessica Ghawi in 2012 to gun violence in Aurora, Colorado, told CNN.

Those neighborhoods often belong to minorities, who have had a particularly rough time of the pandemic as well. It's another crushing American axiom that society's ills tend to home in on people of color, and those victims must yell so much louder to be heard.

There will be much yelling in coming days, perhaps weeks. Obama is right when he said Americans possess the ability to "make it harder for those with hate in their hearts to buy weapons of war. We can overcome opposition by cowardly politicians and the pressure of a gun lobby that opposes any limit on the ability of anyone to assemble an arsenal."

The margins are thin, though, and the complexity of that American tapestry will be on display. A Gallup poll from late last year showed 42% of Americans had guns in their homes, a number that's risen since 2019. Another Gallup query indicated 57% of Americans want stricter gun laws, a percentage that's on the decline.

Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said "absolutely nothing" will stop the country's return to pre-pandemic mass violence if lawmakers refuse to curb access to the weaponry.

"This has become part of the American experience, and let's not forget: It's completely unique to us," he told CNN. "There's not another similar country on Earth that experiences the same number, the frequency of mass shootings as we do, and it is directly attributable to the profusion and the availability of guns, particularly high-powered assault-style weapons and how easily pretty much anyone can acquire them here in this country."

[oceancityfinancial1]

Ocean City Financial

Website:  http://www.oceancityfinancialgroup.com/Services.5.htm

Address: 801 Asbury Ave.Ocean City, NJ 08226

If you’re looking for financial planning services in NJ, Mark R. Reimet and Jodie Booth at Ocean City Financial Group can help you with that! Mark has been in the financial services industry since 1988, after graduating from West Chester University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. He worked with his father as a financial advisor in various offices in Pennsylvania, and even spent some time working on Wall Street before opening his own office in Ocean City. Jodie Booth, Mark Reimet’s business partner, graduated with Honors from Richard Stockton College of New Jersey with a BS in Finance. During her time there, she received many awards for her excellence in the financial industry, including being accepted into the Business National Honors Society - Delta Mu Delta. She became an intern for Ocean City Financial Group, and now the two work together to provide financial planning services in NJ.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OceanCityFinancialGroup/

[thechanelmuse]

How a White Nationalist Mass Shooting Inspired Janet Jackson’s Masterpiece

Thirty years ago today, Janet Jackson released “Rhythm Nation 1814”—her most topical album yet, and one inspired by a horrifying mass shooting that still echoes.

Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 is a blockbuster and a landmark album—for Janet, for producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and for its time. It has sold 12 million copies and famously spawned a whopping seven Top 5 hits, but the legacy of Rhythm Nation is deeper and darker than its commercial success. The catalyst for Jackson’s magnum opus was a moment in U.S. history that would come to herald a harsh, ugly facet of contemporary American life.

“I remember when we were working on Rhythm Nation with Janet, and we had this concept for a song… We were watching CNN and there had been a school shooting and all these kids had been getting killed and we just thought, we gotta talk about that on a record,” remembered Jimmy Jam.

It was Jan. 17, 1989, when white supremacist Patrick Purdy murdered five children and wounded 32 people—mostly Southeast Asian refugees—at Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California. The tragedy would shock the nation, and occurred just a decade after the similarly-named 1979 Grover Cleveland Elementary School shooting in San Diego, California, when 16-year-old Brenda Spencer opened fire on schoolchildren from her apartment window. The Stockton shooting was particularly devastating for the mostly Vietnamese and Cambodian student body and community.

“When this happens, as far as a school, it’s not your child who’s been killed,” former Cleveland Elementary School second-grade teacher Julie Schardt said in 2013, recalling that fateful day. “But it’s one of the children you are responsible for. You are the main nourisher. You give them sustenance. Especially in primary—you are a parent. In loco parentis. You’re a counselor. You feed them. You’re a nurse. All of those things.”

Schardt was one of the teachers that had to identify bodies in the immediate aftermath of the carnage, and never forgot seeing the body of her 8-year-old student, Oeun Lim. “It was such a surreal experience. I remember it was cold, and I remember her red shoes.”

It was this horrific incident that inspired Janet Jackson’s topical fourth album, Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814. A concept album from the production/songwriting duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, it remains a standout for Janet. Coming on the heels of the monstrous success of Control—an album that produced five Top-10 singles and landed a nomination for Album Of the Year at the 1987 Grammys—there were high expectations and tremendous pressure for what the youngest Jackson would do for a follow-up. 

A lot had changed in popular music: the rise of dance-pop divas like Jody Watley and Paula Abdul led to whispers that Janet had been usurped; the emergence of new jack swing had dominated black music in 1988 and into 1989, making the slick, classic Minneapolis sound-inspired gloss of Control seem like yesterday’s news; and perhaps most significantly, hip-hop was suddenly at the forefront of black music and culture, with Public Enemy’s magnum opus It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back courting commendation and controversy by giving voice to black rage at the end of the Reagan era as crack, guns, and the 1990s loomed.

Read more

[stllimelight]

Love Is Love: Passion and Art Make for Potent ' A Man of No Importance' by R-S Theatrics

Love Is Love: Passion and Art Make for Potent ‘ A Man of No Importance’ by R-S Theatrics

By Lynn Venhaus Managing Editor Passion drives the characters and the R-S Theatrics production of a miraculous little musical that has something to say. The title “A Man of No Importance” is a misnomer, for Alfie Byrne is a remarkable human being whose significance is mirrored in the faces of his fellow Dubliners. In a blockbuster musical theater climate that regularly serves feel-good fluff…

[highlyspecificsigns]

the signs as unusual ebay listings

Source/more.

ARIES: In October 2013, Reddit user sirderpenson posted about a BIC lighter that, when lit, had a flame suspended above the lighter. He then listed the lighter on eBay, drained of butane. The auction reached bids over $100,000 before getting taken down on October 30, 2013. TAURUS: In June 2005, the wife of Tim Shaw, a British radio DJ on Kerrang! 105.2, sold Tim's Lotus Esprit sports car with a Buy It Now price of 50 pence after she heard him flirting with model Jodie Marsh on air. The car was sold within 5 minutes, and it was requested that the buyer pick it up the same day. GEMINI: In August 2014, net artist Michael Green put the 'most expensive GIF of all time' up for auction for $5800. The image was inspired by and based on a piece by artist Jeff Koons titled "Balloon Dog (Orange)". Koons' piece was sold at a Christie's auction for $58 million in 2013, setting the record for "the most expensive work by a living artist sold at auction" and inspiring Green to price his image at $5800. The winner of the auction was to receive a USB drive containing the file and a certificate of authenticity shipped to them from the artist. However, the initial auction ended in September with zero bids. The auction was subsequently re-listed and sold for $202.50. CANCER: In May 2008, Paul Osborn of the United Kingdom listed his wife Sharon for sale on eBay, alleging that she had an affair with a coworker. LEO: In June 2008, Ian Usher put up his "entire life" on auction. The auction included his house in Perth, belongings, introduction to his friends, and a trial at his job. When bidding closed, his "life" sold for $384,000. VIRGO: In November 2013, an anonymous Russian person placed an offer to send cremated remains into Earth orbit to the International Space Station. His close relative at the Baikonur Cosmodrome will pack an urn (containing the ashes of a loved one) with personal belongings of one of the Russian cosmonauts and send it within the Progress spacecraft to the ISS. Next, through a waste gateway, the urn will be released into space to Earth's orbit. LIBRA: In December 2009, a woman auctioned the copyright for a never before seen four-minute home movie of Marilyn Monroe smoking a joint. SCORPIO: In March 2017, an anonymous user put a massive failure within the network of the online dating platform OKCupid for sale which enabled the buyer to avoid the payment system based on paywalling the likes users give and receive to identify their mutual interests. SAGITTARIUS: In January 2006, a group of four men from Australia auctioned themselves to spend the weekend with the promise of "beers, snacks, good conversation and a hell of a lot of laughs" for A$1,300. CAPRICORN: An Australian newspaper reported in December 2004 that a single piece of the Kellogg's breakfast cereal Nutri-Grain sold on eBay for A$1,035 because it happened to bear a slight resemblance to the character E.T. from the Steven Spielberg movie. Apparently the seller went on to make even more money in relation to the sale for his appearance on a nationally televised current affairs program. AQUARIUS: In September 2010, a 23-year-old Stockton-on-Tees man named Michael Fawcett tried to raise money for Cancer Research by selling a ghost. The auction caught the attention of a local newspaper. However, after day 6 of the auction, eBay removed the item stating it was against their policy to sell ‘intangible items or items whose existence cannot be verified on receipt of them, such as ghosts, souls, or spirits’. PISCES: In 2004, a partially eaten, 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich said to bear the image of the Virgin Mary sold on eBay for $28,000.

[krystalstuff]

BMW | Sometimes Electric. Always BMW. from Rob Chiu on Vimeo.

CLIENT Company: BMW Brand & Communications: Steffi Armbruster Marketing Manager: Sophie Chiappe General Manager, Marketing & Communications: Stuart Walker

ADVERTISING AGENCY Company: FCB Inferno Director of Production: Nikki Chapman Producer: Charlie Coombes Chief Creative Officer: Owen Vincent Lee Art Director: Rob Farren Copy Writer: Ben Usher Account Director: Robert Stockton Business Director: Helena Georghiou

PRODUCTION COMPANY Company: Iconoclast London Head of Production: Kate Sharpe Executive Producer: Tom Knight Executive Producer: Guy Rolfe Director: Rob Chiu Producer: Mikey Levelle

INTERNATIONAL CREW: Director of Photography: Matias Boucard

SERVICE PRODUCTION COMPANY Company: Juice Film Executive Producer: Carmen Amos Line Producer: Karen Kloppers Production Manager: Bianca vd Merwe Production Manager: Michael Klein Production Co-ordinator: Tania Onyems

LOCAL CREW: Casting Company: Kayos Casting Casting Director: Monique Murray 1st Assistant Director: Tony Tex Unit Manager: Gareth de Breuyn Focus Puller: Frank Gardner Focus Puller: Jem Rayner Loader: Margie Muggleston Video Playback Operator: Augusto Figueira DIT: Jared Haviga Movi Operator: Myron Mance

Drone Company: Dark Wing Aerials Drone Pilot: Stefan van Zyl Key Grip: Robbie Fivaz Best Boy Grip: Christopher Hope Assistant Grip: Jody Meyer

Freedom Arm Company: Bickers Freedom Arm Precision Driver: Robbie Fivaz Freedom Arm Operator: Gustav Marais Freedom Arm & Edge Head Technician: Andrew Ballard

Gaffer: Oliver Wilter Best Boy: Zolani Gojo Rigging Best Boy: Selemani Mahango

Art Director: Tom Olive Props Charge: Zoe Brocklebank Art Stylist: Sarah Matheyse Practical Dresser / Standby: Philip Roberts Standby Assistant: Nazeer Craig Art Assistant: Khangelani Mzamo

Auto Detailing Company: MadCo Head of Auto Detailing: Vaughan Brewis Auto Detailer: Adion Bell Auto Detailer: Jaco Barendella Auto Detailer: JP Kotze Auto Detailer: Steven Rothquel Precision Driver: Gary Heimann Precision Driver: Claudio Piazzo Nusso

SFX Company: Gravitron SFX Technician: Michael Mostert SFX Assistant: Franklyn Tasung SFX Assistant: Gabriel Tupiki SFX Assistant: Fred Banda SFX Assistant: Ganizani Antony

OLED Lighting Company: A to Z Lighting OLED Technician: Ashle Commin OLED Assistant: Mzwandile Qanga OLED Assistant: Thabo Gqiza OLED Assistant: Naas Marais

Wardrobe Stylist: Bridget Baker Wardrobe Assistant: Gabi Alberts

Hair & Make Up Artist: Jessica Le Clos

LOCAL TALENT: Pavement Worker: Malcolm Rosewall Commuter: Sam Barham 24hr Café Customer: Pauline Afaja 24hr Café Customer: Lea Wolfram

OFFLINE EDIT Company: Cut & Run London Producer: Ruth Minkley Editor: James Rose Edit Assistant: Helena Teixeira Edit Assistant: Ben Cowan

ONLINE POST & VFX Company: The Mill London Producer: James Beck Producer: Dan Crozier VFX Supervisor: Jim Radford Lead 2D Artist: Dan Adams 2D Artists: Declan Andrews, Thiago Dantas, Ajith Raj, Akash Mishra, Arun Kumar, Arunraj T Asaithambi, AVV Suresh, Deepak Kumar Singh, Dushant Joshi, Jegathesan Thangappan, Jhoshidh T, Nageshwara Sunkara Lead 3D Artist: David Hempstead 3D Artists: Kate Gabriel, Bethan Williams, Ayush Bajoria, Bharat Ediga, Hannah Bahyan, Lokesh Maddela, Sameer Khan, Showber Shadik, Swathi Balasubramaniam

ONLINE GRADE Company: Moving Picture Company Head of Colour Grading Production: Ellora Chowdhury Colour Producer: Edwin Elkington Colourist: Matthieu Toullet Colour Assistant: Maruf Khan

MUSIC COMPOSITION Company: Mount Audio Composer: Evan Gildersleeve Composer: Greg Niemand

SOUND DESIGN & MIX Company: Wave Studios Producer: Beth Tomblin Designer: Martin Leitner

[expirisims]

Return of the OG Zombie Roommate

Come on Jody! You're so close! You can do it!

Looks like Rayne is a boy mom! I have my SP set to limit my families to a maximum of 3 children so Hunter will be their last!

OMG! Cristina has given Shayne a second chance! I'm so excited, I like these two as a couple so much better than Shayne with Alyson...I'm hoping it lasts this time!

And we succeeded! Jody can now walk, talk and is potty trained!

Joanna is sick of having that television on!

And Mabel too! Great work you guys! This may not be the most celebratory Snowflake Day, but Joanna and Antonio are putting their day off to good use!

Oh no! I forgot it was time for a full moon and would you look who showed up! Marisela! The Zombie Roommate herself! Gosh I wish that band would have worked out, it's such a waste of a good band name!

Antonio is safe inside with the kids...And Marisela is now an acrobat or a magician???Hmph...I would have never guessed, well good luck!

Joanna said to heck with staying safe from zombies, complete exhaustion, and winter appropriate clothes. She braved a swimsuit party at Alyson's...Would you look at all those cribs! I don't even know where we'll fit another one for Jess's impending little one!

Harsh! I mean, it's true, Shayne is NOT good with money, but geeze Joanna! He's one of your best friends, not to mention been harboring a secret and unrequited love for you for the entire play through!

Meanwhile back home, Marisela was unzombified only to be bitten AGAIN! This poor girl!

Little Bertie Baldwin is now a toddler! Oh that is some luscious hair! Especially for a one year old!

[itunesbooks]

100 Things Jazz Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die - Jody Genessy & Frank Layden

100 Things Jazz Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die Jody Genessy & Frank Layden Genre: Basketball Price: $11.99 Expected Publish Date: March 5, 2019 Publisher: Triumph Books Seller: Chicago Review Press, Inc. DBA Independent Publishers Group With traditions, records, and lore, this lively, detailed book explores the personalities, events, and facts every Jazz fan should know. It contains crucial information such as important dates, behind-the-scenes tales, memorable moments, and outstanding achievements by players like John Stockton, Karl Malone, Mehmet Okur, and Adrian Dantley. Whether you're a lifelong supporter from the early days in Salt Lake City or a more recent fan, this is the ultimate resource guide for all Jazz faithful. http://bit.ly/2VBV1XG

[mydrexelexperience]

For my Design in Philly event, Autumn and I went to the opening night of our Design 1 professor Mark Stockton’s exhibit, Independent(s), at the Galleries at Moore College of art and design in Center City. Mark’s pieces were set in another room as a separate exhibit from other artists presenting their work at the gallery. I knew mark was a talented artist, and a great Design professor, but as soon as I stepped in the room I was instantly blown away.

Marks pieces were absolutely incredible. Each one, hand drawn in pencil and in a variety of sizes. The amount of detail was astounding, he was able to capture the slightest little wrinkle and every piece of hair. One of the portraits was a gigantic image of Putin, split in half by what seemed to be tin foil. In the room filled with pencil portraits, Autumn and I ran into Jody Graff, Director of Drexel’s Graphic Design program, and we were able to discuss how awestruck we were with Mark’s work. In a separate adjacent room, we were able to speak with Mark about his work, and learn more about his process and how he made these amazing pieces.

[scottsdalegolfuk]

ShopRite LPGA Classic: Lexi Thompson wins with Jodi Ewart Shadoff seven shots back

England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff finishes seven shots off the pace as American Lexi Thompson wins the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Stockton Seaview. from BBC Sport - Golf https://bbc.in/2F2vn8t via Scottsdale Golf

[itsworn]

Back To The 50’s 2017: The Action From The Land Of 10,000 Street Rods

When the Minnesota Street Rod Association organized its first Back To The 50’s show in 1974, they attracted about 150 cars to the Midway Shopping Center in St. Paul. In 2017, the 44th Annual Back To The 50’s packed the Minnesota State Fairgrounds with 12,000 street rods, customs, sports cars, and classic trucks for a three-day performance party that has earned a reputation as the largest hot rod show in the United States.

With some much to see, it’s practically impossible to get a look at everything this event has to offer. That’s what happens when that many cars (11,680 was the official final count) show up at the same place at the same time. That’s why we keep coming back to Back To The 50’s.

Acres of street rods was only part of the fun at the 2017 event. Other attractions included more than 300 commercial vendors, offering everything from apparel to aftermarket parts. Wings Kalahan provided the weekend’s classic rock soundtrack via the Lokar Cruisin’ With Wings Show. The thousands of hobbyist builders at the show were joined by pro builders from well-known shops. Dave Kindig from Kindig-It Design and the host of the Bitchin’ Rides TV show was there to talk to enthusiasts and to display his latest builds in his usual spot near the front gate. Over by the grandstand, Jerry Dixey and the ARP/STREET RODDER Road Tour participants were hanging out at their hospitality tent after an active week of Minnesota cruising. At the west end of the fairgrounds, 400 swap meet vendors appeared on Sunday morning. In between were food trucks, live bands, and all those street rods. For the last several years, this show has been part of the Painless Performance Products/STREET RODDER Top 100 program and the Ford Performance Best Ford in a Ford program.

We have less than a year to wait until the 45th Annual Back To The 50’s show comes back to St. Paul. In the meantime, enjoy this selection from the 2017 show.

Red steelies with chrome caps set off this mildly modified 1947 Oldsmobile, the proud property of Mr. Wilcox from Lindstrom, MN.

Denny and Jane Wanous from North Mankato, MN, found a perfect parking spot for their 1948 Ford convertible. The bone-colored upholstery and matching top is contrasted by dark red paint and plenty of brightwork.

Tim and Julie Eichman stuck with Ford power for their well-done, copper-colored 1931 Ford roadster pickup, from Little Suamico, WI.

Thadeus Swanson from Minneapolis calls his custom a 1951 Chevy Bel Air, but in true custom tradition, it’s a mix of many cars, including the 1948 Cad fins and 1954 Buick portals, for starters.

Here’s what those 1948 Cad fins look like on a genuine 1948 Cadillac. This racing green fastback coupe is driven by Tom Malik from Medina, MN.

The two-tone paint combo calls out the sheetmetal details on Bill Snelson’s 1937 Chevy sedan delivery, out of Mankato, MN. Bill calls his ride, “Sweeter Than Wine.”

Joel Struntz of Princeton, MN, takes “back to the ’50s” literally. His 1928 Ford Model A roadster with low-key pinstriping, an 8BA Flathead with two deuces, and Denman whitewall bias-ply tires, is a throwback to the early days of hot rodding.

Joe Budenz’s roadster represents a more recent era. The 1933 Ford from Freeport, IL, shows off the clean, modern look that Boyd Coddington popularized starting in the ’80s. Foose wheels are the perfect choice.

Another nod to traditional hot rod style is this 1927 Model T modified, owned by Matt Wendorf from Stillwater, MN. It features solid wheels, a four-banger with OHV head conversion, and Mexican blanket seat cover.

The dark maroon 1936 Chevy coupe, owned by Gary Adolph, of Cottage Grove, MN, has been updated with a contemporary interior, Foose five-spokes, and a throttle-body-injected LS series engine.

The Minnesota State Fairgrounds features numerous streets that could have been designed for cruising. Jim Holbrook of Minneapolis and copilot covered some ground in this resto-rod 1939 Plymouth.

Dave Wing runs some serious-sized meat on the rear wheels of his 1946 Ford coupe. Dave came from Hays, KS, and drove to Back To The 50’s with the ARP/STREET RODDER Road Tour.

The 1951 Plymouth Cranbrook doesn’t get a lot of attention from street rodders, but Dennis and Pat Hofdahl’s butterscotch-colored convertible from Owatonna, MN, may make a few converts.

Norm Baltes owns this 1931 Ford Model A. The beautiful blue Vicky from Farmington, MN, runs a Chevy small-block.

Ralph Maki’s slammed 1941 Chevy from Britt, MN, caught our attention from 100 yards. The interior is thoroughly refinished. The exterior has been shaved of trim and hardware. Frenched headlights and Boyd Coddington wheels add to the appeal.

Numerous custom mods distinguish Rich and Mary Ebben’s 1955 Lincoln custom, from the transplanted chopped Lincoln roof to the side pipes and classic pinstriping.

We didn’t see all the cars at Back To The 50’s, but we saw the smallest. Dave Meier was answering questions all weekend about his 1962 Autobianchi Bianchina, an Italian model from the minicar era.

Painless Performance Products Presents STREET RODDER Top 100

Tech Tip: LS-style engines Before ordering your new LS harness from Painless Performance Products, be sure to know exactly what the donor vehicle was as all the engines may look the same but the injectors and sensors are probably not.

For more photos and videos of these 10 winners, visit: hotrod.com and http://bit.ly/2ueTslY.

 1959 Cadillac Convertible | Jesse Osborne | Ham Lake, MN Built by Jesse at Caddy Shack, his personal shop, “Gambler’s” shaved body sits on the stock frame with an air suspension for the slammed stance. The candy Roulette Red fade paintjob is embellished with elaborate pinstriping. The Cadillac 390 is backed up with a 700-R4. Inside, the Gambler theme is highlighted by airbrushed images of high roller celebrities, such as Lucky Luciano and Frank Sinatra on the console. The speedometer numbers have been replaced with Ace through King playing card values. The upholstery features custom-designed paisley inserts. The wheels are from Curtis Speed.

 1932 Ford Roadster | Justin Moriarty | Grain Valley, MO Justin said that he built this Deuce roadster with help from his father, Ralph, inspired by all the car shows they’ve attended together. The Synergy Green shaved body is carried by a Pete & Jakes frame with P&J suspension parts. The 17- and 20-inch Schott wheels are wrapped in fat BFGoodrich g-Force radials, stopped by Wilwood disc brakes. The bench seat is stitched in tan Ultraleather. VDO gauges fill the clean dash and the Flaming River steering column is topped with a Billet Specialties wheel. A polished and chromed four-barrel Chevy 350 and Turbo 350 transmission spin the Ford 9-inch rear.

 1933 Plymouth Coupe | Art & Donna Pavlish | Rochester, MN Of all the Plymouths at Back To The 50’s, Art and Donna’s 1933 coupe was one of our favorites. They bought the rust-free car from the third owner—along with all titles. The homebuilt Plymouth started with the original-steel body on the boxed original ’rails, with independent front and rear suspension. The interior is all 2006 Chrysler 300 SRT8. Art and Donna added Bluetooth, navigation, satellite radio, and more contemporary technology. The engine compartment is packed, appropriately, with a 6.1L Hemi, and the paint is Plymouth Prowler Orange. Foose five-spokes complete the appearance.

 1931 Ford Coupe | Jim Myers | Grand Forks, ND Jim’s chopped and channeled Model A coupe is a genuine ’50s hot rod survivor. Its history includes a stint on the show circuit, several paintjobs and engines, and a feature in Hot Rod magazine. Jim found the car at a show “and pestered the owner until he sold it to me.” He beefed up the four-barrel 289 engine, added a 1932 grille shell, fabricated the steel hood, painted it black, and swapped the wheels and tires for Stockton five-spokes with whitewall radials and cheater slicks. The suspension has four-bars and friction shocks in front and split ’bones in back. The interior features a 1940 Ford dash and gauges.

 1940 Ford Panel Truck | Gary Garner | Ham Lake, MN Gary used the 1940 to promote his business. He’s retired now and it’s strictly for pleasure. It came out of a barn and was completely rebuilt by Bo Vescio at Vescio’s Customizing. The scoop directs air to a blown 460 Ford. Low-profile tires are mounted on KMC wheels measuring 22 and 20 inches. The contemporary interior is covered in multiple tones of leather. Art Morrison Enterprises provided the frame for the truck, with a Mustang II–style frontend and a four-link rear. RideTech air suspension was added to put the 1940 on the pavement, and disc brakes at all corners provide updated stopping.

 1932 Ford Three-Window Coupe | Paul Walecki | Waukesha, WI Paul’s Deuce coupe is owner-built. The ’glass body rides on custom 1932 ’rails with front and rear four-bars. Beefy radial tires roll on 16- and 18-inch Billet Specialties wheels. The open engine compartment holds a gleaming Chevy small-block with a tunnel ram intake and dual four-barrels. Shadowed flames were sprayed over the Molten Bronze paint. The modern interior is finished in cream-colored leather and includes custom buckets, a banjo wheel, plus a fabricated console for the Lokar shifter, Classic Instruments gauges, and Kenwood stereo. A TV screen in the trunk lets Paul play video of the build process.

 1941 Willys | Allen Kipka | Roseville, MN Allen bought the Willys two weeks before the show. It had been a father and son project for George and Jody Mills from Connecticut using a Dennis Taylor fiberglass body on a well-detailed Art Morrison chassis with a Heidts frontend and Chris Alston FAB9 rear. Rolling stock consists of 31×18.50-15 Hoosiers in the rear and 26×7.50s in front on American Racing Hopster wheels, with disc brakes at all corners. A Corvette four-barrel 427 big-block is backed up with a TH400 transmission. The Cobalt Blue paint (a 2007 Chevy color) is contrasted by the cognac leather interior upholstery.

 1951 Mercury | Larry Fryfogle | Appleton, WI This flamed Merc was homebuilt in traditional custom style, with a 4-inch chop, Corvette grille teeth, quad lights, dual frenched antennas, wide whites, and low posture. Front fender flares are from a 1956 Chevy, reversed on the Merc. Larry shaved the body of all trim and hardware before spraying the Synergy Green paint. The 1959 Chevy dash was narrowed to fit and modified with dual power gloveboxes, Thunderbird seats, and upholstered in white faux leather. Interior door handles are 1949-1951 Merc hood ornaments. The car’s nickname, “The Bean,” is in honor of Larry’s granddaughter, Hailie.

 1931 Ford Pickup | Jeff Bjustrom | Minneapolis, MN Jeff’s plan was to have a patina’d rat rod to drive at his cabin. After it was finished by Vescio’s Customizing & Restoration, his Model A pickup was a wild show car wearing House of Kolor paint and winning an award at the Detroit Autorama. The ground-scraping stance, chopped top, and 18- and 20-inch Rushforth wheels make a vivid first impression. A closer look reveals the custom interior with aluminum and leather bomber seats, custom console, and a flavor combining retro race car with modern street rod. The Chevy 350 is finished in traditional style with three 2Vs with stacks.

 1962 Nash Metropolitan | Roger & Barree Boettcher | Andover, MN Roger and Barree Boettcher’s 1962 Nash Metropolitan was stock when it was towed into their son Troy’s shop 14 years ago. Custom body mods include welded seams, shaved suicide doors, molded grille, frenched headlights, 1954 Chevy taillights, and Hot Red paint visible from space. A Fatman chassis with a Mustang II frontend and an S10 three-link rear uses RideTech suspension to drop the body over the Torq Thrust wheels. The 4.3L Chevy V-6 is the little car’s big surprise. The interior was entirely redone with camel leather buckets, center console, a Billet Specialties wheel, Pioneer stereo, and TPI-Tech gauges.

STREET RODDER’s Best Ford In A Ford A 1964 Falcon Packed With ’60s Personality

YEAR: 1964 MAKE: Ford MODEL: Falcon OWNER: Bill Estridge STATE: Minnesota

“I was looking for a nice, ’60s hot rod,” Bill Estridge explains. His search took place online and ended when he found this Falcon Futura two-door hardtop on eBay Motors. He purchased the car sight unseen. It was originally from Philadelphia, but had ended up at a dealership in Chicago, and in February 2016 it arrived at Bill’s home in Oakdale, Minnesota, on an open car hauler in the middle of a snowstorm, covered in road salt.

By the time show season came around, Bill was ready. He took the Futura to the Falcon Nationals in Wisconsin, and came home with a trophy for the Modified Class. Those judges in Wisconsin may have been impressed by the same thing we were: that ’60s personality that Bill wanted the Falcon to have.

Except for a few details like radial tires, a modern Kenwood stereo, and maybe the paintjob, Bill’s 1964 was built to look like a car that could have been found in the driveway of a young gearhead 50 years ago. The car rides on the original suspension and rolls on period-appropriate 15-inch Cragar five-spokes. On the inside, the factory instruments are supplemented by a column-mounted tach and an underdash panel of Sun Pro gauges—with a B&M shifter for shifting the C6. The paint is an attention-getting combination of Orange Burst and Polished Metal.

When Bill started continually chasing oil leaks, he decided to replace the engine. “I wanted a better-built engine for the car and the Ford Performance 302 was my first choice,” he says. Tim Dohm of Lindstrom, Minnesota, built the four-barrel-fed Ford engine for the Falcon. Other upgrades include the Ford 8-inch banjo rearend with a locker and 3.55 gears. Bill says the car is as fast as it looks and he is very happy with the combination. In addition to Back To The 50’s where the car was our pick for the STREET RODDER Best Ford In A Ford award, presented by Ford Performance, Bill takes the Falcon to as many smaller local shows around Minnesota and Wisconsin, keeping the old days alive.

Sunday Swap Meet!

Back To The 50’s features one of the most popular swap meets in the area. The yearly meet is limited to Sunday only, from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Sellers started lining up outside the gates to the Minnesota State Fairground at midnight in order to get a prime spot when those gates opened. Buyers were there as soon as the sun came up. In addition to a wide variety of exterior, interior, engine, and suspension parts, there were numerous vehicles for sale, a few of which you see here. What didn’t get sold got hauled back to where it came from, to be seen again at another swap meet. We hope that what did get sold will be seen again too—in the form of a finished street rod.

There was no shortage of parts and cars at the swap meet. Take a look at some of the cars we saw for sale at Back To The 50’s.

Everybody likes Chevy Fleetlines. This 1948 would make a great custom, don’t you think?

Restored or modified, 1955 Mercury hardtops are great-looking cars. We hope we get to see this one finished someday.

This 1934 Ford Vicky was hoping for someone to take it home, update the style, and put it back on the street.

The great thing about a 1930 Peerless sedan is that it’s classy, there’s room for everybody, and you’re guaranteed to win the Best Peerless award.

How would you build this mid-’20s Dodge Brothers sedan? Our online gallery of Dodges and Plymouths from this show is at hotrod.com.

Is there a more traditional custom than a 1950 Merc with suede paint, wide whites, and spots?

This ’60 Chevy Nomad would make a great street cruiser—and nothing says hot rod like painted flames, five-spoke Rocket wheels, and a roof rack.

The post Back To The 50’s 2017: The Action From The Land Of 10,000 Street Rods appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/back-50s-2017-action-land-10000-street-rods/ via IFTTT

[flauntpage]

Andre Iguodala’s Free Agency May End Golden State’s Run

With the dominant way the Golden State Warriors have played during this postseason, it seems silly to wonder how long their stranglehold on the league, or at least the Western Conference, could last. The Warriors are undefeated and have the best defense in the postseason by nearly four points per 100 possessions. Whenever Draymond Green, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson are healthy enough to play at the same time, their record is a scintillating 51-9 this year, including the playoffs.

But beyond this season looms a larger question about the future of the franchise, and the future of its least likely lynchpin: Andre Iguodala.

Even at 33 years old, Iguodala remains a critical contributor off Golden State's bench. He's the influential veteran presence who does just about everything pretty well. Few players meet his combination of athleticism, versatility, and unselfishness. Throw intelligence into the pot, and the Warriors clearly have a special player.

"He knows how to run the floor, run through if two guys are filling the lane. If he's the ball handler, he's pushing the pace," Warriors assistant coach Jarron Collins told VICE Sports. "He's almost like a point forward...someone who's a playmaker when he has the ball in his hands, to find shooters or to find someone on the rim run. His intelligence on the basketball court, and his basketball IQ, is tremendous."

Iguodala is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and whether the Warriors lose him almost entirely depends on how Durant uses the flexibility afforded to him by the new CBA. It seems very unlikely that Durant will opt into his $27.7 million player option for next season since that would cost him millions of dollars.

If Durant opts out, the two most probable scenarios are: A) a 1+1 deal using his Non-Bird Rights that starts at approximately $31.8 million (120 percent of his 2016-17 salary) or B) a brand new max contract that'd start around $35.3 million per year. The former keeps Golden State above the cap and allows them to retain all their own free agents, if they so choose. But if Durant wants as much money as he's eligible to earn then that potentially squeezes out a player like Iguodala.

Curry, Durant, Green, and Thompson would nearly fill the salary cap by themselves, leaving just over $10 million in space, the $4.3 million room exception, and a troop of veteran's minimum deals to fill out the roster. That may still be enough to win it all, but the margin for error is so thin. You may ask: who cares if the Warriors lose Iguodala?

One front office executive told VICE Sports that he thinks the Warriors would still be the favorites to win it all next season—sans Iguodala—but building a competent bench would be extremely difficult given their financial situation.

Several parts of Iguodala's game would be missed, not to mention the fact Golden State would be losing a Finals MVP who helped them win a championship two years ago.

Iguodala enables Golden State's groundbreaking adaptability with an individual flair that's emblematic of how they want to play. His performance in the 2015 Finals was a watershed moment for NBA basketball. Trailing 2-1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr went small by inserting Iguodala into Game 4's starting lineup. From then on, the Warriors outscored the Cavs by 46 points with him on the court, and the rest is history.

Photo by Kyle Terada - USAToday Sports

Collins, who's been with the Warriors since Iguodala's first season with the team and has played with countless all stars, needs a second to think when asked if Iguodala is the smartest player he's ever been around.

"I've been around a lot of good ones. I've had the pleasure to play with some Hall of Famers: John Stockton, Karl Malone, Steve Nash. I've played with a lot of great players. I will say that he's right up there. Especially with someone like Karl Malone, in just that he understands player tendencies," Collins said. "It's not just necessarily the guy that they're going against, it's everyone. Everybody on that other roster, Andre has a mental rolodex, a mental book on them, and what they want to do to be successful. He understands positioning, playing for strips, and the anticipation, knowing what the player wants to do."

The numbers make the case for Iguodala's importance. He had the same True Shooting percentage as Curry this season (an impressive 62.4), and ranked 24th out of 468 players in Real Plus-Minus after having been third overall during his first year in Golden State. He also finished dead last on the Warriors in usage. Dead last!

But watch this team play and Iguodala feels so vital. Over the last three postseasons, he averaged more touches than everyone on the team except Curry and Green. That includes this current run, where he handles the ball more frequently than Thompson and Durant despite spending fewer minutes on the court.

Only Durant, Jon Leuer, DeAndre Jordan, and LeBron James finished with a higher field goal percentage in the restricted area this year (on at least 150 attempts), while only Nikola Jokic and JaMychal Green were more accurate from the mid-range (on at least 60 attempts).

"Andre is a proven player in this league, so he'd have success no matter which team he's on. Hopefully it's us for many years to come, but obviously you just look at his history. His numbers don't lie," Collins said. "He had success when he was in Philadelphia. He had success when he was with Denver. He's having success now. A lot of that is just a credit to his ability to acclimate himself to whatever environment he's in, with whatever team. It just so happens that our team plays best to his strengths because we have so many different playmakers."

Iguodala's situation feels like a convenient perfect storm—from roster makeup to playing style to role—but it's also clear he can still help a different team next season. If Durant re-signs with a max contract, Iguodala is as good as gone.

One league source joked that no matter what, Iguodala better get more money than Jamal Crawford, the Los Angeles Clippers sixth man who signed a three-year, $42 million contract last summer. This is accurate. Iguodala laps Crawford in just about every area that matters and is nearly four years younger. Anything between $15-18 million in that first year sounds right, but he still needs a buyer.

Photo by Cary Edmondson - USAToday Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers will probably call. Luke Walton is Iguodala's former coach and Rob Pelinka, now L.A.'s general manager, was his former agent. Assuming Nick Young opts out of his player option, the Lakers can open up nearly $29 million in cap space this summer. Pelinka can bid for his ex-client's service and potentially still have enough room to afford Paul George the following summer.

Across the country, if the Boston Celtics swing and miss on Gordon Hayward and Blake Griffin, Iguodala would be an ideal fit off their bench. Boston deploys a similar read-and-react playing style to the one Iguodala enjoys in Golden State, and Iguodala's defense in the playoffs could be what nudges the Celtics past LeBron James.

"He's probably one of the best on-ball wing defenders," Collins said.

The Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, and Minnesota Timberwolves will all have enough cap space to make a competitive offer. Each would be through the moon to add Iguodala to their roster.

If he does in fact leave the Bay Area, replacing all the on-court intangibles will be virtually impossible. Finding someone who can provide a positive locker room influence may be even harder.

"You can tell that Andre had solid vets teach him and instruct him the ways about being professional," Collins said. "This is his 13th year in the league, and you can see that Andre is doing that for our young guys. So he's giving back. I think that that is one of the coolest things about team sports. You learn the professional game, you continue to grow and to learn, and then you give it back. He is that solid veteran that you need."

A quick look at this summer's free agent class doesn't inspire much hope that Golden State could replace Iguodala, especially considering they'd barely have any cap space and only a $4.3 million exception to utilize. That means suitable plug-and-play cogs like C.J. Miles and Kyle Korver are out of their price range. Maybe Golden State brings back Brandon Rush, or positions itself as the first team to maximize Jeff Green's raw ability. Maybe Jodie Meeks' injuries deflate his price tag. Or the league, for whatever reason, still decides they don't like Omri Casspi. Can P.J. Tucker be had? What about Thabo Sefolosha, Jonas Jerebko, or Luke Babbitt?

None of these names come close to replicating Iguodala's impact, let alone Shaun Livingston's. There's a chance the Warriors will finally feel the aftermath of a stringent collective bargaining agreement that was designed to prevent four All-NBA talents from teaming up with arguably the league's best sixth man.

If Durant waves goodbye to that extra $4 million and the Warriors are able to bring back whoever they want, they'll roll on until poor health and/or age-related decline ends their run. Curry will be 30 in next year's postseason. Durant will be 29. Green and Thompson will be 28. They will enter the next two seasons, at least, as heavy title favorites.

But if not, the rest of the league can exhale a slight sigh of relief. The mighty Warriors may not be as dominant for as long as everyone else initially feared.

Andre Iguodala’s Free Agency May End Golden State’s Run published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

[expirisims]

Long time, no see

It has been in game years since we’ve last checked on Alyson, Terrell and their little one, Jerrod. When I clicked in, Alyson was on her way to the McCalister home in the middle of the night! I’m not sure they really want company at this time of night...

Or, maybe I was wrong Joanna was wide awake! Oh my, what did my game dress poor Joanna in for maternity!?

I know I’ve seen Terrell and Alyson fighting around town and they are autonomously sleeping in different rooms so I checked on their relationship status. Well they are still dating and definitely attracted to each other, but look at that bar in the red! Oh no, that doesn’t bode too well.  I guess it stands to reason, they are complete opposites.

I gave Terrell his makeover at home when I first entered, but I discovered the hairstyle I chose for him was completely blacked out in his portrait panel and notifications. It showed up correctly actually on him in live mode, but I was still leery so I checked in another save on a different sim...

Yep...still showing blacked out in the portrait, while showing as normal on the actual sim.  After scouring the internet I found one post that said this may have to do with poly count and should be fine, but I’ve used this hair before with no problems and I don’t want to take chances, so I settled for a different hair on Terrell.

As soon as the sun was up I sent Alyson for her makeup.  Armando is back to wearing full ancient Egyptian guard garbe again I see! LOL! That Armando, what a character!

Well, my retinas may be burning, but Alyson loves the outfit he picked for her so it’s staying! I gave her a haircut. She seems to be a short hair type of girl so I chose an adorable pixie cut. This is literally the first time I’ve seen her entire face! She’s so cute!

Alyson is a photographer and Terrell is in a band so neither has a rabbit hole job to go to. Alyson worked on teaching Jerrod to walk and Terrell met up with his bandmate, Marisela to jam in the park. Is it just me, or does she seem to be a little into him?

Artist’s Pointe seemed to provide just the inspiration they needed, but they weren’t getting any tips. In fact, to my dismay, “Zombie Roommate” hasn’t had a single gig since forming 3 years ago! I did some digging and found out I had a lot of work to do in order to make them eligible to earn any money as a band...so I may have cheated just a little bit ;) It was my fault after all. 

Back home Jerrod has learned to walk!

Hey some sims have finally arrived to at least listen!  Nice, Marsha...real nice, like you’d be any better at playing piano!

I couldn’t resist a picture of Kyle in robot mode LOL!

I bet you’d be down to chill again!

Alyson was invited to the McCalister home for a party, but I called a babysitter and sent Terrell with her; hoping to increase their relationship. Unfortunately, Alyson stuck around only a couple of minutes after sneaking up on Joanna and Terrell spent most of the evening watching Jody while Joanna cooked mac and cheese.

Haha! Don’t you mean thanks for taking care of my kid while I ignored you?

Aww...sleeping in the same bed now.  Maybe that party helped their relationship after all.